A method of manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board and a modular flexible circuit board

Abstract

This invention discloses a method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board and the modular flexible circuit board itself, relating to the field of electronic circuit manufacturing technology. The manufacturing method includes: fabricating a flexible substrate with patterned circuitry based on a flexible substrate; fabricating a functional base, the functional base including an upper layer plate and a lower layer plate spaced apart vertically, with slots formed on opposite surfaces of the upper and lower layer plates; inserting the end of the flexible substrate into the target slot; after insertion, filling the space between the upper and lower layer plates with an insulating filler; after the insulating filler has cured, removing the functional base, and fabricating pads on the surface of the insulating filler corresponding to the end of the flexible substrate. This invention utilizes bendable PCB manufacturing technology to achieve the manufacturing of a rigid PCB board with a certain mechanical strength.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic circuit manufacturing technology, and in particular to a method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board and the modular flexible circuit board itself. Background Technology

[0002] Printed circuit boards (PCBs), serving as a carrier for electrical interconnection, mechanical support, and signal transmission between chips and optical modules, feature a multi-layered, rigid structure. Traditional PCB manufacturing processes heavily rely on multi-layer lamination, photolithography, etching, and drilling technologies: first, multiple layers of substrate containing circuitry are bonded together via lamination; then, mechanical or laser drilling forms interlayer vias (PTHs); finally, etching and surface treatment complete the patterning. While this mature process can achieve stable circuit functionality, its limitations are becoming increasingly apparent as electronic devices evolve towards higher density, miniaturization, and complex three-dimensional structures.

[0003] Current PCB manufacturing technology mainly faces two major pain points: rigid design and structural reliability. 1. Insufficient design flexibility: Limited by traditional stacked structures and drilling processes, it is difficult to "freely add or remove" the number of circuit modules or flexibly adjust the connection angle, making it difficult for the product structure to adapt to rapidly changing customized needs.

[0004] 2. Processing capacity constrains quality: Over-reliance on high-precision drilling and complex lamination equipment means that processing capacity directly determines the final quality of the product. When the equipment precision cannot meet the design requirements, design standards often have to be lowered, making it impossible to achieve "design-driven manufacturing."

[0005] Therefore, the industry urgently needs a PCB manufacturing solution that can break through the limitations of traditional stacking and drilling, and support free modular assembly and overall packaging. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board and a modular flexible circuit board, thereby solving the technical problems of insufficient design flexibility and quality constraints in existing PCB manufacturing.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented using the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board, comprising: Fabrication of flexible substrates with patterned circuits based on flexible substrates; A functional base is manufactured, comprising an upper plate and a lower plate spaced apart vertically, with slots provided on the opposite surfaces of the upper plate and the lower plate. Insert the end of the flexible substrate into the slot of the target; After the connection is completed, an insulating filler is filled between the upper and lower plates; After the insulating filler has been cured and molded, the functional base is removed, and a pad is formed on the surface of the insulating filler at the end corresponding to the flexible substrate.

[0008] Optionally, the fabrication of the flexible substrate with patterned circuitry based on the flexible substrate includes: A copper foil layer is formed by laminating copper foil onto the surface of the flexible substrate. The patterned circuitry is fabricated on the copper foil layer using a photolithography etching process.

[0009] Optionally, the graphic circuit can be a single-layer or multi-layer structure.

[0010] Optionally, the upper plate and the lower plate are also provided with corresponding positioning holes, and the functional base is assembled by connecting the positioning holes on the upper plate and the lower plate through positioning pins.

[0011] Optionally, the shape and dimensions of the slot are matched to the end of the corresponding flexible substrate.

[0012] Optionally, filling the space between the upper and lower layers with an insulating filler includes: After the functional base is plugged in, it is inserted into a matching potting mold, and an insulating filler is injected into the potting mold. After the insulating filler has cured and formed, the potting mold is removed first, and then the functional base is removed.

[0013] Optionally, the step of forming pads on the surface of the insulating filler corresponding to the end of the flexible substrate includes: The ends of the flexible substrate exposed on the surface of the insulating filler are ground flush. After polishing, insulating ink is printed on the surface of the insulating filler, and the pads are exposed and developed at the end position of the flexible substrate.

[0014] Optionally, the material of the functional base may include metal, engineering resin, or high-strength plastic; And / or, The insulating filler material includes epoxy resin, polyurethane, or silicone gel.

[0015] Optionally, the curing method of the insulating filler includes thermosetting or photosetting.

[0016] Secondly, the present invention provides a modular flexible circuit board, which is manufactured using the manufacturing method described above.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are as follows: This invention provides a method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board and the modular flexible circuit board itself. It eliminates the reliance on high precision drilling and lamination alignment in traditional PCB manufacturing, and utilizes the flexible connection characteristics to reduce dependence on precision processing equipment, thus overcoming process limitations. It supports the "free addition and removal" of module quantity and "arbitrary angle" connection, enabling rapid response to design changes, rapid iteration and customized design of PCB structure, and achieving a high degree of design freedom. The modular process and simple assembly significantly shorten the cycle from design to finished product, improving design and production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the manufacturing method of the modular flexible circuit board provided in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible substrate provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the functional base provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the insertion of the flexible substrate provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cured surface of the insulating filler provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the modular flexible circuit board provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the modular flexible circuit board welding components provided in the embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] Example 1

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board, including the following steps: Step S1: Fabricate a flexible substrate with patterned circuits based on a flexible substrate.

[0024] like Figure 2 As shown, it specifically includes: A copper foil layer is formed by laminating copper foil onto the surface of a flexible substrate. The pattern circuit is fabricated on the copper foil layer using photolithography etching process.

[0025] Depending on the design requirements, the graphic circuit can be a single-layer or multi-layer structure.

[0026] Step S2: Make a functional base. The functional base includes an upper plate and a lower plate that are spaced apart. Slots are provided on the opposite surfaces of the upper plate and the lower plate.

[0027] like Figure 3 As shown, positioning holes are also provided on the upper and lower plates respectively. The functional base is assembled by connecting the positioning holes on the upper and lower plates with positioning pins.

[0028] The position of the slot can be set according to design requirements, and the shape and size of the slot match the end of the corresponding flexible substrate.

[0029] Meanwhile, the slot here can also be set as a through hole. In order to prevent the end of the flexible substrate from passing through the through hole during the subsequent insertion process of the flexible substrate end, the through hole can be set as a shape with a large inlet and a small outlet, or a limiting part can be set at the outlet position.

[0030] The material of the functional base can be, but is not limited to, metal, engineering resin, or high-strength plastic, depending on the design requirements.

[0031] Step S3: Insert the end of the flexible substrate into the target slot.

[0032] like Figure 4 As shown, the ends of the flexible substrate can be connected in the same direction according to design requirements, that is, both ends are inserted into the slots of the upper or lower plate, or they can be connected in opposite directions, that is, one end is inserted into the upper plate and the other end is inserted into the lower plate.

[0033] Step S4: After the connection is completed, fill the space between the upper and lower boards with insulating filler.

[0034] Specifically, this includes: inserting the completed functional base into a matching potting mold, and injecting insulating filler into the potting mold; After the insulating filler has cured and formed, remove the potting mold first, and then remove the functional base.

[0035] After obtaining the cured insulating filler, the ends of the flexible substrate exposed on the surface of the insulating filler are ground flush, such as... Figure 5 As shown.

[0036] The insulating filler material can be made of materials including but not limited to epoxy resin, polyurethane, or silicone gel, depending on the design requirements.

[0037] Step S5: After the insulating filler has been cured and molded, remove the functional base and make pads on the surface of the insulating filler corresponding to the end of the flexible substrate.

[0038] The curing method for insulating fillers can be, depending on the design requirements, including but not limited to, thermosetting or photosetting.

[0039] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, after polishing, insulating ink is printed on the surface of the insulating filler (forming a solder resist layer), and the pads are exposed and developed at the end of the flexible substrate. Subsequently, various components can be soldered at the pads.

[0040] Based on the design requirements of modular flexible circuit boards, the number of flexible substrates can be freely configured according to the complexity of the circuit design. By increasing or decreasing the number of flexible substrates plugged into the functional base, the circuit function can be flexibly expanded or reduced. The insertion angle and direction of the flexible substrates are not limited by traditional PCB stack-ups, and electrical connections on the same side, opposite sides, or at any angle can be flexibly realized to meet the conduction requirements under complex spatial structures.

[0041] In summary, the method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board provided by the embodiments of the present invention has the following characteristics: 1. By breaking down the PCB board into modular assemblies, the PCB design is no longer limited by stacking requirements and processing capacity constraints; 2. Allows for free design of the number and direction of PCB board conductive channels according to requirements, supporting multiple connection directions such as same-side and opposite-side; 3. By using an integrated packaging process, the structure is fixed and insulated in one piece, improving the product's mechanical strength and environmental adaptability.

[0042] Example 2

[0043] Based on the manufacturing method of the modular flexible circuit board provided in Embodiment 1, this embodiment of the invention provides a modular flexible circuit board, which is manufactured using the manufacturing method described above.

[0044] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board, characterized in that, include: Fabrication of flexible substrates with patterned circuits based on flexible substrates; A functional base is manufactured, comprising an upper plate and a lower plate spaced apart vertically, with slots provided on the opposite surfaces of the upper plate and the lower plate. Insert the end of the flexible substrate into the slot of the target; After the connection is completed, an insulating filler is filled between the upper and lower plates; After the insulating filler has been cured and molded, the functional base is removed, and a pad is formed on the surface of the insulating filler at the end corresponding to the flexible substrate.

2. The method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible substrate with patterned circuitry fabricated based on a flexible substrate includes: A copper foil layer is formed by laminating copper foil onto the surface of the flexible substrate. The patterned circuitry is fabricated on the copper foil layer using a photolithography etching process.

3. The method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The graphic circuit can be a single-layer or multi-layer structure.

4. The method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper plate and the lower plate are also provided with corresponding positioning holes. The functional base is assembled by connecting the positioning holes on the upper plate and the lower plate with positioning pins.

5. The method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shape and dimensions of the slot are matched to the end of the corresponding flexible substrate.

6. The method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of filling the space between the upper and lower plates with an insulating filler includes: After the functional base is plugged in, it is inserted into a matching potting mold, and an insulating filler is injected into the potting mold. After the insulating filler has cured and formed, the potting mold is removed first, and then the functional base is removed.

7. The method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of fabricating pads on the surface of the insulating filler corresponding to the end of the flexible substrate includes: The ends of the flexible substrate exposed on the surface of the insulating filler are ground flush. After polishing, insulating ink is printed on the surface of the insulating filler, and the pads are exposed and developed at the end position of the flexible substrate.

8. The method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the functional base includes metal, engineering resin or high-strength plastic; And / or, The insulating filler material includes epoxy resin, polyurethane, or silicone gel.

9. The method for manufacturing a modular flexible circuit board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The curing method of the insulating filler includes thermosetting or photosetting.

10. A modular flexible circuit board, characterized in that, It is manufactured using the manufacturing method described in any one of claims 1-9.

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