Bending molding device for electronic connector

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of bending forming device of electronic connector, including base, turnover plate, elastic support plate and rolling roller;Turnover plate is connected with first rotating mechanism, and first rotating mechanism is used to drive turnover plate to rotate around its rotation axis;Elastic support plate one end is fixedly connected with base, and the other end is slidably connected with turnover plate, it is bent under the driving of turnover plate, and its side away from turnover plate is support surface for supporting the flexible circuit board to be bent;The axis of rolling roller is parallel with the rotation axis of turnover plate, and the outside of rolling roller is surrounded by limiting wall, and limiting wall is used to limit the activity range of rolling roller, and the projection of the area surrounded by limiting wall in the radial direction of rolling roller covers the bending area of elastic support plate;Rolling roller is connected with traction mechanism, and it is used to drive rolling roller to move along support surface.The application effectively solves the fracture, wrinkle and rebound problem of the flexible circuit board of electronic connector in the bending process in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic connector forming technology, and more specifically to a bending forming apparatus for electronic connectors. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic connectors mainly consist of a housing and a flexible circuit board. After the two are assembled, sometimes it is necessary to bend the flexible circuit board on the assembled electronic connector according to the customized scenario or wiring requirements so that the flexible circuit board can adapt to a specific installation space or connection direction.

[0003] Traditional bending methods involve suspending the flexible circuit board and bending it directly to the target angle. During this process, the outer side of the bent area is prone to excessive tensile stress due to stress concentration. Once this tensile stress exceeds the strength limit of the flexible circuit board, it will break. Simultaneously, the inner side of the bent area is subjected to compressive stress, causing micro-wrinkles to easily form, affecting the molding quality.

[0004] In addition, the elastic deformation caused by bending is prone to springback after unloading, affecting the consistency of the bending angle.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a bending forming device that can prevent flexible circuit boards from breaking, wrinkling, and springing back during the bending process. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bending and forming device for electronic connectors to solve the problems of breakage, wrinkling and springback that occur in the flexible circuit board of electronic connectors during bending in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A bending and forming device for an electronic connector includes a base, a flip plate, an elastic support plate, and a rolling roller; The flip plate is connected to a first rotating mechanism, which is used to drive the flip plate to rotate around its own rotation axis. One end of the elastic support plate is fixedly connected to the base, and the other end is slidably connected to the flip plate. It can be bent under the action of the flip plate, and the side away from the flip plate is the support surface for supporting the flexible circuit board to be bent. The axis of the roller is parallel to the rotation axis of the flipping plate. The outer side of the roller is surrounded by a limiting wall, which is used to limit the range of motion of the roller. The projection of the area enclosed by the limiting wall on the radial side of the roller covers the bending area of ​​the elastic support plate. The roller is connected to a traction mechanism, which drives the roller to move along the support surface of the elastic support plate.

[0008] Furthermore, the base is provided with an electric heating element, which is thermally connected to the elastic support plate.

[0009] Furthermore, one end of the rolling roller is integrally connected to a driven magnet; The traction mechanism includes an active magnet capable of generating magnetic attraction to the driven magnet, and a second rotating mechanism connected to the active magnet, which can drive the active magnet to move around the outer periphery of the limiting wall.

[0010] Furthermore, the flip plate is integrally connected to a rotating seat, the rolling roller is provided with a limiting wheel, the axis of the limiting wheel is parallel to the axis of the rolling roller, and the rotating seat is provided with a limiting groove that slides with the limiting wheel; During the movement of the rolling roller, the limiting wheel remains in contact with the limiting groove to constrain the rolling roller to translate radially.

[0011] Furthermore, the rolling roller includes a mandrel and a plurality of rolling cylinders evenly distributed along the axial direction of the mandrel. The rolling cylinders are sleeved on the outside of the mandrel. A piezoelectric element is connected between the rolling cylinder and the mandrel. The telescopic axis of the piezoelectric element, the radial axis of the rolling cylinder, and the magnetic axis of the driven magnet are parallel to each other. The vibrations of adjacent piezoelectric elements have a phase difference.

[0012] Furthermore, the elastic support plate includes multiple elastic support strips that correspond one-to-one with the rolling cylinder. The elastic support strips extend along the moving direction of the rolling cylinder, and gaps are formed between the multiple elastic support strips.

[0013] Furthermore, a support frame is installed on one side of the flip plate, and a guide groove is provided on the support frame. A sliding block is slidably connected in the guide groove, and the elastic support plate is fixedly connected to the sliding block.

[0014] Furthermore, a rotating arm is rotatably connected to the sliding block along the axial direction of the rolling roller, and a pressing roller is provided on the rotating arm. The rotating arm is connected to a third rotating mechanism, which is used to drive the rotating arm to rotate around its rotation axis, so as to drive the pressing roller to move closer to or away from the elastic support plate.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This invention comprises a flipping plate, an elastic support plate, and a rolling roller. In use, the flexible circuit board to be bent on the electronic connector is placed against the supporting surface of the elastic support plate. During bending, a first rotation mechanism drives the flipping plate to rotate around its own axis of rotation, causing the elastic support plate to deform according to a predetermined radius of curvature. Simultaneously, a traction mechanism drives the rolling roller to move along the supporting surface of the elastic support plate, applying rolling pressure to the flexible circuit board to be bent in real time.

[0016] Firstly, the rolling pressure of the rollers can continuously press the flexible circuit board to be bent onto the support surface of the elastic support plate, causing it to deform synchronously with the curvature radius change law of the elastic support plate. This ensures that the curvature radius of the flexible circuit board to be bent is always consistent with the curvature radius of the elastic support plate, fundamentally solving the problem that traditional suspended bending methods easily cause the local curvature radius of the flexible circuit board to be too small and stress concentration in the bending area, effectively reducing the risk of breakage.

[0017] Secondly, during the bending process, the rolling action of the roller can effectively smooth out the tiny wrinkles caused by compression on the inner side of the flexible circuit board to be bent, ensuring the flatness of the formed surface.

[0018] Third, the rolling pressure of the roller can release the elastic strain energy of the flexible circuit board to be bent in time during the bending process, causing it to transform from elastic deformation to plastic deformation, thereby helping to reduce the amount of springback after bending and forming, and effectively ensuring the consistency of bending angle. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the rolling roller of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the present invention before bending; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the present invention in a bent state.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Base; 2. Flip plate; 3. Elastic support plate; 31. Elastic support strip; 4. Roller; 41. Mandrel; 42. Roller cylinder; 43. Piezoelectric element; 5. Limiting wall; 6. Rotating seat; 7. Limiting groove; 81. Support frame; 82. Guide groove; 83. Sliding block; 91. Active magnet; 92. Driven magnet; 93. Large gear; 10. Small gear; 11. Limiting wheel; 12. Rotating arm; 13. Pressing roller; 14. Flexible circuit board to be bent; 15. Heating element; 16. Outer shell. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following will refer to the appendices in the embodiments of the present invention. Figures 1 to 4The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described herein. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the present invention provides a bending and forming device for an electronic connector. The bending and forming device includes a base 1, a flip plate 2, an elastic support plate 3, and a rolling roller 4. The flip plate 2 is connected to a first rotating mechanism, which drives the flip plate 2 to rotate around its own rotation axis. One end of the elastic support plate 3 is fixedly connected to the base 1, and the other end is slidably connected to the flip plate 2. It can be bent under the influence of the flip plate 2, and its side away from the flip plate 2 serves as a support surface for supporting the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent. The axis of the rolling roller 4 is parallel to the rotation axis of the flip plate 2. A limiting wall 5 surrounds the outer side of the rolling roller 4, which restricts the range of motion of the rolling roller 4. The projection of the area enclosed by the limiting wall 5 in the radial direction of the rolling roller 4 covers the bending area of ​​the elastic support plate 3. The rolling roller 4 is connected to a traction mechanism, which drives the rolling roller 4 to move along the support surface of the elastic support plate 3.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the base 1 is the basic support structure of the entire device, and it is arranged in a block shape. One end of the elastic support plate 3 is fixedly connected to the base 1.

[0025] The flip plate 2 is integrally connected to a rotating seat 6, which is located on one side of the flip plate 2 and connected to a first rotating mechanism. This first rotating mechanism includes a pinion 10 and a first power system (not shown in the figure). The pinion 10 is fixedly sleeved on the outside of the rotating seat 6 and is driven to rotate by the first power system, causing the rotating seat 6 and the flip plate 2 connected to it to rotate around their rotation axis, thereby causing the elastic support plate 3 to bend and deform. The rotation axis of the flip plate 2 is horizontally set, and this rotation axis is parallel to the axis of the rolling roller 4. A support frame 81 is installed on one side of the flip plate 2, and the support frame 81 is fixedly connected to the flip plate 2. The support frame 81 is provided with a guide groove 82, the cross-sectional shape of which is dovetail-shaped or rectangular; a sliding block 83 is slidably connected within the guide groove 82, and the elastic support plate 3 is fixedly connected to the sliding block 83.

[0026] The roller 4 is used to roll and bend the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent. The roller 4 is generally long cylindrical, and its axis is set parallel to the rotation axis of the flip plate 2.

[0027] The rolling roller 4 includes an internal spindle 41, a plurality of rolling cylinders 42 sleeved on the outside of the spindle 41, and a piezoelectric element 43 disposed between the rolling cylinders 42 and the spindle 41.

[0028] Multiple rolling cylinders 42 are evenly distributed along the axial direction of the mandrel 41. The outer circular surface of the rolling cylinder 42 is the working surface that contacts the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent. The surface can be polished to reduce frictional resistance.

[0029] One end of the rolling roller 4 is connected to a traction mechanism, which drives the rolling roller 4 to move along the support surface of the elastic support plate 3 to achieve continuous rolling of the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent. The traction mechanism includes a driven magnet 92, an active magnet 91, and a second rotation mechanism.

[0030] The elastic support plate 3 is made of an elastic metal material, such as a metal spring sheet, and has good flexibility, support strength, and thermal conductivity. In a preferred embodiment, the elastic support plate 3 includes multiple elastic support strips 31 extending along the moving direction of the rolling roller 4. Each elastic support strip 31 is arranged axially along the rolling roller 4, and a gap is left between adjacent elastic support strips 31. Each elastic support strip 31 corresponds one-to-one with a rolling cylinder 42 on the rolling roller 4. When the rolling cylinder 42 rolls over a certain elastic support strip 31, the elastic support strip 31 can generate independent elastic deformation under compressive stress, which provides effective support and avoids excessive local pressure on the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, the piezoelectric element 43 is embedded in the gap between the rolling cylinder 42 and the mandrel 41. The telescopic axis of the piezoelectric element 43, the radial axis of the rolling cylinder 42, and the magnetic axis of the driven magnet 92 are parallel to each other. The vibrations of adjacent piezoelectric elements 43 have a preset phase difference. It can be understood that, since the telescopic axis of the piezoelectric element 43, the radial axis of the rolling cylinder 42, and the magnetic axis of the driven magnet 92 are parallel to each other, when the second rotating mechanism drives the active magnet 91 to move around the outer periphery of the limiting wall 5, the magnetic axis of the driven magnet 92 will point to the active magnet 91, thereby causing the telescopic axis of the piezoelectric element 43 to also point to the active magnet 91 simultaneously. In this way, when the rolling roller 4 moves along the support surface of the elastic support plate 3, the telescopic axis of the piezoelectric element 43 will be perpendicular to the bending area of ​​the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent, which is beneficial for the piezoelectric element 43 to transmit vibration to the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent more efficiently.

[0032] When the piezoelectric elements 43 work together, the rolling cylinder 42 transmits vibrations to its contact point with the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent.

[0033] On the one hand, under the action of vibration, the contact position between the rolling cylinder 42 and the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent will form a small height difference with the other positions in the length direction of the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent, thereby generating a shearing action on the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent radially along the rolling roller 4.

[0034] On the other hand, since the vibrations of adjacent piezoelectric elements 43 have a preset phase difference, the adjacent rolling cylinders 42 also have a vibration phase difference. When a certain rolling cylinder 42 is in a vibration trough, the adjacent rolling cylinder 42 is not in a vibration trough, so that the contact position between the two and the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent produces a small height difference in the width direction, thereby generating a shearing action on the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent along the axial direction of the rolling roller 4.

[0035] The radial shearing action and the axial shearing action work together to form a high-frequency kneading effect, which helps to release the elastic strain energy of the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent, and promotes the transformation of elastic deformation into plastic deformation.

[0036] With each minute angle increment as the flexible circuit board 14 is gradually bent, the rolling roller 4 applies high-frequency alternating stress to the bending area in a timely manner, releasing the elastic strain energy of the flexible circuit board 14 in a timely manner, causing it to transform from elastic deformation to plastic deformation. There is no opportunity for stress to accumulate, achieving a synchronous stress elimination effect of generating and dissolving stress at the same time. The springback after forming is significantly reduced, solving the problem that in traditional electronic connectors, the elastic strain generated during the bending process of the flexible circuit board 14 only begins to be gradually released after the bending is completed and the external force is unloaded. The stress elimination lags behind the deformation process, making it difficult to achieve stress elimination while bending.

[0037] The driven magnet 92 is fixedly connected to one end of the rolling roller 4. The second rotating mechanism drives the active magnet 91 to move around the outer periphery of the limiting wall 5, and the magnetic attraction between the active magnet 91 and the driven magnet 92 pulls the rolling roller 4 to move along the support surface of the elastic support plate 3.

[0038] The second rotating mechanism includes a large gear 93, an active magnet 91, and a second power system. The large gear 93 is fixedly connected to the active magnet 91. The second power system drives the large gear 93 to rotate, causing the active magnet 91 to move around the outer periphery of the limiting wall 5. This magnetic attraction drives the rolling roller 4 to move along the support surface of the elastic support plate 3 in a non-contact manner. By adjusting the rotational speed of the second power system, the moving speed of the rolling roller 4 can be precisely controlled to adapt to the processing requirements of flexible circuit boards 14 of different materials and thicknesses to be bent.

[0039] One end of the rolling roller 4 is also connected to a limiting wheel 11, and the axis of the limiting wheel 11 is parallel to the axis of the rolling roller 4.

[0040] A limiting groove 7 is provided on the rotating seat 6. The cross-section of the limiting groove 7 is circular, and the height of the limiting groove 7 matches the thickness of the limiting wheel 11. The limiting wheel 11 is located inside the limiting groove 7. During the movement of the rolling roller 4, the limiting wheel 11 remains in contact with the limiting groove 7, so that the axis of the rolling roller 4 is always parallel to the width direction of the elastic support plate 3.

[0041] The limiting wall 5 is arranged in a ring around the outer side of the roller 4. The limiting wall 5 is located on the rotating seat 6, and the inner cavity of the limiting wall 5 forms the moving channel of the roller 4, restricting the range of movement of the roller 4. Specifically, the projection of the area enclosed by the limiting wall 5 in the radial direction of the roller 4 covers the bending area of ​​the elastic support plate 3, ensuring that the roller 4 can act on the bending area of ​​the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent throughout its entire stroke.

[0042] The device also includes an electric heating element 15, which is installed inside or on the surface of the base 1 and is thermally connected to the elastic support plate 3. The electric heating element 15 can be in the form of an electric heating tube, a heating film, or a PTC heating plate. The heat generated by the electric heating element 15 is transferred to the elastic support plate 3 through heat conduction. The heating temperature of the electric heating element 15 can be adjusted according to the material properties and thickness of the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent. Appropriate heating can not only reduce the yield strength of the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent, reduce the forming force required for bending, and avoid breakage during bending, but also, in conjunction with the rolling action of the rolling roller 4, smooth out the small wrinkles caused by compression on the inner side of the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent, ensuring the flatness of the forming surface; in addition, the synergistic effect of thermal stress and vibration stress relief can further improve the stress relief effect.

[0043] A rotating arm 12 is rotatably connected to the sliding block 83 along the axial direction of the rolling roller 4. A pressing roller 13 is provided at the end of the rotating arm 12, and the pressing roller 13 is arranged parallel to the rolling roller 4. A third rotating mechanism is connected to the rotating arm 12, which is used to drive the rotating arm 12 to rotate around its rotation axis, so as to drive the pressing roller 13 to move closer to or away from the elastic support plate 3.

[0044] The third rotating mechanism includes a third power system connected to the rotating arm 12. The first, second, and third power systems are all combinations of conventional motors and reducers. Since their specific structures and working principles are well known to those skilled in the art, they will not be described in detail here.

[0045] The working principle and operation process of the bending and forming device for an electronic connector of the present invention are as follows: like Figure 3The diagram shows the working principle of this embodiment before bending. A cavity is provided on the base 1, and the outer shell 16 of the electronic connector is placed inside the cavity, so that the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent by the electronic connector is flat against the supporting surface of the elastic support plate 3. The outer shell 16 inside the cavity can be fixed directly by the operator's hand or with the aid of a clamp. The heating temperature of the heating element 15 is adjusted according to the material and thickness of the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent, so that the elastic support plate 3 is heated to a preset temperature. The heat from the heating element 15 is conducted to the elastic support plate 3 and the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent, reducing the forming resistance of the flexible circuit board 14. Simultaneously, before bending begins, the third rotating mechanism drives the rotating arm 12 to rotate, causing the pressing roller 13 to press the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent against the supporting surface of the elastic support plate 3.

[0046] like Figure 4 The diagram illustrates the working principle of this embodiment in a bent state. Specifically, the first rotating mechanism connected to the flipping plate 2 is activated, driving the flipping plate 2 to slowly rotate around its rotation axis. The rotation of the flipping plate 2 causes the elastic support plate 3 and the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent to bend synchronously. When the elastic support plate 3 bends, it causes the sliding block 83 to slide along the guide groove 82, so that the pressing roller 13 provided on the sliding block 83 always presses the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent against the support surface of the elastic support plate 3, thereby effectively preventing the end of the flexible circuit board 14 away from the base 1 from lifting up and separating from the support surface during the bending process. At this time, the flexible circuit board 14 to be bent deforms together with the elastic support plate 3, and the radius of curvature of the bending area is determined by the bending shape of the elastic support plate 3.

[0047] While the bending and deformation is in progress, the second rotating mechanism is activated, which drives the active magnet 91 to move around the outer periphery of the limiting wall 5 through the large gear 93. The magnetic attraction between the active magnet 91 and the driven magnet 92 drives the rolling roller 4 to move along the support surface of the elastic support plate 3.

[0048] With each minute angle increment as the flexible circuit board 14 is gradually bent, the rolling roller 4 applies high-frequency alternating stress to the bending area in a timely manner, generating radial and axial shearing actions. The radial and axial shearing actions work together to form a high-frequency kneading effect, which helps release the elastic strain energy of the flexible circuit board 14, promoting the transformation of elastic deformation into plastic deformation. There is no opportunity for stress accumulation, achieving a synchronous stress elimination effect of simultaneous generation and dissipation. The springback after forming is significantly reduced, effectively solving the problems of breakage, wrinkling, and springback that occur in the bending process of flexible circuit boards of electronic connectors in the prior art.

[0049] Throughout the rolling process, the limiting wheel 11 remains within the limiting groove 7 of the rotating seat 6 and maintains sliding contact. The constraint of the limiting groove 7 on the limiting wheel 11 ensures that the rolling roller 4 translates radially, preventing tilting or offset.

[0050] After bending is completed, the rolling roller 4 and pressing roller 13 release the bent flexible circuit board, and the operator removes the electronic connector from the device, completing the entire processing.

[0051] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bending and forming device for an electronic connector, characterized in that, Includes base, tilting plate, elastic support plate and rolling roller; The flip plate is connected to a first rotating mechanism, which is used to drive the flip plate to rotate around its own rotation axis. One end of the elastic support plate is fixedly connected to the base, and the other end is slidably connected to the flip plate. It can be bent under the action of the flip plate, and the side away from the flip plate is the support surface for supporting the flexible circuit board to be bent. The axis of the roller is parallel to the rotation axis of the flipping plate. The outer side of the roller is surrounded by a limiting wall, which is used to limit the range of motion of the roller. The projection of the area enclosed by the limiting wall on the radial side of the roller covers the bending area of ​​the elastic support plate. The roller is connected to a traction mechanism, which drives the roller to move along the support surface of the elastic support plate.

2. The bending and forming device for an electronic connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base is provided with an electric heating element, which is thermally connected to the elastic support plate.

3. The bending and forming apparatus for an electronic connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the rolling roller is integrally connected to a driven magnet; The traction mechanism includes an active magnet capable of generating magnetic attraction to the driven magnet, and a second rotating mechanism connected to the active magnet, which can drive the active magnet to move around the outer periphery of the limiting wall.

4. The bending and forming apparatus for an electronic connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The flip plate is integrally connected to a rotating seat, and the rolling roller is provided with a limiting wheel. The axis of the limiting wheel is parallel to the axis of the rolling roller, and the rotating seat is provided with a limiting groove that slides with the limiting wheel. During the movement of the rolling roller, the limiting wheel remains in contact with the limiting groove to constrain the rolling roller to translate radially.

5. The bending and forming apparatus for an electronic connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rolling roller includes a mandrel and a plurality of rolling cylinders evenly distributed along the axial direction of the mandrel. The rolling cylinders are sleeved on the outside of the mandrel. A piezoelectric element is connected between the rolling cylinder and the mandrel. The telescopic axis of the piezoelectric element, the radial axis of the rolling cylinder, and the magnetic axis of the driven magnet are parallel to each other. The vibrations of adjacent piezoelectric elements have a phase difference.

6. The bending and forming apparatus for an electronic connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, The elastic support plate includes multiple elastic support strips that correspond one-to-one with the rolling cylinder. The elastic support strips extend along the moving direction of the rolling cylinder, and gaps are formed between the multiple elastic support strips.

7. The bending and forming apparatus for an electronic connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, A support frame is installed on one side of the flip plate. The support frame is provided with a guide groove. A sliding block is slidably connected in the guide groove. The elastic support plate is fixedly connected to the sliding block.

8. The bending and forming apparatus for an electronic connector according to claim 7, characterized in that, A rotating arm is rotatably connected to the sliding block along the axial direction of the rolling roller. A pressing roller is provided on the rotating arm. The rotating arm is connected to a third rotating mechanism, which is used to drive the rotating arm to rotate around its rotation axis so as to move the pressing roller closer to or away from the elastic support plate.

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