Bending equipment

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of PFC bending technology, and particularly to a bending device. The bending device includes a bending fixture, a bending head, a first bending mechanism, and a second bending mechanism. The bending fixture carries a flexible circuit board. The bending head has a pressure-holding body, a first-shaped male head, and a second-shaped male head. The pressure-holding body cooperates with the bending fixture to fix the onboard body. The first bending mechanism has two first-shaped female heads, each of which is configured to cooperate with the first-shaped male head. The two first-shaped female heads sequentially perform a first bending action and a second bending action on a first part to be bent. The second bending mechanism has a movably configured second-shaped female head, which is configured to cooperate with the second-shaped male head, and sequentially performs the first bending action and the second bending action on a second part to be bent. The purpose of this invention is to provide a bending device that, based on the same bending action, forms different bending structures for the support strips at different positions of the FPC.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of PFC bending technology, and particularly to a bending device. Background Technology

[0002] To adapt to the specific internal structure of different electronic devices, a single FPC usually needs to be processed with different shaped bends at different locations, such as L-shaped bends and Z-shaped bends.

[0003] In related technologies, to achieve this goal, bending equipment forms different bending shapes by performing different bending actions on different positions of the FPC. That is, one set of bending action logic is executed for the L-shaped bending section, while another completely different set of bending action logic is executed for the Z-shaped bending section.

[0004] However, this technical solution has at least the following drawbacks: On the one hand, the bending equipment needs to integrate at least two completely different bending motion logics and their corresponding drive control programs, which makes the equipment's control system complex, the development cycle long, and the debugging difficult; on the other hand, the motion trajectory and force direction corresponding to different bending actions are different, requiring the equipment to have multiple sets of independent drive mechanisms and execution components, which not only increases the structural complexity and manufacturing cost of the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bending device that, based on the same bending action, forms different bending structures for the support strips at different positions of an FPC.

[0006] To achieve the above invention, the present invention proposes a bending device for bending flexible circuit boards, the flexible circuit board including a substrate and a first bending portion and a second bending portion located at different positions on the substrate, the bending device comprising: A bending fixture, which is used to support the flexible circuit board; A bending head is movably disposed relative to the bending fixture; the bending head includes a pressure-holding body, a first-shaped male head, and a second-shaped male head, the pressure-holding body cooperating with the bending fixture to fix the plate-mounted body; The first bending mechanism has two movable first-shaped female heads, each of which is configured to cooperate with a first-shaped male head. The two first-shaped female heads sequentially perform a first bending action and a second bending action on the first part to be bent, so that the flexible circuit board forms a first-shaped bent part in the first part to be bent. The second bending mechanism has a movable second-shaped female head that is configured to cooperate with the second-shaped male head, and sequentially performs the first bending action and the second bending action on the second part to be bent, so that the flexible circuit board forms a second-shaped bent part on the second part to be bent.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first bending mechanism further includes a first action first driving member and a second action first driving member that are independently arranged, and the moving end of the first action first driving member and the second action first driving member is provided with a first shaped female head. The first action, the first driving member, is configured to drive the first shaped female head to perform the first bending action on the first part to be bent, and the second action, the first driving member, is configured to drive the first shaped female head to perform the second bending action on the first part to be bent after one bending.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second bending mechanism further includes a first action second driving member and a second action second driving member, the second shaped female head is connected to the moving end of the first action second driving member, and the first action second driving member is connected to the moving end of the second action second driving member; The first action second driving member is configured to drive the second shape female head to perform a first bending action on the second part to be bent, and the second action second driving member is configured to drive the first action second driving member to move, so that the second shape female head performs a second bending action on the second part to be bent after one bending, so that the flexible circuit board forms a second shape bending part in the second part to be bent.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first bending action is an upward pushing action, and the second bending action is a lateral pushing action.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first shaped male end has a first constrained end and a mating end face, wherein the first constrained end is located at the end of the mating end face near the end of the bending fixture; Each of the first-shaped female heads has a functional end, the functional end being located at the end of the first-shaped female head facing the bending fixture; When the first bending action is performed on the first bending part by the first constraining end, the first constraining end limits the connection between the plate body and the first bending part, and the first bending part can move relative to the plate body; After a second bending action is performed on the first bending portion that has undergone a bend at the working end of another first-shaped female head, the first bending portion can fit into the fitting end face to form a first-shaped bent portion.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second shaped male head has two second constraint ends and a fitting groove, wherein the two second constraint ends are respectively located at one end of the fitting groove; The second shaped female head is arranged in the vertical direction, and the side of the second shaped female head has a push-up protrusion, which can be inserted and engaged with the fitting groove. When the end of the pusher head performs the first bending action on the second part to be bent, the second constraint end near the bending fixture is limited to abutting the connection between the plate-mounted body and the second part to be bent, and the second part to be bent can move relative to the plate-mounted body. After the end of the pusher head performs the first bending action on the second part to be bent, the second constraint end away from the bending fixture is limited to abutting the part of the second part to be bent away from the plate-mounted body. After the second bending action is performed on the second part to be bent after the first bending at the end of the push protrusion, the push protrusion is inserted into the fitting groove, and the part of the second part to be bent located at the two second constraint ends fits into the groove wall of the fitting groove to form a second shaped bending part.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the bending fixture has a first bending station and a second bending station, wherein the second bending station is spaced apart from the first bending station, so that the first bending mechanism and the second bending mechanism can simultaneously form the first shaped bending portion and the second shaped bending portion. The first bending station is used to form the first shaped bending portion, and the second bending station is used to form the second shaped bending portion.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first folding station has an upper through groove and a side push moving groove. The upper through groove extends in the vertical direction, and the side push moving groove extends in the horizontal direction. The upper through groove is located at the end of the side push moving groove along the extending direction of the side push moving groove. The second bending station has an upper top side push groove that penetrates the bending fixture vertically and extends along the moving direction of the second shaped head performing the second bending action.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the bending equipment further includes assembly fixtures and a handling robot; The handling robot is configured to handle a flexible circuit board having a first-shaped bend and a second-shaped bend to the assembly fixture.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the bending device further includes a vision guidance component configured to guide the movement of the handling robot.

[0016] In this technical solution, the bending equipment provided by the present invention solves the technical problems mentioned in the background art, namely, "complex control systems, complex equipment structures, and high manufacturing costs caused by different bending actions," by adopting a unified bending action logic in conjunction with different male and female head shapes. Specifically, the present invention uses a bending fixture to support the FPC, and the pressure-holding body of the bending pressure head cooperates with the bending fixture to fix the on-board body of the FPC, ensuring that the reference of the FPC is consistent and does not shift during subsequent bending processes. On this basis, the two first-shaped female heads of the first bending mechanism sequentially perform the first bending action and the second bending action on the first part to be bent, while cooperating with the first-shaped male head, so that the first part to be bent forms a first-shaped bent part after two sequential actions. Similarly, the second-shaped female head of the second bending mechanism sequentially performs the first bending action and the second bending action on the second part to be bent, while cooperating with the second-shaped male head, so that the second part to be bent forms a second-shaped bent part after experiencing the first bending action and the second bending action. Therefore, this invention utilizes a standardized set of motion logic—"first bending action, then second bending action"—along with male and female heads of different shapes, to form bending sections of different shapes at different locations on the FPC. This eliminates the need for multiple completely different bending motion logics and drive control programs required for different bending shapes, as is the case with existing technologies. This significantly simplifies the development difficulty and debugging cycle of the equipment control system, while effectively reducing the structural complexity and manufacturing cost of the equipment. Furthermore, because the first and second bending mechanisms employ identical motion logic, they share consistency in force application, deformation mechanism, and springback characteristics, avoiding the problem of uneven force application and springback caused by different motion logics. This significantly improves the forming accuracy and product consistency of each bending section. In addition, based on the unified motion logic, the first and second bending mechanisms can achieve mutual avoidance and space optimization in their structural arrangement, allowing the two bending processes to be executed synchronously or efficiently sequentially within the same equipment, further improving production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0017] 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, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the overall layout of an embodiment of the bending equipment provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A top view of the layout of an embodiment of the bending device provided by the present invention; Figure 3 This is a layout test diagram of an embodiment of the bending device provided by the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the first bending mechanism provided by the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the second bending mechanism provided by the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the engagement of two first-shaped female heads in the first bending mechanism provided by the present invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the second-shaped female head structure in the second bending unit provided by the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the bending head provided by the present invention; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the bending fixture provided by the present invention; Figure 10 A schematic diagram showing a variation of an embodiment of the bending device provided by the present invention for realizing a first-shaped bending portion; Figure 11 A schematic diagram showing a variation of an embodiment of the bending device provided by the present invention for realizing a second-shaped bending portion; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a bent product obtained based on the bending equipment provided by the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of icon numbers: 100. Bending equipment; 10. Bending fixtures; 11. First workstation awaiting bending; 11a. Top through groove; 11b. Side push moving groove; 12. Second workstation awaiting bending; 12a. Top side push groove; 20. Bending head; 21. Pressure holding body; 22. First shape male connector; 23. Second shape male connector; 22a, First constraint end; 22b, Fitting end face; 23a, Second constraint end; 23b, Fitting groove; 30. First bending mechanism; 31. First-shaped female head; 32. First-action first driving component; 33. Second-action first driving component; 31a. The end of action; 40. Second bending mechanism; 41. Second-shaped female head; 42. First action second driving component; 43. Second action second driving component; 411. Pushing protrusion; 50. Assembly tooling; 60. Handling robot; 61. Air valve; 70. Visual guidance components; 71. Upper visual module; 72. Lower visual module.

[0020] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. 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.

[0022] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0023] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this invention is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of a person skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0024] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bending device 100, which aims to form different bending structures for the support strips at different positions of the FPC based on the same bending action.

[0025] To achieve the above invention, the bending device 100 proposed in this invention is used for bending flexible circuit boards. The flexible circuit board includes a main body and a first bending portion and a second bending portion located at different positions on the main body. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The bending equipment 100 includes: Bending fixture 10 is used to support flexible circuit boards; The bending head 20 is movably set relative to the bending fixture 10. The bending head 20 includes a pressure holding body 21, a first-shaped male head 22 and a second-shaped male head 23. The pressure holding body 21 cooperates with the bending fixture 10 to fix the plate-mounted body. The first bending mechanism 30 has two movable first-shaped female heads 31, each of which is configured to cooperate with a first-shaped male head 22. The two first-shaped female heads 31 sequentially perform a first bending action and a second bending action on the first part to be bent, so that the flexible circuit board forms a first-shaped bent part in the first part to be bent. The second bending mechanism 40 has a movable second-shaped female head 41, which is configured to cooperate with the second-shaped male head 23, and performs a first bending action and a second bending action on the second part to be bent in sequence, so that the flexible circuit board forms a second-shaped bent part in the second part to be bent.

[0026] First, the core technical concept of this invention is: using the same set of standardized bending action logic (first performing the first bending action, then performing the second bending action), combined with male and female heads of different shapes, different shaped bending parts (such as L-shaped and Z-shaped) are formed at different positions on the flexible printed circuit (FPC).

[0027] The bending device 100 proposed in this invention is specifically designed for bending FPCs, which are thin, bendable circuit boards widely used in electronic devices with compact internal spaces, such as smartwatches, TWS earphones, and AR / VR glasses. Before being assembled into these devices, they need to be bent into specific three-dimensional shapes to fit the narrow and complex mounting cavities inside the devices.

[0028] Specifically, the bending equipment proposed in this invention is used to process an FPC that comprises three structural regions: a main board body, a first bending section, and a second bending section. The main board body is the foundational region on the FPC that carries the main circuit components and wiring; it serves as a positioning reference during the bending process and needs to be kept fixed. The first bending section and the second bending section are flexible flaps or branch structures extending from the main board body and need to be bent into specific three-dimensional shapes. They are located at different positions on the main board body of the FPC and each corresponds to a different subsequent bending and forming target. The bending fixture 10 is used to support the FPC. Specifically, the bending fixture 10 is a component in the bending equipment 100 used to place and support the FPC, and its bearing surface is provided with corresponding positioning structures (such as contour grooves, positioning pins or vacuum suction holes, etc.) according to the outer contour of the FPC.

[0029] When the FPC is placed on the bending fixture 10, the onboard body, the first part to be bent and the second part to be bent correspond to different areas on the fixture. The bending fixture 10 provides a stable support base for the entire bending process, ensuring that the FPC will not be displaced as a whole due to gravity or external force during the bending process.

[0030] The bending head 20 of the bending machine 100 is movably positioned relative to the bending fixture 10. The bending head 20 is a movable component, possessing vertical and horizontal degrees of freedom relative to the bending fixture 10. Before bending begins, the bending head 20 moves downwards towards the bending fixture 10; after bending is completed, the bending head 20 moves upwards away from the bending fixture 10 to remove the processed FPC. It is understood that the movement of the bending head 20 can be achieved using multiple cylinders or linear motion modules, or it can be based on a multi-axis robot; this is not limited here.

[0031] The bending head 20 includes a pressure-holding body 21, a first-shaped male head 22, and a second-shaped male head 23. The pressure-holding body 21 is the main body of the bending head 20, located in the middle area of ​​the bending head 20, and its lower surface is a flat pressing surface. When the bending head 20 moves downward as a whole, the lower surface of the pressure-holding body 21 mates with the bearing surface of the bending fixture 10, pressing and fixing the FPC's on-board body from above, preventing displacement during subsequent bending processes, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the bending position and bending angle.

[0032] The first shaped male head 22 is disposed on the bending head 20 corresponding to the area of ​​the first part to be bent. It protrudes from the side of the pressure holding body 21 and has a specific outer contour, which corresponds to the inner surface shape of the first shaped bending part (e.g., the inner right angle surface of the L-shaped bending part). During the bending process, the first shaped male head 22 remains stationary as a "punch" and cooperates with the subsequent first shaped female head 31 to make the first part to be bent of the FPC conform to its outer surface for forming.

[0033] The second shaped male head 23 is disposed on the bending head 20 corresponding to the area of ​​the second part to be bent. It protrudes from the side of the pressure holding body 21 and has an external profile different from that of the first shaped male head 22. This profile corresponds to the inner surface shape of the second shaped bending part (e.g., the stepped inner surface of a Z-shaped bending part). During the bending process, the second shaped male head 23 also remains stationary as a fixed "punch" and cooperates with the subsequent second shaped female head 41 to form the second part of the FPC to be bent against its outer surface.

[0034] When the bending head 20 moves downward to the working position under the action of the driving device (such as a cylinder, electric cylinder, etc.), the distance between the lower surface of the pressure holding body 21 and the upper surface of the bending fixture 10 is exactly equal to the thickness of the FPC board body. At this time, the board body is clamped between the pressure holding body 21 and the bending fixture 10 and is completely fixed by the vertical clamping force.

[0035] Since the onboard body is the largest area on the entire FPC, once it is fixed, each part to be bent can be bent freely, and the position of its connection with the onboard body remains constant, thereby ensuring the consistency of the bending position and the accuracy of the bending angle.

[0036] The first bending mechanism 30 has two movable first shape female heads 31. Specifically, the first bending mechanism 30 is a drive unit group set independently of the bending pressure head 20. It includes two first shape female heads 31 that can move independently. Each first shape female head 31 can move, that is, they are each connected to an independent drive component (such as a cylinder) and can move according to a preset trajectory under the drive of the drive component.

[0037] The working end contours of the two first-shaped female heads 31 are matched with the outer contours of the first-shaped male heads 22 (i.e., they are in a male-female mating relationship). The two female heads undertake two different bending actions respectively. One moves along a first direction (e.g., from bottom to top, i.e., "top-up"), and the other moves along a second direction (e.g., from side to side, i.e., "side-push"). The movement directions of the two female heads are perpendicular to each other or at a certain angle, so as to complete the two bending of the FPC in steps.

[0038] The two first-shaped female heads 31 are spatially positioned to correspond to the first-shaped male heads 22 on the bending head 20. When the first-shaped female heads 31 move under the action of their driving components, their working ends will approach and eventually fit against the corresponding surfaces of the first-shaped male heads 22.

[0039] In terms of bending sequence, the two first-shaped female heads 31 sequentially perform a first bending action and a second bending action on the first part to be bent. Here, "sequentially" means that the two first-shaped female heads 31 act in a sequential order. Specifically, the first bending action is performed first by one of the first-shaped female heads 31 (for example, the female head connected to the upper drive member). This female head moves along a first direction (such as vertical) and lifts the first part to be bent from its initial planar state upward at a certain angle, causing it to bend for the first time relative to the plate-mounted body.

[0040] Subsequently, the second bending action is performed by another first-shaped female head 31 (e.g., a female head connected to the side push drive member), which moves in a second direction (e.g., horizontal direction) to further push and press the first part to be bent, which has already been bent once, toward the mating end face 22b of the first-shaped male head 22, so that it fits tightly against the outer surface of the male head, thereby completing the final bending shape.

[0041] It should be noted that the first bending action and the second bending action are sequential actions of the same bending mechanism, and together they constitute a complete bending action logic of "first pushing upwards, then pushing to the side".

[0042] Through the sequential action of the two bending actions mentioned above, the first part to be bent is gradually bent from its original planar state and finally conforms to the preset outer contour of the first shaped male head 22, thereby forming a first shaped bent part with a specific three-dimensional shape.

[0043] The second bending mechanism 40 is another set of driving units arranged in parallel with the first bending mechanism 30. It has a movable second-shaped female head 41. The second-shaped female head 41 is connected to a driving component (such as a cylinder) and can move along a preset trajectory under the drive of the driving component. The working end contour of the second-shaped female head 41 matches the outer contour of the aforementioned second-shaped male head 23.

[0044] The second shaped female head 41 corresponds spatially to the second shaped male head 23 on the bending head 20. When the second shaped female head 41 moves under the action of its driving member, its working end will approach and eventually fit against the corresponding surface of the second shaped male head 23, so that the second part of the FPC to be bent is clamped and bent between the two.

[0045] In terms of bending sequence, the second bending mechanism 40 also bends the second part to be bent in the sequence of "first bending action, then second bending action", that is, first executes the upward action, and then executes the side pushing action.

[0046] It should be noted that the first bending mechanism 30 and the second bending mechanism 40 execute the same bending action logic of "first bending action, then second bending action". Therefore, the male and female heads involved are different in shape, and thus the final bent part shape is also different.

[0047] Through the sequential action of the two bending actions described above, the second part to be bent is gradually bent from its original planar state and finally conforms to the preset outer contour of the second-shaped male head 23, forming a second-shaped bent part with a different shape from the first-shaped bent part. Since the contour of the second-shaped male head 23 is different from that of the first-shaped male head 22 (for example, the second-shaped male head 23 has a fitting groove 23b and two constraint ends for forming a Z-shape), the final second-shaped bent part has a shape and spatial extension direction different from that of the first-shaped bent part.

[0048] Based on the above, the present invention unifies the action logic in the FPC bending process by setting two independent bending mechanisms (first bending mechanism 30 and second bending mechanism 40) in the same equipment and having these two bending mechanisms execute the exact same timing logic of "first bending action + second bending action".

[0049] This means that the equipment only needs a standard drive control program to control two bending mechanisms simultaneously, without needing to configure different kinematic algorithms and control logics for different bending shapes. As a result, the equipment's control system is significantly simplified, the development cycle is shortened, the debugging difficulty is reduced, and the movements of the two bending mechanisms can be efficiently coordinated, avoiding the waiting time required for switching between different action logics, thus improving production efficiency.

[0050] Although the two bending mechanisms operate on the same logic, the present invention is not limited to forming bending parts of the same shape. Instead, by setting male heads of different shapes (first-shaped male head 22 and second-shaped male head 23) on the bending pressure head 20 and configuring female heads of different shapes (two first-shaped female heads 31 and second-shaped female heads 41) for the two bending mechanisms, the present invention utilizes the molded bending principle of "male and female heads mating and forming" so that when the FPC is attached to the male head surface of different contours at different positions, it is bent into different shapes corresponding to the male head contours. For example, the first-shaped male head 22 attached to the right-angle contour forms an L-shape, and the second-shaped male head 23 attached to the stepped contour forms a Z-shape.

[0051] Furthermore, since both the first and second bending sections extend from the same main plate, their relative positions are locked to the main plate while the main plate is fixed. Based on this, both bending mechanisms apply force to their respective bending sections using the same set of operational logic. Because the operational logic is consistent, the stress distribution, deformation mechanism, and material springback characteristics of the two bending sections are also similar, preventing uneven stress and springback caused by different operational logics. This effectively ensures the forming accuracy of each bending section and product consistency.

[0052] In summary, the bending device 100 provided by this invention solves the technical problems mentioned in the background art, namely, "complex control system, complex equipment structure, and high manufacturing cost due to different bending actions," by adopting a unified bending action logic in conjunction with different male and female head shapes. Specifically, this invention uses the bending fixture 10 to support the FPC, and the pressure-holding body 21 of the bending pressure head 20 cooperates with the bending fixture 10 to fix the on-board body of the FPC, ensuring that the reference of the FPC is consistent and does not shift during subsequent bending processes. On this basis, the two first-shaped female heads 31 of the first bending mechanism 30 sequentially perform the first bending action and the second bending action on the first part to be bent, while cooperating with the first-shaped male head 22, so that the first part to be bent forms a first-shaped bent part after two sequential actions. Similarly, the second-shaped female head 41 of the second bending mechanism 40 sequentially performs the first bending action and the second bending action on the second part to be bent, while cooperating with the second-shaped male head 23, so that the second part to be bent forms a second-shaped bent part after experiencing the first bending action and the second bending action. Therefore, this invention achieves the formation of different shaped bends at different positions on the FPC using only a standardized set of motion logic—"first bend, then bend"—along with male and female heads of different shapes. This eliminates the need for multiple completely different bending motion logics and drive control programs for different bend shapes, as required by existing technologies. This significantly simplifies the development difficulty and debugging cycle of the equipment control system, while effectively reducing the structural complexity and manufacturing cost of the equipment. Furthermore, since the first bending mechanism 30 and the second bending mechanism 40 use the exact same motion logic, they are consistent in their force application, deformation mechanism, and springback characteristics, avoiding the problem of uneven force and springback caused by different motion logics. This significantly improves the forming accuracy and product consistency of each bend. In addition, based on the unified motion logic, the first bending mechanism 30 and the second bending mechanism 40 can achieve mutual avoidance and space optimization in their structural arrangement, allowing the two bending processes to be executed synchronously or efficiently sequentially within the same equipment, further improving production efficiency.

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 6The first bending mechanism 30 also includes a first action first drive member 32 and a second action first drive member 33, which are independently set. The moving ends of the first action first drive member 32 and the second action first drive member 33 are each provided with a first shaped female head 31. The first action is that the first driving member 32 is configured to drive the first shaped female head 31 to perform a first bending action on the first part to be bent, and the second action is that the first driving member 33 is configured to drive the first shaped female head 31 to perform a second bending action on the first part to be bent after one bending.

[0054] In this embodiment, the independent arrangement of the first action first driving component 32 and the second action first driving component 33 means that these two driving components are physically separated from each other and each has an independent power source and transmission path. The moving ends of the first driving member 32 and the second driving member 33 are each provided with a first shaped female head 31. That is, the end (i.e. the power output end) of each driving member is fixedly installed with a first shaped female head 31. The first driving member 32 is located inside the bending device 100, so that the first shaped female head 31 located in the first driving member 32 can perform an upward pushing action from bottom to top. The second driving member 33 is located on the surface of the bending device 100, so that the first shaped female head 31 located in the second driving member 32 can perform a horizontal lateral pushing action.

[0055] It should be noted that the inner cavity or working end contour of the two first-shaped female heads 31 are matched with the outer contour of the aforementioned first-shaped male head 22. That is, both are mold cavity structures adapted to the first-shaped male head 22, but their installation orientation and movement direction are different.

[0056] Specifically, the first action first driving member 32 is configured to drive the first shaped female head 31 connected to its moving end to perform a first bending action on the first part to be bent. The "first bending action" is the upward pushing action. That is, when the first action first driving member 32 is activated, its moving end drives the first shaped female head 31 to move vertically upward. The working end of the female head contacts and pushes the first part to be bent upward from below, causing it to bend for the first time relative to the plate body.

[0057] After the first bending action is completed, the second action first driving member 33 is configured to drive the first shaped female head 31 connected to its moving end to perform a second bending action on the first part to be bent that has already undergone one bending. The "second bending action" is a lateral pushing action. That is, when the second action first driving member 33 is activated, its moving end drives another first shaped female head 31 to move in the horizontal direction. The working end of the female head contacts and pushes the first part to be bent that has already been bent upwards further towards the contact end face 22b of the first shaped male head 22 and presses it together, so that the first part to be bent finally fits tightly against the preset outer contour of the first shaped male head 22, thereby forming the first shaped bent part.

[0058] In one embodiment of the present invention, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 7 The second bending mechanism 40 also includes a first action second drive member 42 and a second action second drive member 43. The second shaped female head 41 is connected to the moving end of the first action second drive member 42, and the first action second drive member 42 is connected to the moving end of the second action second drive member 43. The first action second drive member 42 is configured to drive the second shape female head 41 to perform a first bending action on the second part to be bent, and the second action second drive member 43 is configured to drive the first action second drive member 42 to move, so that the second shape female head 41 performs a second bending action on the second part to be bent after a bend, so that the flexible circuit board forms a second shape bending part on the second part to be bent.

[0059] In this embodiment, the first action second driving member 42 and the second action second driving member 43 are located inside the bending device 100, that is, both are located below the bending fixture 10. Unlike the first bending mechanism 30, the second bending mechanism 40 only includes a second shape female head 41, and the movement of the female head is jointly controlled by the two driving members in a series linkage manner.

[0060] Specifically, the second shaped female head 41 is connected to the moving end of the first action second driving member 42. That is, the second shaped female head 41 is directly fixedly installed on the power output end of the first action second driving member 42. When the first action second driving member 42 is started, its moving end drives the second shaped female head 41 to move along a preset direction (e.g., vertical) to perform the first bending action (i.e., the upward action).

[0061] Based on this, the first action second drive member 42 is also connected to the moving end of the second action second drive member 43. That is, the entire body of the first action second drive member 42 (including its cylinder or housing) is fixedly installed on the moving end of the second action second drive member 43. Thus, the second action second drive member 43 acts as the "mother drive member", and its moving end drives the first action second drive member 42 (together with the second shaped mother head 41 on it) to move as a whole. The first action second drive member 42 acts as the "child drive member", and while it is driven by the second action second drive member 43, it can also independently drive the second shaped mother head 41 to move relative to its own moving end.

[0062] When the second driving member 42 is activated, its moving end drives the second shaped female head 41 to move along the first direction (e.g., vertical). The working end of the second shaped female head 41 contacts and pushes the second part to be bent upward from below, causing it to be bent for the first time relative to the plate body.

[0063] After the first bending action is completed, the second action second drive member 43 drives the first action second drive member 42 to move as a whole. Since the first action second drive member 42 is connected to the moving end of the second action second drive member 43, when the second action second drive member 43 is activated, its moving end drives the entire body of the first action second drive member 42 to move along a second direction (e.g., the horizontal direction), and the second shaped female head 41 fixed to the moving end of the first action second drive member 42 also moves as a whole along the horizontal direction.

[0064] The horizontal movement causes the working end of the second-shaped female head 41 to contact from the side and pushes the second part to be bent, which has already been bent upwards, further toward the fitting groove 23b of the second-shaped male head 23 and presses it in, so that the second part to be bent finally fits tightly with the preset outer contour of the second-shaped male head 23, thereby forming the second-shaped bent part.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, please refer to Figure 8 The first shaped male head 22 has a first constraint end 22a and a mating end face 22b, with the first constraint end 22a located at the end of the mating end face 22b near the end of the bending fixture 10; Each first-shaped female head 31 has a functional end 31a, which is located at the end of the first-shaped female head 31 facing the bending fixture 10. When the first bending action is performed on the first bending part by the first end 31a, the first constraint end 22a limits the connection between the plate-mounted main body and the first bending part, and the first bending part can move the plate-mounted main body. After the first bending portion that has undergone a bend is subjected to a second bending action at the working end 31a of another first-shaped female head 31, the first bending portion can fit against the fitting end face 22b to form a first-shaped bending portion.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first shaped male head 22 is generally a protrusion structure protruding from the side of the pressure-holding body 21. The cross-sectional dimension of the first shaped male head 22 gradually increases from the direction away from the pressure-holding body 21 to the direction closer to the pressure-holding body 21. That is, the first shaped male head 22 is smaller at the end away from the pressure-holding body 21 and larger at the end connected to the pressure-holding body 21. Thus, the mating end face 22b is an inclined surface, and the first constraint end 22a is the tip of the inclined surface away from the pressure-holding body 21.

[0067] It should be noted that the "sloping surface" here does not mean that the final bend will form an angled bend; on the contrary, the angle of the slope is determined by the bending characteristics of the FPC, so that after the bending action is completed and the FPC elastically rebounds, the final shape of the first bend is an L-shaped bend (i.e., a right angle bend of about 90°).

[0068] Each first-shaped female head 31 has an active end 31a located at the end of the first-shaped female head 31 facing the bending fixture 10. The specific shape and size of the active end 31a match the mating end face 22b and the first constraint end 22a of the first-shaped male head 22 to ensure that the two can fit precisely during the mold closing process.

[0069] Please combine Figure 10 First, the first bending action (i.e., upward pushing action) is performed on the first part to be bent by the working end 31a of one of the first-shaped female heads 31. When the working end 31a contacts and pushes the first part to be bent upward from below, the first constraint end 22a of the first-shaped male head 22 is limited from above and abuts against the connection between the plate-mounted body and the first part to be bent. That is, the first constraint end 22a abuts against the upper surface of the connection, preventing the plate-mounted body from bending upward at this position, but not restricting the upward movement of the first part to be bent relative to the plate-mounted body. In other words, the first constraint end 22a forms a "bending fulcrum" at the connection, and under the action of the upward pushing force, the first part to be bent bends upward from the initial planar state.

[0070] Subsequently, the actuating end 31a of another first-shaped female head 31 performs a second bending action (i.e., a lateral pushing action) on the first part to be bent, which has already undergone one bend. The actuating end 31a contacts from the side and pushes the first part to be bent, which has already been bent upward, further toward the mating end face 22b of the first-shaped male head 22 and presses it together. Since the mating end face 22b of the first-shaped male head 22 is an inclined surface, as the first part to be bent is pushed laterally to contact the inclined surface, the first part to be bent will gradually conform to the surface shape of the inclined surface.

[0071] When the side is pushed into place, the first part to be bent is clamped between the working end 31a of the first shaped female head 31 and the mating end face 22b of the first shaped male head 22, and its overall shape is consistent with the tilt angle of the mating end face 22b.

[0072] When the pressure from the side push is removed (i.e., the working end 31a of the first shaped female head 31 retracts), the first part to be bent that was pressed onto the mating end face 22b will have a certain amount of elastic rebound. Since the mating end face 22b of the first shaped male head 22 is designed as a slope with a specific angle, such as 60 degrees, this slope angle just makes the FPC return from the tilted state when it is mated to a state that is approximately perpendicular to the board body after the rebound, that is, forming an L-shaped bend of about 90 degrees.

[0073] Specifically, under the action of lateral pressure, the FPC is forced to adhere to the inclined bonding end face 22b; when the pressure is removed, the elastic restoring force of the FPC causes it to bounce back in the opposite direction at a certain angle, and finally stabilizes in a right angle shape of about 90°.

[0074] In summary, the first constraint end 22a provides a bending fulcrum at the connection, so that the bending position generated by the first bending action is precisely defined; the inclined design of the fitting end face 22b, combined with the side push and pressing of the second bending action, allows the first part to be bent to be pre-bent to a specific angle under pressure; finally, by utilizing the elastic properties of the FPC material, the final 90° L-shaped bending part is formed through controllable springback after the pressure is released.

[0075] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second-shaped male head 23 has two second constraint ends 23a and a fitting groove 23b, wherein the two second constraint ends 23a are respectively located at one end of the fitting groove 23b; The second-shaped female head 41 is arranged in the vertical direction. The side of the second-shaped female head 41 has a push-up protrusion 411, which can be inserted into the fitting groove 23b. When the end of the pusher head 411 performs the first bending action on the second part to be bent, the second constraint end 23a near the bending fixture 10 is limited to abutting the connection between the plate-mounted body and the second part to be bent, and the second part to be bent can move relative to the plate-mounted body. After the end of the pusher head 411 performs the first bending action on the second part to be bent, the second constraint end 23a away from the bending fixture 10 is limited to abutting the part of the second part to be bent away from the plate-mounted body.

[0076] After the second bending action is performed on the second part to be bent after the first bending at the end of the push protrusion 411, the push protrusion 411 is inserted into the fitting groove 23b, and the part of the second part to be bent located at the two second constraint ends 23a is attached to the groove wall of the fitting groove 23b to form a second shaped bending part.

[0077] In this embodiment, the second-shaped male head 23 is a protrusion structure protruding from the side of the pressure-holding body 21. The side of the second-shaped male head 23 facing away from the pressure-holding body 21 is not flat, but has a concave fitting groove 23b. The fitting groove 23b is provided on the side of the second-shaped male head 23 facing away from the pressure-holding body 21 (i.e. the side facing the second bending part), and the whole has a concave cavity structure.

[0078] Furthermore, the fitting groove 23b is shaped like the number "7". Specifically, the lower section of the fitting groove 23b extends at an angle relative to the vertical direction, while the upper section turns from the vertical extension direction and bends laterally along the horizontal direction, making the overall outline of the fitting groove 23b resemble the number "7". Thus, when the fitting groove 23b extends from one bend point to another, it has changes in angle and direction.

[0079] Meanwhile, the second-shaped male head 23 has two second constraint ends 23a, which are located at one end of the fitting groove 23b. Specifically, the upper second constraint end 23a is located at the end of the upper groove wall of the fitting groove 23b, that is, the end furthest from the bending fixture 10, and the lower second constraint end 23a is located at the end of the lower groove wall of the fitting groove 23b, that is, the end close to the bending fixture 10.

[0080] The fitting groove 23b and the two second constraint ends 23a together form a mold cavity for forming the Z-shaped bend, the contour of which matches the outer surface shape of the Z-shaped bend. It should be noted that the depth of the fitting groove 23b, the bending angle of the "7" shape, and the distance between the two constraint ends together determine the length and direction of the middle section connecting the two reverse bends in the Z-shaped bend, while the included angle between the upper and lower groove walls of the fitting groove 23b determines the bending angle of the Z-shaped bend.

[0081] The second shaped female head 41 is arranged in a vertical direction, that is, the overall extension direction of the second shaped female head 41 is perpendicular to the bearing surface of the bending fixture 10 from bottom to top. The side end of the second shaped female head 41 has a pushing protrusion 411, which protrudes outward from the side surface of the second shaped female head 41, and its end is used to directly contact and push the second part to be bent.

[0082] The shape and size of the push-up protrusion 411 match the "7"-shaped fitting groove 23b of the second-shaped male head 23. That is, the outer contour of the push-up protrusion 411 and the inner contour of the fitting groove 23b are complementary in shape. The push-up protrusion 411 also has a "7"-shaped protrusion structure, which can be inserted into the fitting groove 23b from the side and engage with it.

[0083] When the two are inserted, a fitting gap is formed between them, and the second part of the FPC to be bent is pressed and shaped in this fitting gap.

[0084] Furthermore, the end of the push protrusion 411 can be flat, curved, or other shapes. Its specific shape depends on the bending angle of the second part to be bent and the specific size requirements of the Z-shaped bend, and is not limited here.

[0085] When the second driving member 42 is activated, it drives the second shaped female head 41 to move vertically upward, and the end of the pushing protrusion 411 contacts and pushes the second part to be bent upward from below. At the same time, the second constraint end 23a (i.e., the end of the lower groove wall of the "7"-shaped fitting groove 23b, located at the end of the fitting groove 23b near the bending tool 10) is limited from above and abuts against the connection between the plate body and the second part to be bent.

[0086] Similar to the function of the first constraint end 22a mentioned above, the lower second constraint end 23a forms a "bending fulcrum" at the joint. Under the action of the upward force, the second part to be bent bends upward from the initial planar state, and its first bending point is exactly located at the joint where the lower second constraint end 23a abuts, thus forming the first crease positioning at the bending position.

[0087] Please combine Figure 11 When the upward pushing action is completed (i.e., when the end of the pushing protrusion 411 pushes the second part to be bent upward to the preset position), the second constraint end 23a away from the bending fixture 10 is limited and abuts against the part of the second part to be bent that is away from the plate-mounted body. Specifically, when the second part to be bent is pushed upward to a certain height, its part away from the plate-mounted body just contacts and abuts against the upper second constraint end 23a.

[0088] At this time, the posture of the second part to be bent is as follows: the connection between it and the main body is limited by the lower second constraint end 23a (first bending point), the part away from the main body is limited by the upper second constraint end 23a, and the entire second part to be bent is clamped between the two constraint ends.

[0089] Subsequently, the end of the push-up protrusion 411 performs a second bending action (i.e., a lateral push) on the second part to be bent, which has already undergone one bend. Driven by the second action second drive member 43, the first action second drive member 42 and its second-shaped female head 41 move as a whole in the horizontal direction (i.e., toward the second-shaped male head 23). The push-up protrusion 411 contacts the second part to be bent from the side and pushes it further toward the "7"-shaped fitting groove 23b of the second-shaped male head 23. During this process, the end of the push-up protrusion 411 pushes the second part to be bent, gradually pushing it from the opening of the fitting groove 23b toward the groove wall of the fitting groove 23b.

[0090] When the side push is in place, the push protrusion 411 is fully inserted into the "7"-shaped fitting groove 23b and engages with it, while the part of the second part to be bent that is located between the two second constraint ends 23a is pressed and fitted to the groove wall of the "7"-shaped fitting groove 23b.

[0091] After the lateral pressure is removed, the FPC material will also experience a certain amount of elastic rebound, eventually forming a Z-shaped bend.

[0092] In one embodiment of the present invention, please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 12 The bending fixture 10 has a first bending station 11 and a second bending station 12. The second bending station 12 is spaced apart from the first bending station 11 so that the first bending mechanism 30 and the second bending mechanism 40 can simultaneously form a first-shaped bending part and a second-shaped bending part. The first bending station 11 is used to form a first-shaped bending part, and the second bending station 12 is used to form a second-shaped bending part.

[0093] In this embodiment, the first bending station 11 is the area on the bearing surface of the bending fixture 10 corresponding to the first bending part of the FPC, used to complete the forming of the first shaped bending part (i.e., the L-shaped bending part) in this area; the second bending station 12 is the area on the bearing surface of the bending fixture 10 corresponding to the second bending part of the FPC, used to complete the forming of the second shaped bending part (i.e., the Z-shaped bending part) in this area.

[0094] The two bending stations correspond spatially to the first bending mechanism 30 and the second bending mechanism 40, respectively. That is, the first shaped head 31 of the first bending mechanism 30 performs bending action from below and to the side of the first bending station 11, and the second shaped head 41 of the second bending mechanism 40 performs bending action from below and to the side of the second bending station 12.

[0095] It is understandable that the number of the first bending station 11 and the second bending station 12 can be customized according to the actual needs of the FPC to be bent. For example, when an L-shaped bend needs to be formed at one position and a Z-shaped bend needs to be formed at another position on a single FPC, the bending fixture 10 can be equipped with one first bending station 11 and one second bending station 12 to meet the requirements; when the bending equipment 100 needs to form multiple L-shaped bends and / or multiple Z-shaped bends at different positions on a single FPC, the bending fixture 10 can be equipped with multiple first bending stations 11 and multiple second bending stations 12 accordingly.

[0096] Furthermore, the second bending station 12 and the first bending station 11 are spaced apart. The term "spaced apart" means that the two bending stations are separated from each other on the bearing surface of the bending fixture 10, and there is a certain distance between them. The spaced arrangement of the bending stations makes the active area of ​​the first bending mechanism 30 (including the upper stroke range and the side push stroke range of the first shape head 31) and the active area of ​​the second bending mechanism 40 (including the upper stroke range and the side push stroke range of the second shape head 41) spatially independent and non-overlapping.

[0097] Specifically, the two first-shaped female heads 31 of the first bending mechanism 30 perform vertical and horizontal movements respectively at the first bending station 11, and the second-shaped female head 41 of the second bending mechanism 40 performs vertical and horizontal movements at the second bending station 12. Since the two bending stations are separated from each other on the bearing surface, the movement paths of the two sets of female heads will not intersect or interfere in space.

[0098] Based on the aforementioned structural layout with intervals, the first bending mechanism 30 and the second bending mechanism 40 can simultaneously form the first-shaped bending portion and the second-shaped bending portion. Here, "simultaneous forming" means that the two bending mechanisms can execute their respective bending actions synchronously in sequence. That is, the first action of the first bending mechanism 30 (first drive member 32) and the first action of the second bending mechanism 40 (second drive member 42) can be started simultaneously and complete their respective upward actions simultaneously. Subsequently, the second action of the first bending mechanism 30 (first drive member 33) and the second action of the second bending mechanism 40 (second drive member 43) can be started simultaneously and complete their respective lateral pushing actions simultaneously.

[0099] Since the two bending stations are spatially separated, the two bending mechanisms will not interfere with each other when they operate simultaneously, and their respective heads can move independently within their respective working areas without affecting each other.

[0100] Specifically, the first bending station 11 has an upper through groove 11a and a side push moving groove 11b. The upper through groove 11a extends in the vertical direction, and the side push moving groove 11b extends in the horizontal direction. The upper through groove 11a is located at the end of the side push moving groove 11b along the extension direction of the side push moving groove 11b. The second bending station 12 has an upper top side push groove 12a, which penetrates the bending fixture 10 vertically and extends along the moving direction of the second shaped head 41 to perform the second bending action.

[0101] In this embodiment, the top through groove 11a extends vertically, that is, the groove extends vertically downward from the bearing surface (upper surface) of the bending fixture 10 to the bottom surface of the bending fixture 10, forming a channel for the first shaped female head 31 to pass through vertically; the side push moving groove 11b extends horizontally, that is, the groove is opened horizontally on the bearing surface of the bending fixture 10, forming a guide channel for the other first shaped female head 31 to move horizontally.

[0102] Furthermore, the upper through groove 11a is located at the end of the side push moving groove 11b along the extension direction of the side push moving groove 11b. That is to say, on the bearing surface of the bending fixture 10, the upper through groove 11a and the side push moving groove 11b do not intersect or overlap each other in space. Instead, the upper through groove 11a is located at one end of the side push moving groove 11b. When viewed from above the bending fixture 10, the side push moving groove 11b extends a certain length in the horizontal direction, while the upper through groove 11a is located at the beginning or end of the horizontal extension path.

[0103] The top through groove 11a provides a vertical passage for the first shaped female head 31 to perform the first bending action (top) and push the first part to be bent upward; the side push moving groove 11b provides a horizontal guide passage for another first shaped female head 31 to perform the second bending action (side push) and push the first part to be bent.

[0104] Since the upper through groove 11a is located at the end of the side push moving groove 11b, after the upper female head completes the vertical movement in the upper through groove 11a, the side push female head starts to advance horizontally from the end of the side push moving groove 11b, and can just contact the first part to be bent that has been lifted up and push it towards the mating end face 22b of the first shaped male head 22.

[0105] Furthermore, the second bending station 12 has an upper top side push groove 12a, which penetrates the bending fixture 10 vertically. That is, the groove extends vertically downward from the bearing surface of the bending fixture 10 to the bottom surface of the bending fixture 10. At the same time, the upper top side push groove 12a also extends along the moving direction of the second driving member 43. In other words, while penetrating vertically, the upper top side push groove 12a also has a slot size extending horizontally along the moving direction of the second driving member 43.

[0106] Unlike the first bending station 11, which requires two independent slots, the second bending station 12 only has one top-pushing side-pushing slot 12a. This is because the second bending mechanism 40 only includes a second-shaped female head 41. After the female head performs a vertical top-pushing action under the drive of the first action second driving member 42, it performs a horizontal pushing action along the whole with the second action second driving member 43. Its movement trajectory is a movement path that is first vertical and then horizontal.

[0107] The vertical through portion of the upper push groove 12a allows the second shaped female head 41 to pass vertically and push the second part to be bent upward; the horizontal dimension of the upper push groove 12a extending in the direction of movement of the second shaped female head 41 performing the second bending action allows the second shaped female head 41 to move horizontally as a whole with the second driving member 43 after completing the upward push, so that the second shaped female head 41 can still maintain contact with the second part to be bent and continuously apply the pushing force during the side push process.

[0108] In one embodiment of the present invention, the bending device 100 further includes an assembly fixture 50 and a handling robot 60; The handling robot 60 is configured to handle a flexible circuit board having a first-shaped bend and a second-shaped bend to an assembly fixture 50.

[0109] In this embodiment, the assembly fixture 50 is disposed on one side of the bending fixture 10 and is used to support the product to be assembled. In practical applications, the product to be assembled can be various types of electronic device components, such as the temples of smart glasses, the dials of smartwatches, the earphone stems of TWS earphones, or other portable electronic device structural components that require an embedded FPC. It is understood that the product to be assembled can be placed on the assembly fixture 50 in advance and pre-positioned by positioning clamps or positioning pins, waiting for the bent FPC to be transported onto it for assembly.

[0110] The handling robot 60 is positioned between the bending fixture 10 and the assembly fixture 50, or in an area that can simultaneously cover the working range of both the bending fixture 10 and the assembly fixture 50. The handling robot 60 is configured to transport the FPC having a first-shaped bend and a second-shaped bend to the assembly fixture 50, that is, to remove the bent FPC from the bending fixture 10 and transfer it to the assembly fixture 50, and then place the FPC in a preset installation position in the product to be assembled, thereby completing the assembly of the FPC with the product to be assembled.

[0111] The handling robot 60 includes an air nozzle 61 connected to a negative pressure generating device (such as a vacuum generator or vacuum pump). When handling the FPC, the air nozzle 61 uses negative pressure adsorption to attach the FPC to the robot's picking end. Because the FPC is a flexible, thin sheet structure with a flat surface and lightweight material, the air nozzle 61 adsorption method can achieve reliable picking without damaging the FPC's surface circuitry and components.

[0112] It should be noted that the specific number, distribution position and shape of the air nozzles 61 can be adaptively designed according to the external dimensions of the FPC and the specific layout of the onboard body and bending parts to ensure uniform distribution of adsorption force.

[0113] During the transfer process of the handling robot 60, the handling robot 60 first moves to the top of the bending fixture 10, the air nozzle 61 moves downward and contacts the onboard surface of the bent FPC, and the negative pressure is activated to make the air nozzle 61 adsorb the FPC; then the robot lifts upward and removes the FPC from the bending fixture 10; then the robot moves horizontally to the top of the assembly fixture 50 and accurately places the FPC in the corresponding installation position in the product to be assembled; finally, the air nozzle 61 releases the negative pressure, the robot moves upward and retracts, completing one handling and assembly action.

[0114] By integrating assembly fixture 50 and handling robot 60 into the bending equipment 100, this invention eliminates the need to transfer the FPC to other independent assembly equipment after bending. Instead, the handling robot 60 directly transfers the bent FPC to the assembly fixture 50 within the same equipment and assembles it with the product to be assembled, achieving full automation from bending to assembly. This further shortens the production cycle, reduces work-in-process buffering and handling time between processes, and, since bending and assembly are completed within the same equipment based on the same set of positioning references, avoids assembly errors caused by differences in positioning references between different equipment, further improving the assembly accuracy and product yield between the FPC and the product to be assembled.

[0115] In one embodiment of the invention, the bending device 100 further includes a vision guidance component 70 configured to guide the movement of the handling robot 60.

[0116] In this embodiment, the vision guidance component 70 is configured to guide the movement of the handling robot 60. During the automated bending and assembly of the FPC, the handling robot 60 needs to complete two key actions: picking up the bent FPC from the bending fixture 10, and accurately placing the FPC into the product to be assembled on the assembly fixture 50. If the picking position deviation is too large, the air nozzle may not be able to effectively hold the FPC, or it may touch the already formed bent portion during picking, causing deformation. If the placement position deviation is too large, the FPC may not be aligned with the mounting interface in the product to be assembled, resulting in assembly failure. The introduction of the vision guidance component 70 is precisely to solve the above-mentioned positioning accuracy problem. It obtains the position information of the FPC and the product to be assembled through visual recognition and feeds it back to the control system of the handling robot 60, guiding the robot to perform position compensation and precise alignment.

[0117] Specifically, the vision guidance component 70 includes an upper vision module 71 and a lower vision module 72. The upper vision module 71 is fixed to the handling robot 60 and moves with it. Its lens faces downwards to capture images of the upper surface of the FPC. When the handling robot 60 moves above the bending fixture 10 to pick up the FPC, the upper vision module 71 first captures images of the FPC on the bending fixture 10, obtaining the FPC's outline position, the extension direction of the bend, and the coordinates of the target area for air nozzle adsorption.

[0118] Based on the image information acquired by the upper vision module 71, the deviation between the actual position of the FPC on the bending fixture 10 and the preset position can be calculated. The robot's picking posture and position can then be adjusted accordingly to ensure that the air nozzle contacts the FPC surface at the optimal position and angle, achieving reliable adsorption. Furthermore, the upper vision module 71 can also visually inspect the shape of the formed bent portion, identifying defects such as obvious bending angle deviations, surface cracks, or abnormal springback, thereby achieving online detection of bending quality.

[0119] The lower-view module 72 is fixed on the movement path of the handling robot 60. Specifically, the lower-view module 72 can be positioned between the bending fixture 10 and the assembly fixture 50, with its lens facing upwards. As the handling robot 60 carries the FPC from the bending fixture 10 to the assembly fixture 50, the robot will pass above the lower-view module 72. At this time, the lower-view module 72 takes a picture of the FPC attached to the robot from below, acquiring image information of the bottom surface of the FPC.

[0120] Since the bent FPC has L-shaped and Z-shaped three-dimensional shapes, its bottom surface has different heights and contour features in different areas. The lower vision module 72 can obtain the precise pose information of the FPC in three-dimensional space by photographing the bottom surface of the FPC, including but not limited to the angle of the bent part relative to the main body of the board, the relative positional relationship between each bent part, and the spatial posture of the FPC as a whole in the robot coordinate system.

[0121] With the introduction of the aforementioned visual guidance component 70, the picking and placement accuracy of the handling robot 60 has been significantly improved. Even if there is a deviation in the FPC incoming material position, a slight fluctuation in the shape after bending and forming, or an error in the positioning of the product to be assembled on the assembly fixture 50, the handling robot 60 can still achieve precise alignment through visual feedback, ensuring reliable assembly of the bent FPC and the product to be assembled.

[0122] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the specification and drawings of the present invention under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bending device for bending a flexible circuit board, the flexible circuit board comprising a substrate and a first bending portion and a second bending portion located at different positions on the substrate, characterized in that, The bending equipment includes: A bending fixture (10) is used to support the flexible circuit board; A bending head (20) is movably disposed relative to the bending fixture (10); the bending head (20) includes a pressure holding body (21), a first-shaped male head (22) and a second-shaped male head (23), the pressure holding body (21) cooperating with the bending fixture (10) to fix the plate-mounted body; The first bending mechanism (30) has two movable first shape female heads (31), each of which is configured to cooperate with the first shape male head (22). The two first shape female heads (31) sequentially perform a first bending action and a second bending action on the first part to be bent, so that the flexible circuit board forms a first shape bent part in the first part to be bent. The second bending mechanism (40) has a movable second-shaped female head (41), which is configured to cooperate with the second-shaped male head (23) and sequentially performs the first bending action and the second bending action on the second part to be bent, so that the flexible circuit board forms a second-shaped bent part on the second part to be bent.

2. The bending equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first bending mechanism (30) further includes a first action first drive member (32) and a second action first drive member (33) that are independently set. The moving ends of the first action first drive member (32) and the second action first drive member (33) are each provided with a first shape female head (31). The first action, the first driving member (32), is configured to drive the first shaped female head (31) to perform the first bending action on the first part to be bent, and the second action, the first driving member (33), is configured to drive the first shaped female head (31) to perform the second bending action on the first part to be bent after one bending.

3. The bending equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second bending mechanism (40) further includes a first action second drive member (42) and a second action second drive member (43), the second shaped female head (41) is connected to the moving end of the first action second drive member (42), and the first action second drive member (42) is connected to the moving end of the second action second drive member (43); The first action second drive member (42) is configured to drive the second shape head (41) to perform a first bending action on the second part to be bent, and the second action second drive member (43) is configured to drive the first action second drive member (42) to move, so that the second shape head (41) performs a second bending action on the second part to be bent after one bending, so that the flexible circuit board forms a second shape bending part in the second part to be bent.

4. The bending equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first bending action is an upward pushing action, and the second bending action is a lateral pushing action.

5. The bending equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first shaped male head (22) has a first constrained end (22a) and a mating end face (22b), wherein the first constrained end (22a) is located at the end of the mating end face (22b) near the end of the bending fixture (10); Each of the first-shaped female heads (31) has a working end (31a) located at the end of the first-shaped female head (31) facing the bending fixture (10); When the first bending action is performed on the first bending part by the first acting end (31a), the first constraint end (22a) limits the connection between the plate body and the first bending part, and the first bending part can move relative to the plate body. After the first bending portion undergoes a second bending action at the working end (31a) of another first-shaped female head (31), the first bending portion can fit into the fitting end face (22b) to form a first-shaped bending portion.

6. The bending equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The second-shaped male head (23) has two second constraint ends (23a) and a fitting groove (23b), with the two second constraint ends (23a) located at one end of the fitting groove (23b); The second shaped female head (41) is arranged in the vertical direction. The side of the second shaped female head (41) has a push protrusion (411), which can be inserted into the fitting groove (23b). When the end of the pusher head (411) performs a first bending action on the second part to be bent, the second constraint end (23a) near the bending fixture (10) is limited to abutting the connection between the plate body and the second part to be bent, and the second part to be bent can move relative to the plate body. After the end of the pusher head (411) performs a first bending action on the second part to be bent, the second constraint end (23a) away from the bending fixture (10) is limited to abutting the part of the second part to be bent away from the plate body. After the second bending action is performed on the second part to be bent after the first bending is performed at the end of the push protrusion (411), the push protrusion (411) is inserted into the fitting groove (23b), and the part of the second part to be bent located at the two second constraint ends (23a) is attached to the groove wall of the fitting groove (23b) to form a second shaped bending part.

7. The bending equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The bending fixture (10) has a first bending station (11) and a second bending station (12), the second bending station (12) being spaced apart from the first bending station (11) so that the first bending mechanism (30) and the second bending mechanism (40) can simultaneously form the first shaped bending part and the second shaped bending part; The first bending station (11) is used to form the first shaped bending part, and the second bending station (12) is used to form the second shaped bending part.

8. The bending equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The first bending station (11) has an upper through groove (11a) and a side push moving groove (11b). The upper through groove (11a) extends in the vertical direction, and the side push moving groove (11b) extends in the horizontal direction. The upper through groove (11a) is located at the end of the side push moving groove (11b) along the extension direction of the side push moving groove (11b). The second bending station (12) has an upper top side push groove (12a) that penetrates the bending fixture (10) vertically and extends along the moving direction of the second shaped head (41) performing the second bending action.

9. The bending equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The bending equipment also includes assembly fixtures (50) and a handling robot (60); The handling robot (60) is configured to handle a flexible circuit board having the first-shaped bend and the second-shaped bend to the assembly fixture (50).

10. The bending equipment as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The bending device also includes a vision guidance component (70) configured to guide the movement of the handling robot (60).

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