Flexible circuit board and electronic equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a flexible circuit board and electronic equipment, and the flexible circuit board comprises a flexible circuit board body which is provided with a bending region; and the flexible part at least covers two opposite surfaces in the thickness direction of the bending area, and the flexible part is configured to be capable of generating deformation. Through the arrangement, the thickness of the flexible circuit board in the bending area is increased, so that the bending fillet of the flexible circuit board body is increased, the flexible circuit board body is not easy to damage or break in the repeated bending process, the flexible circuit board is protected, the service life of the flexible circuit board is prolonged, and the reliability of the flexible circuit board is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of circuit boards, and in particular to a flexible circuit board. Background Art

[0002] Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) is a highly reliable and flexible printed circuit board made of polyimide or polyester film. It has the characteristics of high wiring density, light weight, thin thickness and good bendability. It is used in wearable devices, flexible displays and smart electronic devices.

[0003] For example, in foldable electronic devices, flexible circuit boards connect the modules on both sides. Because these devices need to be folded repeatedly, they place high demands on the flexible circuit boards' bending performance. Conventional flexible circuit boards have very small bend radiuses, which can easily damage or break them with repeated bending, shortening their service life. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the present application provides a flexible circuit board and an electronic device, which can increase the bending radius of the flexible circuit board and improve the bending performance and service life of the flexible circuit board.

[0005] Specifically, the following technical solutions are included:

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a flexible circuit board, comprising:

[0007] The flexible circuit board body has a bending area;

[0008] The flexible member at least covers two opposite surfaces of the bending zone in the thickness direction, and the flexible member is configured to be deformable.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the flexible member is sleeved on the periphery of the bending area.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the flexible part is an injection molded part.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the flexible part includes a first wall and a second wall, the first wall and the second wall respectively covering two opposite surfaces in the thickness direction of the bending area, the first wall having a first hole in an area outside the edge, and the second wall having a second hole in an area outside the edge.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, the number of the first hole and the number of the second hole are both plural, and the first hole and the second hole are both through holes.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, a plurality of the first holes are arranged in multiple rows on the flexible circuit board body, and the first holes in adjacent rows are staggered in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body, and / or a plurality of the second holes are arranged in multiple rows on the flexible circuit board body, and the second holes in adjacent rows are staggered in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the plurality of first holes and the plurality of second holes are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, the first wall body is further provided with a plurality of third holes, and the second wall body is further provided with a plurality of fourth holes, the plurality of third holes are distributed on both side edges of the first wall body along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body, and the plurality of fourth holes are distributed on both side edges of the second wall body along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body, and the third holes and the fourth holes are both through holes.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, the plurality of third holes and the plurality of fourth holes are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, the flexible part further includes a third wall and a fourth wall, the third wall and the fourth wall are arranged opposite to each other along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body, and the third wall and the fourth wall are respectively connected to the first wall and the second wall.

[0018] In an optional embodiment, the third wall and the fourth wall are missing at the third hole and the fourth hole.

[0019] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, comprising the flexible circuit board provided by any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0020] In an optional embodiment, the electronic device is a foldable electronic device, comprising a first body and a second body that are rotatably connected, a portion of the flexible circuit board is located in the first body, and another portion is located in the second body.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application include at least the following: by providing a flexible member capable of generating deformation, and the flexible member covering at least two opposite surfaces in the thickness direction of the bending zone, the thickness of the flexible circuit board in the bending zone is increased, thereby increasing the bending radius of the flexible circuit board body, and eliminating very small bending radiuses, thereby making the flexible circuit board body less likely to be damaged or broken during repeated bending, that is, protecting the flexible circuit board and facilitating improved service life and reliability of the flexible circuit board. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0023] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the bending fillet R1 of the flexible circuit board in the prior art;

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a bending fillet R2 of a flexible circuit board provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 3 This is one of the three-dimensional views of the flexible circuit board provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 4 The second perspective view of the flexible circuit board provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional view of the flexible circuit board provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0028] The reference numerals in the figures represent:

[0029] 100-flexible circuit board;

[0030] 1-Flexible circuit board; 11-Flexible circuit board body; 111-Bending area; 12-Flexible member; 121-First wall; 1211-First hole; 1212-Third hole; 122-Second wall; 1221-Second hole; 1222-Fourth hole; 123-Third wall; 124-Fourth wall; 13-Connector.

[0031] The above drawings illustrate specific embodiments of the present application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and the textual description are not intended to limit the scope of the present application in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of the present application to those skilled in the art by reference to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] The directional nouns involved in the embodiments of this application, such as "upper", "lower", "side", etc., are generally expressed in the form of Figure 1 The relative relationships shown in the figure are used as a reference, and these directional terms are used only to more clearly describe the relationship between structures, not to describe absolute directions. When the product is placed in different postures, the direction may change, for example, "up" and "down" may be interchangeable.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used in the examples of this application have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art. Some technical terms that appear in the examples of this application are explained below.

[0035] In order to make the technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the implementation methods of the present application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) is a highly reliable and flexible printed circuit board made of polyimide or polyester film. It has the characteristics of high wiring density, light weight, thin thickness and good bendability. It is used in wearable devices, flexible displays and smart electronic devices.

[0037] For example, in foldable electronic devices, flexible circuit boards connect the modules on both sides. Because foldable electronic devices need to be folded repeatedly, they place high demands on the flexible circuit boards' bending performance. Conventional flexible circuit boards have very small bending angles, which can easily damage or break them with repeated bending, shortening their service life.

[0038] For example, Figure 1 As shown, the bending radius R1 of the flexible circuit board 100 in the conventional technology is relatively small when being bent. During the repeated folding of the foldable electronic device, the flexible circuit board 100 is very likely to reach the fatigue limit, thereby generating cracks or even breaking.

[0039] In order to solve the above technical problems, the embodiment of the present application provides a flexible circuit board 1, such as Figures 2 to 5As shown, the flexible circuit board 1 includes a flexible circuit board body 11 and a flexible member 12 .

[0040] The flexible circuit board 1 is applied to electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, driving recorders, wearable devices, virtual reality devices, etc. Optionally, the electronic device is a foldable electronic device.

[0041] The flexible circuit board body 11 has a bending area 111 . Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the flexible circuit board 1 provided in an embodiment of the present application on the first side. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flexible circuit board 1 on the second side provided in the embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the flexible circuit board body 11 is in a rectangular strip shape, and the bending area 111 is located in the middle area of the flexible circuit board body 11 . The bending area 111 can bend in the length direction of the flexible circuit board body 11 .

[0042] Exemplarily, the electronic device includes a first body and a second body that are rotatably connected, a portion of the flexible circuit board 1 is located in the first body, and the other portion is located in the second body. When the electronic device switches between a folded state and an unfolded state, the bending area 111 of the flexible circuit board body 11 is bent.

[0043] For example, Figure 3 As shown, connectors 13 are respectively provided at both ends of the length direction of the flexible circuit board body 11, and the connectors 13 are used to connect with other components.

[0044] The flexible member 12 covers at least two opposite surfaces in the thickness direction of the bending zone 111 and is configured to be deformable. For example, the flexible member 12 is in sheet form, and two sheets of flexible member 12 are respectively bonded to two opposite surfaces in the thickness direction of the bending zone 111 .

[0045] For example, the flexible member 12 is made of plastic material, fiber material or the like, and not only has a certain strength but is also deformable.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, since the flexible member 12 has a certain thickness, the bending radius R2 of the flexible circuit board body 11 provided in the embodiment of the present application is larger than that of the flexible circuit board 1 in the prior art, that is, R2>R1. The flexible circuit board body 11 is not likely to reach the fatigue limit, and is not likely to be damaged or broken during repeated bending.

[0047] The thickness and length of the flexible member 12 can be set according to actual needs, and this application does not make any specific restrictions.

[0048] The flexible circuit board 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application is provided with a deformable flexible member 12, and the flexible member 12 covers at least two opposing surfaces in the thickness direction of the bending region 111. This increases the thickness of the flexible circuit board 1 in the bending region 111, thereby increasing the bending radius of the flexible circuit board body 11 and eliminating very small bending radiuses. This makes the flexible circuit board body 11 less susceptible to damage or breakage during repeated bending. This protects the flexible circuit board 1 and helps improve the service life and reliability of the flexible circuit board 1.

[0049] In a specific embodiment, the flexible member 12 is sleeved around the outer periphery of the bending region 111 .

[0050] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the flexible member 12 covers not only two opposite surfaces of the bending zone 111 in the thickness direction, but also two opposite surfaces of the bending zone 111 in the width direction.

[0051] Furthermore, the flexible part 12 is an injection molded part.

[0052] Specifically, the flexible part 12 is made by an in-mold injection molding process. For example, the flexible circuit board body 11 is placed in a mold, and molding material is injected on the surface of the flexible circuit board body 11 to form the flexible part 12. The flexible part 12 and the flexible circuit board body 11 are bonded together and solidified.

[0053] In one embodiment, the flexible member 12 includes a first wall 121 and a second wall 122, and the first wall 121 and the second wall 122 respectively cover two opposite surfaces in the thickness direction of the bending area 111. The first wall 121 has a first hole 1211 in the area outside the edge, and the second wall 122 has a second hole 1221 in the area outside the edge.

[0054] The first wall 121 and the second wall 122 are disposed opposite to each other along the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body 11 , and there may be one or more first holes 1211 and one or more second holes 1221 .

[0055] The shapes and sizes of the first hole 1211 and the second hole 1221 can be set according to actual needs, and are not specifically limited in this application.

[0056] In this embodiment, by providing the first hole 1211 and the second hole 1221, the bending performance of the flexible member 12 is improved, so that the flexible member 12 can bend easily along with the flexible circuit board body 11, thereby avoiding affecting the normal bending of the flexible circuit board body 11 due to an excessively large bending radius R2.

[0057] In a further embodiment, there are multiple first holes 1211 and multiple second holes 1221 , and both the first holes 1211 and the second holes 1221 are through holes.

[0058] Specifically, if Figure 5 As shown, the first hole 1211 penetrates the first wall 121 along the thickness direction of the first wall 121, and the second hole 1221 penetrates the second wall 122 along the thickness direction of the second wall 122. Both the first hole 1211 and the second hole 1221 penetrate to the surface of the flexible circuit board body 11.

[0059] When the flexible part 12 is an injection-molded part, since the first hole 1211 and the second hole 1221 are both through holes, the mold can directly clamp the two opposite surfaces in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body 11, which is not only easy to process and manufacture and conducive to improving production efficiency, but also plays a limiting role on the flexible circuit board body 11, preventing the flexible circuit board body 11 from moving during the injection molding process; at the same time, it can also ensure that the thickness of the first wall 121 and the second wall 122 formed after injection molding are uniform.

[0060] In a further embodiment, a plurality of first holes 1211 are arranged in multiple rows on the flexible circuit board body 11, and the first holes 1211 in adjacent rows are staggered in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body 11, and / or, a plurality of second holes 1221 are arranged in multiple rows on the flexible circuit board body 11, and the second holes 1221 in adjacent rows are staggered in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body 11.

[0061] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of first holes 1211 are distributed in parallel and staggered manner on the first wall 121, and a plurality of second holes 1221 are distributed in parallel and staggered manner on the second wall 122. Taking the first wall 121 as an example, the first wall 121 has multiple rows of first holes 1211 distributed along the length or width direction of the flexible circuit board 11, with the rows being parallel to each other. The multiple first holes 1211 in each row are evenly spaced, and the first holes 1211 in two adjacent rows are staggered.

[0062] Through this arrangement, the distribution density of the first holes 1211 and / or the second holes 1221 is increased, which is beneficial to further improve the bending performance of the flexible member 12 .

[0063] In a specific embodiment, the plurality of first holes 1211 and the plurality of second holes 1221 are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body 11 .

[0064] Exemplarily, the orthographic projection profiles of the plurality of first holes 1211 on the flexible circuit board body 11 are consistent with the orthographic projection profiles of the plurality of second holes 1221 on the flexible circuit board body 11 .

[0065] Through this arrangement, during the injection molding process of the flexible part 12, the contact positions of the molds on both sides of the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body 11 and the flexible circuit board body 11 can correspond one to one, which is beneficial to improving the clamping effect of the flexible circuit board body 11 and preventing the surface of the flexible circuit board body 11 from undulating, resulting in uneven thickness of the first wall 121 and the second wall 122 formed after injection molding.

[0066] In a further embodiment, Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first wall 121 is further provided with a plurality of third holes 1212, and the second wall 122 is further provided with a plurality of fourth holes 1222. The plurality of third holes 1212 are distributed on both side edges of the first wall 121 along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body 11, and the plurality of fourth holes 1222 are distributed on both side edges of the second wall 122 along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body 11. Both the third holes 1212 and the fourth holes 1222 are through holes.

[0067] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of third holes 1212 are distributed on the left and right sides of the flexible member 12, and a plurality of fourth holes 1222 are distributed on the left and right sides of the flexible member 12. At least one third hole 1212 is provided on each of the left and right edges of the first wall 121; and at least one fourth hole 1222 is provided on each of the left and right edges of the second wall 122.

[0068] In this embodiment, by providing the third hole 1212 and the fourth hole 1222, on the one hand, it is possible to save injection molding materials and reduce production costs; on the other hand, during the injection molding process of the flexible part 12, the mold can be clamped on the edge of the flexible circuit board body 11, thereby limiting the flexible circuit board body 11 in the width direction and preventing the flexible circuit board body 11 from moving in its own width direction.

[0069] In a further embodiment, the plurality of third holes 1212 and the plurality of fourth holes 1222 are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body 11 .

[0070] Exemplarily, the orthographic projection profiles of the plurality of third holes 1212 on the flexible circuit board body 11 are consistent with the orthographic projection profiles of the plurality of fourth holes 1222 on the flexible circuit board body 11 .

[0071] Through this arrangement, during the injection molding process of the flexible part 12, the contact positions of the molds on both sides of the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body 11 and the flexible circuit board body 11 can correspond one to one, thereby improving the clamping effect of the flexible circuit board body 11 and preventing the edge surface of the flexible circuit board body 11 from undulating, resulting in uneven thickness of the first wall 121 and the second wall 122 formed after injection molding.

[0072] In a further embodiment, the flexible member 12 further includes a third wall 123 and a fourth wall 124, which are arranged opposite to each other along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body 11, and the third wall 123 and the fourth wall 124 are respectively connected to the first wall 121 and the second wall 122.

[0073] Furthermore, the third wall 123 and the fourth wall 124 are missing at the third hole 1212 and the fourth hole 1222 .

[0074] Specifically, the inner wall of the third hole 1212 is connected to the outer wall of the third wall 123 or the fourth wall 124 on the same side, and the inner wall of the fourth hole 1222 is connected to the outer wall of the third wall 123 or the fourth wall 124 on the same side, so that the third hole 1212 and the fourth hole 1222 are notch-shaped.

[0075] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the third hole 1212 and the fourth hole 1222 are in the shape of semicircular notches. During the injection molding process of the flexible part 12, the molds located on the left and right sides of the flexible circuit board body 11 can not only contact the upper and lower surfaces of the flexible circuit board body 11, but also contact the side surfaces of the flexible circuit board body 11, thereby clamping the flexible circuit board body 11 in the width direction of the flexible circuit board body 11, thereby improving the limiting effect of the flexible circuit board body 11.

[0076] An embodiment of the present application further provides an electronic device, which includes the flexible circuit board 1 provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0077] For example, electronic devices include but are not limited to mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, driving recorders, wearable devices, and virtual reality devices.

[0078] Furthermore, the electronic device is a foldable electronic device that can achieve folding actions such as vertical folding, horizontal folding, inward folding, outward folding, and double folding.

[0079] Specifically, the electronic device includes a first body and a second body that are rotatably connected. A portion of the flexible circuit board 1 is located in the first body, and the other portion is located in the second body. When the electronic device switches between a folded state and an unfolded state, the bending area 111 of the flexible circuit board body 11 bends.

[0080] In this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. The term "plurality" refers to two or more than two, unless expressly limited otherwise.

[0081] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present invention after considering the specification and practicing the present invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present invention that follow the general principles of the present invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered as exemplary only.

[0082] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the exact structures described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A flexible circuit board (1), characterized in that: The flexible circuit board (1) comprises: A flexible circuit board body (11) having a bending area (111); The flexible member (12) comprises at least a first wall (121) and a second wall (122), wherein the first wall (121) and the second wall (122) respectively cover two opposite surfaces in the thickness direction of the bending area (111), and the flexible member (12) is configured to be deformable.

2. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible member (12) is sleeved on the periphery of the bending area (111).

3. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible part (12) is an injection molded part.

4. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first wall (121) is provided with a first hole (1211) in an area outside the edge, and the second wall (122) is provided with a second hole (1221) in an area outside the edge.

5. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are multiple first holes (1211) and multiple second holes (1221), and both the first holes (1211) and the second holes (1221) are through holes.

6. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that: A plurality of the first holes (1211) are arranged in a plurality of rows on the flexible circuit board body (11), and the first holes (1211) in adjacent rows are staggered in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body (11); and / or a plurality of the second holes (1221) are arranged in a plurality of rows on the flexible circuit board body (11), and the second holes (1221) in adjacent rows are staggered in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body (11).

7. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The plurality of first holes (1211) and the plurality of second holes (1221) are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body (11).

8. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first wall (121) is further provided with a plurality of third holes (1212), and the second wall (122) is further provided with a plurality of fourth holes (1222). The plurality of third holes (1212) are distributed on both side edges of the first wall (121) along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body (11), and the plurality of fourth holes (1222) are distributed on both side edges of the second wall (122) along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body (11). Both the third holes (1212) and the fourth holes (1222) are through holes.

9. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that: The plurality of third holes (1212) and the plurality of fourth holes (1222) are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence in the thickness direction of the flexible circuit board body (11).

10. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that: The flexible component (12) further comprises a third wall (123) and a fourth wall (124), wherein the third wall (123) and the fourth wall (124) are arranged opposite to each other along the width direction of the flexible circuit board body (11), and the third wall (123) and the fourth wall (124) are respectively connected to the first wall (121) and the second wall (122).

11. The flexible circuit board (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that: The third wall (123) and the fourth wall (124) are missing at the third hole (1212) and the fourth hole (1222).

12. An electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device comprises the flexible circuit board (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein: The electronic device is a foldable electronic device, comprising a first body and a second body that are rotatably connected, a portion of the flexible circuit board (1) being located in the first body, and the other portion being located in the second body.

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