Patch positioning device of flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Board)

Abstract

A patch positioning device of a flexible PCB comprises a tray, a plane boss used for bearing a patch area of a flexible PCB reinforcing plate is arranged in the middle of the tray, containing areas used for containing a first reinforcing plate are arranged on the two sides of the plane boss, and positioning pins are arranged in the containing areas; the thickness of the plane boss is equal to the thickness of the first reinforcing plate or / and the second reinforcing plate on the flexible PCB reinforcing plate. After the flexible PCB reinforcing plate is laid on the tray, the positioning pins are just inserted into the positioning holes of the flexible PCB reinforcing plate, and the positioning pins are lower than the planes of the positioning holes; and the patch area and the process edge of the flexible PCB reinforcing plate are kept in the same plane. The positioning device has the advantages of improving the positioning precision, simplifying the operation process and improving the production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of flexible PCB mounting technology, and specifically to a flexible PCB mounting positioning device. Background Technology

[0002] Surface mount technology (SMT) for flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs) is a crucial process for ensuring the precise mounting of SMT components on flexible substrates. Due to the deformable nature of flexible PCBs, precise positioning during placement to maintain their flatness and prevent deformation is essential.

[0003] In existing technologies, several common positioning methods are used. One method is the adhesive tape positioning method, which involves pre-drawing a positioning line on the carrier board, manually aligning one side of the flexible PCB with the positioning line, and then using high-temperature resistant adhesive tape to fix the four sides of the flexible PCB, making the flexible PCB lie flat on the carrier board. This method has the advantages of simplicity and low cost. However, this method can only be operated manually, which is prone to errors, and requires experienced personnel. In addition, this method also suffers from low efficiency.

[0004] The second method is negative pressure adsorption, such as the alternating clamping type suction plate flat material conveying mechanism for flexible materials to be bonded disclosed in Chinese patent CN 112702901 A, in which the positioning mechanism adopts the negative pressure adsorption method.

[0005] Thirdly, there is the magnetic adsorption method. For example, the positioning fixture used in the SMT production fixture for flexible and easily deformable PCBs disclosed in Chinese patent CN 206237692 U is based on the magnetic adsorption method.

[0006] Fourth is the clamping and tensioning method, such as the automatic placement equipment for flexible PCB boards disclosed in Chinese patent CN 212628625 U, in which the positioning mechanism adopts the clamping and tensioning method.

[0007] While the aforementioned negative pressure adsorption method, magnetic adsorption method, and clamping and tightening method each have their own advantages, all three methods suffer from complex positioning methods and devices. Therefore, existing technologies urgently need improvement to address these issues. Utility Model Content

[0008] The purpose of this application is to provide a flexible PCB mounting and positioning device, which has the advantages of improving positioning accuracy, simplifying operation process and improving production efficiency.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] A method for positioning and mounting components on a flexible PCB includes the following steps:

[0011] S1. On at least one pair of opposite sides of the reverse side of the flexible PCB, a first reinforcing plate of predetermined thickness is attached relative to the process edge of the flexible PCB.

[0012] S2. Drill several positioning holes in the process edge to make a flexible PCB reinforcement board, wherein the positioning holes of the flexible PCB reinforcement board penetrate the process edge and the first reinforcement board.

[0013] S3. The flexible PCB reinforcing plate is laid on a tray. The tray has a planar boss for supporting the patch area of ​​the flexible PCB reinforcing plate. On both sides of the planar boss, there are receiving areas for accommodating the first reinforcing plate. The receiving areas are provided with positioning pins in the same position and number as the positioning holes. When the flexible PCB reinforcing plate is laid on the tray, the positioning pins are inserted into the positioning holes and the positioning pins are lower than the plane of the positioning holes. The patch area of ​​the flexible PCB reinforcing plate is kept in the same plane as the process edge.

[0014] As an improvement to this utility model, the at least one pair of opposite sides are the long side of the flexible PCB.

[0015] As an improvement to this utility model, a second reinforcing plate is provided on the opposite side of the remaining process edge on the reverse side of the flexible PCB, and the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate form an integral frame.

[0016] As an improvement to this utility model, the first reinforcing plate is a rigid reinforcing plate or a flexible reinforcing plate.

[0017] As an improvement to this utility model, the rigid reinforcing plate is a rigid PCB substrate.

[0018] As an improvement to this utility model, the flexible reinforcing plate is a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic plate.

[0019] This utility model also provides a positioning device for a flexible PCB, including a tray. A planar boss is provided in the center of the tray for supporting the mounting area of ​​a flexible PCB reinforcing plate. Receiving areas for accommodating a first reinforcing plate are provided on both sides of the planar boss. Positioning pins are provided in the receiving areas. The thickness of the planar boss is equal to the thickness of the first reinforcing plate and / or the second reinforcing plate on the flexible PCB reinforcing plate. When the flexible PCB reinforcing plate is laid on the tray, the positioning pins are inserted precisely into the positioning holes of the flexible PCB reinforcing plate, and the positioning pins are lower than the plane of the positioning holes. This keeps the mounting area of ​​the flexible PCB reinforcing plate and the process edge in the same plane.

[0020] As an improvement to this utility model, a second reinforcing plate is provided on the opposite side of the remaining process edge on the reverse side of the flexible PCB, and the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate form an integral frame.

[0021] As an improvement to this utility model, the first reinforcing plate is a rigid reinforcing plate or a flexible reinforcing plate.

[0022] As an improvement to this utility model, the rigid reinforcing plate is a rigid PCB substrate; the flexible reinforcing plate is a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic plate.

[0023] As can be seen from the above, the flexible PCB placement positioning method and positioning device provided in this application, by setting a reinforcing plate on the reverse side of the flexible PCB and cooperating with the positioning structure of the tray, ensures that the placement area and the process edge remain flat, which solves the problem of low placement accuracy caused by the easy deformation of flexible PCB. It has the advantages of improving positioning accuracy, simplifying operation process and improving production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the block structure of the positioning method of this utility model.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a top view of one embodiment of the positioning device of this utility model.

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified structural diagram at point A in the diagram.

[0027] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the side structure.

[0028] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified structural diagram at point B in the diagram.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a top view of the second embodiment of the positioning device of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of this application 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 this application, and not all of the embodiments. The components of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely represents selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings. Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0031] In existing technologies, the surface mount technology (SMT) of flexible circuit boards often faces the problem of insufficient positioning accuracy due to material deformation. Traditional adhesive paper fixing methods rely on manual operation, resulting in low efficiency and poor consistency; while negative pressure adsorption and magnetic adsorption devices can achieve automated positioning, they are complex in structure and have high maintenance costs; clamping and tightening methods may cause mechanical damage to the flexible substrate. None of these methods can achieve high-precision positioning while maintaining ease of operation.

[0032] To address the aforementioned issues, considering the controllable deformation of flexible materials under localized support conditions, a solution was devised to maintain the flexibility of the substrate while establishing a rigid positioning reference in critical areas. Analysis of the flatness requirements of the patch manufacturing process revealed that the process edge region can serve as a structural reinforcement area. Therefore, a reinforcing plate was proposed to be placed on the reverse side of the process edge, and a self-aligning positioning system was formed by utilizing the mechanical cooperation between through-hole positioning and tray positioning pins.

[0033] Therefore, see Figure 1 This application proposes the following technical solution: a method for positioning a flexible PCB, comprising the following steps: pasting a first reinforcing plate of predetermined thickness on at least a pair of opposite sides of the reverse side of the flexible circuit board; processing positioning holes penetrating the reinforcing plate and the substrate in the process edge area; then placing the flexible circuit board reinforcing plate with positioning holes on the tray plane boss; and using positioning pins in the receiving area to engage with the positioning holes to keep the mounting area and the process edge coplanar.

[0034] The first reinforcing plate refers to the support structure attached to the reverse side of the process edge of the flexible circuit board. It can be implemented using a rigid PCB substrate or a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic board, and is used to suppress local deformation during the placement process. The positioning hole is a through hole penetrating the process edge and the reinforcing plate. It can be machined using CNC drilling to form a physical reference that matches the positioning pin. The flat boss is a flat support surface on the tray that supports the placement area. Its thickness matches the reinforcing plate; for example, it can be made of aluminum alloy to ensure that the placement area and the process edge are on the same plane. The positioning pin is a cylindrical positioning element set in the tray's receiving area, such as a 0.5mm diameter stainless steel pin. Its height is lower than the upper surface of the positioning hole to avoid interference.

[0035] Specifically, when the reinforcing plate is bonded to the reverse side of the flexible circuit board's processing edge, its thickness compensates for the flexible deformation of the substrate. Positioning holes penetrate both the reinforcing plate and the substrate, forming precise positioning reference points. When the reinforcing plate is placed on the tray, the positioning pins automatically align and engage with the positioning holes. At this point, the flat boss supports the mounting area, and the reinforcing plate is embedded in the receiving area; the matching thickness of both keeps the entire working surface flat. During this process, the reinforcing plate provides localized rigid support, the positioning holes and positioning pins work together to eliminate lateral displacement, and the flat boss maintains longitudinal flatness; the combined effect of these three elements ensures mounting accuracy.

[0036] Compared with existing technologies, traditional adhesive paper fixing methods require manual adjustment of flatness, while this solution achieves automatic positioning through the mechanical cooperation between the reinforcing plate and the tray; compared with negative pressure adsorption devices that require complex air circuit systems, this solution simplifies the equipment complexity by utilizing physical positioning structures; compared with the contact fixing of clamping and tightening methods, this method avoids damage to the substrate by using non-contact positioning pin insertion.

[0037] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively solves the problem of flatness control in the flexible circuit board mounting process. While maintaining the flexibility of the material, it achieves high-precision automated positioning by enhancing the cooperation between the structure and the mechanical positioning system, while reducing the complexity of the equipment and the difficulty of operation.

[0038] This application further proposes attaching a first reinforcing plate of predetermined thickness to the long side of a flexible PCB.

[0039] The long sides refer to the two longer edges of a flexible PCB, which can be achieved by pre-reserving the long sides after the PCB substrate has been cut. The long sides are more prone to bending and deformation during the mounting process due to their longer length. By adding reinforcing plates to the long sides, the rigidity of this area can be specifically increased.

[0040] Specifically, the long side of a flexible PCB, due to its greater extension, is prone to localized twisting or curling under external forces during the surface mount technology (SMT) process. After the reinforcing plate is attached to the process edge area on the long side, its rigidity effectively constrains the deformation range of that area. When the positioning pins on the tray are inserted into the positioning holes penetrating the reinforcing plate, the cooperation between the long-side reinforcing plate and the positioning pins creates a double positioning constraint, ensuring that the SMT area of ​​the flexible PCB and the process edge remain on the same plane. During this process, the long-side reinforcing plate covers the most deformable area of ​​the flexible substrate, and the reinforcement structure counteracts the pressure applied by the SMT equipment, preventing component misalignment and inaccurate placement caused by localized substrate collapse.

[0041] Compared to existing technologies, traditional adhesive paper positioning methods rely on manual visual alignment of the long side, which is prone to positioning benchmark shifts. This solution, through a structured reinforcing plate and positioning device, actively suppresses deformation of the long side, eliminating random errors caused by manual operation. Compared to complex positioning systems such as negative pressure adsorption, this solution utilizes the mechanical relationship between the reinforcing plate and the tray, reducing equipment complexity while ensuring positioning accuracy.

[0042] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively solves the problem of positioning inaccuracy caused by deformation on the long side of flexible PCBs during the placement process. The synergistic effect of the reinforcing plate and the tray forms a stable support structure on the long side, ensuring that the placement area remains flat during processing. This solution improves placement accuracy while simplifying the positioning process, making it suitable for the continuous operation requirements of automated production lines.

[0043] This application further proposes a technical solution to add a second reinforcing plate on the opposite side of the remaining process edge on the reverse side of the flexible PCB, so that the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate together form an overall frame.

[0044] The second reinforcing plate refers to the reinforcement structure located on the opposite side of the remaining process edge not covered by the first reinforcing plate. It can be made of the same or different material as the first reinforcing plate, such as a rigid PCB substrate or a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic board. This structure forms a complete circumferential support system by supplementing and covering the unreinforced process edge area. The overall frame refers to the closed-loop structure formed by the first and second reinforcing plates in the four-sided process area. This can be achieved by connecting the edges of the reinforcing plates together. This structure eliminates rigidity differences between the process edges, resulting in uniform stress distribution.

[0045] Specifically, after placing a first reinforcing plate on the long side of the flexible PCB, a second reinforcing plate is added on the short side (process edge), forming a rectangular frame with four reinforcing sides. During the surface mount technology (SMT) process, this frame rigidly constrains the deformation of the flexible substrate, while the thickness of each side of the frame matches the depth of the tray's accommodating area, ensuring that the PCB SMT area and the process edge are on the same plane. When the positioning pins are inserted into the positioning holes on the four sides of the frame, the entire frame is positioned and constrained, maintaining a flatness error of less than 0.1mm in the SMT area.

[0046] Compared to existing technologies, conventional adhesive paper positioning methods, which rely on unilateral fixation and cannot form a closed-loop support, and negative pressure adsorption methods, which depend on the flatness of the carrier plate and cannot compensate for the deformation of the substrate itself, present a solution that constructs a four-sided rigid frame to pre-shape the substrate during the positioning stage. Compared to the clamping and tensioning method in CN 212628625U, this solution achieves full-area support without dynamically adjusting the clamping force and also solves the wrinkling problem caused by the lack of local support.

[0047] Through the above technical solution, this application achieves complete coverage and support for the four process edges of flexible PCBs. During the surface mount process, the anisotropic deformation of the substrate caused by heating is constrained by the rigid frame. The flatness fluctuation of the surface mount area is controlled within ±0.05mm, effectively avoiding component misalignment or poor soldering caused by the lack of local support. It is particularly suitable for the mounting operation of strip flexible PCBs with an aspect ratio greater than 3:1.

[0048] This application further proposes to provide a rigid or flexible reinforcing plate as a first reinforcing plate on at least a pair of opposite sides of the reverse side of the flexible PCB.

[0049] Rigid reinforcing plates refer to support materials with high rigidity, which can be implemented using rigid PCB substrates. Their function is to constrain the deformation of flexible PCBs through rigid structures, ensuring the flatness of the edges during the surface mount process. Flexible reinforcing plates refer to materials with high temperature resistance and a certain degree of deformation capability, which can be implemented using high temperature resistant flexible plastic sheets. Their function is to maintain good physical stability in high-temperature environments.

[0050] Specifically, rigid reinforcement plates counteract the stress on flexible PCBs during placement by providing rigid support, ensuring that the process edges remain coplanar with the placement area. For example, in scenarios requiring high-precision placement, rigid PCB substrates provide a stable reference plane. Flexible reinforcement plates, on the other hand, prevent thermal deformation during processes such as high-temperature reflow soldering through the material's temperature resistance. For instance, flexible plastic plates can maintain structural integrity at 260°C while allowing the flexible PCB to bend moderately during transport. The selectable configuration of these two types of reinforcement plates allows process designs to be adapted to fit placement equipment parameters, ambient temperature, and PCB size.

[0051] Through the above technical solutions, this application can flexibly select the type of reinforcement board according to the temperature conditions and mechanical constraints of the surface mount process. For example, a flexible plastic board can be used in the high-temperature soldering process to prevent thermal stress concentration, while a rigid substrate can be used in the precision mounting process to ensure positioning accuracy, thereby expanding the applicable scenarios of flexible PCB surface mount positioning technology.

[0052] This application further proposes that the rigid reinforcement plate is a rigid PCB substrate.

[0053] Rigid PCB substrates refer to rigid circuit board substrates made of epoxy resin and glass fiber composite materials, specifically FR-4 board material, with a bending strength ranging from 200-400 MPa. This material effectively counteracts deformation caused by mechanical stress during the surface mount process by rigidly supporting the edges of flexible PCBs.

[0054] Specifically, when a rigid PCB substrate serves as a support carrier in a reinforcing board structure, its linear expansion coefficient ranges from 13 to 17 ppm / ℃, similar to the 16-25 ppm / ℃ range of flexible PCB substrates. During the reflow soldering process, when the temperature reaches 260℃, the difference in thermal deformation between the rigid PCB substrate and the flexible PCB body does not exceed 0.05 mm, thus ensuring that the fitting accuracy between the positioning holes and the tray positioning pins remains within ±0.02 mm. This substrate can be directly cut and shaped using a PCB CNC milling machine, with a thickness tolerance controlled within ±0.05 mm. Its surface copper foil layer can be etched to form an adhesive surface that matches the edge of the flexible PCB. The thickness of the rigid PCB substrate can be selected between 1 mm and 2 mm.

[0055] Through the above technical solution, this application achieves synchronization of the thermal expansion behavior of the reinforcing board and the flexible PCB. In temperature cycling tests, the positional offset of the patch area can be reduced to 30% of that of traditional materials. When the rigid PCB substrate is used as the reinforcing material, its dielectric constant range of 4.2-4.5 matches that of the flexible PCB dielectric layer, avoiding impedance abrupt changes during high-frequency signal transmission. This substrate can directly reuse the CNC drilling equipment of the PCB factory during processing, improving the positioning hole accuracy to the ±0.01mm level.

[0056] This application further proposes that the flexible reinforcing sheet is a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic sheet.

[0057] High-temperature resistant flexible plastic sheets refer to plastic materials that maintain stable physical properties within the surface mount technology (SMT) temperature range. These can be achieved using polyimide or polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials. Such materials exhibit low coefficients of thermal expansion and resistance to softening at high temperatures, preventing dimensional deformation due to temperature changes. Flexible plastic sheets also refer to thin, bendable sheets, typically made from flexible polymer sheets with thicknesses ranging from 1 mm to 2 mm. Their elastic modulus is adapted to the bending requirements of flexible PCBs, providing localized support without restricting the overall deformation of the substrate.

[0058] Specifically, in the surface mount technology (SMT) process, a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic board is bonded to the reverse side of the process edge of the flexible PCB, forming a rigid support area with the positioning holes. When the positioning pins on the tray are inserted into the positioning holes, the flexible plastic board maintains the shape stability of the positioning holes through its high-temperature resistance, preventing the positioning holes from shifting due to material softening during high-temperature reflow soldering. Simultaneously, the bending characteristics of the flexible plastic board allow the flexible PCB to bend naturally in non-SMT areas, avoiding stress concentration caused by rigid support. Therefore, the process edge and the SMT area maintain planar consistency even under high-temperature environments, ensuring the positional accuracy of the mounted components.

[0059] Through the above technical solution, this application achieves dynamic balance of the positioning structure during the chip mounting process: the high temperature resistance solves the problem of deformation failure of soft materials at high temperatures, while the softness avoids the conflict between the physical properties of the reinforcing plate and the flexible PCB, thereby ensuring that the chip mounting area always maintains flat positioning during high temperature processes.

[0060] See Figures 2 to 6 This utility model also provides a positioning device for a flexible PCB, including a tray 1. A planar boss 11 for supporting the patch area of ​​the flexible PCB reinforcing plate is provided in the middle of the tray 1. Accommodating areas 12 for accommodating the first reinforcing plate are provided on both sides of the planar boss 11. Positioning pins 13 are provided in the accommodating areas 12. The thickness of the planar boss 11 is equal to the thickness of the first reinforcing plate 21 and / or the second reinforcing plate on the flexible PCB reinforcing plate. When the flexible PCB reinforcing plate 2 is laid on the tray 1, the positioning pins 13 are inserted into the positioning holes 22 of the flexible PCB reinforcing plate, and the positioning pins 13 are lower than the plane of the positioning holes. The patch area 23 of the flexible PCB reinforcing plate 2 is kept in the same plane as the process edge 24.

[0061] The planar boss 11 refers to the upward-protruding planar area in the center of the tray, which can be made of metal or engineering plastic and has a thickness equal to that of the reinforcing plate, so that the patch area and the process edge are on the same plane. The receiving area 12 refers to the recessed structure (which can be groove-shaped or recessed) on both sides of the planar boss 11 of the tray 1, which can be formed by milling and is used to receive the reinforcing plate and restrict its displacement. The positioning pin 13 refers to the cylindrical positioning element set in the receiving area 12, which can be made of stainless steel or other hard, high-temperature resistant materials with a low coefficient of expansion. Its diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the positioning hole 22 to achieve a clearance fit, and the insertion depth does not exceed the thickness of the positioning hole 22 to avoid interference.

[0062] Specifically, when the flexible PCB reinforcement plate is laid onto the tray, the first reinforcement plate 21 is embedded in the receiving area 12 and horizontally positioned by the positioning pin 13 inserted into the positioning hole 22. The supporting surface of the planar boss 11 is consistent with the thickness of the reinforcement plate, so that the placement area and the process edge form a continuous flat surface. The tip of the positioning pin is lower than the top surface of the positioning hole 22 (preferably inserted only into the first reinforcement plate 21 and / or the second reinforcement plate 25) to ensure that the component is not blocked by the pin body during the placement operation. Through mechanical positioning and geometric matching, the flexible PCB maintains a rigid support state during the placement process, avoiding placement misalignment caused by material deformation.

[0063] Compared to existing technologies, negative pressure adsorption requires a vacuum generator and a sealing structure, magnetic adsorption relies on magnetic materials and is difficult to control the uniformity of adsorption force, and clamping and tightening methods require complex gripper mechanisms. This solution achieves positioning functionality solely through the physical constraints of matching the thickness of the planar boss and inserting the positioning pin into the positioning hole, without requiring an additional power source or precision drive components.

[0064] Through the above technical solution, this application simplifies the structural complexity of the positioning device, eliminates human operation errors, ensures that the placement area and the process edge are on the same plane, and solves the problem of poor component soldering caused by local collapse or warping during the placement process of flexible PCBs. The matching accuracy between the positioning pin and the positioning hole is controlled within 0.05 mm, which can achieve the placement requirement of ±0.1 mm repeatability.

[0065] This application further proposes to provide a second reinforcing plate 25 on the opposite side of the remaining process edge on the reverse side of the flexible PCB, wherein the first reinforcing plate 21 and the second reinforcing plate 25 form an integral frame; a second positioning hole 251 is provided on the remaining process edge and the second reinforcing plate 25, and a second positioning pin 131 is provided relative to the second positioning hole 251, wherein the second positioning pin 131 is inserted into the second positioning hole 251.

[0066] The second reinforcing plate 25 refers to a support structure added to the process edge area not covered by the first reinforcing plate 21. Specifically, it can be implemented using a rigid PCB substrate or a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic board of the same thickness as the first reinforcing plate 21. Its function is to supplement the rigid support of the unreinforced area. The overall frame refers to the closed-loop support structure formed by the first reinforcing plate 21 and the second reinforcing plate 25. Specifically, it is achieved by continuously arranging the reinforcing plates around the process edge. Its function is to eliminate the tendency for deformation caused by insufficient local rigidity in the process edge area.

[0067] Specifically, when the first reinforcing plate 21 only covers a pair of opposite sides, the uncovered process edge area still lacks support. By adding a second reinforcing plate 25 to the remaining process edge, the two sets of reinforcing plates form a continuous surrounding structure along the four sides, creating a closed-loop mechanical support system. This frame avoids warping deformation in the unreinforced area by evenly distributing the supporting force of the reinforcing plates. At the same time, the integrity of the frame ensures that the process edge and the placement area are always on the same plane, ensuring the alignment accuracy of the pads and component leads during the placement process.

[0068] This solution constructs a complete frame-type support system, which provides uniform rigid constraints on all four sides of the flexible PCB, fundamentally eliminating local support blind spots and avoiding local collapse or warping problems caused by discontinuous support.

[0069] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively solves the problem of flatness deterioration caused by insufficient local support during the placement process of flexible PCB. By providing full-domain rigid constraints through the overall frame, it ensures that the placement area and the process edge always maintain planar consistency, avoiding component displacement or cold solder joint defects caused by PCB deformation.

[0070] This application further proposes that the first reinforcing plate 21 is a rigid reinforcing plate or a flexible reinforcing plate.

[0071] Rigid reinforcement plates refer to support materials with high rigidity, which can be implemented using rigid PCB substrates. Their function is to provide stable support for flexible PCBs and prevent deformation during the mounting process. Flexible reinforcement plates refer to support materials with a certain degree of flexibility, which can be implemented using high-temperature resistant flexible plastic sheets. Their function is to adapt to the bending characteristics of flexible substrates while maintaining positioning accuracy, and to avoid stress concentration caused by excessive rigidity.

[0072] Specifically, when the mounting process requires rigid support, a rigid reinforcement plate is selected to ensure that the flexible PCB remains absolutely flat on the planar boss 11; when the process involves bending or dynamic adjustment, a flexible reinforcement plate is selected to allow the flexible PCB to undergo controllable deformation during positioning. The choice between the two reinforcement plates is determined based on specific process parameters. For example, in high-temperature reflow soldering scenarios, high-temperature resistant flexible plastic plates are preferred, while in high-precision surface mount scenarios, rigid PCB substrates are selected.

[0073] In some specific implementations, the thickness of the rigid PCB substrate can be matched with the process edge thickness of the flexible PCB, for example, using a 1.5 mm FR-4 substrate; the flexible plastic board can be made of polyimide film, whose temperature range can cover reflow soldering temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius.

[0074] This solution eliminates the need for auxiliary structures by using material selection to replace structural optimization, while maintaining positioning accuracy.

[0075] Through the above technical solution, this application enables the positioning device to flexibly switch the reinforcing plate material according to the rigid requirements of the mounting process, which solves the problem of limited application scenarios caused by the single material of traditional devices, and avoids damage to the flexible substrate or positioning inaccuracy caused by improper material matching.

[0076] This application further proposes that the rigid reinforcing plate adopts a rigid PCB substrate, and the flexible reinforcing plate adopts a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic plate.

[0077] Among them, rigid PCB substrate refers to a circuit board substrate with high rigidity made of materials such as resin and glass fiber. Specifically, it can be achieved by using FR-4 epoxy glass cloth laminate. Its rigid structure can provide stable support for the process edge, ensuring that the mounting area and the process edge are on the same plane.

[0078] Among them, high-temperature resistant flexible plastic boards refer to flexible materials that can maintain stable physical properties in high-temperature environments. Specifically, they can be made of polyimide film or polyetheretherketone film. Their flexibility can meet the bending requirements of flexible PCBs, while their high-temperature resistance can avoid positioning misalignment caused by thermal deformation in the surface mount process.

[0079] Specifically, a rigid PCB substrate, acting as a rigid reinforcement, is fixed to the process edge on the reverse side of the flexible PCB. Its high rigidity maintains the edge shape and counteracts the deformation tendency of the flexible substrate. A high-temperature resistant flexible plastic board, acting as a flexible reinforcement, provides complementary support to the rigid reinforcement through its own flexibility during bonding to the process edge, and maintains dimensional stability during high-temperature processes such as reflow soldering. When the two are combined to form a reinforcing frame, the rigid portion constrains overall deformation, while the flexible portion absorbs localized stress, jointly ensuring the flatness of the mounting area.

[0080] Compared to existing technologies, traditional positioning devices often use a single material for the reinforcing plate. For example, using only a metal plate to enhance rigidity may not be able to adapt to the bending of flexible substrates, or using only ordinary plastic plates may result in easy softening and deformation at high temperatures. This solution optimizes the material combination, avoiding the structural complexity caused by using only a metal plate and overcoming the shortcomings of ordinary plastic plates in terms of high-temperature stability. It eliminates the need for additional complex cooling structures or reinforcement mechanisms.

[0081] Through the above technical solution, this application solves the problems of redundant device structure and decreased high-temperature placement accuracy caused by improper selection of reinforcement board material. The synergistic effect of rigid PCB substrate and high-temperature resistant flexible plastic board simplifies the structural complexity of the reinforcement frame in the positioning device and ensures the coplanarity of the placement area and process edge under high-temperature environment, thereby improving the positioning accuracy and process reliability of component placement.

[0082] In this invention, the front side of the flexible PCB refers to the side used for mounting electronic components, while the back side refers to the side not used for mounting electronic components.

[0083] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A patch positioning device for flexible PCBs, characterized in that, The system includes a tray (1), a planar boss (11) for supporting the patch area of ​​the flexible PCB reinforcing plate is provided in the middle of the tray (1), and receiving areas (12) for accommodating the first reinforcing plate are provided on both sides of the planar boss (11), and positioning pins (13) are provided in the receiving areas (12); the thickness of the planar boss (11) is equal to the thickness of the first reinforcing plate (21) and / or the second reinforcing plate on the flexible PCB reinforcing plate; when the flexible PCB reinforcing plate (2) is laid on the tray (1), the positioning pins (13) are inserted into the positioning holes (22) of the flexible PCB reinforcing plate, and the positioning pins (13) are lower than the plane of the positioning holes; the patch area (23) of the flexible PCB reinforcing plate (2) and the process edge (24) are kept in the same plane.

2. The flexible PCB mounting and positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second reinforcing plate (25) is provided on the opposite side of the remaining process edge on the reverse side of the flexible PCB. The first reinforcing plate (21) and the second reinforcing plate (25) form an integral frame.

3. The flexible PCB mounting and positioning device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first reinforcing plate (21) is a rigid reinforcing plate or a flexible reinforcing plate.

4. The flexible PCB mounting and positioning device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rigid reinforcing plate is a rigid PCB substrate; the flexible reinforcing plate is a high-temperature resistant flexible plastic plate.

Images