Cable assembly, method of manufacturing electronic apparatus using the same, and electronic apparatus

Abstract

To provide a cable assembly comprising a plate and a cable with a plurality of core wires, a method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus using the cable assembly, and an electronic apparatus.SOLUTION: A cable assembly 1 comprises a plate 20, and a cable with a plurality of core wires 10. Each core wire has a conductor 100, and an insulator formed on an outer periphery of the conductor, and includes a conductor-exposed region in which the conductor is exposed, and a conductor-coated region in which the insulator is provided on the outer periphery of the conductor. The plate has a first surface S1 and a second surface S2 that have a front-and-back-side relation with each other. The first surface is provided with a plurality of grooves 210 to which each core wire is connected and that extend linearly. Each groove has a first region 211 where at least part of the conductor-exposed region of the core wire is nipped, and a second region 212 where a conductive connection material is held inside. The conductor in the conductor-exposed region of each core wire is nipped by the first region of the plate, and is fixed by the conductive connection material held in the second region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable assembly including a plate and a cable having a plurality of core wires, a method for manufacturing an electronic device using the cable assembly, and an electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] Insulated cables and coaxial cables used in electronic devices such as measuring devices, communication devices, medical probe cables, or micromachines are required to have an extremely small outer diameter recently in order to cope with the increasing density of wirings accompanying the miniaturization and high-precision of these devices. In response to such requirements, for example, in the case of coaxial cables, coaxial cables with an extremely small outer diameter such as 0.16 mm or 0.10 mm in outer diameter are manufactured. Multicore cables using these ultra-thin cables as core wires are used in the above-mentioned electronic devices.

[0003] When connecting the core wires of such a multicore cable to electrodes or the like arranged at high density on a substrate, the conductors of the core wires are extremely thin, the pitch of the arrangement of the electrodes on the substrate is narrow, and the connection work between the conductors of the core wires and the electrodes is very difficult and requires skilled skills. In addition, in the electrical connection between the conductor of the core wire and the electrode, connection failures such as short-circuit failures and open-circuit failures are likely to occur, and there are problems with the stability of the connection quality.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-95129 discloses a method in which when electrically connecting the center conductor of an ultra-thin coaxial cable to a connection portion provided on a substrate or the like, the center conductor is aligned using a heat-ray transmitting member having an alignment groove, pressed and fixed to the electrode portion of the substrate, and a heat ray is supplied through the heat-ray transmissive member with the groove.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-118318 discloses a technique for electrically connecting the central conductor of a coaxial cable arranged on a flexible insulating sheet to the electrode portion of a printed circuit board. It is described that the central conductors are arranged in alignment in the groove portions of a flexible insulating sheet coated with an adhesive, and the central conductors are opposed to the electrode portions of the printed circuit board and connected by soldering or the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] However, in the techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, it is difficult to make the strength and contact area of the connection portion uniform in the collective connection of a plurality of core wire conductors and the substrate. Further, in these methods, it is necessary to previously form a connection member made of a conductive connection material such as solder on the surface of the connection portion of the substrate. When the structure of the connection portion of the substrate becomes fine, it becomes difficult to form an amount of connection member necessary for connection on the surface of the substrate, and connection failure is likely to occur in the electrical connection with the core wire conductor.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a cable assembly capable of being connected by a simple method and having excellent connection reliability in the connection of a plurality of core wire conductors and a connection target member.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] To solve the above problems, the configurations described in the claims can be adopted. For example, the cable assembly of the present invention includes a plate and a cable having a plurality of core wires, and is a cable assembly capable of connecting the plurality of core wires to a plurality of electrodes provided on the surface of a member to be connected. The core wire has a conductor and an insulator formed on the outer periphery of the conductor, and includes a conductor exposure region where the conductor is exposed and a conductor coating region having the insulator on the outer periphery of the conductor. The plate has a first surface and a second surface having a front-back relationship with each other. The first surface of the plate is provided with a plurality of grooves extending linearly to which the core wires are connected. The groove has a first region in which at least a part of the conductor exposure region of the core wire is sandwiched, and a second region in which a conductive connection material is held inside. The effective length in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove is such that the effective length W2 in the second region is larger than the effective length W1 in the first region. The conductor of the conductor exposure region of the core wire is sandwiched in the first region of the groove of the plate and fixed by the conductive connection material held in the second region.

[0010] Further, the second region of the groove may be formed by the groove penetrating from the first surface to the second surface of the plate.

[0011] Further, the plate can be provided with a concave portion or a convex portion corresponding to the member to be connected on at least one of the first surface and the second surface.

[0012] Further, the concave portion of the plate may be formed with a groove in the extending direction of the electrode at a position corresponding to the electrode of the member to be connected.

[0013] Further, in the cable assembly according to the present invention, it is preferable that the outer diameter of the conductor of the core wire is 0.01 mm to 0.15 mm.

[0014] Further, the method for manufacturing an electronic device according to the present invention includes preparing the above cable assembly and electrically connecting the plurality of core wires and the electrodes of the member to be connected.

[0015] In the method for manufacturing the electronic device, after electrically connecting the plurality of core wires and the electrodes of the connection target member, removing the plate may be included.

[0016] In the method for manufacturing the electronic device, when the plurality of core wires and the electrodes of the connection target member are connected, it is preferable that the manufacturing method includes connecting such that a part or all of the electrodes are located between the first surface and the second surface of the plate in the second region of the groove of the plate.

[0017] In the method for manufacturing the electronic device, by providing a recess in the extending direction of the electrode at a position corresponding to the electrode of the connection target member of the plate, the relative position between the plate and the connection target member can be controlled.

[0018] The electronic device according to the present invention includes a plate and a cable having a plurality of core wires, and is an electronic device including a cable assembly in which the plurality of core wires can be connected to a plurality of electrodes provided on the surface of a connection target member. The core wire has a conductor and an insulator formed on the outer periphery of the conductor, and includes a conductor exposed region where the conductor is exposed and a conductor coated region having the insulator on the outer periphery of the conductor. The plate has a first surface and a second surface having a front-back relationship with each other. A plurality of grooves extending linearly to which the core wires are connected are provided on the first surface of the plate. The groove has a first region in which at least a part of the conductor exposed region of the core wire is sandwiched, and a second region in which a conductive connection material is held inside. The effective length in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove is such that the effective length W2 in the second region is larger than the effective length W1 in the first region. The conductors of the conductor exposed regions of the core wires are each sandwiched in the first region of the groove of the plate and fixed by the conductive connection material held in the second region, and includes a connection target member having a plurality of electrodes to which the plurality of core wires are connected.

[0019] The electronic device according to the present invention is preferably a medical endoscope or an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] When the cable assembly according to the present invention is used, it is possible to connect the conductors of a plurality of core wires and the connection target member of the electronic device in a simple manner, and a connection with excellent reliability can be obtained. Further, when the cable assembly according to the present invention is used, connection to a high-density electrode is also simple, and an electronic device with excellent reliability regarding electrical connection can be manufactured.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

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Figure 8

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Figure 10

Figure 11

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Figure 16

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, the structure of the cable assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention, and not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention.

[0023] (Explanation of the cable assembly) FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a cable assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cable assembly 1 includes a cable having a plurality of core wires 10 and a plate 20, and a part of the core wires 10 is fixed to the plate 20. A plurality of grooves 210 extending linearly are formed on the first surface S1 of the plate 20. When explained in the orthogonal coordinate system of the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis shown in FIG. 1 for each length of the plate, the extending direction of the grooves 210 formed in accordance with the extending direction of the core wires 10 is the x-axis direction, and the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the grooves is the y-axis direction.

[0024] In the example shown in FIG. 1, in the vicinity of the cable end, the plurality of cores 10 are arranged in a flat shape according to the arrangement shape on the plate of the core. Although other parts of the cable are not shown, the cable may be a multi-core cable having a circular cross-section in which a plurality of cores 10 are twisted together, or a multi-core cable having a flat cross-section in which a plurality of cores are arranged in parallel. The end of the core 10 includes a conductor coating region in which an insulator is formed on the outer periphery of the conductor 100 and a conductor exposed region in which the conductor 100 is exposed. In the conductor exposed region of the core, for example, the insulator is removed by a predetermined length to expose the conductor, and the conductor 100 is fixed to the plate 20. In the example of FIG. 1, eight cores 10 are arranged in parallel on the plate 20, but the number of cores 10 fixed to one plate 20 is not limited. The grooves formed in one plate 20 may be determined according to the number of cores to be fixed, and the number of cores 10 to be fixed can be, for example, about 1 to 100. The cable assembly 1 of the present invention is not limited to having one plate 20 for one cable, and may have a plurality of plates 20 for one cable. Further, the cable assembly 1 may have one plate 20 for a plurality of cables. The number of cables and the number of plates constituting the cable assembly 1 can be set according to the form of the connection target member required.

[0025] The core wire 10 has a conductor 100 and an insulator formed on the outer periphery of the conductor. The core wire 10 may be an insulated cable composed only of a conductor and an insulator, or may be a coaxial cable having a shield further formed on the outer periphery of the insulator. The core wire 10 constituting the cable assembly 1 of the present invention may be composed only of an insulated cable or only of a coaxial cable, or may be composed by combining an insulated cable and a coaxial cable. Further, the cable assembly 1 of the present invention may include a wire other than an insulated cable or a coaxial cable that is a core wire, for example, an uncoated conductor, etc., and a wire may be fixed to the plate 20 together with the core wire. The cable constituting the cable assembly 1 may be a composite cable in which a long body such as a tube is arranged together with the core wire, and the core wire 10 fixed to the plate 20 may be a part thereof. FIGS. 2 and 3 are examples of core wires constituting the cable assembly according to the present invention, and are schematic views showing a longitudinal sectional view of an end portion of the core wire 10. FIG. 2 is an example of an insulated cable, and shows an insulated cable 11 in which an insulator 111 is formed on the outer periphery of a conductor 101 having an outer diameter of 0.01 mm to 0.15 mm. FIG. 3 shows an example of a coaxial cable, in which an insulator 112 is formed on the outer periphery of a conductor 102 having an outer diameter of 0.01 mm to 0.15 mm, a shield strand is wound around the outer periphery of the insulator 112 to form a shield 122, and a jacket 132 is further formed on the outside thereof, representing a coaxial cable 12. For the conductors 101, 102, and the shield 122, wires generally used as conductors can be used. For example, wires made of copper, silver, aluminum, steel, various alloys, etc. can be used as materials. Such wires are generally coated with plating such as silver or tin on the surface, and for example, a silver-plated copper alloy wire is used. The conductors 101, 102 may be single wires or stranded wires, and may be parallel without being twisted together.

[0026] Hereinafter, the structure in the vicinity of the cable end for fixing the core wire of the cable assembly of the present invention to the plate will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as an example. In the vicinity of the cable end for fixing the core wire of the cable assembly of the present invention to the plate, it is preferable to arrange the core wires according to the shape of the plate. FIG. 4 shows the vicinity of the end of an example of the cable, where the core wires 10 are arranged in a flat shape and the conductors at the tips are exposed. This is the state before the core wires 10 of the cable are arranged on the plate. The arranged core wires 10 include a conductor 100 in the conductor exposure region where the conductor is exposed and a conductor coating region having an insulator on the outer periphery of the conductor. At least a part of the conductor 100 in this conductor exposure region is arranged in the groove of the plate.

[0027] FIG. 5 is an example of the plate 20 of the cable assembly according to the present invention, and is a diagram showing an example in the case where the conductors of the core wires are arranged in parallel. The structure of the plate will be described based on the example of FIG. 5. A plurality of grooves 210 for fixing the conductors in the conductor exposure regions of the core wires are formed on the first surface S1 of the plate 20. Here, the first surface S1 refers to the upper surface of the plate. The grooves 210 extend linearly in accordance with the extending direction of the core wires, and each of the grooves 210 has a first region 211 that sandwiches the conductor 100 in the conductor exposure region of the core wire and a second region 212 that holds the conductive connection material therein. The effective length W1 in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction (x-axis direction) of the groove in the first region 211 of the groove is formed to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the conductor in the conductor exposure region of the core wire or smaller than the outer diameter of the conductor in the conductor exposure region of the core wire. When the conductor of the core wire is arranged in the groove 210 of the plate, the conductor is sandwiched in the first region 211 of the groove 210, and an effect of suppressing the core wire from detaching from the plate can be obtained. Also, the effective length in the y-axis direction of the groove is formed such that the effective length W2 in the second region 212 of the groove 210 is larger than the effective length W1 in the first region 211. That is to say, it can also be said that the effective length W2 in the y-axis direction in the second region 212 of the groove is formed larger than the outer diameter of the conductor in the conductor exposure region of the core wire. The conductor of the core wire can easily sink into the conductive connection material held therein in the second region 212 of the groove 210 and can be fixed by the conductive connection material. When more than half of the outer periphery of the conductor is covered by the conductive connection material in the second region 212 of the groove 210, an effect of preventing the core wire from detaching from the plate can be easily obtained.

[0028] The plate 20 of the cable assembly according to the present invention is formed of an insulating material, and for example, a thin plate-like material having a thickness of about 0.02 mm to 0.4 mm can be used. Depending on the hardness of the material, etc., the thickness can be appropriately set to about 0.03 mm to 0.25 mm or the like. As the insulating material, those having heat resistance are suitable. For example, polyimide resin (PI), polyamideimide resin (PAI), polyetheretherketone resin (PEEK), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), etc. can be used, but are not limited thereto. Further, as the material of the plate 20, those having appropriate hardness are preferable. Also, a material having appropriate elasticity is preferable. When the conductor of the core wire disposed in the groove 210 of the plate 20 is pressed from above the plate 20, the conductor fits into the first region 212 of the groove 210, and it is easy to maintain that state until the cable assembly is connected to the electrode of the connection target member. Further, as the material of the plate 20, if it is a material having appropriate elasticity, even when the surface of the connection target member is a curved surface, it is possible to bend and connect the plate.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of the first region 211 of the groove 210 of the plate 20, showing the cross section (the cross section along the y-axis direction) at 6 in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the cross-sectional shape of the first region 211 of the groove 210 of the plate is trapezoidal, but the cross-sectional shape of the groove is not limited thereto. The relationship between the cross-sectional area of the conductor in the conductor exposed region of the core wire and the cross-sectional area in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove in the first region 211 of the groove 210 is such that the cross-sectional area in the first region 211 of the groove 210 is preferably about the same as or slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the conductor in the conductor exposed region of the core wire. Also, when it is necessary to fix the conductor more firmly in the first region of the groove, an adhesive layer can be provided in the groove. As the adhesive, for example, a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin or an ultraviolet curable resin may be used.

[0030] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another example of the first region 211 of the groove 210 of the plate 20. The cross-sectional shape of the first region 211 of the groove 210 is not particularly limited as long as it is a shape in which it is easy to arrange a conductor. For example, it may be a V-shaped groove 211a as shown in FIG. 7a), a semi-circular groove 211b as shown in FIG. 7b), or a rectangular groove 211c as shown in FIG. 7c). When a plurality of electrodes of a connection target member are arranged at a high density, the ratio of the length in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove (length in the y-axis direction) to the depth of the groove (length in the z-axis direction) (length in the y-axis direction / length in the z-axis direction) of the cross-sectional shape of the first region 211 of the groove 210 is preferably less than 2, and more preferably less than 1.5. When the length in the y-axis direction of the first region of the groove changes between the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 of the plate (in the z-axis direction), as shown in FIG. 7d), within the range where the effect of sandwiching the conductor between the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 of the plate is obtained (the portion where the conductor contacts the inner surface of the groove), the length at the point where the length in the y-axis direction of the groove is maximized is defined as the "effective length in the first region" W1 of the groove.

[0031] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate 20, and is a view showing the cross-section (cross-section along the y-axis direction) of 8 in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 shows an example in which the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate penetrates from the first surface S1 to the second surface S2 of the plate, but the second region of the groove is not limited to being penetrating. The conductive connection material 300 is held in the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate, and the amount of the conductive connection material can be precisely controlled by the volume of the space in the groove of the second region 212. The volume of the space in the groove of the second region 212 can be adjusted by the length in the x-axis direction, the length in the y-axis direction, and the depth of the groove (length in the z-axis direction) of the second region 212. When the conductor of the core wire is fixed by the conductive connection material held in the second region 212, the core wire becomes less likely to be detached from the plate 20.

[0032] When the second region 212 is formed to penetrate from the first surface S1 to the second surface S2 as in the example of FIG. 8, when connecting a plurality of wire cores fixed to the plate 20 to the electrodes of the member to be connected, either the first surface S1 or the second surface S2 of the plate 20 can be selected as the surface to face the member to be connected. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another example of the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate 20, and the second region 212 is formed without being penetrated. In the case of the example of FIG. 9, the surface to face the member to be connected may be the first surface S1 of the plate 20.

[0033] FIG. 8 shows an example in which the cross-sectional shape of the second region 212 of the groove 210 is trapezoidal. In the second region 212 of the groove 210, the area on the first surface S1 of the plate (the opening area viewed from above the first surface) is formed to be smaller than the area on the second surface S2 (the opening area viewed from below the second surface). When the conductive connection material held in the second region 212 solidifies with the conductor of the core wire covered, the core wire becomes difficult to detach from the conductive connection material, and it is expected that the conductive connection material itself also becomes difficult to detach from the plate 20 due to the anchor effect. Conversely, the area on the first surface S1 of the plate in the second region 212 of the groove 210 may be formed to be larger than the area on the second surface S2. In that case, when the plate is removed after connecting the core wire and the electrode by the method described later, an effect of making it easy to remove the plate 20 is expected. The cross-sectional shape of the second region 212 of the groove 210 is not limited to the trapezoidal shape and rectangular shape described above. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing still another example of the cross-section of the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate 20. The shape of the second region 212 is not particularly limited as long as the conductor can easily enter the conductive connection material. For example, a groove 212a in which the inner wall of the second region is formed in a curved surface as shown in FIG. 10a), a groove 212b in which the inner wall of the second region is formed in a stepped shape as shown in FIG. 10b), a groove 212c in which the inner wall of the second region is formed in a bottle shape as shown in FIG. 10c), or a groove 212d in which the inside of the second region is formed to be narrow as shown in FIG. 10d) may be used. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, when the length in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove in the second region of the groove (y-axis direction) changes between the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 of the plate (z-axis direction), the length at the point where the length in the y-axis direction in the second region of the groove is maximized between the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 of the plate is defined as the "effective length in the second region" W2 of the groove.

[0034] FIG. 11 shows an example of the shape of the second region of the groove of the plate 20 as viewed from above the first surface S1. In the second region 212 of the groove 210, the effective length W2 in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove is formed to be larger than the outer diameter of the conductor of the exposed region of the core wire. Even when the outer diameter of the conductor of the core wire is small, a sufficient amount of conductive connection material for connection to the connection target member can be ensured. The technique of the present invention can obtain particularly high effects when connecting a thin core wire conductor and electrodes arranged at a narrow pitch. The shape of the second region 212 of the groove 210 on the first surface S1 and the shape of the cross section of the second region 212 of the groove 210 along the y-axis direction are not particularly limited as long as they can be indented into the conductive connection material holding the core wire conductor inside the second region. For example, as shown in FIGS. 11a) to d), it may be rectangular, rhombic, elliptical, etc., or as shown in FIG. 11d), the first region 211 of the groove 210 may be provided at only one place. Also, as shown in FIG. 11e), one groove 210 may have two or more second regions 212. It is possible to connect different core wire conductors with the second region 212a on the upper side and the second region 212b on the lower side in the figure, respectively, and a two-stage structure or a three-stage structure connection structure can be formed according to the arrangement of high-density substrate electrodes. When the second region of the groove has a shape other than a square as shown in FIG. 11b), etc., the boundary between the first region and the second region of the groove is where the length in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove is larger than the outer diameter of the conductor of the exposed region of the core wire.

[0035] The arrangement of the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate is preferably made to correspond to the arrangement of the electrodes of the connection target member. When the grooves 210 of the plate are arranged in parallel, the interval P between the grooves 210 is the distance between the center of the length in the y-axis direction of the second region 212 on the surface of the surface of the plate facing the connection target member (in the case of FIG. 9, the first surface S1) and the center of the length in the y-axis direction of the adjacent groove. The interval P between the grooves 210 can be, for example, 0.04 mm to 1.0 mm. The technique of the present invention can also be applied when a plurality of electrodes of the connection target member are arranged at a high density. For example, it can also be applied to the process of connecting the core wire 10 to electrodes arranged at intervals such as 0.10 mm or 0.05 mm on the connection target member.

[0036] On at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the plate of the cable assembly of the present invention, a concave portion or a convex portion corresponding to a convex portion or a concave portion formed on the surface provided with the electrode of the member to be connected can be provided. When connecting the conductor of the core wire to the member to be connected, it can be used to align the position with the corresponding electrode, and the effect of preventing misalignment can be obtained. When the shape of the electrode of the member to be connected is linear, a concave portion in the extending direction of the electrode can be provided at a position corresponding to the electrode of the member to be connected on the plate.

[0037] As the conductive connection material held inside the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate 20, a material that cures by heating, ultraviolet irradiation, or the like can be used. In the present invention, when a material in a liquid or paste state before heating is used, it is easy to fill the inside of the second region of the groove and easy to adjust the holding amount. Examples of the conductive connection material include solder paste, silver paste, copper paste, etc., and in addition, a paste containing a conductive substance such as gold, nickel, lead, carbon, etc. can be used.

[0038] (Embodiment of the cable assembly) The conductor 100 of the core wire 10 of the cable is disposed in the groove 210 formed in the plate 20 described above. FIG. 12 shows a state in which the conductor 100 of the core wire 10 is aligned according to the arrangement of the groove 210 of the plate 20. FIG. 12a) is a schematic cross-sectional view along the y-axis direction of the first region 211 of the groove 210 of the plate 20, and the conductor 100 is disposed on the first region 211 of the groove 210 of the plate 20. FIG. 12b) is a schematic cross-sectional view along the y-axis direction of the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate 20, and the conductor 100 is disposed on the conductive connection material 300 held in the second region 212 of the groove 210 of the plate 20.

[0039] Fig. 13(a) shows an example of a method for sandwiching the conductor 100 of the core wire 10 between the plates 20. It is a schematic cross-sectional view along the y-axis direction of the first region 211 of the groove 210 when the conductor 100 disposed in the groove 210 is pressed from above the plate 20 and the first region 211 of the groove of the plate 20 is fitted with the conductor 100. Fig. 13(a) shows a cross-section at the same position as the cross-section of Fig. 12(a). When the length in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove in the first region 211 of the groove of the plate 20 is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the conductor 100 in the conductor exposed region of the core wire, when the conductor 100 is pressed in the plate direction, it is easy to fit the first region 211 of the groove of the plate 20 with the conductor 100. After fitting the groove of the plate and the conductor 100, it becomes difficult for the plate to separate from the core wire. Further, at this time, the conductor 100 in the second region 212 of the groove of the plate 20 is in a state of being recessed into the conductive connection material 300 held in the second region 212 (Fig. 13(b)). In this state, the conductive connection material can be cured by heating the plate 20 or the like. When the conductive connection material 300 is cured in a state of covering at least a part of the conductor 100, the conductor 100 is fixed to the plate 20. A structure in which the conductors of a plurality of core wires are fixed to the plate and integrated can be connected all at once by simply heating it corresponding to the electrodes of the connection target member.

[0040] FIG. 16 shows an example in which the end portion of the core wire of the cable is fixed to the plate to strengthen the integrated portion. The plate 20 may further have a third region 213 for holding the cable arrangement in addition to the first region 211 and the second region 212 of the groove. Also, pads such as copper foil may be arranged on the upper surface of the plate with the conductor 100 of the core wire 10 fixed to cover the groove and the conductor. This not only strengthens the fixing state of the plate and the conductor, but also can strengthen the connection surface between the conductor and the electrode. The surface of the copper foil pad can be further strengthened by coating it with gold plating or silver plating. Also, when fitting to a connector or making contact with a probe pin is required, it can be handled in the same way as a normal substrate. Similarly, it is also possible to coat with an anisotropic conductive sheet instead of the copper foil pad. When coated with an anisotropic conductive sheet, it is possible to connect the conductor and the electrode all at once by applying heat and pressure.

[0041] (Connection method of cable assembly) FIG. 13 shows a state in which the conductor 100 of the core wire 10 is fixed to the plate 20. When having a structure in which the second region 212 of the groove of the plate penetrates as in the example of FIG. 13, the surface to be opposed to the connection target member when connecting the core wire and the electrode of the connection target member may be either the first surface S1 or the second surface S2 of the plate. When an insulating material having an appropriate hardness is selected as the material of the plate 20, it is easy to obtain a uniform contact state for a plurality of conductors and electrodes all at once, which is advantageous for making a stable connection. In the present invention, "connection" means connecting the conductor of the core wire and the electrode of the connection target member through a conductive connection material held inside the second region of the groove of the plate, which not only means electrically connecting but also physically connecting. When the second region 212 of the groove of the plate 20 has a structure that does not penetrate from the first surface S1 to the second surface S2 of the plate 20 as in the example of FIG. 9, the surface to be opposed to the connection target member when connecting the core wire and the electrode of the connection target member is the first surface S1 of the plate, and the conductor 100 and the electrode can be directly opposed and connected.

[0042] FIG. 14 shows an example of a state where the plate of the cable assembly faces the member to be connected. FIG. 14a) is a view showing a cross-section along the y-axis direction of the first region 211 of the groove of the plate 20. A linear electrode 400 is provided on the surface of the member 40 to be connected, and the plate 20 is arranged to correspond to this electrode. A linear recess 220 corresponding to this electrode is provided on the second surface S2 of the plate 20 facing the member to be connected. A part 410 (400) of the linear electrode and the recess 220 of the plate can be used, for example, for the purpose of adjusting the position. Further, a convex portion or a concave portion can be provided at an arbitrary position on the surface of the member to be connected where the electrode is provided, and a concave portion or a convex portion corresponding to the surface of the plate facing the member to be connected can be provided. FIG. 14b) is a view showing a cross-section along the y-axis direction of the second region 212 of the groove of the plate 20. The second region 212 of the groove of the plate 20 is at a position corresponding to the electrode 400 of the member 40 to be connected.

[0043] FIG. 15 shows an example of a state in which a plate of a cable assembly is connected to an electrode of a member to be connected. After arranging the conductor of the plate and the plurality of electrodes of the member to be connected so as to correspond to each other as described above, heating, pressurization, etc. are performed to connect the conductor of the core wire and the electrode. FIG. 15a) is a view showing a cross section along the y-axis direction of a first region 211 portion of a groove of the plate 20. A part 410 of a linear electrode of the member 40 to be connected is accommodated in a recess 220 provided on the second surface S2 of the plate, and displacement of the plate can be suppressed. FIG. 15b) is a view showing a cross section along the y-axis direction of a second region 212 portion of a groove of the plate 20. When a solder paste is used as the conductive connection material, by heating the second region 212, the solder components can be melted and easily connected. By applying pressure simultaneously with heating, the reliability of the connection can be further improved. At this time, in the example of FIG. 15b), in the second region 212 of the groove of the plate 20, a wall of the plate formed between adjacent grooves enters between adjacent electrodes 400 of the member 40 to be connected. As a result, at least a part of the electrode 400 is in a state of being located in a region between the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 of the plate 20 in the second region 212 of the groove of the plate 20. The wall formed between adjacent grooves in the second region 212 can function as a partition wall that partitions the conductor 100 and the electrode as one cell. This structure can be expected to have an effect of suppressing a short circuit failure due to solder leakage. Further, when a recess 220 in the extending direction of the electrode is provided as a recess on the surface of the plate 20 facing the member to be connected, it is also possible to let the surplus of the solder component held in the second region of the plate escape into this recess 220, and an effect of preventing solder leakage between the electrodes can also be expected.

[0044] In addition, the connection method including the cable assembly of the present invention is effective in preventing the occurrence of connection failures due to insufficient supply of the conductive connection material between the electrode surface and the conductor. With the increasing density and finer pitch of wiring, the electrodes have become finer, and it has become difficult to detect the supply state of the conductive connection material in the connection between the electrode and the conductor by visual inspection. In particular, when the outer diameter of the conductor is large relative to the size of the electrode, not only is the electrode portion hidden by the conductor and the fillet shape cannot be confirmed, but it is also difficult to supply the conductive connection material to the region hidden by the conductor. As a result, open failures are likely to occur. In the connection method including the cable assembly of the present invention, it is possible to supply a sufficient amount of the conductive connection material between the electrode surface and the conductor, and even in such a case, a connection of stable quality can be expected.

[0045] After connecting the core wire and the electrode of the connection target member, it is possible to remove the plate 20. As long as it does not affect the connection portion, it can be removed by heating or deforming the plate. When removing the plate after connecting the core wire of the cable assembly and the electrode of the connection target member, the surface of the plate facing the connection target member may be the first surface S1 of the plate.

[0046] In the cable assembly of the present invention, when connecting the plate in a state where the conductive connection material contains the conductor and is cured and the electrode of the connection target member, it is also possible to connect through an anisotropic conductive film between the conductor and the electrode. When using the anisotropic conductive film, the anisotropic conductive film is laminated on the surface of the plate of the cable assembly facing the connection target member, and the plate is arranged at a position corresponding to the electrode of the connection target member. The anisotropic conductive film is formed by dispersing conductive particles such as fine metal particles in a film shape based on a thermosetting resin. When pressure is applied while heating in a state where this sheet is sandwiched between the conductor and the electrode, the conductive particles dispersed in the film approach and contact each other, and only the portion where the pressure is applied is electrically connected. When the surface facing the member to be connected is the second surface S2 of the plate, the conductor and the electrode of the member to be connected are electrically connected via a conductive connection material and an anisotropic conductive film. When the surface facing the member to be connected is the first surface S1 of the plate, the conductor and the electrode of the member to be connected are connected via only an anisotropic conductive film or via a conductive connection material and an anisotropic conductive film.

[0047] So far, the structure of the cable assembly of the present invention and its connection method have been described. However, the cable assembly of the present invention is manufactured, for example, by the following steps. Each step described below is not limited to the order of description. <Step of preparing a cable> Prepare a cable having a plurality of insulated cables and / or a cable with a coaxial cable as a core wire. The cable often has a circular cross-section in which a plurality of core wires are twisted together, or a flat cross-section in which a plurality of cables are arranged in parallel. <Step of exposing the conductor> Arrange the core wires at the end of the prepared cable in accordance with the shape of the plate. The insulators at the ends of the plurality of core wires are removed, and the conductors are exposed. When a coaxial cable is used as the core wire, the jacket, shield conductor, and insulator are removed in this order from the outer periphery of the core wire to expose the conductor. <Step of preparing a plate> Prepare a plate material. Form a plurality of grooves including a first region for sandwiching the conductor of the core wire and a second region for holding a conductive connection material. Grooves can be formed in the film used as the plate material by processing using a laser or the like. Fill the second region of the groove of the processed plate with a conductive connection material and remove the excess. <Step of arranging the conductor on the plate> Place the conductor exposed by removing the insulator of the core wire in the groove formed in the prepared plate. <Step of fixing the conductor to the plate> Press the conductor placed in the groove of the prepared plate from above the plate to fit the conductor and the groove in the first region of the groove of the plate. Further, in the second region of the groove of the plate, the conductor is made to sink into the conductive connection material to create a cable assembly. The cable assembly may preheat the plate with the conductor fixed as needed and cure the conductive connection material. <Step of connecting the cable assembly and the electrode of the connection target member> Connect the conductor of the prepared cable assembly and the electrode of the connection target member. When using solder paste as the conductive connection material, place the plate at a position corresponding to the electrode of the connection target member with the second surface of the plate as the surface facing the connection target member. By heating so that the arrangement of the plate and the electrode does not shift and melting the solder paste, the conductor and the electrode are electrically and physically fixed via the solder paste. It is also possible to connect with the first surface of the plate as the surface facing the connection target member. When connecting using an anisotropic conductive film, the anisotropic conductive film is laminated on either the first surface or the second surface, which is the surface of the plate facing the connection target member. Place the plate with the anisotropic conductive film laminated at a position corresponding to the electrode of the connection target member. By applying heat and pressure from above the plate, pressure is applied to the anisotropic conductive film sandwiched between the conductor of the core wire fixed to the plate and the electrode on the connection target member to conduct, and the conductor and the electrode are electrically and physically connected via the solder paste and the anisotropic conductive film.

[0048] In the manufacturing method of an electronic device using the connection method by the cable assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to collectively connect the conductors of a plurality of core wires to a plurality of electrodes of a connection target member, and wiring with excellent connection reliability can be achieved by a simple method. Further, there is no need to provide a connector on the wiring board of the electronic device, and an effect of reducing the wiring space in the electronic device can also be expected. The manufacturing method of an electronic device using the connection method including the cable assembly of the present invention can be applied to electronic devices that require miniaturization such as medical imaging devices, micromachines, measuring devices, and communication devices, and is particularly useful for medical endoscopes and ultrasonic diagnostic devices.

Example

[0049] (Measurement of the Conductor Cross-Section Shape of the Cable Assembly) When measuring the cross-sectional shape of the conductor in the groove of the plate and the conductor exposed area of the core wire of the cable assembly, a cross-section is created by cutting along the orthogonal direction (y-axis direction) with respect to the extending direction of the conductor and the groove so that the shape of the measurement location is maintained, and this is used as the measurement cross-section. For example, by embedding the vicinity of the measurement location with a curable resin or the like and cutting along the orthogonal direction with respect to the extending direction of the conductor, a cross-section can be created while maintaining the shape. The measurement of the measurement cross-section is performed using a digital microscope or the like. The measurement is performed at a location where it is estimated that the conductor is stably fixed to the plate, for example, near the center in the x-axis direction of the first region of the groove of the plate and near the center in the x-axis direction of the second region of the groove. Measurements are performed for all of the plurality of conductors fixed to the plate or for 20 or more conductors randomly selected. <Effective length W1 in the orthogonal direction (y-axis direction) with respect to the extending direction of the groove in the first region of the groove> The effective length W1 in the y-axis direction in the first region of the groove is measured in the portion where the effect of the groove sandwiching the conductor can be obtained when the groove and the conductor are fitted together. In the above-mentioned measurement cross-section of the cable assembly, among the portions where the inner surface of the groove and the conductor are in contact between the first surface and the second surface of the plate, the length at the place where the length in the y-axis direction of the groove is the maximum is measured and defined as the "effective length W1 in the first region". When the shape of the first region of the groove is such that the length in the y-axis direction changes depending on the cutting position, cross-sections are created at different positions and measurements are performed at a plurality of locations (for example, 5 or more locations randomly). The arithmetic mean value of the measurement values is defined as W1. <Effective length W2 in the orthogonal direction (y-axis direction) with respect to the extending direction of the groove in the second region of the groove> The length in the y-axis direction in the second region of the groove is measured as the length where the length in the y-axis direction of the second region is maximized between the first surface and the second surface of the plate in the above-mentioned measurement cross-section of the cable assembly, and is defined as the "effective length W2 in the second region" of the groove. When the shape of the second region of the groove is such that the length in the y-axis direction changes depending on the cutting position, cross-sections are created at different positions and measurements are taken at multiple locations (for example, 5 or more randomly selected locations). The arithmetic mean value of the measured values is defined as W2. Regarding the relationship that the effective length W2 in the y-axis direction of the second region of the groove described above is greater than the effective length W1 in the y-axis direction of the first region, when this relationship holds in 50% or more of the grooves for which the length has been measured, the cable assembly is treated as having an effective length W2 in the y-axis direction of the second region of the groove that is greater than the effective length W1 in the y-axis direction of the first region. (Measurement of the area of the second region of the groove) The area of the second region of the groove of the plate of the cable assembly is measured on the surface of the plate using a digital microscope or the like. On the surface of the plate, a region where the length in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the groove is greater than the outer diameter of the conductor of the exposed region of the core wire is measured as the second region of the groove. The opening area of the second region of the groove is measured for each of the first surface and the second surface of the plate. The area of the second region is measured for all the grooves formed in the plate or for 20 or more grooves randomly selected. Regarding the relationship that the area of the second region of the groove described above is formed such that the area on the first surface of the plate is smaller or larger than the area on the second surface, when this relationship holds in 50% or more of the grooves for which the area has been measured, the second region of the groove is treated as being formed such that the area on the first surface of the plate is smaller or larger than the area on the second surface. <Cross-sectional area of the groove of the plate> The cross-sectional area of the groove of the plate can be measured simultaneously when measuring the cross-sectional shape of the conductor of the cable assembly. In the measurement of the cross-section created above, the area surrounded by the straight line following the plate surface in the vicinity of the groove and the contour line of the inner surface of the groove of the plate is the cross-sectional area of the groove. When the groove contains an insulating material different from the material of the plate body, such as an adhesive, the contour line of the material is treated as the contour line of the groove, and the area occupied by the material is excluded from the cross-sectional area of the groove. <Pitch P of the grooves of the plate> The pitch P of the grooves of the plate can be measured simultaneously when measuring the cross-sectional shape of the conductor of the cable assembly. In the measurement of the cross-section created above, the distance between the center of the length of the groove in the y-axis direction on the straight line following the plate surface in the vicinity of the groove and the center of the length of the adjacent groove in the y-axis direction is the pitch P of the grooves of the plate. When the measured pitch P of the grooves is within a predetermined range at 50% or more, the pitch P of the grooves of the plate of the cable assembly is treated as being within the predetermined range.

[0050] Examples Four insulated cables in which the outer periphery of a conductor with an outer diameter of 0.030 mm was coated with an insulator made of PFA as the core wire were prepared, and three non-insulated conductors having an outer diameter similar to that of the insulated cable were prepared. The insulated cable was arranged in the center, and the cable was created by twisting so that the insulated cable and the non-insulated conductors were alternately arranged around it. Three of these cables were used, and 12 core wires (insulated cables) were arranged in parallel. The ends were stripped by 3.0 mm to expose the conductors. A polyimide film with a thickness of 125 μm was prepared as the material of the plate, and grooves having a first region and a second region were formed on the first surface of the polyimide film by laser processing. The pitch P of the grooves was set to 0.1 mm. A recess was formed on the second surface of the plate by laser processing at a position corresponding to the electrode of the connection target member. The second region of the groove was filled with solder paste having a solder particle size of 10 μm to prepare a plate of the cable assembly. The conductor of the core wire was placed in the groove of the prepared plate, and pressed from above the plate and the conductor using a small press machine to fit the conductor and the first region of the groove. At the same time, the conductor was sunk into the solder paste held inside the second region. When heating simultaneously while pressing from above the plate and the conductor with a small press machine, the solder paste was pre-cured and the conductor was fixed to the plate, and the cable assembly was prepared. The conductor of the prepared cable assembly was connected to the electrode of the member to be connected. The plate of the cable assembly had the second surface as the connection surface facing the member to be connected, and using the recess formed on the second surface of the plate, the conductor of the core wire was arranged on the member to be connected so as to correspond to the electrode. The second region of the plate and its surroundings were heated using a welder to melt the solder, and the conductor of the cable assembly and the electrode of the member to be connected were connected. In the cable assembly of the embodiment, all of the plurality of conductors fixed to the plate could be connected to accurate positions collectively, and an appropriate amount of solder was supplied for the connection, and no open defect or short circuit defect occurred.

[0051] In the cable assembly of the present invention, in the connection between the conductors of a plurality of core wires and the electrodes of the member to be connected, a connection with a simple method and excellent connection reliability is possible. Therefore, in the manufacturing method of an electronic device using the cable assembly of the present invention, wiring of the electronic device is possible by a simple method, and it is advantageous for manufacturing an electronic device with high reliability of the electrical connection of the wiring of the electronic device. In addition, the effect of reducing the wiring space inside the electronic device without the need to provide a connector on the wiring board is also expected. As an electronic device using the connection method including the cable assembly of the present invention, its high effect is expected particularly in medical endoscopes and ultrasonic diagnostic devices. The cable assembly of the present invention is also useful for other electronic devices that require miniaturization, such as other imaging devices, micromachines, measuring devices, and communication devices.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0052] 1 Cable assembly, 10 Core wire, 100 Conductor 20 plate, 210 groove, 211 first region of the groove, 212 second region of the groove, 220 recess 300 conductive connection material, 40 connection target member, 400 electrode S1 first surface, S2 second surface, W1 effective length in the first region, W2 effective length in the second region x extending direction of the groove, y orthogonal direction to the extending direction of the groove

Claims

1. A cable assembly comprising: a plate; and a cable having a plurality of core wires, the plurality of core wires being connectable to a plurality of electrodes provided on a surface of a connection target member, The core wire is The coil has a conductor and an insulator formed on the outer periphery of the conductor, a conductor exposed region in which the conductor is exposed, and a conductor covered region having the insulator on an outer periphery of the conductor, The plate is A first surface and a second surface having a front-back relationship with each other, The first surface is provided with a plurality of linearly extending grooves to which the core wires are connected, The groove is a first region in which at least a portion of the exposed conductor region of the core wire is clamped, and a second region in which a conductive connecting material is held, A cable assembly, characterized in that the conductor of the exposed conductor region of the core wire is clamped in the first region of the groove of the plate and fixed by the conductive connecting material held in the second region.

2. 2. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the second region of the groove extends through the plate from the first surface to the second surface.

3. The cable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the plate has a recess or a protrusion on at least one of the first surface and the second surface, the recess or protrusion corresponding to the connection target component.

4. 4. The cable assembly according to claim 3, wherein the recess of the plate is a groove formed in a position corresponding to the electrode of the connection target member and extending in a direction in which the electrode extends.

5. 2. The cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the conductor of the core wire is 0.01 mm to 0.15 mm.

6. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, comprising: preparing the cable assembly according to claim 1; and electrically connecting the plurality of core wires to the electrodes of the connection target component.

7. 7. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 6, further comprising removing the plate after electrically connecting the plurality of core wires to the electrodes of the connection target component.

8. 7. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 6, further comprising connecting the plurality of core wires so that when the core wires are connected to the electrodes of the connection target component, a portion or the entirety of the electrodes is positioned between the first surface and the second surface of the plate in the second region of the groove of the plate.

9. 7. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 6, A manufacturing method for an electronic device, comprising: providing a recess in a position of the plate corresponding to an electrode of the connection target component in an extending direction of the electrode; and controlling a relative position between the plate and the connection target component.

10. 1. An electronic device comprising a cable assembly including a plate and a cable having a plurality of core wires, the plurality of core wires being connectable to a plurality of electrodes provided on a surface of a connection target member, The core wire is The insulator includes a conductor and an insulator formed on an outer periphery of the conductor, the conductor being exposed in a conductor exposed region, and a conductor covered region having the insulator on the outer periphery of the conductor, The plate is a first surface and a second surface which are reversed to each other, the first surface being provided with a plurality of linearly extending grooves to which the core wires are connected; The groove is a cable assembly including a first region in which at least a portion of the conductor exposed region of the core wire is clamped, and a second region in which a conductive connecting material is held, the conductor of the conductor exposed region of the core wire being clamped in the first region of the groove of the plate and fixed by the conductive connecting material held in the second region; and a connection target member having a plurality of electrodes to which the plurality of core wires are connected.

11. The electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein the electronic device is a medical endoscope or an ultrasonic diagnostic device.

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