Electronic device having an elongated substrate configuration

Abstract

The electronic device has an elongated printed circuit board configuration and a row of electrical units on the elongated printed circuit board configuration. The indicator unit is wirelessly powered to identify a specific location on the elongated printed circuit board configuration. This identification is used to identify the correct location for subsequent processing of the device during manufacturing.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device having an elongated substrate, for example a device formed as a strip, such as a light strip. [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic devices formed as strips may require some processing after initial fabrication, such as bending the strip into a desired shape or separating the strip into multiple shorter strips that each function as a separate, independent unit.

[0003] In the case of light strips, for example, there is the flexible printed circuit on which the LED chips are attached and the insulating coating around the flexible printed circuit, specifically the silica gel tube. Previously, these were manufactured separately and then assembled into light strips. Now, a co-extrusion process is used, which increases productivity and allows for improved, more uniform lighting effects.

[0004] To improve productivity and reduce silica gel waste, light strips going through the co-extrusion process are typically longer than 50 meters and contain 10 to 30 individual light strips. After co-extrusion, this long light strip assembly needs to be separated into individual units. However, locating the splice points for adjacent light strips can be difficult. One option is to operate the light strip controller to light up the beginning or end of a light strip to locate the splice point and then cut that light strip. The next light strip is then turned on, and so on, until all the light strips are separated. This is inefficient and will not work if the light strip is damaged.

[0005] Identifying locations along an elongated printed circuit board can be useful for devices other than light strips, such as any device where the strip substrate needs to be segmented or processed (e.g., shaped) at specific locations. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for an improved way to identify specific locations along elongated substrate structures. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The invention is defined by the claims.

[0008] According to an example according to an aspect of the present invention, an elongated printed circuit board configuration; an array of electrical units on said printed circuit board arrangement; An electronic device is provided having an indicator element and an indicator unit including a wireless power receiver for wirelessly receiving power to activate the indicator element and thereby identify a particular location on the elongated printed circuit board configuration.

[0009] The electronic device comprises an array of electrical units, and indicator elements, such as lighting elements, are used to identify locations along the elongated printed circuit board, which may be, for example, locations where the electronic device should be further processed (e.g., segmented or bent).

[0010] Thus, a desired specific location can be indicated wirelessly using electromagnetic power transmission without the need to power the electrical unit itself, which can greatly improve productivity and positional accuracy (e.g., for separating elongated printed circuit boards).

[0011] In one example, the string of electrical units has multiple sets of electrical units that are to be separated into individual sets (each forming a final device), and the indicator unit identifies where the separation should occur, and after separation, the indicator unit may be removed or may remain part of the separated final devices.

[0012] In another example, a device may have a single set of electrical units, and the indicator units were previously used to identify where the devices were to be separated from a longer printed circuit board formed from a number of such devices, in which case the indicator units are integral with the electrical units and remain in place as part of the completed final device.

[0013] The printed circuit board arrangement may, for example, comprise one or more flexible printed circuits.

[0014] As mentioned above, one option is for the row of electrical units to have multiple sets of electrical units to be separated, and for the indicator unit to identify where separation should occur, in which case the indicator unit may be provided between each adjacent pair of sets of electrical units along the elongated printed circuit board configuration.

[0015] Each set of electrical units (forming a single final device) may have its own individual printed circuit board, which are connected together to form the elongated printed circuit board configuration. Thus, multiple boards (e.g., 2 m to 5 m in length) may be assembled to form an elongated board configuration (e.g., to form lengths of more than 50 m), which requires separation after processing.

[0016] Each individual printed circuit board may carry at least one indicator unit, which may therefore be an integral part of the individual device.

[0017] The indicator unit may instead comprise a separate device comprising a separate printed circuit board, the separate printed circuit board and the separate printed circuit board being connected together to form the elongated printed circuit board configuration.

[0018] For example, these substrate connections may include electrical connections, for example, to allow testing of full length strip assemblies.

[0019] In a preferred example, the indicator element comprises an illumination element, thus allowing the specific location to be visually identified. Alternatively, the location may be identified electronically, for example using an RFID tag approach, where the tag is wirelessly powered and then responds with a response signal when in position to a wireless interrogation signal.

[0020] The device may have a flexible printed circuit configuration and an insulating coating, such as a sleeve, that are co-extruded. Thus, an extrusion process is used to provide a sleeve around the electronic device. The insulating sleeve may comprise, for example, a silica gel tube. Forming a long, elongated printed circuit board configuration and then separating the device allows for an efficient co-extrusion process.

[0021] The device may for example comprise a light strip, with each electrical unit comprising an LED, and although a set of LEDs may define a single light strip, the entire elongated substrate arrangement may comprise a chain of these individual light strips.

[0022] The present invention also provides an indicator unit for placement between individual printed circuit boards to thereby form an elongated printed circuit board configuration, the indicator unit having an indicator element and a wireless power receiving device for wirelessly receiving power to activate the indicator element and thereby identify a joint between the individual printed circuit boards.

[0023] This is a unit that can be placed between individual substrates (of individual final devices) to form the elongated substrate configuration.

[0024] Within the electronic device or indicator unit, the wireless power receiver may comprise, for example, a receiver inductor and an AC / DC converter, and the indicator elements may comprise LEDs. If the device comprises light strips each containing a set of LEDs, the entire device may comprise, for example, 10 to 30 individual light strips.

[0025] The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electronic device, comprising: a row of electrical units; manufacturing an elongated printed circuit board configuration including an indicator element and an indicator unit having a wireless power receiving device for wirelessly receiving power for activating the indicator element and thereby locating the elongated printed circuit board configuration; passing the elongated printed circuit board configuration over a wireless power transmitter; observing actuation of the indicator element as the elongated printed circuit board configuration passes over the wireless power transmitting device; and b. marking the location of the indicator element, thereby identifying the location indicated by the indicator element.

[0026] The marked locations are then used for further processing such as cutting or bending.

[0027] The method may comprise assembling a plurality of individual printed circuit boards, each carrying a respective set of electrical units, and each individual printed circuit board carrying at least one indicator element, to form the elongated printed circuit board configuration, in which case the final devices each incorporate an indicator unit.

[0028] The method may instead comprise assembling a plurality of individual printed circuit boards and a separate printed circuit board of the indicator unit to form the elongated printed circuit board arrangement, in which case the separate indicator units are interposed between the individual final devices.

[0029] The method may include co-extruding an insulating coating and the flexible printed circuit configuration.

[0030] The method is preferably for producing light strips, each electrical unit having an LED, so that the individual printed circuit boards may each form a light strip and the overall device may have, for example, 10 to 30 individual LED strips.

[0031] These and other aspects of the invention will be elucidated and elucidated with reference to the following embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] 1 shows a first example of an electronic device. [Figure 2] 1 shows an example of a circuit for an indicator unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the indicator unit. [Figure 4] 1 shows the indicator unit as viewed from above. [Figure 5] 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 being threaded over a wireless power transmission device. [Figure 6] An example of the cutting process will be used to explain. [Figure 7] 1 shows that the indicator unit can be part of a light strip. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] The present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0034] It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating exemplary embodiments of the devices, systems, and methods, are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the devices, systems, and methods of the present invention will become better understood from the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the figures are merely schematic and are not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numerals are used throughout the figures to indicate the same or similar parts.

[0035] The present invention provides an electronic device having an elongated printed circuit board configuration and an array of electrical units on the elongated printed circuit board configuration, wherein an indicator unit is wirelessly powered to identify a specific location on the elongated printed circuit board configuration, which is used to identify the correct location for subsequent processing of the device during manufacturing.

[0036] 1 shows a first example of an electronic device 10 in the form of a light strip assembly. In this example, the light strip assembly comprises a series connection of multiple individual light strips that are to be separated.

[0037] The light strip assembly has an array of light strips 12. Each light strip 12 is a final product, and therefore the assembly shown in FIG. 1 exists during an intermediate stage of manufacturing where these final products are connected together to simplify and reduce the cost of the manufacturing process.

[0038] In this particular example, the array of light strips includes light strips 12 and indicator units 14 positioned between the ends of adjacent light strips 12. The indicator units 14, in some examples, identify locations where separation of the light strip assembly into individual light strips 12 should occur. However, the indicator units may instead identify locations for other processing, such as bending or other localized manipulation.

[0039] Each light strip 12 has its own individual printed circuit board in the form of a flexible printed circuit. In this text, the term "individual printed circuit board" is used to refer to the board 13 for a single light strip. The indicator unit 14 in this example is a separate device from the individual light strips and is therefore separate from the individual printed circuit boards. The board 15 for the indicator unit is described as a "separate printed circuit board." The individual printed circuit board 13 and the individual printed circuit board 15 are connected to each other to form an overall elongated printed circuit board configuration. Thus, the term "board configuration" is used to refer to either a single board or a connected set of boards as shown in FIG. 1.

[0040] Thus, in the example of Figure 1, an indicator unit is provided between each adjacent pair along the entire elongated printed circuit board configuration of the light strip.

[0041] Each light strip comprises an array of individual electrical units in the form of LEDs 16. The length of each light strip may be, for example, 2 to 5 m, and the length of the entire elongated printed circuit board arrangement may exceed 50 m. Thus, the entire device may comprise 10 to 30 individual light strips.

[0042] The different boards are connected to each other by terminal blocks: light strip 12 has terminal block 22 and indicator unit 14 has terminal block 24.

[0043] The indicator unit in a preferred embodiment comprises a lighting unit, which comprises a lighting element 30 and a wireless power receiving device 32. The wireless power receiving device is for wirelessly receiving power to activate the indicator element, i.e., to illuminate the lighting element, which illumination is used to identify a particular location on the elongated printed circuit board configuration.

[0044] Thus, the location of the lighting elements 30 is indicated wirelessly using electromagnetic power transmission, without the need to power the LEDs of the light strip.

[0045] In the example of Figure 1, the entire elongated printed circuit board configuration has multiple sets of LEDs (each set forming one light strip and therefore one final device) that are separated, and the indicator unit identifies where the separation should occur.

[0046] After separation, the indicator unit (eg, cut in the middle) is removed.

[0047] The electrical connections between the different boards by the terminal blocks allow for testing of the full length strip. A full light strip may be too long to be tested as a single unit (due to voltage drop), so the long strip may be separated into shorter lengths for testing before being separated into individual final devices.

[0048] Alternatively, or in addition, individual final device strips can be tested using standard test procedures.

[0049] The elongated printed circuit board is co-extruded with an insulating sleeve 40. Thus, an extrusion process is used to provide a sleeve around the device before the indicator unit is used later in the manufacturing process. The insulating sleeve may comprise, for example, a silica gel tube. Forming a long elongated printed circuit board configuration and then separating the device allows for an efficient co-extrusion process.

[0050] Figure 2 shows an example of a circuit for an indicator unit. It comprises a lighting element 30 in the form of an LED and a wireless power receiver 32 in the form of a rectifier circuit of an inductor pickup coil L1 and a diode D1 and a capacitor C1. The capacitor is charged by the rectifier and supplies current to the lighting element 30. Of course, other energy harvesting circuits may be used. The coil L1 need only have an inductance of a few μH or a few tens of μH.

[0051] The example in Figure 1 uses an indicator unit that is separate from the light strip. Figure 3 shows indicator unit 14 in perspective view. Indicator unit 14 has its separate printed circuit board 15 on which lighting elements 30, wireless power receiver 32, and terminal blocks 24 are mounted. One terminal block is male and one terminal block is female so that the indicator unit can be placed between corresponding opposite (male and female) ends of the light strip.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows the indicator unit 14 as viewed from above.

[0053] The present invention also relates solely to this indicator unit for placement between individual printed circuit boards, thereby forming an elongated printed circuit board configuration.

[0054] Figure 5 shows the device of Figure 1 being threaded over a wireless power transmission device 60. When the indicator unit 14 reaches the wireless power transmission device, the lighting element 30 is lit as shown and the location can be marked for future reference, or there can be automatic detection of the light and further automatic processing, such as disconnection.

[0055] Further processing may include, for example, production cutting of long lengths (e.g., 50 m) into individual device lengths (e.g., 5 m). Individual devices may then be cut by a customer to the desired length for a particular application. The indicator element, in this particular example, is generally only used by the manufacturer. However, in other application examples, the indicator element may be utilized by an end user, for example, using an existing wireless power supply device.

[0056] Figure 6 shows an example of how the cutting process is performed. Indicator unit 14 is marked and cut only at line 60. This is a rough cutting step. The cut half of the indicator unit is then removed from the adjacent light strip by unscrewing terminal block 24 from terminal block 22. This removes the remaining portion of the indicator unit. The remaining insulating sleeve is also cut. The terminal block remains within the insulating sleeve.

[0057] In the above example, the indicator unit is placed between the light strips (which have their own separate printed circuit boards).

[0058] 7 shows that the indicator units 14 can instead be part of light strips. Each light strip has a row of LEDs 16, plus the indicator elements of the indicator unit 14 and a wireless power receiver. The light strips are connected to each other by their terminal blocks 22, with the light strips having a male terminal block at one end and a female terminal block at the other end, as in the example above. Because the indicator units are integrated with the LEDs, they remain in place as part of the final device.

[0059] In this case, the location needs to be marked and then only the insulating sleeve 40 needs to be cut using a cutting tool that only cuts the insulating sleeve. The individual light strips can then be separated by pulling the terminal blocks apart.

[0060] Each individual light strip in this example has an elongated printed circuit board configuration that includes an indicator unit for identifying a particular location on the elongated printed circuit board configuration. In this case, the row of electrical units (i.e., LEDs) on the printed circuit board configuration corresponds to only a single light strip (thus, the elongated board "configuration" has only one board). In the case of a separated light strip, the indicator unit serves a purpose in that it was previously used to identify the location where the device is separated from a longer printed circuit board assembly formed from multiple such devices (i.e., the configuration of FIG. 7).

[0061] As explained above, lighting elements are just one possible example of indicator elements. Non-visual means may also be used, such as indicator elements in the form of RFID tags that are wirelessly powered and then respond with a response signal when in the location of a wireless interrogation signal. The response signal is then the indication provided by the indicator element.

[0062] Another example is a wirelessly powered heating element which, when activated, produces a visual change in the insulating layer, for example a color change.

[0063] The present invention is also not limited to light strips. Any electronic device manufactured in a long strip may need to be separated into individual components or bent into a shape, and it may be difficult to identify appropriate locations for the separation or bending. For example, a location may be identified where the device should be connected to another element, such as a jig or other fixture.

[0064] Those skilled in the art can understand and effect variations to the disclosed embodiments in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the specification and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprises" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the singular does not exclude a plurality.

[0065] The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0066] It should be noted that when the term "adapted to" is used in the claims or the specification, the term "adapted to" is intended to be equivalent to the term "configured to." It should be noted that when the term "configuration" is used in the claims or the specification, the term "configuration" is intended to be equivalent to the term "system," and vice versa.

[0067] Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. an elongated printed circuit board configuration; an array of electrical units on said printed circuit board arrangement; an indicator unit including an indicator element and a wireless power receiving device for wirelessly receiving power for activating said indicator element and thereby identifying a particular location on said elongated printed circuit board configuration, said row of electrical units including a plurality of sets of electrical units that should be separated, said indicator unit identifying a location where separation should occur; An electronic device in which each set of electrical units has its own individual printed circuit board, said individual printed circuit boards being connected together to form said elongated printed circuit board configuration.

2. 10. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an indicator unit between each adjacent pair of sets of electrical units along the elongated printed circuit board configuration.

3. 10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein each individual printed circuit board carries at least one indicator unit.

4. 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the indicator unit comprises a separate printed circuit board, the separate printed circuit board being a device separate from the separate printed circuit board, the separate printed circuit board and the separate printed circuit board being connected to each other to form the elongated printed circuit board configuration.

5. 5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the indicator element comprises an illumination element.

6. 5. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible printed circuit and an insulating coating co-extruded with said flexible printed circuit.

7. 7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the insulating coating is a sleeve.

8. 8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the sleeve is a silica gel tube.

9. 5. An electronic device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a light strip, each electric unit comprising an LED.

10. 5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless power receiving unit comprises a power receiving inductor and an AC / DC converter, and the indicator element comprises an LED.

11. 1. A method of manufacturing an electronic device, comprising: a row of electrical units; manufacturing an elongated printed circuit board configuration including an indicator element and an indicator unit having a wireless power receiving device for wirelessly receiving power for activating the indicator element and thereby locating the elongated printed circuit board configuration; passing the elongated printed circuit board configuration over a wireless power transmitting device; observing actuation of the indicator element as the elongated printed circuit board configuration passes over the wireless power transmitting device; marking the location of the indicator element, thereby identifying the location indicated by the indicator element.

12. assembling a plurality of individual printed circuit boards, each carrying a respective set of electrical units, each individual printed circuit board carrying at least one indicator element, to form said elongated printed circuit board configuration; or 12. The method of claim 11, comprising assembling a plurality of individual printed circuit boards and a separate printed circuit board of the indicator unit to form the elongated printed circuit board configuration.

13. 13. The method of claim 12, including the step of co-extruding the flexible printed circuitry with the insulating coating.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the insulating coating is a sleeve.

15. 15. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 14 for manufacturing a light strip, in which each electric unit comprises an LED.

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