Assembled circuit boards, three-dimensional assembled circuit boards, and circuit board connectors

Abstract

To provide an assembled circuit board that can be easily assembled without always requiring high precision, enables stable electric and mechanical interconnections of circuit boards, and is suppressed in manufacturing cost.SOLUTION: An assembled circuit board 110 comprises: standing substrates 20, 30 which are configured to be assembled on a support substrate 10 while stood on a mount surface 10A, a pattern of an antenna being formed on at least one of them; a junction part 50 which is configured to join the standing substrates 20, 30 with plate thicknesses of the standing substrates 20, 30 made different in direction around a normal N to the mount surface 10A; and a first metal component 40 which is imparted to the standing substrates 20, 30 respectively and configured to join the standing substrates 20, 30 to the support substrate 10. The first metal component 40 comprises a first terminal part 41 which is joined to the standing substrates 20, 30, and a second terminal part 42 which connects with the first terminal part 41 and can be joined to the support substrate 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a circuit board that can be assembled three-dimensionally.

Background Art

[0002] As a circuit board assembly provided in an in-vehicle antenna unit, a structure is known in which a plurality of antenna circuit boards including antenna patterns are assembled to a main circuit board so as to rise from the mounting surface of the main circuit board (Patent Document 1). Since these three-dimensionally assembled antenna circuit boards and the main circuit board support each other, they have sufficient strength against external forces such as vibration and impact.

[0003] On the antenna circuit board, protrusions are formed as terminals that protrude from one end surface that abuts on the mounting surface of the main circuit board. The surface and side surfaces of the protrusions are plated. The protrusions are inserted into through-holes formed in the main circuit board and joined by solder. In addition, the antenna circuit boards are paired in two, and the respective plate thickness directions of these paired antenna circuit boards are assembled in a state where they face different directions around the normal line erected on the main circuit board. The paired antenna circuit boards are fixed by soldering a protrusion as a terminal formed to protrude from the end surface of one antenna circuit board and a through-hole formed in the other antenna circuit board.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The required size of an antenna is generally determined to some extent by the frequency of the radio waves it transmits and receives. Using an antenna smaller than the required size tends to degrade its performance, so a certain size is necessary to ensure a certain level of communication performance. Furthermore, when mounting an antenna directly to the main board, better performance can be obtained if the portion of the antenna that is farther away from the control circuit patterns and ground patterns of the main board is within that fixed size. This is also true when the antenna itself is implemented on a circuit board. In the structure of an antenna circuit board, whether a single circuit board is arranged planarly or multiple circuit boards are arranged planarly, the overall dimensions of the structure must be elongated in the planar direction in order to separate the control circuit pattern and the antenna pattern by a predetermined distance according to the frequency. In contrast, if multiple antenna circuit boards are arranged upright on the mounting surface of the main circuit board where the control circuit pattern is formed, the antenna pattern can be separated from the control circuit pattern and ground pattern to ensure sufficient antenna performance, while keeping the planar dimensions to be equivalent to the dimensions of the mounting surface of the main circuit board, allowing the entire circuit board structure to fit within the space inside the enclosure. This three-dimensional circuit board assembly structure allows for a wide area for pattern formation on the circuit board, which is necessary to ensure performance, relative to the planar dimensions of the space required for installation, not just for antennas, thus providing a high degree of design flexibility.

[0006] On the other hand, since multiple circuit boards, which are positioned vertically on the mounting surface of the main circuit board, need to be assembled precisely and then mounted onto the main circuit board, a high level of assembly precision is required. According to the structure described in Patent Document 1, the mechanical and electrical connections between circuit boards are made by soldering protrusions formed on the circuit boards to through-holes into which the protrusions are inserted. Therefore, the processing of the protrusions on the circuit boards is a factor that increases costs, the processing accuracy of the protrusions affects the assembly accuracy, and it is difficult to apply a stable film thickness of plating to the sides of the protrusions, making it difficult to stably join the plated protrusions to the through-holes with solder.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an assembled circuit board that allows for stable electrical and mechanical connection of circuit boards to each other, while also reducing manufacturing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The assembled circuit board of the present invention comprises: two upright boards configured to be assembled to the mounting surface of the support board in an upright position, with an antenna pattern formed on at least one of them; one or more joining parts configured to join the two upright boards in orientations such that the thickness direction of each of the two upright boards differs around the normal to the mounting surface; and one or more first metal parts provided on each of the two upright boards, configured to join the upright boards to the support board. The first metal component comprises a first terminal portion joined to or near the end of the mounting surface side of the upright substrate, and a second terminal portion connected to the first terminal portion and configured to be joined to a support substrate.

[0009] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, it is preferable that the first terminal portion is joined to the upright substrate by solder while inserted into a through-hole or recess formed in the upright substrate.

[0010] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, it is preferable that the first terminal portion penetrates a through-hole from one side of the upright board to the other side and is bent on the other side.

[0011] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, the first metal component preferably comprises two first terminal portions, and the two first terminal portions are preferably individually inserted into one through-hole and the other through-hole.

[0012] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, the first metal component includes a connecting support portion that connects two first terminal portions and supports a second terminal portion, and it is preferable that when the first terminal portions are inserted into through holes or recesses, the end face of the connecting support portion contacts the upright circuit board parallel to it.

[0013] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, it is preferable that the connecting support portion has a weight portion on the side opposite to the direction in which the second terminal portion extends.

[0014] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, the first terminal portion is preferably joined to the upright board by press-fitting it into a through-hole or recess.

[0015] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, the first terminal portion is preferably surface-mounted to the upright board by soldering.

[0016] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, it is preferable that the first terminal portion is held by elastic force by sandwiching the end of the upright board in the thickness direction.

[0017] In the assembled circuit board of the present invention, the joint portion corresponds to a second metal component separate from the upright board, and it is preferable that the second metal component comprises a first terminal portion joined to one of the two upright boards and a second terminal portion joined to the other of the two upright boards.

[0018] Furthermore, the three-dimensional assembled circuit board of the present invention comprises the above-described assembled circuit board and a support substrate including a mounting surface. The two upright substrates are arranged on the mounting surface with their respective thickness directions differing, and the first metal component is assembled to the support substrate by joining its second terminal portion to the support substrate.

[0019] Furthermore, the present invention provides a circuit board connector in which a plurality of the above-described assembled circuit boards are connected in a flat state, comprising a standing board whose outer shape is formed with a part remaining, and a support frame continuous with the remaining part of the standing board, and two standing boards are each joined with a first metal part.

[0020] In the circuit board connector of the present invention, it is preferable that two standing boards are each joined with a first metal part and are joined to each other by a second metal part.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] The assembled circuit board and the three-dimensional assembled circuit board of the present invention having a plurality of standing boards are provided with a first metal part separate from the board, instead of protrusions formed from the board for electrically and mechanically connecting a plurality of standing boards and support boards to each other. Here, since the protrusions formed on the board are formed by router processing or the like prior to the outer shape processing of the board, it becomes a factor of cost increase compared with the metal parts manufactured by press processing or the like, and the processing accuracy is also inferior. The first metal part can be manufactured at low cost and with high accuracy by press processing or the like, and can also cope with mass production. According to the present invention, it becomes possible to manufacture an assembled circuit board without performing router processing. In addition, typically, on the surface of the first metal part, a plating layer of stable quality is formed over the entire surface, which is different from the plating layer formed on the protrusions of the board. When the quality of the plating layer is stable, the quality of soldering is also stable. Moreover, unlike the protrusions formed on the board, the first metal part can be elastically deformed within the limit necessary for assembling the boards with each other, and can also be made flexible or pliable.

[0022] According to the present invention, by joining a plurality of standing boards and support boards via the first metal part, it is possible to provide an assembled circuit board and a three-dimensional assembled circuit board that are electrically and mechanically stably connected while suppressing the manufacturing cost. If the first metal part has flexibility or pliability, the boards can be easily assembled without requiring strict assembly accuracy. According to the present invention, from a three-dimensional structure in which a standing substrate is arranged upright on the mounting surface of a support substrate, a pattern formation region on the substrate necessary for ensuring the performance of the circuit of the substrate is secured widely with respect to the planar dimensions required for installation, while being able to be accommodated in the allowable installation space, so the design freedom is high.

[0023] Furthermore, in view of the fact that prototyping is repeated in the development of an antenna, according to the present invention, each time a prototype of a standing substrate having an antenna pattern is made, there is no need to process protrusions on the standing substrate by router processing or the like, and a large number of first metal parts that are already available can be used for the prototyping. Since the characteristics of an antenna are affected by peripheral components, an exterior case, etc., the development of an antenna usually needs to repeat procedures such as prototyping of the antenna, confirmation of characteristics in the state of being mounted on a device to be used, adjustment of the antenna pattern, and re-prototyping. In this case, the external shape of the standing substrate remains the same and a prototype is made again with the pattern modified. However, when modifying and re-prototyping the standing substrate, the first metal parts do not need to be changed. Therefore, a large number of first metal parts can be made in advance, and moreover, since the punching process of metal parts can be performed at low cost and at high speed, mass production is possible. Cost reduction is also expected from this point.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] (a) is a perspective view of a three-dimensional assembled circuit board according to an embodiment. (b) is a perspective view showing the two standing substrates separated from the support substrate shown in (a). [Figure 2] It is an exploded perspective view of two standing substrates. [Figure 3] (a) is a perspective view showing a first metal part of an embodiment. (b) is a perspective view showing a protrusion of a comparative example formed from a substrate. [Figure 4] (a) is a perspective view showing a circuit board connector including standing substrates arranged in a repeated array and a frame for supporting the standing substrates. (b) is a perspective view showing a state where two standing substrates are separated from the frame. [Figure 5]This flowchart shows the procedure for manufacturing a three-dimensional assembled circuit board consisting of a vertical base plate and a support base plate. [Figure 6] (a) to (c) are perspective views showing the procedure for joining the first metal component to the upright substrate. (d) is a perspective view showing the upright substrate joined to the support substrate. [Figure 7] (a) to (c) are perspective views showing the procedure for joining the first metal component of the first embodiment to the upright substrate. [Figure 8] (a) to (c) are perspective views showing the procedure for joining the first metal component, according to a modified example of the first embodiment, to the upright substrate. [Figure 9] (a) is a perspective view showing the first metal part of the second embodiment. (b) and (c) are perspective views showing the first metal part of the third embodiment. [Figure 10] (a) and (b) are perspective views showing the procedure for joining the first metal component of the fourth embodiment to the upright substrate. [Figure 11] (a) is a perspective view of a three-dimensional assembled circuit board equipped with the first metal component according to the fifth embodiment. (b) and (c) are perspective views showing the first metal component of the fifth embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. [Overall structure] The three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b) corresponds to an assembly formed by three-dimensionally assembling multiple circuit boards 10, 20, and 30. The three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 is housed, for example, in the case 5 of an electronic device mounted on a vehicle.

[0026] Such electronic equipment is, for example, an antenna unit. The three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 of this embodiment comprises a support board 10 on which connectors and IC (Integrated Circuit) chips for transmitting and receiving circuits (not shown) are mounted and control circuit patterns (not shown) are formed, and two upright boards 20 and 30 which are assembled to the support board 10 in an upright position on the same mounting surface 10A. The two upright substrates 20 and 30 are electrically and mechanically joined to each other, and also to the support substrate 10. The antenna patterns 21 and 31 formed on each of the upright substrates 20 and 30 are electrically connected to the control circuit pattern and IC chip of the support substrate 10, and perform the function of an antenna.

[0027] Both the support substrate 10 and the upright substrates 20 and 30 correspond to rigid substrates such as glass epoxy substrates, and are formed in a rectangular shape. Through holes H used for joining the substrates are formed in each substrate 10, 20, and 30. The support substrate 10 is fixed to the case 5 by an appropriate method, such as by screwing it to a boss (not shown) or the like. In addition to the upright boards 20 and 30, other circuit boards (not shown) may also be placed upright on the mounting surface 10A of the support board 10.

[0028] When the upright base plate 20 and the upright base plate 30 are joined together, an assembly (assembled circuit board) comprising two circuit boards is formed. This assembly shall be referred to as a partially assembled circuit board 110. When the partially assembled circuit board 110 is joined to the support base plate 10, a three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 is manufactured.

[0029] The upright substrate 20 is positioned on the mounting surface 10A along one side 101 of the rectangular mounting surface 10A. The upright substrate 30 is positioned on the mounting surface 10A along the side 102 adjacent to side 101. Since the upright substrates 20 and 30 are positioned upright within the area of ​​the mounting surface 10A, a large area remains on the mounting surface 10A for mounting connectors, IC chips, circuit elements, etc. (not shown).

[0030] The vertical substrates 20 and 30 are arranged so that their respective thickness directions are 90° apart around the normal N that is erected on the mounting surface 10A. Note that the angle between the vertical substrates 20 and 30 does not need to be 90°; it may be smaller or larger than 90°. Also, the vertical substrates 20 and 30 do not need to be located near any edge of the mounting surface 10A, nor do they need to be located parallel to any edge.

[0031] In this embodiment, for convenience, the three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 is given an orthogonal coordinate system of x, y, and z. The direction of edge 101 of the mounting surface 10A is assumed to be the x-direction, and the direction of edge 102 is assumed to be the y-direction. The support substrate 10 extends in the x and y directions, and the mounting surface 10A corresponds to the xy plane. The direction of the normal N of the mounting surface 10A corresponds to the z-direction.

[0032] The upright base plates 20 and 30 are joined at points where they are close to each other. In this embodiment, one end 20x in the x-direction of the upright base plate 20 and one end 30y in the y-direction of the upright base plate 30 are positioned close to each other near the corner formed by sides 101 and 102. Therefore, one end 20x of the upright base plate 20 and one end 30y of the upright base plate 30 are joined by a joint (50) described later.

[0033] The upright base plate 20 extends in the x-direction with a length equivalent to that of side 101, and its width in the z-direction is smaller than its length in the x-direction. The upright base plate 30 extends in the y-direction with a length shorter than that of side 102, and its width in the z-direction, which is shorter than its length in the y-direction, is the same as the width of the upright base plate 20. The orientation in the thickness direction, length, and width dimensions of the vertical base plates 20 and 30 are not limited to this embodiment and can be set as appropriate. The vertical base plates 20 and 30 may also be square.

[0034] As described above, the support substrate 10 and the upright substrates 20 and 30 extend in different directions and are assembled to stand upright within the area of ​​the mounting surface 10A with their respective thickness directions differing around the normal N. In this way, the control circuit pattern formed on the support substrate 10 and the antenna patterns 21 and 31 are separated in the z direction by a predetermined distance corresponding to the carrier frequency, while the overall long antenna patterns 21 and 31 are contained within the area of ​​the mounting surface 10A, and the overall structure of the mutually supported substrates 10, 20 and 30 can be provided with sufficient strength against external forces in different directions.

[0035] [Configuration related to bonding between substrates] Next, the configuration related to the bonding between boards in the three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 will be described. As shown in Figure 1(b) and the exploded perspective view Figure 2, the partially assembled circuit board 110 comprises upright boards 20 and 30, one or more first metal parts 40 provided on each of the upright boards 20 and 30 for joining the upright boards 20 and 30 to the support board 10, and one or more second metal parts 50 for joining the upright boards 20 and 30 to each other.

[0036] The first metal component 40 functions as a terminal that electrically connects the antenna pattern 21 or 31 to the control circuit pattern of the support substrate 10, and as a member that mechanically connects the upright substrate 20 or 30 to the support substrate 10. The second metal component 50 functions as a terminal that electrically connects the antenna pattern 21 and the antenna pattern 31, and as a member that mechanically connects the upright substrate 20 and the upright substrate 30. Both the first metal component 40 and the second metal component 50 are required to have good conductivity and sufficient strength to maintain the bonded state to the substrate. In addition, since both the first metal component 40 and the second metal component 50 of this embodiment are joined to the substrate using solder S, it is preferable that a plating layer P made of a material suitable for the solder S used is applied to the entire surface of each component.

[0037] The first metal part 40 and the second metal part 50 are formed by press-forming strips made of metal materials such as brass and phosphor bronze, and a plating layer P is applied to the entire surface by a method such as barrel plating, for example, with tin plating.

[0038] One feature of this embodiment is that it includes a first metal part 40 and a second metal part 50 as connecting members separate from the substrate. As these metal parts 40 and 50 are used for electrical and mechanical connections between substrates, the manufacturing process of the three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 (Figure 5) is simplified, as will be described later, compared to the case where the substrates are electrically and mechanically connected using protrusions 90 formed from the substrate, as shown in Figure 3(b). The protrusions 90 are shaped by router processing, and then a copper plating layer C is applied to their surface.

[0039] The projection 90 that joins the support substrate 10 and the upright substrate 20 protrudes from the end face 20F of the upright substrate 20 outward from the mounting surface 10A, and in a direction perpendicular to the end face 20F. The projection 90 that joins the support substrate 10 and the upright substrate 30 is similar. This projection 90 is inserted into a through-hole H formed in the support substrate 10 and joined with solder S. Similarly, the projections 90 that join the upright substrates 20 and 30 together protrude from the other end face of one upright substrate 20 (or 30) and are inserted into through-holes H formed in the other upright substrate 30 (or 20) and joined with solder S.

[0040] [Second metal component] The second metal part 50 includes a first terminal portion 51 joined to the upright base plate 20, a second terminal portion 52 joined to the upright base plate 30, and a connecting portion 53 that connects the first terminal portion 51 and the second terminal portion 52. When unfolded, the second metal part 50 consists of a rectangular plate-shaped member as a whole, and has a pair of first terminal portions 51 and second terminal portions 52 at both ends thereof, which are bent in the same direction relative to the unfolded connecting portion 53. The upright substrate 20 has through-holes H that extend through in the thickness direction, corresponding to the first terminal portion 51. The upright substrate 30 has through-holes H that extend through in the thickness direction, corresponding to the second terminal portion 52. In this embodiment, the upright substrates 20 and 30 are joined by two second metal components 50 aligned in the z direction. The number of second metal components 50 used to join the upright substrates 20 and 30 is not limited to this.

[0041] In this embodiment, if we refer to the side of the upright substrates 20 and 30 facing the mounting surface 10A as the inside of the upright substrates 20 and 30, and the opposite side as the outside of the upright substrates 20 and 30, then the connecting portion 53 is positioned on the outside of the upright substrates 20 and 30. When the first terminal portion 51 and the second terminal portion 52 are inserted into the through-hole H from the outside of the corresponding upright substrates 20 and 30, the tips of the first terminal portion 51 and the second terminal portion 52 protrude from the inner surface of the upright substrates 20 and 30. In this state, the first terminal portion 51 and the second terminal portion 52 are joined to the through-hole H by solder S.

[0042] For example, when one end 20x, 30y of two upright base plates 20 and 30, which are arranged at a 90° angle, are joined by a second metal part 50, the connecting part 53 is bent in a direction that protrudes outward from the upright base plates 20 and 30, following the shape formed by the outer surface 20A of the upright base plate 20 and the outer surface 30A of the upright base plate 30.

[0043] When the upright base plates 20 and 30 are joined by the second metal part 50 in a state where their respective thickness directions are different, the second metal part 50 should be formed in a state that is bent in the same way as the bent state at the time of joining, as shown in Figure 2.

[0044] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4(a), the upright substrates 20 and 30 are joined by the second metal part 50 while they are not separated from the support frame 220 of the connecting body 200, which is made up of upright substrates 20 and 30 arranged in a planar direction. In this case, when the upright substrates 20 and 30 are joined, as shown in Figure 4(b), the upright substrates 20 and 30 are arranged adjacent to each other with their respective thickness directions facing the same direction, so the connecting portion 53 is in a flat state extending in one direction. After the upright substrates 20 and 30 are joined, when the upright substrates 20 and 30, which have been separated from the support frame 220, are bent inward around the connecting portion 53, the connecting portion 53 is bent in accordance with the change in the orientation of their respective thickness directions.

[0045] To make the connecting portion 53 more flexible at the intermediate portion 53A in the longitudinal direction, the rigidity of the intermediate portion 53A can be made lower than that of the other portions. In that case, for example, the thickness of the intermediate portion 53A can be reduced by narrowing the z-direction dimension of the intermediate portion 53A, or by forming a recess on the inside of the bend of the intermediate portion 53A. The z-direction dimension of the connecting portion 53 is longer than the plate thickness of the connecting portion 53. Therefore, when the connecting portion 53 bends, the displacement of the upright base plate 20 in the x-direction and the displacement of the upright base plate 30 in the y-direction can be suppressed. Furthermore, in order to suppress such displacements, it is preferable that the upright base plates 20 and 30 are connected by the second metal part 50 at multiple positions in the z-direction.

[0046] [First metal component] The structure of the first metal component 40 will be described. Here, the basic structure of the first metal component 40 will be explained. The following explanation will take as an example the case in which the upright substrate 20 and the support substrate 10 are electrically and mechanically connected by a first metal component 40 provided at the end 20E on the mounting surface 10A side of the upright substrate 20. The same applies when the upright substrate 30 and the support substrate 10 are connected by a first metal component 40 provided at the end 30E on the mounting surface 10A side of the upright substrate 30. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3(a), the first metal part 40 includes a first terminal portion 41 joined to the upright base plate 20, a second terminal portion 42 connected to the first terminal portion 41 and joined to the support base plate 10, and a bent intermediate portion 43 interposed between the first terminal portion 41 and the second terminal portion 42.

[0047] The first terminal portion 41 is joined to or near the end 20E of the upright substrate 20 on the mounting surface 10A side. The end 20E corresponds to the base end of the upright substrate 20 rising from the mounting surface 10A. When the first terminal portion 41 is inserted from the outer surface 20A side into the through-hole H formed at or near the end 20E, the tip of the first terminal portion 41 protrudes from the inner surface of the upright substrate 20. In this state, the first terminal portion 41 is joined to the through-hole H by solder S. The first terminal portion 41 may be inserted into the through-hole H from the inner surface side of the upright substrate 20 and joined by solder S.

[0048] The second terminal portion 42 extends in a direction perpendicular to the first terminal portion 41 and protrudes beyond the position of the end face 20F on the mounting surface 10A side of the upright substrate 20. The length from the intermediate portion 43 to the tip of the second terminal portion 42 is longer than the length from the intermediate portion 43 to the tip of the first terminal portion 41. It is preferable that the second terminal portion 42 is flexible or pliable. The end face 30F on the mounting surface 10A side of the upright substrate 30 is shown in Figure 4(b). When the second terminal portion 42 is inserted into the through-hole H formed in the support substrate 10, the tip of the second terminal portion 42 protrudes from the side of the upright substrate 20 opposite to the mounting surface 10A. In this state, the second terminal portion 42 is joined to the through-hole H by solder S.

[0049] The first metal part 40 may be formed into a bent shape by press working or the like, or it may be formed in a straight line from the first terminal portion 41 to the second terminal portion 42, and then bent at the intermediate portion 43 to give it a bent shape. In the latter case, it is preferable to bend it before joining with solder S so as not to affect the joining with solder S. For example, after passing the first terminal portion 51 through the through hole H, the tip of the first terminal portion 51 can be held with a jig, and the second terminal portion 52 can be bent relative to the first terminal portion 51.

[0050] [Manufacturing process of the embodiment] Referring to Figure 5, an example of the manufacturing process for the three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 will be explained. First, a partially assembled circuit board 110 is manufactured, comprising vertical base plates 20, 30, a first metal component 40, and a second metal component 50. Here, the partially assembled circuit board 110 is manufactured as a connecting body 200, in which a large number of pairs of planar adjacent upright boards 20 and upright boards 30 are connected in a two-dimensional arrangement, as shown in Figure 4(a).

[0051] Once a connecting substrate 210 is prepared, which includes the regions of numerous upright substrates 20 and 30 that constitute the connecting body 200, holes are drilled at predetermined positions in each region of the upright substrates 20 and 30 to form through-holes H (step S01). Next, copper plating is applied to the entire surface of the connecting substrate 210 where the antenna patterns 21 and 31 are formed (step S02). For example, a plating layer formed by electroless plating can be layered on top of a plating layer formed by electroless plating. After copper plating, the conductive (copper) antenna patterns 21, 31 and through-holes H are formed in the respective regions of the vertical substrates 20, 30 on the connecting substrate 210 by patterning using an etching process (step S03).

[0052] Furthermore, after applying a resist to a predetermined area on the surface of the connecting substrate 210 (step S04), surface treatment is performed such as forming a protective layer on a predetermined area on the surface of the connecting substrate 210 or forming a flux-containing layer in the area where soldering will be performed, in order to protect the antenna patterns 21 and 31 from oxidation and solder S adhesion (step S05).

[0053] Then, the connecting substrate 210 is punched out using a die, for example, to process the outer shape of the upright substrates 20 and 30 as shown in Figure 4(a) (step S06). The resulting connecting body 200 each comprises upright substrates 20 and 30 whose outer shape is formed leaving a portion intact, and a support frame 220 connected to the remaining portion 20R and 30R of the upright substrates 20 and 30.

[0054] When the first metal component 40 is joined to all pairs of upright substrates 20 and 30 in this connecting body 200, and the upright substrates 20 and 30 are joined by the second metal component 50 (step S07), a partially assembled circuit board 110 as a connecting body 200 consisting of upright substrates 20 and 30 arranged in a flat plane is completed. There are no particular restrictions on the order in which the first metal component 40 is joined to the upright substrate 20, the first metal component 40 is joined to the upright substrate 30, and the upright substrates 20 and 30 are connected by the second metal component 50.

[0055] In step S07, for example, as shown in Figures 6(a) to (c), an example of the procedure for joining the first metal part 50 to the upright substrate 20 is performed by holding the first metal part 40 with a jig (not shown) ((a)), inserting the first terminal part 41 into the through-hole H of the upright substrate 20, and joining it with solder S ((b) and (c)). In step S07, there are no particular restrictions on the orientation of the upright base plate 20, that is, the orientation of the connecting base plate 210. The first metal part 40 and the second metal part 50 can be joined to the upright base plate 20 whether the connecting base plate 210 is positioned horizontally or upright in the vertical direction.

[0056] Soldering can be performed using known and appropriate methods, such as flow soldering, which involves applying a jet of molten solder to the joint, or reflow soldering, which involves applying paste-like solder at room temperature to the joint and then melting the solder with a heat source. The direction in which the solder is supplied to the through-holes H and the first metal parts 40 and 50 may be either the outer surface 20A and 30A side or the inner surface side of the respective upright substrates 20 and 30. All metal parts 40 and 50 inserted into the through-holes H arranged in the connecting body 200 can be soldered at once from the same direction.

[0057] When manufacturing a three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 from a partially assembled circuit board 110, as shown in Figure 4(b), the pair of upright boards 20 and 30 are separated from the connecting body 200, and the upright boards 20 and 30 are bent so that their inner surfaces face each other (step S08). In step S07 described above, the upright base plates 20 and 30, which are arranged in a predetermined position while connected to the support frame 220, are connected by the second metal part 50. This ensures a higher relative positional accuracy of the upright base plates 20 and 30 compared to the case where the upright base plates 20 and 30 are connected by the second metal part 50 while completely separated from the support frame 220.

[0058] With the upright substrates 20 and 30 positioned in a bent position, the second terminal portion 42 of the first metal component 40, which is bonded to the upright substrates 20 and 30 respectively, is inserted into the corresponding through-hole H of the support substrate 10 and joined with solder S as shown in Figure 6(d) (step S09). This soldering can be performed in the same manner as the soldering in step S07.

[0059] In step S09, due to cumulative positional errors in the dimensions and shape of the substrate and the dimensions and shapes of the first metal component 40 and the second metal component 50, the positions of the second terminal portions 42 of the first metal component 40, which are joined to the upright substrates 20 and 30, may be misaligned with the positions of the corresponding through-holes H in the support substrate 10. Even in this case, if the first metal component 40 is flexible or pliable, the second terminal portions 42 can be inserted into the through-holes H. Therefore, the upright substrates 20 and 30 can be easily assembled to the support substrate 10.

[0060] To facilitate assembly, it is advisable to provide a tapered, guided shape at the tip of the second terminal portion 42, or to create a section between the intermediate portion 43 and the tip of the second terminal portion 42 that is thinner or narrower in width compared to other parts, so as to be more flexible. Once the vertical substrates 20 and 30 and the support substrate 10 have been assembled, the manufacturing of the three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 is complete.

[0061] In step S9, to prevent the heat transferred to the first metal component 50 from affecting the bonding state of the first terminal portion 41, which was already soldered in step S07, it is preferable that the melting temperature of the solder used in step S09 be lower than that of the solder used in step S07. However, since the first terminal portion 41 is inserted into the through-hole H, even if the solder joining them melts, the first terminal portion 41 remains in the through-hole H until the solder solidifies, and the first terminal portion 41 remains bonded to the through-hole H even after step S10.

[0062] [Manufacturing process of the comparative example] The manufacturing process will be explained when substrates 10, 20, and 30 are joined using protrusions 90 formed from the substrate, as shown in Figure 3(b). In the comparative example, in order to adhere solder to the protrusion 90 and achieve sufficient bonding strength, it is necessary to plate the protrusion 90, including its side surface 91. Therefore, prior to step S02, in which copper plating is applied to the entire surface of the upright substrates 20 and 30 (the entire surface of the connecting substrate 210), and also prior to the overall outer shaping of the upright substrates 20 and 30 (step S06), the outer shape of the protrusion 90 is processed by router processing. In step S02, which is performed afterward, a copper plating layer C is formed not only on the surface 92 of the protrusion 90 but also on its side surface 91.

[0063] Incidentally, unlike punching by press, router processing requires a considerable amount of time for the rotary cutting tool to move along the outer shape, and the processing accuracy is inferior to that of punched metal parts. As a result, it is difficult to form a plating layer of a stable thickness due to the large irregularities on the side surface 91 of the projection 90 compared to the irregularities on the cut surface of punching. Consequently, it is also difficult to solder stably.

[0064] Furthermore, in the comparative example, the upright substrates 20 and 30 are joined using the protrusions 90, so the protrusions 90 formed on one of the upright substrates 20 and 30, which are completely separated, are inserted into the through-hole H of the other substrate for assembly. At this time, it is necessary to ensure a sufficiently high accuracy of the relative position of the upright substrates 20 and 30 in the x, y, z directions and in the rotational directions of x, y, z. Even if the assembly accuracy of the upright substrates 20 and 30 is sufficiently high, if the position of each protrusion 90 on the upright substrates 20 and 30 is misaligned with the position of the corresponding through-hole H on the support substrate 10 due to the dimensional and positional accuracy of the protrusions 90 produced by router processing, it will be difficult to insert the protrusions 90, which are made of a rigid substrate, into the through-hole H for assembly.

[0065] Based on the above, in the comparative example, router processing is required to form the protrusion 90 from the substrate, resulting in higher manufacturing costs than in this embodiment. Furthermore, it is difficult to stably connect the substrates 10, 20, and 30 to each other electrically and mechanically by soldering. Moreover, high assembly precision is required.

[0066] [Effects of this embodiment] In the partially assembled circuit board 110 and the three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 of this embodiment, the first metal part 40 and the second metal part 50 are used instead of the protrusions 90 produced by router processing, which are a factor in increasing costs and have inferior processing accuracy, thus eliminating the need for the router processing step. The first metal part 40 and the second metal part 50 can be manufactured inexpensively by press working and are suitable for mass production. The dimensional and shape accuracy of the first and second metal parts 40 and 50 is stable, and the through-holes H into which the first and second metal parts 40 and 50 are inserted are also machined with high precision using numerically controlled lathes, etc.

[0067] Furthermore, the plating layer P on the surfaces of the first and second metal parts 40 and 50 is formed to a more stable thickness compared to the plating layer C on the protrusion 90. While no plating layer is formed on the base end 93 of the protrusion 90, the first and second metal parts 40 and 50, like the through-hole H, have no boundary between plated and unplated areas, so a stable quality plating layer P is formed over the entire surface. Moreover, the first and second metal parts 40 and 50 are elastically deformable to the extent necessary for assembling the boards together, ensuring the strength of the three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100, and can also be given flexibility or pliability.

[0068] Therefore, according to this embodiment, in which the substrates 10, 20, and 30 are joined via the first and second metal parts 40 and 50, the substrates 10, 20, and 30 can be easily assembled without necessarily requiring strict assembly precision, and it is possible to provide a partially assembled circuit board 110 and a three-dimensional assembled circuit board 100 that are electrically and mechanically stable while keeping manufacturing costs down.

[0069] With such partially assembled circuit boards 110 and three-dimensional assembled circuit boards 100, the three-dimensional structure in which the upright boards 20 and 30 are positioned upright on the mounting surface 10A of the support board 10 allows for a wide pattern formation area on the board necessary to ensure the performance of antennas, etc., relative to the planar dimensions required for installation, and can be housed in the case 5, thus offering a high degree of design flexibility.

[0070] [Example of a joint connecting two vertically mounted base plates] As described above, the first metal component 40 that joins the upright substrates 20, 30 and the support substrate 10 is displaceable if the second terminal portion 42 is flexible or pliable, depending on the positional error between the second terminal portion 42 and the through-hole H of the support substrate 10. Therefore, replacement of the second metal component 50 that joins the upright substrates 20, 30 with the projection 90 is permissible.

[0071] The second metal component 50 may be positioned so that the connecting portion 53 is located on the inner surface side of the upright base plates 20 and 30, and may be joined to the through-hole H. The points where the upright base plates 20 and 30 are joined to each other are not limited to their respective ends 20x and 30y. For example, if one end 30y of the upright base plate 30 is positioned close to the inner surface of the upright base plate 20 in the x-direction at the center of the upright base plate 20, then it is advisable to use the necessary number of second metal components with a configuration suitable for joining the upright base plates 20 and 30.

[0072] [Variations of the first metal component] The following describes various forms of the first metal component that joins the upright base plates 20 and 30 to the support base plate 10, with reference to Figures 7 to 10. The following example shows the first metal component being joined to the upright base plate 20, but the same procedure applies when joining to the upright base plate 30.

[0073] (1st form) As shown in Figure 7(a), the first metal part 60 may include two first terminal portions 61, one second terminal portion 42, and a connecting support portion 63 that connects the two first terminal portions 61 and supports the second terminal portion 42. The connecting support portion 63 is formed in a U-shape when viewed from the direction in which the second terminal portion 42 extends.

[0074] As shown in Figures 7(b) and 7(c), the two first terminal portions 61 are individually inserted into two through-holes H that are formed side by side in the direction of the edge of the end portion 20E of the upright substrate 20 and joined together by solder S. The two first terminal portions 61 are inserted into the through-holes H until the end faces 63A of the connecting support portion 63 contact the outer surface 20A of the upright substrate 20. The end faces 63A are formed on both sides of the first terminal portion 61. Since the two first terminal portions 61 are each inserted into the through-holes H, the first metal component 60 is positioned in the in-plane direction of the upright substrate 20, and the first metal component 60 does not rotate, so the soldering process to the upright substrate 20 can be performed stably.

[0075] Furthermore, the first metal component 60 can maintain a stable position without being held by a jig, with the first terminal portion 61 inserted into the through-hole H of the horizontally positioned upright substrate 20, and the end face 63A of the connecting support portion 63 in parallel contact with the outer surface 20A of the upright substrate 20. In this respect as well, the soldering process to the upright substrate 20 can be performed stably. Here, it is preferable that the dimensions of the connecting support portion 63 are appropriately set so that the center of gravity of the first metal part 60 is located in the connecting support portion 63, so that the first metal part 60 does not tilt and fall over toward the second terminal portion 42 extending from the connecting support portion 63. Alternatively, for the same purpose, it is preferable that the connecting support portion 63 is provided with a weight portion 64 on the side opposite to the direction in which the second terminal portion 42 extends.

[0076] (A variation of the first form) The first metal part 65 shown in Figures 8(a) to 8(c) is configured similarly to the first metal part 60 described above, except that the lengths of the two first terminal portions 66 are longer than the length of the first terminal portion 61 described above. As shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), when the two first terminal portions 66 are inserted into the through-holes H from the outer surface 20A side of the upright substrate 20, each first terminal portion 66 protrudes from the through-hole H on the inner surface 20B side. If the protruding section 66A of each first terminal portion 66 from the through-hole H is bent parallel to the inner surface 20B, for example as shown in Figure 8(c), it is possible to restrict the first metal component 65 from coming out of the through-hole H. In this way, the first metal component 60 is positioned not only in the in-plane direction of the upright substrate 20 but also in the axial direction of the through-hole H, so that soldering to the upright substrate 20 can be performed stably.

[0077] There are no restrictions on the direction in which section 66A is bent; for example, each section 66A of the two first terminal sections 66 may be bent in a direction away from each other. However, as shown in Figure 8(c), it is preferable to bend each section 66A of the two first terminal sections 66 in a direction that brings them closer together, because this will combine the solder joint area S into one.

[0078] Furthermore, the bending of the section 66A protruding from the through-hole H can also be applied to the first metal component 40 (Figure 6) which has only a single first terminal portion 41.

[0079] (2nd form) The first metal component 70 shown in Figure 9(a) has a single first terminal portion 71 that is joined to the upright substrate 20 by being press-fitted into the through-hole H. The first terminal portion 71 is configured in the same way as the first metal component 40 (Figure 6) described above, except that it is provided with a press-fit portion 71A. The press-fit portion 71A is formed, for example, in a so-called press-fit shape. Because the first metal component 70 has a single first terminal portion 71 with a press-fit portion 71A, it does not come out of the through-hole H and is positioned in the in-plane direction of the upright substrate 20. In other words, since the first metal component 70 is positioned in the in-plane direction of the upright substrate 20 and in the axial direction of the hole H, soldering to the upright substrate 20 can be performed stably.

[0080] (3rd form) The first metal component 75 shown in Figures 9(b) and (c) is bonded to the upright substrate 20 by a surface mount method. Therefore, the first metal component 75 is equipped with a flat first terminal portion 76 that is bonded to the upright substrate 20. As shown in Figure 9(c), the first terminal portion 76 is joined to the terminal pattern 20P formed on the upright substrate 20 with solder S.

[0081] (4th form) The first metal part 80 shown in Figures 10(a) and (b) comprises a first terminal portion 81 and a second terminal portion 42 that elastically hold the end portion 20E of the upright substrate 20 by sandwiching it in the thickness direction. The first terminal portion 81 includes a pair of spring portions 81A and a connecting portion 81B that connects the pair of spring portions 81A. The end portion 20E of the upright substrate 20, which is received between the pair of spring portions 81A, is pressed from both sides of the upright substrate 20 by the elastic force of the pair of spring portions 81A. As a result, the first terminal portion 81 is prevented from detaching from the upright substrate 20 while the spring portions 81A are in contact with the terminal pattern 20P formed on the upright substrate 20. Therefore, soldering of the first terminal portion 81 to the terminal pattern 20P can be performed stably.

[0082] (5th form) The first metal component 85 shown in Figures 11(a) to (c) comprises a first terminal portion 41 configured to be bondable to the upright substrate 20 or 30, and a flat second terminal portion 86 configured to be bondable to the mounting surface 10A of the support substrate 10 by surface mounting. Between the first terminal portion 41 and the second terminal portion 86, there is an intermediate portion 87 that is bent upward relative to the second terminal portion 86, that is, toward the first terminal portion 41. As shown in Figures 11(b) and (c), the first terminal portion 41 is inserted, for example, into a through-hole H of the upright substrate 20 and joined with solder S. Then, the second terminal portion 86 is positioned parallel to the mounting surface 10A and joined to a pattern on the mounting surface 10A with solder S, as shown in Figure 11(c). The first metal component 85 does not necessarily have to be positioned on the outer surfaces 20A and 30A of the upright substrates 20 and 30 as shown in Figure 11(a), but may also be positioned on their inner surfaces. Furthermore, among the multiple first metal parts used to join the upright base plates 20, 30 and the support base plate 10, only some may be the first metal part 85 of the fifth embodiment. Furthermore, the second terminal portion 86 can be used as the second terminal portion of each of the first metal components 60, 65, 70, 75, and 80 (Figures 7 to 10) described above. For example, if the second terminal portion 86 is used for the first metal component 75 in Figures 9(b) and (c), the first metal component 75 will be bonded to either the upright substrate 20 or the support substrate 10 by a surface mount method.

[0083] In addition to the above, it is possible to select or replace the configurations listed in the above embodiments, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate, as long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the upright substrates 20 and 30 may have recesses, which are bottomed holes, instead of through-holes H. The first terminal portion 41 can be inserted into such a recess and joined with solder S. The first terminal portion 71 having a press-fit portion 71A can be joined by press-fitting it into the recess without using solder S.

[0084] The partially assembled circuit board 110 may include three or more upright boards, each having an antenna pattern or other conductive pattern formed on it, and all of which are positioned upright on the mounting surface 10A of the support board 10. In this case, the three or more upright boards can be joined to each other, for example by a second metal component 50, and each of the three or more upright boards can be joined to the support board, for example by a first metal component 40. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 5 cases 10 Support substrate 10A Mounting surface 20,30 Vertical base plate 20A,30A External surface 20E End 20F end face 20-pin terminal pattern 20R,30R remainder 20x,30y one end 21,31 Antenna Patterns 40 First metal part 41 1st terminal section 42 2nd terminal section 43 Middle section 50 Second metal part (joint) 51 1st terminal section 52 2nd terminal section 53 Connecting part 53A Intermediate part 60 First metal part 61 1st terminal section 63 Connection support part 63A End face 64 Weight 65 First metal part 66 1st terminal section Section 66A 70 First metal part 71 1st terminal section 71A Press-fit section 75 First metal part 76 1st terminal section 80 First metal part 81 1st terminal section 81A Spring section 81B Connection part 85 First metal part 86 2nd terminal section 87 Middle section 90 protrusions 91 Side view 92 Surface 93 Proximal end 100 3D assembled circuit board 101,102 sides 110 Partially assembled circuit board (assembled circuit board) 200 Connecting body (circuit board connecting body) 210 Connecting board 220 Support Frame C Copper plating layer H Through Hole N normal P plating layer Steps S01-S09

Claims

1. Two upright boards are configured to be assembled to the support board in an upright position on the mounting surface of the support board, and at least one of them has an antenna pattern formed on it. One or more joining portions are configured to allow the two upright substrates to be joined in such a way that the thickness direction of each of the two upright substrates differs around the normal to the mounting surface, Each of the two upright base plates is provided with one or more first metal parts, which are configured to be able to join the upright base plates to the support base plate, The first metal part is, A first terminal portion is joined to the end of the mounting surface side of the upright substrate or to the vicinity thereof, It comprises a second terminal portion connected to the first terminal portion and configured to be connectable to the support substrate, The first terminal portion is inserted into a through-hole formed in the vertical substrate. The first metal component comprises two of the first terminal portions, The two first terminal portions are individually inserted into one of the through-holes and the other through-hole. The first metal component includes a connecting support portion that connects the two first terminal portions and supports the second terminal portion. When the first terminal portion is inserted into the through-hole, the end face of the connecting support portion contacts the upright substrate parallel to it. The connecting support portion is an assembled circuit board having a weight portion on the side opposite to the direction in which the second terminal portion extends.

2. The first terminal portion is joined to the upright substrate by solder. The assembled circuit board according to claim 1.

3. The first terminal portion penetrates the through-hole from one side to the other side of the upright substrate and is bent on the other side. The assembled circuit board according to claim 1.

4. The first terminal portion is joined to the upright substrate by being press-fitted into the through-hole. The assembled circuit board according to claim 1.

5. The first terminal portion is surface-mounted to the vertical substrate by soldering. The assembled circuit board according to claim 1.

6. The first terminal portion holds the end of the upright substrate by elastic force, sandwiching it in the thickness direction. The assembled circuit board according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned joint corresponds to a second metal component separate from the aforementioned upright base plate. The second metal part is, A first terminal portion is joined to one of the two upright base plates, It comprises a second terminal portion joined to the other of the two upright base plates, The assembled circuit board according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. An assembled circuit board according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The support substrate includes the mounting surface, The two upright substrates are arranged on the mounting surface with their respective thickness directions differing, and the second terminal portion of the first metal component is joined to the support substrate, thereby assembling the circuit board to the support substrate.

9. A circuit board connector comprising a plurality of assembled circuit boards according to any one of claims 1 to 7 connected in a flat state, In both cases, the aforementioned upright substrate is formed while leaving a portion of its outer shape intact, The system comprises a support frame connected to the remaining portion of the aforementioned upright base plate, The two upright base plates are each joined to the first metal component, forming a circuit board connector.

10. The two upright base plates are each joined to the first metal component, and are joined to each other by the second metal component which serves as the joint. The circuit board connector according to claim 9.

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