Method for producing flexible printed wiring board

Abstract

A method for producing a flexible printed wiring board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes producing a flexible printed wiring board provided with a wiring board body that has an insulating base film and an electroconductive pattern laminated on one surface of the base film, and a plurality of connection terminals that are fixed to a terminal connection region provided to one end edge of the electroconductive pattern on the wiring board body. The method comprises a step for placing the wiring board body on a transport board, a step for fixing the plurality of connection terminals in parallel to a component-fixing jig, and a step for mounting the plurality of connection terminals that were fixed in the fixing step on each component-fixing jig in the terminal connection region of the wiring board body that was placed in the placement step. A positioning mechanism is provided between the transport board and the component-fixing jig, and the component-fixing jig is mounted on the transport board using the positioning mechanism in the mounting step.

Description

Manufacturing method for flexible printed wiring board

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board. This application claims priority to Japanese Application No. 2022-115864, filed on July 20, 2022, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of the above-mentioned Japanese application.

[0002] In recent years, various flexible printed wiring boards have been used in the field of electronic devices due to the demand for smaller and lighter electronic devices. As such flexible printed wiring boards, generally, flexible printed wiring boards are used that include a base film as a base and a conductive pattern formed of copper foil or the like laminated on the surface of the base film.

[0003] Such a flexible printed wiring board has a plurality of connection terminals for connecting to conductor patterns of an electronic device (see International Publication No. 2010 / 004439). The plurality of connection terminals are attached one by one to connection regions provided on the surface of the flexible printed wiring board, for example, by soldering.

[0004] International Publication No. 2010 / 004439

[0005] A manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board including a wiring board main body having an insulating base film and a conductive pattern laminated on one side of the base film, and a plurality of connection terminals fixed to a terminal connection area provided on one edge of the conductive pattern of the wiring board main body, the method including the steps of: placing the wiring board main body on a conveying board; fixing the plurality of connection terminals in parallel to a component fixing jig; and mounting the plurality of connection terminals fixed in the fixing step together with the component fixing jig in the terminal connection area of ​​the wiring board main body placed in the placing step; a positioning mechanism is provided between the conveying board and the component fixing jig; and in the mounting step, the component fixing jig is mounted on the conveying board using the positioning mechanism.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a flexible printed wiring board. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the flexible printed wiring board of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram showing a manufacturing method of a flexible printed wiring board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a laminate. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which comb teeth portions and position fixing holes have been formed by a comb teeth portion forming mold in a comb teeth portion forming step. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a wiring board main body is placed on a carrier board. FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing the state of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing a state in which connection terminals have been fixed to a component fixing jig in a connection terminal fixing step. FIG. 9 is a schematic bottom view of the component fixing jig of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a schematic front view of the component fixing jig of FIG. 8. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view showing a state in which connection terminals are being fixed to the component fixing jig of FIG. 8. Fig. 12 is a schematic side view showing a state in which the component fixing jig and the wiring board main body are placed on a carrier board. Fig. 13 is a schematic side view showing a state in which the component fixing jig and the wiring board main body are placed on a carrier board according to an embodiment different from Fig. 12 .

[0007] [Problem to be Solved by the Present Disclosure] Generally, connection terminals are elongated and mounted in rows with narrow pitches. Therefore, even a slight misalignment in mounting can cause the pitch between connection terminals to be inconsistent. For this reason, high-precision mounting is required, and for example, precise alignment using a machine is necessary. Furthermore, mounting them one by one results in low productivity.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board that allows connection terminals to be easily mounted and has high productivity.

[0009] Effect of the Present Disclosure The method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board according to the present disclosure allows for easy mounting of connection terminals and has high productivity.

[0010] [Description of an embodiment of the present disclosure] A manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board including a wiring board main body having an insulating base film and a conductive pattern laminated on one surface of the base film, and a plurality of connection terminals fixed to a terminal connection area provided on one edge of the conductive pattern of the wiring board main body, the method including the steps of: placing the wiring board main body on a conveying board; fixing the plurality of connection terminals in parallel to a component fixing jig; and mounting the plurality of connection terminals fixed in the fixing step together with the component fixing jig to the terminal connection area of ​​the wiring board main body placed in the placing step, wherein a positioning mechanism is provided between the conveying board and the component fixing jig, and the component fixing jig is mounted on the conveying board using the positioning mechanism in the mounting step.

[0011] In this manufacturing method for flexible printed wiring boards, multiple connection terminals are fixed in parallel to a component fixing jig and mounted at once, resulting in high productivity. Furthermore, misalignment between the connection terminals is less likely to occur. Furthermore, in this manufacturing method for flexible printed wiring boards, a positioning mechanism between a carrier board supporting the wiring board body and the component fixing jig positions the component fixing jig relative to the carrier board for mounting. While positioning between the flexible printed wiring board and the carrier board is typically performed by a mounting machine, this manufacturing method for flexible printed wiring boards also makes it possible to mount the connection terminals manually, for example. In other words, using this manufacturing method for flexible printed wiring boards, connection terminals can be easily mounted.

[0012] The positioning mechanism may include a columnar portion provided on the component fixing jig and a positioning hole provided on the conveying board that is fittable with the columnar portion. By configuring the positioning mechanism as described above, the component fixing jig can be easily mounted on the conveying board.

[0013] The wiring board body may have a wiring board body fixing hole into which the columnar portion can be fitted, and the wiring board body and the component fixing jig may be positioned using the wiring board body fixing hole in the mounting step. By providing the wiring board body fixing hole in this manner, the carrier board, the wiring board body, and the component fixing jig can be positioned at once via the columnar portion, thereby improving the mounting accuracy of the connection terminals.

[0014] The positioning mechanism may have a plurality of pairs of the columnar portion and the positioning hole, so that the positioning mechanism has a plurality of pairs of the columnar portion and the positioning hole, thereby enabling the component fixing jig to be positioned more reliably.

[0015] Preferably, the plurality of columnar portions are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of gravity of the component fixing jig in a planar view. By arranging the columnar portions asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of gravity of the component fixing jig in a planar view, incorrect mounting can be easily avoided. Note that the "geometric center of gravity of the component fixing jig in a planar view" refers to the center of gravity determined solely by the shape of the component fixing jig in a planar view, without taking into account differences in the density of each part. For example, if the component fixing jig is rectangular in a planar view, the geometric center of gravity is the intersection of the two diagonals of this rectangle.

[0016] The phrase "laminated on one surface" is a concept that includes not only the case where it is directly laminated on one surface, but also the case where it is indirectly laminated via another layer or the like.

[0017] [Details of the Embodiments of the Present Invention] Hereinafter, embodiments of the method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0018] 1 and 2 , a flexible printed wiring board 1 manufactured by a flexible printed wiring board manufacturing method according to the present disclosure will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the flexible printed wiring board 1 includes a wiring board body 10 and a plurality of connection terminals 14. The wiring board body 10 includes an insulating base film 11 and a conductive pattern 12 laminated on one surface of the base film 11. The plurality of connection terminals 14 are fixed to a terminal connection region 12 a provided on one edge of the conductive pattern 12 of the wiring board body 10.

[0019] <Base Film> The base film 11 is a member that supports the conductive patterns 12 and is a structural material that ensures the strength of the flexible printed wiring board 1 .

[0020] The main component of the base film 11 may be, for example, a soft material such as polyimide, a liquid crystal polymer represented by liquid crystal polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyphenylene ether, or fluororesin; a hard material such as paper phenol, paper epoxy, glass composite, glass epoxy, or glass substrate; or a rigid-flexible material that combines a soft material with a hard material. Among these, polyimide, which has excellent heat resistance, is preferred. The base film 11 may be porous and may contain fillers, additives, etc. Here, "main component" refers to the component that is contained in the largest amount, with a content of 50% by mass or more.

[0021] The thickness of the base film 11 is not particularly limited, but the lower limit of the average thickness of the base film 11 is preferably 5 μm, more preferably 12 μm. The upper limit of the average thickness of the base film 11 is preferably 500 μm, more preferably 200 μm. If the average thickness of the base film 11 is less than the lower limit, the strength of the base film 11 may be insufficient. On the other hand, if the average thickness of the base film 11 exceeds the upper limit, the flexibility of the flexible printed wiring board 1 may be insufficient. Here, the "average thickness" refers to the average value of thicknesses measured at any 10 points.

[0022] The base film 11 has one or more position fixing holes 11a. The position fixing holes 11a are provided so as to penetrate the coverlay 13. Furthermore, when the position fixing holes 11a overlap the conductive patterns 12 in a plan view, the position fixing holes 11a are provided so as to penetrate the conductive patterns 12. When the wiring board body 10 is placed on the carrier board 2 described later, positioning pins 21a are inserted into the position fixing holes 11a, thereby fixing the position of the wiring board body 10 (see FIGS. 6 and 7 ).

[0023] The shape of the position fixing holes 11a in a plan view is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a polygonal shape, but is preferably a circular shape as shown in Fig. 1. If the position fixing holes 11a in a plan view have a circular shape, they can be easily inserted when used for alignment with the carrier board 2 and a decrease in the strength of the base film 11 can be prevented.

[0024] The number of position fixing holes 11a is preferably 2 to 5, more preferably 2 or 3. If the number of position fixing holes 11a is less than the above-mentioned lower limit, i.e., 1, the wiring board body 10 fixed to the carrier board 2 is likely to rotate around the position fixing hole 11a, and there is a risk that it will not be able to be sufficiently fixed in position. Conversely, if the number of position fixing holes 11a exceeds the above-mentioned upper limit, there will be an unnecessarily large number of positioning pins 21a to be inserted when fixing the wiring board body 10 to the carrier board 2, and there is a risk that workability will be reduced.

[0025] The position fixing holes 11a are preferably provided in or near the terminal connection area 12a, but are not intended to affect the circuit pattern formed on the flexible printed wiring board 1. By providing the position fixing holes 11a in or near the terminal connection area 12a, the position fixing holes 11a are located at one edge of the conductive pattern 12 that is relatively close to the connection terminals 14, which makes it easier to prevent misalignment relative to the component fixing jig 3, which will be described later.

[0026] The lower limit of the distance from the one edge of the position fixing hole 11a (the distance between the center of the position fixing hole 11a and the one edge) is preferably 4 mm, more preferably 5 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the distance from the one edge of the position fixing hole 11a is preferably 50 mm, more preferably 40 mm. If the distance from the one edge of the position fixing hole 11a is less than the lower limit, the position fixing hole 11a may interfere with the connection terminal 14. Conversely, if the distance from the one edge of the position fixing hole 11a exceeds the upper limit, misalignment relative to the component fixing jig 3 may easily occur.

[0027] The lower limit of the diameter of the position fixing hole 11a in plan view (the length of the diagonal if the position fixing hole 11a is polygonal) is preferably 0.5 mm, more preferably 1 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the diameter of the position fixing hole 11a is preferably 5 mm, more preferably 4 mm. If the diameter of the position fixing hole 11a is less than the lower limit, the positioning pin 21a becomes too thin and may be easily damaged. Conversely, if the diameter of the position fixing hole 11a exceeds the upper limit, the strength of the base film 11 may be reduced by the position fixing hole 11a.

[0028] When multiple position fixing holes 11a are provided, the lower limit of the distance (minimum distance) between the centers of adjacent position fixing holes 11a is preferably 1 mm, and more preferably 2 mm. If the distance between the centers of the position fixing holes 11a is less than the above lower limit, the effect of improving alignment accuracy may be insufficient. On the other hand, the upper limit of the distance between the centers of the position fixing holes 11a is not particularly limited, but is determined by, for example, the width of the base film 11.

[0029] <Conductive Pattern> The conductive pattern 12 constitutes an electric wiring structure, a ground, a shield, or other structure.

[0030] The material for forming the conductive pattern 12 is not particularly limited as long as it is a conductive material, but examples thereof include metals such as copper, aluminum, and nickel, and copper is generally used because it is relatively inexpensive and has high conductivity. Furthermore, the surface of the conductive pattern 12 may be plated.

[0031] The lower limit of the average thickness of the conductive pattern 12 is preferably 2 μm, more preferably 5 μm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the conductive pattern 12 is preferably 100 μm, more preferably 70 μm. If the average thickness of the conductive pattern 12 is less than the lower limit, the conductivity of the conductive pattern 12 may be insufficient. Conversely, if the average thickness of the conductive pattern 12 exceeds the upper limit, the flexible printed wiring board 1 may become unnecessarily thick.

[0032] A terminal connection region 12a that the flexible printed wiring board 1 has on one edge of the conductive pattern 12 is a region for connecting to other electronic devices or the like via connection terminals 14, which will be described later. A coverlay 13, which will be described later, is removed from the terminal connection region 12a. Specifically, the terminal connection region 12a is provided on the periphery of the flexible printed wiring board 1 (for example, on one short side in the case of a rectangular flexible printed wiring board 1) for connecting to other electronic devices or the like, and the conductive pattern 12 has an end (one edge) configured to be connected to the connection terminals 14 provided in this terminal connection region 12a.

[0033] The terminal connection region 12a has a shape like the teeth of a comb with one edge branched as shown in Fig. 1. One connection terminal 14 is provided on each of the comb tooth portions 15 of the comb.

[0034] The size of the comb-tooth portions 15 is determined appropriately depending on the size of the connection terminals 14, but can be, for example, an average width of 0.5 mm to 3 mm and an average length of 3 mm to 50 mm. The number of comb-tooth portions 15 is determined corresponding to the number of connection terminals 14. Normally, the width of the base film 11 including the terminal connection region 12a is constant, but depending on the number of connection terminals 14, there may be cases where the number of connection terminals 14 does not fit within the width of the base film 11 excluding the terminal connection region 12a. In such cases, the number of comb-tooth portions 15 can be ensured by widening the width of the base film 11 at one edge, as shown in FIG. 1 , for example.

[0035] <Coverlay> The coverlay 13 protects the conductive pattern 12 from external forces, moisture, etc. The coverlay 13 has a cover film and an adhesive layer. The coverlay 13 is formed by laminating the cover film on the surface of the conductive pattern 12 opposite to the base film 11, with the adhesive layer interposed therebetween.

[0036] (Cover Film) The material of the cover film is not particularly limited, but for example, the same resin as that constituting the base film 11 can be used.

[0037] The lower limit of the average thickness of the cover film is preferably 5 μm, more preferably 10 μm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the cover film is preferably 50 μm, more preferably 30 μm. If the average thickness of the cover film is less than the lower limit, the insulating properties may be insufficient. Conversely, if the average thickness of the cover film exceeds the upper limit, the flexibility of the flexible printed wiring board 1 may be impaired.

[0038] (Adhesive Layer) The adhesive layer fixes the cover film to the conductive pattern 12 and the base film 11. The material of the adhesive layer is not particularly limited as long as it can fix the cover film to the conductive pattern 12 and the base film 11, but is preferably a material having excellent flexibility and heat resistance, such as polyimide, polyamide, epoxy, butyral, acrylic, etc. Furthermore, in terms of heat resistance, a thermosetting resin is preferred.

[0039] The average thickness of the adhesive layer is not particularly limited, but the lower limit of the average thickness of the adhesive layer is preferably, for example, 5 μm, more preferably 10 μm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the adhesive layer is preferably, for example, 100 μm, more preferably 80 μm. If the average thickness of the adhesive layer is less than the lower limit, the adhesiveness may be insufficient. Conversely, if the average thickness of the adhesive layer exceeds the upper limit, the flexibility of the flexible printed wiring board 1 may be impaired.

[0040] <Connection Terminal> The connection terminal 14 is a component for connecting the flexible printed wiring board 1 to other electronic devices or the like.

[0041] The material of the connection terminal 14 is not particularly limited as long as it is conductive, but for example, the connection terminal 14 can be made of a metal. Examples of such metals include soft copper, brass, and phosphor bronze. The surface of the connection terminal 14 is preferably plated to prevent oxidation. Examples of such plating include Sn plating, Ni plating, and Au plating. Of these, Ni plating is preferred because it is inexpensive and has excellent corrosion resistance.

[0042] The shape of the connection terminals 14 is determined appropriately depending on the terminal shape of the electronic device to be connected, but is generally vertically long (long in the length direction of the base film 11). The shape of the connection terminals 14 can be, for example, a plate-like or molded three-dimensional shape with an average width of 0.5 mm to 3 mm, an average length of 3 mm to 50 mm, and an average height of 0.1 mm to 3 mm.

[0043] Furthermore, a portion of each connection terminal 14 protrudes from the one edge. The average length of this protruding portion depends on the terminal shape of the electronic device to be connected, but is preferably 20% to 80% of the average length of the connection terminal 14. If the average length of the protruding portion is less than the lower limit, the adhesive strength to other electronic devices may be insufficient. Conversely, if the average length of the protruding portion exceeds the upper limit, the adhesive strength to the flexible printed wiring board 1 may be insufficient.

[0044] [Method for Manufacturing Flexible Printed Wiring Board] As shown in FIG. 3, the method for manufacturing the flexible printed wiring board includes a laminate formation step S1, a comb tooth portion formation step S2, a wiring board main body placement step S3, a connection terminal fixing step S4, a connection terminal mounting step S5, and a jig removal step S6.

[0045] <Laminate Forming Step> In the laminate forming step S1, a laminate 16 is formed (see FIG. 4 ) including an insulating base film 11, a conductive pattern 12 laminated on one surface of the base film 11, and a coverlay 13 laminated on one surface of the base film 11 or the conductive pattern 12. Specifically, the following procedure is performed.

[0046] First, a conductor layer is formed on one surface of the base film 11 .

[0047] The conductor layer can be formed, for example, by adhering a foil-shaped conductor using an adhesive, or by a known film-forming method. The conductor is made of the same material as the material constituting the conductive pattern 12, such as copper, silver, gold, or nickel. There are no particular limitations on the adhesive as long as it can adhere the conductor to the base film 11, and various known adhesives can be used. Examples of film-forming methods include vapor deposition and plating. The conductor layer is preferably formed by adhering copper foil to the base film 11 using a polyimide adhesive.

[0048] Next, the conductive layer is patterned to form the conductive pattern 12 .

[0049] The conductor layer can be patterned by a known method, such as photoetching, by forming a resist film having a predetermined pattern on one surface of the conductor layer, and then treating the conductor layer exposed from the resist film with an etching solution to remove the resist film.

[0050] Finally, the coverlay 13 is laminated so as to cover the conductive pattern 12 except for the terminal connection region 12a at one edge of the conductive pattern 12. Specifically, an adhesive layer is laminated on the surface of the base film 11 on which the conductive pattern 12 is formed, and a cover film is laminated on the adhesive layer. Alternatively, the adhesive layer may be laminated on the cover film in advance, and the surface of the cover film on which the adhesive layer is laminated may be bonded to the conductive pattern 12 so that it faces the conductive pattern 12.

[0051] The cover film is usually bonded using an adhesive by thermocompression bonding, and the temperature and pressure during thermocompression bonding may be appropriately determined depending on the type and composition of the adhesive used.

[0052] In this manner, the laminate 16 can be formed.

[0053] <Comb Tooth Portion Forming Process> In the comb tooth portion forming process S2, comb tooth portions 15 are formed on one edge of the conductive pattern 12 of the laminate 16 formed in the laminate forming process S1. The patterning shape of the conductive pattern 1 in the portion where the comb tooth portions 15 are formed is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be a patterning shape in which each of the comb tooth portions 15 is connected to an individual pattern.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 5 , the comb tooth portions 15 can be formed by punching using a die (comb tooth portion forming die 17) that punches out the gaps between the comb tooth portions 15. This comb tooth portion forming die 17 has a punching die 17a corresponding to the gaps between the comb tooth portions 15 and a punching die 17b corresponding to the position fixing holes 11a. This allows the position fixing holes 11a to be formed using the die that forms the comb tooth portions 15. By forming the comb tooth portions 15 and the position fixing holes 11a using the same die in this manner, the relative relationship between the direction of the comb of the comb tooth portion 15 and the direction of the position fixing holes 11a can be always maintained constant. Therefore, misalignment between the direction of the comb and the direction of the position fixing holes 11a is unlikely to occur, thereby reducing mounting errors of the connection terminals 14 caused by this misalignment.

[0055] There are no particular limitations on the material of the comb-tooth-forming mold 17, and it can be, for example, a general carbon tool steel (SK material). The shape of the comb-tooth-forming mold 17 is determined appropriately so that it can process the comb-tooth-forming mold 17 into the comb-tooth-forming mold 15 and the position fixing holes 11 a.

[0056] In this manner, the wiring board body 10 is formed.

[0057] <Wiring Board Body Mounting Step> In the wiring board body mounting step S3, the wiring board body 10 is mounted on the carrier board 2 as shown in FIGS.

[0058] The carrier board 2 is a board used when manufacturing the flexible printed wiring board 1. The carrier board 2 has a certain strength and is made of, for example, a metal plate such as SUS, aluminum, or titanium, a resin plate such as glass epoxy, or a glass cloth laminate.

[0059] The size of the carrier board 2 in a plan view is set to a size that allows the wiring board body 10 and a component fixing jig 3 (described later) to be mounted thereon, and the shape thereof may be, for example, rectangular.

[0060] 6 and 7, a positioning board 21 is used to align the conveying board 2 with the wiring board 10. The positioning board 21 shown in Figures 6 and 7 has the same shape as the conveying board 2 in a plan view, but the positioning board 21 may be larger than the conveying board 2, or may be configured so that multiple conveying boards 2 can be placed on one positioning board 21.

[0061] The positioning board 21 is provided with columnar positioning pins 21a for fixing the wiring board body 10. The conveying board 2 is also provided with through holes 2a that are continuous with the position fixing holes 11a when the wiring board body 10 is placed thereon.

[0062] The wiring board body 10 is configured to be fixed to the carrier board 2 by fitting the carrier board 2 onto the positioning pins 21a (passing the positioning pins 21a through the through holes 2a) and then fitting the position fixing holes 11a of the wiring board body 10 into the position fixing holes 11a. Specifically, the position fixing holes 11a and the through holes 2a are preferably configured to have the same diameter (their cross sections are the same shape). Furthermore, the length of the positioning pins 21a is preferably at least longer than the length of the through holes 2a and greater than the sum of the lengths of the position fixing holes 11a and the through holes 2a. The cross section of the positioning pins 21a is preferably the same as the position fixing holes 11a and the through holes 2a and is preferably sized to allow the position fixing holes 11a and the through holes 2a to pass through.

[0063] That is, in the wiring board body placing step S3 of placing the wiring board body 10, the wiring board body 10 is placed on the carrier board 2 so that the position fixing holes 11a and the through holes 2a overlap in a plan view, and is fixed with the positioning pins 21a.

[0064] The wiring board body mounting step S3 and the subsequent connection terminal fixing step S4 can be performed in any order, and the wiring board body mounting step S3 can be performed after the connection terminal fixing step S4.

[0065] <Connection Terminal Fixing Step> In the connection terminal fixing step S4, a plurality of connection terminals 14 are fixed in parallel to the component fixing jig 3 as shown in FIGS.

[0066] The component fixing jig 3 used in the connection terminal fixing process S4 has an upper jig 31 that forms the upper part of the component fixing jig 3, a lower jig 32 into which the upper jig 31 can be fitted, and a holding hole 33 that can hold the connection terminal 14, as shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, for example.

[0067] The component fixing jig 3 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The material of the component fixing jig 3 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a general carbon tool steel (SK material).

[0068] When the upper jig 31 and the lower jig 32 are fitted together, a recess provided on the bottom surface of the upper jig 31 and a recess provided on the top surface of the lower jig 32 are combined in the vertical direction to form a holding hole 33.

[0069] The number of holding holes 33 is the same as the number of connection terminals 14 of the flexible printed wiring board 1 to be manufactured, and the spacing between adjacent holding holes 33 is also the same as the spacing between adjacent connection terminals 14. The depth of the holding holes 33 in the component fixing jig 3 is determined in accordance with the average length of the protruding portions of the connection terminals 14 after mounting.

[0070] In the case of the component fixing jig 3 described above, multiple connection terminals 14 can be fixed in parallel as follows. First, the connection terminals 14 are fitted into the recesses of the lower jig 32. Next, the upper jig 31 is fitted into the lower jig 32 from above (see FIG. 11 ). At this time, the recesses provided in the upper jig 31 mate with the recesses provided in the lower jig 32, fixing the connection terminals 14 in the holding holes 33.

[0071] <Connection terminal mounting process> In the connection terminal mounting process S5, the multiple connection terminals 14 fixed in the fixing process (connection terminal fixing process S4) are mounted together with the component fixing jig 3 in the terminal connection area 12a of the wiring board body 10 placed in the placing process (wiring board body placing process S3).

[0072] 12, in this step, the component fixing jig 3 is mounted on the conveying board 2 using a positioning mechanism 4 provided between the conveying board 2 and the component fixing jig 3. First, the positioning mechanism 4 will be described below.

[0073] 8, 9, and 10, and a positioning hole 42 that is provided in the conveying board 2 and can fit into the columnar portion 41. By configuring the positioning mechanism 4 as described above, the component fixing jig 3 can be easily mounted on the conveying board 2.

[0074] The positioning mechanism 4 preferably has multiple pairs of pillars 41 and positioning holes 42. By having the positioning mechanism 4 have multiple pairs of pillars 41 and positioning holes 42 in this way, the component fixing jig 3 can be more reliably positioned. The positioning mechanism 4 shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10 has two pairs of pillars 41 and positioning holes 42. The following description will be given taking as an example a case where there are two pairs of pillars 41 and positioning holes 42, but the number of pairs of pillars 41 and positioning holes 42 is not limited to two, and may be one pair or three or more pairs.

[0075] The multiple columnar portions 41 are preferably provided asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of gravity G in a planar view of the component fixing jig 3. By providing the columnar portions 41 asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of gravity G in a planar view of the component fixing jig 3 in this way, incorrect mounting can be easily avoided. In other words, if an attempt is made to mount the component fixing jig 3 with the front and back or left and right reversed, some of the pairs of multiple columnar portions 41 and positioning holes 42 will not match or will be mounted in significantly different positions, making it easy for the worker to realize that the mounting is incorrect.

[0076] The columnar portion 41 may have a circular shape in plan view, as shown in Fig. 9. A circular shape in plan view makes it easier to insert the component fixing jig 3 when used to align it with the carrier board 2. On the other hand, the columnar portion 41 may have a polygonal shape in plan view, such as a triangular shape. In this case, the insertion direction is limited, so incorrect mounting can be avoided even if there is only one pair of columnar portions 41 and positioning holes 42.

[0077] The planar shape of the positioning holes 42 is preferably the same as the planar shape of the columnar portions 41. The positioning holes 42 may penetrate the carrier board 2 as shown in Fig. 7, but may also be recesses that are deeper than the length of the columnar portions 41.

[0078] 6 , the positioning mechanism 4 may be provided on the conveying board 2 and have a bottom fitting portion 43 that can fit into the bottom of the component fixing jig 3. Providing the bottom fitting portion 43 in this manner makes it easy to mount the component fixing jig 3. The bottom fitting portion 43 can also be used as an adjustment margin for adjusting the height of the connection terminals 14 fixed to the component fixing jig 3 to the height of the terminal connection area 12 a of the wiring board body 10.

[0079] In the connection terminal mounting process S5, when the component fixing jig 3 is mounted on the carrier board 2 so that its bottom fits into the bottom fitting portion 43, the columnar portions 41 are inevitably guided and inserted into the corresponding positioning holes 42. In this manner, the component fixing jig 3 can be mounted on the carrier board 2. At this time, the component fixing jig 3 is fixed so as not to move on the carrier board 2 mainly by the columnar portions 41 and the positioning holes 42, and the multiple connection terminals 14 are placed in the mounting positions of the corresponding comb-tooth portions 15.

[0080] Thereafter, the solder is melted by reflow, and the connection terminals 14 are soldered to the conductive patterns 12. After the plurality of connection terminals 14 have been placed in the mounting positions of the corresponding comb-tooth portions 15 and before reflow, the positioning board 21 is usually removed.

[0081] <Jig Removal Step> In the jig removal step S6, the component fixing jig 3 is removed after the connection terminal mounting step S5.

[0082] By removing the component fixing jig 3, the connection terminals 14 are mounted and the flexible printed wiring board 1 is formed.

[0083] <Advantages> In this manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board, multiple connection terminals 14 are fixed in parallel to the component fixing jig 3 and mounted at once, resulting in high productivity. Also, misalignment between the connection terminals 14 is unlikely to occur. Furthermore, in this manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board, the component fixing jig 3 is positioned with respect to the conveying board 2, which supports the wiring board body 10, using a positioning mechanism 4 between the component fixing jig 3 and the conveying board 2, and then mounted. Therefore, there is no need to perform precise positioning using a machine, as is the case when positioning with the flexible wiring board body 10, and manual mounting is also possible, for example. In other words, by using this manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board, the connection terminals 14 can be easily mounted.

[0084] [Other Embodiments] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the positioning mechanism is described as being composed of a columnar portion provided on the component fixing jig and a positioning hole provided on the transport board that can be fitted with the columnar portion. However, other configurations may be adopted as long as the positioning mechanism is provided between the transport board and the component fixing jig. For example, the transport board may be provided with a columnar portion and the component fixing jig with a positioning hole. Alternatively, the positioning mechanism may be composed only of a bottom fitting portion that can be fitted with the bottom of the component fixing jig.

[0086] 13, the wiring board body 10 may be provided with wiring board body fixing holes 11b into which the columnar portions 44 of the positioning mechanism 4 can be fitted, and the wiring board body fixing holes 11b may be used to position the wiring board body 10 and the component fixing jig 3 in the connection terminal mounting process (mounting process). In this case, the wiring board body fixing holes 11b also serve as positioning holes for the carrier board 2 and the component fixing jig. By providing the wiring board body fixing holes 11b in this manner, the carrier board 2, wiring board body 10, and component fixing jig 3 can be positioned simultaneously via the columnar portions 44, thereby improving the mounting accuracy of the connection terminals 14. In such a configuration, a positioning board may not be used, as shown in FIG.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board includes a laminate forming step, but the laminate forming step is not an essential component. The manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board can also be used for a laminate prepared in advance.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the manufacturing method for the flexible printed wiring board includes the comb-tooth portion forming step, but the comb-tooth portion forming step is not an essential component. The manufacturing method for the flexible printed wiring board can also be used for a flexible printed wiring board that does not include comb-tooth portions, for example, a flexible printed wiring board that has a terminal connection region that is rectangular in plan view.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the manufacturing method of the flexible printed wiring board includes a jig removal step, but the jig removal step is not an essential component. For example, if the component fixing jig is used as it is as part of the flexible printed wiring board, such as a housing for a connection terminal, there is no need to remove the jig, and the jig removal step can be omitted.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the case where the position fixing holes are formed using a mold for forming the comb teeth portion in the comb teeth portion forming step has been described, but the comb teeth portion and the position fixing holes may be formed separately using different molds. Even when the comb teeth portion and the position fixing holes are formed separately, the connection terminals can be easily mounted by using the manufacturing method for the flexible printed wiring board.

[0091] In the above embodiment, a case where multiple connection terminals are mounted collectively using a component fixing jig has been described, but as long as there are multiple connection terminals to be mounted at one time, they may be mounted in sections. By mounting in sections, the number of connection terminals to be fixed at one time is reduced, thereby enabling the component fixing jig to be made smaller. The upper limit for the number of sections in the case of mounting in sections is preferably 4, more preferably 3, and even more preferably 2. If the number of sections exceeds the upper limit, there is a risk of reduced mounting accuracy and reduced productivity.

[0092] The shape of the component fixing jig is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the portion for fixing the connection terminals may be a recess provided only in the lower jig of the component fixing jig, and the upper jig may not be provided.

[0093] The flexible printed wiring board is not limited to the above embodiment, and the manufacturing method of the flexible printed wiring board can also be used for flexible printed wiring boards that have a reinforcing portion on the other side of the base film, flexible printed wiring boards that do not have a coverlay, etc.

[0094] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Flexible printed wiring board 10 Wiring board body 11 Base film 11a Position fixing hole 11b Wiring board body fixing hole 12 Conductive pattern 12a Terminal connection area 13 Coverlay 14 Connection terminal 15 Comb tooth portion 16 Laminate 17 Comb tooth portion forming mold 17a, 17b Punching die 2 Conveyor board 2a Through hole 21 Positioning board 21a Positioning pin 3 Component fixing jig 31 Upper jig 32 Lower jig 33 Holding hole 4 Positioning mechanism 41, 44 Column portion 42 Positioning hole 43 Bottom fitting portion G Geometric center of gravity position

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board comprising: a wiring board body having an insulating base film and a conductive pattern laminated on one surface of the base film; and a plurality of connection terminals fixed to a terminal connection region provided on one edge of the conductive pattern of the wiring board body, the method comprising the steps of: placing the wiring board body on a carrier board; a step of fixing the plurality of connection terminals in parallel to a component fixing jig; a step of mounting the plurality of connection terminals fixed in the fixing step together with the component fixing jig in the terminal connection region of the wiring board body placed in the placing step; Equipped with A manufacturing method for a flexible printed wiring board, comprising: a positioning mechanism provided between the carrier board and the component fixing jig; and mounting the component fixing jig onto the carrier board using the positioning mechanism in the mounting step.

2. 2. The method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board according to claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism includes a columnar portion provided on the component fixing jig, and a positioning hole provided on the transfer board and capable of being fitted with the columnar portion.

3. 3. The method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board according to claim 2, wherein the wiring board body is provided with a wiring board body fixing hole into which the columnar portion can fit, and the wiring board body and the component fixing jig are positioned using the wiring board body fixing hole during the mounting process.

4. 4. The method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board according to claim 2, wherein the positioning mechanism has a plurality of pairs of the columnar portion and the positioning hole.

5. A method for manufacturing a flexible printed wiring board as described in claim 4, wherein the multiple columnar portions are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of gravity position in the planar view shape of the component fixing jig.