Flexible Flat Cable Manufacturing System

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible flat cable manufacturing system, wherein the flexible flat cable manufacturing system comprises a plurality of copper wire feeders on which copper wires are wound, a film feeder including a portion for applying an adhesive to each wound first film and second film, a melting machine provided on the upper side that receives the first film and second film coated with adhesive and heats them to a predetermined temperature while passing them through the interior, a crimping machine that forms a flexible flat cable by passing a copper wire supplied from the copper wire feeders between the first film and second film passing through the melting machine and crimping them, a cutting machine that receives the flexible flat cable and cuts it at predetermined intervals to divide the flexible flat cable, a temperature control unit that receives temperature information from a temperature measuring sensor that measures the temperature of the first film and second film supplied to the melting machine and heats the melting machine to a preset temperature, and if the temperature measured by the temperature control unit is above a preset limit temperature, increases the speed of the copper wire feeders and the melting machine to reduce the heating exposure time, and if it is below a preset minimum temperature, increases the speed of supplying the copper wire feeders and the melting machine to the crimping machine. By including a control unit comprising a speed control section that reduces and increases the melting exposure time, the temperature, pressure, and supply speed are corrected in real time during the manufacturing of flexible flat cables to always maintain the molten state of the film adhesive within an optimal range. This prevents thermal deformation caused by excessive melting of the film adhesive or adhesion defects caused by low temperatures, thereby significantly improving process stability. Furthermore, by applying temperature and pressure-linked control logic to dynamically adjust pressure, thickness uniformity is ensured, preventing copper wire damage or film deformation caused by excessive compression. Additionally, by detecting minute thickness deviations and copper wire positional errors to correct dimensional accuracy and micro-defects in real time, consistency in product quality can be maintained. Moreover, by calculating the Euclidean distance between the center points of the copper wires and assigning code numbers for management,By detecting copper wire misalignment or meandering, which frequently occur during the manufacturing process, in real time, it is possible to immediately identify defects, minimize wasted materials, significantly improve overall yield, and achieve cost savings.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The following embodiments relate to a flexible flat cable manufacturing system. Background Technology

[0003] Recently, in the field of electronic industry technology, due to advancements in the integration density of semiconductor integrated circuits, the development of surface mount technology for directly mounting small chip components, and the trend toward miniaturization of electronic equipment, the need for printed circuit boards that are easy to install even in more complex and confined spaces has increased. In response to this demand, flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) and flexible flat cables (FFCs) have been developed. The flexible printed circuit board (FPC) is a printed circuit board (PCB) that can be freely bent, and the flexible flat cable (FFC) is, as the name suggests, a thin, flat, bendable cable used to connect two ends.

[0004] The demand for such flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) and flexible flat cables (FFCs) is on the rise as their use increases rapidly due to the advancement of electronic equipment such as mobile devices, LCDs, PDPs, cameras, and printer heads.

[0005] First, flexible flat cables (FFC) are manufactured in the following process sequence: FFC lamination, plating, short circuit inspection, external die stamping, finished product inspection, shipment inspection, packaging, and shipment.

[0006] In the process according to the manufacturing method of such flexible flat cables (FFC), FFC laminates have the disadvantage that they can only be applied to straight circuits and cannot be applied to curved circuits. In addition, since it is a roll-to-roll production method, the shape of the cable cannot be freely realized, and the conductors within the cable cannot freely adjust the width in the longitudinal direction using slitting wires or rolled wires.

[0007] In addition, there was a problem where the laminating speed was limited (1.3 m / min) because the film adhesive did not completely melt in the existing single melting zone. However, if lamination occurred before the film's adhesive layer was completely melted, the FCC conductor could not be firmly supported, leading to reduced durability and thus preventing an increase in the laminating speed. Prior art literature

[0009] 1. Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0056439 (April 29, 2024) 2. Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0092008 (July 21, 2014) The problem to be solved

[0010] The present invention provides a flexible flat cable manufacturing system capable of improving the production speed of flexible flat cables and preventing conductor delamination and cracking that occur during lamination through precise temperature, speed, and pressure control. means of solving the problem

[0012] The present invention relates to a flexible flat cable manufacturing system, wherein the flexible flat cable manufacturing system comprises: a plurality of copper wire feeders having copper wires wound thereon; a film feeder including an adhesive application unit for each wound first film and second film; a melting unit having an upper side that receives the first film and second film with the adhesive applied thereon and heats them to a predetermined temperature while passing them through the interior; a crimping unit that forms a flexible flat cable by passing a copper wire supplied from the copper wire feeders between the first film and second film passing through the melting unit and crimping them; a cutting unit that receives the flexible flat cable and cuts it at a predetermined interval to divide the flexible flat cable; a temperature control unit that receives temperature information from a temperature measuring sensor that measures the temperature of the first film and second film supplied to the melting unit and heats the melting unit to a preset temperature; and, if the temperature measured by the temperature control unit is above a preset limit temperature, increases the speed of the copper wire feeders and the melting unit to reduce the heating exposure time, and if it is below a preset minimum temperature, supplies the copper wire feeders and the melting unit to the crimping unit. It includes a control unit comprising a speed control section that reduces the speed to increase the melting exposure time.

[0013] In addition, a camera unit that captures a flexible flat cable discharged from the above-mentioned crimping machine in real time and provides image data to the control unit, and the control unit includes an image analysis unit that receives the image data from the camera unit and analyzes the thickness of the flexible flat cable and the position of the copper wire, and the image analysis unit determines the corrected upper and lower outlines by applying a subpixel edge interpolation algorithm to the outer boundary pixels of the first film and the second film from the image data, calculates the thickness of the flexible flat cable by calculating the vertical distance between the determined upper and lower outlines, and detects the occupied area of ​​the copper wire through binarization processing that applies a variable threshold value calculated based on the brightness histogram between the copper wire and the film within a preset area of ​​interest to the expected path where the copper wire is placed, thereby calculating the center position of the copper wire in the area of ​​interest and the distance separated from other adjacent copper wires.

[0014] Additionally, the above-mentioned crimping device may include a first crimping unit and a second crimping unit that receive and crimp a copper wire, a first film, and a second film spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and may include a pressure control unit that controls the thickness of the flexible flat cable by adjusting the crimping strength of the copper wire, the first film, and the second film by sliding the crimping devices toward each other according to the thickness of the flexible flat cable analyzed through the image analysis unit.

[0015] Additionally, the pressure regulating unit may include a guide bar supporting the presser, a sealing bar forming a receiving portion between the rear side of the presser that is conveyed along the longitudinal direction of the guide bar, a support bar provided in the receiving portion, an elastic bar having a predetermined curvature so that both ends are connected to the support bar and the ends are in close contact with the presser and provide elastic support, and a hydraulic supply unit that slides the support bar with a predetermined pressure.

[0016] Additionally, the cutting machine comprises a cutting section that cuts by having a plurality of cutting sections arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the flexible flat cable on the upper side in the direction in which the flexible flat cable is conveyed, and a cable branching unit that adjusts the gap of the cut cable of the cutting section; the cable branching unit comprises a main body that supports the cut flexible flat cable, holders that extend radially from the main body to face each other with the cut flexible flat cable in between, and a gap adjusting section that is spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance between the holders and partially inserted into the gap of the cut flexible flat cable to adjust the gap of the cut flexible flat cable; the gap adjusting section comprises a round bar connecting the holders to each other and adjusting members provided at equal intervals on the round bar; the adjusting member comprises a fixed member fixed to the round bar, a rotating member that rotates around a hinge provided near the end side of the fixed member, and hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic supply unit between the fixed member and the rotating member to move the rotating member from the fixed member around the hinge It may include a rotating member pressing part that rotates the member, and an elastic body provided on the outer circumference of the pressing part to restore the rotating member to the fixed member. Effects of the invention

[0018] According to the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention, the following effects are achieved.

[0019] First, according to the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention, the temperature, pressure, and supply speed are corrected in real time during the manufacturing of a flexible flat cable to always maintain the molten state of the film adhesive within an optimal range, thereby preventing thermal deformation caused by excessive melting of the film adhesive or adhesion defects caused by low temperature in advance, which can dramatically improve the stability of the process.

[0020] Secondly, according to the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention, by applying temperature and pressure-linked control logic to dynamically adjust pressure, thickness uniformity is ensured and copper wire damage or film deformation caused by excessive compression is prevented. Additionally, by detecting minute thickness deviations and copper wire positional errors, dimensional accuracy and minute defects can be corrected in real time, thereby maintaining consistency in product quality.

[0021] Thirdly, according to the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention, by calculating the Euclidean distance between the center points of copper wires and assigning a code number for management, the deviation or meandering of copper wires that frequently occur during the manufacturing process can be identified in real time, thereby immediately identifying defect factors that occur during the process, minimizing wasted materials, and significantly improving the overall yield to reduce costs. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0023] FIG. 1 is a figure illustrating an embodiment of a flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the control unit of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a figure showing a flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention. Figure 4 is a figure showing the melting unit of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a figure showing the cutting machine of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a figure showing a vertical cross-section of a flexible flat cable. Figure 7 is a figure showing the pressure regulating unit of Figure 3. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the operation of Figure 8. Figure 9 is a figure showing the cable branching unit of Figure 3. Figure 10 is a plan view of Figure 9. Figure 11 is a figure showing the gap adjustment part of Figure 9. Figure 12 is a diagram showing the operation of Figure 11. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, various modifications may be made to the embodiments, and thus the scope of the patent application is not limited or restricted by these embodiments. It should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions to the embodiments are included within the scope of the rights.

[0025] Specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments are disclosed for illustrative purposes only and may be modified and implemented in various forms. Accordingly, the embodiments are not limited to the specific disclosed forms, and the scope of this specification includes modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the technical concept.

[0026] Terms such as "first" or "second" may be used to describe various components, but these terms should be interpreted solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0027] When it is stated that a component is "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected to or coupled with that other component, or that there may be other components in between.

[0028] The terms used in the embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted as intended to be limiting. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the embodiments pertain. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0030] In addition, when describing with reference to the attached drawings, identical components are assigned the same reference numeral regardless of drawing symbols, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted. In describing the embodiments, if it is determined that a detailed description of related prior art could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the embodiments, such detailed description is omitted.

[0031] The advantages and features of the present invention and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0032] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0033] The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, numbers, etc. disclosed in the drawings for explaining embodiments of the present invention are exemplary, and therefore the present invention is not limited to the depicted details. Furthermore, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present invention, such detailed description is omitted. Where terms such as "includes," "has," or "is made up" are used in this specification, other parts may be added unless "only" is used. Where a component is expressed in the singular, it includes cases where it includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0034] In interpreting the components, they are interpreted to include a margin of error even in the absence of a separate explicit statement.

[0035] In the case of describing a positional relationship, for example, when the positional relationship between two parts is described using expressions such as 'on,' 'upper,' 'lower,' or 'next to,' one or more other parts may be located between the two parts unless 'immediately' or 'directly' is used.

[0036] When elements or layers are referred to as "on" another element or layer, this includes cases where another layer or element is placed directly on top of or in between. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0037] The size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are illustrated for convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to the size and thickness of the illustrated components.

[0038] The features of each of the various embodiments of the present invention may be combined or combined with one another, either partially or wholly, and as will be fully understood by those skilled in the art, various technical interlocking and operation are possible, and each embodiment may be implemented independently of one another or together in an interlocking relationship.

[0039] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0040] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the control unit of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the melting machine of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the cutting machine of FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a vertical cross-section of the flexible flat cable, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the pressure regulating unit of FIG. 3, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the operation of FIG. 8, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the cable branching unit of FIG. 3, FIG. 10 is a plan view of FIG. 9, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the gap regulating part of FIG. 9, and FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the operation of FIG. 11.

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 12, an embodiment of the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention is described. The flexible flat cable manufacturing system includes a control unit (C), a copper wire feeder (10), a film feeder (20), a crimping machine (30), a camera unit (40), a cutting machine (50), a winding machine (60), and a pressure control unit (70).

[0042] The control unit (C) allows the user to set and control the flexible flat cable manufacturing system, enabling each device, unit, and apparatus to be driven by internal settings. The control unit (C) includes a temperature control unit (C1), a speed control unit (C2), an image analysis unit (C3), a gap adjustment unit (C4), and a pressure adjustment unit (C5).

[0043] The control unit (C) can receive temperature information from a temperature measuring sensor that measures the temperature applied to the first film (Fm1) and the second film (Fm2) in the melting machine (32, 36) described later, and adjust the temperature to correspond to a preset temperature. For example, the temperature control unit (C1) receives real-time feedback from the temperature measuring sensor placed in the first melting unit (32) and the second melting unit (36), calculates the rate of change before the measured temperature reaches a threshold, and preemptively adjusts the output of the heater.

[0044] The speed control unit (C2) can increase the speed of supplying the copper wire (Cu), the first film (Fm1), and the second film (Fm2) to the press (30) to reduce the exposure time to the melting machine (32, 36) if the temperature measured by the temperature control unit (C1) is above a preset limit temperature, and decrease the speed of supplying the copper wire (Cu), the first film (Fm1), and the second film (Fm2) to the press (30) to increase the exposure time to the melting machine (32, 36) if the temperature is below a preset minimum temperature.

[0045] For example, when the temperature rises above a set limit temperature, the driving motor speeds of the copper wire feeder (10) and the presser (30) are synchronized in conjunction with the speed control unit (C2). The speed at which acceleration occurs is calculated according to the correlation curve between the reduction in melting exposure time and the temperature. Conversely, when the temperature is below the minimum temperature, the supply speed is decelerated to forcibly secure a residence time so that the adhesive on the film surface can be sufficiently melted, thereby preventing adhesion defects in the presser process.

[0046] The image analysis unit (C3) can receive image data from the camera unit (40) and analyze the thickness of the flexible flat cable (FFC) and the position of the copper wire.

[0047] The image analysis unit (C3) extracts the slope of how the brightness changes between neighboring pixels at the boundary of the first film (Fm1) and the second film (Fm2) from the image data, that is, for the outer boundary pixels of the first film (Fm1) and the second film (Fm2), and creates a smooth mathematical curve model that is continuous, such as a quadratic function or a Gaussian curve, and then calculates the point where the brightness change appears most distinctly on the curve or the position of the vertex of the curve, thereby applying a subpixel edge interpolation algorithm that divides the very fine gap between pixels, which is the smallest unit of the image sensor, into units of 0.1 to 0.01 pixels to determine the corrected upper and lower outlines, calculates the thickness of the flexible flat cable by calculating the vertical distance between the determined upper and lower outlines, and also applies a variable threshold calculated based on the brightness histogram between the copper wire (Cu) and the film (Fm1, Fm2) within a preset region of interest to the expected path where the copper wire (Cu) is placed. By detecting the occupied area of ​​the copper wire (Cu) through binarization processing, the center location of the copper wire in the region of interest and the distance from other adjacent copper wires can be calculated.

[0048] In addition, to analyze the location and separation distance of the copper wire, the image analysis unit (C3) performs intensive calculations only within a pre-set region of interest for the expected point where the copper wire passes through the entire frame. The image analysis unit (C3) performs multiple threshold binarization, analyzes the translucent characteristics of the film and the high-reflectivity characteristics of the copper wire using a histogram, and then derives the optimal binarization threshold value in real time after removing background noise.

[0049] The image analysis unit (C3) calculates the geometric center point of the extracted copper wire occupancy area to identify the location of each copper wire and assigns a code number to each, and calculates the Euclidean distance between the center points of adjacent copper wires between each code number and analyzes the deviation from the design standard value to determine in real time whether the copper wire is skewed or snaking.

[0050] The gap adjustment unit (C4) receives data on the position of copper wires and the distance between copper wires calculated in real time from the image analysis unit (C3), and controls the operation of the cable branching unit that adjusts the spatial arrangement of individual cables cut by the cutter based on this.

[0051] When the gap adjustment unit (C4) calculates the deviation from the reference value by measuring the distance between the copper wire centerline in the cut flexible flat cable and the copper wire centerline in another adjacent flexible flat cable through the image analysis unit (C3), the control unit can make corrections to offset the deviation.

[0052] For example, the gap adjustment unit (C4) physically separates and aligns the transport trajectory between the cut flexible flat cables through image data so that the gap becomes constant within a preset tolerance range.

[0053] According to this, even if there is slight thermal shrinkage or displacement of the copper wires caused by melting and crimping, the final divided cables can be aligned in real time to ensure an even spacing arrangement optimized for subsequent processes (such as connector connection).

[0054] The pressure control unit (C5) receives real-time thickness data of the flexible flat cable (FFC) calculated through a subpixel edge interpolation algorithm from the image analysis unit (C3), and can maintain the uniformity of the product by adjusting the pressure of the crimping machine (30) based on this.

[0055] For example, if the real-time thickness of the flexible flat cable (FFC) calculated by the image analysis unit (C3) exceeds the upper limit (Max Tolerance) of a preset tolerance range, the pressure control unit (C5) determines that the adhesive density between the films is high or that bubbles remain, and activates the pressure control unit (70) described later to move the crimping device (30) toward each other. Conversely, if the calculated thickness is less than the lower limit (Min Tolerance) of the tolerance range, the pressure control unit (70) is activated to move the crimping device (30) in opposite directions to reduce the pressure applied to the flexible flat cable in order to prevent damage to the copper wire or elongation of the film due to excessive crimping.

[0056] At this time, the pressure control unit (C5) controls the current melting temperature provided by the temperature control unit (C1) by linking it with the variable. The pressure control unit (C5) finely adjusts the pressure control increment value to reflect the high thickness sensitivity to pressure changes when the temperature is high and the viscosity of the adhesive is low, and offsets the thickness deviation by setting a large pressure fluctuation range when the temperature is low. As a result, the pressure control unit (C5) has the effect of converging the thickness of the flexible flat cable (FFC) within the specifications regardless of changes in the process environment through the precise measurement data of the image analysis unit (C3) and the temperature-pressure combined logic.

[0057] The copper wire feeder (10) is equipped with copper wires wound on each of a plurality of bobbins, and can continuously supply each copper wire (Cu) to a melting machine (32, 36). The copper wire feeder (10) can simultaneously unwind multiple wound copper wires, and since this is a copper wire feeder generally used in industrial settings, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0058] The film feeder (20) includes a first film supply unit (21) and a second film supply unit (25) in which a first film (Fm1) and a second film (Fm2) made of insulating materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyimide (PI) are each wound, and can be supplied to the melting unit (32, 36) of the presser (30) by passing through an application unit (22, 26) that applies an adhesive to the first film (Fm1) and the second film (Fm2) wound respectively.

[0059] The coating section (22, 26) includes a first coating member (22) provided between the first film supply section (21) and the press (30) to spray and apply adhesive to the first film (Fm1) that is unwound and transported from the first film supply section (21), and a second coating member (26) provided between the second film supply section (25) and the press (30) corresponding to the opposite side of the first film supply section (21) to spray and apply adhesive to the second film (Fm2) that is unwound and transported from the second film supply section (25).

[0060] A compressor (30) receives a first film (Fm1) and a second film (Fm2) coated with adhesive through the coating section (22, 26), passes through the interior, and has a melting machine (32, 36) heated to a predetermined temperature. The melting machine (32, 36) is provided on the upper side, which is the leading side where the first film (Fm1) and the second film (Fm2) are supplied, and a copper wire (Cu) supplied from a copper wire supplier (10) passes between the first film (Fm1) and the second film (Fm2) passing through the melting machine (32, 36) and is compressed to form a flexible flat cable.

[0061] The presser (30) includes a first presser (31) having a first melting part (32) on the upper side that receives a first film (Fm1) and heats it to a predetermined temperature, and a second presser (35) having a second melting part (36) on the upper side that receives a second film (Fm2) and heats it to a predetermined temperature.

[0062] In the first compression section (31) and the second compression section (35), the first melting section (32) and the second melting section (36) are respectively provided with a melting machine (32, 36) on the upper side and can be installed on a work table spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and the film transferred from the melting machine (32, 36) is collected and a copper wire is inserted between them to be joined. That is, two films are melted by the heating roll of the compression machine (30), joined with the copper wire (Cu) between them, and transferred to the cutting machine (50).

[0063] The melting machine (32, 36) can melt the adhesive applied to the film by applying heat while transporting the supplied first film (Fm1) and second film (Fm2) in opposite directions. For example, the first melting section (32) and the second melting section (36) may include a heating roll (not shown in the drawing) that transports the film toward the first pressing section (31) and the second pressing section (35) and emits heat on its surface to transfer heat to the transported film and melt it.

[0064] Additionally, the heating roll is formed like a roller to transport the film to one side, and heat of about 100 degrees is emitted from the surface of the roller to primarily melt the adhesive applied to the film. It is characterized by the fact that the films transported from the melting machine (32, 36) are gathered and a copper wire is inserted between them to be bonded. That is, two films are melted by the heating roll of the presser (30), bonded with the copper wire between them, and transported to the first pressing part (31) and the second pressing part (35) to be compressed.

[0065] These compressors (30) receive copper wires from the copper wire feeder (10) and discharge them in opposite directions, and can form a flexible flat cable (FFC) by compressing the first film (Fm1) and the second film (Fm2) together with the copper wire (Cu) in between.

[0066] The camera unit (40) can capture the flexible flat cable (FFC) discharged from the crimping machine (30) in real time and provide image data to the control unit (C). The camera unit (40) is positioned facing the flexible flat cable (FFC) in the direction in which the flexible flat cable (FFC) is discharged from the crimping machine (30).

[0067] The cutting machine (50) can receive a flexible flat cable (FFC) and cut it at predetermined intervals to divide the flexible flat cable (FFC). The cutting machine (50) includes a plurality of cutting sections (51) that are arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the flexible flat cable on the upper side of the direction in which the flexible flat cable (FFC) is transported.

[0068] The cutting section (51) has blades installed at regular intervals and can cut the conveyed bonded film at regular intervals. A commonly used film cutting means may be applied.

[0069] The winder (60) is provided in multiple units and can wind the cut cables (F1, F2) onto bobbins respectively. A commonly used cable winding means can be applied to this winder (60).

[0070] Meanwhile, the pressure control unit (70) can adjust the thickness of the flexible flat cable (FFC) by sliding the crimping device (30) toward each other according to the thickness of the flexible flat cable (FFC) analyzed through the image analysis unit (C3) and adjusting the compression strength of the copper wire (Cu), the first film (Fm1), and the second film (Fm2).

[0071] The pressure regulating unit (70) includes a sealing bar (72) that forms a receiving portion (721) between the rear side of the presser (30) which is transported along the longitudinal direction of the guide bar (71) supporting the presser (30), a support bar (73) provided in the receiving portion (721), an elastic bar (74) having a predetermined curvature so that both ends are connected to the support bar (73) and the ends are in close contact with the presser (30) and provide elastic support, and a hydraulic supply unit (H) that slides the support bar (73) with a predetermined pressure. Here, the hydraulic supply unit (H) is a general hydraulic system that can slide the support bar (73) by extending and retracting a cylinder connected to the support bar (73).

[0072] For example, the pressure control unit (70) is provided in each of the first compression part (31) and the second compression part (35) and slides toward each other through the hydraulic supply unit (H). At this time, the film being compressed can be elastically supported between the first compression part (31) and the second compression part (35), thereby preventing the film from being compressed at a pressure higher or lower than a preset pressure when being compressed, thus avoiding the breakage of the internal copper wire, thereby improving stability and maintaining consistent quality, and thus improving the reliability of the product.

[0073] Additionally, the cutting machine (50) includes a cable branching unit (80) that adjusts the gap of the cut cable at the rear side of the cutting section (51).

[0074] The cable branching unit (80) has a plurality of cutting sections (51) arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the flexible flat cable (FFC) on the upper side of the direction in which the flexible flat cable (FFC) is transported, and can adjust the gap between the cut cables (F1, F2).

[0075] The cable branching unit (80) may include a main body (81) that supports the cut cables (F1, F2), a holder (82) that extends radially from the main body (81) and faces each other with the cut cables (F1, F2) in between, and a gap adjustment part (83) that is spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance between the holders (82), partially inserted into the gap of the cut cables (F1, F2), and adjusts the gap of the cut cables (F1, F2).

[0076] The gap adjustment section (83) may include a round bar (831) connecting the holders (82) to each other, and adjustment members (832) provided at equal intervals on the round bar (831).

[0077] The adjusting member (832) may include a fixed member (8321) fixed to a round bar (831), a rotating member (8322) that rotates around a hinge (8323) provided near the end of the fixed member (8321), and a rotating member pressing part (833) that receives hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic supply unit (H) between the fixed member (8321) and the rotating member (8322) to rotate the rotating member (8322) from the fixed member (8321) around the hinge (8323).

[0078] The fixing member (8321) is bent to have an inclined surface toward one side facing the end, and a pressing member (833) may be provided on the other side. The fixing member (8321) may be provided with a hinge (8323) on one side.

[0079] The rotating member (8322) corresponds parallel to the fixed member (8321), and one side facing the end can be rotatably connected to the hinge (8323). The rotating member (8322) is connected to the pressurizing part (833) on the other side, so that the pressurizing part (833) can be extended or retracted by the operation of the hydraulic supply unit (H).

[0080] Here, the adjusting member (832) can adjust the gap between the cables (F1, F2) cut along the inclined surface by reducing the outer diameter toward the end side of one side.

[0081] Additionally, the rotating member (8322) includes an extension end (83221) that is bent and extended toward the inclined surface of the fixed member (8321) to cover the hinge (3823), and the fixed member (8321) may include an extension end insertion groove (83211) so that the extension end (83221) is partially retracted when the rotating member (8322) rotates.

[0082] According to this, when it is desired to separate the gap between the cut cables (F1, F2), the gap adjustment unit (C4) of the control unit (C) controls the pressurizing unit (833) through the hydraulic supply unit (H) to rotate the rotating member (8322) around the hinge (8323), thereby allowing the cut cables (F1, F2) to move along the inclined surface and the gap to be adjusted.

[0083] The pressurizing part (833) may be a cylinder that expands and contracts by receiving hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic supply unit (H).

[0084] According to the flexible flat cable manufacturing system of the present invention, the temperature, pressure, and supply speed are corrected in real time during the manufacturing of a flexible flat cable to maintain the molten state of the film adhesive at an optimal range at all times, thereby preventing thermal deformation caused by excessive melting of the film adhesive or adhesion defects caused by low temperature, which can dramatically improve process stability. Furthermore, by applying a temperature and pressure-linked control logic to dynamically adjust the pressure, thickness uniformity is ensured, preventing copper wire damage or film deformation caused by excessive compression. Additionally, by detecting minute thickness deviations and positional errors of the copper wires, dimensional accuracy and minute defects can be corrected in real time, thereby maintaining consistency in product quality. Moreover, by calculating the Euclidean distance between the center points of the copper wires and assigning code numbers for management, the deviation or meandering of the copper wires that frequently occur during the manufacturing process can be identified in real time, allowing for the immediate identification of defect factors occurring during the process, thereby minimizing wasted materials and significantly improving the overall yield, which can lead to cost reduction.

[0085] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments and may be modified in various ways within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to explain, not limit, the technical spirit of the present invention, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical spirits within an equivalent scope shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of the present invention.

[0086] Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims also fall within the scope of the claims set forth below. Explanation of the symbols

[0088] 10: Copper wire feeder 20: Film feeder 30: Press 40: Camera unit 50: Cutting machine 60: Winder

Claims

Claim 1 A plurality of copper wire feeders wound with copper wires; a film feeder including a coating unit for applying adhesive to each wound first film and second film; a compressor having a melting device on the upper side that receives the first film and second film coated with adhesive and heats them to a predetermined temperature while passing them through the interior, and which passes a copper wire supplied from the copper wire feeders between the first film and second film passing through the melting device and compresses them to form a flexible flat cable; and a cutting device that receives the flexible flat cable and cuts it at predetermined intervals to divide the flexible flat cable. A control unit comprising: a temperature control unit that receives temperature information from a temperature measuring sensor that measures the temperature of the first film and the second film supplied to the melting machine and heats the melting machine to a preset temperature; and a speed control unit that, if the temperature measured by the temperature control unit is above a preset limit temperature, increases the speed of the copper wire supply and the melting machine to reduce the heating exposure time, and if the temperature is below a preset minimum temperature, decreases the speed of supplying the copper wire supply and the melting machine to the crimping machine to increase the melting exposure time; and a camera unit that captures a flexible flat cable discharged from the crimping machine in real time and provides image data to the control unit.A flexible flat cable manufacturing system characterized by the control unit including an image analysis unit that receives image data from the camera unit and analyzes the thickness of the flexible flat cable and the position of the copper wire, wherein the image analysis unit determines the corrected upper and lower outlines by applying a subpixel edge interpolation algorithm to the outer boundary pixels of the first film and the second film from the image data, calculates the thickness of the flexible flat cable by calculating the vertical distance between the determined upper and lower outlines, and detects the occupied area of ​​the copper wire through binarization processing that applies a variable threshold value calculated based on the brightness histogram between the copper wire and the film within a preset region of interest to the expected path where the copper wire is placed, and calculates the center position of the copper wire in the region of interest and the distance separated from other adjacent copper wires. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A flexible flat cable manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein the crimping device comprises a first crimping unit and a second crimping unit that receive and crimp a copper wire, a first film, and a second film spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and a pressure control unit that controls the thickness of the flexible flat cable by sliding the crimping devices toward each other according to the thickness of the flexible flat cable analyzed through the image analysis unit and adjusting the crimping strength of the copper wire, the first film, and the second film.

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