Elongate Printed Circuit Substrate With Wireless Location Indicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for processing elongate substrates, such as light strips, are inefficient in identifying specific locations for segmentation or bending, particularly after co-extrusion, leading to difficulties in separating long strips into individual units and potential damage if incorrect cutting occurs.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with an elongate printed circuit substrate arrangement featuring a row of electrical units and an indicator unit equipped with a wireless power receiver and indicator element, allowing wireless identification of specific locations for processing without powering the electrical units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If light strips are manufactured separately and then assembled, then assembly complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases and lighting uniformity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate manufacturing processes into a single co-extrusion process. The flexible printed circuit, LED chips, and insulating coating are manufactured together in one continuous operation, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps. This integration dramatically improves productivity while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the unified process design.
Solution Approach 2:
The co-extrusion process performs multiple functions simultaneously: it manufactures the flexible printed circuit substrate, mounts the LED chips, applies the insulating coating, and creates the final light strip assembly all in one operation. This multi-functional approach resolves the contradiction by improving productivity without increasing assembly complexity.
2Productivity
If light strip length is increased to over 50 meters, then productivity increases and silica gel waste decreases, but difficulty in identifying joint positions for separation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical indicators (color changes or light emission) to mark joint positions along the elongate light strip. These indicators are integrated into the light strip structure and become visible when power is applied, allowing easy identification of where to separate the long strip into individual units. This resolves the detection difficulty while maintaining the productivity benefits of long-strip manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical indicator acts as an intermediary signal between the manufacturing system and the separation process. It provides visible information about joint positions without requiring complex measurement equipment, enabling workers to easily identify separation points along 50+ meter light strips while maintaining high productivity.
3Measurement precision
If traditional methods are used to identify joint positions by lighting up strips sequentially, then location identification is possible, but time consumption increases and damaged strips cannot be processed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates optical indicators into the light strip structure during the co-extrusion manufacturing process, before the strips are used. These indicators are pre-positioned at joint locations, eliminating the need for sequential lighting-up procedures. This preliminary action allows instant identification of joint positions, dramatically reducing time consumption while maintaining accurate location identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical indicators provide immediate visual feedback about joint positions when power is applied to the light strip. This feedback mechanism allows operators to quickly identify separation points without time-consuming sequential testing, and the system can detect and skip damaged strips by observing which indicators fail to light up, thereby resolving both time consumption and damaged strip processing issues.
4Productivity
If co-extrusion process is used to manufacture long light strips, then productivity improves and silica gel waste decreases, but uniformity of lighting effect may worsen due to difficulty in maintaining consistent quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates optical indicators that provide real-time feedback during the co-extrusion process about the quality and uniformity of light emission. This feedback mechanism allows operators to monitor and maintain consistent lighting uniformity across the entire 50+ meter length, ensuring stable composition and uniform lighting effect while benefiting from high productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances productivity and location accuracy by enabling precise identification of separation or bending points, facilitating efficient co-extrusion and subsequent processing of elongate substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a wireless power receiver for wirelessly receiving power for actuating the indicator element
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device has an elongate printed circuit substrate arrangement and a row of electrical units on the elongate printed circuit substrate arrangement. An indicator unit is wireless powered for identifying a particular location of the elongate printed circuit substrate arrangement. This identification is used for identifying the correct location for subsequent processing of the device during manufacture.