Flex Flat Cable Structure with Meander Embossment for Signal Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flex flat cables (FFCs) have limited high-speed data signal transmission distance and are difficult to miniaturize due to the high dielectric constant of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) insulation and equal thickness of power and signal wires, which restricts the size reduction and current capacity.
Innovation Solution
A flex flat cable structure with parallel metallic transmission wires, including power and signal wires, enclosed in multiple insulating jackets with an embossment pattern of meander lines on the external surface, allowing for independent size adjustment of power wires and using materials like polyethylene, PVC, and Teflon for improved insulation, along with a metallic shield layer for enhanced current capacity and heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If PET insulating material is used in conventional FFC, then the cable is easy to compress and cost-effective, but the dielectric constant and dielectric dissipation factor are greater, limiting high-speed data signal transmission distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the insulating jacket from PET to low-dielectric materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or PTFE. This material substitution reduces the dielectric constant and dielectric dissipation factor, thereby extending the transmission distance of high-speed data signals while maintaining compression feasibility through appropriate material selection and processing parameters.
2Power
If the quantity or width of flat copper wire is increased to enhance current capacity, then the withstanding current capability conforms to power specifications, but the size of the FFC cannot be narrowed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the power wire independently from signal wires, increasing power wire thickness to enhance current capacity without increasing the overall cable width. This is achieved by optimizing the insulation thickness and utilizing the space more efficiently through asymmetric wire arrangement, allowing the cable to maintain a narrow profile while meeting power transmission requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the vertical arrangement and spacing of wires within the cable cross-section, utilizing the thickness dimension efficiently. By arranging power and signal wires in optimized patterns and adjusting insulation thickness, the design achieves high current capacity in a compact cross-sectional area, enabling size reduction without compromising power transmission capability.
3Device complexity
If equal thickness flat copper wires are used for power and signal transmission, then the structure is simple, but the FFC cannot simultaneously optimize for high-speed data transmission and high current capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different thickness specifications to different wire functions: power wires are made thicker to handle high current, while signal wires maintain thinner profiles optimized for high-speed data transmission. This local differentiation of wire dimensions allows each wire type to be optimized for its specific function, achieving both high current capacity and high-speed data transmission performance simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A flex flat cable (FFC) structure includes metallic transmission wires arranged in parallel, first insulating jackets, and second insulating jacket. The metallic transmission wires includes one or more power wires and signal wires. The power wire is configured to transmit power. The signal wires are configured to transmit a data signal. Each of first insulating jackets encloses one of metallic transmission wires. The second insulating jacket surrounds the first insulating jackets. An embossment pattern is arranged on an external surface of the second insulating jacket. The embossment pattern includes meander lines in a top-view direction and in an extending direction for the metallic transmission wires. The meander lines are not arranged parallel.