Flexible Circuit Board Interconnection Using Spring-Loaded Clamp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reflow or wave soldering techniques struggle to effectively join individual or panelized circuit boards together due to challenges in holding, alignment, and interference with heat flow, leading to incomplete or weak solder joints, and lack of visual inspection capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for holding flexible circuit boards together using a circuit board clamp with a u-shaped fastener, spring tension arm, and attachment mechanism, which applies downward forces to maintain alignment and prevent movement during soldering, allowing for reliable and repeatable solder joints to be formed using reflow or wave soldering processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional reflow or wave soldering techniques are used to join circuit boards, then batch processing of individual or panelized circuit boards is achieved, but challenges in holding, alignment, and interference with heat flow lead to incomplete or weak solder joints
Solution Approach 1:
A clamp assembly is introduced as an intermediary device to hold multiple circuit boards together during the soldering process. The clamp assembly includes clamps with spring-loaded arms that apply downward force on the boards, ensuring they remain aligned and pressed together without interfering with heat flow to the solder joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding mechanism is divided into multiple individual clamps, each with its own spring-loaded arm, that can be independently positioned along the circuit boards. This segmentation allows for flexible accommodation of different board configurations and sizes while maintaining consistent holding pressure across all boards.
2Manufacturing precision
If circuit boards are held together during soldering, then alignment is maintained, but interference with heat flow may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The clamps are designed to apply holding force at specific locations on the circuit boards while leaving the solder joint areas accessible to heat flow. The spring-loaded arms contact the boards at points away from the solder joints, maintaining local thermal quality where soldering occurs while providing global mechanical stability.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If visual inspection capabilities are added to the soldering process, then defect detection is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp assembly design allows for easy visual inspection of solder joints by positioning the clamps and boards in a configuration that provides direct line-of-sight access to the solder joint areas. The spring-loaded arms and open clamp structure do not obstruct the view, enabling operators to visually inspect solder quality without adding complex inspection equipment.
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
Enables the creation of long, continuous circuit strips with reliable mechanical and electrical connections by ensuring proper alignment and heat transfer, while allowing for visual inspection and easy removal for end-use applications.
Implementation Method 1
a spring tension arm connected to the u-shaped fastener
Implementation Method 2
reflowing the solder composition with a heat source to bond the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board together
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention include flexible circuit board interconnections and methods regarding the same. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of connecting a plurality of flexible circuit boards together comprising the steps applying a solder composition between an upper surface of a first flexible circuit board and a lower surface of a second flexible circuit board; holding the upper surface of the first flexible circuit board and the lower surface of the second flexible circuit board together; and reflowing the solder composition with a heat source to bond the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board together to form a flexible circuit board strip having a length longer than either of the first flexible circuit board or second flexible circuit board separately. In an embodiment the invention includes a circuit board clamp for holding flexible circuit boards together, the clamp including a u-shaped fastener; a spring tension arm connected to the u-shaped fastener; and an attachment mechanism connected to the spring tension arm. Other embodiments are also included herein.