Flexible Circuit Board With Cuttable Testing Terminals

Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible circuit boards used in liquid crystal display device manufacturing have a short service life due to damage from repeated electric testing, leading to high testing costs and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A flexible circuit board design with a cutting region and testing terminals, where a first spacing allows for individual rows of testing terminals to be cut off along a specific direction, and a cutting device with a fixing component and cutter to facilitate this process, ensuring continuous testing without affecting electrical connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If testing terminals are repeatedly used for electric testing, then testing continuity is maintained, but the service life of the flexible circuit board decreases due to damage accumulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible circuit board is divided into a retained portion (with testing circuit) and a cuttable portion (with testing terminals). The testing terminals are segmented into individual rows that can be separately cut and replaced, allowing the testing circuit to be reused while replacing only the damaged terminal rows.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The testing terminals are extracted as a separable component from the testing circuit. The cutting region is designed to allow removal of terminal rows while leaving the testing circuit intact on the retained portion, enabling replacement of consumable terminals while preserving the valuable testing circuit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the entire flexible circuit board is replaced when testing terminals are damaged, then testing functionality is restored, but testing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible circuit board is segmented into valuable (testing circuit) and replaceable (testing terminals) portions. This allows selective replacement of only the damaged terminal rows rather than the entire board, significantly reducing material costs and waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The damaged testing terminal rows are discarded and replaced, while the valuable testing circuit is recovered and retained for continued use. The cutting device enables clean separation to maximize recovery of the reusable testing circuit portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Ease of repair

If testing terminals are cut off from the flexible circuit board, then damaged terminals can be replaced, but electrical connections may be disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The via holes are pre-positioned in the retained portion at locations that will remain after cutting. The testing circuit is designed to connect to these via holes, ensuring that electrical connections are maintained in the retained portion after the terminal rows are removed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The via holes act as intermediaries between the testing circuit and the testing terminals. They are positioned in the retained portion to maintain electrical connection pathways, serving as stable connection points that remain intact during the cutting and replacement process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9903906B2Flexible circuit board and cutting device

Publication Date: 2018.02.27

AI summary

A flexible circuit board and a cutting device are provided. The flexible circuit board includes a board body including a cutting region. A plurality rows of testing terminals are located in the cutting region, a first spacing being provided between two adjacent rows of testing terminals. The testing terminals can be respectively cut off from the board body along a cutting direction which is along the extending direction of the first spacing in the board body. A testing circuit is located on a surface of the board body. The testing circuit is arranged in a region outside the cutting region and the testing circuit is independently and electrically connected to each row of the testing terminals.