Flexible Printed Circuit Board Routing in Foldable Electronic Device Hinge
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for portability and convenience in electronic devices, such as smartphones, poses challenges in accommodating more wires for connectivity, which limits design freedom and battery capacity due to the shrinking internal space.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) that extends between the housings of a rotatable electronic device, allowing for efficient connection of electronic components and potentially increasing battery capacity by utilizing otherwise unused space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If more wires are arranged to enhance communication function and data transmission capability, then communication performance is improved, but the internal space for arranging wires becomes insufficient which limits design freedom and battery capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from rigid wired connections to flexible FPCB structures that can be bent and routed in three-dimensional spaces. The FPCB extends through the hinge area and connects components across housing boundaries, utilizing spatial flexibility rather than traditional planar wiring arrangements. This dimensional flexibility allows more wires to be accommodated within the same internal volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) that can be bent, folded, and routed through tight spaces between housings. The FPCB structure replaces rigid cables and allows for compact routing through the hinge area, enabling additional wiring without proportionally increasing the internal space requirement.
2Reliability
If more wires are arranged to enhance communication function, then data transmission capacity is improved, but design freedom for arrangement of electronic components is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The FPCB structure provides dynamic adaptability in routing wires through the hinge area. The flexible nature of the FPCB allows it to be configured in various paths and angles to accommodate different component arrangements, enabling designers to optimize both wiring density and component layout freedom simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
By using three-dimensional FPCB routing instead of traditional planar wiring, the patent creates additional spatial freedom for component arrangement. The FPCB can be routed above, below, or through the hinge area, providing multiple dimensional pathways that increase design flexibility.
3Reliability
If more wires are arranged to enhance communication function, then communication performance is improved, but the capacity of battery is limited due to shrinking internal space
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible FPCB structure occupies less volume than rigid cable assemblies, allowing more wiring material to be accommodated within the same internal space. This increased wiring capacity without proportional volume increase preserves space for larger batteries.
Solution Approach 2:
The FPCB is routed through and nested within the hinge area structure, utilizing existing structural spaces rather than adding separate wiring volumes. This nested arrangement maximizes the use of available internal space for both wiring and battery capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes at least one hinge module providing at least one folding axis, a first housing coupled with the hinge module to rotate around the folding axis, a second housing coupled with the hinge module to rotate around the folding axis, and rotating with respect to the first housing, between a first position at which the second housing is folded, facing the first housing and a second position at which the second housing is unfolded at a specified angle from the first position, a first battery provided in the first housing, a first circuit board including a first arrangement area disposed in parallel to the first battery at least partially along a direction parallel to the folding axis, and a second arrangement area extending from the first arrangement area and disposed between the folding axis and the battery, and at least one flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) extending from the interior of the first housing to the interior of the second housing across the folding axis. Inside the first housing, one end portion of the FPCB is connected to the second arrangement area, between the folding axis and the first battery, and a part of the FPCB is disposed between the first battery and the second arrangement area.