Flexible Circuit Board Sealing for Thermal Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connections in electronic devices, particularly in harsh environments like automotive transmissions and engines, face challenges in withstanding aggressive media and mechanical influences, leading to potential damage and leakage due to temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A connecting device utilizing a flexible printed circuit board between a base support and a cover, both made of the same flexible material, forms a sealed housing that shields electrical connections from environmental influences, with a compensating contour to prevent shearing forces and leaks, and an electronic circuit is integrated for media-tight signal and energy transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid circuit boards and covers are used to protect electrical connections, then mechanical strength is improved, but thermal expansion differences cause shearing forces and leaks during temperature fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid to flexible for both the circuit board and cover, making them capable of withstanding temperature fluctuations without generating shearing forces. This parameter change maintains mechanical strength while improving sealing reliability through the flexible material's ability to expand and contract uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies homogeneity by using the same flexible material for both the circuit board and cover. This ensures identical thermal expansion coefficients, eliminating shearing forces at the interface during temperature changes and preventing leaks while maintaining mechanical integrity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If flexible materials are used for circuit board and cover, then thermal expansion compatibility is improved, but mechanical protection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter to flexible material with specific properties that provide both thermal expansion compatibility and adequate mechanical protection. The flexible material's elasticity allows it to withstand temperature variations while maintaining sufficient strength to protect electrical connections in harsh environments.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the contacting area is firmly connected to base support and cover, then structural stability is improved, but flexibility and tolerance compensation are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the circuit board into two functional areas: a connection area for firm attachment to the cover and base support, and a contacting area that remains flexible. This segmentation allows the connection area to provide structural stability while the contacting area maintains flexibility for tolerance compensation during assembly and operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by giving different mechanical properties to different areas of the circuit board. The connection area has high rigidity for stable mounting, while the contacting area retains flexibility to compensate for tolerances and accommodate thermal expansion, optimizing both structural stability and adaptability.
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
The solution effectively protects electrical connections from aggressive media and mechanical influences, ensuring reliable operation across varying temperatures without leaks or damage, enabling their use in demanding environments like vehicle transmissions and engines.
Implementation Method 1
the printed circuit board and the cover are each made of a flexible material, in particular the same flexible material... this ensures that in the event of temperature fluctuations, which can be between -30°C and +150°C in a gearbox, no additional shearing forces occur in the area of the contact surface between the circuit board and the cover
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a connecting device (1) for electrically connecting electrical lines to electrical contacts (2). The connecting device (1) comprises a flexible circuit board (3), a base support (4), and a cover (5). The electrical lines are arranged on the flexible circuit board (3). The flexible circuit board (3) has a contacting region (11), in which at least one electrical line is electrically connected to at least one electrical contact (2). The electrical contacts (2) are arranged on the base support (4). The flexible circuit board (3) is arranged between the base support (4) and the cover (5), wherein the base support (4) and the cover (5) form a tight housing of the contacting region (11). The circuit board (3) and the cover (5) are each composed of a flexible material, and the physical material properties of the circuit board (3) and of the cover (5) are substantially equal.