Flexible PCB Gap Layout for Easier Bending and Component Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices face challenges in efficiently bending circuit boards while maintaining structural integrity and minimizing stress on electronic components during flexure.
Innovation Solution
The circuit board design includes flat zones and a flexible zone with strategically placed gaps and through-holes to accommodate bending, reducing stress concentration and enhancing structural strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the circuit board is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but ease of bending deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is divided into a rigid flat zone and a flexible zone with gaps. The flexible zone includes first and second flexible zones separated by gaps, allowing independent deformation of each segment while maintaining overall structural integrity. This segmentation enables the board to bend easily in the flexible zone while the flat zone maintains rigidity for component support.
Solution Approach 2:
Different zones of the circuit board are assigned different mechanical properties: the flat zone is designed with high rigidity to support electronic components, while the flexible zone is designed with low rigidity and includes gaps to facilitate bending. This local differentiation of material properties or structural characteristics resolves the contradiction between overall strength and ease of bending.
2Ease of operation
If gaps are added to the flexible zone to enable bending, then ease of bending is improved, but structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible zone is segmented into multiple regions separated by gaps, allowing the board to bend without requiring complete structural integrity across the entire flexible zone. The gaps act as stress relief points that enable bending while the remaining material maintains sufficient strength through the flat zone connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The gaps in the flexible zone are designed in advance to act as stress concentration points that prevent excessive stress buildup during bending. These pre-positioned gaps cushion the impact of bending forces, protecting the overall structure from damage while enabling easy bending operation.
3Ease of operation
If the flexible zone is made more flexible to reduce stress on components, then ease of bending is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible zone is divided into segmented regions with gaps that can deform independently, reducing stress transmission to electronic components. The segmentation allows the flexible zone to absorb bending stresses locally without transmitting forces to the flat zone where components are mounted, thereby improving both ease of bending and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gaps in the flexible zone act as intermediary stress relief structures between the bending applied to the board and the electronic components mounted on the flat zone. These gaps mediate the mechanical stress, allowing the board to bend easily while protecting components from damage through stress distribution and reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a circuit board having two edges. The two edges correspond to each other and extend along a first direction. The circuit board includes a first flat zone, a second flat zone, a flexible zone between the first flat zone and the second flat zone, and two flexible zone gaps. The first flat zone has a first width. The flexible zone includes two flexible zone edges corresponding to each other. The two flexible zone gaps are formed on the two flexible zone edges, respectively. The two flexible zone gaps extend along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. One of the flexible zone gaps has a first length, and the other flexible zone gap has a second length. The sum of the first length and the second length is less than half of the first width.