Out-of-Plane Wire Connection for Flexible PCBs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for connecting sealed light emitting diodes to flexible printed circuit boards are either risky, causing damage, or require costly special shapes on the printed circuit boards.
Innovation Solution
A method involving attaching wires in a loop on the printed circuit board, applying an encapsulant, and cutting the arched wire to create out-of-plane connections, allowing standard tooling and reducing connection costs by minimizing the number of connections needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If encapsulant material is removed to form out-of-plane connections, then connections to printed circuit board are achieved, but damage to printed circuit board and unwanted removal of sealant material occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The wire is attached to the printed circuit board before the encapsulant is applied. This preliminary action allows the wire to be positioned and secured while the board is accessible, then the encapsulant is applied over the wire to protect it without requiring later removal or damage to the board structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of removing encapsulant to create connections (traditional approach), the invention inverts the sequence by first attaching the wire and then applying the encapsulant. This reversal eliminates the need to damage the board or remove protective sealant material, as the wire is already in place and gets encapsulated along with the board.
2Ease of operation
If crimp connector is used on edge of printed circuit board, then connections are achieved, but special shape on board edge is required increasing assembly cost
Solution Approach 1:
The wire attachment method can be applied to standard printed circuit board edges without requiring special shapes or modifications. The wire can be attached using conventional methods (soldering, adhesive, etc.) at any location on the board, making the process universal and compatible with standard manufacturing processes, thereby reducing assembly costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire is configured to extend out-of-plane from the printed circuit board surface, creating a three-dimensional connection structure. This allows connections to be made from above the board surface rather than requiring edge access or special edge shapes, effectively moving the connection interface to a different spatial dimension.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for providing a wire connection to a printed circuit board. The method includes attaching a first end of a wire at a first location on the printed circuit board and attaching a second end of the wire at a second location of the printed circuit board, to form an arched wire. The method further includes applying an encapsulant on the printed circuit board, the encapsulant forming a film through which the arched wire protrudes. Furthermore, the method includes cutting the arched wire to yield an out-of-plane wire connected to the printed circuit board.