Flexible Printed Circuit Board Connection for Organic Light Emitting Diodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for connecting flexible printed circuit boards in organic light emitting diodes require additional equipotential configurations, increasing manufacturing complexity and costs.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves connecting two or more flexible printed circuit boards without an equipotential flexible printed circuit board, using soldering or wire bonding portions to enable electricity conduction between anode and cathode pads, regardless of their overlapping or spaced arrangement on a substrate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If two or more flexible printed circuit boards are connected using additional equipotential flexible printed circuit boards, then electrical conduction between boards is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical conductionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the connection function into the existing flexible printed circuit boards by providing connection portions directly on the boards. This eliminates the need for separate equipotential connection boards, as the connection portions on each board directly establish electrical conduction between adjacent boards through soldering or welding, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the equipotential connection function from separate dedicated connection boards and integrates it directly into the flexible printed circuit boards themselves. By providing connection portions on the flexible printed circuit boards that directly connect to adjacent boards, the design removes the unnecessary intermediate equipotential connection structure, simplifying the overall device architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If additional equipotential flexible printed circuit boards are used to connect flexible printed circuit boards, then electrical conduction is ensured, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical conductionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the connection function into the existing flexible printed circuit boards through connection portions that can be directly soldered or welded to adjacent boards. This integration eliminates the need for separate equipotential connection boards and their associated manufacturing processes, thereby reducing material costs and simplifying assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent removes the unnecessary equipotential connection board component and its associated manufacturing steps. By providing connection portions directly on the flexible printed circuit boards that can directly connect to adjacent boards, the design eliminates the intermediate connection structure and reduces overall manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If connection portions are provided on flexible printed circuit boards to directly connect adjacent boards, then device complexity is reduced, but electrical conduction reliability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidelectrical conduction
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the connection function into the flexible printed circuit boards through dedicated connection portions that are specifically designed for direct electrical connection. These connection portions include connection electrodes and protective films that ensure reliable electrical conduction when adjacent boards are connected through soldering or welding, thereby maintaining high reliability while simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by providing specialized connection portions with specific structures (connection electrodes, protective films) at the connection areas of the flexible printed circuit boards. These localized features ensure reliable electrical conduction at the connection points while the rest of the board maintains its flexible printed circuit board characteristics, thus achieving both structural simplification and connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Ease of manufacture

If connection portions with protective films are used on flexible printed circuit boards, then manufacturing process is simplified, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess simplicityVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing protective films specifically at the connection portions where electrical connection is required. These protective films are positioned to expose only the necessary connection electrodes while protecting other areas, which simplifies the manufacturing process by providing clear guidance for connection operations while maintaining the required precision only where absolutely necessary for electrical contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the connection portions with protective films on the flexible printed circuit boards before final assembly. This preliminary preparation of connection areas with protective films that expose specific electrodes simplifies the subsequent connection process, as the alignment requirements are reduced to matching the already-prepared connection portions rather than requiring high-precision alignment of entire boards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs by eliminating the need for additional components, and enhances productivity while maintaining effective power supply to the organic light emitting diode.

Implementation Method 1

at least one of a soldering portion and a wire bonding portion making anode pads and cathode pads mounted on neighboring end portions of the flexible printed circuit boards respectively conduct electricity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentEP3010059B1Organic light-emitting element
Publication Date: 2020.11.11 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP3010059B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3010059B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3010059B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

An organic light emitting diode including a structure of a flexible printed circuit board installed on a substrate is provided.