Flexible Wiring Assembly for Curved Surface Data Reading

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing memory devices struggle with secure authentication and tracking on curved surfaces, where traditional readers cause wear and damage due to sliding contacts, and there is a need for a solution that can efficiently read and write data from rewritable memory labels on various surfaces without compromising their integrity.

Innovation Solution

A flexible wiring assembly with a cradle and articulated structure that flexes from a flat to a curved profile, allowing electrical contacts to conform to curved surfaces without sliding, ensuring secure data transfer and minimizing wear on the memory device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional readers with sliding contacts are used on curved surfaces, then data reading and writing can be performed, but wear and damage occur on the memory device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reading capabilityVSAvoidmemory device integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) as the substrate for electrical contacts, allowing the contacts to conform to curved surfaces without rigid sliding mechanisms. This flexible film structure enables data reading on curved surfaces while eliminating the wear and damage caused by traditional sliding contacts, directly resolving the contradiction between operational capability and device integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If electrical contacts are made rigid for stable connection, then connection reliability improves, but adaptability to curved surfaces deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidsurface conformability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The FPC substrate provides inherent flexibility to conform to curved surfaces while maintaining stable electrical connections through its layered construction and adhesive bonding. This resolves the contradiction by achieving both connection reliability and surface adaptability through the flexible circuit board's structural design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent designs the electrical contacts and FPC to match the curvature of the target surface, allowing the rigid electrical traces on the flexible substrate to maintain stable connections while adapting to curved geometries. This curvature matching approach simultaneously achieves connection stability and surface conformability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Productivity

If sliding contacts are used to access memory on curved surfaces, then data transfer is enabled, but contact wear and damage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer efficiencyVSAvoidcontact wear

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible printed circuit board eliminates sliding contacts entirely by providing a compliant interface that makes direct conformal contact with the memory device surface. This approach enables efficient data transfer through stable electrical connection while completely preventing the wear and damage associated with sliding mechanical contacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Adaptability or versatility

If the wiring assembly is made flexible to conform to curved surfaces, then surface adaptability improves, but structural stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurved surface conformabilityVSAvoidwiring assembly stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The FPC substrate is designed with controlled flexibility through its layered construction (conductive traces, dielectric layers, adhesive layers) that provides enough compliance to conform to curved surfaces while maintaining sufficient structural stability for reliable electrical connections. This resolves the contradiction between flexibility and stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The wiring assembly uses composite material construction with multiple layers (conductive traces, flexible substrate, adhesive layers, protective coatings) that combine the properties of flexibility and structural integrity. This composite structure enables the assembly to be both adaptable to curved surfaces and stable enough for reliable data transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3572969B1Landing electrical contact

Publication Date: 2021.11.24 XEROX CORP

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AI summary

A reader suitable for reading data from a printed memory device attached to a curved surface includes a flexible wiring assembly that can be repositioned from a first position having a first profile into a second position having a second profile. In the first position, electrical contacts of the reader do not electrically couple with contact pads of the printed memory device, while in the second position the electrical contacts of the reader electrically couple to the contact pads of the printed memory. In one implementation, the flexible wiring assembly includes a flexible underlayer that supports the plurality of electrical contacts. In another implementation, the flexible wiring assembly includes a rigid first portion and a rigid second portion that pivot about a pivot point.