Image Pickup Unit Flex Cable Reinforcement for Stable Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image pickup systems face challenges in maintaining flexibility of flexible wiring substrates when connected to moving components like image stabilizing units, leading to reduced rigidity and impaired driving performance.
Innovation Solution
An image pickup unit is designed with a printed wiring board, a flexible wiring substrate, and a reinforcement member that covers the end parts of the insulating layer and conductive connection member, maintaining flexibility while enhancing the connection's rigidity locally to reduce deformation and load on the connection portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a reinforcement plate is stacked on the flexible wiring board to prevent wire disconnection, then the connection reliability is improved, but the flexibility of the flexible wiring substrate is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is positioned only at the connection portion between the flexible wiring substrate and printed wiring board, providing localized reinforcement without affecting the overall flexibility of the substrate. This resolves the contradiction by applying rigidity only where needed for connection reliability while maintaining flexibility in the wiring substrate itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement structure is divided into discrete segments (first reinforcement member and second reinforcement member) that are positioned at specific locations. This segmentation allows the reinforcement to provide structural support at critical connection points while leaving the rest of the flexible wiring substrate flexible and adaptable.
2Strength
If the rigidity of the system is increased to prevent wire disconnection, then the connection strength is improved, but the driving performance of moving components is suppressed
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement members are placed only at the connection portions where strength is needed, rather than throughout the entire system. This localized approach provides the necessary connection strength to prevent wire disconnection while maintaining the flexibility and driving performance of moving components in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows different parts of the system to have different mechanical properties - rigid reinforcement at connection points and flexible wiring substrate in moving areas. This dynamic differentiation enables the system to maintain both connection strength and driving performance by allowing each component to exhibit the appropriate mechanical characteristics for its function.
Data Source
AI summary
An image pickup unit includes: a printed wiring board provided with an image pickup element and having a first electrode on a surface layer; a flexible wiring substrate having a base member having first and second faces, a conductive layer provided on the first face, and an insulating layer provided on the conductive layer, wherein the conductive layer has a second electrode in which the insulating layer is not provided to one longitudinal end part; a conductive connection member that connects the first electrode to the second electrode; and a reinforcement member provided on the base member on the second face side, wherein the reinforcement member continuously covers an end part of the insulating layer on a side closer to the second electrode and an end part of the conductive connection member on a side closer to the insulating layer of a portion connected to the second electrode.