Optoelectronic Wiring Board Flex-Rigid Substrate Optical Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flex rigid substrates face difficulties in high-speed processing of large amounts of information due to their limitations in handling electric signals effectively.
Innovation Solution
An optoelectronic wiring board is designed with a flex-rigid substrate that integrates flexible and rigid sections, featuring conductive circuits and insulating layers, where optical communication units with perpendicular end faces are mounted on the rigid sections, enabling both optical and electric signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If flex rigid substrates are used for miniaturization of electronic equipment, then the size of equipment is reduced, but the processing speed and information handling capability are limited due to electric signal constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electric signal transmission with optical signal transmission by integrating optical communication units into the flex rigid substrate. This substitution enables high-speed information processing while maintaining the compact form factor, as optical signals can carry more data at higher speeds compared to traditional electric signals on flexible substrates.
2Speed
If optical communication units are mounted on rigid sections, then high-speed optical signal transmission is achieved, but the substrate structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines flexible and rigid substrate sections into a single integrated structure, where the rigid sections provide stable mounting surfaces for optical communication units and optical elements, while the flexible sections maintain bendability. This merging approach achieves high-speed optical transmission without requiring entirely separate rigid and flexible substrate systems, thereby reducing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different structural properties to different regions of the substrate: rigid sections are used specifically where optical communication units and optical elements need stable mounting, while flexible sections are used in areas requiring bendability. This localized application of structural qualities optimizes performance without making the entire substrate rigid, thus avoiding excessive complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If both rigid and flexible sections are integrated, then both high-speed optical transmission and flexibility are achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates positioning protrusions and positioning grooves that are formed in advance during the manufacturing process. These pre-formed positioning features ensure accurate alignment between optical communication units, optical elements, and conductive circuits before final assembly, thereby reducing the actual manufacturing precision requirements during the assembly stage while still achieving the necessary alignment accuracy.
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 configuration allows for increased information processing capacity and speed without enlarging the wiring board, by using optical signals for high-speed transmission and electric signals where necessary, while maintaining cost-effectiveness and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
The optical communication unit is made of a flexible material and has both end faces substantially perpendicular to its optical path of transmitting light
Implementation Method 2
A condenser lens is provided on at least one of the end faces of the optical communication unit
Data Source
AI summary
An optoelectronic wiring board includes a flex-rigid substrate and an optical communication unit. The flex-rigid substrate includes a flexible substrate provided with an electric wiring, and a pair of rigid sections provided on both sides of the flexible substrate. The pair of rigid sections each include a lamination formed of a conductive circuit and an insulating layer. The optical communication unit is made of a flexible material and has both end faces substantially perpendicular to its optical path of transmitting light. Both end portions of the optical communication unit are disposed and fixed on the rigid sections so that both end faces of the optical communication unit face an optical element mounting region provided on the rigid sections of the flex-rigid substrate.