Printed Circuit Board Secondary Portion Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printed circuit boards with integrally formed elastic portions are limited in application due to their deflection only under external loads, restricting their use in smart electrical and mechanical connection strategies, and their production is not cost-effective.
Innovation Solution
A printed circuit board design where a secondary portion is deformed by internal tensile stress within a first area of the insulating layer, with a locally weakened second area, allowing the secondary portion to be bent out of the main plane without external forces, enabling different spring characteristics and easy, cost-effective production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If secondary portions are designed to deflect only under external loads, then the structure remains simple and production is straightforward, but the application areas are restricted and cannot provide smart electrical contacting strategies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-deforming the secondary portions during the lamination process itself, rather than requiring external loads or subsequent processing steps. The internal tensile stress generated during lamination of the shrinkable insulating layer automatically bends the secondary portions out of plane, creating the desired spring characteristics and smart contacting capabilities directly during manufacturing.
2Ease of manufacture
If secondary portions are deformed by external loads only, then the production process is simple, but additional processing steps and costs are required to achieve controlled deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by designing the insulating layer to generate its own internal tensile stress during lamination, which automatically deforms the secondary portions without requiring external actuators, additional processing steps, or external loads. The material's inherent shrinkage properties during curing provide the deformation force, eliminating the need for separate deformation operations and reducing production complexity and costs.
3Manufacturing precision
If the insulating layer is made from shrinkable material, then internal tensile stress is generated to deform secondary portions, but additional material selection and process control are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing the inherent shrinkage properties of the insulating layer material during lamination. By selecting materials that exhibit controlled shrinkage behavior upon curing, the internal tensile stress parameters are optimized to automatically deform the secondary portions to the desired extent, achieving precise deformation control through material parameter selection rather than complex mechanical control systems.
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 design enhances the application areas of printed circuit boards by providing spring characteristics for reliable contact and connection without soldering, and simplifies the production process by leveraging internal stress imbalances caused by material shrinkage during the lamination process.
Implementation Method 1
the first insulating layer is made of a material, in particular a composite material, that shrinks when being cured and/or cooled down, such that tensile stress is introduced into the first insulating layer
Implementation Method 2
internal tensile stress within a first area of the first insulating layer
Implementation Method 3
the secondary portion may be in a deformed/bent state also without external forces. The secondary portions may thus have spring characteristics which are different from those known from prior art
Implementation Method 4
the elastic characteristic of those portions may compensate distance changes due to thermal expansion
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Printed circuit board (10) made of a layer assembly (6) of overlapping layers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), wherein the layer assembly (6) has a main portion (9) and at least one secondary portion (8), which secondary portion (8) is integrally formed with the main portion (9) and deformed relative to the main portion (9), preferably out of the plane in which the main portion (9) extends, wherein the layer assembly (6) comprises a first insulating layer (1), wherein the first insulating layer (1) is made of a material, particularly a composite material, that shrinks when being cured and/or cooled down, such that tensile stress is introduced into the first insulating layer (1), the secondary portion (8) is forced into the deformed state by internal tensile stress within a first area (11) of the first insulating layer (1), wherein in a second area (12) of the layer assembly (6) the layer assembly (6) is locally weakened, wherein the first area (11) and the second area (12) are arranged one above the other and/or next to each other.