JP2847246B2 - Flexible circuit board assembly and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a large number of small flexible circuit boards provided with a large number of fine wiring patterns at a low cost with high efficiency while saving as much material as possible. The present invention relates to a configurable flexible circuit board assembly and a method of manufacturing the same.

2. Description of the Related Art When manufacturing a small flexible circuit board having a large number of fine wiring patterns, a required size represented by a flexible copper-clad laminate or the like as shown in FIG. A flexible conductive plate 1 is prepared, and the conductive layer is subjected to an etching process to form a small flexible circuit board 3 having a large number of linear fine wiring patterns 2 as shown in FIG. Then, by punching a scrap area 5 indicated by an outline 4 between the flexible circuit boards 3 with a mold, each flexible circuit board 3 is connected to both sides thereof via thin connecting portions 7 at both ends thereof. The structure held by the support frame portion 6 can be obtained.

The wiring pattern 2 can be subjected to an appropriate plating treatment as desired, and a conductive layer can be left on the support frame portion 6 to secure mechanical strength. Such a small-sized flexible circuit board 3 is manufactured in the state shown in FIG. 3 and is shipped after inspection, and the support frame portion 6 and the connecting portion 7 are cut off at the cutting line L before and after mounting on the user side. Serve when released.

"Problem to be Solved by the Invention" Since the small flexible circuit board assembly as shown in FIG. 3 has a structure in which the scrap regions 5 are provided between the flexible circuit boards 3, this portion saves material. However, in practice, the size of the scrap region 5 is fixed even when the required flexible circuit board 3 is very small due to the limitation of the punching die indicated by the outline 4. Since it is necessary to keep the above, depending on the form of the product, the total amount of the outer supporting frame portion 6 and the scrap area 5 may be significantly larger than half of the flexible conductive plate 1. In the structure of the flexible circuit board assembly, there are not a few points that hinder the achievement of material saving and cost reduction.

Further, since each of the flexible circuit boards 3 is disposed so as to be separated from the scrap area 5 between the flexible circuit boards 3 via a required space, such a thin and small type can be used at the time of inspection, shipping stage or mounting stage. The ends and the like of the flexible circuit board 3 are likely to be damaged such as bent or turned up, so that the degree of reduction in product yield is high in addition to the case where the mountability is impaired.

"Means for Solving the Problems" The present invention suitably solves the above-mentioned problems which occur when a large number of thin and small flexible circuit boards of this kind are manufactured at once, and has a required small size. The material is used as efficiently as possible without intervening unnecessary scrap areas between the flexible circuit board formation areas, and the yield is reduced while appropriately preventing the degree of damage to the product by the time of mounting. It is intended to provide a flexible circuit board assembly capable of ensuring the improvement of the above and a method of manufacturing the same.

Therefore, in the flexible circuit board assembly according to the present invention, a plurality of continuous circuits for a small flexible circuit board having a large number of fine wiring patterns formed by conductive layers of a flexible conductive plate are provided. The flexible conductive plate is provided with a substrate forming area and a support frame continuously provided on the side of these circuit board forming areas, and individual flexible circuit boards are provided adjacent to the circuit board forming areas. Are provided so as to have a slit for separating the light.

As a method of manufacturing such a flexible circuit board assembly, first, a patterning process is performed on a conductive layer of a flexible conductive plate to partition a small flexible circuit board having a fine wiring pattern. Each step of forming a formation area continuously and forming a partition so that a support frame is connected to the side of the circuit board formation area, and then forming a slit for separating a product in a portion adjacent to each of the circuit board formation areas. Can be adopted. Here, the connecting portion between the circuit board formation area and the support frame is formed in a cutting area for separating the individual flexible circuit boards from the assembly in cooperation with the separation slit. Becomes easier.

FIG. 1 shows a partial plan view of a thin and small flexible circuit board assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, a thin suitable insulating base member and a rolled copper foil are bonded to each other by an adhesive layer. A suitable flexible conductive plate 10 such as a flexible copper-clad laminate constructed by being bonded with or without an adhesive layer is prepared, and a cutting line described later indicated by a virtual line in the conductive layer. In the circuit board formation area 14 within the range of L, a required number of small flexible circuit boards 13 formed by etching a large number of fine wiring patterns 12 are continuously formed in the vertical direction. At both ends of the circuit board 13, support frame portions 19 with the conductive layer left are integrally formed continuously.

At the stage where such a wiring patterning process is completed, a linear separating slit is formed along a part of the outline of the flexible circuit board 13 provided in each circuit board forming area 14 in this embodiment.
The slits 15 and 18 are cut and provided by means such as a steel rule die, and it is preferable that both ends of each of the separation slits 15 and 18 are terminated with separation holes 16 and 17. An appropriate positioning hole or support hole 20 can be appropriately formed at each end of both support frame portions 19. According to the structure as described above, each flexible circuit board 13 has both ends while being arranged vertically in a substantially continuous manner via the separation slits 15 and 18 without providing an unnecessary scrap area. Can be formed continuously with the supporting frame portion 19 to form a substantially integrated sheet-like flexible circuit board assembly.

Such a flexible circuit board assembly can be shipped neatly with easy handling after completion of the collective inspection process in the form shown in FIG. Then, on the user side, before or after the mounting process, the support frame portion indicated by the cutting line L and the dotted line shown in the figure.
By separating the 19 cut lines C, a single thin flexible circuit board of this kind as shown in FIG.
13 can be obtained in an extremely good yield state.

The wiring pattern 12 of each flexible circuit board 13 can be subjected to an appropriate plating process such as gold plating A on almost the upper half and solder plating B on the lower half according to specifications. Yes, such plating is easy to perform after the batch wiring patterning process of FIG.
In the embodiment, for the sake of explanation, a simple substantially rectangular shape is exemplified as the shape of each flexible circuit board 13, but the board shape including the wiring pattern 12 has a certain degree of complexity. Things can also be formed collectively. In addition, depending on the mounting mode, the wiring pattern 12 may be formed such that one end of the wiring pattern 12 is slightly receded from the end of the substrate and a blanking portion S is disposed there, as shown in the drawing. Optional.

[Effect of the Invention] Since the present invention has the above-described structure, a flexible circuit board assembly having a scrapless structure without an unnecessary scrap area can be formed in a circuit board formation area as in the related art. Effective utilization can be achieved.

The scrapless structure allows each flexible circuit board to be rigidly connected to the support frame part in an almost integrated manner, so that the degree of damage to the flexible circuit board up to the mounting stage in addition to the manufacturing process and shipping / transportation route can be reduced. It is possible to provide a high-quality thin, small, and fine flexible circuit board which is significantly reduced.

Separation slits for each flexible circuit board can be easily formed without using an expensive punching die or the like.

Therefore, this kind of flexible circuit board product can be provided at a high yield and at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual plan view of a small and fine flexible circuit board assembly having a scrapless structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual enlarged plan view of a single flexible circuit board, and FIG. 3 is a conceptual plan view of a similar flexible circuit board assembly according to a conventional method. 1, 10: Flexible conductive plate 2, 12: Fine wiring pattern 3, 13: Flexible circuit board 4: Punched outline 5: Scrap area 6, 19: Support frame part 7: Thin connecting part 14: Circuit Substrate formation area 15, 18: Separation slit 16, 17: Separation hole 20: Support hole C, L: Separation cutting line S: Pattern blank

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-117385 (JP, A) JP-A-60-102791 (JP, A) JP-A-55-53477 (JP, A) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H05K 1/00 H05K 3/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of continuous circuit board forming areas for a small flexible circuit board having a large number of fine wiring patterns formed of conductive layers of a flexible conductive plate; The flexible conductive plate is provided with a supporting frame continuously provided on the side, and a cut slit for separating the individual flexible circuit boards is provided at a portion adjacent to each of the circuit board forming areas. A flexible circuit board assembly characterized by being constituted. 2. A circuit board forming area which divides a small flexible circuit board having a fine wiring pattern by continuously patterning a conductive layer of a flexible conductive plate and forms these circuit boards. After forming the support frame on the side of the formation area so as to be connected thereto, each step of forming a cut slit for product separation at an adjacent portion of each circuit board formation area is provided. A method of manufacturing a small flexible circuit board assembly. 3. A connecting area between the circuit board forming area and the support frame is formed in a cutting area for separating individual flexible circuit boards from the assembly in cooperation with the separating slit. The method for producing a flexible circuit board assembly according to claim 2, wherein: