Abstract
A system for the assembly of circuit boards is shown. The system includes an assembly device and a circuit board. The assembly device comprises a substantially planar base plate and guide members. The circuit board includes multiple rigid portions connected by flexible members. The guide members extend into a space partially or completely enclosed in the horizontal direction by the circuit board, and determine the position and orientation of the rigid portions relative to the base plate.
Claims
1. A system for an assembly of circuit boards, the system comprising: an assembly device having a substantially planar base plate; guide members that extend from the base plate in a vertical direction if the base plate is placed on a horizontal surface; and a circuit board having a first rigid portion, a second rigid portion, a third rigid portion, and a fourth rigid portion, the first rigid portion being connected to the second rigid portion via a first flexible member, the second rigid portion being connected to the third rigid portion via a second flexible member, and the third rigid portion being connected to the fourth rigid portion via a third flexible member, wherein the guide members are configured to extend into a space partially or completely enclosed in a horizontal direction by the circuit board and to determine a position and orientation of the rigid portions relative to the base plate by the guide members having surfaces against which one or several of the rigid portions and/or one or several of the flexible members abut during the assembly.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the guide members are connected positively in the horizontal direction and frictionally in the vertical direction to the circuit board so that the circuit board is adapted to be pulled off in an upward direction when the base plate is placed on the horizontal surface.
3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a bottom plate configured for positive connection to the circuit board, wherein the bottom plate has an elongate member that extends substantially parallel to the base plate through a first opening in one of the rigid portions and through a second opening in another of the rigid portions when the bottom plate is positively connected to the circuit board, and wherein the guide members are configured not to impede a vertical movement of the elongate member when the circuit board is pulled off in the upward direction.
4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the assembly device has a member issuing from the base plate and extending in the vertical direction, which, together with the base plate, frames the bottom plate, which is substantially quadrangular, on two sides when the bottom plate is fully inserted into the circuit board.
5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first rigid portion is arranged substantially parallel and directly adjacent to the bottom plate when the bottom plate is fully inserted into the circuit board.
6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the bottom plate is engaged with the circuit board when the bottom plate is fully inserted into the circuit board.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fourth rigid portion is attached to the first rigid portion via a detachable connection.
8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first rigid portion and the third rigid portion are shorter or longer than the second rigid portion and the fourth rigid portion.
9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the base plate has a recess into which one of the rigid portions reaches when the rigid portion is correctly arranged on the base plate.
10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a rack, wherein the base plate is connected rotatably about a vertical axis to the rack.
11. An apparatus comprising: a rigid-flexible circuit board with a first rigid portion, a second rigid portion, a third rigid portion, and a fourth rigid portion; a bottom plate with a first elongate member and a second elongate member, which extend substantially perpendicularly to the bottom plate, wherein the first rigid portion is arranged substantially parallel to the third rigid portion, and the second rigid portion is arranged substantially parallel to the fourth rigid portion, wherein the first elongate member extends through an opening in the first rigid portion and connects the third rigid portion with the first rigid portion, and wherein the second elongate member extends through an opening in the first rigid portion and connects the third rigid portion with the first rigid portion.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first elongate member extends through an opening in the third rigid portion, and wherein the second elongate member extends through an opening in the third rigid portion.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the bottom plate further has a third elongate member and/or a fourth elongate member, which extend substantially perpendicularly to the bottom plate, wherein the third elongate member extends through an opening in the first rigid portion and connects the third rigid portion with the first rigid portion, and wherein the fourth elongate member extends through an opening in the first rigid portion and connects the third rigid portion with the first rigid portion.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the third elongate member extends through an opening in the third rigid portion, and wherein the fourth elongate member extends through an opening in the third rigid portion.
15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first rigid portion is connected to the second rigid portion via a first flexible member, the second rigid portion is connected to the third rigid portion via a second flexible member, and the third rigid portion is connected to the fourth rigid portion via a third flexible member.
16. The device according to claim 11, wherein the first rigid portion is arranged substantially parallel and directly adjacent to the bottom plate.
17. A method for the assembly of rigid-flexible circuit boards, the method comprising: arranging a first rigid portion of a rigid-flexible circuit board against a first surface of a first guide portion of an assembly device; arranging a second rigid portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board against a second surface of a second guide portion of the assembly device by bending a first flexible portion connecting the first rigid portion and the second rigid portion; and pulling off the circuit board from the assembly device along a direction which is substantially parallel to the first rigid portion and substantially parallel to the second rigid portion.
18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: arranging a third rigid portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board against a third surface of a third guide portion of the assembly device by bending a second flexible portion connecting the second rigid portion and the third rigid portion; and/or arranging a fourth rigid portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board against a fourth surface of a fourth guide portion of the assembly device by bending a third flexible portion connecting the third rigid portion and the third fourth portion.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first rigid portion is oriented parallel to the third rigid portion and the second rigid portion is oriented parallel to the fourth rigid portion when the rigid portions abut against the guide portions.
20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: inserting a bottom plate into the rigid-flexible circuit board, wherein the bottom plate has an elongate member which, after insertion, extends through an opening in one of the rigid portions and through an opening in another of the rigid portions and stabilizes a relative orientation of the rigid portions to one another.
21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: engaging the bottom plate with the circuit board by inserting the bottom plate into the circuit board; and fitting a top housing part on the bottom plate.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0042] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:
[0043] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a schematically illustrated assembly device;
[0044] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the assembly device schematically illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0045] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a system for the assembly of circuit boards, which comprises the assembly device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a rigid-flexible circuit board;
[0046] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the laying of rigid portions of the rigid-flexible circuit board shown in FIG. 3 against surfaces of guide portions of the assembly device;
[0047] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the insertion of a bottom plate into the rigid-flexible circuit board shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6;
[0048] FIG. 9 shows the rigid-flexible circuit board shown in FIG. 8 after it has been pulled off the assembly device;
[0049] FIG. 10 shows a section through a housing, which is formed by the bottom plate and a top housing part connected to the bottom plate and which encloses the circuit board;
[0050] FIG. 11 illustrates a possible modification of the assembly device shown in FIGS. 1 to 10;
[0051] FIG. 12 illustrates a possible modification of the assembly device shown in FIG. 11;
[0052] FIG. 13 illustrates a possible modification of the circuit board shown in FIGS. 3 to 12 and of the assembly process;
[0053] FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17 show perspective views from above and from one side onto an assembly device;
[0054] FIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 21 illustrate an assembly process using the assembly device shown in FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17 and a circuit board; and
[0055] FIG. 22 shows a flowchart of the assembly process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0056] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary assembly device 1100 from above. The assembly device 1100 comprises a base plate 1110 and guide members 1120, 1130, 1140 and 1150, which extend upwards from the base plate 1110. The base plate 1110 and the guide members 1120, 1130, 1140 and 1150 have a rectangular contour, and the guide members 1120, 1130, 1140 and 1150 are arranged such that their centers are located in the corners of a rectangle. As is indicated in FIG. 1 by a dashed line, the base plate 1110 may comprise a recess 1112 which facilitates the correct positioning of a circuit board on the base plate 1110 by the recess 1112 being dimensioned such that a part of the circuit board reaches into the recess 1112 (only) when the circuit board (or the part of the circuit board reaching in) is correctly positioned on the base plate 1110.
[0057] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the assembly device 1100 schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. In this case, the planar underside of the base plate 1110 is oriented parallel to a horizontal surface 3100, so that the guide members 1120, 1130, 1140 and 1150 extend from the base plate 1110 in the vertical direction. As is indicated in FIG. 2 by a dashed line, the assembly device 1100 may be connected to a rack 3000 by means of a rotary joint 2000, so that the base plate 1110 is rotatable about as vertical axis A. This simplifies the assembly process because the assembly device 1100 cannot slip away towards the side during assembly.
[0058] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a system 1000 comprising the assembly device 1100 and a rigid-flexible circuit board 1200. The rigid-flexible circuit board 1200 has a first rigid portion 1210, a second rigid portion 1230, a third rigid portion 1250 and a fourth rigid portion 1270, the first rigid portion 1210 being connected to the second rigid portion 1230 by means of a first flexible member 1220, the second rigid portion 1230 being connected to the third rigid portion 1250 by means of a second flexible member 1240, and the third rigid portion 1250 being connected to the fourth rigid portion 1270 by means of a third flexible member 1260.
[0059] In this case, the flexible members 1220, 1240 and 1260 are provided with conductor paths which connect electrical and/or electronic components, which are disposed on the rigid portions 1210, 1230, 1250 and 1270, with one another. For example, the flexible members 1220, 1240 and 1260 may be formed by portions of one or several flexible layers extending between and/or through the rigid portions 1210, 1230, 1250 and 1270. For example, the rigid portions 1210, 1230, 1250 and 1270 may include a plurality of different layers which in their entirety provide the rigid portions 1210, 1230, 1250 and 1270 with rigidity, whereas the flexible members 1220, 1240 and 1260 is formed only of some of the plurality of different layers and are thus flexible.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 3, the assembly process starts with the first rigid portion 1210 being aligned with the surfaces 1122 and 1132 of the guide members 1120 and 1130. In a second step, as is illustrated by FIG. 4, the second rigid portion 1230 is aligned with the surfaces 1134 and 1142 of the guide members 1130 and 1140, while the first rigid portion 1210 remains or is retained in its position. By aligning the first rigid portion 1210 and the second rigid portion 1230 with the guide members 1120, 1130 and 1140, the flexible member 1220 is bent, so that the flexible member 1220 follows a 90° bend (in a top view). In a third step, as is illustrated by FIG. 5, the third rigid portion 1250 is aligned with the surfaces 1144 and 1152 of the guide members 1140 and 1150, while the first rigid portion 1210 and the second rigid portion 1230 remain or are retained in their positions. By aligning the second rigid portion 1230 and the third rigid portion 1250 with the guide members 1130, 1140 and 1150, the flexible member 1240 is bent, so that the flexible member 1240 also follows a 90° bend (in a top view).
[0061] In a fourth step, as is illustrated by FIG. 6, the fourth rigid portion 1270 is aligned with the surfaces 1154 and 1124 of the guide members 1150 and 1120, while the first rigid portion 1210, the second rigid portion 1230 and the third rigid portion 1250 remain or are retained in their positions. By aligning the third rigid portion 1250 and the fourth rigid portion 1270 with the guide members 1140, 1150 and 1120, the flexible member 1260 is bent, so that the flexible member 1260 also follows a 90° bend (in a top view). At the end of the fourth step, the circuit board 1200 is thus arranged such that the first rigid portion 1210 and the third rigid portion 1250 are oriented parallel to each other, the second rigid portion 1230 and the fourth rigid portion 1270 are oriented parallel to each other, and the flexible members 1220, 1240 and 1260 each follow a 90° bend. In a fifth step, the fourth rigid portion 1270 is then attached to the first rigid portion 1210. For example, the fourth rigid portion 1270 may be attached to the first rigid portion 1210 by means of a screw.
[0062] As is illustrated by FIGS. 7 and 8, a bottom plate 1300 is then connected in a sixth step with the circuit board 1200 by the bottom plate 1300, which includes two elongate members 1310 and 1320, being inserted into the rigid portion 1270. In the process, the elongate members 1310 and 1320 are guided through openings in the rigid portions 1270 and 1230, so that the bottom plate 1300, which is fully inserted into the circuit board 1200, stabilizes or fixes the rigid portions 1210, 1230, 1250 and 1270 of the circuit board 1200 with regard to their position and orientation. As required, the bottom plate 1300 may further be provided with more than the two elongate members 1310 and 1320 shown (e.g. with four elongate members 1310 and 1320). Moreover, the bottom plate 1300 may engage with the circuit board 1200 when the bottom plate 1300 is fully inserted into the circuit board 1200. For example, the bottom plate 1300 may have a projection and the circuit board 1200 may be pushed behind the projection during insertion, so that the projection impedes a pulling-out of the bottom plate 1300.
[0063] As is illustrated by FIG. 9, the circuit board 1200 is pulled off from the assembly device 1100 in a seventh step after the insertion of the bottom plate 1300. After the circuit board 1200 has been pulled off, the top housing part 1400 is attached to the bottom plate 1300, whereby the circuit board 1200 is disposed in a closed housing, as is illustrated by FIG. 10. For example, the top housing part 1400 may have a projection and the bottom plate 1300 may be pushed behind the projection during insertion, so that the projection impedes the top housing part 1400 being pulled off. Alternatively, or additionally, the top housing part 1400 may be screwed to the bottom plate 1300. The housing and the circuit board 1200 disposed in the housing form an (electrical or electronic) apparatus 1500, such as an electronic control device, for example, which has terminals that are accessible through openings in the housing.
[0064] As is illustrated in FIG. 11, the assembly device 1100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 can be modified in such a way that, instead of the four guide members 1120, 1130, 1140 and 1150, only two guide members 1120 and 1130 are provided that extend into the space enclosed in the horizontal direction by the circuit board 1200.
[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 12, the guide member 1130 (and, of course, also the guide member 1120) of the assembly device 1100 shown in FIG. 11 may be provided with a recess into which an electrical or electronic component 1252 arranged on the rigid portion 1250 is introduced when the third rigid portion 1250 is aligned with the surface of the guide member 1130. In this case, the recess may be dimensioned such that the electrical or electronic component 1252 does not touch the guide member 1130 or just about comes into contact with the guide member 1130 when other regions of the rigid portion 1250 also come into contact with the guide member 1130.
[0066] FIG. 13 illustrates a possible modification of the circuit board shown in FIGS. 3 to 12 and of the assembly process, in which the flexible members 1220, 1240, 1260 abut against the surfaces 1132, 1142 and 1152. In this case, it is understood that in other embodiments, one or several of the rigid portions 1210, 1230, 1250 and 1250 as well as one or several of the flexible members 1220, 1240, 1260 may abut against guide portions of one or several of the guide members 1120, 1130, 1140 and 1150, as is illustrated by means of the assembly device 1100 described below.
[0067] In this respect, FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17 show perspective views of another exemplary assembly device 1100 with a rectangular base plate 1110 in the form of a quadrangle, which has a quadrangular cut-out 1114 at one corner, two guide members 1120 and 1130 extending over the full height of the assembly device 1100, and another member 1160, which also extends over the full height of the assembly device 1100 and against which, as shown in FIG. 18, the second rigid portion 1230 abuts when the first rigid portion 1210 abuts against the guide member 1120. Moreover, the assembly device 1100 comprises further guide members (e.g. the guide members 1140 and 1150 shown in FIG. 15), which do not extend over the full height of the assembly device 1100.
[0068] As is illustrated in FIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 21, the guide members 1120 and 1130 are configured such that the electrical or electronic components disposed on the circuit board 1200 are not subjected to excessive loads during assembly. Thus, the guide members 1120 and 1130 are provided with recesses into which the electrical or electronic components arranged on the circuit board 1200 are introduced when the rigid portions 1210, 1230, 1250 and 1270 abut against the guide members 1120 and 1130. For example, the guide member 1120 has a recess 1126 into which, as illustrated by FIGS. 20 and 21, a component 1272 arranged on the rigid portion 1270 is introduced when the rigid portion 1270 is laid against the guide member 1120. Moreover, the member 1160, together with the base plate 1110, frames the bottom plate 1300 on two sides, as is shown in FIG. 21, when the bottom plate 1300 is fully inserted into the circuit board 1200.
[0069] FIG. 22 shows a flowchart of the assembly process. The process starts with step 4100, in which the first rigid portion 1210 of the rigid-flexible circuit board 1200 is laid against the surface 1122 of a first guide portion of the assembly device 1100. This is followed by step 4200, in which the second rigid portion 1230 of the rigid-flexible circuit board 1200 is laid against the surface 1132 of a second guide portion of the assembly device 1100. The process ends with step 4300, in which the circuit board 1200 is pulled off from the assembly device 1100. As described above, the process can be supplements with further steps, such as inserting the bottom plate 1300 and fitting the top housing part 1400 onto the bottom plate 1300.
[0070] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.
