METHOD FOR PRODUCING A RADOME AND CORRESPONDING RADOME

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a radome, a flexible printed circuit board having a metallic structure being used. Said flexible printed circuit board is embossed and is back-molded with a thermoplastic material and electric contact elements are connected to the flexible printed circuit board. A connector skirt is placed on the contact elements prior to back-molding.

Claims

1. A method for producing a radome, wherein a flexible printed circuit board with a metallic structure is used, the flexible printed circuit board is stamped and back-molded with a thermoplastic material and electrical contact elements are connected to the flexible printed circuit board, a connector skirt being placed onto the contact elements before the back-molding.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board consists of a flexible film that has a metallic structure.

3. The method as claimed in either of claims 1, wherein the contact elements are connected to the metallic structure in an electrically conducting manner.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, by the back-molding of the thermoplastic material, the connector skirt is secured on the film.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, by the back-molding of the thermoplastic material, the connector skirt is formed as one part with the back-molded plastic, to form a base plate.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material is back-molded on the side of the film with the metallic structure.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet-like plastic element thus created is connected to a front panel.

8. A radome which has a sheet-like plastic element with a metallized structure, wherein the plastic element consists of a film with back-molded thermoplastic material, a contact element which is connected to the film and is covered by a connector skirt being provided.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of at least one exemplary embodiment with reference to the figures of the drawing, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a radome according to the invention,

[0020] FIG. 2 shows a sectional representation of the radome,

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment,

[0022] FIG. 4 shows an exploded representation of the radome as shown in FIG. 3 with a front panel,

[0023] FIG. 5 shows a partial view of a flexible printed circuit board with a metallic structure and with contact elements that are covered by a connector skirt and

[0024] FIG. 6 shows a representation of the connector skirt with back-molding of the flexible printed circuit board and encapsulation of the connector skirt.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a flexible printed circuit board 1, formed as a film 5, with a metallic structure 2. The film 5 is formed as substantially rectangular and has groove-like impressions 3, 4. The impressions 3, 4 are provided in various configurations. One of the impressions 4 runs through the film 5 from the top to the bottom in FIG. 1, from one longitudinal side 6 to the opposite longitudinal side 7. The other two impressions 3 run from one of the narrow sides 8, 9 in each case in the direction of the middle, but they do not extend as far as the middle.

[0026] The metallic structure 2 consists of linear metallic ridges, which may be produced from a sheet-like metallic structure.

[0027] This film 5 is coated by back-molding with a thermoplastic material. This can be seen in FIG. 2.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a section of a radome 10, wherein a flexible printed circuit board 1, which is formed in particular as a film 5 and has a metallic structure 2. In a form. given by way of example, the metallic structure 2 is provided by means of linear strips, but it may also be formed in other ways.

[0029] The flexible printed circuit board 1 is hot stamped and has impressions 3, 4, which cannot however be seen in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the flexible printed circuit board 1 is back-molded with a thermoplastic material 11. In this case, the back-molded plastic 11 is applied on the side of the film 5 on which the metallic structure 2 is applied. The back-molded plastic in this case covers the metallic structure, at least in certain regions.

[0030] The film 5 is preferably a laminate film, such as in particular a metallized laminate film of plastic. In this case, the film is preferably a film that comprises PI, PEN or PC. Here, PI stands for polyimide, PC for polycarbonate and PEN for polyethylene naphthalate.

[0031] The metallization advantageously consists of copper. The metallization or its structure may be vapor-deposited. Alternatively, the metallization may also consist of some other material, for example of aluminum or the like. The application of the structure may also be performed in some other way.

[0032] To improve the adhesive bonding of the back-molded plastic 11 on the film 5, a predefined surface structure may be produced, such as for example by a pretreatment. As a result, a layer 12 that preferably serves for increased bonding with the back-molded plastic is created on the surface of the film. The surface structure may for example be obtained by stamping impressions into a surface layer of the liquid, adhesive-like component of the film.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows further exemplary embodiment of a back-molded film 20. This film is back-molded with a thermoplastic material 21, which also projects beyond the film 20 at the edge 22. Incorporated terminal contacts 23 can also be seen, for the electrical contacting of the metallic structure, which cannot however be seen in FIG. 3.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a kind of exploded representation comprising a film 30 with metallization. This film is back-molded with a thermoplastic material and forms the element, shown on the left, of the film with back-molded plastic 31. A front panel 32 may be arranged on it. Furthermore, a connector 33 can also be seen, serving for the electrical connection of the heatable radome.

[0035] FIG. 5 shows how a connector skirt 50 is placed onto the flexible printed circuit board 40, the electrical contacts 46 protruding as contact elements through openings in the connector skirt 50. Subsequently, the connector skirt 50 is encapsulated by back-molding the thermoplastic material 60, see FIG. 6, and the thermoplastic material 60 is back-molded onto the flexible printed circuit board 40 formed as a film. The connector skirt is thereby connected to the flexible printed circuit board by the encapsulation and back-molding, and, by the back-molding of the thermoplastic material 60, the connector skirt 50 is connected as one part to the back-molded plastic 60, to form a base plate.

[0036] The flexible printed circuit board 40 is in this case advantageously produced from a flexible film that has a metallic structure 41.

[0037] FIGS. 5 and 6 show that the electrical contact is partially covered by the connector skirt 50 and partially reaches through an opening in the connector skirt 50.

[0038] In this case, the thermoplastic material 60 is back-molded on the side of the film with the metallic structure 41.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0039] 1 flexible printed circuit board [0040] 2 metallic structure [0041] 3 impression [0042] 4 impression [0043] 5 film [0044] 6 longitudinal side [0045] 7 longitudinal side [0046] 8 narrow side [0047] 9 narrow side [0048] 10 radome [0049] 11 back-molded plastic [0050] 12 layer [0051] 20 back-molded film [0052] 21 thermoplastic material [0053] 22 edge [0054] 23 terminal contact [0055] 30 film [0056] 31 film with back-molded plastic [0057] 32 front panel [0058] 33 connector [0059] 40 flexible printed circuit board [0060] 41 metallic structure [0061] 46 electrical contact, electrical contact element [0062] 50 connector skirt [0063] 60 back-molded plastic