Process and structure to uncurl embossed thin flex circuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409343-B2
Application number	US-201313755631-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2013
Priority date	Jan 31, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A method and structure for flattening or straightening a curled flexible printed circuit, such as a flexible printed circuit that has been curled during a contact embossing process. The structure can include a cylindrical opening and a support shaft suspended within the cylindrical opening that prevents buckling of the flexible printed circuit during straightening. To flatten the curled flexible printed circuit, the curled end of the flexible printed circuit can be inserted into the cylindrical opening until the curled end is wrapped partially or completely around the support shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for removing a curl from a flexible printed circuit, comprising:
inserting a curled end of a flexible printed circuit into a cylindrical opening that is defined by a wall within a block; and
extracting the flexible printed circuit from the cylindrical opening wherein, subsequent to extraction, the curled end of the flexible printed circuit is flattened as a result of the inserting.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising embossing conductive contacts of the flexible printed circuit, wherein the embossing of the conductive contacts forms the curled end of the flexible printed circuit.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
inserting the curled end of the flexible printed circuit into a slot that leads into, and is integral with, the cylindrical opening; and
extracting the flexible printed circuit from the slot wherein, subsequent to extraction from the slot, the curled end of the flexible printed circuit is flattened as a result of the inserting.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wrapping the flexible printed circuit around a support shaft within the cylindrical opening during the insertion of the curled end of the flexible printed circuit into the cylindrical opening.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein, during insertion of the curled end of the flexible printed circuit into the cylindrical opening, the flexible printed circuit does not physically contact the support shaft.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein, during insertion of the curled end of the flexible printed circuit into the cylindrical opening, the flexible printed circuit is prevented from buckling within the cylindrical opening through physical contact with the support shaft.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Dolan Bryan R
• Leo Michael

Classifications

• H05K2203/0195

  Tool for a process not provided for in H05K3/00, e.g. tool for handling objects using suction, for deforming objects, for applying local pressure · CPC title

• H05K3/0044

  Mechanical working of the substrate, e.g. drilling or punching (H05K3/0008 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C53/18 Primary

  of plates or sheets · CPC title

• H05K1/118

  specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions · CPC title

• H05K2203/302

  Bending a rigid substrate; Breaking rigid substrates by bending · CPC title