Abstract:
A conductor strip includes a first end portion soldered to a printed circuit board, and a second end portion welded to a rechargeable battery. The conductor strip also includes a connecting portion disposed between the first and the second end portions. The connecting portion has a smaller width than that of the first end portion so that the peeling force acting on the first end portion is alleviated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a conductor strip used for making an electrical connection between a printed circuit and a battery. It also relates to a connecting arrangement of such a conductor strip and a circuit board. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Recently portable electronic devices including notebook computers, cell phones, etc., have been widely used because of their handiness. For enabling outside use, the cell phone for example operates on a rechargeable battery housed in a battery pack together with other necessary components. The battery pack, readily detachable for exchange of the battery, includes a battery cell and a protection unit connected to the cell for preventing the cell from over-discharging or being overcharged. 
     FIG. 16 shows some aspects of a conventional protection unit U 0  of the above type. As illustrated, the conventional unit U 0 , used for a rechargeable battery cell  100 , includes a printed circuit board  200 , electronic components  300  mounted on the board  200 , and two conductor strips  400  connected to the battery cell  100 . Each of the conductor strips  400  includes a rectangular connecting portion  400   a  and another rectangular connecting portion  400   b . The first connecting portion  400   a  is soldered to a pad (not shown) provided on the board  200 , while the second connecting portion  400   b  is welded to the cathode or anode (not shown) of the cell  100 . The conductor strip  400  is bent so that the second connecting portion  400   b  is perpendicular to the first connecting portion  400   a.    
     While the conventional conductor strip  400  has a simple configuration and thus can be made easily, it entails the following drawbacks. 
     As seen from FIG. 16, the first connecting portion  400   a  of the conventional strip  400  does not have any holes or gaps in it. Thus, it is impossible to observe the bonding condition of the solder after the applied solder hardens between the connecting portion  400   a  and the board  200 . Another problem is that the conductor strip  400  is detached from the board  200  rather easily, due to its simple structure, upon exertion of an upward force on the second portion  400   b.    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been proposed under the circumstances described above. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a conductor strip that can be firmly attached to a printed circuit board and also permits easy inspection of the solder-bonding condition. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conductor strip comprising: a first end portion fixed to a first member; a second end portion fixed to a second member; and a connector arranged between the first end portion and the second end portion. The connector is smaller in size than the first end portion in a width direction perpendicular to another direction connecting the first end portion and the second end portion. 
     Preferably, the connector may extend from a central part of the first end portion. 
     Preferably, the conductor strip may further comprise a projection disposed adjacent to the connector, wherein the projection extends from the first end portion toward the second end portion. 
     Preferably, the connector may comprise two connecting portions spaced from each other in the width direction. 
     Preferably, a U-shaped slit may be formed in the conductor strip. 
     Preferably, the first end portion may be soldered to the first member. The second end portion may be welded to the second member. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conductor strip that comprises: a first end portion fixed to a first member; and a second end portion fixed to a second member. The first end portion is formed with a plurality of grooves for improving the bonding strength of solder material applied between the first end portion and the first member. 
     Preferably, each of the grooves may have a triangular cross section. 
     Preferably, the plurality of grooves may comprise grooves that perpendicularly intersect each other. 
     According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly that comprises: a conductor strip that includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and a connector disposed between the first and the second end portions; and a substrate that supports the conductor strip. The connector is smaller in width than the first end portion. 
     Preferably, the connector may at least partially project from the substrate. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of soldering a conductor strip to a supporting member, wherein the conductor strip is formed with a U-shaped slit. The method comprises the steps of: applying solder paste to the supporting member in a manner such that a solder-void region is formed on the supporting member; positioning the conductor strip on the supporting member; and melting the applied solder paste. The conductor strip is positioned on the supporting member so that the U-shaped slit exposes the solder-void region. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing the principal features of a battery pack incorporating conductor strips provided by the present invention; 
     FIG. 1B is a plan view showing the principal part of the conductor strip of the present invention; 
     FIGS.  2 A˜ 2 C illustrate how the conductor strip of the present intention is soldered to a pad; 
     FIG. 3 is the graph showing the relation between the peel strength and the distance of pull regarding a conventional conductor strip and the conductor strip of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4A illustrates how the conductor strip of the present invention can be stably attached to the substrate; 
     FIG. 4B illustrates how the conventional conductor strip is peeled off the substrate upon application of an upward external force; 
     FIG. 5 shows a possible way to fix the conductor strip of the present invention to the substrate; 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 are a plan view showing a possible configuration of the slit formed in the conductor strip of the present invention; 
     FIGS.  8 A˜ 8 C are plan views showing how the conductor strip of a cutout-type can be mounted on the substrate; 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the advantageous feature of the cutout-type conductor strip; 
     FIGS.  10  and  11 A˜ 11 B are plan views showing other possible configurations of the cutout-type conductor strip; 
     FIG. 12 illustrates the advantageous feature of the conductor strip shown in FIGS.  11 A˜ 11 B; 
     FIGS.  13 A˜ 13 B illustrate a groove-type conductor strip of the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 illustrates the advantageous feature of the groove-type conductor strip; 
     FIG. 15 shows a possible modification of the groovetype conductor strip; and 
     FIG. 16 shows the principal features of a conventional battery pack. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout these figures, similar or identical elements are indicated by the same reference signs. 
     FIG. 1A shows the principal components of a battery pack utilizing conductor strips provided by the present invention. The battery pack may be used as a power source for a cell phone, notebook computer, etc. As illustrated, the battery pack includes a rechargeable battery cell  1  and a protection unit U 1 . The cell  1  has a side surface la in which a cathode and an anode (not shown) are provided. The protection unit U 1  is connected to the cell  1  for preventing the cell  1  from over-discharging or being overcharged. The unit U 1  includes an insulating substrate  2 , pads  3  formed on the substrate  2 , electronic devices  4  mounted on the substrate  2 , and two conductor strips  5 . 
     The substrate  2 , made of e.g. a glass-fabric-based epoxy resin, has an upper surface  2   a  upon which a wiring pattern (not shown) is formed of cupper. The wiring pattern is connected to the electronic devices  4  and the pads  3 . Each of the conductor strips  5  has a first terminal  5   a  connected to the pad  3  and a second terminal  5   b  connected to the cathode or anode of the battery cell  1 . The strip  5  may initially be flat as a whole, but be bent to be connected to the cell  1 , as shown in FIG.  1 A. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a staple-shaped (U-shaped) slit  6  (K=0.4 mm) is formed in the first terminal  5   a  of each strip  5 , whereby the strip  5  is provided, as shown in FIG. 1B, with two connecting portions  5   c  and a rectangular projection  5   d  (H=0.5 mm) disposed between the connecting portions  5   c . The width W 1  of each connecting portion  5   c  is smaller than the width W 2  (=2.5 mm) of the conductor strip  5 . The technical significances of the slit  6  will be described later. 
     The first terminal  5   a  of each strip  5  is soldered to the pad  3  in the following manner. First, as shown in FIG. 2A, solder paste is applied to the pad  3  to form a narrow paste land (first land)  7   a  and a larger, rectangular paste land (second land)  7   b  spaced from the first land  7   a  by a prescribed short distance. A linear region  8  is between the two lands  7   a  and  7   b , which is left uncovered by the solder paste. The application of the solder paste may be performed by using a mask formed with openings corresponding to the first and the second lands  7   a ,  7   b . The mask is laid on the pad  3 , and then solder paste is spread over the mask with a squeegee. 
     As shown in FIG. 2B, the conductor strip  5  is placed on the pad  3  so that a part of the solder-void region  8  is observed through the slit  6 . The strip  5  may be automatically set into place with the use of a suction collet. Then, the substrate  2  together with the strips  5  (the “strip-substrate assembly” below) is heated in a furnace to melt the applied solder paste  7 . The molten solder material is spread over the pad  3  under the weight of the conductive strip  5 . Then, the strip-substrate assembly is taken out of the furnace to allow the solder material to cool. Subsequently, the solder solidifies, to secure the strip  5  to the pad  3 . 
     For fixing the strip  5  to the pad  3  properly, the molten solder needs to be spread uniformly between the first terminal  5   a  and the pad  3 . When this ideal condition is attained, the first terminal  5   a  as a whole will be fixed to the pad  3  after the strip-substrate assembly is brought out from the furnace. 
     Advantageously, the slit  6  formed in the first terminal  5   a  enables ready inspection of whether the soldering has been performed properly or not. Specifically, when the molten solder is spread uniformly between the first terminal  5   a  and the pad  3 , the linear region  8  will disappear. When the solder has failed to be spread properly, on the other hand, the linear region  8  will remain partially or entirely. In the illustrate embodiment, the remaining or disappearing of the region  8  can be simply observed through the slit  6 . 
     In addition to the above advantage, the slit  6  contributes to the improvement in peel strength of the conductor strip  5 . Referring to FIG. 3, the graph shows the relation between the ‘peel strength’ and the ‘distance of pull’ (“PS-DP relation” below) with respect to the conventional strip  400  (FIG. 16) and the strip  5  of the present invention. The ‘distance of pull’ indicates how much the second terminal  5   b  or  400   b  is pulled upward (see FIGS.  4 A and  4 B). The graph of FIG. 3 shows that the maximum peel strength Cmax of the conventional strip  400  is about 20 N(newton), whereas the maximum peel strength Pmax of the strip  5  of the present invention is nearly 40 N. The reason why the peel strength Pmax of the strip  5  is greater than the peel strength Cmax of the conventional strip  400  is as follows. As seen from FIG. 16, the first terminal  400   a  of the conventional strip  400  is a simple rectangular plate provided with no countermeasure to resist the peeling force. Thus, as the graph of FIG. 3 shows, the peel strength of the conventional strip is relatively low after the maximum peel strength Cmax is attained. 
     The strip  5  of the present invention exhibits generally the same “PS-DP relation” as that of the conventional strip  400  when the distance of pull is about 0˜0.6 mm (see FIG.  3 ). Then, when the distance of pull is about 0.6˜1.6 mm (the range Sw in FIG.  3 ), the strip  5  is peeled off the substrate more easily than the conventional strip  400 . The strip  5  exhibits the weaker peel strength because the peeling is proceeding with respect to the relatively narrow connecting portions  5   c . Thereafter, the peel strength of the strip  5  becomes greater than that of the conventional strip  400 . This is because the projection  5   d  of the strip  5  clings to the substrate  2 , as shown in FIG. 4A, thereby serving as an additional resisting portion against the peeling force F. 
     In the above-described embodiment, the strip  5  is supported by the substrate  2  so that the slit  6  as a whole is located on the substrate  2 . The present invention is not limited to this, and the slit  6  may partially be off the substrate  2 , as shown in FIG.  5 . Further, the strip  6  may not have the staple-like, angular configuration, but have a smooth, arcuate (U-shaped) form, as shown in FIG.  6 . Still further, the conductor strip  5  may be formed with two slits  6 , as shown in FIG.  7 . In the illustrated example, each of the two end portions of the strip  5  is formed with one slit  6  and connected to a substrate  2  or  2 ′. 
     FIG. 8A shows another possible configuration of the strip  5 . In this embodiment, the first terminal  5   a  is formed with two rectangular cutouts spaced across a relatively narrow connecting portion  5   c . With such an arrangement again, the remaining or disappearing of the linear region  8  (FIG. 2A) is observed through the rectangular cutouts. Thus, the quality inspection of the reflow soldering is readily performed. In the illustrated example, d 1  may be 3.0 mm, d 2  may be 3.0 mm, and d 3  may be 0.25˜0.75 mm. 
     If the above inspection is not required, the strip  5  may be positioned so that the connecting portion  5   c  projects from the edge of the substrate  2  entirely as shown in FIG. 8B or partially as shown in FIG.  8 C. The position of FIG. 8C is more advantageous to performing self-alignment of the strip  5  than that of FIG. 8, since the molten solder  7  can enclose the connecting portion of the strip  5  more thoroughly. 
     Like the slit-forming arrangement described above, the cutout-forming arrangements of FIGS.  8 A˜ 8 C contribute to the improvement of the peel strength of the strip  5 . Referring to FIG. 9, when an upward external force F is exerted on the second terminal  5   b , the first terminal  5   a  is about to be pulled upward. Differing from the prior art case (FIG.  16 ), the effect of the pulling force acts on the first terminal  5   a  via the relatively narrow connecting portion  5   c . As a result, part of the external force F may be directed in the normal direction to the substrate surface  2   a , which is the most effective direction for peeling off the first terminal  5   a , while the other part of the external force F will act in slant directions to the substrate surface  2   a , which are less effective peeling-off directions. Consequently, a greater external force is required to peel off the strip  5  than in the case of the conventional strip  400 . The cutout formed in the strip  5  may be semi-circular, as shown in FIG.  10 . 
     According to the present invention, the first terminal  5   a  of the strip  5  shown in FIG. 8A may be provided with two protrusions  5   e  that extend from the first terminal  5   a  toward the second terminal  5   b , as shown in FIG.  11 A. With such an arrangement, the first terminal  5   a  is kept attached to the pad  3  more firmly than when only the narrow connecting portion  5   c  is provided between the first and the second terminals  5   a ,  5   b . The reason is as follows. Referring to FIG. 12, when the upward external force F acts on the second terminal  5   b , the pulling force is transmitted to the first terminal  5   a  via the narrower connecting portion  5   c . Thus, as in the case described with reference to FIG. 9, the first terminal  5   a  is attached to the pad  3  more strongly than is conventionally possible. Further, according to the arrangement of FIG. 12, the projections  5   e  remain to be attached to the substrate  2  even after the connecting portion  5   c  is peeled off. Accordingly, the binding strength between the first terminal  5   a  and the substrate  2  is rendered much stronger. As shown in FIG. 11B, the connecting portion  5   c  may partially protrude from the edge of the substrate  2 . 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of grooves  9  may be formed on the bottom side of the first terminal  5   a  of each conductor strip  5 , as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B. In the illustrated example, each groove  9  extends widthways of the strip  5  and has a triangular cross section (see FIG.  14 ). In this arrangement, the molten solder material  7  fills the grooves  9 , as shown in FIG. 14, and then hardens. 
     The above groove arrangement is advantageous to achieving reliable fixation of the strip  5  to the substrate  2 . The reason is as follows. Referring to FIG. 14, the triangular configuration of each groove  9  is defined by a first slant surface  9   a  and a second slant surface  9   b . When an upward external force F is exerted on the second terminal  5   b  of the strip  5 , the second slant surface  9   b  of the rightmost groove  9  may be peeled off the solder material  7  rather readily because the peeling force f 1  acts in a direction generally perpendicular to the second slant surface  9   b . After the second surface  9   b  is detached, a peeling force f 2  is exerted on the first slant surface  9   a.    
     The acting direction of this force, however, is generally parallel to the first slant surface  9   a , as seen from FIG.  14 . Since the bonding force of the solder  7  is strong in this direction, the first terminal  5   a  can remain to be attached to the substrate  2  against a great external force. 
     As shown in FIG. 15, the conductor strip  5  may additionally be formed with a plurality of grooves  10  extending longitudinally of the strip  5 . With such an arrangement, the strip  5  can remain to be attached to the substrate  2  upon application of a rather great torsional force f 3  about the longitudinal axis La. 
     According to the present. invention, the grooves  9  may not be straight or have a triangular cross section. 
     The grooves  9  and/or  10  may be formed in the conductor strip shown in FIGS. 1A,  6 ,  7 ,  8 A˜ 8 C,  10  or  11 A˜ 11 B. 
     The present invention being thus described, it is 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 present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.