Flexible printed circuit board assembly and flat panel display apparatus using the same

A flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) assembly including a plurality of FPCBs configured to be plugged into a single combination slot of a single connector, each of the FPCBs including a body, and a plug unit at an end portion of the body, wherein the plug units of the plurality of FPCBs are configured to be combinedly plugged together into the single combination slot.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0018461, filed on Mar. 2, 2011, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments relate to a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) assembly used in a flat panel display apparatus, and more particularly, to an FPCB assembly having a simple connection structure with a connector, and a flat panel display apparatus using the FPCB assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

A flat panel display apparatus, e.g., a liquid crystal display apparatus, includes a large number of component devices that operate by exchanging signals with a controller, e.g., a liquid crystal module, a touch panel, a light-emitting diode (LED) light source, and so forth.

The component devices are connected to the controller via flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs). In general, component devices are separately connected to FPCBs, connectors corresponding to the number of FPCBs are prepared as access units to be connected to the controller, and the FPCBs are one-to-one connected to the connectors.

SUMMARY

One or more embodiments are directed to a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) assembly.

One or more embodiments may provide a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) assembly including a plurality of FPCBs configured to be plugged into a single combination slot of a single connector, each of the FPCBs, including a body, and a plug unit at an end portion of the body, wherein the plug units of the plurality of FPCBs are configured to be combinedly plugged together into the single combination slot.

The FPCB assembly may include three FPCBs and the plug units may be configured such that the three FPCBs are connected to the single connector.

The plug unit of at least one of the plurality of FPCBs may include an alignment protrusion for guiding insertion into the combination slot.

The plug unit of at least one of the plurality of FPCBs may include at least one groove.

The plug unit of at least one other one of the plurality of FPCBs may include at least one protrusion to be received by the at least one groove, respectively.

The plurality of FPCBs may include a first FPCB disposed at a central position, and second and third FPCBs separately disposed at two sides of the first FPCB.

The first, second and third FPCBs may be arranged in a line such that at least a portion of each of the first, second and third FPCBs extend along a same plane.

The plug unit of the first FPCB may include at least two access terminals at two portions thereof, the plug units of the second and third FPCBs being configured to be arranged on and electrically connected to the respective one of the access terminals.

The at least two access terminal may be arranged along a same surface and/or extend along a same plane of the body of the first FPCB.

The plug units of the first through third FPCBs may be combined in a line by separately bonding the plug units of the second and third FPCBs to two side surfaces of the plug unit of the first FPCB.

The plug unit of the first FPCB may include combination grooves on two side surfaces thereof, and the second and third plug units of the second and third FPCBs include combination protrusions corresponding to the combination grooves, and the plug units of the first through third FPCBs are combined in a line by combining respective ones of the combination protrusions with the combination grooves.

The plug unit of the first FPCB may include combination protrusions on two side surfaces thereof, and the second and third plug units of the second and third FPCBs include combination grooves corresponding to the combination protrusions, and the plug units of the first through third FPCBs are combined in a line by combining respective ones of the combination protrusions with the combination grooves.

One or more embodiments may provide a flat panel display apparatus, including a plurality of component devices for displaying an image, a controller for controlling the component devices, and a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) assembly for connecting the component devices to the controller, wherein the FPCB assembly includes a plurality of FPCBs, each including a body connected to the component device, and a plug unit at an end portion of the body to be plugged into a combination slot of a connector connected to the controller, wherein the plug units of the plurality of FPCBs are combined to be plugged together into one combination slot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1Aillustrates a plan view of a flat panel display apparatus10using a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) assembly100, according to an embodiment.FIG. 1Billustrates an exploded perspective view of a connection structure between the FPCB assembly and a connector illustrated inFIG. 1A.

As illustrated inFIG. 1A, the flat panel display apparatus10may include a substrate11on which a liquid crystal module (not shown) and a light-emitting diode (LED) light source (not shown) are mounted, and a touch panel12. The touch panel12may be mounted on the substrate11for touch manipulation. Component devices such as the liquid crystal module, the LED light source (not shown), and the touch panel12may be connected to and controlled by a controller20via the FPCB assembly100and a connector30.

The FPCB assembly100may include a plurality of FPCBs for connecting the component devices to the controller20. For example, the FPCB assembly100may include a first FPCB110connected to the liquid crystal module (not shown), a second FPCB120connected to the touch panel12, and a third FPCB130connected to the LED light source (not shown).

Referring toFIG. 1A, the first through third FPCBs110,120, and130are not connected to individual connectors but are connected together to one connector30. More particularly, e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 1B, plug units111,121, and131may be formed at end portions of bodies112,122, and132of the first through third FPCBs110,120, and130may be combined and plugged together into a combination slot31of a single connector30. The FPCB assembly100may include one or more alignment protrusions123,133. The alignment protrusions123,133may be inserted into a corresponding guide slot32of the connector30so as to guide accurate combination between the FPCB assembly100and the connector30.

An exemplary embodiment of a structure of the FPCB assembly100will now be described in more detail with reference toFIGS. 1A through 1E.

FIG. 1Cillustrates an exploded plan view of the first through third FPCBs110,120, and130of the FPCB assembly100illustrated inFIG. 1A.

As illustrated inFIG. 1C, in the FPCB assembly100, the FPCB110may be disposed at a central position and the second and third FPCBs120and130may be respectively disposed on left and right sides of the first FPCB, and the first through third FPCBs110,120, and130may be combined into one.

In one or more embodiments, access terminals113to which the second and third FPCBs120and130may be connected may be formed, e.g., on a surface or plane of the body112of the first FPCB110. More particularly, e.g., the access terminals113may be formed at left and right sides of the plug unit111on the respective surface of the body112of the first FPCB110, and the plug units121and131of the second and third FPCBs120and130may be electrically connected on the access terminals113, respectively. In more detail, a wiring (not shown) may be formed on the body122under the plug unit121of the second FPCB120and a wiring (not shown) formed on the body132under the plug unit131of the third FPCB130, and the wirings may be separately connected to the access terminals113, respectively. In one or more embodiments, the plug unit111of the first FPCB110and the plug units121and131of the second and third FPCBs120and130may be combined in a line. Embodiments are not, however, limited to a line, e.g., a shape of the combination may be a zig-zag. The first through third FPCBs110,120, and130may be combined by using, e.g., a bonding method using adhesive tape.

An exemplary cross-sectional structure of the FPCB assembly100will now be described with reference toFIGS. 1D and 1E.FIG. 1Dillustrates a cross-sectional view cut along a line A-A ofFIG. 1A.FIG. 1Eillustrates a cross-sectional view cut along a line B-B ofFIG. 1A. Referring toFIG. 1D, the first FPCB110may include a base film110a, upper and lower conductive layers110band110crespectively formed on and under the base film110a, and upper and lower coating layers110dand110e. The upper and lower coating layers110d,110emay be respectively formed as uppermost and lowermost layers. The upper and lower conductive layers110band110cmay include copper or a copper-plated material, and may form the access terminals113to be connected to the second and third FPCBs120and130, and other access terminals114to access the connector30. That is, portions of the upper conductive layer110bmay form the access terminals113, which may be electrically connected to the second and third FPCBs120and130, and portions of the lower conductive layer110cmay form the access terminals114, which may be electrically connected to the connector30.

Referring toFIG. 1E, when the first, second, and third FPCBs110,120,130are combined, the second and third FPCBs120and130may be electrically connected to the access terminals113formed by the upper conductive layer110bof the first FPCB110. More particularly, the second and third FPCBs120,130may be arranged on a portion of upper conductive layer110bformed on the first FPCB110. In such embodiments, bodies122,132of the second and third FPCBs120,130may not extend along a same x-y plane, i.e., may extend above or below the body112of the first FCPG110relative to a z-axis. In such embodiments, the first, second, and third plug units111,121,131may extend along a same x-y plane. More particularly, one or more surfaces of, e.g., the plug units111,121,131may be adjacent to and/or aligned with each other. The access terminals114formed by the lower conductive layer110cmay be electrically connected to access terminals (not shown) in the connector30when the combined FPCB assembly100is inserted into the combination slot31of the connector30.

More particularly, e.g., in one or more embodiments, the access terminals114of the lower conductive layer110cmay be wired in such a way that a region114aunder the first FPCB110may be electrically connected to the first FPCB110, a region114bunder the second FPCB120may be electrically connected to the access terminal113for accessing the second FPCB120, and a region114cunder the third FPCB130may be electrically connected to the access terminal113for accessing the third FPCB130. In such embodiments, although the plug units111,121, and131of the first through third FPCBs110,120, and130may be combined as a single plug unit, which may be received by a single connector, e.g.,30, the first through third FPCBs110,120, and130may independently transmit signals between the controller20and the component devices.

Therefore, if the plug units111,121, and131of the first through third FPCBs110,120, and130connected to a plurality of component devices are combined into one plug unit and are plugged together to a single connector30as described above, a plurality of connectors are not needed to connect a controller to the component devices. One or more embodiments of a FPCB assembly employing one or more features described herein, e.g., FPCB100, one or more of a number of connectors, cost, size, and/or weight may be reduced. One or more embodiments may be employed in a flat panel display apparatus.

In one or more embodiments, while the plug units111,121, and131may be combined with each other so as to be plugged together into the single connector30, the bodies112,122, and132may not be always integrally combined with each other.

FIGS. 1F and 1Gillustrate cross-sectional views of other exemplary embodiments of the FPCB assembly110along line A-A ofFIG. 1A. In one or more embodiments, the upper and lower coating layers110dand110emay include, e.g., an insulator such as polyimide. The upper coating layer110dmay cover edges of the upper conductive layer110b, as illustrated inFIG. 1F.

Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 1G, e.g., the plug unit111may contact the base film110aand may cover edges of the upper conductive layer110b.

As described above, in one or more embodiments, a plurality of plug units, e.g., the plug units111,121, and131, of a plurality of FPCBs, e.g., the first through third FPCBs110,120, and130, are combined into one single plug unit to be received by a single connector, e.g., the connector30, the cross-sectional structure of an FPCB assembly, e.g., the FPCB assembly100, may be variously modified as illustrated, e.g., inFIG. 1For1G, and the modification of the cross-sectional structure is included in the scope of the embodiments.

FIG. 2illustrates an exploded plan view of an FPCB assembly200according to another embodiment. In general, only differences between the exemplary FPCB200ofFIG. 2and the FPCB100ofFIGS. 1-Gwill be described below.

Like the previous embodiment ofFIGS. 1A through 1G, the FPCB assembly200may include a plurality of FPCBs such as first through third FPCBs210,220, and230, and may have a structure in which the first through third FPCBs210,220, and230are combined into one and are plugged together into the connector30. The first, second, and third FPCBs210,220,230may each include a body212,222,232, respectively. Each of the bodies212,222,232may be respectively connected to a plug unit211,221,231.

However, in the FPCB assembly200, the second and third FPCBs220,230may be at least partially disposed along a same x-y plane as the body212of the first FPCB210. More particularly, e.g., in the FPCB assembly200, the second and third FPCBs220and230may be bonded to sides of the first FPCB210. For example, the bodies222,232of the second and third FPCBs220,230may be arranged so as to be adjacent and/or connected to two sides of the body212. In such embodiments, the bodies222,232of the second and third FPCBs220,230may be substantially and/or completely aligned with each other and/or the body212of the first FPCB210along an x-y plane.

More particularly, in such embodiments, the bodies222and232of the second and third FPCBs220and230may respectively closely contact left and right side surfaces of the body212of the first FPCB210, and plug units221and231of the second and third FPCBs220and230respectively closely contact left and right side surfaces of the plug unit211of the first FPCB210. In such embodiments, access terminals to be connected to terminals of the connector30may be individually formed under the first through third FPCBs210,220, and230. The first through third FPCBs210,220, and230may be combined by using, e.g., a bonding method using adhesive tape. In one or more embodiments, although the plug units211,221, and231may be combined with each other to be plugged together into a single connector30, the bodies212,222, and232may not be always integrally combined with each other. Reference numerals221aand231arepresent alignment protrusions to be inserted into the guide slot32of the connector30illustrated inFIG. 1B.

One or more embodiments of the FPCB assembly200may provide a structure in which the plug units211,221, and231of the first through third FPCBs210,220, and230are combined into one and are plugged together into the single connector30. One or more embodiments of an FPCB assembly employing one or more features described herein, e.g., FPCB100,200may enable a reduced number of connectors, e.g.,30, to be reduced and may further enable smaller and/or lighter products to be produced at relatively lower cost.

FIG. 3Aillustrates a plan view of an FPCB assembly300according to another embodiment.FIG. 3Billustrates an exploded plan view of the FPCB assembly300illustrated inFIG. 3A. In general, only differences between the FPCB300ofFIG. 3and the FPCB200ofFIG. 2will be described below.

Referring toFIG. 3, the FPCB assembly300may include first, second and third FPCBs310,320, and330, and plug units311,321,331. Each of the first, second and third FPCBs310,320, and330may include bodies312,322,332, respectively. The second and third FPCB's320,330may closely contact left and right side surfaces of the first FPCB310. More particularly, e.g., the bodies322and332of the second and third FPCBs320and330may be adjacent to and/or may be connected to left and right side surfaces of the body312of the first FPCB310, respectively. The plug unit311of the first FPCB310may be arranged at a central position. The plug units321and331of the second and third FPCBs320and330may be adjacent to and/or may be connected to left and right side surfaces of the plug unit311of the first FPCB310. While the plug units311,321, and331may be combined with each other to be plugged together into the single connector30, the bodies312,322, and332may not be always integrally combined with each other.

More particularly, in the FPCB300, as illustrated inFIG. 3B, one or more combination protrusions311amay be formed on the plug unit311of the first FPCB310. Combination grooves321aand331amay be formed in the plug units321and331of the second and third FPCBs320and330, respectively. The combination protrusions311a, and the combination grooves321a,331amay connect together to combine the plug units311,321, and331. In one or more embodiments, the plug units311,321, and331may be combined in a line by combining the combination protrusions311awith the combination grooves321aand331a. In such embodiments, the plug units311,321,331may be combined without any additional material, e.g., adhesive tape. The combination protrusions311amay also function as alignment protrusions to be inserted into the guide slot32of the connector30illustrated inFIG. 1B.

One or more embodiments of the FPCB assembly300according to the current embodiment may provide a structure in which the plug units311,321, and331of the first through third FPCBs310,320, and330may be combined into one and are plugged together into the single connector30. One or more embodiments may provide an FPCB assembly, e.g.,300, that may be employed with a reduced number of connectors, e.g.,30, and thus, smaller and lighter products may be produced at low costs.

FIG. 4Aillustrates a plan view of an FPCB assembly400according to another embodiment.FIG. 4Billustrates an exploded plan view of the FPCB assembly400illustrated inFIG. 4A. In general, only differences between thee FPCB assembly400and the FPCB assembly described in connection withFIG. 1Cwill be described below.

The FPCB assembly400may include first, second, and third FPCBs410,420,430, and first, second, and third plug units411,421,431. Each of the first, second and third FPCBs410,420, and430may include bodies412,422,432, respectively. Access terminals413may be formed at left and right sides of the plug unit411on a plane of the body412of the first FPCB410. The plug units421and431of second and third FPCBs420and430may be connected on the access terminals413. Wiring (not shown) may be formed on the body422under the plug unit421of the second FPCB420and wiring (not shown) may be formed on the body432under the plug unit431of the third FPCB430, and such wiring may be separately connected to the access terminals413. In one or more embodiments, the plug unit411of the first FPCB410and the plug units421and431of the second and third FPCBs420and430may be combined in a line. In such embodiments, bodies422,432of the second and third FPCBs420,430may not extend along a same x-y plane, i.e., may extend above or below the body412of the first FCPG410relative to a z-axis. In such embodiments, the first, second, and third plug units411,421,431may extend along a same x-y plane. More particularly, one or more surfaces of, e.g., the plug units411,421,431may be adjacent to and/or aligned with each other.

More particularly, referring toFIGS. 4A and 4B, the plug unit411may include combination grooves411aand the plug units421,431may include combination protrusions421a,431a. In such embodiments, the first through third FPCBs410,420, and430may be combined by combining the combination grooves411aof the plug unit411of the first FPCB410with the combination protrusions421aand431aof the plug units421and431of the and the second and third FPCBs420and430.

In such embodiments, since the plug units411,421, and431may be combined in a line by combining the combination grooves411awith the combination protrusions421aand431a, a combination process may be easily performed without additionally using, for example, adhesive tape. In one or more embodiments, alignment protrusions421band431bmay be inserted into the guide slot32of the connector30illustrated inFIG. 1B.

Although the plug units411,421, and431may be combined with each other to be plugged together into a single connector30, the bodies412,422, and432may not be always integrally combined with each other.

One or more embodiments of the FPCB assembly400may provide a structure in which the plug units411,421, and431of the first through third FPCBs410,420, and430may be combined into one and are plugged together into a single connector30. One or more embodiments may provide an FPCB assembly, e.g.,400, that may be employed with a reduced number of connectors, e.g.,30, and thus, smaller and lighter products may be produced at low costs.

It is understood that embodiments are not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above. For example, in foregoing description while protrusions and/or grooves may be described with regard to a particular plug unit, an arrangement of such protrusions and/or grooves on the plug units may, e.g., be reversed.

One or more embodiments may provide a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) assembly capable of simplifying a connection structure between an FPCB and a connector, and a flat panel display apparatus using the FPCB assembly. Further, since a plurality of FPCBs may be connected to one connector, the number of connectors may be reduced. Thus, small and light products may be produced at low cost. Such embodiments are in contrast to the typical one-to-one connection structure that requires connectors corresponding to the number of FPCBs, such that small and light products may not be produced at a low cost.