Apparatus for transporting flexible printed circuit board strip

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting an FPCB strip includes a feeding spool, a collecting spool, and a buffer device between the feeding spool and the collecting spool. The feeding spool is configured for feeding an FPCB strip. The collecting spool is for collecting the FPCB strip from the buffer device. The buffer device includes a container, a redirection cylinder and an air pump. The redirection cylinder has a cavity defined therein, and a plurality of air exit holes defined in a side wall thereof. The air exit holes are in communication with the cavity. The air pump is in communication with the container and the cavity of the redirection cylinder for evacuating the air in the container so as to retain the bent portion in situ in the container and blowing air into the cavity, so as to form a cushion of air at the air exit holes.

1 . An apparatus for transporting an FPCB strip, comprising:
 a feeding spool for feeding an FPCB strip unwound therefrom;   a collecting spool; and   a buffer device between the feeding spool and the collecting spool, the collecting spool configured for collecting the FPCB strip from the buffer device; the buffer device comprising:
 a container for receiving a bent portion of the unwound FPCB strip from the feeding spool, 
 a redirection cylinder having a cavity defined therein, and a plurality of air exit holes defined in a side wall thereof, the air exit holes being in communication with the cavity, the container arranged below and between the redirection cylinder and the feeding spool, and 
 an air pump in communication with the container and the cavity of the redirection cylinder, the air pump being configured for evacuating the air in the container so as to create a suction force to retain the bent portion in situ in the container and blowing air into the cavity of the redirection cylinder, so as to form a cushion of air at the air exit holes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air exit holes are arranged in a plurality of rows, and each row of the air exit holes is parallel to the central axis of the redirection cylinder. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each row of the air exit holes comprises at least twenty air exit holes. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein all the air exit holes are distributed at a quadrant of the side wall of the redirection cylinder. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each of the air exit holes has a diameter smaller than 1 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the buffer device further comprises a suction pipe and an exhaust pipe, the air pump being in communication with the container through the suction pipe, and being in communication with the cavity through the exhaust pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the collecting spool comprises at least one winding roller and a rotation driver, the rotation driver being connected to one end of the at least one winding roller, thereby driving the at least one winding roller to rotate. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the rotation driver comprises a rotating axle, the at least one winding roller defines a fixing hole in an end face of the at least one winding roller, and the rotating axle has an interference fit in the fixing hole. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one winding roller comprises two winding rollers connected with each other and coaxially aligned with each other. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the central axis of the feeding spool, the central axis of the collecting spool and the central axis of the redirection cylinder are parallel to each other.