Source: http://www.freshpatents.com/Housing-of-circuit-boards-dt20070125ptan20070020971.php
Timestamp: 2013-05-25 11:20:51
Document Index: 105072424

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 10', 'art 11', 'arts 10', 'arts 10', 'art 21', 'art 25', 'arts 30']

Housing Of Circuit Boards 3 views for this patent on FreshPatents.comupdated 05/24/13
Patents sorted by company.	01/25/07 | Class 439 Monitor | RSS | Browse: Prev - Next Housing of circuit boards Abstract: A fibre optic module has a PCB with high frequency tracks. The PCB is housed within a housing having top and bottom parts, each having a series of metallized ridges. The PBC has through holes filled with solder. Thus, there is a series of electrical interconnections through the PBC, and the total length of any enclosed periphery is much shorter than the full periphery of the board so that high frequencies are attenuated. ...
Agent: Avago Technologies, Ltd. C/o Klaas, Law, O'meara & Malkin, P.C. - Denver, CO, USInventors: Keith Everett, Kevin Paul Little, Jamie AndersonUSPTO Applicaton #: #20070020971 - Class: 439079000 (USPTO) - 01/25/07 - Class 439 Related Patent Categories: Electrical Connectors, Preformed Panel Circuit Arrangement, E.g., Pcb, Icm, Dip, Chip, Wafer, Etc., Distinct Contact Secured To Panel Circuit, Panel Circuit Adapted To Move Along Panel Plane Relative To Coupling Part For Insertion Of Male ContactThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070020971, Housing of circuit boards.Pbc INTRODUCTION
[0001] The invention relates to support of circuit boards in a housing,
particularly circuit boards having high-frequency tracks.
[0002] In devices such as fibre optic transceiver modules there are
circuit boards having high frequency tracks. For avoidance of damage to
such tracks there is typically a gap or space above and below the board,
the board being supported on ledges on opposed sides. While this
configuration of housing is effective at reducing risk of physical
damage, these spaces unfortunately provide a path for high frequency
signals and render the module susceptible to interference. This arises
particularly if there is a relatively long periphery around the board.
[0003] The invention addresses this problem.
[0004] According to the invention, there is provided an electronic device
comprising a circuit board having high frequency tracks and a housing
surrounding the board, wherein the housing and the board comprise
interconnect means for forming connections between opposed parts of the
housing through the board.
[0005] In one embodiment, the interconnect means comprises conductors
extending through the board for contact with the housing on opposed sides
[0006] In another embodiment, the conductors comprise solder filled into
board through-holes.
[0007] In a further embodiment, the conductors extend above the surface of
the board on at least one side.
[0008] In one embodiment, the conductors form bumps on both opposed
surfaces of the board.
[0009] In another embodiment, the housing comprises protruding features to
make electrical connections with the conductors.
[0010] In a further embodiment, the protruding features are ridge-shaped.
[0011] In one embodiment, the board comprises through-holes and the
housing comprises teeth extending through the through holes.
[0012] In another embodiment, opposed teeth extend partially through the
through-holes to make contact.
[0013] In a further embodiment, the opposed teeth extend partially through
[0014] In one embodiment, the interconnect means comprises a conductive
and resilient connector.
[0015] In another embodiment, said connector is in the form of a gasket
surrounding the board.
[0016] The invention will be more clearly understood from the following
description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only
[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional sketch showing a housing
and PCB assembly of the invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above of the assembly with a top
housing part removed.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an end of the housing without
[0020] FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views from above of alternative
housing bottom parts;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the end of an alternative
assembly, and FIG. 7 shows a bottom housing part in more detail; and
[0022] FIG. 8 shows a board and part of a housing of an alternative
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1 an opto-electronic device 1 comprises a top
housing part 10, a bottom housing part 11, and a PCB 2. The PCB 2 has
solder 3 filled into through-holes, providing a bump on each side. The
housing parts 10 and 11 have ridges 12 and 13 respectively located to
engage the protruding solder bumps of the solder 3. The ridges 12 and 13
are metallized with black electroless nickel so that there is a full
electrical connection between the parts 10 and 11 through the solder 3.
Also, the solder 3 is isolated from the PCB tracks 15, ensuring that
there is no adverse impact on -the operation of the PCB's circuit. This
is shown clearly in FIG. 2. The configuration of the ridges 12 and 13 is
shown more clearly in FIG. 3, triangular in cross-section and being long
enough along the apex to ensure good contact with the bump.
[0024] Because of the several top-to-bottom interconnections, the total
length of any enclosed periphery is much shorter than heretofore. This
significantly attenuates high frequencies.
[0025] An alternative housing bottom part 21 is shown in FIG. 4. This has
a stepped configuration, with ridges 23 on an upper tier.
[0026] A housing bottom part 25 having a simpler configuration is shown in
FIG. 5. In this embodiment ridges 26 are located along a side edge.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 housing top and bottom parts 30 and 31
have metallised teeth 32 and 33 respectively which extend through
apertures in the PCB to directly make physical and electrical contact. As
the teeth 32 and 33 make contact there is no need for the apertures in
the PCB to be filled or even plated.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 8, in another embodiment the housing comprises a
conductive EMC gasket 40 through which a PCB 41 is inserted. Only the
gasket 40 is illustrated The PCB 41 has filled through-holes 42 for
contact with the gasket 40. In this embodiment the gasket has a flat
profile, however, it may be toothed.
[0029] The conductive elastomer fills the gap around the PCB and hence
reduces the peripheral distance, and at the same time provides a cushion
for the PCB to prevent mechanical damage. This, together with the through
holes in the board provide the short peripheral distances.
[0030] Another advantage is that the elasticity of the seal means that
there is some mechanical compliance in the arrangement to allow for some
mechanical tolerance and to compensate for dimensional changes due to
[0031] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described but may
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