PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9806446-B2
Application Number: US-201615168036-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Interposers having three housings interconnected to each other

Abstract:
Connecting structures to mechanically connect to a connector receptacle tongue and a printed circuit board and to electrically connect contacts on the connector receptacle tongue to traces on the printed circuit board. One example may provide an interposer having a housing and a plurality of contacts to connect a vertical tongue to a horizontal printed circuit board. The contacts may have a side or tongue connecting portion extending beyond a side of the housing and a bottom or board contacting portion extending beyond a bottom of the housing. The contacts may form a ninety-degree bend. A shield may at least substantially surround a vertical side of the housing.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a device enclosure having a connector receptacle, the connector receptacle comprising:
 a recess in the device enclosure, the recess having an opening in a rear surface; and 
 a tongue supporting contacting portions of a first plurality of contacts on a first side of the tongue and contacting portions of a second plurality of contacts on a second side of the tongue, the tongue extending through the opening in the rear surface of the recess, wherein the tongue is a portion of an interposer, the interposer further comprising: 
 
 a first housing formed around the first plurality of contacts, where each of the first plurality of contacts includes a contacting portion at a first end and a contact tail at a second end; 
 a second housing formed around the second plurality of contacts, where each of the second plurality of contacts includes a contacting portion at a first end and a contact tail at a second end; and 
 a third housing including the tongue supported by a connecting portion, 
 wherein a first tab on the first housing fits in a first opening in the second housing, a second tab on the first housing fits in a second opening in the connecting portion of the third housing, and a third tab on the second housing fits in a third opening on the connecting portion of the third housing to secure the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing together. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1  wherein the connector receptacle consists of the recess in the device enclosure of the electronic device, the tongue, and contacts supported by the tongue, the contacts including the first plurality of contacts and the second plurality of contacts. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1  further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein contact tails for each of the first plurality of contacts and each of the second plurality of contacts are attached to the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 3  wherein the tongue and the printed circuit board are at least approximately orthogonal to each other. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 4  wherein the tongue is formed of plastic. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 5  wherein each of the first plurality of contacts and each of the second plurality of contacts further comprise a ninety degree bend. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 6  wherein the interposer further comprises a shield. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 7  wherein a first tab on the shield fits in a first cutout of the connecting portion of the third housing and a second tab on the shield fits in a second cutout of the connecting portion of the third housing to secure the shield to the third housing. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1  wherein contact tails of the first plurality of contacts form a first row of surface mount contact tails and a second row of through-hole contact tails, where the first row is along an outside edge of the interposer. 
     
     
       10. An electronic device comprising:
 a device enclosure having a connector receptacle, the connector receptacle comprising:
 a recess in the device enclosure, the recess having an opening in a rear surface; and 
 a tongue supporting contacting portions of a first plurality of contacts on a first side of the tongue and contacting portions of a second plurality of contacts on a second side of the tongue, the tongue extending through the opening in the rear surface of the recess, wherein the tongue is a portion of an interposer, the interposer further comprising: 
 
 a first housing formed around the first plurality of contacts, where each of the first plurality of contacts includes a contacting portion at a first end and a contact tail at a second end; 
 a second housing attached to the first housing and formed around the second plurality of contacts, where each of the second plurality of contacts includes a contacting portion at a first end and a contact tail at a second end; 
 a third housing attached to the first housing and the second housing and including the tongue supported by a connecting portion; and 
 a central ground plane forming a central ground plane portion in a center of the tongue, a first ground contact on the first side of the tongue, and a second ground contact on the second side of the tongue. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10  wherein the tongue is formed of plastic and the central ground plane is formed of metal. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 11  wherein each of the first plurality of contacts and each of the second plurality of contacts further include a ninety-degree angle. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 12  further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein contact tails for each of the first plurality of contacts and each of the second plurality of contacts are attached to the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 13  wherein one of the first plurality of contacts has a through-hole tail portion one of the first plurality of contacts has a surface-mount tail portion. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 14  wherein the interposer further comprises a shield substantially around a top, rear, and two sides of the attached first and second housing. 
     
     
       16. An interposer the interposer comprising:
 a first plurality of contacts having contacting portions at a first end and a contact tail at a second end; 
 a second plurality of contacts having contacting portions at a first end and a contact tail at a second end; 
 a tongue supporting the contacting portions of the first plurality of contacts and the contacting portions of the second plurality of contacts; 
 a first housing formed around the first plurality of contacts,; 
 a second housing formed around the second plurality of contacts; and 
 a third housing including the tongue supported by a connecting portion, 
 wherein a first tab on the first housing fits in a first opening in the second housing, a second tab on the first housing fits in a second opening in the connecting portion of the third housing, and a third tab on the second housing fits in a third opening on the connecting portion of the third housing to secure the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing together. 
 
     
     
       17. The interposer of  claim 16  wherein each of the first plurality of contacts and each of the second plurality of contacts further include a ninety-degree angle. 
     
     
       18. The interposer of  claim 17  further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the contact tails for each of the first plurality of contacts and each of the second plurality of contacts are attached to the printed circuit board, wherein one of the first plurality of contacts has a through-hole tail portion one of the first plurality of contacts has a surface-mount tail portion. 
     
     
       19. The interposer of  claim 16  further comprising a shield, wherein a first tab on the shield fits in a first cutout of the connecting portion of the third housing and a second tab on the shield fits in a second cutout of the connecting portion of the third housing to secure the shield to the third housing. 
     
     
       20. The interposer of  claim 16  wherein the contact tails of the first plurality of contacts form a first row of surface mount contact tails and a second row of through-hole contact tails, where the first row is along an outside edge of the interposer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/641,353 , filed Mar. 7, 2015 , which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/543,768 , filed Nov. 17, 2014 , which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/003,022 , filed May 26, 2014 , which are incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The amount of data transferred between electronic devices has grown tremendously the last several years. Large amounts of audio, streaming video, text, and other types of data content are now regularly transferred among desktop and portable computers, media devices, handheld media devices, displays, storage devices, and other types of electronic devices. Power may be transferred with this data, or power may be transferred separately. 
     Power and data may be conveyed over cables that may include wire conductors, fiber optic cables, or some combination of these or other conductors. Cable assemblies may include a connector insert at each end of a cable, though other cable assemblies may be connected or tethered to an electronic device in a dedicated manner. The connector inserts may be inserted into receptacles in the communicating electronic devices to form pathways for power and data. 
     These receptacles may include a tongue supporting a number of contacts. The contacts may be electrically connected to traces on the tongue. The traces on the tongue may electrically connect to traces on a printed circuit board or other substrate in the electronic device. Often this may be accomplished by mounting the connector receptacle on the printed circuit board. 
     But in some devices it may be desirable to locate a receptacle such that its tongue is located at a different height or Z position from the printed circuit board in the electronic device. For example, it may be desirable to position a receptacle at a mid-height level of an electronic device while it may be desirable to locate a board at a lower-height level of the electronic device. It may also be desirable to be able to rotate a position of a connector receptacle relative to a printed circuit board in the electronic device. 
     Thus, what is needed are interposers and other connecting structures for electrically connecting contacts on a connector receptacle tongue to traces on a printed circuit board. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide interposers and other connecting structures for electrically connecting contacts on a connector receptacle tongue to traces on a printed circuit board where the connector receptacle are at different heights or Z positions or at different angles relative to each other. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may provide electronic devices that may include one or more connector receptacles. These connector receptacles may each include a tongue supporting a number of contacts. These contacts may electrically connect to traces on or in the tongue. The electronic devices may each have a printed circuit board or other substrate, which may support a number of circuits or components joined by one or more traces. The receptacle tongue and printed circuit board may be at different heights or Z positions in an electronic device and may be formed as separate structures for this reason. In other embodiments the present invention, a tongue may be rotated relative to the printed circuit board. In still other embodiments of the present invention, a tongue and printed circuit board may be separate structures for other reasons. In these situations, embodiments of the present invention may provide an interposer or other connecting structure to connect the receptacle tongue to the printed circuit board. These interposers may provide height or angle translation functions such that a tongue of a receptacle may be connected to a main logic, motherboard, or other appropriate board or substrate. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide an interposer having a number of through-hole contacts in a housing. The through-hole contacts may be inserted in openings in a tongue and printed circuit board. The amount of the through-hole contacts that are inserted may be varied in order to adjust for variations in height between the tongue and printed circuit board. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide an interposer having a number of surface-mount contacts on a top and bottom of a housing. The surface-mount contacts may be soldered to contacts on a tongue and printed circuit board. Surface-mount contacts on a bottom of the interposer may electrically connect to surface-mount contacts on a bottom of the interposer. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide an interposer having a housing and a plurality of contacts. The contacts may have a side or tongue connecting portion extending beyond a first side of the housing and a bottom or board contacting portion extending beyond a bottom of the housing. The contacts may form a ninety-degree bend. A shield may at least substantially surround a top, first side, second side, and third side of the housing. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide an interconnect structure. The interconnect structure may include a first housing portion forming a tongue for a connector receptacle. A second housing portion may support a first plurality of contacts. The first plurality of contacts may each include at least one tongue contacting portion at a first end to form a contact on a first side of the tongue and a board contacting portion at a second end. A third housing portion may support a second plurality of contacts and the second plurality of contacts may each include at least one tongue contacting portion at a first end to form a contact on a second side of the tongue and a board contacting portion at a second end. The tongue contacting portions of each of the first and second plurality of contacts may be orthogonal to a corresponding board contacting portion. A shield may be formed around at least portions of the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing. At least one of the plurality of first contacts and at least one or the plurality of second contacts may each include two tongue contacting portions and one board contacting portion. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide an interconnecting structure including a tongue and a housing, the housing supporting a plurality of contacts for making a right-angle translation. The tongue may be supported by a connecting portion. The tongue and connecting portion may be formed of a printed circuit board. Contacts may be plated on top and bottom sides of the tongue. Additional ground contacts may be located on a top and bottom side of the tongue. The connecting portion may include openings to accept posts on a housing for mechanical stability. The housing may include additional posts for fitting in a second printed circuit board, such as a main logic board, for mechanical stability. The housing may include a number of vertical slots for accepting a plurality of contacts. These contacts may have first contacting portions to fit in openings in the connecting portion and second contacting portions to fit in openings in a printed circuit board. The contacts may further include front testing portions which may be available at a front of the housing for testing and other purposes. A shield may cover a rear, top, left and right sides of the housing. A bottom of housing may be left unshielded such that contacting portions of the contacts may emerge from the bottom housing to fit in openings on the printed circuit board. A front of the housing may be unshielded such that the connecting portion may be attached. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide an interposer structure having a plastic tongue. The plastic tongue may include a central ground plane. The central ground plane may be formed by metal injection molding or other process. The tongue may support a number of contacts having a right angle such that the interposer structure provides a 90 degree translation. Some of these contacts may emerge from a bottom of the interposer structure as through-hole contacting portions, while others may emerge as surface-mount contacting portions. 
     These and other embodiments of the present invention may provide interposers and other connecting structures that provide height, rotational, or both height and rotational translations. These interposers and other connecting structures may mechanically connect a tongue or other connector receptacle portion to a printed circuit board or other appropriate substrate. These interposers and other connecting structures may also electrically connect contacts or traces on the tongue to traces on the printed circuit board or other appropriate substrate. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, contacts, shields, and other conductive portions of interposers and other connecting structures may be formed by stamping, metal-injection molding, machining, micro-machining, 3-D printing, or other manufacturing process. The conductive portions may be formed of stainless steel, steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, or other material or combination of materials. They may be plated or coated with nickel, gold, or other material. The nonconductive portions, such as the housings and device enclosures, may be formed using injection or other molding, 3-D printing, machining, or other manufacturing process. The nonconductive portions may be formed of silicon or silicone, rubber, hard rubber, plastic, nylon, liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs), or other nonconductive material or combination of materials. The printed circuit boards and tongues used may be formed of FR-4, BT or other material. Printed circuit boards may be replaced by other substrates, such as flexible circuit boards, in many embodiments of the present invention. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may provide interposes and connecting structures that may be located in, and may connect to, various types of devices, such as portable computing devices, tablet computers, desktop computers, laptops, all-in-one computers, wearable computing devices, cell phones, smart phones, media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, power supplies, adapters, remote control devices, chargers, and other devices. These interposes and connecting structures may provide pathways for signals that are compliant with various standards such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) including USB-C, High-Definition Multimedia Interface® (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), Ethernet, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt™, Lightning™, Joint Test Action Group (JTAG), test-access-port (TAP), Directed Automated Random Testing (DART), universal asynchronous receiver/transmitters (UARTs), clock signals, power signals, and other types of standard, non-standard, and proprietary interfaces and combinations thereof that have been developed, are being developed, or will be developed in the future. Other embodiments of the present invention may provide interposes and connecting structures that may be used to provide a reduced set of functions for one or more of these standards. In various embodiments of the present invention, these interconnect paths provided by these interposes and connecting structures may be used to convey power, ground, signals, test points, and other voltage, current, data, or other information. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention may incorporate one or more of these and the other features described herein. A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be gained by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates another interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of an interposer having a ground shield according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates another interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a transparent view of the interposer of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a reverse side view of the interposer of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an isolated view of a tongue and interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates another isolated view of a tongue and interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates another connecting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a transparent view of two housing portions of the connecting structure of  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a transparent view of another housing portion of the connecting structure of  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates an interposer structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a rear view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 18  illustrates an exploded view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 19  illustrates another exploded view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 20  illustrates another interposer structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 21  illustrates a partially exploded view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 22  illustrates a partially exploded view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 20 ; and 
         FIG. 23  illustrates a partially exploded view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 20 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This figure, as with the other included figures, is shown for illustrative purposes and does not limit either the possible embodiments of the present invention or the claims. This electronic device may be housed in device enclosure  140 . Tongue  110  may be located in an opening  130  in the device enclosure  140 . Contacts  120  may be located on tongue  110 . Contacts  120  may electrically connect to traces on and in tongue  110 . These traces may connect through an interposer or other connecting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention to traces on a printed circuit board in the electronic device. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the tongue and board may be at different heights or at angles relative to each other in an electronic device. In these situations, one or more different typ 1 es of interposers may be used to connect these boards. A connector receptacle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, tongue  110  may be located in an opening or recess  130  in housing  140 . Specifically, tongue  110  may be inserted through passage or opening  132  in opening or recess  130  such that contacts  120  may be mated with corresponding contacts on a connector insert (not shown.) More information on these connector receptacles and tongues may be found in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/543,748, titled “Connector Receptacle Having a Tongue,” filed Nov. 17, 2014, which is incorporated by reference. 
     It may be desirable to connect contacts  120 , which may be connected to traces on tongue  110 , to traces on printed circuit board  220 . However, these to boards may be at different heights or at different angles in the device. Accordingly, interposer  210  or other connecting structure may be used to connect contacts  120  and traces on tongue  110  to traces on printed circuit board  220 . Also, while embodiments of the present invention are well-suited to forming electrical connections between tongues and printed circuit boards, embodiments of the present invention may provide interposers and other interconnect structures to form electrical connections between other structures, such as receptacle housings that may support a number of contacts, flexible circuit boards, and other appropriate connector portions and substrates. Examples of specific interposers and connecting structures are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Interposer  210  may include a number of through-hole contacts  320  housed in a housing  310 . These through-hole contacts  320  may be placed in openings in a tongue and printed circuit board in an electronic device. That is, through-hole contacts  320  may fit in holes or openings on tongue  110  and board  220  in an electronic device and soldered to form electrical connections with traces connected to the holes or openings. Posts  330  may optionally be included for alignment and mechanical support. Housing  310  may be formed of plastic or other nonconductive material. 
     Through-hole contacts  320  may help to provide vertical adjustment to the connections between a tongue and a printed circuit board, such as tongue  110  and printed circuit board  220 . That is, the contacts  320  may be inserted into openings in the tongue or printed circuit board an amount that varies with the vertical offset, or difference in Z position, between the tongue and printed circuit board. This adjustment may be useful in accounting for variations in positions when interposers are used to connect a tongue and board at different angles relative to each other. 
     Through-hole contacts, such as through-hole contacts  320 , may tend to emit more signal noise thereby degrading signal integrity. This may make these through-hole contacts unsuitable for very high-speed applications. In such applications, surface-mount contacts may be used. These surface-mount contacts may be positioned on either or both ends of contacts, such as contacts  320 . These surface-mount contacts may be SMT type contacts, ball contacts, or other types of surface-mount contacts. An example of an interposer using ball contacts is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates another interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention. This interposer may include ball grid array contacts  420  on a top and bottom surface of housing  410 . These ball grid arrays may be interconnected by pathways  430 . The ball grid array contacts may provide surface-mount connections to a tongue and to a printed circuit board. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, it may be desirable to attach an interposer to a tongue before attaching the interposer and tongue together as a unit to a printed circuit board. In such case, a higher temperature solder or connecting material may be used to connect the tongue to the interposer. This may ensure that the tongue and interposer remain intact together while the interposer is soldered to the printed circuit board using a lower temperature solder or connecting material. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, spring contacts  520  may be located in housing  510  of interposer  210 . Spring contacts  520  of interposer  210  may compress and form connections when sandwiched between a tongue and a printed circuit board, such as tongue  110  and printed circuit board  220  in the above example. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of an interposer having a ground shield according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, tongue  110  may be connected to printed circuit board  220  through interposer  210 . These spring finger arrangement of  FIG. 5  may be used to provide ground shields  610 . Interposer  210  may be formed as any of the interposers shown here or it may be formed in other ways. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, tin bars  720  may be located in nonconductive housing  710  of interposer  210 . During soldering, tin bars  4020  may flow forming connections to contacts on a tongue and printed circuit board. Crash bars  730  may be used to secure tin bars  720  in place. 
     In these embodiments of the present invention, the interposers may provide a height translation. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, interposers may provide an angular translation. Examples are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention. As with the other interposers and connecting structures shown, interposer  810  may physically attach tongue  110  to printed circuit board  220  and interposer  810  may electrically connect traces on or in tongue  110  to traces on or in printed circuit board  220 . In this example, tongue  110  may support contacts  120  and may have a connecting portion  150 . Tongue  110  and connecting portion  150  may be formed as a printed circuit board or using printed circuit board methods. Interposer  810  may include a shield  820  having tabs  822 . Interposer  810  may be supported by support structure  824 . Support structure  824  and tabs  822  may be inserted in holes in printed circuit board  220 . In this way, interposer  810  may physically attach tongue  110  to printed circuit board or other appropriate substrate  220 . In this example, interposer  810  may also provide a 90 degree translation, that is, tongue  110  may be at an angle relative to printed circuit board  220 . Interposer  810  may electrically connect traces on or in tongue  110  to traces on or in board  220  through a plurality of contacts. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a transparent view of the interposer of  FIG. 8 . In this example, contacts  910  may provide a right-angle translation between traces on a tongue, which may be formed of a printed circuit board, and another printed circuit board. Contacts  910  may include through-hole portions  912 . Posts  920  may be used for alignment purposes and mechanical support. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a reverse side view of the interposer of  FIG. 8 . Again, through-hole contacts  1010  and  912  may be used to join traces between a tongue and printed circuit board, such as tongue  110  and printed circuit board  220 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an isolated view of a tongue and interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Tongue  110  may support contacts  120  and may have a connecting portion  150 . Interposer  810  may connect tongue  110  to a printed circuit board  220  (shown in other illustrations.) 
       FIG. 12  illustrates another isolated view of a tongue and interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, tongue  110  may support contacts  120  and may have a contacting portion  150 . Interposer  810  may provide a right-angled translation using contacts having through-hole contacting portions  1010  and  912 . 
     In the above example, tongue  110  and connecting portion  150  may be formed as a printed circuit board. In other embodiments of the present invention, a tongue may be formed of plastic or other material. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a connecting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Connecting structure  1300  may include tongue  1310  supporting a number of contacts  1320  on each side. Tongue  1310  may further include ground contacts  1330  on each side. Ground contacts  1330  may be isolated from contacts  1320  by housing portion  1332 . Tongue  1330  and housing portion  1332  may be formed of plastic or other material. Raised portion  1340  may be formed around tongue  1310  and may be arranged to accept an opening on a connector insert, or it may be arranged to fit in an opening in a device enclosure that may house connecting structure  1300 . Contacts  1320  may terminate in board contact portions  1322 . Board contact portions  1322  may fit in openings in a printed circuit board and may connect to traces in a printed circuit board. Housing portions  1350  and  1352  may support these contacts and may be at least partially surrounded by shield  1360 . Shield  1360  may include opening  1364  for accepting tabs  1356  on housing portions  1352  and  1350 . Shield  1360  may further include tabs  1362 . Tabs  1362  may fit in openings and electrically connect to ground traces or planes in a printed circuit board. Posts  1354  may be inserted in openings in a printed circuit board for alignment and mechanical stability. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates contacts and housing portions of the connecting structure of  FIG. 13 . Housing portion  1352  and housing portion  1350  may each support a number of contacts  1320  that may terminate in board contact portions  1322 . Contacts, or tongue contacting portions  1320 , may be at least approximately orthogonal to board contacting portions  1322 . In this way, contacts  1320  may provide a right angle translation between the tongue and a printed circuit board. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, a number of contacts on a tongue may be fixed or determined by an existing interface specification. But it may be desirable to reduce the number of contact portions  1322 . Reducing the number of board contact portions  1322  may reduce the board space consumed by connecting structure  1300 . Accordingly, in some embodiments of the present invention, more than one tongue contacting portion  1320  may be connected together and connected to a single board contacting portion  1322 . For example, tongue contact portions  1410  may electrically connected together. These contact portions may be for power and may connect together to a single power contact portion  1322 . Similarly, ground contacts  1412  may be connected together to a single board contact portion  1322 . Moreover, other tongue contacts, such as tongue contacting portion  1414 , may be present but may not be connected to a board contacting portion  1322 . 
     A third housing portion (not shown) may form tongue  1310 . This third housing portion may attach to housing portions  1352  and  1350  using tabs  1357  and notches  1358 , as shown below. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a housing portion for the connecting structure of  FIG. 13 . Tongue  1310  may include a number of slots  1520 . Tongue contact portions  1320  may reside in slots  1520 . Raised portion  1340  may be formed on this housing portion. First and second housing portions  1350  and  1352  may be placed together and inserted into opening  1550 . Tabs  1557  on housing portions  1352  and  1350  may fit in openings  1530 , while extensions  1540  may fit in notches  1358  in housing portions  1352  and  1350 . 
     Other embodiments of the present invention may include tongues formed of printed circuit boards or plastic. The plastic may be reinforced with a central ground plane, such as a metallic central ground plane, for increased durability. Examples of interposers having a printed circuit board tongue and a plastic tongue are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates an interposer structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. This figure includes a tongue  1610  supported by a connecting portion  1670 . An interposer including housing  1650 , shield  1660 , and contacts  1640  may mechanically support connecting portion  1670 . 
     Tongue  1610  may support a number of contacts  1620 . Contacts  1620  may be plated on surfaces of tongue  1610 . Tongue  1610  may also include a front ground plated region  1622 . Ground contacts  1630  may be placed on a top and bottom side of tongue  1610 . Tongue  1610  and connecting portion  1650  may be formed of a printed circuit board. 
     Housing  1650  may reside on a second printed circuit board (tongue  1610  and connecting portion  1670  being the first printed circuit board), such as a main logic board (not shown.) Posts  1652  may be inserted into openings in the second printed circuit board. Tabs  1662  and contact tails of contacts  1640  may also be inserted into openings holes in the second printed circuit board. Tabs  1662  may connect to a ground plane or traces supported by the second printed circuit board. Contact tails of contacts  1640  may connect to traces, power, or ground on the second printed circuit board. Shield  1660  may substantially cover a rear, top, and left and right sides of housing  1650 . 
       FIG. 17  illustrates a rear view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 16 . As before, tongue  1610  may be supported by contacting portion  1670 . Housing  1650  may include posts  1654  to fit in openings  1652  of connecting portion  1670  for mechanical support. Posts  1652  of housing  1650  may fit in openings in a second printed circuit board for mechanical stability. In this way, housing  1650  may mechanically secure tongue  1610  and connecting portion  1650  to a second printed circuit board (not shown.) 
     Contacts  1620  may be electrically connected to traces in, on, or otherwise supported by, tongue  1610  and connecting portion  1670 . These traces may connect to through-hole contact portions  1642  of contacts  1640 . Contacts  1640  may emerge from a bottom of housing  1650  to form electrical connections with traces in a second printed circuit board. 
       FIG. 18  illustrates an exploded view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 16 . Again, tongue  1610  may be supported by connecting portion  1670 . Ground contacts  1630  may be attached to top and bottom side of tongue  1610 . Housing  1650  may include posts  1652  for fitting in openings in a second printed circuit board. Housing  1650  may further include posts  1654  for fitting in openings  1672  in connecting portion  1670 . Housing  1650  may further include vertical slots  1656 . Contacts  1640  may be arranged to fit in vertical slots  1656 . Contacts  1640  may include through-hole portions  1642  for fitting in openings to connect to traces in contacting portion  1670 . Contacts  1640  may further include through-hole portions  1644  for fitting in openings in a second printed circuit board and forming electrical connections with traces supported by the second printed circuit board. Contacts  1640  may further include front test points  1646 , which may be available at front openings on a bottom portion of housing  1650  for testing and other purposes. For example, a flexible circuit board, ribbon cable, or other interconnect may connect to front test points  1646 . Shield  1640  may substantially cover a rear, top, and left and right sides of housing  1650 . 
       FIG. 19  illustrates another exploded view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 16 . Again, tongue  1610  may be supported by connecting portion  1670 . Housing  1650  may include posts  1654  to fit in openings  1672  on connecting portion  1670 . Ground contacts  1630  may be located on a top and bottom of tongue  1610 . The ground contacts  1630  may be attached to tongue  1610  by spot or laser welding, soldering, or other method. Contacts  1640  may include through-hole portions  1642  for making electrical connections with traces supported by connecting portion  1670 . These traces may electrically connect to contacts  1620  on tongue  1610 . Contacts  1640  may include through-hole portions  1644  for forming electrical connections with traces supported by the printed circuit board. Contacts  1640  may further include front test portions  1646 , which may be electrically accessible at openings  1656  of housing  1650  for testing or other purposes. For example, a flexible circuit board, ribbon cable or other interconnecting structure may be attached at these contacting points. Shield  1660  may substantially cover a rear, top, and left and right sides of housing  1650 . 
       FIG. 20  illustrates another interposer structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, tongue  2010  may be attached to housing  2050  via connecting structure  2070 . Tongue  2010  may support a number of contacts  2020 . Contacts  2020  may emerge from a bottom of interposer structure as surface-mount contacting portion  2022  or through-hole contacting portions  2024 . Tongue  2010  may further support ground contacts  2030 . Ground contacts  2030  may be isolated from contacts  2020  by portion  2032 . Housing  2050  may include posts  2052 . Posts  2052  may fit in openings in a printed circuit board, such as a main logic board, for mechanical stability. Shield  2060  may substantially covered a rear, top, and left and right sides of housing  2050 . Shield  2060  may include tabs  2062 . Tabs  2062  may fit in openings in a printed circuit board for grounding. 
       FIG. 21  illustrates a partially exploded view of the interposer structure of  FIG. 20 . A plurality of contacts  2020  may emerge from housing  2050 . Shield  2060  may substantially cover a rear, top and left and right sides of housing  2050 . Connecting portion  2070  may support tongue  2010 . Tongue  2010  may include a number of slots  2012  where contacts  2020  may be located. Tongue  2010  may include ground contacts  2030 , which may be isolated from contacts  2020  by portion  2032 . 
       FIG. 22  illustrates an exploded view of a tongue for the interposer structure of  FIG. 20 . Tongue  2010  may include a central ground plane  2210 . Central ground plane  2210  may be formed by metallic injection molding, stamping, forging, or other process. Central ground plane  2210  may be formed of stainless steel or other conductive material. Central ground plane  2210  may include ground contacts  2030 . Tongue  2010  may include portion  2032  for isolating ground contacts  2030  from contacts  2020 . Tongue  2010  may also include slots  2012  for accepting contacts  2020 . 
     Tongue  2010  may be formed in various ways. For example, tongue  2010  may be insert molded around central ground plane  2010 . Contacts  2020  may later be inserted into the structure including tongue  2010 . In other embodiments of the present invention, tongue  2010  may be insert molded around contacts  2020  and central ground plane  2210 . In still other embodiments of the present invention, tongue  2010  may be formed, and contacts  2020  and central ground plane  2210  may later be fit into the structure. 
       FIG. 23  illustrates an exploded view of a housing and shield for the interposer structure of  FIG. 20 . In this example, housing  2050  may be formed of two housing portions  2310  and  2320 . Housing portions  2310  and  2320  may support a number of contacts  2020 . Contacts  2020  may emerge on a bottom of the interposer structure as surface-mount contacts portions  2022  or as through-hole contact portions  2024 . Tabs  2312  on housing portion  2310  may be arranged to fit in openings  2322  on housing portion  2320  to secure housing portion  2310  to housing portion  2320 . Shield  2060  may be slid over a top of housing portions  2310  and  2320  once they are attached. Housing portions  2310  and  2320  may be insert molded around contacts  2020 . 
     During assembly, openings  2072  on connecting portion  2070  may fit over tabs  2324  to secure connecting portion  2070  to housing  2050 , which again may be made up of housing portions  2310  and  2320 . Tabs  2068  on shield  2060  may fit in cutouts  2074  on connecting portion  2070  to hold shield  2060  in place. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, contacts, shields, and other conductive portions of interposers and other connecting structures may be formed by stamping, metal-injection molding, machining, micro-machining, 3-D printing, or other manufacturing process. The conductive portions may be formed of stainless steel, steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, or other material or combination of materials. They may be plated or coated with nickel, gold, or other material. The nonconductive portions, such as the housings and device enclosures, may be formed using injection or other molding, 3-D printing, machining, or other manufacturing process. The nonconductive portions may be formed of silicon or silicone, rubber, hard rubber, plastic, nylon, liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs), or other nonconductive material or combination of materials. The printed circuit boards and tongues used may be formed of FR-4, BT or other material. Printed circuit boards may be replaced by other substrates, such as flexible circuit boards, in many embodiments of the present invention. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may provide interposes and connecting structures that may be located in, and may connect to, various types of devices, such as portable computing devices, tablet computers, desktop computers, laptops, all-in-one computers, wearable computing devices, cell phones, smart phones, media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, power supplies, adapters, remote control devices, chargers, and other devices. These interposes and connecting structures may provide pathways for signals that are compliant with various standards such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) including USB-C, High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), Ethernet, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, Lightning, Joint Test Action Group (JTAG), test-access-port (TAP), Directed Automated Random Testing (DART), universal asynchronous receiver/transmitters (UARTs), clock signals, power signals, and other types of standard, non-standard, and proprietary interfaces and combinations thereof that have been developed, are being developed, or will be developed in the future. Other embodiments of the present invention may provide interposes and connecting structures that may be used to provide a reduced set of functions for one or more of these standards. In various embodiments of the present invention, these interconnect paths provided by these interposes and connecting structures may be used to convey power, ground, signals, test points, and other voltage, current, data, or other information. 
     The above description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20160528
Publication Date: 20171031
Grant Date: 20171031
Priority Date: 20140526
Inventors: LEE JAE HWANG
AMINI MAHMOUD R.
GAO ZHENG
NG NATHAN N.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01R24/66", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/52", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R2201/06", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R9/096", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/724", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/658", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R31/06", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/71", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/71", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R2201/06", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/658", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/52", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/724", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R24/66", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R31/06", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R2201/06", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/52", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/724", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 54556741