PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9178288-B2
Application Number: US-201313913358-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Spring plate for attaching bus bar to a printed circuit board

Abstract:
Bus bar or power connector connections that are reliable and provide a reduced connection impedance. One example may provide a reliable connection by providing a spring plate. The spring plate may be arranged to hold a bus bar or other power conductor to a printed circuit board. The spring plate may further include an opening for a fastener, where the fastener is used to secure the bus bar to the printed circuit board. In this way, the spring plate may secure the bus bar to the printed circuit board in the event that the fastener is loosened or missing, thereby increasing the reliability of the bus bar connection. Further, the spring plate may provide an additional current path, thereby reducing the impedance of the bus bar connection.

Claims:
What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A spring plate comprising:
 a top plate including a plurality of fingers; 
 a bottom plate including a plurality of fingers; 
 a first opening between the top plate and the bottom plate; and 
 a second opening in the bottom plate to accept a fastener, 
 wherein the spring plate is arranged to accept a power conductor inserted in the first opening, and 
 wherein the fingers on the bottom plate are biased in a first direction and the fingers on the top plate are biased in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The spring plate of  claim 1  wherein the spring plate is fastened to a board in an electronic device by the fastener, wherein the board comprises a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       3. The spring plate of  claim 1  wherein the spring plate is fastened to a board in an electronic device by the fastener, wherein the board is attached to a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       4. The spring plate of  claim 1  wherein the spring plate is fastened to a board in an electronic device by the fastener, wherein the fastener includes a receiving portion that is threaded to accept a threaded inserting portion. 
     
     
       5. The spring plate of  claim 4  wherein the spring plate is formed to have an intermediate portion that includes the first opening, the spring plate further comprising the top plate and the bottom plate, each at right angles to the intermediate portion. 
     
     
       6. The spring plate of  claim 1  wherein the spring plate further includes tabs to fit in corresponding openings of a board. 
     
     
       7. The spring plate of  claim 6  wherein the spring plate secures a power conductor to the board when the inserting portion of the fastener is removed. 
     
     
       8. The spring plate of  claim 7  wherein the spring plate electrically connects the power conductor to an electrical connection on the board when the inserting portion of the fastener is removed. 
     
     
       9. The spring plate of  claim 1  wherein the spring plate is fastened to a board in an electronic device by the fastener, wherein the fastener further has a head portion wider than the power conductor and resides on a top side of the power conductor. 
     
     
       10. A spring plate comprising:
 an intermediate portion including a first opening; 
 a top plate attached to a top of, and orthogonal to, the intermediate portion and including a plurality of fingers; and 
 a bottom plate attached to a bottom of, and orthogonal to, the intermediate portion and including a plurality of fingers and a second opening, 
 wherein the fingers on the bottom plate are biased in a first direction and the fingers on the top plate are biased in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction. 
 
     
     
       11. The spring plate of  claim 10  further comprising a plurality of tabs. 
     
     
       12. The spring plate of  claim 11  wherein the first opening is arranged to accept a power conductor. 
     
     
       13. The spring plate of  claim 12  wherein the tabs are arranged to fit in openings in a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       14. The spring plate of  claim 13  wherein the spring plate mechanically secures and electrically connects the power connector to the printed circuit board when the tabs are soldered to openings in the printed circuit board and the power conductor is inserted in the first opening of the spring plate. 
     
     
       15. The spring plate of  claim 14  wherein the second opening is arranged to accept a fastener, the fastener to additionally fasten the printed circuit board and power conductor to the spring plate. 
     
     
       16. A spring plate comprising:
 a bottom plate including a first opening and a plurality of fingers; and 
 a first top plate attached to the bottom plate and including a plurality of fingers, the plurality of fingers forming a top of a second opening, 
 wherein the fingers on the bottom plate are biased in a first direction and the fingers on the first top plate are biased in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction. 
 
     
     
       17. The spring plate of  claim 16  wherein the first top plate is attached at a left edge and orthogonal to the bottom plate, the spring plate further comprising:
 a second top plate attached at a right edge and orthogonal to the bottom plate and including a plurality of fingers, the plurality of fingers forming a top of a third opening. 
 
     
     
       18. The spring plate of  claim 17  wherein the second opening and the third opening are arranged to accept a power conductor. 
     
     
       19. The spring of  claim 18  wherein the first opening is arranged to accept a fastener, the fastener to fasten a printed circuit board and the power conductor to the spring plate. 
     
     
       20. A spring plate comprising:
 a top plate having a first opening and a plurality of fingers; and 
 a bottom plate having a second opening and a plurality of fingers; 
 wherein the top plate is attached to the bottom plate at a first end of the top plate and a first end of the bottom plate, such that a third opening is formed between a second end of the top plate and a second end of the bottom plate, the second end of the top plate opposite the first end of the top plate and the second end of the bottom plate opposite the first end of the bottom plate, and 
 wherein the fingers on the bottom plate are biased in a first direction and the fingers on the top plate are biased in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction. 
 
     
     
       21. The spring plate of  claim 20  wherein a power conductor may be inserted into the spring plate through the third opening. 
     
     
       22. The spring plate of  claim 21  wherein the first opening and the second opening are arranged to accept a fastener, the fastener to fasten a printed circuit board and the power conductor to the spring plate. 
     
     
       23. The spring plate of  claim 22  wherein the top plate is split such that a first finger is on a first portion and the first opening is on a second portion, and the first portion and the second portion are at an oblique angle relative to each other. 
     
     
       24. The spring plate of  claim 20  wherein the bottom plate is at least approximately parallel to the top plate and the top plate is attached to the bottom plate by a joining piece.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices, such as portable computing devices, tablets, desktops, and all-in-one computers, cell phones, smart phones, and media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors and other devices, have become ubiquitous in recent years. These devices typically include circuitry such as processors, input and output circuits, memories, and others. These circuits are typically powered by voltage supplies. These voltage supplies may be a positive supply and ground, a positive supply and a negative supply, a ground and a negative supply, or some combination thereof. 
     The circuits in these electronic devices may be located on one or more printed circuit boards. These printed circuit boards may include main-logic boards, motherboards, daughter boards, or other types of boards. To power these circuits, the power supplies may be connected to the boards on which the circuits are located. 
     These power supplies may be routed via wires or cables from a printed circuit board to a connector, battery, or other appropriate connection. In situations where large currents are conveyed, a wide power conductor, which may be referred to as a bus bar (sometime written as bus bar) may be used. 
     Conventional bus bar connections may be unreliable. That is, conventional connections between bus bars and printed circuit boards may become loose with time due to movement of the device. For example, dropping a device or taking it for a ride in a car may cause a connection between a bus bar and a printed circuit board to work itself loose. 
     This loosening of a connection between a bus bar and a printed circuit board may cause functionality problems. Also, this loosening may cause an increase in impedance, which may waste power, cause heating, and again reduce functionality. Further, conventional bus bar connections may have excess impedance, which again may waste power, cause heating, and reduce functionality. 
     Thus, what is needed are bus bar or power connector connections that are reliable and provide a reduced connection impedance. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, what is needed are bus bar or power connector connections that are reliable and provide a reduced connection impedance. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a reliable connection by providing a spring plate. The spring plate may be arranged to hold a bus bar or other power conductor to a printed circuit board. The spring plate may further include an opening for a fastener, where the fastener is used to secure the bus bar to the printed circuit board. The spring plate and fastener may each physically secure the bus bar to the printed circuit board, and they both may form an electrical path between the bus bar and an electrical connection such as one or more traces or planes on or in the printed circuit board. The spring plate may also secure the bus bar to the printed circuit board in the event that the fastener is loosened or missing. This may make the fastener redundant, thereby increasing the reliability of the bus bar connection. That is, the spring plate may provide a self-contained connection between a bus bar and a printed circuit board in the event that the fastener is absent or removed. Further, the spring plate may provide an additional current path, thereby reducing the impedance of the bus bar connection as compared to a lone fastener. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a printed circuit board having an opening and a bus bar having a corresponding opening. A spring plate may be mounted on the printed circuit board. For example, the spring plate may include one or more tabs that fit in openings in the printed circuit board. The tabs may then be soldered to the printed circuit board to secure the spring plate in place. For example, if the bus bar is for a ground connection, the tabs may be soldered to ground connections on the printed circuit board. The bus bar may be inserted into a first opening in the spring plate. A second opening of the spring plate may be aligned to the openings in the printed circuit board and the bus bar. A fastener may be inserted through the openings in the printed circuit board, spring plate, and bus bar to secure the bus bar to the printed circuit board. 
     Various fasteners may be used in embodiments of the present invention. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a threaded boss may be soldered to an underside of a printed circuit board. A threaded screw may be inserted through a bus bar, spring plate, and printed circuit board and into the boss, and then tightened in order to secure the bus bar to the printed circuit board. In other embodiments of the present invention, other types of fasteners, such as pins, bolts, clamps, or other types of fasteners may be used. In other embodiments of the present invention, a boss or nut may be located on a top side of a printed circuit board, in which case there may be no opening in the printed circuit board. In still other embodiments, a boss or nut may be formed as part of a printed circuit board. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a spring plate having an intermediate portion including a first opening, a top plate attached to a top of, and orthogonal to, the intermediate portion and including a plurality of fingers, and a bottom plate attached to a bottom of, and orthogonal to, the intermediate portion and including a plurality of fingers and a second opening. The fingers on the bottom plate may be biased in a first direction and the fingers on the top plate are biased in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a spring plate having a bottom plate including a first opening and a plurality of fingers, a left plate attached at a left edge and orthogonal to the bottom plate and including a plurality of fingers, the plurality of fingers forming a top of a second opening; and a right plate attached at a right edge and orthogonal to the bottom plate and including a plurality of fingers, the plurality of fingers forming a top of a third opening. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a spring plate having a front plate having a first opening and a plurality of fingers, a back plate at least approximately parallel to the front plate and having a second opening and a plurality of fingers, and a joining piece joining the front plate to the back plate at a first end of the front plate and a first end of the back plate, such that a third opening is formed between a second end of the front plate and a second end of the back plate, the second end of the front plate opposite the first end of the front plate and the second end of the back plate opposite the first end of the back plate. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention may provide spring plates formed using various methods. For example, spring plates consistent with embodiments of the present invention may be formed by stamping, lathing, metal injection molding, 3-D printing, by using computer numerical control (CNC) machines, or by other techniques. 
     These spring plates may be formed of various materials. For example, spring plates consistent with embodiments of the present invention may be formed of stainless steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, nickel, or other appropriate material, and they may be plated with copper, nickel, palladium, gold, or other appropriate material. 
     While embodiments of the present invention are particularly well-suited to use with bus bars or power conductors for positive power supplies, negative power supplies, or ground, embodiments of the present invention may convey other types of supplies, voltages, control signals, or other electronic voltages or signals. 
     While embodiments of the present invention are particularly well-suited for use in connecting bus bars or power conductors to a printed circuit board, embodiments of the present invention may be used to connect bus bars or power conductors to flexible circuit boards or other appropriate substrates. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may be used with various types of electronic devices, such as portable computing devices, tablets, desktops, and all-in-one computers, cell phones, smart phones, and media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors and other devices. 
     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 a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a connection between a bus bar and a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the spring plate of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top oblique view of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a portion of an electronic system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the spring plate of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an oblique view of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a connection between a bus bar and a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the spring plate shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates the bias plate shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an oblique view of a portion of electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a spring plate according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an oblique view of a portion of electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates another spring plate according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 15  illustrates an oblique view of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a portion of 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 figure illustrates a portion of a printed circuit board  110  supporting a number of integrated circuits  150  and other components  160 . Bus bar or power conductor  120  may be connected to a ground, power supply voltage, bias voltage, or other high current line. This connection may be to a connector, cable, battery, or other component. Power connector  120  may be connected to an electrical connection such as traces or a power or ground plane on printed circuit board  110  via spring plate  130  and fastener  140 . By using both spring plate  130  and fastener  140 , the reliability of the connection between power connector  120  and printed circuit board  110  may be improved. Also, the inclusion of both components may reduce the impedance of the connection between bus bars or power conductors  120  and traces or planes on printed circuit board  110 . In various embodiments of the present invention, spring plate  130  may be capable of securing bus bar  120  to printed circuit board  110  both mechanically and electrically in the event that fastener  140  is missing or absent. This may render fastener  140  redundant, thereby increasing the reliability of the connection between bus bar  120  and printed circuit board  110 . That is, spring plate  130  may provide a self-contained electrical and mechanical connection between bus bar  120  and printed circuit board  110 . It should be noted that while in this example one spring plate  130  is used to secure one bus bar  120  to printed circuit board  110 , in other examples, more than one spring plate  130  may be used to secure more than one bus bar  120  to printed circuit board  110 . 
     Examples of various spring plates that may be used to make electrical connections between power conductors  120  and traces or planes on printed circuit boards  110 , as well as to mechanically secure power conductors  120  to printed circuit board  110 , are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a connection between a bus bar and a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  illustrates a bus bar or power connector  220  connected to printed circuit board  210  using spring plate  230  and a fastener that includes boss  240  and screw  242 . 
     Specifically, spring plate  230  may be attached to a printed circuit board  210  by inserting tabs  233  into opening  212  of printed circuit board  210 . Tabs  233  may be soldered to metallized areas around openings  212 . These metalized areas may be connected to traces or planes in or on printed circuit board  210 . Bus bar or power connector  220  may be inserted through opening  238  into spring plate  230 . This may cause the deflection of fingers  232  and  234 . (Note that these fingers are shown in an un-deflected state for clarity.) A threaded boss  240  may be attached to an underside of printed circuit board  210 . Screw  242  may include an insertion portion  243 , which may be inserted through openings in bus bar  220 , spring plate  230 , and printed circuit board  210 . Insertion portion  243  of screw  242  may be threaded and screwed into boss  240  to secure bus bar  220  to printed circuit board  210 . 
     Spacer  244  may be included to offset bus bar  220  vertically from printed circuit board  210 . Spacer  244  may be a washer or it may be a portion of threaded boss  240 . Threaded boss  240  and spacer  244  may either or both be connected to traces or planes in or on printed circuit board  210 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the spring plate of  FIG. 2 . Spring plate  230  may include an intermediate plate  239  having an opening  238 . Opening  238  may be used to receive a bus bar or power connector. Spring plate  230  may further include top plate  235  and bottom plate  237 . Top plate  235  may be attached to a top of intermediate plate  239  while bottom plate  237  may be attached to a bottom edge of intermediate plate  239 . Top plate  235  and bottom plate  237  may be orthogonal to intermediate plate  249 . Top plate  235  may include one or more fingers  232 , while bottom plate  237  may include one or more fingers  234 . Fingers  232  may be pre-biased in a downward direction, while fingers  234  may be pretty biased upward. This opposing biasing may provide a tension on bus bar  220 , thereby securing bus bar  220  in place. Bottom plate  237  may include opening  236 , which may accept a fastener used to secure a bus bar to a printed circuit board. Tabs  233  may be inserted into corresponding openings and a printed circuit board and soldered to traces or planes on our in a printed circuit board. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a top oblique view of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, spring plate  230  and screw  242  may be used to mechanically secure and electrically connect bus bar or power connector  220  to printed circuit board  210 . Specifically, bus bar or power conductor  220  may be inserted in opening  238  of spring plate  230  until it reaches a back edge of spring plate  230 . Screw  242  may be inserted through openings in bus bar  220 , spring plate  230 , and printed circuit board  210 . Screw  242  may be tightened by placing appropriate tool into region  243  and turning. 
     In this and other embodiments of the present invention, even if a fastener, such as screw  242 , becomes loose, or is removed or absent, the spring plate, such as spring plate  230 , may continue to mechanically secure and electrically connect a bus bar to a printed circuit board. That is, spring plate  230 , as with the other spring plates in these examples and other embodiments of the present invention, may provide a self-contained mechanical and electrical connection between bus bar  220  and printed circuit board  210 . In this way, fasteners, such as fastener or screw  242  may be a redundant connection between bus bar  220  and printed circuit board  210 . Spring plate  230  and screw  242  may each provide an electrical path from bus bar  220  to traces or planes in or on printed circuit board  210 , thereby reducing connection impedance when a fastener is present. 
     In this and the other included examples, spring plates are secured to bus bars and printed circuit boards using fasteners such as a screw and threaded boss (or nut.) In other embodiments of the present invention, other types of fasteners, such as pins, clips, bolts, or other fasteners, may be used. In other embodiments of the present invention, a boss or nut may be located on a top side of a printed circuit board, in which case there may be no opening in the printed circuit board. In still other embodiments, a boss or nut may be formed as part of a printed circuit board. 
     In various applications, board space may be at a premium. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide a spring plate that consumes a reduced amount of board space. An example is shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a portion of an electronic system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, spring plate  530  and a fastener including screw  542  and threaded boss  540  may be used to mechanically and electrically secure bus bar  220  to printed circuit board  210 . 
     Specifically, bus bar  220  may be inserted through openings  533  and  535  in spring plate  530 . Boss  540  may be soldered to an underside of printed circuit board  210 . Insertion portion  543  of screw  542  may be inserted through openings in bus bar  220 , spring plate  530 , and printed circuit board  210  and into boss  540 . Fingers  536 ,  532 , and  534  may provide tension on bus bar  220 , thereby securing bus bar  220  in place. As before, spacer  544  may be placed between bus bar  220  and printed circuit board  210 . Spacer  544  may be a washer or a portion of boss  540 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the spring plate of  FIG. 5 . Spring plate  530  may include bottom plate  531 , left plate  538 , and right plate  539 . Bottom plate  531  may include opening  537  for accepting a fastener. Bottom plate  531  may also include fingers  536 . Right plate  539  may include fingers  539  forming opening  533 , while left plate  538  may include fingers  532  forming opening  535 . Right plate  539  and left plate  538  may be attached to, and orthogonal to, bottom plate  531 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an oblique view of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, bus bar  220  may be inserted through openings  533  and  535  in spring plate  530 . Screw  542  may be inserted through openings in bus bar  220 , spring plate  530 , and printed circuit board  210 . Fingers  532 ,  534 , and  536  may provide tension on bus bar  220 , thereby securing bus bar  220  in place in the event that screw  542  comes loose. Screw  542  may be tightened by turning a tool placed in region  543 . 
     In the previous examples, a horizontal connection may be made between bus bar  220  and printed circuit board  210 . In other embodiments of the present invention, a vertical connection may be made between a bus bar and a printed circuit board. Such a vertical connection may be used to reduce the amount of board space consumed. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a connection between a bus bar and a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, bus bar  820  may be formed to have a right angle. A vertical board  212  may be connected to printed circuit board  210 . Vertical board  212  may include traces and planes to be electrically connected to bus bar  220  using spring plate  830  and fastener  842 . 
     In this example, vertical board  212  may be secured or fastened to printed circuit board  210 . Bias plate  850  and bus bar  820  may be aligned to vertical board  212 . Spring plate  830  may be slid down over vertical board  212 , bias plate  850 , and the vertical portion of bus bar  820 . Screw  842  may be inserted into threaded boss  840  to secure spring plate  830 , bias plate  850 , bus bar  820 , and vertical board  212  together. Since spring plate  830  essentially clamps bus bar  820  to vertical board  212 , bus bar  820  may remain secured to vertical board  212 , and therefore printed circuit board  210 , even if fastener  842  inadvertently becomes loose, or is absent or otherwise missing. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the spring plate shown in  FIG. 8 . Spring plate  830  may include front plate  836 , backplate  831 , and joining piece  838 . Side portions  833  and  835  may include fingers  832  and  834  and may be separated from front and back plates  836  and  831 . Front and back plates  836  and  831  may include openings, such as opening  837 , to accept a fastener. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates the bias plate shown in  FIG. 8 . Bias plate  850  may include opening  853  for accepting a fastener and fingers  852 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an oblique view of a portion of electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, bus bar or power connector  820  may be mechanically attached to printed circuit board  210 , and electrically connected to traces in printed circuit board  210 , through spring plate  830  and fastener  842 . Spring plate  830  may include side portions  833  having fingers  832 . Fastener  842  may be inserted through openings in spring plate  830 , bus bar  820 , and vertical plate  212 . Screw  842  may be tightened by placing a tool in region  843  and turning. 
     Again, the spring plate in the above example forms a clamp to secure a bus bar to a vertical board portion. Another such spring plate is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a spring plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. Spring plate  1230  may include front plate  1231 , backplate  1235 , and joining portion  1238 . Front plate  1231  may include opening  1239  to accept a fastener, and fingers  1232 . Backplate  1235  may include fingers  1234 , an opening (not shown) to also accept the fastener. Spring plate  1230  may further include tabs  1233 . Tabs  1233  may be used to secure spring plate  1230  to a printed circuit board. Specifically, tabs  1233  may be placed in and soldered to openings in a printed circuit board. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates an oblique view of a portion of electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, bus bar  1320  may be secured to vertical board  1360  using spring plate  1230  and fastener  1342 . 
     Specifically, a vertical portion of bus bar  1230  may be inserted into opening  1236  in spring plate  1230 . Fastener  1342  may be inserted through openings in spring plate  1230 , bus bar  1320 , and vertical board  1360 . Fastener  1342  may be threaded into boss  1340 , which may be fixed to a back side of vertical board  1360 . Screw  1342  may be tightened by inserting a tool in region  1543  and turning. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates another spring plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. Spring plate  1430  may include top plate  1431  having fingers  5042  and bottom plate  1435  having fingers  1434  and opening  1437 . Spring plate  1430  may further include tabs  1433 . As with similar tabs in the above examples, tabs  1433  may be inserted and soldered to openings in a printed circuit board to secure spring plate  1430  in place. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates an oblique view of a portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, bus bar  1520  may be secured to printed circuit board  210  both mechanically and electrically using spring plate  1530  and fastener  1542 . A vertical portion of bus bar  1520  may be inserted through opening  1438  in an intermediate plate  1439  of spring plate  1530 . Fastener  1542  may be inserted through openings in bus bar  1520 , spring plate  1530 , and vertical board  1560 . Threaded boss  5040  may be attached to a back side of vertical board  1560  to accept fastener or screw  1542 . Fastener or screw  1542  may be tight and by inserting a tool in region  1543  and turning. 
     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: 20130607
Publication Date: 20151103
Grant Date: 20151103
Priority Date: 20130607
Inventors: GAO ZHENG
MILETICH AARON
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01R12/7088", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/325", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R4/4809", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10272", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R4/4823", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R4/4823", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/7088", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10272", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/325", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/7088", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10272", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/325", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 52004491