PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9048597-B2
Application Number: US-201213655734-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Structures for securing printed circuit connectors

Abstract:
Printed circuit substrates may be formed from rigid printed circuit material or flexible sheets of polymer. Printed circuit substrates may have conductive traces. Integrated circuits, touch sensor electrode structure, sensors, and other components may be mounted to the conductive traces. Connectors such as board-to-board connectors may be used to couple printed circuit substrates together. To hold the connectors together and to provide electromagnetic shielding, printed circuits and connectors may be surrounded by printed circuit connector securing structures. The printed circuit connector securing structures may have one or more strips of conductive fabric tape wrapped around the connectors. Metal stiffening members may be attached to opposing ends of the strip of conductive tape to facilitate removal of the tape for rework or repair. An additional strip of tape may be used to help secure the wrapped conductive tape. The additional strip may have a tab to facilitate removal.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus, comprising:
 a first printed circuit substrate; 
 a first connector mounted on the first printed circuit substrate; 
 a second printed circuit substrate; 
 a second connector mounted on the second printed circuit substrate that mates with the first printed circuit substrate; and 
 printed circuit connector support structures that surround the first and second connectors and portions of the first and second printed circuit substrates, wherein the printed circuit connector support structures include tape that is wrapped around the first and second connectors and stiffening structures attached to the tape, wherein the stiffening structures include a first stiffening member attached to a first end of the tape and a second stiffening member attached to an opposing second end of the tape, and wherein an additional strip of tape is attached to both the first and second sends of the tape. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the tape comprises conductive fabric. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus defined in  claim 2  wherein the first and second stiffening members are each held to the tape by a respective folded end of the tape. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus defined in  claim 3  wherein the first and second stiffening members comprise sheet metal members. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the printed circuit connector support structures comprise parallel strips of the tape that are coupled by a connecting structure. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus defined in  claim 5  wherein the parallel strips of the tape include a first conductive fabric strip and a second conductive fabric strip and wherein the connecting structure comprises conductive fabric. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the first printed circuit substrate comprises a flexible printed circuit substrate, the apparatus further comprising a sheet metal structure on the first printed circuit substrate. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus defined in  claim 7  further comprising a layer of conductive adhesive on the sheet metal structure. 
     
     
       9. Printed circuit connector securing structures for holding together a pair of board-to-board connectors, comprising:
 tape having a backing layer and an adhesive layer; and 
 a first stiffening member that is attached to an end of the tape and a second stiffening member that is attached to an opposing end of the tape, wherein the tape is configured to wrap around the pair of board-to-board connectors so that the first and second stiffening members are adjacent to each other. 
 
     
     
       10. The printed circuit connector securing structures defined in  claim 9  further comprising reworking tape that holds the ends of the tape together. 
     
     
       11. The printed circuit connector securing structures defined in  claim 10  wherein the reworking tape comprises a protruding portion that does not overlap the board-to-board connectors. 
     
     
       12. The printed circuit connector securing structures defined in  claim 11  wherein the ends of the tape are folded over portions of the first and second stiffening members so that parts of the first and second stiffening members protrude from the tape. 
     
     
       13. The printed circuit connector securing structures defined in  claim 9  wherein the backing layer comprises conductive fabric. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus, comprising:
 a first printed circuit substrate with first and second opposing sides; 
 a first connector mounted on the first printed circuit substrate; 
 a second printed circuit substrate; 
 a second connector mounted on the second printed circuit substrate, wherein the first and second connectors are plugged into each other; 
 printed circuit connector securing structures comprising conductive tape that wraps around the first and second connectors and comprising first and second metal memebers attached to the conductive tape, wherein the first and second metal members are both positioned on the first side of the first printed circuit substrate. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus defined in  claim 14  wherein the conductive tape has a layer of adhesive and wherein the conductive tape has a portion that is folded over the first metal member so that a portion of the first metal member protrudes from the conductive tape. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus defined in  claim 15  further comprising tape that is attached to the conductive tape to hold the conductive tape in place around the first and second connectors. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus defined in  claim 16  further comprising:
 a third printed circuit substrate; 
 a third connector mounted to the third printed circuit substrate; and 
 a fourth connector mounted to the first printed circuit substrate, wherein the third and fourth connectors are plugged into each other and wherein the conductive tape has portions that surround the third and fourth connectors. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus defined in  claim 17  wherein the conductive tape comprises first and second parallel strips of tape that are connected by a connecting portion of conductive tape, wherein the first strip of tape is wrapped around the first and second connectors and wherein the second strip of tape is wrapped around the third and fourth connectors. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus defined in  claim 14  further comprising an integrated circuit mounted to the first printed circuit substrate. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus defined in  claim 14  further comprising touch sensor structures on the first printed circuit substrate. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus defined in  claim 14 , wherein the first metal member is parallel to the second metal member. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus defined in  claim 14 , wherein the first metal member overlaps a first portion of the first printed circuit substrate, wherein the second metal member overlaps a second portion of the first printed circuit substrate, and wherein the first and second portions of the first printed circuit substrate are entirely different. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus defined in  claim 7 , wherein the sheet metal structure is in direct contact with the first printed circuit substrate, and wherein the first and second stiffening members overlap the sheet metal structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with connectors such as printed circuit connectors. 
     Electronic devices often include substrates such as printed circuits on which integrated circuits and other electrical components are mounted. Rigid printed circuits are formed from materials such as fiberglass-filled epoxy that are inflexible. Flexible printed circuits are formed from layers of polyimide or other sheets of flexible polymer. Integrated circuits, sensors, cameras, and other components may be mounted to pattered metal traces on rigid and flexible printed circuits. 
     When assembling an electronic device, it is sometimes necessary to couple substrates such as printed circuits together. For example, it may be necessary to couple a flexible printed circuit to a rigid printed circuit board or to attach a pair of flexible printed circuits to each other. 
     Connectors such as board-to-board connectors can be used to form printed circuit connections such as these. In a typical configuration, a first printed circuit may be provided with a first board-to-board connector and a second printed circuit may be provided with a mating second board-to-board connector. During assembly operations, the first and second board-to-board connectors may be coupled to each other. For example, a technician or a robotic assembly device may plug one of the board-to-board connectors into the other. 
     Electronic devices that include board-to-board connectors are sometimes subjected to drop events or other conditions that have the potential to disturb board-to-board connections. If care is not taken, a board-to-board connector may come loose, rendering an electronic device inoperable. 
     To address concerns with board-to-board connectors becoming loose, some manufacturers of electronic devices wrap board-to-board connectors with tape. The tape helps prevent the board-to-board connectors from coming apart during use of an electronic device, but can be difficult or impossible to replace in the event that board-to-board connectors need to be temporarily decoupled during repair operations. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways in which to secure board-to-board connectors. 
     SUMMARY 
     Printed circuit substrates may be formed from rigid printed circuit material or flexible sheets of polymer. Printed circuit substrates may have conductive traces. Integrated circuits, touch sensor electrode structure, sensors, and other components may be mounted to the conductive traces. 
     Connectors such as board-to-board connectors may be used to couple printed circuit substrates together. To hold the connectors together and to provide electromagnetic shielding, printed circuits and connectors may be surrounded by printed circuit connector securing structures. 
     Printed circuit connector securing structures may have one or more strips of conductive fabric tape wrapped around the connectors. Metal stiffening members may be attached to opposing ends of the strip of conductive tape to facilitate removal of the tape for rework or repair. When the conductive tape is wrapped around the connectors, the metal stiffening members may be located adjacent to each other on top of the connectors. An additional strip of tape may be used to help secure the wrapped conductive tape. The additional strip of tape may overlap the conductive tape that is wrapped around the connectors and may have a tab that facilitates removal when reworking or repairing the connector structures. 
     Further features, their nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer with printed circuit connector securing structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld electronic device with printed circuit connector securing structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a tablet computer with printed circuit connector securing structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a computer display with printed circuit connector securing structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with printed circuit connector securing structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of illustrative board-to-board connector structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a pair of printed circuit structures that are being connected using a pair of mating board-to-board connectors in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of an illustrative printed circuit connector securing structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a layer of conductive tape on which metal stiffening structures have been placed in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of the conductive tape and metal stiffening structures of  FIG. 9  after the tape has been wrapped around the metal stiffening structures and after release liner structures have been applied in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of the conductive tape and metal stiffening structures of  FIG. 11  after removal of the release liner structures and attachment of a first printed circuit and a first board-to-board connector in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of the structures of  FIG. 11  following attachment of a second printed circuit and a second board-to-board connector that mates with the first board-to-board connector in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of the structures of  FIG. 12  after the ends of the conductive tape and the metal stiffening members have been wrapped around the mating first and second board-to-board connectors and after in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of an illustrative two section printed circuit connector securing structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of illustrative printed circuit structures being coupled to each other using board-to-board connectors showing how a two section printed circuit connector securing structure of the type shown in  FIG. 14  can be used to secure multiple pairs of board-to-board connectors in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Illustrative electronic devices that have coupled connectors that are held together using connector securing structures are shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4 . 
     Electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  has the shape of a laptop computer and has upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B with components such as keyboard  16  and touchpad  18 . Device  10  has hinge structures  20  (sometimes referred to as a clutch barrel) to allow upper housing  12 A to rotate in directions  22  about rotational axis  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. Display  14  is mounted in upper housing  12 A. Upper housing  12 A, which may sometimes referred to as a display housing or lid, is placed in a closed position by rotating upper housing  12 A towards lower housing  12 B about rotational axis  24 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device  10  based on a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, or other compact device. In this type of configuration for device  10 , housing  12  has opposing front and rear surfaces. Display  14  is mounted on a front face of housing  12 . Display  14  may have an exterior layer that includes openings for components such as button  26  and speaker port  28 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 3 , electronic device  10  is a tablet computer. In electronic device  10  of  FIG. 3 , housing  12  has opposing planar front and rear surfaces. Display  14  is mounted on the front surface of housing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , display  14  has an external layer with an opening to accommodate button  26 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device  10  in which device  10  is a computer display or a computer that has been integrated into a computer display. With this type of arrangement, housing  12  for device  10  is mounted on a support structure such as stand  27 . Display  14  is mounted on a front face of housing  12 . 
     The electrical devices of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4  have electrical components mounted on substrates such as printed circuit substrates. The printed circuit substrates may include rigid printed circuit board substrates such as substrates formed from fiberglass-filled epoxy and/or flexible printed circuit substrates such as substrates formed from flexible layers of polyimide or flexible sheets of other polymers. The illustrative configurations for device  10  that are shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4  are merely illustrative. In general, electronic device  10  may be a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     Housing  12  of device  10 , which is sometimes referred to as a case, is formed of materials such as plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber composites and other fiber-based composites, metal (e.g., machined aluminum, stainless steel, or other metals), other materials, or a combination of these materials. Device  10  may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of housing  12  is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures that have been mounted to internal frame elements or other internal housing structures). 
     Display  14  may be a touch sensitive display that includes a touch sensor or may be insensitive to touch. Touch sensors for display  14  may be formed from an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, a resistive touch array, touch sensor structures based on acoustic touch, optical touch, or force-based touch technologies, or other suitable touch sensor components. 
     Display  14  for device  10  includes display pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components or other suitable image pixel structures. 
     A display cover layer may cover the surface of display  14  or a display layer such as a color filter layer or other portion of a display may be used as the outermost (or nearly outermost) layer in display  14 . The outermost display layer may be formed from a transparent glass sheet, a clear plastic layer, or other transparent member. 
     A schematic diagram of device  10  is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , electronic device  10  includes control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  40 . Storage and processing circuitry  40  includes one or more different types of storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storage and processing circuitry  40  is used in controlling the operation of device  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on a processor such as a microprocessor and other integrated circuits. 
     With one suitable arrangement, storage and processing circuitry  40  is used to run software on device  10  such as internet browsing applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, software for capturing and processing images, software for implementing functions associated with gathering and processing sensor data, etc. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  is used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  can include wired and wireless communications circuitry  34 . Communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Input-output circuitry  32  of  FIG. 5  includes input-output devices  36  such as buttons, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, a touch screen such as display  14 , other touch sensors such as track pads or touch-sensor-based buttons, vibrators, audio components such as microphones and speakers, image capture devices such as a camera module having an image sensor and a corresponding lens system, keyboards, status-indicator lights, tone generators, key pads, and other equipment for gathering input from a user or other external source and/or generating output for a user. 
     Sensors  38  of  FIG. 5  include an ambient light sensor for gathering information on ambient light levels. The ambient light sensor includes one or more semiconductor detectors (e.g., silicon-based detectors) or other light detection circuitry. Sensors  38  also include proximity sensor components. The proximity sensor components may include a dedicated proximity sensor and/or a proximity sensor formed from touch sensors (e.g., a portion of the capacitive touch sensor electrodes in a touch sensor array for display  14  that are otherwise used in gathering touch input for device  10 ). Proximity sensor components in device  10  can include capacitive proximity sensor components, infrared-light-based proximity sensor components, proximity sensor components based on acoustic signaling schemes, or other proximity sensor equipment. Sensors  38  may also include a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and other circuitry for making measurements of the environment surrounding device  10 . 
     The substrates of device  10  contain metal traces for carrying analog and/or digital signals. Metal traces may, for example, form serial bus paths, parallel bus paths, analog signal paths, digital signal paths, etc. Some connections may be formed using solder or conductive adhesive. To permit rework and repair within device  10 , it may be desirable to form at least some connections in device  10  using reusable connectors. As an example, board-to-board connectors may be used to couple a printed circuit substrate to another printed circuit substrate. 
     A cross-sectional view of a pair of board-to-board connectors is shown in  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , board-to-board connector structures  42  include first connector  42 A and second connector  42 B. Connectors  42 A and  42 B mate with each other when pressed together, to form electrical connections. Connectors  42 A and  42 B are mounted to respective substrates. In particular, connector  42 B is mounted to substrate  44  and connector  42 A is mounted to substrate  46 . Connectors  42 A and  42 B may each have contacts such as pins  50  in connector  42 B and pins  52  in connector  42 A. Pins  50  are soldered or otherwise electrically connected to metal traces  48  in substrate  44 . Pins  52  are soldered or otherwise electrically connected to metal traces  54  in substrate  46 . 
     Substrates  44  and  46  may be printed circuit substrates such as rigid printed circuit board substrates (e.g., substrates formed from materials such as fiberglass-filled epoxy) and/or flexible printed circuit substrates such as flexible layer of polyimide or sheets of other flexible polymers. 
     When a pair of board-to-board connectors such as board-to-board connector  42 A and mating board-to-board connector  42 B are attached to each other as shown in  FIG. 6 , electrical signals can pass between substrates  44  and  46 . For example, analog and/or digital signals on traces  54  on printed circuit  46  can be conveyed to traces  48  on printed circuit  44  via pins  52  and  50  and analog and/or digital signals on traces  48  on printed circuit  44  can be conveyed to traces  54  on printed circuit  46 . 
     Printed circuit connector securing structures can be used to prevent structures  42  from coming apart during use of device  10 . The printed circuit connector securing structures can include conductive structures such as conductive tape. Conductive tape for the printed circuit connector securing structures may be based on conductive fabric formed from conductive metal fibers and/or plastic fibers coated with metal. When the printed circuit connector securing structures are formed from conductive materials such as conductive fabric, the printed circuit connector securing structures help ground and electromagnetically shield connector structures  42 . This can help reduce radio-frequency interference from connector structures  42  that might otherwise disrupt the operation of sensitive circuitry in device  10  such as radio-frequency receiver circuitry. There can be a tendency for connector structures such as board-to-board connectors to emit radio-frequency interference, so the use of printed circuit connector securing structures to form an electromagnetic signal shield can improve device performance. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a pair of illustrative printed circuits of the type that may be joined using connector structures  42 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 7 , printed circuit  46  has been provided with structure  56  and printed circuit  44  has been provided with structures  58 . Structures  56  and  58  can include integrated circuits, sensors, buttons, display structures, touch sensor structures such as patterned indium tin oxide capacitive electrodes, or other components. Components such as integrated circuits and other components that have electrical contacts are mounted on printed circuit  46  using solder or conductive adhesive. 
     Connector structures  42  include a pair of mating connectors such as upper board-to-board connector  42 A on substrate  46  and lower board-to-board connector  42 B on substrate  44 . Traces in substrate  46  are used to route signals between components  56  and pins in connector  42 A. Traces in substrate  44  are used to route signals between components  58  and pins in connector  42 B. Connectors  42 A and  42 B are plugged into each other during assembly of device  10 . To prevent connectors  42 A and  42 B from becoming disconnected and to help provide electromagnetic shielding, connectors  42 A and  42 B are wrapped in printed circuit connector securing structures  64 . 
     Printed circuit connector securing structures  64  include a segment of conductive tape. The conductive tape includes a layer of adhesive on a conductive metal foil or conductive fabric layer. Arrangements in which the conductive tape is formed from conductive fabric are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     To facilitate rework and repair, printed circuit connector securing structures  64  preferably are provided with features that facilitate the removal of the conductive fabric tape. The removal features may include, for example, stiffener members such as stiffener members formed from plastic or metal. The stiffener members may create tabs on the conductive fabric tape that can be gripped by tweezers or the fingers a technician when it is desired to remove the tape. Metal stiffener members are conductive and therefore help provide the printed circuit connector securing structures  64  with electromagnetic signal shielding capabilities. Configurations in which the stiffener members on the conductive fabric tapes are formed from metal are therefore described herein as an example. 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of illustrative printed circuit connector securing structures  64 . In the configuration shown in  FIG. 8 , printed circuit connector securing structures  64  are formed from a strip of conductive tape having the shape of an elongated rectangle running along longitudinal axis  74 . Stiffening member  66  is located at end  70  of printed circuit connector securing structures  64 . Stiffening member  66  is located at end  72  of printed circuit connector securing structures  64 . Central portion  68  is interposed between ends  70  and  72  and is covered with a layer of exposed adhesive. At ends  70  and  72 , portions  66 ′ of stiffening members  66  are exposed and available to be gripped by a technician. Portions  66 ″ are wrapped within folded over portions of conductive tape. 
       FIGS. 9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 , and  13  show how printed circuit connector securing structures  64  are used to secure connector structures  42 .  FIG. 9  shows how stiffening members  66  are attached to conductive tape  76 . Conductive tape  76  has a backing layer such as layer  80 . Layer  80  is preferably formed form a conductive material such as metal. As an example, layer  80  may be formed from a thin metal foil or a conductive fabric formed from metal fibers and/or plastic fibers coated with metal. Conductive fabric configurations are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Adhesive layer  78  is a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the surface of conductive fabric  80 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the process of securing connector structures in device  10  together starts by placing stiffening members  66  at different locations along the length of conductive fabric tape  76 . 
     After attaching stiffening members  66  to the surface of conductive tape  76  using adhesive layer  78  as shown in  FIG. 9 , tips  82  of conductive tape  76  are folded over stiffening members  66  in directions  84 . Release liner structures  82  are then placed on the surface of tape  76  as shown in  FIG. 10 . Release liner structures  82  may protect the exposed adhesive in region  68  from dust and other contaminants and may facilitate handling. 
     When a technician is ready to apply the printed circuit connector securing structures to a pair of connectors, release liner structures  82  are removed and a lower connector such as connector  42 B on printed circuit substrate  44  is placed on adhesive layer  78  in region  68 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of connector structures  42  after upper connector  42 A has been plugged into lower connector  42 B. Upper connector  42 A is mounted to a printed circuit substrate such as flexible printed circuit substrate  46 . To provide flexible printed circuit substrate  46  with localized support and stiffness in the vicinity of connector structures  42 , a support member formed from a sheet of stainless steel or other metal support member  86  is attached to flexible printed circuit substrate  46  in the portion of flexible printed circuit substrate  46  that overlaps connector structures  42 . A layer of adhesive is preferably interposed between sheet metal structure  86  and flexible printed circuit  46  to secure sheet metal structure  86  to flexible printed circuit  46 . 
     Once upper connector  42 A has been connected to lower connector  42 B, printed circuit securing structures  64  of  FIG. 13  are used to secure and electromagnetically shield connector structures  42 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , the end portions of tape  76  that include stiffening members  66  are wrapped around the sides and top of connector structures  42  and associated substrates  44  and  46 . Stiffening members  66  are placed on the upper surface of structures  42 . A layer of adhesive such as conductive adhesive  88  is placed on top of metal flexible printed circuit sheet metal stiffening structure  86  to help hold the ends of tape  76  in place. 
     If desired, additional tape  90  (sometimes referred to as reworking tape) can be used to further secure the ends of tape  76 . Tape  90  has adhesive layer  96  on backing layer  94 . Adhesive layer  96  is preferably pressure sensitive adhesive that is sufficiently weak to be removed without damaging underlying structures. Backing layer  94  of tape  90  is formed from plastic, conductive material such as metal foil or conductive fabric, or other materials. Adhesive  96  can be conductive or non-conductive. 
     Tab portion  92  of reworking tape  90  is formed by placing tape  90  at a location that only partly overlaps underlying structures such as tape  76 , stiffeners  66 , connector structures  42 , and substrates  44  and  88 . With this type of arrangement, tab  92  protrudes from the side of structures  64  and provides a location where a technician can grip tape  90  when it is desired to peel tape  90  off of the other printed circuit connector securing structures  64 . 
     The presence of the wrapped conductive materials of  FIG. 13  around the periphery of connector structures  42  helps to reduce electromagnetic interference. The presence of the wrapped structures also forms a mechanical supporting mechanism that prevents connectors  42 A and  42 B from disconnecting from each other during use of device  10 . In the event that connectors  42 A and  42 B need to be disconnected from each other, tape  90  can be removed by a technical, connectors  42 A and  42 B can be taken apart, and, following repair operations for device  10 , connectors  42 A and  42 B can be reconnected, rewrapped with tape  76 , and structures  64  can again be secured using tape  90 . 
     Printed circuit connector securing structures  64  can be provided with multiple parallel strips of tape  76  that are connected by a common spine. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG. 14 . In the configuration of  FIG. 14 , printed circuit connector securing structures  64  have first conductive tape strip  76 A with stiffening members  66 A and second conductive tape strip  76 B with stiffening members  66 B. Spine  76 C serves as a connecting structure that holds strips  76 A and  76 B together. 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of illustrative printed circuit structures and connectors that are being secured using a two-strip tape securing structure of the type shown in  FIG. 14 . In the arrangement of  FIG. 15 , printed circuit substrate  44  is being connected to printed circuit substrate  46  and printed circuit substrate  98 . Board-to-board connector  42 B and  100 B are mounted on printed circuit  44 . Board-to-board connector  42 B mates with board-to-board connector  42 A on printed circuit substrate  46 . Board-to-board connector  100 B mates with board-to-board connector  100 A on printed circuit substrate  98 . Printed circuit securing structures include two tape strips  76 A and  76 B, each of which is secured using a respective additional piece of tape such as reworking tape  90  of  FIG. 13 . Tape strip  76 A wraps around connector structures  42  and tape strip  76 B wraps around connector structures  100 . 
     If desired, printed circuit connector securing structures  64  may be formed that have three or more parallel strips of tape. The configurations of  FIG. 13  in which printed circuit connector securing structures  64  have a single strip of conductive fabric tape and  FIG. 14  in which printed circuit connector securing structures  64  have two parallel strips of conductive fabric tape connected by a conductive fabric tape connecting structure that runs perpendicular to the parallel strips of conductive fabric tape are merely illustrative. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20121019
Publication Date: 20150602
Grant Date: 20150602
Priority Date: 20121019
Inventors: PETERSON CARL R.
YEUNG ALEX C.
MCCLURE STEPHEN R.
WRIGHT DEREK W.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01R12/73", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6581", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/78", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/73", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/73", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/78", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6581", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6581", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 50485718