Interconnect structure for interconnecting electronic modules

• US 20020180554A1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clark, William, Bajgrowicz, Edward, Heckaman, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 6,535,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/33
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/712 co-operating with the surface of the printed circuit or with a coupling device exclusively provided on the surface of the printed circuit H01R12/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/75 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/658 High frequency shielding arrangements, e.g. against EMI [Electro-Magnetic Interference] or EMP [Electro-Magnetic Pulse] coaxial coupling devices specially adapted for high frequency H01R24/40; for flat or ribbon cable connectors H01R12/774; for coaxial cable H01R9/05
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1452 Mounting of connectors; Switching; Reinforcing of back panels

Abstract

An interconnect structure interconnects electronic modules and includes a backplane assembly formed from a substantially rigid backplane plate that carries RF connectors and a digital motherboard having digital connectors for mating with digital connectors of electronic modules. A controlled impedance interconnect circuit is positioned on the rear surface of the backplane plate and interconnects the RF connectors carried by the backplane plate and digital connectors of the digital motherboard. A rack receives the backplane assembly and supports a plurality of electronic modules that are interconnected to each other via the backplane assembly.

Claims

1. An interconnect structure for interconnecting electronic modules that each include RF connectors and digital connectors comprising:

a backplane assembly for interconnecting a plurality of electronic modules and further comprising;

a substantially rigid backplane plate having a rear surface and a front surface that interfaces with electronics modules;

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) connectors carried by said backplane plate for interconnecting RF connectors of electronic modules;

a digital motherboard supported by said backplane plate and including digital connectors for interconnecting digital connectors of electronic modules;

a controlled impedance interconnect circuit positioned on the rear surface of the backplane plate for interconnecting RF connectors carried by said backplane plate and digital connectors of said digital printed circuit board; and

a rack that receives said backplane assembly and supports a plurality of electronic modules that are interconnected to each other via the backplane assembly.

2. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises a plurality of waffleline grooves formed within the rear surface of said backplane plate, and waffleline wire contained within said waffleline grooves that interconnect RF connectors.

3. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, wherein said RF connectors are formed as coaxial connectors having coaxial connector pins that extend to the rear surface on said backplane plate and interconnected to each other by said controlled impedance interconnect circuit.

4. An interconnect structure according to claim 3, said backplane plate having holes that are dimensioned to receive said coaxial connectors.

5. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises channel line formed on said rear surface of said backplane plate.

6. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises a stripline circuit card carried by said rear surface of said backplane plate.

7. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, wherein said rack and backplane plate are formed from a metallic material and are substantially similar as to their coefficient of expansion (CTE).

8. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, wherein said backplane plate includes a motherboard cavity for receiving said digital motherboard, said cavity having openings extending to the front face through which the digital connectors extend for interfacing with digital connectors of electronics modules.

9. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, wherein said backplane plate includes guide holes for receiving counterpart guide pins on an electronics module for aligning an electronics module with the backplane plate.

10. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, wherein said rack includes guide channels for receiving guide members of an electronics module to enhance alignment and interconnection of an electronics module with the backplane plate.

11. An interconnect structure according to claim 1, and further comprising optical connectors supported by said backplane plate for connecting optical fiber to electronic modules.

13. An interconnect structure according to claim 12, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises a plurality of waffleline grooves formed within the rear surface of said backplane plate, and waffleline wire contained within said waffleline grooves that interconnect RF connectors.

14. An interconnect structure according to claim 13, wherein said rear cover includes formed cavities that cover said waffleline grooves, said cavities having peripheral walls that aid in isolating electrical signals from other portions of said backplane plate.

15. An interconnect structure according to claim 12, wherein said RF connectors are formed as coaxial connectors having a coaxial connector pins that extend to the rear surface on said backplane plate and interconnected to each other by said controlled impedance interconnect circuit.

16. An interconnect structure according to claim 15, said backplane plate having holes that are dimensioned to receive said coaxial connectors.

17. An interconnect structure according to claim 12, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises channel line formed on said rear surface of said backplane plate.

18. An interconnect structure according to claim 12, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises a stripline circuit card carried by said rear surface of said backplane plate.

19. An interconnect structure according to claim 12, wherein said backplane plate includes a motherboard cavity for receiving said digital motherboard, said cavity having openings extending to the front face through which the digital connectors extend for interfacing with digital connectors of electronics modules.

20. An interconnect structure according to claim 12, wherein said backplane plate includes guide holes for receiving counterpart guide pins on an electronics module for aligning an electronics module with the backplane plate.

21. An interconnect structure according to claim 12, wherein said rack includes guide channels for receiving guide members of an electronics module.

22. An interconnect structure according to claim 12, and further comprising optical connectors supported by said backplane plate for connecting optical fiber to electronic modules.

24. A backplane assembly according to claim 23, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises a plurality of waffleline grooves formed within the rear surface of said backplane plate, and waffleline wire contained within said waffleline grooves that interconnect RF connectors.

25. A backplane assembly according to claim 23, wherein said RF connectors are formed as coaxial connectors having a coaxial connector pins that extend to the rear surface on said backplane plate and interconnected to each other by said controlled impedance interconnect circuit.

26. A backplane assembly according to claim 23, said backplane plate having holes that are dimensioned to receive said coaxial connectors.

27. A backplane assembly according to claim 23, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises channel line formed on said rear surface of said backplane plate.

28. A backplane assembly according to claim 23, wherein said controlled impedance interconnect circuit comprises a stripline circuit card carried by said rear surface of said backplane plate.

29. A backplane assembly according to claim 23, wherein said backplane plate includes a motherboard cavity for receiving said digital printed circuit board, said cavity having openings extending to the front face through which the digital connectors extend for interfacing with digital connectors of electronics modules.

30. A backplane assembly according to claim 23, wherein said backplane plate comprises guide holes for receiving counterpart guide pins on an electronics module for aligning the electronics module with the backplane plate.

31. An interconnect structure according to claim 23, and further comprising optical connectors supported by said backplane plate for connecting optical fiber to said electronics modules.

12. An interconnect structure for interconnecting electronic modules that each include RF connectors and digital connectors comprising:

a backplane assembly for interconnecting a plurality of electronic modules and further comprising;

a substantially rigid backplane plate formed of a metallic material and having a rear surface and a front surface that interfaces with electronics modules;

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) connectors carried by said backplane plate and extending from the front to the rear surface for interconnecting RF connectors of electronic modules;

a digital motherboard supported by said backplane plate and including digital connectors for interconnecting digital connectors of electronic modules;

a controlled impedance interconnect circuit positioned on the rear surface of the backplane plate for interconnecting RF connectors carried by said backplane plate and digital connectors of said digital motherboard;

a rear cover formed of a metallic material that is matched as to its coefficient of expansion (CTE) with said backplane plate and supporting said backplane plate thereto; and

a rack formed of a metallic material that is CTE matched with said backplane plate and rear cover, and having said rear cover secured thereto and supporting a plurality of electronic modules that are interconnected to each other via the backplane assembly.

23. A backplane assembly for interconnecting a plurality of electronic modules that each include RF connectors and digital connectors comprising:

a substantially rigid backplane plate having a rear surface and a front surface that interfaces with electronics modules;

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) connectors carried by said backplane plate for interconnecting RF connectors of electronic modules;

a digital printed circuit board supported by said backplane plate and including digital connectors for interconnecting digital connectors of electronic modules; and

a controlled impedance interconnect circuit positioned on the rear surface of the backplane plate for interconnecting RF connectors carried by said backplane plate and digital connectors of said digital printed circuit board.