System and method for surface mountable display

• US 20060220051A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chia, Chee Wal, Fung, Elizabeth Ching Ling, Ng, Joh Joh, Koay, Hui Peng
• Granted Patent: US 7,977,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/99
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10325 Sockets, i.e. female type connectors comprising metallic connector elements integrated in, or bonded to a common dielectric support
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/301 by means of a mounting structure H05K3/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3421 Leaded components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for allowing a solid substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), to act as the support structure for an electronic circuit. In one embodiment, the LEDs which form a part of a scrambler assembly are constructed on a first substrate and the electrical connections are run to the edges of the substrate and end in electrical contacts positioned thereat. The substrate is then connected to the scrambler package by a series of electrical and mechanical connections to form the LED package. The electrical contacts which are part of the LED package extend from the LED package so as to enable electrical contact with a separate controller substrate.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an electronic component housing;

at least one electronic component positionable within said component housing;

said component housing defining an area for receiving a solid substrate; and

at least one set of electrical contacts positioned within said substrate receiving area, and contained by said component housing, said contacts adapted for spring-load mating with a substrate positioned within said area.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a substrate for positioning within said receiving area, said substrate comprising;

at least one electronic component mounted on said substrate, said electronic component positioned such that when said substrate is within said receiving area said electronic component is within said component housing; and

means for electrically connecting said electronic component with said electrical component electrical contacts when said substrate is positioned within said receiving area.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said electrical component is a LED and said component housing is a scrambler.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said electrical contacts spring-load mate with a side surface of said substrate.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said electrical contacts mate with a bottom surface of said substrate.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein said electrical contacts are further adapted to maintain a positioned substrate in mating relationship.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein electrical contacts further comprise:

a surface area for mating with a substrate not positioned within said receiving area.

8. A display device comprising:

a scrambler having a plurality of reflector partitions therein;

at least one LED positionable within certain of said plurality of partitions; and

a plurality of spring loaded electrical contacts positioned at peripheral locations around a bottom surface of said scrambler, said electrical contacts in electrical communication with substrates in mating relationship within said peripheral locations.

9. The device of claim 8 further comprising:

a first substrate mated with said scrambler such that said spring loaded contacts make electrical contact with electrical contacts on said scrambler;

said first substrate comprising;

at least one LED mounted thereon, said LED positioned within one of said partitions when said first substrate is in spring-loaded contact with said scrambler; and

electrical connections between said LED and said electrical contacts.

10. The device of claim 9 further comprising:

a second substrate mated with said scrambler such that a least a portion of each of said spring-loaded electrical contact makes electrical contact with said second substrate.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said second substrate is a controller for controlling displays formed by said LEDs.

12. A method of constructing an LED display, said method comprising:

mating a substrate against a bottom surface of a housing for distributing light from LEDs positioned within said housing, said substrate having thereon a plurality of LEDs, said LEDs becoming positioned within said housing when said substrate is so mated; and

maintaining said mating relationship by at least one set of spring loaded contacts applying force between said substrate and said housing.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

mating a controller substrate with said LED display such that a portion of said set of spring-loaded contacts is in contact with said controller substrate for the purpose of surface soldering.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said contacts carry electrical signals between said LEDs and said controller substrate.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said spring-loaded contacts are supported in said housing.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein said spring-loaded contacts are supported in said substrate.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein said housing is a light scrambler having reflective areas defined therein and wherein said LEDs become positioned within said reflective areas of said scrambler.

18. A substrate for supporting LEDs thereon, said substrate comprising:

a plurality of spaced apart LEDs, each LED having electrical leads extending therefrom, and each LED for insertion into a reflector area of a light scrambler; and

a plurality of electrical contacts positioned at the periphery of said substrate, said contacts each operable for spring-loaded contact with said light scrambler.

19. The substrate of claim 18 wherein said spring-loaded contact is an electrical contact, a portion of which is adapted for surface soldering onto a controller substrate.

20. The substrate of claim 19 wherein said electrical contacts are pads for mating with spring-loaded electrical contacts constructed in said scrambler.

21. An LED display comprising:

means for supporting a plurality of LEDs;

means separate from said supporting means for physically distributing light from LEDs supported on said supporting means;

means for flexibly locking said supporting means to said distributing means; and

means, including said flexibly locking means, for transferring electrical control signals to said LEDs from a separate control board via a surface solder connection on said separate board.

22. The display of claim 21 wherein said flexible locking means is physically mounted on said light distributing means.

23. The display of claim 22 wherein said flexible locking means is physically mounted on said supporting means.