Flexible floating electronic components

• US 20070230100A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Locker, Howard J., Wong, Tin-Lup, Cromer, Daryl, Hunt, James
• Application Number:
  US11/394,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20070230100A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/142 Arrangements of planar printed circuit boards in the same plane, e.g. auxiliary printed circuit insert mounted in a main printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/321 by conductive adhesives

Abstract

A method and apparatus for absorbing shocks and stresses associated with the movement of electrical components housed in electronic devices and especially in mobile electronic devices, and more particularly the use of gel as a means for floating electrical components within an electronic device housing, wherein portions of the gel are capable of electrically connecting critical electronic components within the fixed set of parameters thereby absorbing shocks and reducing stresses and allowing for flexible electrical interconnections to be established along isolated conductive gel pathways.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an electronic device housing having a bottom inner surface, top inner surface, and attached inner side surfaces; and

a layer of gel in contact with at least one of the electronic device surfaces of the electronic device housing for floating an electronic component within said electronic device housing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic component in contact with said gel and floatably maintained within said electronic device housing without directly contacting the inner surfaces of the electronic device housing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said electronic component is a motherboard.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of electronic components floatably maintained within said electronic device housing so as not to contact said inner surfaces of said device housing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

an electrically conductive gel for electrically interconnecting said plurality of electronic components.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

an isolated conductive pathway formed on at least one inner surface of the electronic device housing; and

an electrically conductive gel for electrically interconnecting said plurality of electronic components deposited within the bounds of said isolated conductive pathway, thereby electrically interconnecting said electronic components.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said plurality of electronic components include electrically conductive interfaces for electrically interconnecting said components.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

one of said electronic device housing surfaces has an opening for retaining a connector within said opening; and

further comprising;

a connector for connecting said electronic device to a peripheral electronic device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

an isolated conductive pathway formed on at least one inner surface of the electronic device between an electronic component and said connector; and

an electrically conductive gel for electrically interconnecting said electronic component and said connector deposited within the bounds of said isolated conductive pathway.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a laptop computer comprising a housing having a bottom inner surface, top inner surface, and attached inner side surfaces;

a layer of gel in contact with at least one of the housing surfaces;

a plurality of electronic components floatably maintained by said gel within the housing so as not to contact said inner surfaces of said housing;

an isolated conductive pathway formed on at least one inner surface of the housing; and

an electrically conductive gel for electrically interconnecting said plurality of electronic components deposited within the bounds of said isolated conductive pathway, thereby electrically interconnecting said electronic components.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of electronic components comprises a motherboard.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

forming an electronic device housing having a bottom inner surface, top inner surface, and attached inner side surfaces; and

depositing a layer of gel in contact with at least one of the electronic device surfaces of the electronic device housing for floating an electronic component within said electronic device housing.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps:

positioning an electronic component in contact with said gel so that said electronic component is floatably maintained within said electronic device housing without directly contacting the inner surfaces of the electronic device housing.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said electronic component is a motherboard.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps:

positioning a plurality of electronic components so that they are floatably maintained within said electronic device housing so as not to contact said inner surfaces of said device housing.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps:

depositing an electrically conductive gel for electrically interconnecting said plurality of electronic components.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps:

forming an isolated conductive pathway on at least one inner surface of the electronic device housing; and

depositing an electrically conductive gel for electrically interconnecting said plurality of electronic components within the bounds of said isolated conductive pathway, thereby electrically interconnecting said electronic components.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein:

said plurality of electronic components include electrically conductive interfaces for electrically interconnecting said components.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

an opening is formed in one of the surfaces of said electronic device housing for retaining a connector within said opening; and

further comprising the step of;

retaining a connector within said opening for connecting said electronic device to a peripheral electronic device.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps:

forming an isolated conductive pathway on at least one inner surface of the electronic device between an electronic component and said connector; and

electrically interconnecting said electronic component and said connector by depositing an electrically conductive gel within the bounds of said isolated conductive pathway.