Grounded flexible circuits

• US 20080164055A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Schlub, Robert W., Wang, Erik L., Jenks, Kenneth A., Hill, Robert J., Hobson, Philip Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,672,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0215 Grounding of printed circuits by connection to external grounding means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0039 Galvanic coupling of ground layer on printed circuit board [PCB] to conductive casing printed shielding conductors, ground planes or power planes for reduction of cross-talk or noise in printed circuits H05K1/0218

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided with one or more electrical components that may be coupled to one or more circuit boards by flexible circuits that can have reduced ground lengths. Each flexible circuit can include at least one ground conductor that may run along its length and that may have at least one portion exposed for coupling to a grounding element that may also be coupled to a ground plane.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an electrical component;

a circuit board;

a flexible circuit coupled between the electrical component and the circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit includes a ground conductor and a signal conductor; and

at least one grounding element coupled between the ground conductor and a ground plane.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the grounding element is a conductive adhesive.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the grounding element is a solder.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the grounding element is a clip.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the grounding element is a weld.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the grounding element is coupled to the ground conductor substantially along the entire length of the flexible circuit between the electrical component and the circuit board.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one grounding element comprises a first grounding element coupled between a first portion of the ground conductor and a first portion of the ground plane, and a second grounding element coupled between a second portion of the ground conductor and a second portion of the ground plane.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the ground conductor is surrounded by a covering except at at least a first portion of the ground conductor, and wherein the at least one grounding element is coupled to the ground conductor at the first portion of the ground conductor.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrical component is an antenna.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile telephone.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a remote control.

8. (canceled)

13. A circuit, comprising:

a first end for coupling to an electrical component;

a second end for coupling to a circuit board; and

a signal path extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the signal path includes a ground trace and a signal trace, and wherein the ground trace is coupled to a ground potential at at least one point along the signal path between the first end and the second end.

14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the ground trace is coupled to the ground potential at the at least one point by a conductive adhesive.

15. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the ground trace is coupled to the ground potential at the at least one point by a solder.

16. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the ground trace is coupled to the ground potential substantially along the entire length of the signal path between the first end and the second end.

17-27. -27. (canceled)