ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME

• US 20090052142A1
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Inventors: Brewer, Alberto, Wilber, Clint, Hertlein, Robert, Conklin, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/721
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/042 Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10371 Shields or metal cases
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0278 of USB type details relating to connectors H01R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first printed circuit board including electronic components, a second printed circuit board including electronic components, and a shielding midframe. The shielding midframe is adapted to provide electromagnetic isolation between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board. The shielding midframe is further adapted to provide electromagnetic isolation of electronic components on at least one of the first printed circuit or the second printed circuit.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first printed circuit board including electronic components;

a second printed circuit board including electronic components; and

a shielding midframe adapted to provide electromagnetic isolation between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board, the shielding midframe being further adapted to provide electromagnetic isolation of electronic components on at least one of the first printed circuit or the second printed circuit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second printed circuit boards are stacked with the shielding midframe positioned therebetween.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the shielding midframe is adapted to provide distribution of heat generated by at least one electronic component.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shielding midframe is adapted to provide distribution of heat generated by at least one electronic component.

5. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the shielding midframe is adapted to provide dissipation of heat generated by at least one electronic component.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shielding midframe is adapted to provide dissipation of heat generated by at least one electronic component.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shielding midframe includes a first side with at least one cavity to accommodate electronic components of the first printed circuit board and a second side with at least one cavity to accommodate electronic components of the second printed circuit board.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein each cavity is electromagnetically isolated from each other cavity.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing adapted to secure therewithin the first and second printed circuit boards and the shielding midframe.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a metal insert for transfer of heat from the printed circuit board.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

a heat spreader positioned between at least one of the printed circuit boards and the housing, the heat spreader being adapted to distribute heat from the printed circuit board to the housing.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the housing is formed of an extruded plastic and an amorphous alloy.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat transfer unit adapted to transfer heat between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the heat transfer unit is a screw adapted to secure the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board to the shielding midframe.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the screw is further adapted to secure the first printed circuit board, the second printed circuit board and the shielding midframe to a housing for the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the heat transfer unit is adapted to transfer heat from the shielding midframe and one or more printed circuit boards to an outside environment.

17. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least one component of the first circuit board is coupled to at least one component of the second circuit board.

18. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one snap-on antenna and a diversity antenna to provide wireless communication by at least one of the printed circuit boards.

19. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shielding midframe is formed of a metal.

20. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shielding midframe is formed of an amorphous alloy.

21. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shielding midframe provides structural rigidity.

22. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector adapted to provide interfacing of at least one of the printed circuit boards with a communication device.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the connector is a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

24. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein at least one of the printed circuit boards provides modem capabilities for the communication device.

25. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a conductive sealant adapted to provide to prevent current leakage between the shielding midframe and at least one of the printed circuit boards.

26. A method for forming an electronic device, comprising:

positioning a shielding midframe to provide electromagnetic isolation between a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board,

wherein the first printed circuit board includes electronic components,

wherein the second printed circuit board includes electronic components, and

wherein the shielding midframe is further adapted to provide electromagnetic isolation of electronic components on at least one of the first printed circuit or the second printed circuit.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the shielding midframe is adapted to provide distribution of heat generated by at least one electronic component.

28. A modem device, comprising:

a first printed circuit board including electronic components;

a second printed circuit board including electronic components;

an antenna positioned on the first printed circuit board or the second printed circuit board; and

a shielding midframe adapted to provide electromagnetic isolation between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board, the shielding midframe being further adapted to provide electromagnetic isolation of electronic components on at least one of the first printed circuit or the second printed circuit.