STRUCTURAL RING INTERCONNECT PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD ASSEMBLY FOR A DUCTED FAN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

• US 20100120273A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Lucero, Michael, Axtman, David, Collette, Daniel Ross
• Granted Patent: US 8,242,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/79
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09027 Non-rectangular flat PCB, e.g. circular
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09063 Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections

Abstract

A structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly for a ducted fan unmanned aerial vehicle that comprises a printed circuit board attached to a core vehicle body, wherein the printed circuit board conforms to the shape of the core vehicle body'"'"'s airframe skirt, and wherein the printed circuit board provides structural integrity to the core vehicle body.

Claims

1. A structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly for a ducted fan unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a printed circuit board attached to a core vehicle body, wherein the printed circuit board conforms to the shape of the airframe skirt of the core vehicle body, and wherein the printed circuit board provides structural integrity to the core vehicle body.

2. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one connector on a surface of the printed circuit board.

3. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one connector comprises at least one socket connector on a surface of the printed circuit board.

4. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 3, wherein the at least one connector further comprises at least one servo socket connector on a surface of the printed circuit board.

5. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 4, wherein the printed wiring board comprises a plurality of layers.

6. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 5, wherein one or more of the plurality of layers is a ground plane to shield conductors from electromagnetic interference.

7. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 6, wherein the arc length of printed circuit board extends at least 180 degrees around the circumference of the airframe skirt.

8. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 7, wherein the arc length of the printed circuit board extends 360 degrees around the circumference of the airframe skirt.

9. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 7, wherein the printed circuit board is attached to and supported by a plurality of v-blocks contained in the airframe skirt.

10. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 9, wherein one of the at least one socket connector is a power supply socket.

11. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 10, further comprising a radio socket connector on a surface of the printed circuit board.

12. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 11, further comprising an antenna coaxial cable connector on a surface of the printed circuit board.

13. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 12, wherein the printed circuit board is either rigid or rigid-flex.

14. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 13, wherein the printed circuit board'"'"'s prepreg material is FR4.

15. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 14, wherein the ground plane is a carbon fiber skin composite.

16. A structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly for a ducted fan unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a plurality of printed circuit boards attached to a core vehicle body, wherein each of the plurality of printed circuit boards conforms to the shape of the airframe skirt of the core vehicle body, wherein each of the plurality of the printed circuit boards provides structural integrity to the core vehicle body.

17. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 16, wherein the arc length of each of the plurality of printed circuit boards extends between 45 and 90 degrees around the circumference of the airframe skirt.

18. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 17, wherein the inner and outer duct walls of the airframe skirt are thicker in sections of the airframe skirt in spaces between each of the plurality of printed circuit boards.

19. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 18 further comprising at least one connector on a surface of each of the plurality of printed circuit boards.

20. The structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly of claim 19, wherein the at least one connector comprises at least one socket connector on a surface of the printed circuit board.