Electronic circuit apparatus

• US 4,858,071 A
• Filed: 02/23/1988
• Issued: 08/15/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nomura, Hiroyuki, Osada, Yasuhito, Manabe, Takahiro, Nozu, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Gregory D.
• Application Number:
  US07/159,098
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 361/386-389, 361/392-395, 361/398, 361/399, 361/427
• US Class Current: 361/720
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/05 Insulated conductive substrates, e.g. insulated metal substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• 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 2201/09445 Pads for connections not located at the edge of the PCB, e.g. for flexible circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0999 Circuit printed on or in housing, e.g. housing as PCB; Circuit printed on the case of a component; PCB affixed to housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2009 Reinforced areas, e.g. for a specific part of a flexible printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0058 Laminating printed circuit boards onto other substrates, e.g. metallic substrates H05K1/0281 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/006 characterized by features for holding the PCB within the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20854 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20863 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence

Abstract

A flexible printed circuit substrate is bent in a flattened rectangular C-shape and electronic parts generating heat are mounted on the inner surface of a central portion of the C-shaped substrate. Then a radiating heat-sink plate is adhered on the outer surface of that central portion. Temperature-sensitive electronic parts are mounted on one end portion of the C-shaped substrate and parts consisting of a power supply circuit are mounted on the other end portion. Then the entire assembly is accommodated in a housing having a connector.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a flexible printed circuit substrate having wiring conductors of a predetermined pattern on which electronic parts are mounted, said flexible printed circuit substrate comprising;

a first area having mounted thereon electronic parts which generate heat,

a second area continuous with and bent substantially perpendicular to said first area and having means for connecting an external device,

a third area continuous with and bent substantially perpendicular to said second area and facing said first area and having mounted thereon electronic parts which are to avoid temperature rise,

a fourth area continuous with and bent substantially perpendicular to said first area, said fourth area being spaced from and substantially parallel to said second area, and

a fifth area continuous with and bent substantially perpendicular to said fourth area, said fifth area having connected thereto electronic parts which are to avoid temperature rise,

a heat radiating plate disposed on an outer surface of said first area facing away from said third area, and

a housing accommodating said flexible printed circuit substrate while covering at least a portion of said plate exposed to atmosphere.

2. An electronic circuit apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

a reinforcing plate is disposed on an outer surface of said third area.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 including a rigid printed circuit substrate generally parallel with and connected to said fifth area and having mounted thereon the electronic parts which are connected to said fifth area.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the electronic parts on the rigid substrate are mounted on that side thereof facing away from the first area.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the electronic parts connected to the fifth area are mounted thereon on that side thereof facing the first area.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the heat radiating plate disposed on the first area forms a part of the housing.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1 including a heat insulating member disposed between the first area and the third and fifth areas.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 including heat radiating plates disposed on those surfaces of the third and fifth areas facing away from the first area.

9. An electronic circuit apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein

the heat radiating plates are made of aluminum.

10. An electronic circuit apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein

the heat radiating plates are adhered on the flexible printed circuit substrate.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein the heat radiating plates form a part of the housing.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein the housing includes a pair of frames of plastic material.