Printed circuit board mounting assembly within a portable computer

• US 6,262,887 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Cheon-Yeol
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn D.
• Application Number:
  US09/525,328
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/683, 361/724, 361/736, 361/737, 361/746, 361/751, 361/752, 361/758, 361/800, 361/804, 361/681, 361/680, 361/684
• US Class Current: 361/679.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/142 Spacers not being card guides

Abstract

An assembly of a printed circuit board mounted in a housing of a slim portable computer is described. The printed circuit board mounting assembly has a printed circuit board with penetration holes. A boss with a hole having a supporter formed around the circumference of the boss is installed in a housing of the portable computer and inserted into the penetration hole. A cap covering a top surface of the boss protrudes towards the upper side of the printed circuit board through the penetration hole and is in contact with the upper side, and a coupling member fastens to the boss through the cap to secure the printed circuit board to the housing.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board mounting assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a printed circuit board having at least one first hole, the first bole penetrating from an upper side to a lower side of said printed circuit board;

a boss being installed in said housing and inserted into the first hole of said printed circuit board, a top surface of said boss protruding towards said upper side of said printed circuit board;

a first member formed around a circumference of said boss and supporting said printed circuit board;

a cap covering the top surface of said boss and contacting with said upper side of said printed circuit board; and

a coupling member fastening to said boss through said cap to secure said printed circuit board to said housing.

2. The printed circuit board mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein a conductive paint is coated on a surface of said cap and a metal layer is coated on said upper side of said printed circuit board connected to said cap, allowing electromagnetic interference noise created in said printed circuit board to drain from said metal layer through said cap to said housing.

3. The printed circuit board mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said boss having a second hole with a helical groove accommodating said coupling member.

4. The printed circuit board mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein said housing having a bottom portion coupling with a top portion, the top portion pivotally attached to a display unit and accommodating an input device and a pointing device, the display unit providing variable video display, said housing accommodating electronic components that perform functions of a portable computer.

5. The printed circuit board mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein a top portion of said cap has a third hole accommodating said coupling member and an orifice of a greater diameter than the third hole formed on a bottom portion of said cap accommodating the top surface of said boss protruding from said printed circuit board.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a display unit providing variable video display;

a housing of a portable computer having a bottom portion coupling with a top portion, the top portion pivotally attached to said display unit and accommodating an input device and a pointing device, said housing accommodating electronic components that perform functions of the portable computer;

a circuit board having at least one first hole coupling with the bottom portion of said housing, said circuit board accommodating a microprocessor controlling functions of the portable computer;

at least one boss having an opening formed in said housing, said boss protruding from the bottom portion of said housing and inserted into the first hole of the circuit board;

a first member formed around a circumference of said boss and supporting said circuit board; and

a coupling member fastening said circuit board with said boss, said coupling member being inserted into the opening of said boss through the first hole of said circuit board, said coupling member including a head portion of a diameter greater than that of the first hole of said circuit board and securing said circuit board when a bottom portion of said coupling member fastens with said boss.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a top portion of said boss is protruding through to an upper side of said circuit board and in contact with a bottom surface of the head of said coupling member.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a metal layer is coated on the upper side of said circuit board in contact with the bottom surface of the head of said coupling member, allowing electromagnetic interference noise created in said circuit board to drain from said metal layer through said coupling member to said housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said boss has a height small enough to not protrude through to an upper side of said circuit board.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one groove on the bottom surface of the head portion radially circumscribing the bottom portion of said coupling member and accommodating said boss.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the groove has a thickness not less than the peripheral thickness of said boss.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a cap covering the top surface of said boss and contacting with an upper side of said circuit board.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a conductive paint is coated on a surface of said cap and a metal layer is coated on the upper side of said circuit board connected to said cap, allowing electromagnetic interference noise created in said circuit board to drain from said metal layer through said cap to said housing.

14. A method, comprising the steps of:

forming a housing of a portable computer by coupling a bottom portion with a top portion of said housing of a portable computer and pivotally attaching a display unit providing variable video display to said housing, the top portion accommodating an input device and a pointing device, said housing accommodating electronic components that perform functions of the portable computer;

forming a first hole in a circuit board accommodating a microprocessor controlling functions of the portable computer;

forming at least one boss having an opening in said housing, said boss protruding from the bottom portion of said housing and inserted into the first hole of said circuit board;

forming a first member around a circumference of said boss and supporting said circuit board; and

fastening a coupling member with said boss, said coupling member being inserted into the opening of said boss through the first hole of said circuit board, said coupling member including a head portion of a diameter greater than the first hole of said circuit board and securing said circuit board when a bottom portion of said coupling member fastens with said boss.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of covering a top surface of said boss with a cap and contacting with an upper side of said circuit board.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of coating a conductive paint on a surface of said cap and a metal layer is coated on the upper side of said circuit board connected to said cap, allowing electromagnetic interference noise created in said circuit board to drain from said metal layer through said cap to said housing.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a top portion of said cap has a second hole accommodating said coupling member and an orifice of a greater diameter than the second hole formed on a bottom portion of said cap accommodating the top surface of said boss protruding from said circuit board.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said boss has a height small enough to not protrude through to an upper side of said circuit board.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein a top portion of said boss is protruding through to an upper side of said circuit board and in contact with a bottom surface of the head of said coupling member.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a metal layer is coated on the upper side of said circuit board in contact with the bottom surface of the head of said coupling member, allowing electromagnetic interference noise created in said circuit board to drain from said metal layer through said coupling member to said housing.