Environmental protection of serial ATA and other electronic devices

• US 7,148,429 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EMS Aviation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Formation, Inc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Carswell, Samuel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TUAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/877,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/800, 361/797, 361/760, 361/730, 361/736, 361792-795, 361/816, 361/818, 174 521- 523, 174/35.R, 174/35.MS, 174/35.GC
• US Class Current: 174/262
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0218 by printed shielding conductors, ground planes or power plane H05K1/0236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0298 Multilayer circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/112 directly combined with via connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09627 Special connections between adjacent vias, not for grounding vias redundant conductors or connections H05K2201/0979
• 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 2203/1147 Sealing or impregnating, e.g. of pores
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1572 Processing both sides of a PCB by the same process; Providing a similar arrangement of components on both sides; Making interlayer connections from two sides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/069 Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A system for communicating with an electronic device within a sealed vessel comprises a generally enclosed housing having an opening. A printed circuit board is provided for covering the housing opening to create a fully enclosed sealed vessel. An electronic device is located within the interior of the sealed vessel and an external device is located outside the sealed vessel. At least one conductive path comprised of at least one conductive trace and at least one conductive via extends through the printed circuit board from the first surface located on the outside of the sealed vessel to a second surface located on the inside of the sealed vessel. The conductive path has a first end on the first surface which is connected to the external device and a second end on the second surface which is connected to the electronic device. In this manner, a communication path is established between the external device and the electronic device within the interior of the sealed vessel utilizing the at least one conductive path.

Claims

1. A system for communicating with an electronic device within a sealed vessel comprising:

a generally enclosed housing having an opening;

a printed circuit board comprising at least two laminated substrate layers covering the housing opening to create a fully enclosed, sealed vessel;

an electronic device within the interior of the sealed vessel;

an external device outside of the sealed vessel; and

at least one conductive path extending through the printed circuit board from a first surface located outside of the sealed vessel to a second surface located inside of the sealed vessel, the at least one conductive path comprising at least five conductive elements, a first conductive trace element located on the first surface of the first layer of the printed circuit board, a first blind via connected to the first conductive trace element and extending through the first substrate layer of the printed circuit board, a second conductive trace element connected to the first blind via and extending between the first substrate layer of the printed circuit board and a second substrate layer of the printed circuit board, a second blind via connected to the second conductive trace element and extending through the second substrate layer of the printed circuit board, and a third conductive trace element connected to the second blind via and located on the second surface of the second substrate layer of the printed circuit board, the external device being connected to the first conductive trace element and the electronic device being connected to the third conductive trace element, whereby communication is established between the external device and the electronic device within the interior of the sealed vessel utilizing the at least one conductive path.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board further comprises a series of conductive trace and via elements which extend on, through and between the layers of the printed circuit board to form a shield around at least a portion of the at least one conductive path.