Printed circuit board flexible interconnect design

• US 7,980,863 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MetroSpec Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: MetroSpec Technology LLC
• Inventors: Crandell, Wm. Todd, Holec, Henry V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; T C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US12/372,499
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 439/67, 439/65, 439/56, 439/57, 174/88.R, 362/806
• US Class Current: 439/67
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0209 External configuration of printed circuit board adapted for heat dissipation, e.g. lay-out of conductors, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09481 Via in pad; Pad over filled via
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09572 Solder filled plated through-hole in the final product
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0052 Depaneling, i.e. dividing a panel into circuit boards; Working of the edges of circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0061 onto a metallic substrate, e.g. a heat sink heat sinks for electric apparatus H05K7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/363 by soldering

Abstract

In some embodiments, a circuit board interconnect may include one or more of the following features: (a) a first circuit board having a plated through hole within a metal pad on the circuit board, the through hole providing a passage for solder to connect the first circuit board to a second circuit board, (b) a second circuit board having a metal pad able to couple to the first circuit board in an overlapping fashion when solder is passed through the plated through hole, and (c) a non-conductive solder repelling material on a surface of one circuit board.

Claims

1. A circuit board interconnect, comprising:

a first circuit board having a first conductive layer located on top of an electrical isolating material and a second separate conductive layer located below the electrical isolating material, a metal pad and a plated through hole within the metal pad on the first circuit board, the through hole providing a passage for solder to connect the first circuit board to a second circuit board; and

the second circuit board having a first conductive layer located on top of an electrical isolating material and a second separate conductive layer located below the electrical isolating material, a metal pad able to couple to the first circuit board in an overlapping fashion when solder is passed through the plated through hole such that the bottom surface of the first circuit board is coupled to the top surface of the second circuit board.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit boards are flexible and can have a radius.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a non-conductive solder repelling material on a surface of one circuit board.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second circuit boards are premade to be interconnectable.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical isolating material of the first circuit board comprises fiberglass.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the conductive layer of the first circuit comprises copper.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising electronic components coupled to the first conductive layer of the first circuit board, the electronic components comprising a light emitting diode.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the first circuit board is in electrical communication with the top surface of the second circuit board.

9. A method of coupling circuit boards together, comprising the steps of:

placing a first circuit board on top of a second circuit board, the first circuit board comprising a first conductive layer located on top of an electrical isolating material and a second separate conductive layer located below the electrical isolating material, a metal pad and a plated through hole within the metal pad on the first circuit board, the through hole providing a passage for solder to connect the first circuit board to the second circuit board, the second circuit board comprising a first conductive layer located on top of an electrical isolating material;

heating solder to flow through the plated through hole; and

allowing solder to flow and couple the first circuit board and the second circuit board.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of placing light emitting diodes onto the first circuit board.

11. The method of claim 9, the first circuit board and the second circuit board forming part of a circuit panel.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising exposing circuit joints for assembly.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of joining circuit panels into multi-panel arrays.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of separating the multi-panel arrays into a plurality of strips of coupled circuit boards.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising joining strips of coupled circuit boards.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising separating the joined strips of coupled circuit boards.