Printed circuit board

• US 7,995,334 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: McClure, Stephen R., Banko, Joshua D., Ternus, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Hung V
• Application Number:
  US12/694,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20110164371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 345/158, 345/163, 345/173, 439/595, 439/140, 439/637, 439/513, 439/620.32, 439/607.01, 439/416, 361/679.54, 361/670.01, 361/679.08, 361/679.09, 361/679.55, 361/679.28, 361/679.59, 361/679.26, 361/679.32, 361/679.31, 361/679.33, 361/679.47, 361/679.39, 361/752, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/223.6, 312/7.2, 174/395, 174/663, 174/536, 174/522, 174/520, 174/350
• US Class Current: 361/679.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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: H04M 1/0252 by means of a snap-on mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0281 Reinforcement details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09727 Varying width along a single conductor; Conductors or pads having different widths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49135 and shaping, e.g., cutting or bending, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4914 with deforming of lead or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor

Abstract

A methodology for connecting device components with circuitry located at different levels and orientations relative to one another is described. First circuitry can be located on a multi-plane rigid circuit board where the multi-plane rigid circuit board can include at least one flexible member sharing a common substrate with the multi-plane rigid circuit board that extends from a body portion of the multi-plane rigid circuit board. The flexible member can include traces used to convey power and/or data and an interface coupled to the power and/or data traces. The flexible member can be deflected or twisted to connect first circuitry on the body portion of the multi-plane rigid circuit board to second circuitry associated with another device component.

Claims

1. A portable computing device comprising:

an enclosure;

a display coupled to the enclosure;

a main logic board including a processor and a memory coupled to the display, said main logic board secured within an interior portion of the enclosure wherein the main logic board includes a flexible member sharing a common substrate with the main logic board and extending from a body portion of the main logic board;

said flexible member including a plurality of traces wherein the flexible member is secured by a first fastener placed across the flexible member proximate to where the flexible member extends from the body portion and is secured by a second fastener placed across the flexible member proximate to an end of the flexible member such that an end portion of the flexible member including an interface to the plurality of traces is proximately located in a first plane at a first depth level within the enclosure and the body portion is proximately located in a second plane at a second depth level within the enclosure, wherein the plurality of traces includes thicker traces and thinner traces and wherein the thicker stresses are located closer to a side edge of the flexible member than the thinner stresses; and

a second circuit board secured within the enclosure and coupled to the interface on the end portion of the flexible member so that power and data is communicated between the second circuit board and the main logic board via the plurality of traces on the flexible member.

2. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the second circuit board is associated with one of a multi-pin external connector, a SIMM card, an antenna or the display.

3. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the second plane is rotated at an angle relative to the first plane.

4. The portable computing device of claim 1 wherein the first fastener or the second fastener includes a rounded surface configured to increase a bending radius of the flexible member proximate to the first fastener or the second fastener.

5. The portable computing device of claim 1 wherein the first fastener and the second fastener are configured to concentrate the bending stresses in an area of the flexible member between the two fasteners.

6. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein a distance between the first plane and the second plane is between 1 mm and 5 mm.

7. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the first circuit board includes a second flexible member.

8. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the portable computing device is one of a laptop computer, a phone, a netbook computer and a tablet computer.

9. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein plurality of traces includes 10 or more traces.

10. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein devices components associated with the first circuit board are not located on the flexible member.