Method of manufacturing a printed circuit board

• US 8,171,623 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• 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): Kim, Paul D
• Application Number:
  US13/117,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 298/31, 298/35, 298/38, 298/46, 298/54, 174/254, 174/520, 174/522, 174/536, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/223.6, 36167908-67959
• US Class Current: 29/831
• 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 method of manufacture comprising:

providing a first printed circuit board and an enclosure for a portable computing device, said first printed circuit board including a flexible member extending from a body portion of the first printed circuit board and sharing a common substrate with the first printed circuit board wherein the flexible member includes a plurality of traces and wherein a free end of the flexible member includes a first interface to the plurality of traces;

securing the first printed circuit board within an interior portion of the enclosure;

securing a first fastener across the flexible member such that a surface of the first fastener is in contact with a side of the flexible member including the plurality of traces;

deflecting the free end of the flexible member such that the flexible member is bent along a first line proximate to the first fastener;

securing the free end of the flexible member using a second fastener wherein the flexible member is bent along a second line proximate to the second fastener such that an end portion of the free end is located at a different depth within the enclosure than the body portion of the first printed circuit board;

connecting a second circuit board to the first interface to allow data and power to be transmitted between the second circuit board and first circuit board via the plurality of traces on the flexible member; and

determining a location of the plurality of traces relative to one another on the flexible member wherein thinner traces and thicker traces are routed along the flexible member and wherein the thicker traces are routed across areas on the flexible member with stress values that are higher than the stress values where the thinner traces are routed on the flexible member.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a stress distribution along the flexible member when the flexible member is in a deflected position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the body portion of the first printed circuit board is proximately aligned with a first plane and wherein the end portion of the flexible member is proximately aligned with a second plane and wherein the second plane is at an angle relative to the first plane.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second plane is rotated at an angle relative to the first plane.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first circuit board is a main logic board and wherein the second circuit board is associated with an external pin interface or a SIMM card.

6. The method 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.

7. The method 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.