Electronic devices with tubular flexible circuitry

• US 8,797,748 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dabov, Teodor
• Primary Examiner(s): Aychillhum, Andargie M
• Application Number:
  US13/316,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20130148315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 361/749, 361/748, 361/398, 254/250
• US Class Current: 361/749
• 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: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0281 Reinforcement details thereof
• 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 2201/051 Rolled
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/056 Folded around rigid support or component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09027 Non-rectangular flat PCB, e.g. circular
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2009 Reinforced areas, e.g. for a specific part of a flexible printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An electronic device may be provided that has flexible circuitry such as spiral wrapped flexible circuitry. Flexible circuitry may be connected to one or more sides of an electronic component such as rigid printed circuit board or coupled between a rigid printed circuit board an another device component. Flexible circuitry may include an adhesive strip for maintaining a spiral wrap configuration of the flexible circuitry. An adhesive strip may be covered by a removable protective liner during manufacturing of an electronic device so that the flexible circuitry may be tested in a flat, unrolled configuration prior to installation in the electronic device. Flexible circuitry may include a conductive layer configured to form an electromagnetic shield for an electronic component mounted in the spiral wrap. Flexible circuitry may be wrapped around an elongated support member that is mounted along an edge of the electronic component.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an elongated support member mounted along an edge of the printed circuit board; and

flexible circuitry that is wrapped around the elongated support member and electrically coupled to the printed circuit board, wherein the flexible circuitry comprises a flexible printed circuit, wherein the flexible printed circuit comprises a first connector attached to a first portion of the printed circuit board and a second connector attached to a second portion of the printed circuit board, and wherein the second portion of the printed circuit board is displaced from the first portion of the printed circuit board along a lateral dimension of the printed circuit board that is parallel to an elongated dimension of the elongated support member.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein the elongated support member comprises an engagement member attached to the housing.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the elongated support member comprises an engagement member attached to the printed circuit board.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1, further comprising an electronic component, wherein the elongated support member includes at least one planar surface, wherein a portion of the flexible printed circuit is wrapped adjacent to the at least one planar surface, and wherein the electronic component is mounted to the portion of the flexible printed circuit.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the portion of the flexible printed circuit further comprises an internal rigid member that locally stiffens the flexible printed circuit for mounting the electronic component.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible printed circuit further comprises a conductive ground layer.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6, further comprising an electronic component, wherein the conductive ground layer is configured to form an electromagnetic shield for the electronic component.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an elongated support member mounted along an edge of the printed circuit board;

flexible circuitry that is wrapped around the elongated support member and electrically coupled to the printed circuit board, wherein the flexible circuitry comprises a flexible printed circuit;

an electronic component, wherein the flexible printed circuit comprises a first connector attached to the printed circuit board and a second connector attached to the electronic component; and

a housing having a lower portion and an upper portion that is configured to pivot with respect to the lower portion, wherein the printed circuit board is mounted in the lower portion and wherein the electronic component is mounted in the upper portion.

9. A electronic device, comprising:

a printed circuit board; and

a flexible printed circuit having an adhesive strip and first and second connectors, wherein the first connector is attached to a first portion of the printed circuit board and the second connector is attached to a second portion of the printed circuit board, wherein the second portion is displaced from the first portion along a lateral dimension of the printed circuit board, wherein the flexible printed circuit is formed in a spiral wrap that extends along the lateral dimension of the printed circuit board, and wherein the adhesive strip is configured to prevent unwrapping of the spiral wrap.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the first and second portions of the printed circuit board each comprise a portion of a common surface of the printed circuit board.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the first portion of the printed circuit board comprises a portion of a first surface of the printed circuit board and wherein the second portion of the printed circuit board comprises a portion of an opposing second surface of the printed circuit board.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible printed circuit comprises a first surface having an edge and an opposing second surface, wherein the adhesive strip is formed along the edge of the first surface, and wherein the adhesive strip attaches the edge of the first surface to the opposing second surface.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 9, further comprising a support member that extends along the lateral dimension of the printed circuit board, wherein the flexible printed circuit comprises a surface having an edge, wherein the adhesive strip is formed along the edge, wherein the spiral wrap runs around the support member, and wherein the adhesive strip attaches the edge to the support member.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a tubular flexible printed circuit; and

circuitry coupled to the tubular flexible printed circuit, wherein the tubular flexible printed circuit comprises a spirally wrapped flexible printed circuit and wherein the spirally wrapped flexible printed circuit has a first end coupled to the printed circuit board at a first location and has a second end coupled to the printed circuit board at a second location.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the circuitry that is coupled to the tubular flexible printed circuit comprises at least one integrated circuit mounted to the printed circuit board.