Z-directed printed circuit board components having different dielectric regions

• US 8,912,452 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Hardin, Keith Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Norris, Jeremy C
• Application Number:
  US13/433,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20130256020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 174/260, 174262-266, 29837-839, 361761-764
• US Class Current: 174/260
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/06 specially adapted for mounting on a printed-circuit support
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/002 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0231 Capacitors or dielectric substances
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0233 Filters, inductors or a magnetic substance
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0248 Skew reduction or using delay lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0251 related to vias or transitions between vias and transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/184 Components including terminals inserted in holes through the printed circuit board and connected to printed contacts on the walls of the holes or at the edges thereof or protruding over or into the holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09645 Patterning on via walls; Plural lands around one hole
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10053 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4046 using auxiliary conductive elements, e.g. metallic spheres, eyelets, pieces of wire
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49139 by inserting component lead or terminal into base aperture

Abstract

A Z-directed component for mounting in a mounting hole in a printed circuit board according to one example embodiment includes a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface. The body has a cross-sectional shape that is insertable into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board. A first portion of the body is composed of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second portion of the body is composed of a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant. A conductive channel extends through a portion of the body forming a signal path.

Claims

1. A Z-directed component for mounting in a mounting hole in a printed circuit board, comprising:

a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface, and a cross-sectional shape that is insertable into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board, a first portion of the body being composed of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second portion of the body being composed of a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant; and

a conductive channel extending through a portion of the body forming a signal path,

wherein the body includes a plurality of interleaved conductive plates extending along the length of the body, wherein a first set of the interleaved conductive plates are electrically connected to a reference voltage path and a second set of the interleaved conductive plates are electrically connected to a supply voltage path, the first and second sets of interleaved conductive plates being arranged in an alternating pattern, wherein an outer side portion of the body is composed of the second dielectric material and an inner portion of the body spaced inward from the side surface and substantially surrounded on its sides by the outer side portion of the body composed of the second dielectric material is composed of the first dielectric material, the interleaved conductive plates being positioned in the outer side portion of the body composed of the second dielectric material and the conductive channel extending through the inner portion of the body composed of the first dielectric material along the length of the body from the top surface to the bottom surface.

2. The Z-directed component of claim 1, wherein each of the top surface and the bottom surface includes a conductive trace electrically connected to a respective end of the conductive channel and extending therefrom across the respective top or bottom surface to an edge of the body, the width of each trace being narrower where said trace passes over the outer side portion of the body than where said trace passes over the inner portion of the body.

3. The Z-directed component of claim 1, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are composed of the first dielectric material and each of the top surface and the bottom surface includes a conductive trace electrically connected to a respective end of the conductive channel and extending therefrom across the respective top or bottom surface to an edge of the body.

4. A printed circuit board, comprising:

a Z-directed component mounted in a mounting hole in the printed circuit board, the Z-directed component including;

a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface, a first portion of the body being composed of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second portion of the body being composed of a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant; and

a conductive channel extending through a portion of the body electrically connected to a signal path of the printed circuit board,

wherein the body of the Z-directed component includes a plurality of interleaved conductive plates extending along the length of the body, wherein a first set of the interleaved conductive plates are electrically connected to a reference voltage path of the printed circuit board and a second set of the interleaved conductive plates are electrically connected to a supply voltage path of the printed circuit board, the first and second sets of interleaved conductive plates being arranged in an alternating pattern, wherein an outer side portion of the body of the Z-directed component is composed of the second dielectric material and an inner portion of the body spaced inward from the side surface and substantially surrounded on its sides by the outer side portion of the body composed of the second dielectric material is composed of the first dielectric material, the interleaved conductive plates being positioned in the outer side portion of the body composed of the second dielectric material and the conductive channel extending through the inner portion of the body composed of the first dielectric material along the length of the body from the top surface to the bottom surface.

5. The printed circuit board of claim 4, wherein each of the top surface and the bottom surface includes a conductive trace electrically connected at one end to a respective end of the conductive channel and electrically connected at the other end to a conductive trace on the respective top or bottom surface of the printed circuit board, the width of each trace on the top and bottom surface of the Z-directed component being narrower where said trace passes over the outer side portion of the body than where said trace passes over the inner portion of the body.

6. The printed circuit board of claim 4, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface of the Z-directed component are composed of the first dielectric material and each of the top surface and the bottom surface includes a conductive trace electrically connected at one end to a respective end of the conductive channel and electrically connected at the other end to a conductive trace on the respective top or bottom surface of the printed circuit board.

7. A Z-directed signal delay line component for mounting in a mounting hole in a printed circuit board, comprising:

a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface, and a cross-sectional shape that is insertable into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board, a first portion of the body being composed of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second portion of the body being composed of a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant; and

a conductive channel forming a signal path through the body, the conductive channel passing through at least part of the first and second portions of the body,

wherein the second dielectric material of the second portion of the body imposes a delay on a signal when the signal passes through the conductive channel.

8. A Z-directed component for mounting in a mounting hole in a printed circuit board, comprising:

a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface, and a cross-sectional shape that is insertable into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board, a first portion of the body being composed of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second portion of the body being composed of a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant; and

a conductive channel extending through a portion of the body forming a signal path,

wherein the body includes a plurality of stacked layers having a conductive material plated on a surface thereof, wherein a first set of the stacked layers are electrically connected to a reference voltage path and a second set of the stacked layers are electrically connected to a voltage supply path, the first and second sets of stacked layers being arranged in an alternating pattern, wherein a first portion of the stacked layers are composed of the first dielectric material and a second portion of the stacked layers are composed of the second dielectric material,

wherein the conductive channel extends through an interior portion of the body along the length of the body from the top surface to the bottom surface through the first and second portions of the stacked layers, the width of the conductive channel being narrower where the conductive channel passes through the second portion of the stacked layers composed of the second dielectric material than where the conductive channel passes through the first portion of the stacked layers composed of the first dielectric material.

9. The Z-directed component of claim 8, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are composed of the first dielectric material and each of the top surface and the bottom surface includes a conductive trace electrically connected to a respective end of the conductive channel and extending therefrom across the respective top or bottom surface to an edge of the body.

10. A Z-directed component for mounting in a mounting hole in a printed circuit board, comprising:

a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface, and a cross-sectional shape that is insertable into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board, a first portion of the body being composed of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second portion of the body being composed of a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant; and

a conductive channel extending through a portion of the body forming a signal path,

wherein the body includes a plurality of stacked layers having a conductive material plated on a surface thereof, wherein a first set of the stacked layers are electrically connected to a reference voltage path and a second set of the stacked layers are electrically connected to a voltage supply path, the first and second sets of stacked layers being arranged in an alternating pattern, wherein a first portion of the stacked layers are composed of the first dielectric material and a second portion of the stacked layers are composed of the second dielectric material,

further comprising a second conductive channel electrically connected to the reference voltage path and a third conductive channel electrically connected to the supply voltage path each extending through an interior portion of the body along the length of the body, wherein the conductive channel forming the signal path extends through the interior portion of the body along the length of the body from the top surface to the bottom surface, the second conductive channel electrically connected to the reference voltage path and the third conductive channel electrically connected to the supply voltage path being positioned next to and on opposite sides of the conductive channel forming the signal path, wherein the second conductive channel electrically connected to the reference voltage path and the third conductive channel electrically connected to the supply voltage path are spaced further from the conductive channel forming the signal path where the conductive channel forming the signal path passes through the second portion of the stacked layers composed of the second dielectric material than where the conductive channel forming the signal path passes through the first portion of the stacked layers composed of the first dielectric material.

11. A printed circuit board, comprising:

a Z-directed component mounted in a mounting hole in the printed circuit board, the Z-directed component including;

a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface, a first portion of the body being composed of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second portion of the body being composed of a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant; and

a conductive channel extending through a portion of the body electrically connected to a signal path of the printed circuit board,

wherein the body of the Z-directed component includes a plurality of stacked layers having a conductive material plated on a surface thereof, wherein a first set of the stacked layers are electrically connected to a reference voltage path of the printed circuit board and a second set of the stacked layers are electrically connected to a supply voltage path of the printed circuit board, the first and second sets of stacked layers being arranged in an alternating pattern within the body of the Z-directed component, wherein a first portion of the stacked layers are composed of the first dielectric material and a second portion of the stacked layers are composed of the second dielectric material,

wherein the conductive channel extends through an interior portion of the body of the Z-directed component along the length of the body from the top surface to the bottom surface through the first and second portions of the stacked layers, the width of the conductive channel being narrower where the conductive channel passes through the second portion of the stacked layers composed of the second dielectric material than where the conductive channel passes through the first portion of the stacked layers composed of the first dielectric material.

12. The printed circuit board of claim 11, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface of the Z-directed component are composed of the first dielectric material and each of the top surface and the bottom surface includes a conductive trace electrically connected at one end to a respective end of the conductive channel and electrically connected at the other end to a conductive trace on the respective top or bottom surface of the printed circuit board.

13. A printed circuit board, comprising:

a Z-directed component mounted in a mounting hole in the printed circuit board, the Z-directed component including;

a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface, a first portion of the body being composed of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second portion of the body being composed of a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant; and

a conductive channel extending through a portion of the body electrically connected to a signal path of the printed circuit board,

wherein the body of the Z-directed component includes a plurality of stacked layers having a conductive material plated on a surface thereof, wherein a first set of the stacked layers are electrically connected to a reference voltage path of the printed circuit board and a second set of the stacked layers are electrically connected to a supply voltage path of the printed circuit board, the first and second sets of stacked layers being arranged in an alternating pattern within the body of the Z-directed component, wherein a first portion of the stacked layers are composed of the first dielectric material and a second portion of the stacked layers are composed of the second dielectric material,

wherein the Z-directed component further includes a second conductive channel electrically connected to the reference voltage path and a third conductive channel electrically connected to the supply voltage path each extending through an interior portion of the body of the Z-directed component along the length of the body, wherein the conductive channel forming the signal path of the Z-directed component extends through the interior portion of the body along the length of the body from the top surface to the bottom surface, the second conductive channel electrically connected to the reference voltage path and the third conductive channel electrically connected to the supply voltage path being positioned next to and on opposite sides of the conductive channel forming the signal path of the Z-directed component, wherein the second conductive channel electrically connected to the reference voltage path and the third conductive channel electrically connected to the supply voltage path are spaced further from the conductive channel forming the signal path of the Z-directed component where said conductive channel passes through the second portion of the stacked layers composed of the second dielectric material than where said conductive channel passes through the first portion of the stacked layers composed of the first dielectric material.