Electronic device

• US 9,474,152 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2013
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Sarraf, David Bruce, Malstrom, Charles Randall
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Courtney
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ervin, Jessey R
• Application Number:
  US13/875,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 361/760, 361/765, 361/785, 174/257
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/728 Coupling devices without an insulating housing provided on the edge of the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/092 Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/11 Printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0311 Metallic part with specific elastic properties, e.g. bent piece of metal as electrical contact
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0999 Circuit printed on or in housing, e.g. housing as PCB; Circuit printed on the case of a component; PCB affixed to housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10295 Metallic connector elements partly mounted in a hole of the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1034 Edge terminals, i.e. separate pieces of metal attached to the edge of the PCB tab H05K2201/0397
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10386 Clip leads; Terminals gripping the edge of a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/12 using thick film techniques, e.g. printing techniques to apply the conductive material or similar techniques for applying conductive paste or ink patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4015 using auxiliary conductive elements, e.g. pieces of metal foil, metallic spheres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

An electronic device includes a dielectric substrate having a first surface, a conductive circuit deposited on the first surface and having a printed conductive ink trace on the first surface, and a conductive interposer mechanically coupled to the substrate. The conductive interposer is electrically coupled to the conductive circuit. The conductive interposer has a separable contact interface configured to be mechanically and electrically connected to a removable contact. Optionally, the conductive interposer may include a main body and a flexible element extending between the main body and the conductive circuit. The flexible element electrically connects the conductive circuit with the main body.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a dielectric substrate having a first surface;

a conductive interposer mechanically coupled to the substrate, the conductive interposer having a post extending into the dielectric substrate and an arm positioned proximate to the first surface, the conductive interposer having a contact interface mechanically and electrically connected to a contact; and

a conductive circuit deposited on the first surface of the substrate and deposited on the arm of the conductive interposer with the conductive circuit spanning between the first surface of the substrate and the arm of the conductive interposer, the conductive circuit comprising a printed conductive ink trace, wherein the printed conductive ink trace of the conductive circuit is applied on the arm of the conductive interposer in addition to the first surface of the substrate such that the conductive interposer is electrically coupled to the conductive circuit with the conductive interposer providing the electrical connection between the contact and the conductive circuit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the post extending through the substrate to a position at or beyond a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface of the substrate, the post fixing the relative position between the conductive interposer and the substrate.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the arm extending from the post along the first surface such that the arm is generally coplanar with the first surface, the conductive circuit spanning across the interface between the arm and the first surface, the arm defining the contact interface.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the conductive interposer comprises a main body including the post and the arm, the main body defining the contact interface with the contact, such contact interface being a separable contact interface allowing the contact to be removed from the conductive interposer, the conductive circuit being provided on a portion of the arm remote from the contact interface.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the conductive interposer is connected to the conductive circuit at an interface remote from the contact interface where contact wiping occurs creating a non-damaging electrical connection between the contact and the conductive circuit via the conductive interposer.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the printed conductive ink trace is applied to the first surface and to the conductive interposer after the conductive interposer is mechanically coupled to the substrate such that the printed conductive ink trace spans an interface between the conductive interposer and the substrate.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the conductive circuit comprises an antenna, the contact comprises a feed line attached to the antenna by the conductive interposer.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a case of the electronic device, the conductive circuit being applied directly to the case, the case holding electronic components therein.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first surface is non-planar having at least one transition, the printed conductive ink trace being applied to the non-planar first surface across the at least one transition.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the contact interface is a solder interface soldered to the contact, the conductive interposer defining an electrical path between the conductive circuit and the soldered contact.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the arm includes in inner surface facing and engaging the first surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, the printed conductive ink trace of the conductive circuit being applied on the outer surface of the arm of the conductive interposer.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a dielectric substrate having a first surface;

a conductive circuit deposited on the first surface, the conductive circuit comprising a printed conductive ink trace on the first surface, the printed conductive ink trace being susceptible to damage from contact wiping forces; and

a conductive interposer mechanically coupled to the substrate, the conductive interposer having a main body including a flat upper surface at a top of the main body being parallel to and above the first surface, and the conductive interposer having a flexible element extending between the main body and the conductive circuit, the flexible element electrically connecting the conductive circuit and the main body, the main body having a separable contact interface defined by and on the flat upper surface mechanically and electrically connected to a removable contact, wherein contact wiping occurs at the separable contact interface and the main body is subjected to contact wiping forces when contact wiping occurs, the flexible element being connected to the conductive circuit at an interface remote from the separable contact interface, the interface between the flexible element and the conductive circuit being subjected to mating forces less damaging than the contact wiping forces to create a non-damaging electrical connection between the flexible element and the conductive circuit.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the main body comprises an arm extending along the first surface, the arm defining the flat upper surface, the conductive circuit being positioned between a lower surface of the arm and the first surface, the flexible element extending between the lower surface of the arm and the conductive circuit.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the flexible element comprises a flexible, conductive gasket directly engaging and being electrically connected to the conductive circuit.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the flexible element comprises a flexible spring beam integral with the main body and directly engaging and being electrically connected to the conductive circuit.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the conductive interposer is connected to the conductive circuit at an interface remote from the contact interface where contact wiping occurs creating a non-damaging electrical connection between the contact and the conductive circuit via the conductive interposer.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the conductive circuit comprises an antenna, the contact comprises a feed line attached to the antenna by the conductive interposer.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises a case of the electronic device, the conductive circuit being applied directly to the case, the case holding electronic components therein.

19. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first surface is non-planar having at least one transition, the printed conductive ink trace being applied to the non-planar first surface across the at least one transition.