U.S. patent application number 09/387202 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-24 for multi-connectable printed circuit board.
Invention is credited to ACHARI, ACHYUTA, BAKER, JAY DEAVIS, LI, DELIN, NATION, BRENDA JOYCE, TRUBLOWSKI, JOHN.
Application Number | 20010001747 09/387202 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23528909 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010001747 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LI, DELIN ; et al. |
May 24, 2001 |
MULTI-CONNECTABLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD
Abstract
A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly, comprising: (a) a
printed circuit substrate 11 having a first edge 22 and first and
second edge regions 44/55, wherein at least the first edge region
44 is defined along the first edge 22; (b) a first array 77 of
electrical connection features 66 disposed on or within the
substrate proximate the first edge region 44; (c) a second array 88
of electrical connection features 66 disposed on or within the
substrate proximate the second edge region 55, wherein the second
array 88 is substantially a duplication or a mirror image of the
first array 77; and (d) a plurality of circuit traces 99 disposed
on or within the substrate such that each electrical connection
feature 66 of the first array 77 is connected by one of the circuit
traces 99 to a corresponding electrical connection feature 66 of
the second array 88.
Inventors: |
LI, DELIN; (CANTON, MI)
; BAKER, JAY DEAVIS; (W. BLOOMFIELD, MI) ; ACHARI,
ACHYUTA; (CANTON, MI) ; NATION, BRENDA JOYCE;
(TROY, MI) ; TRUBLOWSKI, JOHN; (TROY, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRINKS, HOFER GILSON LIONE
PO BOX 10395
CHICAGO
IL
60610
US
|
Family ID: |
23528909 |
Appl. No.: |
09/387202 |
Filed: |
August 31, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/55 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 1/0292 20130101;
H05K 2201/09227 20130101; H05K 2201/09954 20130101; H05K 1/0295
20130101; H05K 1/117 20130101; H05K 3/361 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/55 |
International
Class: |
H05K 001/00 |
Claims
1. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly, comprising: (a) a
printed circuit substrate having a first edge and first and second
edge regions, wherein at least said first edge region is defined
along said first edge; (b) a first array of electrical connection
features disposed on or within said substrate proximate said first
edge region; (c) a second array of electrical connection features
disposed on or within said substrate proximate said second edge
region, wherein said second array is substantially a duplication or
a mirror image of said first array; and (d) a plurality of circuit
traces disposed on or within said substrate such that each
electrical connection feature of said first array is connected by
one of said circuit traces to a corresponding electrical connection
feature of said second array.
2. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
1, wherein said first and second edge regions are defined along
said first edge.
3. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
1, wherein said second edge region is defined along a second edge
of said substrate.
4. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
3, wherein said first and second edges are defined on respective
opposite ends of said substrate.
5. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
3, wherein said first and second edges are adjacent one
another.
6. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
1, wherein each of said electrical connection features is a plated
through hole, a plated blind via, or a mounting pad.
7. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
1, wherein said printed circuit substrate is made of a
substantially rigid ceramic material.
8. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
1, wherein said printed circuit substrate is made of a
substantially rigid polymeric material.
9. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
1, wherein said printed circuit substrate is made of a
substantially flexible polymeric material.
10. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly, comprising: a
printed circuit substrate having a first edge and first and second
edge regions, wherein at least said first edge region is defined
along said first edge; a first array of electrical connection
features disposed on or within said substrate proximate said first
edge region; a second array of electrical connection features
disposed on or within said substrate proximate said second edge
region, wherein said second array is substantially a duplication or
a mirror image of said first array; and a plurality of circuit
traces disposed on or within said substrate such that each
electrical connection feature of said first array is connected by
one of said circuit traces to a corresponding electrical connection
feature of said second array; wherein each of said electrical
connection features is a plated through hole, a plated blind via,
or a mounting pad; and wherein said printed circuit substrate is
made of a substantially rigid ceramic material, a substantially
rigid polymeric material, or a substantially flexible polymeric
material.
11. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
10, wherein said first and second edge regions are defined along
said first edge.
12. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
10, wherein said second edge region is defined along a second edge
of said substrate.
13. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
12, wherein said first and second edges are defined on respective
opposite ends of said substrate.
14. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
12, wherein said first and second edges are adjacent one
another.
15. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly, comprising: a
printed circuit substrate having a first edge and first and second
edge regions, wherein at least said first edge region is defined
along said first edge; a first array of electrical connection
features disposed on or within said substrate proximate said first
edge region; a second array of electrical connection features
substantially similar to said first array disposed on or within
said substrate proximate said second edge region; and a plurality
of circuit traces disposed on or within said substrate such that
each electrical connection feature of said first array is connected
by one of said circuit traces to a corresponding electrical
connection feature of said second array.
16. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
15, wherein said first and second edge regions are defined along
said first edge.
17. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
15, wherein said second edge region is defined along a second edge
of said substrate.
18. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
17, wherein said first and second edges are defined on respective
opposite or adjacent ends of said substrate.
19. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
15, wherein each of said electrical connection features is a plated
through hole, a plated blind via, or a mounting pad.
20. A multi-connectable printed circuit assembly according to claim
15, wherein said printed circuit substrate is made of a
substantially rigid ceramic material, a substantially rigid
polymeric material, or a substantially flexible polymeric material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to printed circuit
boards, and more particularly to printed circuit board
connectors.
[0003] 2. Disclosure Information
[0004] A typical layout for a PCB (printed circuit board) and a
mating electrical connector 00 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Here, the
connector 00 is shown as a flex circuit having circuit traces which
terminate into rectangular mounting or soldering pads along a
distal edge. (Although not shown in the drawings, the mating
connector 00 may be part of an electrical device, an electronic
circuit or module, an instrument, a sensor, etc.) The pads of the
mating connector 00 are aligned upon corresponding mounting pads 66
disposed along an edge 22 on the PCB substrate 11, and are then
attached thereto by soldering or the like. Although the contacts on
the mating connector 00 are illustrated here as being mounting
pads, they may alternatively by plated through holes, plated blind
vias, male connector pins, sliding contacts that are mechanically
clamped or crimped onto the PCB pads 66, etc.
[0005] If the device or circuit associated with the mating
connector 00 becomes damaged or has a failed component, it may
become necessary to disconnect the connector 00 from the PCB.
However, the disconnecting process (e.g., desoldering) may present
the risk of damage to the PCB, and may also be quite inconvenient
(e.g., if no de-soldering equipment is readily available). It would
be desirable, therefore, to provide a way of facilitating
disconnection of the mating connector from the PCB, and to provide
for subsequent connection of a replacement mating connector, while
minimizing the aforementioned inconvenience and risk of damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior
art approaches by providing a multi-connectable printed circuit
assembly, comprising: (a) a printed circuit substrate having a
first edge and first and second edge regions, wherein at least the
first edge region is defined along the first edge; (b) a first
array of electrical connection features disposed on or within the
substrate proximate the first edge region; (c) a second array of
electrical connection features disposed on or within the substrate
proximate the second edge region, wherein the second array is
substantially a duplication or a mirror image of the first array;
and (d) a plurality of circuit traces disposed on or within the
substrate such that each electrical connection feature of the first
array is connected by one of the circuit traces to a corresponding
electrical connection feature of the second array.
[0007] It is an object and advantage that the present invention
facilitates easy disconnection of a mating connector from a PCB, as
well as easy reconnection of a replacement mating connector to the
PCB.
[0008] Another advantage is that the present invention may be used
with a wide variety of PCB types.
[0009] These and other advantages, features and objects of the
invention will become apparent from the drawings, detailed
description and claims which follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of a printed circuit board
having electrical connection features thereon and a mating
connector according to the prior art.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of a multi-connectable printed
circuit board according to a first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of an interior circuit layer
of the printed circuit board shown in FIG. 2.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of a multi-connectable printed
circuit board according to a second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of an interior circuit layer
of the printed circuit board shown in FIG. 4.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of a multi-connectable printed
circuit board according to a third embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 2-6 show a
multi-connectable printed circuit board assembly according to the
present invention. As illustrated in the drawings, the assembly
includes: (a) a printed circuit substrate 11 having a first edge 22
and first and second edge regions 44/55, wherein at least the first
edge region 44 is defined along the first edge 22; (b) a first
array 77 of electrical connection features 66 disposed on or within
the substrate proximate the first edge region 44; (c) a second
array 88 of electrical connection features 66 disposed on or within
the substrate proximate the second edge region 55, wherein the
second array 88 is substantially a duplication or a mirror image of
the first array 77; and (d) a plurality of circuit traces 99
disposed on or within the substrate such that each electrical
connection feature 66 of the first array 77 is connected by one of
the circuit traces 99 to a corresponding electrical connection
feature 66 of the second array 88.
[0017] To assist the reader in understanding the present invention,
all reference numbers used herein are summarized in the table
below, along with the elements they represent:
[0018] 11=Substrate
[0019] 22=First edge of substrate
[0020] 33=Second edge of substrate
[0021] 44=First edge region
[0022] 55=Second edge region
[0023] 66=Electrical connection features
[0024] 66'=Plated through holes/vias for connecting connection
features 66 between arrays 77/88
[0025] 77=First array of electrical connection features
[0026] 88=Second array of electrical connection features
[0027] 99=Circuit traces
[0028] 00=Mating connector
[0029] A-D=Specific electrical connection features 66
[0030] A'-D'=Specific plated through holes/vias 66' for A-D
[0031] The first and second connector arrays 77/88 may be located
along the same edge 22 of the substrate (FIGS. 2-3), or along
adjacent edges 22/33 (FIGS. 4-5), or on edges 22/33 at opposite
ends of the substrate (FIG. 6). The electrical connection features
66 of the first and second arrays 77/88 may be plated through
holes, plated blind vias, mounting pads/solder pads, or the like.
The edges 22/33 proximate to which or along which the connector
arrays 77/88 are disposed may extend locally outward (away from the
board) at the edge regions 44/55, or may be recessed locally inward
thereat, or may remain relatively undeviated. For example, a given
edge region may extend locally outward in the form of a single tab
on which the connectors 66 are formed, or may extend outward as a
number or "fingers" on which mounting pads 66 are formed, thereby
acting as a male feature or "jack" onto or around which a female
electrical connector or "plug" may be connectably fitted.
[0032] The substrate 11 may be made of generally rigid ceramic
material (e.g., alumina), generally rigid polymeric material (e.g.,
FR-4 epoxy-glass laminate; filled or unfilled injection molded
thermoplastic or thermoset material such as
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, epoxy, polyester, polyolefin;
etc.), generally flexible polymeric material (e.g., "flex
circuitry" made of relatively thin sheets of polyester, polyimide,
etc.), or the like.
[0033] The circuit traces 99 that connect together corresponding
connector elements 66 between the arrays 77/88 may extend along one
or both sides of the circuit board, and/or may connect with plated
through-holes or plated blind vias 66' which extend through the
various layers of the board, and/or may be routed along the various
inner conductive layers of the board.
[0034] With the individual connector elements 66 of one array 77
connected through circuit traces 99 to their corresponding
individual elements 66 of the other array 88 as shown in the
drawings, each array 77/88 is essentially a duplicate or a mirror
image of the other. This redundancy of connector arrays is useful
when it is desired to temporarily disconnect the PCB from the
mating connector 00 and then subsequently re-connect it. This may
be done, for example, when the device or circuit associated with
the mating connector 00 needs to be separated from the PCB (e.g.,
due to damage, a component failure, etc.), followed by attaching a
new mating connector 00 to the PCB. If the mating connector 00 is
made of flex circuit material, the flex can simply be cut with
scissors (preferably flush with the edge of the substrate 11),
leaving a small tab of flex material and its connector elements
attached to the PCB at the first array 77. Then, a new mating
connector 00 can be aligned and attached the PCB at the second
connector array 88. Regardless of whether the array regions 44/55
are on the same edge 22 or different edges 22/33, the mating
connector 00 can be connected to the PCB in a duplicated
orientation (see FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, where elements A through D run
counter-clockwise around the PCB), or turned upside down and
connected in a mirror image orientation (see FIGS. 4-5, where A
through D runs counter-clockwise in the first region 44, but runs
clockwise in the second region 55).
[0035] Various other modifications to the present invention may
occur to those skilled in the art to which the present invention
pertains. For example, the PCB assembly may not only have two
similar connector arrays 77/88, but may optionally have three or
more of such arrays if desired. Other modifications not explicitly
mentioned herein are also possible and within the scope of the
present invention. It is the following claims, including all
equivalents, which define the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *