Patent Application
20230088168
The present disclosure relates to electronic component mounting, and more specifically, to electronic component mounting with electrical isolation features.
Computing systems can include hardware signal chains between separate computers, such as, for example, signal and/or power cables. These cables can include metallic conductors that are interspersed with electronic components. These electronic components can be connected to other electronic components, for example, for power, control, and/or monitoring. However, the electronic components disposed in the hardware signal chains can have a reference ground that may be different from the reference ground of the power/control/monitoring electronic components. However, having two different reference grounds can negatively affect the signal integrity in the hardware signal chains.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic component system includes a chassis that includes a body, an electrically isolated portion, and an insulator disposed between the electrically isolated portion and the body, wherein the insulator is comprised of a first electrically insulating material. The electronic component system further includes a first electronic component mounted to the electrically isolated portion, and a second electronic component mounted to the body and electrically connected to the first electronic component.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer system includes a first computer, a second computer communicatively connected to the first computer via a plurality of hardware signal chains, a first electronic component disposed in one of the plurality of hardware signal chains, and a chassis. The chassis includes a housing that includes an electrically isolated portion and a second electronic component electrically connected to the first electronic component, and the first component is mounted to an electrically isolated portion.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the related drawings. Alternative embodiments can be devised without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. It is noted that various connections and positional relationships (e.g., over, below, adjacent, etc.) are set forth between elements in the following description and in the drawings. These connections and/or positional relationships, unless specified otherwise, can be direct or indirect, and the present disclosure is not intended to be limiting in this respect. Accordingly, a coupling of entities can refer to either a direct or an indirect coupling, and a positional relationship between entities can be a direct or indirect positional relationship.
The following definitions and abbreviations are to be used for the interpretation of the claims and the specification. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” “contains” or “containing,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a composition, a mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but can include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus. In addition, any numerical ranges included herein are inclusive of their boundaries unless explicitly stated otherwise.
For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the described structures and methods, as oriented in the drawing figures. The terms “overlying,” “atop,” “on top,” “positioned on” or “positioned atop” mean that a first element, such as a first structure, is present on a second element, such as a second structure, wherein intervening elements such as an interface structure can be present between the first element and the second element. The term “direct contact” means that a first element, such as a first structure, and a second element, such as a second structure, are connected without any intermediary components at the interface of the two elements.
In the illustrated embodiment, there are twenty-one electronic components 110A-110U disposed in chains 106A-106G, respectively. Electronic components 110 assist with the signal processing between cryostat 102 and control computer 104, so each of electronic components 110 can be, for example, an amplifier, an attenuator, a directional coupler, a filter, or a splitter. Electronic components 110 are mounted to chassis 112 such that the electronic components 110 of a given chain 106 are in line with one another. Chassis 112 is a housing that comprises body 114, an electrically isolated portion such as panel 116, and insulator 118. Chassis 112 may include components that provide a structural integrity of computer system 100, and also defines surfaces to which electrical components 110 are mounted (though the term chassis 112 is not understood to include components such as fasteners, screws, standoffs, or the like, even as some aspects of chassis 112 may be assembled using some fasteners or the like). As discussed herein, the electrically isolated portion (e.g., panel 116) may be configured to “electrically float” within computer system 100 relative to other portions of chassis 112, such, e.g., that the electrically isolated portion defines a substantial exterior surface of computer system 100 even as the electrically isolated portion is electrically isolated from other portions of chassis 112 (e.g., via insulator 118). Body 114 is a box formed by bent and fastened sheet metal, and electronic component 120 is mounted inside body 114. Electronic component 120 is electrically connected to at least one of electronic components 110. As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, body 114 includes a port (shown in
Depicted in
Panel 116 is sufficiently rigid to have every mounting position 124 occupied (as is shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, fasteners 122 are threaded polymer bolts (e.g., comprised of a polyamide material), although in other embodiments, fasteners 122 are clips. Because insulator 118 and fasteners 122 are comprised of electrically nonconductive materials, panel 116 is electrically separated from body 114.
In the illustrated embodiment, at operation 202, electronic component 120 is installed in body 114. At operation 204, panel 116 and insulator 118 are lined up over the side of body 114 with opening 130. At operation 206, panel 116 and insulator 118 are connected to body 114 using fasteners 122, thus forming chassis 112. At operation 208, electronic components 110 are structurally connected to panel 116 at their respective mounting positions 124. At operation 210, electronic components 110 are connected to one another, as appropriate, to form signal chains 106. At operation 212, electronic components 110 are connected to electronic component 120, as appropriate.
In the illustrated embodiment, at operation 302, electronic component 120 is installed in body 114. At operation 304, electronic components 110 are structurally connected to panel 116 at their respective mounting positions 124. At operation 306, electronic components 110 are connected to one another, as appropriate, to form signal chains 106. At operation 308, panel 116 and insulator 118 are lined up over the side of body 114 with opening 130. At operation 310, electronic components 110 are connected to electronic component 120, as appropriate. At operation 312, panel 116 and insulator 118 are connected to body 114 using fasteners 122, thus forming chassis 112.
The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
