Patent Application
20100265674
This invention relates to a portable assembly having a subscriber identification module.
Subscriber identification modules are used in wireless transceivers to assign unique identifiers for each subscriber or user of the wireless transceiver. Further, the subscriber identification module may be associated with a network service provider or a wireless access provider or the level of service available for a particular subscriber. Accordingly, there is need for a portable assembly having a subscriber identification module for reliably adding a subscriber identification module to a wireless device or transceiver, consistent with resistance to shock, vibration, and thermal stress.
In accordance with one embodiment, an electrical assembly comprises a housing having a recess in the housing. A first connector portion is securable to the housing. The connector portion comprises a dielectric body and connector terminals. A subscriber identification module is located or mounted in the housing and has device terminals. A substrate comprises a first section that intersects at an angle to a second section (e.g., the first section is generally orthogonal to a second section). The first section comprises first conductive traces electrically connected to the device terminals. The second section comprises second conductive traces electrically connected to the connector terminals. Conductors are electrically connected to the first conductive traces and the second conductive traces.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the assembly 11,
The housing 36 includes a recess 38 and a retainer 66 for securing the substrate 10 and first connector portion 12 to the housing 36. The housing 36 comprises a frame portion 15 with one or more flanges 73 extending (e.g., radially) from the frame portion 15. The flange 73 is arranged for securing the housing 36 and the assembly 11 to a mounting surface via fasteners, adhesive bonding or otherwise, for example. The frame portion 15 has an interior 58 associated with the retainer 66.
The electrical connector comprises a first connector portion 12 that mates with a second connector portion 124 (
The second connector portion 124 may be mounted in or on a mounting surface 31 or wall of an electronic device (e.g., wireless transceiver) or on a chassis.
In an alternate embodiment, the second connector portion 124 may comprise a surface mount device or a device designed for through-hole mounting, or otherwise on a substrate (e.g., circuit board) of an electronic device.
The subscriber identification module (SIM) 18 comprises an electronic device that is capable of communication with a wireless transceiver or terminal. In one embodiment, the SIM 18 comprises electronic memory (e.g., nonvolatile random access memory) and a card interface circuit (e.g., logic circuit) for wireless transceivers or terminals. For example, the SIM 18 may comprise a smart card that supports storage and retrieval of user data. The SIM 18 device may facilitate storage of user data, such as a user identifier, user location, user phone number, network authorization data, user contact lists, stored text messages, user security data, and user passwords. The SIM 18 device may provide a personality to the associated electronics device based on the data stored within the SIM 18, where the personality tailors the electronics device to particular user preferences, particular user data, particular user settings, a particular selection of user programmable features, or particular functionality.
The SIM 18 is associated with a group of device terminals 41. For example, the group of device terminals 41 may comprise one or more of the following: a reset input terminal, a clock input terminal, a ground terminal, a clock output terminal, a data input terminal, a data output terminal, and power input.
In one embodiment, the SIM 18 is mounted within an interior 58 of the housing 36 or frame portion 15 of the housing 36 within the recess 38. In a first example of the retainer 66, the combination of the SIM 18, the substrate 10, and the first connector portion 12 form a module that may be inserted into the interior 58 while the retainer 66 (e.g., snap-fit connectors) is generally elastically or resiliently movable (or even temporarily deformable). Once the assembly is assembled, one side of the module may rest against stop 75, whereas other opposite side of the module may be retained by retainer 66, which snaps back or returns back to its rest state after generally elastic or resilient deformation. The rest stop 75 may comprise a nib, a shelf or other protrusion in the interior 58 of the housing 36 or the frame portion 15.
The module is snapped, locked or secured into place by the retainer 66 and held captive between at least the stop 75 and the retainer 66. The volume above the SIM 18 is associated with a dielectric spacer 91. The dielectric spacer 91 may comprise foam, a polyurethane foam, an elastomer, an elastic adhesive, a resilient polymer or a resilient plastic that is secured or adhesively bonded to a top of the SIM 18. The dielectric spacer 91 may be slightly compressed by the outer housing 93 (
The outer housing 93 collectively with the housing 36 and the dielectric spacer 91 provides a rigid shell that protects the SIM 18 from mechanical or environmental damage and dampens vibrations.
The substrate 10 may comprise a circuit board, such a printed circuit board, a ceramic circuit board, or a fiberglass circuit board. The substrate 10 comprises a dielectric layer 103 and one or more conductive layers. For example, the substrate 10 may comprise a single-sided circuit board or a double-sided circuit board. For single-sided circuit board, the dielectric layer 103 has metallic conductive traces (e.g., 20) on one side of the dielectric layer 103. For a double-sided circuit board, the dielectric layer 103 has metallic conductive traces on opposite sides of the dielectric layer 103.
As shown in
Conductors 36 may comprise insulated wires, uninsulated wires, or another metal or alloy member. The conductors 36 provide an electrical and mechanical connection between the first conductive traces 20 of the first section 16 and the second conductive traces 22 of the second section 14. As shown in
Plated through-holes 34 (or other conductive passageways or strips) electrically connect the connector terminals 32 to the second conductive traces 22 on the second section 14 of the substrate 10. In one embodiment, the plated through holes are formed integrally in or on the substrate 10. Further, the conductive vias or plated through holes 34 may contain connector terminals 32 and solder or and electrically conductive adhesive. The plated through-holes 34 are mechanically and electrically connected to the second conductive traces 22.
The assembly 11 is capable of mounting on a mounting surface 31 with a protrusion or second flange 99 that mates with, interlocks with, or engages a first flange 97 in the outer housing 93. The protrusion may be generally elliptical, annular, or rectangular with rounded edges or have virtually another suitable geometric shape. In one embodiment, the first flange 97 and the second flange 99 are arranged to align the first connector portion 12 and the second connector portion 124 for interlocking engagement as an electrical connector.
The seal 101 may be placed in or in contact with the peripheral recess 18 to seal (e.g., hermetically seal) or to provide protection against the environment, including salt, fog, moisture, or liquids. Further, the seal 101 may prevent the ingress of dirt, debris, salt, water, moisture, or other foreign material into the assembly 11 that might otherwise interfere with the reliable operation of the SIM 18.
In one embodiment, the seal 101 comprises an elastomer, a resilient polymer or resilient plastic material. The first flange 97 supports attachment to the mounting surface 31 via one or more fasteners 109. For example, in one configuration, the outer housing 93 has one or more bores 140 that support attachment of the assembly 11 to the mounting surface 31 via one or more fasteners 109.
The assembly 111 of
Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.
