Patent Application
20090034222
This invention relates generally to a printed circuit board assembly in which at least one printed circuit board is connected electrically and mechanically to another printed circuit board and to a method of making a printed circuit board that can be used in such a printed circuit board assembly.
German patent document DE 4236268 to Walter published May 27, 1993 discloses a printed circuit board assembly having a daughter board mounted on a mother board in a substantially perpendicular fashion. Lugs of the daughter board are inserted into matching apertures in the mother board connecting electrical traces on the daughter board to electrical traces on the mother board. Aligned electrical traces are permanently connected when immersed in a solder bath.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,587 issued to Albert R. Conrad Nov. 30, 1971 discloses connectors for directly mounting and electrically interconnecting two or more printed circuit boards in a substantially perpendicular fashion. A first printed circuit board is mounted on a second printed circuit board by means of a connector structure formed in the second printed circuit board. The first printed circuit board includes fingerlike insertion strips that are inserted in openings in the second printed circuit board. Electrical contact is made between conductive paths of the insertion strips and wire segments in the openings. The assembly can be soldered. A pair of channels are attached to the second printed circuit board. These channels guide the first printed circuit board into assembly with the second printed circuit board and provide additional support for the first printed circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,496,384 issued to Jorge Morales et al. Dec. 17, 2002 discloses a circuit board assembly having a first circuit board connected to a second printed circuit board in a substantially perpendicular fashion. The first circuit board defines an aperture, and the second circuit board defines an edge. Respective conductive features of the circuit boards are placed in electrical communication with each other when the edge is disposed in the aperture. Thereafter, a solder joint may connect the first and second printed circuit boards.
This invention provides a printed circuit board assembly that connects a first printed circuit board to a second printed circuit board in a substantially perpendicular fashion. The first printed circuit board has a plurality of male terminal tabs extending from an edge, and the second printed circuit board has one or more slots that receive the male terminal tabs. The male terminal tabs connect to a plurality of complimentary female terminals in the slot or slots. The printed circuit board assembly further includes a pair of blade terminals that stabilize the support of one printed circuit board on the other and connect electrical traces of the respective printed circuit boards.
In one aspect the printed circuit board assembly preferably connects a first printed circuit board to a second printed circuit board mechanically as well as electrically. The first printed circuit board preferably has a plurality of male terminal tabs that are cut into an edge of the printed circuit board, while the second printed circuit board preferably defines a similar number of complementary female terminals within one or more slots. The male terminal tabs are press-fit into the female terminal slots forming a mechanical connection between the printed circuit boards as well as electrical connections between respective electrical traces of both printed circuit boards. Connector blades are preferably included to strengthen the mechanical connection of the printed circuit boards in a substantially perpendicular arrangement, to dampen vibrations and to reduce strain upon electrical circuit interfaces. The connector blades may be used for electrical connections in an electrical circuit such as a power feed circuit or circuits.
In another aspect, the printed circuit board assembly may use an alternate printed circuit board that includes an elongate slot that has a plurality of female terminals that receive respective ones of a plurality of male terminal tabs. This alternate printed circuit board may be made by providing a printed circuit board having an elongate slot that is metal clad. The printed circuit board is then punched or drilled to divide the elongate metal clad slot into a plurality of electrically isolated female terminals for the respective male terminal tabs.
Referring now to
A daughter board is typically attached to a mother board in a substantially perpendicular fashion to form a printed circuit board assembly. Consequently, printed circuit board 12 is shown attached to printed circuit board 14 in a substantially perpendicular fashion in
At least two additional mechanical connections are made between printed circuit board 12 and printed circuit board 14. These additional mechanical connections are made by two connector blades 26 that are substantially perpendicular to both printed circuit boards 12 and 14. A typical connector blade 26 may comprise a flat metal stamping having a slot 28 at one end to receive a connector portion 30 of printed circuit board 14 and a tab 32 at an opposite end for insertion into a connector portion 34 of printed circuit board 12.
Printed circuit board 14 preferably has a connector portion 30 at a forward edge on each side as shown in
As indicated above, connector blade 26 has a tab 32 at one end that connects to a connector portion 34 of the printed circuit board 12. Connector portion 34 preferably comprises a vertical slot as best shown in
Blade connectors 26 are preferably located near the opposite sides of printed circuit board 14 for maximum effectiveness in supporting printed circuit board 14 on printed circuit board 12 in a substantially perpendicular fashion. Moreover, when connector blades 26 as used as electrical terminals for traces 16 and 18, the connector blades 26 can be soldered to electrical terminals and traces of the printed circuit boards 12 and 14 to further strengthen the mechanical connection between the printed circuit boards 12 and 14.
It will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those described above, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.
