Printed circuit board with embedded lateral connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10476188-B2
Application number	US-201715812756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2017
Priority date	Nov 14, 2017
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) may include embedded lateral connectors. The embedded lateral connectors may be configured to enable components to quickly couple to or plug into a PCB, thus saving time to form connections. The embedded lateral connectors may also reduce weight and/or size by avoiding need for bulky tradition collections with conventional components (e.g., solders, external pin connectors, etc.). The connectors may include male connectors, female connectors, and/or mounting connectors. The connectors may be configured to connect multiple PCBs together, such as using a stacked configuration, which may enable reducing a volume of space needed in a housing for the PCBs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to manufacture a printed circuit board (PCB), the method comprising:
forming an inner layer of the PCB that includes a first planar side and a second planar side opposite the first planar side;
coupling a connector to the inner layer, the connector having an aperture with a longitudinal axis that is oriented parallel with the first planar side and having an opening of the aperture aligned with an edge of the inner layer, the connector creating an electrical connection between the inner layer and contacts included in the connector that are configured to engage a corresponding connector, the aperture having a first height relative to the first planar side at a first point along the longitudinal axis and a second height relative to the first planar side that is different than the first height at a second point along the longitudinal axis;
coupling a first set of layers to the first planar side of the inner layer;
coupling a second set of layers to the second planar side of the inner layer; and
adhering the inner layer to the first set of layers and to the second set of layers to form the PCB having the connector embedded laterally in the PCB.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising forming at least one layer of the first set of layers to include a second aperture that aligns with a location of the connector when the at least one layer mates with the inner layer.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner layer includes a layer aperture configured to receive the connector, and wherein coupling the connector to the inner layer includes coupling the connector to the inner layer within the layer aperture.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising forming the layer aperture using at least one of a die cutting process or an additive manufacturing process that omits adding material in a location to form the layer aperture.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising coupling a plug to the inner layer, the plug having a different longitudinal axis that is oriented parallel with the first planar side and extending outward and beyond the edge of the inner layer, the plug creating a different electrical connection between the inner layer and different contacts included in the plug.

6. A printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:
a plurality of layers, individual layers of the plurality of layers having a planar side that mates with an adjacent layer of the plurality of layers; and
a connector embedded between at least some of the plurality of layers, the connector oriented such that a longitudinal axis of the connector is parallel with the planar side and a thickness of the connector relative to the planar side varying along the longitudinal axis, the connector configured to receive a corresponding connector to create an electrical connection to at least some of the plurality of layers via the connector.

7. The PCB as recited in claim 6 , wherein the connector includes an aperture, and an opening of the aperture aligns with a lateral edge of the PCB, the connector configured to engage the corresponding connector via the aperture.

8. The PCB as recited in claim 7 , wherein the aperture includes at least partially concave sidewalls that form recesses to retain a plug.

9. The PCB as recited in claim 7 , further comprising a seal positioned adjacent to the opening of the aperture and adjacent to the lateral edge of the PCB, the seal to prevent environmental debris from entering the aperture.

10. The PCB as recited in claim 6 , wherein the connector includes an elongated body that extends outward and beyond a lateral side of the PCB, the elongated body including a tip and at least one ring.

11. The PCB as recited in claim 6 , further comprising a mounting feature coupled to a lateral edge of the PCB and at least partly located between at least some of the plurality of layers, the mounting feature including an aperture and threads to facilitate coupling to a housing.

12. The PCB as recited in claim 6 , wherein the connector is a first connector, and further comprising a second connector embedded between at least some of the plurality of layers, the second connector oriented such that a second longitudinal axis of the second connector is parallel with the planar side, the second connector configured to receive a different corresponding connector to create a different electrical connection to at least some of the plurality of layers via the second connector.

13. The PCB as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first connector includes a different shape than the second connector.

14. The PCB as recited in claim 6 , wherein the electrical connection is a power connection, and wherein the connector is configured to receive power from a power source via the power connection.

15. The PCB as recited in claim 6 , wherein an outermost layer of the plurality of layers includes a spacing feature configured to engage an adjacent PCB having a corresponding feature, the spacing feature to create a predefined gap between the PCB and the adjacent PCB, and wherein the connector is configured to provide a second electrical connection with the adjacent PCB.

16. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) including: a plurality of layers, individual layers of the plurality of layers having a planar side that mates with an adjacent layer of the plurality of layers; and
a connector embedded between at least some of the plurality of layers, the connector oriented such that a longitudinal axis of the connector is parallel with the planar side, the connector having a first thickness relative to the planar side at a first point along the longitudinal axis and a second, different thickness relative to the planar side at a second point along the longitudinal axis, the connector configured to receive a corresponding connector to create an electrical connection to at least some of the plurality of layers via the connector; and
a component coupled to the PCB by the connector.

17. The electronic device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the component is a different PCB.

18. The electronic device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the PCB and the different PCB are arranged in a stacked configuration.

19. The electronic device as recited in claim 16 , further comprising a power source, and wherein the electrical connection includes a connection to the power source.

20. The electronic device as recited in claim 16 , further comprising a mounting feature coupled to a lateral side of the PCB and at least partly located between at least some of the plurality of layers, the mounting feature including an aperture and coupling features to facilitate coupling of the PCB to the housing.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Mische William

Classifications

• H05K2201/0919

  Exposing inner circuit layers or metal planes at the side edge of the printed circuit board [PCB] or at the walls of large holes · CPC title

• H05K1/184

  associated with components inserted in holes through the PCBs and wherein terminals of the components are connected to printed contacts on the walls of the holes or at the edges thereof or protruding over or into the holes · CPC title

• H05K2201/09145

  Edge details · CPC title

• H05K1/142

  Arrangements of planar printed circuit boards in the same plane, e.g. auxiliary printed circuit insert mounted in a main printed circuit · CPC title

• H05K1/144

  Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards · CPC title