Space-efficient flex cable with improved signal integrity for a portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10696078-B2
Application number	US-201816127071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2018
Priority date	Sep 11, 2017
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

This application relates to a flexible cable for a portable electronic device, where the portable electronic device includes operational components having connectors that are capable of being electrically coupled to the flexible cable. The flexible cable includes a dielectric substrate having a generally planar shape, an upper grounding plane, a lower grounding plane, and a first signal transmission line that is separated by the upper and lower grounding planes, where the dielectric substrate is capable of electromagnetically shielding the first signal transmission line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible cable for a portable electronic device, the flexible cable comprising:
a first signal transmission line configured to transmit a first data signal
a second signal transmission line configured to transmit a second data signal different from the first data signal;
a first grounding plane;
a second grounding plane, wherein the first signal transmission line and the second signal transmission line are positioned between the first grounding plane and the second grounding plane; and
an integrated switching component capable of switching between transmission of the first data signal or the second data signal.

2. The flexible cable of claim 1 , wherein the first signal transmission line comprises a coaxial cable connection, and wherein the second signal transmission line comprises a flexible cable connection.

3. The flexible cable of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first dielectric substrate that encloses the first grounding plane; and
a second dielectric substrate that encloses the second grounding plane.

4. The flexible cable of claim 3 , wherein the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate define an outer perimeter, and wherein:
at a first location, the outer perimeter comprises a first cross-sectional area, and
at a second location, the outer perimeter comprises a second cross-sectional area that is less than the first cross-sectional area.

5. The flexible cable of claim 1 , further comprising a grounding element connected to the first grounding plane and the second grounding plane, wherein the first grounding plane and the second grounding plane are grounded together based on the grounding element.

6. The flexible cable of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first end configured to electrically coupled to a circuit board; and
a second end opposite the first end, wherein:
the first signal transmission line comprises a coaxial cable connection,
the second signal transmission line comprises a flexible cable connection, and
the coaxial cable connection and the flexible cable connection are carried by the second end.

7. The flexible cable of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first grounding element that defines an opening; and
a second grounding element that is positioned between the first grounding plane and the second grounding plane.

8. The flexible cable of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first grounding plane or the second grounding plane is directly exposed to a grounding contact of the portable electronic device.

9. A portable electronic device, comprising:
operational components that are separated by a pathway, wherein the operational components include connectors; and
a flexible cable positioned in the pathway and electrically coupled to the connectors, the flexible cable comprising:
a first grounding plane and a second grounding plane, and
a first signal transmission line and a second signal transmission line that are positioned between the first grounding plane and the second grounding plane, wherein the flexible cable includes (i) a first cross-sectional area corresponding to a first region of the pathway, and (ii) a second cross-sectional area corresponding to a second region of the pathway, wherein the second region is different than the first region.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first signal transmission line transmits a first data signal, and wherein the second signal transmission line transmits a second data signal that is different from the first data signal.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the flexible cable further comprises an integrated switching component capable of switching between transmission of the first data signal or the second data signal.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the operational components comprise an antenna and a transceiver, and wherein:
the first signal transmission line comprises a coaxial cable connection connected to the antenna, and
the second signal transmission line comprises a flexible cable connection connected to the transceiver.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first dielectric substrate that encloses the first grounding plane; and
a second dielectric substrate that encloses the second grounding plane, wherein the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate define the first cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising an enclosure that defines a cavity that carries the operational components and the flexible cable, wherein the operational components comprise a power supply unit and a logic board, the power supply and the logic board defining the pathway.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the flexible cable further comprises:
a first end configured to electrically coupled to the logic board; and
a second end opposite the first end, wherein the coaxial cable connection and the flexible cable connection are carried by the second end.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a dielectric substrate that encloses the first grounding plane, wherein the dielectric substrate defines an exposed portion, and wherein the first grounding plane is in contact with a grounding contact at the exposed portion.

17. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that defines a cavity, the enclosure carrying components, the components comprising:
a flexible cable comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the flexible cable comprising:
a first signal transmission line configured to carry a first data signal, a second signal transmission line configured to carry a second data signal, wherein the first and second signal transmission lines are separated by a grounding plane;

a logic board that is coupled to the flexible cable at the first end;
an antenna coupled to a first terminal connection located at the second end, wherein the first data signal passes from the antenna through the first signal transmission line; and
a wireless transceiver coupled to a second terminal connection located at the second end, wherein the second data signal passes from the wireless transceiver through the second signal transmission line.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the flexible cable further comprises an integrated switching component capable of switching between transmission of the first data signal or the second data signal.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the first terminal connection comprises a coaxial cable connection, and wherein the second terminal connection comprises a flexible cable connection, and wherein the integrated switching component capable of switching between the coaxial cable connection and the flexible cable connection.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the grounding plane defines a first grounding plane, and wherein the flexible cable further comprises:
a second grounding plane;
a third grounding plane, wherein the second grounding plane combines with the third grounding plane to surround the first signal transmission line and the second signal transmission line;
a first dielectric substrate that encloses the first grounding plane; and
a second dielectric substrate that encloses the second grounding plane.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Sloey Jason
• Helmore Simon C
• Smith James B

Classifications

• H05K5/10

  comprising several parts forming a closed casing · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H04M1/0283

  for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate · CPC title

• H05K1/0216

  Reduction of cross-talk, noise or electromagnetic interference (grounding H05K1/0215) · CPC title