Compact printed circuit board

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10980120-B2
Application number	US-201816007007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2018
Priority date	Jun 15, 2017
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

There is provided a compact printed circuit board. The compact printed circuit board has a flexible rigid printed circuit board connector with a rigid printed circuit board attached at each end of the connector. The printed circuit board can then be folded into a compact, overlying configuration. As such, the compact printed circuit board has a smaller footprint than a standard rectangular printed circuit board, while maintaining the same or having increased micro-electronics and functionality. The compact configuration allows the folded printed circuit board to be integrated with a solenoid used in the control of a valve or sprinkler of an irrigation system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solenoid for controlling a valve comprising: a solenoid housing having a longitudinal axis and a maximum dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis and having a portion that connects to a valve body of the valve for controlling the valve; a coil disposed in the solenoid housing; at least two rigid printed circuit boards; a flexible connector extending between the at least two rigid printed circuit boards, the flexible connector configuring the at least two rigid circuit boards to overlie one another; micro-electronics on at least one side of each of the at least two rigid printed circuit boards: an electrical connection between the at least two rigid printed circuit boards and the coil; and the at least two rigid printed circuit boards extending transverse to the longitudinal axis and not extending beyond the maximum dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis when configured to overlie one another.

2. The solenoid of claim 1 further comprising a coupling to maintain the at least two rigid printed circuit boards in their overlying configuration to one another.

3. The solenoid of claim 2 wherein a length of the coupling affects the spacing between the at least two rigid printed circuit boards.

4. The solenoid of claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit board housing for the at least two rigid printed circuit boards and the flexible connector.

5. The solenoid of claim 4 wherein a base of the printed circuit board housing is attached to the housing.

6. The solenoid of claim 5 wherein the printed circuit board housing and housing are attached with an adhesive.

7. The solenoid of claim 5 wherein the printed circuit board housing and the housing include a potting material.

8. The solenoid of claim 7 wherein the potting material includes a first potting material for the printed circuit board housing and a second potting material for the housing.

9. The solenoid of claim 1 further comprising an enclosure for the coil and wherein at least one of the at least two rigid printed circuit boards is soldered to the enclosure.

10. The solenoid of claim 1 wherein the micro-electronics include components configured for signal decoding.

11. The solenoid of claim 1 wherein the micro-electronics include a transceiver.

12. The solenoid of claim 1 wherein the micro-electronics include a sensor.

13. The solenoid of claim 1 wherein the at least two rigid printed circuit boards are disposed in the solenoid housing when configured to overlie one another.

14. The solenoid of claim 13 wherein the solenoid housing includes two types of potting material, one type of potting material potting the coil and the other type of potting material potting the at least two rigid printed circuit boards.

15. A valve comprising:
an inlet, an outlet and a valve seat in between the inlet and the outlet;
a valve member engageable with the valve seat to close the valve and moveable away from the valve seat to control flow through the valve;
a pressure chamber controlling the position of the valve member; and
a solenoid communicating with the with the pressure chamber to change the pressure in the pressure chamber, the solenoid comprising,
a solenoid housing having a longitudinal axis and a maximum dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis and removably connected to the valve;
a coil disposed in the solenoid housing,
at least two rigid printed circuit boards,
a flexible connector extending between the at least two rigid printed circuit boards, the flexible connector configuring the at least two rigid circuit boards to overlie one another,
micro-electronics on at least one side of each of the at least two rigid printed circuit boards;

an electrical connection between the at least two rigid printed circuit boards and the coil; and
the at least two rigid printed circuit boards extending transverse to the longitudinal axis and not extending beyond the maximum dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis when configured to overlie one another.

16. The valve of claim 15 further comprising a coupling to maintain the at least two rigid printed circuit boards in their overlying configuration to one another.

17. The valve of claim 15 further comprising a printed circuit board housing for the at least two rigid printed circuit boards and the flexible connector.

18. The valve of claim 17 wherein the printed circuit board housing is attached to the housing.

19. The valve of claim 18 wherein the printed circuit board housing and the housing include a potting material.

20. The valve of claim 19 wherein the potting material includes a first potting material for the printed circuit board housing and a second potting material for the housing.

21. The valve of claim 15 wherein the micro-electronics include components configured for signal decoding.

22. The valve of claim 15 wherein the at least two rigid printed circuit boards are disposed in the solenoid housing when configured to overlie one another.

23. The valve of claim 22 wherein the solenoid housing includes two types of potting material, one type of potting material potting the coil and the other type of potting material potting the at least two rigid printed circuit boards.

24. A sprinkler comprising:
a discharge port for discharging water for irrigating;
a housing defining an inlet;
a control valve downstream of the inlet to control flow through the housing, the control valve comprising,
an inlet, an outlet and a valve seat in between the inlet and the outlet,
a valve member engageable with the valve seat to close the valve and moveable away from the valve seat to control flow through the valve, and
a pressure chamber controlling the position of the valve member;

a solenoid communicating with the with the pressure chamber to change the pressure in the pressure chamber, the solenoid comprising,
a coil housing having a longitudinal axis and a maximum dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis and the coil housing removably connected to the housing;
a coil disposed in the coil housing,
at least two rigid printed circuit boards,
a flexible connector extending between the at least two rigid printed circuit boards, the flexible connector configuring the at least two rigid circuit boards to overlie one another,
micro-electronics on at least one side of each of the at least two rigid printed circuit boards;

an electrical connection between the at least two rigid printed circuit boards and the coil; and
the at least two rigid printed circuit boards extending transverse to the longitudinal axis and not extending beyond the maximum dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis when configured to overlie one another.

25. The sprinkler of claim 24 further comprising a coupling to maintain the at least two rigid printed circuit boards in their overlying configuration to one another.

26. The sprinkler of claim 24 further comprising a printed circuit board housing for the at least two rigid printed circuit boards and the flexible connector.

27. The sprinkler of claim 26 wherein the printed circuit board housing is attached to the coil housing.

28. The sprinkler of claim 27 wherein the printed circuit board housing and the coil housing include a potting material.

29. The sprinkler of claim 28 wherein the potting material includes a first potting material for the p

Assignees

• Rain Bird Corp

Inventors

• Kwak Chong Wang
• Wlassich John James

Classifications

• H01F7/06 Primary

  Electromagnets; Actuators including electromagnets {(electric coils H01F5/00; devices for holding workpieces using electric force B23Q3/15; load-engaging elements for lifting articles electromagnetically B66C1/06; electromagnetic couplings F16D27/00; magnetic brakes F16D63/002; electromagnetically operated valves F16K11/24, F16K31/00; analysing materials by magnetic means G01N27/72, G01N27/80; electromagnets for winding mechanical clocks G04C1/02; electromagnetic relays H01H51/00; windings for salient poles of dynamo-electric machines H02K3/18; electromagnets for telegraphic communication H04L; for arc lamps H05B31/28)} · CPC title

• F16K31/42

  by means of electrically-actuated members in the supply or discharge conduits of the fluid motor (F16K31/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2201/042

  Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other · CPC title

• H05K1/148 Primary

  Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means · CPC title

• H05K1/144

  Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards · CPC title