Orthogonal cross-connecting of printed circuit boards without a midplane board

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11038313-B1
Application number	US-201816171933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 26, 2018
Priority date	Mar 28, 2013
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A line card of a set of line cards is configured to be coupled to a set of switch-fabric cards to collectively define at least a portion of an orthogonal cross fabric without a midplane board. The line card has an edge portion, a first side and a second side, opposite the first side. The line card includes a set of first set of connectors and a second set of connectors. The first set of connectors is disposed along the edge portion on the first side of the line card and the second set of connectors is disposed along the edge portion on the second side of the line card.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method, comprising:
forming a first connector-receiving portion in a first side of a printed circuit board (PCB), the first connector-receiving portion is electrically connected to a via and a first semi-blind via;
forming a second connector-receiving portion in a second side of the PCB opposite the first side of the PCB, the second connector-receiving portion is electrically connected to the via and a second semi-blind via;
coupling a first connector to the first connector-receiving portion such that a first ground contact of the first connector is electrically connected to the via and a first signal contact of the first connector is electrically connected to the first semi-blind via; and
coupling a second connector to the second connector-receiving portion such that a second ground contact of the second connector is electrically connected to the via and electrically connected to the first ground contact of the first connector through the via, and such that a second signal contact of the second connector is electrically connected to the second semi-blind via and not electrically coupled to the first signal contact of the first connector through the second semi-blind via.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first connector is disposed in a position along a length of an edge surface of the PCB, the second connector is disposed in the position along the length of the edge surface of the PCB.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PCB is a line card configured to be included in a plurality of line cards and configured to be coupled to a plurality of switch-fabric cards to define an orthogonal cross fabric without a midplane card,
the line card has an edge portion, the first connector is disposed along a length of the edge portion on the first side, the second connector is disposed along the length of the edge portion on the second side.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PCB is a line card configured to be coupled to a plurality of switch-fabric cards to form a portion of an orthogonal cross fabric without a midplane board, an edge surface of the line card configured to abut an edge surface of each switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards when the line card is coupled to the plurality of switch-fabric cards, the method further comprising:
coupling the first connector of the line card to a first connector from a plurality of connectors disposed on a side of a switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards; and
coupling the second connector of the line card to a second connector from the plurality of connectors of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PCB is a line card configured to be coupled to a plurality of switch-fabric cards to form a portion of an orthogonal cross fabric without a midplane board, an edge surface of the line card configured to abut an edge surface of each switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards when the line card is coupled to the plurality of switch-fabric cards, the method further comprising:
coupling the first connector of the line card to a first connector disposed on a side of a switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards, the first connector of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards is disposed in a first position along a length of the edge surface of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards; and
coupling the second connector of the line card to a second connector disposed on the side of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards, the second connector of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards is disposed in a second position along the length of the edge surface of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards,
a distance between the first position and the second position along the length of the edge surface of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards is associated with a thickness of the line card.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the via is a first via, the method further comprising:
forming a third connector-receiving portion in the first side of the PCB, the third connector-receiving portion is electrically connected to a second via and a third semi-blind via;
forming a fourth connector-receiving portion in the second side of the PCB, the fourth connector-receiving portion is electrically connected to the second via and a fourth semi-blind via;
coupling a third connector to the third connector-receiving portion such that a third ground contact of the third connector is electrically connected to the second via and a third signal contact of the third connector is electrically connected to the third semi-blind via; and
coupling a fourth connector to the fourth connector-receiving portion such that a fourth ground contact of the fourth connector is electrically connected to the second via and electrically connected to the third ground contact of the third connector through the second via, and such that a fourth signal contact of the fourth connector is electrically connected to the fourth semi-blind via and not electrically coupled to the third signal contact of the third connector through the fourth semi-blind via.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the PCB is a line card configured to be coupled to a plurality of switch-fabric cards to form a portion of an orthogonal cross fabric without a midplane board, an edge surface of the line card configured to abut an edge surface of each switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards when the line card is coupled to the plurality of switch-fabric cards, the method further comprising:
coupling the first connector of the line card to a first connector disposed on a first side of a switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards;
coupling the second connector of the line card to a second connector disposed on the first side of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards;
coupling the third connector of the line card to a third connector disposed on a second side of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards opposite the first side of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric card; and
coupling the fourth connector of the line card to a fourth connector disposed on the second side of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards,
the first connector and the third connector of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards are each disposed in a first position along a length of the edge surface of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards, the second connector and the fourth connector of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards are each disposed in a second position along the length of the edge surface of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards, a distance between the first position and the second position along the length of the edge surface of the switch-fabric card from the plurality of switch-fabric cards is associated with a thickness of the line card.

8. A method, comprising:
forming a first connector-receiving portion in a first side of a printed circuit board (PCB), the first connector-receiving portion is electrically connected to a via and a first semi-blind via;
forming a second connector-receiving portion in a second side of the PCB opposite the first side of the PCB, the second connector-receiving portion is electrically connected to the via and a second semi-blind via;
coupling a first connector to the first connector-receiving portion such that a first ground contact o

Assignees

• Juniper Networks Inc

Inventors

• Reynov Boris
• Kohn Jack W
• Nitzan Ben T
• Raju Penmetsa Venkata S
• Diaz-Landa Oscar
• Siddhaye Shreeram

Classifications

• H01R12/7082 Primary

  Coupling device supported only by cooperation with PCB · CPC title

• H05K2201/10492

  Electrically connected to another device · CPC title

• H05K2201/09518

  Deep blind vias, i.e. blind vias connecting the surface circuit to circuit layers deeper than the first buried circuit layer · CPC title

• H05K7/1445

  with double-sided connections · CPC title

• H05K3/308

  Adaptations of leads (connectors to printed circuits H01R12/00) · CPC title