With Printed Circuit Boards Patents (Class 361/736)
  • Patent number: 6326647
    Abstract: A spherical semiconductor device that includes at least one circuit element and at least one power pad connecting the circuit element to a supply voltage. The circuit element can communicate with at least one external device through at least one input/output interface. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad, an output pad, an optical input interface, and an optical output interface. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a circuit device formed on a circuit board. The circuit device includes power mounting pads, ground mounting pads, external connectors coupled to the pads, and spherical semiconductor devices. Each of the spherical semiconductor devices includes at least one circuit element, at least one power pad connected to one of the power mounting pads, at least one ground pad connected to one of the ground mounting pads, and at least one input/output interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony M. Chiu
  • Patent number: 6327168
    Abstract: This abstract is being provided in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.72 of the Rules of Practice in Patent and Trademark Cases (37 CFR). The applicant intends that this abstract be used only to aid in determining the general nature of the technical disclosure. The applicant does not intend that this abstract be looked to in order to aid or assist in the determination of the scope of any claim. An electronic module (FIG. 1, 100) includes an upper portion (135) and lower portion (130) of a connector (110) which allows the electronics module to attach to both a second, identical electronics module (200) as well as to motherboard (10). Signals which are intended to terminate on the electronic module (100) are routed directly to the appropriate component (120) on the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: David Charles Campbell
  • Patent number: 6327156
    Abstract: A modular housing for a substrate with electronic components, wherein the housing comprises at least a base part and a cover part. The parts of the housing consist of an electrically conductive material for electromagnetic shielding and form outer walls enclosing a space inside the housing which accommodates the substrate. Dividing walls extend in the space inside the housing and have free edges which support the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventor: Olav Wangen
  • Patent number: 6320751
    Abstract: A frame sheet comprises a core sheet, and oversheets. A recess is formed in the sheet frame. The oversheet is left in the recess in the sheet frame, and an IC carrier is mounted in the recess. The IC carrier is held, adhered to the oversheet left in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsunori Takeda, Eiichi Igarashi, Hideyo Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6320750
    Abstract: A line replaceable module (LRM) configured with a plurality of mini-modules, each of which have relatively higher contact densities than currently available LRMs with the same form factor, for example, a Standard Electrical Module-Size E (SEM-E) form factor. The mini-modules are significantly less expensive than an entire module allowing such mini-modules to be disposable, eliminating relatively costly fault diagnostics and repair. Each mini-module includes a printed circuit board which includes a rigid primary portion, a rigid secondary portion and flexible portion interconnecting the primary and secondary portions. The rigid secondary portion may be configured to provide dual-sided interconnection to a backplane data bus. Use of the dual-sided rigid secondary portion provides for generous spacing for contact densities much higher than known contact densities for LRMs with the same form factor. The rigid primary portion carries the components forming the LRM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Barton G. Shaler, Donald A. Porter, Milton F. Damerow
  • Patent number: 6317330
    Abstract: An improved printed circuit board assembly is disclosed. The printed circuit board assembly comprises a first plate, a second plate attachably coupled to the first plate, and at least one printed circuit board sandwiched between the first plate and the second plate, the at least one printed circuit board extending over the entire area of the first and second plate. By utilizing an assembly in accordance with the present invention, the available space on each of the plurality of printed circuit boards is maximized. By maximizing the available space, more electronic circuitry can be incorporated onto the board. Furthermore, the exterior spacer design together with interior spacer elements firmly secures each printed circuit board while maintaining a constant separation between each board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: BiTMICRO NETWORKS, Inc.
    Inventors: Roland F. Portman, Edgar Jhay Gregorios
  • Patent number: 6313598
    Abstract: A power semiconductor module comprising a power semiconductor element included in a power circuit portion and mounted on a metal base, a first resin molded to the power semiconductor element, a control circuit element disposed on the first resin and included at least in a portion of the control circuit, and a control terminal connected to the power circuit portion and having an exposed portion thereof in the surface of the first resin, in which a portion of the control circuit is connected with the power circuit portion at the exposed portion of the control terminal. Accordingly, a resin mold type power semiconductor module capable of realizing a high performance of the control circuit portion at low cost can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Tamba, Toshio Ogawa, Kazuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 6304443
    Abstract: A power supply equipped with extractable fan deck to be applied in a computer system comprises a casing and an extractable fan set. The casing further comprises: a main frame formed by a double bending; a lateral board jointed to a lateral face of the main frame; and a rear board mounted to one end of the main frame. The extractable fan set further comprises: a sub-frame with a bent edge for jointing and defining an installation space with the rear board and a fan deck disposed in the installation space. A first fan housed in the fan deck is operated with an associated second fan located oppositely at the front end of a set of power-supply units for creating air convection to improve heat dissipation efficiency and keep the power supply under normal conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Shin Jiuh Corp.
    Inventor: Chin-Wen Chou
  • Patent number: 6301122
    Abstract: The radio frequency module of the present invention includes an insulating substrate having a first metal film on a first principal surface thereof and a second metal film on a second principal surface thereof opposed to the first principal surface and a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device is thermally and electrically coupled to the second metal film, and a thickness of the second metal film is larger than that of the first metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Ishikawa, Masahiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 6301118
    Abstract: A control panel or control unit for a motor vehicle heating and air conditioning circuit comprises a body having a front panel, and contains a printed circuit which comprises a front circuit board located behind the front panel and having an aperture, together with a computer circuit board which makes an angle with the front circuit board. The computer circuit board has an extension portion which passes through the aperture in the front circuit board, and this extension portion carries a display device which is located behind an aperture formed through the front panel. Retaining means, for example adjustable fastening means, are interposed between the computer circuit board and the body so as to secure the display device in a defined position with respect to the front panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Electronique
    Inventors: Louis Lacroix, Alain Toussaint
  • Patent number: 6301119
    Abstract: An integrated circuit card with two connection modes. The integrated circuit card includes a card body in which there is embedded a link circuit for linking a contactless coupling element (1) to a module having an integrated circuit (6) connected to conductive areas carried by a support film (4). The link circuit extends in register with conductive areas (18) dedicated to making a contactless link and is connected to said conductive areas by an electrically conductive material (32, 36, 42) filling blind holes (31, 35, 41). The blind holes have sections that increase from a bottom of each hole towards an opening thereof over at least a portion of their height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Schlumberger Systemes
    Inventors: BenoĆ® ;t Thevenot, Pascal Billebaud, Thierry Bitschnau, Christophe Fletout
  • Patent number: 6301096
    Abstract: An enclosure includes a base unit and a cover unit that snaps into the base unit easily, but is difficult to remove from the base unit without knowledge of the appropriate disassembly technique. The appropriate disassembly technique includes the application of pressure at key regions of the base assembly. The application of pressure at the key regions distorts the base assembly so as to disengage key portions of the cover unit from the base unit. The cover unit includes protrusions having an inclined surface and a flat surface. The inclined surface facilitates manufacturing assembly, and the flat surface encumbers the disassembly of the enclosure. The application of pressure at the key regions distorts the base unit so that the flat surfaces of the protrusions on the cover unit are disengaged from the base unit. In a preferred embodiment, the base unit is a resilient insulating material, such as plastic, and the cover unit is a shielding and heat sinking material, such as sheet metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventor: George Wozniczka
  • Patent number: 6297966
    Abstract: A memory module assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a memory module, such as a RAM module, and a pair of shells for enclosing the RAM module. The RAM module comprises a printed circuit board (PCB), a plurality of memory chips attached on the PCB and a plurality of related electronic elements disposed near the chips. A securing means comprises a clasp for fixing the PCB and the shells together at a middle portion proximate upper edges of the PCB and the shells, and a pair of rivets extending through corresponding positioning apertures defined proximate a bottom edge of the PCB and corresponding apertures defined proximate a bottom edge of the shell. The clasp is resilient and comprises a shoulder and a pair of resilient arms inwardly extending from opposite ends of the shoulder for securing the PCB and the shells together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Foxconn Precision Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shun-Jung Lee, Hsieh-Kun Lee
  • Patent number: 6297967
    Abstract: An RF screened housing (1;13) according to the invention contains a screening plate (2;15) and having at least two mutually opposite side walls (3;16), which project from said screening plate (2;15) and are designed to engage behind rims of a printed circuit board (5;14), which is fitted with the RF screened housing (1;13), as well as elastic means (7;18) which can be pressed against at least one of the main surfaces of the printed circuit board (5;14) in order to clamp them at the rims to the side walls (3;16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian James Davidson, Rainer Weber
  • Patent number: 6295206
    Abstract: A memory card is disclosed which has a card body (2) having a concavity (9) formed at the forward end thereof in the inserting direction and in which terminals (5) are disposed and projections (10) are formed between the terminals (5) to prevent the terminals (5) from being touched or accessed from outside. A receptacle for the memory card is also disclosed. The memory card has a simple structure designed to positively protect the terminals and easily let out dust or the like from inside, thereby permitting to assure a positive connection with the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Kondo, Toshiharu Kobayashi, Takumi Okaue, Akira Sassa
  • Patent number: 6293464
    Abstract: A card reader (10) includes a housing (12) having a top wall (14), opposed side walls (34), a closed end (30) and an open end (26) defining a card-receiving slot (40), and an array of terminals (50) secured in the housing. The card-receiving slot (40) is spaced upwardly a selected distance from a board-mounting face (22) of the housing (12). The top wall (14) includes an opening (18) therethrough in communication with the card-receiving slot (40) remote from the terminals (50), the opening (18) being aligned with a corresponding opening in the housing (12) beneath the card-receiving slot (40). Portions of a circuit board (70) beneath the housing are exposed for access from above the card reader (10) after mounting to the board (70), when a card (60) is not disposed in the card-receiving slot (40), thereby permitting low profile electronic components (76) to be mounted on the exposed portions of the board or tested or removed therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Inventor: Jared Joseph Smalley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6295207
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a removable and/or retractable extension for an electronic apparatus which is electrically connected to the apparatus through electrically conductive surfaces which are formed on the edge of a PCB. Some preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise PCB edge conductors which are formed by preparation of the edge surface followed by typical plating methods while other preferred embodiments comprise PCB edge conductors formed by exposing surfaces of conductors formed by filling vias with conductive material. The extensions of some embodiments of the present invention comprise antennas, physical/electrical media connectors and similar electrical and electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey L. Jones
  • Publication number: 20010020545
    Abstract: Contact structures exhibiting resilience or compliance for a variety of electronic components are formed by bonding a free end of a wire to a substrate, configuring the wire into a wire stem having a springable shape, severing the wire stem, and overcoating the wire stem with at least one layer of a material chosen primarily for its structural (resiliency, compliance) characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin N. Eldridge, Gary W. Grube, Igor Y. Khandros, Gaetan L. Mathieu
  • Publication number: 20010015888
    Abstract: A line replaceable module (LRM) configured with a plurality of mini-modules, each of which have relatively higher contact densities than currently available LRMs with the same form factor, for example, a Standard Electrical Module-Size E (SEM-E) form factor. The mini-modules are significantly less expensive than an entire module allowing such mini-modules to be disposable, eliminating relatively costly fault diagnostics and repair. Each mini-module includes a printed circuit board which includes a rigid primary portion, a rigid secondary portion and flexible portion interconnecting the primary and secondary portions. The rigid secondary portion may be configured to provide dual-sided interconnection to a backplane data bus. Use of the dual-sided rigid secondary portion provides for generous spacing for contact densities much higher than known contact densities for LRMs with the same form factor. The rigid primary portion carries the components forming the LRM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: BARTON G. SHALER, DONALD A. PORTER, MILTON F. DAMEROW
  • Patent number: 6275390
    Abstract: An EMI shield is used for shielding electronic components on a printed circuit board of a mobile phone. The shield comprises a cover and a pair of grounding strips, all being made by conductive material. The pair of grounding strips is soldered on the printed circuit board. A plurality of latches is formed on each grounding strip. The cover, which is substantially in the shape of an inverted U, comprises a shielding plate and a pair of rims depending downward from opposite sides of the shielding plate. A plurality of openings defined in the rims engages with respective latches of the grounding strips to secure the cover to the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kun-Tsan Wu, Nan-Tsung Huang, Fu-Keng Yang
  • Patent number: 6272021
    Abstract: The present invention provides a circuit device which insures highly-reliable electrical connections even when used in environments involving large temperature variations, and which can be easily assembled. Board assembly (10) has a housing (50) which is mounted on an edge (150) of a circuit board (100). Edge (150) includes protruding sections (160) on which a plurality of contact pads (180) are aligned. The housing (50) accommodates the protruding sections (160) inside slots (52), which are formed inside the housing (50). Reinforcing sections (55) are disposed on both sides along the lengths of the slots (52). A connector, which engages with a mating connector, is formed by the protruding sections (160) and the housing (50). Since the edge (150) of the circuit board (100) is maintained in a substantially flat-plate shape even in cases where deformation caused by heat occurs in other portions of the circuit board (100), highly reliable electrical connections with mating connectors can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nagamine, Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 6269004
    Abstract: An electric module which includes a printed circuit board and at least one electrical subassembly arranged thereon is disposed within a metallic housing and is grounded to the metallic housing by way of a wire bridge which extends transversely across a cutout disposed in the printed circuit board. The metallic housing is integrally connected to a contact tongue which extends through the cutout and the printed circuit board before engaging the wire bridge. The wire bridge connects one side of the printed circuit board to a ground conductor track disposed on the opposing side of the printed circuit board. Preferably, the contact tongue includes two closely spaced contact elements that are spaced apart for frictionally receiving the wire bridge therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Wolfgang Ebert
  • Patent number: 6265772
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a stacked semiconductor device which can diffuse heat generated by the semiconductor chip in the module substrate, other semiconductor chips, the mother board, and the radiator plate, and can prevent needless increases in the temperature of an operating semiconductor chip; in order to achieve this object, the stacked semiconductor device of the present invention comprises a mother board and a module-stacked body mounted on the mother board, the module-stacked body comprising staked two or more modules each of which comprises a module substrate and a semiconductor chip mounted to the module substrate, wherein at least one radiator hole is formed in each of the module substrates and the mother board so that the radiator hole faces to the semiconductor chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6266251
    Abstract: A Plastic Ball Grid Array electronic package of the Cavity Down type particularly for use in high-frequency applications. In these packages the substrate has a cavity for receiving an active device (chip), which is usually attached to the substrate by means of the layer of glue. Due to the small dimensions of the chip and the gap between the chip and the cavity walls, it is extremely difficult to control the right quantity of glue in the dispensing operations. When the chip is pressed against the bottom of the cavity the glue may overflow and damage the circuits. According to the present invention, a secondary cavity is created inside the primary one and acts as a reservoir for the glue in excess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Luigi B. Bassi, Stefano O. Oggioni
  • Patent number: 6262890
    Abstract: A device for solving the electrical, physical, architectural and thermal challenges associated with designing a computer system is disclosed. A memory controller chipset having two or more chips mounted on opposite sides of a system planar helps balance the thermal profile of the system and achieve the strict spacing requirements of advanced computer processors relative to the memory controller chipset. Although the chips are staggered on opposite sides of the system planar, the adjacent edges of the chips substantially align with one another to minimize their separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sudhir Dhawan, Mark Wayne Mueller, Peter Matthew Thomsen, Lucinda Mae Walter
  • Patent number: 6259606
    Abstract: An electronic card for electromagnetic data exchange, the electronic card including an electronic circuit (2) which is contained in a housing (1), the housing (1, 1′) being provided with a bottom element (10) and a top element (20), the electronic circuit (2) being contained between inner surfaces (10′, 20′) of the bottom and top elements (10, 20). At least one of the bottom element (10) and the top element (20) is provided with at east one recess (11, 12, 21, 22, 11a, 12a, 21a, 22a), into which the electronic circuit (2) is inserted, the shape (11′, 12′, 21′, 22′, 11a′, 12a′, 21a′, 22a′) of the recess (11, 12, 21, 22, 11a, 12a, 21a, 22a) corresponding to an outer shape (2a′, 2b′, 2c′; 2a′, 2c′) of the electronic circuit (2), the electronic circuit (2) being at least partially covered by the top element (20), and the housing (1; 1′) being encased by a sheathing (50) made of plastics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Inventor: Peter Bunert
  • Patent number: 6259603
    Abstract: An electronic control unit, in particular for motor vehicles, having at least one electronic circuit arranged on at least one p.c. board and at least one additional circuit designed as a hybrid circuit which is attached to the at least one circuit arranged on the at least one p.c. board with an electrically conductive connection. A heat-conducting carrier element, which has mounting surfaces for attaching the at least one p.c. board and the at least one hybrid, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rupert Fackler, Thomas Laux
  • Patent number: 6259607
    Abstract: An ejector device for removing a mobile module from a main board includes a support frame and a lever. The support frame is secured on the main board so as to extend in a direction transverse to a plane of the main board, and is disposed adjacent to the mobile module. The lever includes an ejecting plate portion disposed between the main board and the mobile module, a connecting plate portion and an operating plate portion. The connecting plate portion extends from the ejecting plate portion, and is disposed between the support frame and the mobile module. The connecting plate portion is mounted pivotally on the support frame about an axis parallel to the plane of the main board. The operating plate portion extends from the connecting plate portion, and is operable to cause the connecting plate portion to pivot relative to the support frame and enable the ejecting plate portion to push the mobile module away from the main board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Compal Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Chung-Chi Chien
  • Patent number: 6256191
    Abstract: A card retention apparatus has an enclosure including an attachable cover. A connector having a card seated in the connector is mounted in the enclosure. A card retaining member is connected to extend from the enclosure into contact with the card. The card retaining member urges the card into seated engagement with the connector. A resilient member is mounted between the card retaining member and the cover for providing a retention force. The card retaining member is engaged with the card and moved into a biased position when the cover is mounted onto the enclosure, the movement to the biased position acting on the spring to establish a retention force that is applied on the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Dell USA, L.P.
    Inventor: James Don Curlee
  • Patent number: 6252777
    Abstract: An IC card, which can be mass-produced at low cost, is composed of a plane coil formed by means of punching or etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ikeda, Masatoshi Akagawa, Daisuke Ito
  • Patent number: 6243262
    Abstract: A sound muffling and heat-discharging case for a computer storage apparatus includes a casing having an opened upper portion and receiving the storage apparatus therein, a cover having a severed side portion partially exposing the peripheral parts of the storage apparatus and serving as a heat discharging portion and covering an upper portion of the casing, and noise-absorbing member being provided along an inner periphery of each of the casing and the cover and absorbing a noise from the storage apparatus. The sound muffling and heat-discharging case effectively decreases noise and heat occurring from a hard disk drive while simplifying the case structure of and thereby facilitating its fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Ho Koo, Deok Gyu Choi, Hyun-Ho Lee, In Ha Sung
  • Patent number: 6243259
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plate-like electronic member, e.g., an electro luminescence element or the like, and an electronic device. In the electronic member (1) of the invention, first and second electrodes are formed on respective surface of a plate-like electronic member body a first electrode connecting portion is formed on the first electrode, and, a second electrode connecting portion which is electrically connected with the second electrode is formed on a same side of the first electrode as the first electrode connecting portion with an insulating layer disposed between the second electrode connecting portion and the first electrode. The electronic device according to the invention comprises the electronic member (1) and an apparatus case (15) having the electronic member built-in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Yamakawa, Mitsuo Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 6239978
    Abstract: A circuit board support for mounting a circuit board in an enclosure includes upper and lower rails respectively mounted to top and bottom sides of the enclosure. Each rail defines a plurality of guiding slots. A support panel to which the circuit board is attached forms projections on top and bottom edges thereof for being movably received and guided by the guiding slots of the rails. A locking member is fixed to each rail and has a resilient front section defining a locking hole. The resilient section partially overlaps the support panel whereby when the support panel is moved with respect to the rails by having the projections moving along and guided by the guiding slots to a predetermined position, the locking hole is brought into engagement with a corresponding pin formed on the support panel by elastically deforming the resilient section of the locking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nien-Chiang Liao
  • Patent number: 6239982
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises a circuit board having a first side and a second side and having circuit traces formed only on the first side. The electronic device further includes a voltage regulator providing a regulated voltage via a regulated voltage output terminal and having a regulated voltage return terminal. Additionally, the electronic device includes a microcontroller mounted to the first side of the circuit board and having a plurality of regulated voltage input terminals and corresponding microcontroller voltage return terminals. The electronic device also comprises a bus comprising a first circuit trace coupled to the regulated voltage output terminal and a second circuit trace coupled to the regulated voltage return terminal, the first circuit trace and the second circuit trace running substantially parallel to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Erich Bozzer, Harold Ryan Macks, Jarek Tracz, Roman Jaroslaw Los
  • Patent number: 6236271
    Abstract: A single multi-layer carrier module is disclosed which carries the power amplifier components in a GSM mobile digital cellular telephone. In a first embodiment of the present invention the power amplifier and the power amplifier controller are placed upon a ceramic or laminate carrier module along with necessary connection circuitry. The carrier module is then connected to the RF board. In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention the power amplifier, the power amplifier controller and a voltage controlled oscillator are placed upon the carrier module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Nooshin D. Vakilian
  • Patent number: 6215665
    Abstract: A thin integrated circuit card with an improved manually activated switch. The card is of the type that has two external plates, a lower one (12) and an upper one (14) that are separated by at least one interconnecting plate in which there is at least one switch (26). The switch is able to allow or inhibit the passage of an electric current between its two terminals (34). The switch has a pushbutton (28) which is positioned at a peripheral edge (40) of the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Gemplus S.C.A.
    Inventor: Philippe Martin
  • Patent number: 6205030
    Abstract: A PC card includes a housing bounding a compartment. The housing includes a top cover plate, a bottom cover plate, and a border frame extending therebetween. A circuit board having electrical circuitry formed thereon is disposed within the compartment of the housing. An electrical connector configured for coupling with an electrical apparatus is mounted on the housing in electrical communication with the circuit board. A fuse slot is formed at least partially on the border frame and is configured to removably receive a fuse. The fuse slot communicates with the exterior through an opening. Disposed within the fuse slot are spaced apart first and second fuse contacts. The fuse contacts are each disposed in electrical communication with the circuit board. The fuse contacts are also configured to engage the fuse in electrical communication when the fuse is received within the fuse slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventor: Tim Urry Price
  • Patent number: 6198632
    Abstract: The present invention is designed to have half the thickness of physical/electrical media connectors such as the RJ-11 and the RJ-45 jacks. One embodiment of the present invention is an RJ-11 or an RJ-45 jack with a reduced thickness. The thickness of the present invention permits more than one media jack to be mounted in a Type I or a Type II PCMCIA card. The slim jack can be mounted either to the PCB or to the housing of the PCMCIA cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventor: Darrell Goff
  • Patent number: 6191950
    Abstract: A printed circuit card assembly. The assembly comprises a single-piece, stamped bottom cover having a plurality of tabs, each tab having apertures; a printed circuit card having a plurality of slots, each slot adapted to receive one of the tabs; and a single-piece, stamped top cover having opposite sides, a side rail on each side, and a plurality of prongs extending from each side rail, the prongs adapted to snap fit into the apertures in the tabs when the top and bottom cover are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wilton L. Cox, Simon D. Yu
  • Patent number: 6184576
    Abstract: A packaging and interconnection for connecting a contact structure to an outer peripheral component with a short signal pass length to achieve a high frequency operation. The packaging and interconnection is formed of a contact structure made of conductive material and formed on a contact substrate through a photolithography process, a contact trace formed on the contact substrate and electrically connected to the contact structure at one end, and the other end of the contact trace is extended toward an edge of the contact substrate, a connection target provided at an outer periphery of the contact structure to be electrically connected with the other end of the contact trace, an elastomer provided under the contact substrate for allowing flexibility in the interconnection and packaging of the contact structure, and a support structure provided between for supporting the contact structure, the contact substrate and the elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Advantest Corp.
    Inventors: Mark R. Jones, Theodore A. Khoury
  • Patent number: 6181563
    Abstract: A vehicle instrumentation system comprising a meter block having a display portion, a control portion, and a power supply portion. The display portion provides a display according to signals from the electronic component units. The control portion controls the electronic component units. The electric power supply portion supplies electric power to the electronic component units. These electronic component units are obtained by classifying and integrating electronic components other than the meter block. A mounting reference portion permits the meter block and the electronic component units to be attached and detached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Nippon Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shimbo, Shigeaki Tamura
  • Patent number: 6178096
    Abstract: A shielding cover for a GBIC module (30) including a pair of cover parts (38, 40) formed with complementary features to surround a printed circuit board (32) of the module. A pair of latch members (42, 44) hold the two cover parts together and also provide a latching function when a module is inserted into a guide structure (12) mounted to a host board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Flickinger, Lori A. Mayer, Wilmer L. Sheesley, William L. Herb, Thomas G. Schaedler
  • Patent number: 6163459
    Abstract: A semiconductor mounting system of the present invention includes a first semiconductor chip in which a first semiconductor integrated circuit is packaged and a second semiconductor chip in which a second semiconductor integrated circuit is packaged. The first semiconductor chip includes a plurality of first pins provided on a first surface and a plurality of second pins provided on a second surface. The second semiconductor chip includes a plurality of third pins provided on a third surface and a plurality of fourth pins provided on a fourth surface. The semiconductor mounting system further includes: a plurality of first lines for electrically connecting the first pins with the third pins; and a plurality of second lines for electrically connecting the second pins with the fourth pins. A length of the first lines is substantially equal to a length of the second lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Terada, Hironori Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 6163456
    Abstract: In a hybrid module which is mounted on a mother circuit board with a first surface of a substrate opposed to the mother circuit board, a cavity is formed on the first surface, and a heat-generating circuit component is facedown-bonded in the cavity. Heat generated in the circuit component is radiated to the mother circuit board through a heat radiation plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Suzuki, Naoto Narita, Tohru Watanabe, Yoshiaki Kamiyama, Kazuki Yagi
  • Patent number: 6159586
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multilayer wiring substrate for mounting a semiconductor chip, etc. The multilayer wiring substrate is comprised of a plurality of double-sided circuit substrates, each comprised of an organic high molecular weight insulating layer and wiring conductor. An adhesive is used for laminating the double-sided circuit substrates. A Ni--Fe based alloy foil or a titanium foil is embedded within the organic high molecular weight insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Inoue, Masakazu Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 6157542
    Abstract: An electric jack, which includes a housing, a circuit board mounted inside the housing, a terminal holder mounted inside the housing to hold down said circuit board, a plurality of forked terminals mounted in respectively holes at the terminal holders and welded to respective plug holes at the circuit board, a cable positioned in the terminal holder and having electric wires respectively connected to the forked terminals, and a plurality of holding down caps respectively pivoted to the terminal holders and turned between a first position where the electric wires of the cable are held down by the holding down caps to make a respective electric contact with the forked terminals, and a second position where the holding down caps are disconnected from the electric wires of the cable for enabling the cable to be disconnected from the terminal holder, the terminal holder having two stop blocks at two opposite sides, each stop block having a plurality of recessed receiving holes at inner side, which receive the end
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Hsing Chau Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Peter Wu
  • Patent number: 6154834
    Abstract: An electronic system and a processing unit supporting a flexible microcode space and Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) space. The electronic system features a first circuit board having a connector interconnected to a processing unit. The processing unit includes a second circuit board having an embedded controller and an on-substrate memory. The non-substrate memory is coupled to the embedded controller via a communication line routed through or placed on the second circuit board. In one embodiment, during a boot procedure and upon executing an instruction requesting data to be obtained from the on-substrate memory, the embedded controller obtains at least one microcode instruction from the on-substrate memory via the communication line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: James Neal, David Mullane, Bernardo Ortiz
  • Patent number: 6151215
    Abstract: A mounting plate for two printed circuit boards. The mounting plate formed of a layer of thermally conductive material with securing mechanisms fixing one of the two printed circuit boards in a spaced away relationship with each surface of the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Hoffman
  • Patent number: 6147870
    Abstract: A printed circuit assembly and method of making the same facilitates the attachment of high density modules onto a printed circuit board. In one embodiment, the high density modules are attached to the printed circuit board using an adhesive having a conductive material disposed within at least one via. In an alternate embodiment, an adhesive layer including a plurality of non-conductive "gauge particles" disposed within a non-conductive adhesive is used to attach the module to the printed circuit board. When the adhesive layer is disposed between a module and a printed circuit, individual gauge particles are interposed or sandwiched at various points between the layers such that the diameters of the particles control the layer separation throughout overlapping areas of thereof, thereby permitting careful control over layer separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Pommer
  • Patent number: 6147860
    Abstract: An external storage device includes an external storage device main includes a thin type external storage device module formed into a package sealed on one side from a storage element containing at least one non-volatile semiconductor memory device, and a flat type external connection terminal connected to an input/output terminal of the storage element and led and exposed to a backside of the module, and an external storage device unit that includes an external storage device main detachable section for engaging, insertedly attaching, and detaching the external storage device main, a resilient contact electrically connecting to the external connection terminal of the external storage device main, and at least a part of a circuit for driving and controlling the storage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiroshi Iwasaki