Abstract: A flexible printed circuit board assembly comprising a first flexible printed circuit board and a second flexible printed circuit board, wherein each of the first and second flexible printed circuit boards is provided with a position fixing coupling to determine the position of the second flexible printed circuit board relative to the first flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: A connection structure of a suspension for a magnetic head suitable for assembly automation is provided. The connection structure of a suspension for a magnetic head comprises a suspension (1) for a magnetic head which includes a circuit wiring pattern (4) for connecting to the terminal side of a magnetic head and is clasped by and supported between an actuator arm (9) and a base plate (10), a relay board (7) for connecting the circuit wiring pattern to a read/write amplifier-board, and a connecting portion consisting of a pair of terminals (6) and (8) provided at portions of the suspension for a magnetic head and the relay board which are clasped by the actuator arm and the base plate, and wherein the connecting portion is formed by positioning the pair of terminals opposite one another and bringing them into mutual contact.

Abstract: A device that allows for simple cost effective connections to flexible multilayered circuits and flexible membrane switches. The invention provides a connecting device that includes a housing that has a base and a closeable lid. At least one contact is attached to the housing. One end of the contact(s) extends beyond the housing and is suitable for making a connection to an electrical circuit. The other end of the contact(s) is positioned inside the housing for connecting to the flexible circuit board or flexible membrane. The lid can be fixed in the closed position whereby the end of the contact(s) inside the housing is compressed with the flexible circuit. The lid can be attached to the base with a hinge, and when the lid is closed it snap locks in place so that the contact(s) are firmly held to the conductive pads of flexible circuit.

Abstract: A connector connecting structure capable of smoothly connecting connectors, for example, on a vehicle door trim and on a door panel respectively, even in case of the door trim slantingly approaching the door panel. A projection having a terminal conductor is orthogonally arranged on a substrate and is rotatable about a flexible portion as a supporting point, while a slant guide corresponding to the projection is formed on a connector corresponding to the projection for enabling the projection to be inserted into the connector slidingly and rotatively along the slant guide. Practically, a vehicle door trim functions as a substrate and a connector is provided on a vehicle door panel for enabling a projection on the door trim to be inserted into the connector upon rotative assemblage of the door trim onto the door panel.

Abstract: A door panel (12) is provided with auxiliaries (2-4) and their respective connectors (7-9), and a door trim (5), which is joined to the door panel, is provided with a circuit body (6) having connectors (30-32) fittable to the connectors (7-9). The door trim (5) has a rib (34) projecting thereon, and end conductors (16a, . . . ) of the circuit body (6) extend onto the rib (34) to constitute connectors (30-32). The rib (34) is deflectable. The door trim (5) has a circuit body expand and contract member (47) through which the circuit body (6) extends to an automobile body side. The troublesome wiring work of a circuit body on the door panel side is obviated.

Abstract: A flexible printed circuit board, having a single board, on which a circuit arrangement is provided, a main body formed as a part of the single board, a folding portion formed as another part of the single board, a set of copper foil lines, provided on the main body, a set of copper foil lines, provided on the folding portion, and wherein the folding portion is folded toward the main body so that the copper foil lines on both the main body and the folding portion are electrically connected.

Abstract: A method of forming a circuit board with electronic assemblies lying in different planes, includes providing a single circuit board with entire electronic assemblies pressed thereon. A channel is then formed in the circuit board of a predetermined depth to divide the circuit board into two separate, but integral portions. The circuit board is then bent at a point between the first and second portions of the circuit board such that the second portion of the circuit board can be bent between 0 and 180 degrees with respect to the first portion of the circuit board.

Abstract: A memory card connector with an ejection mechanism 10 comprises an operating rod 15 sliding lengthwise along a side surface of a frame 11 and a cam bar 16 linked to the operating rod 15 intended for the ejection of the card. A spring 17 is attached to an overhang at an inner end of the operating rod 15 and to a mounting member 19 on the frame 11. Because of such an arrangement, the operating rod 15 is forced forward; and at the same time, due to the fact that the mounting member 19 is closer to the center of the connector than an overhang 34 of the operating rod 15, the operating rod is forced to the side surface of the frame 11.

Abstract: An assembly and method of assembling a connector is described. The connector assembly includes a housing having a plurality of signal contacts projecting therefrom. A shell is removably connected to the housing, the shell member including a pair of shell tabs for connecting the shell member to the housing member. A flexible circuit is soldered to the plurality of signal contacts of the housing member. The flexible circuit is wrapped against the housing and bent at a portion thereof for insertion into a gap formed between the housing and the shell. A protective material is positioned between the flexible circuit and the shell member, and the connector is secured by bending shell tabs of the shell around the housing member.

Abstract: A device for protecting against electrical shock or other hazards from electrical components on a card includes a thin relatively flat one piece member cut and scored to form folding lines, integral latching tabs and natural hinges therein. When placed on the card and folded along the scored lines and natural hinges a protective cover for at least the pin sides and circuit sides of electrical components (modules) is provided. The device is ideally suited to protect electrical components, in situ, on a circuit card.

Abstract: An EL lamp includes hole for receiving fitting attached to a printed circuit board. The fitting has a base, a head, and a neck connecting the head to the base. The diameter of the head is slightly larger than the diameter of the hole and the head fits though the hole by temporarily stretching the lamp. The lamp includes a substrate, a front electrode, a phosphor layer, and a rear electrode. The rear electrode faces the base. Contact to the front electrode is made through a first aperture in the rear electrode and in the phosphor layer. A second aperture, through the front electrode and the phosphor layer, exposes a portion of the substrate that is covered by the rear electrode. The apertures are aligned with two of the holes in the lamp.

Abstract: A first electrical connector 30 and a second electrical connector 40 are installed on opposed ends of a two-sided flexible printed circuit 50, and the connectors are connected by two layers of conductive patterns. In the intermediate parts 22a and 22b, the conductors 20a of the upper-side circuit pattern and the conductors 20b of the lower-side circuit pattern are arranged so that they extend substantially parallel to each other and are shifted in a pitch direction. Accordingly, electrical connections can be realized in which crosstalk is prevented while a relatively high impedance is maintained; furthermore, the resistance of the FPC 50 to bending is also strengthened.

Abstract: An electrical connection system with terminals connecting multiple flex circuits for use as a power distribution system in automotive vehicles is disclosed.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting multiconductor cable includes a dielectric terminal seat and a plurality of male terminals. The male terminals are arranged in intersecting rows, and have contact pin portions and leg portions which project from two sides of the dielectric terminal seat, respectively. A printed circuit board is formed with a plurality of conducting indentations in its peripheral end, a plurality of conducting slots when are surrounded by the conducting indentations for making electrical connection with respective ones of the leg portions when the leg portions are inserted therein, and conducting lines for electrically interconnecting the conducting slots and the conducting indentations. Thus, each indentation facilitates locating and making a soldered electrical connection with a respective one of the wire conductors of the cable.

Abstract: An optic module contains a flexible circuit board forming a cable which connects between an optical sub-assembly and a rigid interconnect structure within the optic module. The cable includes lands proximate to through holes for soldered connection to leads which extend from the optical sub-assemblies and are substantially smaller than the hole. A soldering bridge comprising several separate tabs equally spaced about the land and which project from the land into the hole and are very flexible in relation to the lead so that the lead can be placed in any radial position within the hole, but regardless of the position of the lead within the hole the projections of the soldering bridge project close enough to the lead so that during wave soldering a joint of desired configuration is produced. The soldering bridge can be integral with the land so that the bridge helps connect the solder to the land allowing the land to be smaller and thus providing for closer spacing between connection holes.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to reduce housing size and make it possible to provide connections between connecting members of a flat cable and electrical terminals at a high density in a limited housing space, while minimizing the number of flat cables mounted in the housing and keeping flat cable manufacturing costs down. The flat cable connector 10 comprises a housing 20 which accommodates and holds a plurality of electrical terminals 30, a slider member 40 which is supported on the housing 20 so that the slider member 40 can slide back and forth, and a flat cable 50 which is positioned in the housing 20 and connected with the terminals 30.

Abstract: A method and device for connecting a flexible circuit to a printed circuit board wherein the device is integral with flexible circuit and the printed circuit board resulting in an improvement in the ease and efficiency of assembly. The printed circuit board includes a cut-out in a side edge thereof to yield an arcuate bearing rim located between a pair of opposing nocks. The printed circuit board includes a plurality of solder pads adjacent the arcuate bearing rim and the arcuate bearing rim has a predetermined length. The flexible circuit includes a pair of opposing notches located one each in a lateral edge of the flexible circuit. The flexible circuit also includes a plurality of solder pads proximate to the pair of opposing notches. The flexible circuit has a predetermined width at across the opposing notches which is substantially equal to the predetermined length of said arcuate bearing rim.

Abstract: A flexible wiring board is adapted to be connected with a circuit board by means of an anisotropic conductive film. A flexible substrate of the flexible wiring board is mounted with an integrated circuit and has a generally rectangular connection portion. The connection portion includes a first edge of the substrate and parts of second and third edges adjoining the first edge of the substrate. A plurality of connection terminals are provided in the connection portion of the substrate. These connection terminals extend perpendicular to and arranged along the first edge of the substrate. Opposite end parts including the parts of the second and third edges of the connection portion do not extend beyond the connection terminals located closest to the second and third edges, respectively.

Abstract: A foldable electronic assembly is provided with extending ears for protecting folded substrates in flexible areas and with elements between adjacent face-to-face boards to maintain selected spacing between the boards while mechanically holding adjacent boards together. Elements may also be provided in the area of the ears which are adapted to coact with a suitable tool to facilitate removal of the assembly from a mating connector.

Abstract: An improved multichip semiconductor module compatible with existing SIMM memory sockets comprising a molded module frame and a composite semiconductor substrate subassembly received in a cavity in said frame. The composite semiconductor substrate subassembly or subassembly(s) comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices which are connected to electrical contacts on an edge of the molded frame by a variety of configurations described herein. In one embodiment of the invention, the subassembly(s) includes a composite substrate which comprises a thin metal cover plate and thin laminate circuit which is bonded to the metal cover plate by a film adhesive. The composite substrate provides a mounting surface for the placement of semiconductor devices and their associated passive components.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly reliable optical module circuit board having a sufficient mechanical strength with respect to an external stress.

Abstract: A surface mountable flexible interconnect (10) for connecting two circuit board (30, 32) consists of a flex circuit (12) with solderable runners (14) on one side, the runners traversing the flex circuit from one end to the other. There is a solderable pad (16) at the end of each runner, and each solderable pad has a solder bump (18) fused to it. A rigid carrier ring (20) is used to hold the flex circuit in position prior to placement on the PCB. The flex circuit is formed into a U-shaped loop (26), and the loop is aligned to the carrier so that the loop is situated in an aperture (24) in the carrier. The solder pads lie directly under the carrier ring and face away from it. An adhesive (22) bonds the flex circuit to the carrier ring.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head junction board wherein a laminated plate having a springy metal layer and a conductive layer is prepared. A circuit wiring pattern is formed on the conductive layer by photoetching and the springy metal layer is formed into a predetermined shape by etching. The circuit wiring pattern is provided with a surface protecting layer which leaves holes exposed at the ends of the circuit wiring pattern. Then, the holes are filled with conductive metal to form bump-shaped terminals such that the ends on one side jut out of the surface protecting layer. Lastly, the springy metal layer is bent into a predetermined shape so that the bump-shaped terminals face against each other. Alternative process are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display device in which the area of a peripheral portion of the glass substrate can be reduced and which can be packaged easily. Three X-side IC chips 22 are directly mounted to a peripheral portion 18 of a glass substrate 14 that constitutes a display portion 16 of a liquid crystal display device 10. Pads 27 for the X-side IC chips 22 are disposed between the X-side IC chips 22. A branch region 32 projecting from a main region 30 of a flexible substrate 28 is disposed between the X-side chips 22. Terminals 38 provided in the branch region 32 are electrically connected to the pads 27.

Abstract: In a printed-wiring board, first and second hard substrates each having electronic components mounted thereon are connected through a flexible substrate interposed therebetween. A circuit pattern printed on each of the hard and flexible substrates electrically connects the electronic components mounted on the hard substrates through the flexible substrate. The circuit pattern includes a plurality of parallel-connected signal lines. The parallel-connected signal lines are spatially separated on the flexible substrate, and the both ends of the parallel-connected signal lines are located in the hard substrates, respectively. A single signal line of the circuit pattern branches on one hard substrate into the parallel-connected signal lines, which extend through the flexible substrate and are converged to a single signal line on the other hard substrate.

Abstract: An electrical test fixture used to connect the probes of an electronic test instrument to the pins of any integrated circuit. Made from flexible material, the fixture folds above the integrated circuit under test bringing test point pins to useable position. The integrated circuit usually is soldered to the test fixture and the test fixture soldered into the target circuit. Provides for noninvasive pickoff of integrated circuit signals. Allows production versions of a design to be identical to the prototype version.

Abstract: A PCMCIA mounting structure including a peripheral apparatus, a PCMCIA, and a cable connected between the peripheral apparatus and the PCMCIA, wherein the peripheral apparatus has a recess at for example the bottom side thereof adapted for receiving the PCMCIA and the cable.

Abstract: An automotive instrument cluster case is molded of a resin material. A rigid rear wall of the case has a planar outer surface including a connector region having two adjacent flaps, each flap molded with a thin flexible section and a rigid terminal section. Printed circuit paths are applied to the plane outer surface including the flaps. Then the flaps are deformed into the case, with the flexible section being curved and the terminal sections being spaced apart with the circuit paths forming terminal strips facing one another to form a connector socket. Interlocking stop elements molded on the inner surface hold the flaps apart to receive a male connector.

Abstract: A support structure is attached to the front or back side of a flexible circuit by direct mounting to the flexible circuit flat ribbon cable, thereby providing a stress-free region of the cable in which the flexible circuit electrical components can be mounted. The support structure comprises a flat ring that is attached to the cable by adhesive, soldering, or mechanical fastening. The flat ring mounts on one side of the flat ribbon cable and encloses an area of the cable that is sufficiently large for the mounting of the flexible circuit electrical components. The flat ribbon cable within the enclosed area is held flat and free from stress, even as the cable is handled. Thus, any components mounted within the enclosed area are not subjected to bending moments. The invention also can be incorporated into cable connectors, such as multi-pin connectors at the ends of cables, and can include support hooks and air cooling baffles.

Abstract: An electric connection structure is provided for electrically connecting an automobile instrument, such as a speedometer or tachometer, and a flexible wiring plate disposed on a body casing. A male connector, which houses terminals connected to the coils, is provided on the inner mechanism side. A female connector, which accommodates a strip portion of the flexible wiring plate having a conduction portion, is provided on the side of the body casing having the flexible wiring plate at the rear surface thereof. A wiring plate pressing member for pressing and retaining the strip portion is inserted in the female connector from the rear surface side of the meter casing. When the male and female connectors are engaged, the terminals directly contact the conduction portion of the flexible wiring plate.

Abstract: A flat cable including a plurality of conductor strips which are formed by punching a single metal foil and are embedded within an insulating sheet, in which at an end portion of the flat cable, bifurcated portions are folded back one on another such that end terminals of conductor strips of one bifurcated portion are inserted between end terminals of conductor strips of another bifurcated portion, so that an order in which end terminals of the conductor strips are aligned can be changed. Therefore, an electric connection between connectors requiring crossings of conductor strips can be established by a single flat cable.

Abstract: An improved electric connector which permits insertion of a flexible flat cable in its insertion space without causing oblique insertion or misalignment between the exposed conductors of the cable and the terminals of the connector housing. The central feature of the electric connector resides in the lateral distance between the opposed side walls of the connector housing to be tapered with a dimension smaller than the width of the flexible flat cable.

Abstract: Apparatus for accessing the power of a battery or batteries situated in the battery compartment of a first electrical device including a flexible sheet or strip member which is situated in the battery compartment of the first electrical device before the battery or batteries are inserted, a first pair of electrically conductive contact zones on opposed sheet member surfaces in aligned and electrically coupled relationship with each other, a second pair of electrically conductive contact zones on opposed sheet member surfaces in aligned and electrically coupled relationship with each other and electrically insulated from the contact zones of the first pair, and conductors for electrically connecting the coupled and aligned contact zones of the first pair and the coupled and aligned contact zones of the second pair into an electrical circuit for operating a second electrical device.

Abstract: An electric vehicle relay assembly including a main relay and a flexible circuit electrically connected to the main relay. The relay assembly further includes a connection for mounting the flexible circuit onto the main relay and a wiring board affixed to the flexible circuit. The flexible circuit compensates for mechanical tolerance errors within the connection. The wiring board includes relay circuitry electrically connected to the flexible circuit.

Abstract: A flexible cable assembly for coupling an electronic apparatus, having a port for receiving personal computer cards in accordance with the PCMCIA standard, to at least one peripheral device, said flex cable assembly comprises a personal computer card connector, in accordance with the PCMCIA standard, for connecting into a corresponding port in the electronic apparatus, and a flexible cable connected to the personal computer card connector. The personal computer card connector also comprises an interface to said at least one peripheral device. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the flex cable assembly can also couple a first electronic apparatus, to a second electronic apparatus, each having a port for receiving personal computer cards in accordance with the PCMCIA standard.

Abstract: A flexible cable is supported within the sealed disc drive housing, with one end of the cable readily, automatically soldered to the end wires of the spindle motor leads. The opposite or outboard end of the cable terminates in a header comprising a plastic mounting piece to support a multi-pin electrical connector with the pins extending from both sides of the header. Two locating pins are provided on the plastic header outside of a channel for defining the location of a gasket. The conductors in the cable terminate at four connecting pins at one end of the header. With the pins extending both above and below the header piece, immediately upon installation of the printed cable, the conductors to the spindle motor may be accessed so that the spindle motor and other elements of the head disc assembly may be tested during assembly of the complete disc drive.

Abstract: A branch joint box comprising: a casing which is made of resin and includes a bottom wall; a plurality of connector blocks which are provided on a front face of the bottom wall and each include a plurality of terminals erected from the front face of the bottom wall such that distal ends of the terminals are projected from a rear face of the bottom wall; and a sheetlike flexible printed circuit board which is secured to the rear face of the bottom wall and has a conductive pattern such that the distal ends of the terminals are soldered to the conductive pattern of the flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: A conductive network, which can be flexible or rigid, can have self-aligning conductors which connect with corresponding conductors of other networks. The conductive network can be fabricated into densely packed contact clusters for use as electrical interconnectors or circuits. The contact clusters, which can be configured to substantially any shape, are the essential components of high density connector assemblies. The methods and apparatus for making the conductive network and cluster contacts are also described.

Abstract: Fan-folded electrical leads made from copper cladded Kapton, for example, with the copper cladding on one side serving as a ground plane and the copper cladding on the other side being etched to form the leads. The Kapton is fan folded with the leads located at the bottom of the fan-folds. Electrical connections are made by partially opening the folds of the fan and soldering, for example, the connections directly to the ground plane and/or the lead. The fan folded arrangement produces a number of advantages, such as electrically shielding the leads from the environment, is totally non-magnetic, and has a very low thermal conductivity, while being easy to fabricate.

Abstract: A printed wiring board structure includes a printed wiring board and an electromagnetic shielding member. The printed wiring board has a part-mounted surface formed on one surface thereof, a ground surface formed on a reverse surface side to the part-mounted surface, and an exploded shape including at least a portion constituted by a flexible printed wiring board, and bottom and upper surface portions which are divided from each other by the flexible printed wiring board. The printed wiring board is folded at a portion constituted by the flexible printed wiring board to cause the part-mounted surface to face inside and to make the bottom surface portion parallel to the upper surface portion, thereby constituting a stereoscopic structure having two wiring layers. The electromagnetic shielding member is parallelly arranged between opposing part-mounted surfaces of the bottom and upper surface portions of the printed wiring board in which the stereoscopic structure is constituted.

Abstract: A structure of the flexing section of a multilayer flexible circuit board wherein at least one layer of a flexible insulation base material is bonded, via an adhesive agent layer, between a plurality of wiring conductors on which required wiring patterns are formed with conductive foil, the flexible insulation base material of the flexing section of the multilayer flexible circuit board being provided with a non-bonded portion so that it is not bonded with the wiring conductors or another flexible insulation base material at least on one surface.

Abstract: A heat seal connector (100) includes a flexible substrate (105), interconnects (110) disposed thereon, and a parting agent (115) contiguous with the flexible substrate (105) for preventing the heat seal connector (100) from adhering to a heating platen (505) applied thereto, wherein the heating platen (505) does not include a parting agent for preventing the heat seal connector (100) from adhering to the healing platen (505). The heat seal connector (100) is bonded to first and second electronic circuits (415, 420) during application of the heating platen (505) such that the interconnects (110) electrically couple conductive pads (417) formed on the first electronic circuit (415) to corresponding conductive pads (425) formed on the second electronic circuit (420).

Abstract: This invention provides a high-density planar contact array capable of interconnecting various electronic devices using a pad to pad approach or pad to pin, which is capable of accommodating non-coplanarity in the Z axis of printed circuit boards but which still maintains good electrical contact.The array comprises an insulative substrate sheet that has a plurality of parallel conductive lines terminating in a pad over a hole in the substrate.

Abstract: A supported conductive network (SCN), which can be flexible or rigid, can have self-aligning conductors which connect with corresponding conductors of other networks. The conductive network can be fabricated into densely packed contact clusters for use as electrical interconnectors or circuits. The methods and apparatus for making the conductive network involve forming a sheet of conductive material into ridges and troughs one of which defines the conductive network and the other of which is waste material and then mechanically removing the waste material. The conductive network thus formed is supported by a dielectric layer.

Abstract: A component for mounting semiconductor chips or other microelectronic units includes a flexible top sheet with an array of terminals on it, and with flexible leads extending downwardly from the terminals. A compliant dielectric support layer surrounds the leads, holding the lead tips in precise locations. The leads are desirably formed from wire such as gold wire, and have eutectic bonding alloy on their tips. The component can be laminated to a chip or other unit under heat and pressure to form a complete subassembly with no need for individual bonding to the contacts of the chip. The subassembly can be tested readily and provides compensation for thermal expansion.

Abstract: A memory stack includes a flexible interconnect device having a plurality of rigid sections connected together by a plurality of flexible sections. Memory devices such as dice or chips are mounted on the flexible interconnect structure and the structure is folded to at the flexible sections to form a stack. Connections among memory device I/Os and interconnect device mounting contacts are made via traces in a signal layer. A thermal conduction layer can be added to increase heat conduction away from the memory devices.

Abstract: A compliant electrical connector includes a housing, a flexible diaphragm contained in the housing providing independent spring biased pressure contact for movable solid metal contact pins mounted in the housing, and separate electrical leads in the housing for making electrical contact with the movable contact pins and providing terminals for transmitting electrical signals from the contact pins to the exterior of the housing for surface mount contact with corresponding electrical circuits in an external electric/electronic device. In one embodiment, the contact pins are electrically connected internally to separate circuit traces on a flex circuit extending to the outside of the connector housing. The contact pins can be connected directly to the flex circuit, or the housing can contain separate conductive barrels for sliding contact with the contact pins, in which the barrels are electrically connected to the circuit traces.

Abstract: A flexible circuit member including a circuitized substrate of a dielectric material having a plurality of apertures therein. Located within and/or bridging selected ones of the apertures are electrical conductors, the conductors having a solder member secured thereto. A frame is also used, the circuitized substrate being secured thereto.

Abstract: A flexible circuit board assembly (10) includes a flexible substrate (11) having first and second end portions (14,15) and an intermediate portion (16). Conductive metalization interconnect paths (17) extend between the substrate end portions (14, 15) and across the intermediate portion (16). The substrate first and second end portions are mounted to first and second end portions (21, 22) of a rigidizer plate (20). Stiffening material (35) is provided on the flexible substrate intermediate portion (16) to define stiff (36, 37, 38) and less stiff (39, 40) paths that extend across the interconnect paths (17) and the substrate intermediate portion (16) and define desired bend curvature characteristics for the flexible substrate intermediate portion (16). A method utilizes this structure to provide a flexible circuit board assembly (10), preferably with a bent rigidizer plate (20).

Abstract: A device (100) having an external contact electrical connection (155) for providing an electrical interface to the device includes a housing member (222) having apertures (235, 335), and a flexible film substrate (270) having an electrically conductive pattern (275). Portions of the electrically conductive pattern defines contact areas (255, 355) for presenting the electrical interface of the device (100). These contact areas (255, 355) are rigidly positioned adjacent to the interior surface (324) of the housing (222) about the apertures (235, 335) such that the contact areas (255) are externally exposed through the aperture (235, 335).