Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-20
2004-03-23
Cuneo, Kamand (Department: 2827)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement
C174S261000, C361S732000, C361S747000, C361S759000, C439S062000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06710256
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting apparatus and method for providing electrical connection between respective electrodes of two high-frequency circuit boards, and in particular, to a connecting apparatus and method for providing electrical connection between respective electrodes of two high-frequency circuit boards for use in bands of frequencies such as microwave frequencies, sub-millimeter wave frequencies, millimeter wave frequencies or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7
is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a connecting apparatus of a prior art for providing electrical connection between respective electrodes
11
and
21
of two high-frequency circuit boards
10
and
20
.
FIG. 8
is a cross sectional view taken along the line G-G′ of FIG.
7
.
FIG. 9
is a cross sectional view taken along the line H-H′ of FIG.
8
.
In the prior art shown in
FIGS. 7
to
9
, the electrodes
11
of one high-frequency circuit board
10
are brought into contact with electrode connecting parts
21
t
(generally called pads) of the electrodes
21
formed on another high-frequency circuit board
20
through contact probes
90
(generally called pogo pins) which are soldered to electrode connecting parts
11
t
of the electrodes
11
or fitted into through holes
11
h
of the electrode connecting parts
11
t
(generally called pads) by means of inserting with pressing or the like, and this leads to that the electrodes
11
and
21
are made to be electrically connected with each other. In the prior art, each of the high-frequency circuit boards
10
and
20
is, for example, made of a hard dielectric board or an FPC (flexible printed wiring board).
However, a mismatch between characteristic impedances occurs in the contact probes
90
when the electrodes
11
and
21
of the two high-frequency circuit boards
10
and
20
are electrically connected with each other by means of the contact probes
90
which are so-called pogo pins. In this case, there are the following problems. Namely, not only point contacts but also repeated contacting would cause wearing away of the tips of the contact probes
90
, the contact probes
90
and the electrode connecting parts
11
t
and
21
t
, and this leads to deterioration in DC (direct current) characteristics and high-frequency characteristics at an early stage, which results in unsatisfactory longevity.
Moreover, each center pin is singly replaceable in the contact probe
90
, however, the whole high-frequency circuit boards
10
and
20
must be replaced with another ones in the electrode connecting parts
11
t
and
21
t
. Therefore, when expensive parts are mounted on the circuit boards
10
and
20
, the circuit boards
10
and
20
become expensive, and then, the repairing cost become higher.
Furthermore, structural design is limited due to the influence of the size and shape of the contact probe
90
. That is, the following problems exist:
(1) the connecting electrodes cannot be arranged with a smaller pitch due to a diameter of the contact probe
90
and the through holes
11
h
formed in the high-frequency circuit board
10
; and
(2) an arrangement of components cannot be provided on a back surface of the high-frequency circuit board
10
since the contact probes
90
must be fitted in and pass through the high-frequency circuit board
10
, and an unnecessary space must be provided since the contact probes
90
projects through the back surface of the high-frequency circuit board
10
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an essential object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an apparatus and a method for connecting high-frequency circuit boards, which achieve less deterioration in high-frequency characteristics, a simpler structure, a smaller size, a lighter weight, a longer life and more inexpensiveness as compared with those of the prior art.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for connecting high-frequency circuit boards, for providing electrical connection between respective electrodes of two high-frequency circuit boards, comprising:
an electrode connecting member including a bar-shaped member having a predetermined sectional shape, and including connecting electrode means formed on a part of an outer periphery of the bar-shaped member,
wherein the connecting electrode means is located so as to provide inter-connection between the respective electrodes of the two high-frequency circuit boards through the connecting electrode means and to be sandwiched between the respective electrodes thereof.
In the above-mentioned apparatus, the connecting electrode means preferably comprises a plurality of electrode lines formed so as to be spaced at a predetermined interval on the outer periphery of the bar-shaped member. Alternatively, in the above-mentioned apparatus, the connecting electrode means preferably comprises a plurality of sets of connecting electrodes, respective sets of connecting electrodes are formed on the outer periphery of the bar-shaped member so as to be spaced at a predetermined first interval corresponding to an interval between the respective electrodes of each of the two high-frequency circuit boards, and each set of connecting electrodes is formed of a plurality of electrode lines which are spaced at a predetermined second interval smaller than the first interval on the outer periphery of the bar-shaped member. Further alternatively, in the above-mentioned apparatus, the connecting electrode means preferably comprises a plurality of planer solid electrodes which are formed on the outer periphery of the bar-shaped member so as to be spaced at a predetermined first interval corresponding to an interval between the respective electrodes of each of the two high-frequency circuit boards.
The above-mentioned apparatus preferably further comprises a positioning member for positioning the electrode connecting member between the two high-frequency circuit boards so that the connecting electrode means provides inter-connection between the respective electrodes of the two high-frequency circuit boards so as to be sandwiched between the respective electrodes thereof.
In the above-mentioned apparatus, the plurality of electrode lines is preferably arranged to comprise a structure of coplanar line.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for connecting high-frequency circuit boards, for providing electrical connection between respective electrodes of two high-frequency circuit boards, the method including the step of locating connecting electrode means so as to provide inter-connection between the respective electrodes of the two high-frequency circuit boards through the connecting electrode means and to be sandwiched between the respective electrodes thereof, by means of an electrode connecting member including a bar-shaped member having a predetermined sectional shape, and including the connecting electrode means formed on a part of an outer periphery of the bar-shaped member.
In the above-mentioned method, the connecting electrode means preferably comprises a plurality of electrode lines formed so as to be spaced at a predetermined interval on the outer periphery of the bar-shaped member. Alternatively, in the above-mentioned method, the connecting electrode means preferably comprises a plurality of sets of connecting electrodes, respective sets of connecting electrodes are formed on the outer periphery of the bar-shaped member so as to be spaced at a predetermined first interval corresponding to an interval between the respective electrodes of each of the two high-frequency circuit boards, and each set of connecting electrodes is formed of a plurality of electrode lines which are spaced at a predetermined second interval smaller than the first interval on the outer periphery of the bar-shaped member. Further alternatively, in the above-mentioned meth
Kato Ken-ichi
Kita Toshiki
Ugawa Hiroaki
Agilent Technologie,s Inc.
Alcala José H.
LandOfFree
Apparatus for connecting high-frequency circuit boards... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for connecting high-frequency circuit boards..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for connecting high-frequency circuit boards... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3272453