Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-09
2001-03-13
Thompson, Gregory (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S715000, C361S732000, C361S735000, C361S759000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201698
ABSTRACT:
TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD
The invention relates to electronics packaging.
BACKGROUND
Solutions for low mass and volumetric challenges in electronics packaging for space-based exploration and communication equipment have traditionally focused on vertically mounted 3-D packaging technologies. Vertical mounting involves stacking slices in a vertical configuration from a base slice. All other slices are supported mechanically by the base slice.
One problem associated with vertical mounting techniques is difficulty in conforming to mechanical limitations on the vertical height of the packaging structure. Another problem is difficulty in delivering thermal loads between the top of the vertical stack and the base structure. Designers of space-based equipment have devoted tremendous resources to alleviating these height and heat delivery problems. Traditional vertical mounting techniques also require disassembly of the entire packaging structure to add or remove an individual slice within the structure.
SUMMARY
This application discloses an electronic packaging system that provides improved system modularity and scalability by orienting and mounting packaging slices horizontally, as opposed to the traditional vertical mounting. In one aspect, the invention features a modular electronics packaging system having multiple packaging slices. A first one of the slices includes an electronic circuit and a housing that holds the electronic circuit. One or more retainers protrude from the housing. A conduit is formed in the housing to allow electrical connection to the electronic circuit.
A second one of the packaging slices also includes an electronic circuit and a housing to hold the electronic circuit. One or more receptacles are formed in the housing of this slice, and receptacle is coupled to one of the retainers protruding from the first slice. A conduit formed in the housing of the second slice allows electrical connection to the enclosed electronic circuit.
In some embodiments, the packaging system includes one or more interlocking elements formed in one or more of the receptacles of the second packaging slice to interlock with one or more of the retainers extending from the first packaging slice. In some cases, each of the interlocking elements includes a set screw that engages one of the retainers and a hole formed in the housing to accommodate the set screw.
In other embodiments, each housing includes at least four walls and an end wall, or web, defining a cavity in which the electronic circuit resides. In many cases, the housings are made from structurally rigid and thermally conductive materials.
One advantage of the disclosed packaging system is the scalability achieved by adding any number of additional slices. This scalability allows the system designer to maximize spacecraft volume. The disclosed system also allows slice removal one slice at a time, thus eliminating the need to disassemble the entire module. When each slice contacts the base structure directly, each slice provides a direct thermal path between the enclosed electronic circuit and the base structure.
Each slice also provides a mechanical load path to the base structure. Horizontally mounted packaging systems are able to withstand a large range of temperature variations, in some cases from cryogenic to more than 200° C. As a result, the packaging system is useful in a wide variety of applications, particularly those involving space-based exploration and communication systems.
Other embodiments and advantages will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4558914 (1985-12-01), Praser et al.
patent: 4764846 (1988-08-01), Go
patent: 4953058 (1990-08-01), Harris
patent: 5644473 (1997-07-01), Derouiche
patent: 5731956 (1998-03-01), Nicolici
patent: 5754405 (1998-05-01), Derouiche
patent: 5761042 (1998-06-01), Widmayer et al.
California Institute of Technology
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Thompson Gregory
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