Electric heating – Heating devices – Combined with diverse-type art device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2001-07-17
Paik, Sang (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
Combined with diverse-type art device
C219S210000, C219S543000, C361S721000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262392
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to printed circuit boards and in particular to a method and apparatus for heating selected areas of a printed circuit board.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In order to keep electronic components working reliably, they must be maintained within their desired operating temperature range. This is a particular problem in remote cellular or satellite telephony base stations, which may be required to operate in extreme climatic conditions. In such conditions, components having wide operating temperature ranges have conventionally been used. However, such components are expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,071 discloses a surface mount technology heater which is used to provide heat to a circuit board in order to solder surface mount connector terminals to contact pads. The connector terminals are configured as spaced integrally formed projections of a selectively actuable heater. The heater develops thermal energy which is conducted along the projections to the solder tails to melt fusable conductive material.
However, such a heater is only used to solder terminals to a PCB, and is not suitable for use in heating electronic components mounted on the PCB during operation.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, means are provided for heating a temperature-sensitive component on a PCB, to maintain it within a desired operating temperature range.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printed circuit board comprising a multi-layered structure. One of the layers of the structure provides a heating layer such that heat applied to that layer is transferred to electronic components mounted on the printed circuit board.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of heating electronic components mounted on a printed circuit board. The method comprises supplying thermal energy to a layer of the printed circuit board.
Preferably, heat is supplied by ohmic heating of a resistive element within the printed circuit board.
Advantageously, the temperature of the components is detected, and the sensed temperature is used to control the supply of heat thereto.
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Guiver Andrew Peter James
Morton Edward Peter
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Dahbour Fadi H.
Paik Sang
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
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