A circuit board packaging and mounting technique that protects the wiring board from vibrations and contamination is described. The technique also augments chassis rigidity and damping and conducts component generated heat to the chassis

Pesek, C. T.

English

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20546
N73-252U3 t
REPLY TO
ATTN OF':
TOt
(NASA-rCase-?IFS-219T9-1) CIRCUIT BOABD
PACKAGE WITH WEDGE SHAPED COVEBS Patent
(North-American Pockwe11 Corp,) 6 p
CSCL 09C flnclas
^ , 00/10 06U73
KSl/Scientific & Technical Information Division
Attention: Miss Winnie M. Morgan
FROMs GP/Office of Assistant General Counsel for
Patent Matters
SUBJECT* Announcement of NASA-Owned U.S. Patents in STAR
In accordance with the procedures agreed upon by Code GP
and Code KSI, the attached NASA-owned U.S. Patent is being
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»
NASA patent Case No.
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Pursuant to Section 305(a) of the National Aeronautics and
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the first page of the patent; however, the name of the actual
inventor (author) appears at the heading of column No. 1 of
the Specification, following the words H. . . with respect to
an invention of .
Elizabeth A. Carter
Enclosure
Copy of patent cited above
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19730016516 2020-03-17T08:32:24+00:00Z
United States Patent
Pesek
[in 3,735,206
[45] May 22,1973
[54]
[75]
[73]
[22]
[21]
CIRCUIT BOARD PACKAGE WITH
WEDGE SHAPED COVERS
Inventor: Clarence T. Pesek, Anoka, Minn.
Assignee: The United States of America as
represented by the Administrator of
the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, Washington, D.C.
Filed: Oct. 28, 1971
Appl. No.: 193,456
[56] References Cited
UNITED STATES PATENTS
2,881,364 4/1959 Demer 317/100
3,264,534 8/1966 Murphy 317/100
3,566,190 2/1971 Huebner 317/101 DH
Primary Examiner—Robert K. Schaefer
Assistant Examiner—Gerald P. Tolin
Attorney- L. D. WofFord, Jr., J. R. Manning and J. H.
Beumer
[57] ABSTRACT
[52] U.S. Cl 317/100,317/101 DH
[51] Int.CI HOSk 5/03, H05k 7/20
[58] Field of Search 174/DIG. 5; 317/100,
317/101 D, 101 DH, 120
A circuit board mounting and packaging technique
wherein each board is encased within a wedge-shaped
foam package and the packages are combined in com-
plementary pairs and inserted in chassis compart-
ments.
5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures
Patented May 22, 1973 3,735,206
2 Sheets-Sheet 1
16
FIG-1
•24
FIG. 2
CLARENCE T. PESEK
INVENTOR.
BY
ATTORNEY
Patented May 22, 1973
2 Sheets-Sheet 8
3,735,206
40
18
32
FIG. 3
CLARENCE T. PESEK
INVENTOR.
BY
ATTORNEY
3,735,206
1 2
CIRCUIT BOARD PACKAGE WITH WEDGE and 14 are readily removable for inspection or repair
SHAPED COVERS of board 10. The assembly of FiG. i is referred to as a
The invention described herein was made in the per- "foam-pack assembly." The covers need not necessar-
formance of work under a NASA contract and is sub- ily be of polyurethane foam and other material may be
ject to the provisions of the National Aeronautics and 5 substituted.
Space Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568 (72 Stat. 435; FIG. 2 shows a pair of the assemblies of FIG. 1
42 U.S.C. 2457), as amended. mounted between side walls 24 and 26 of a chassis
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION compartment. The tapered profiles or thicknesses are
complementary and relative lateral movement causes a
The invention pertains generally to the field of pack- 10 change in the total thickness of the assembly-pair. If for
aging and mounting electronic components and specifi- example the upper assembly is moved to the right the
cally to a technique for packaging and mounting total thickness increases, as shown by the dashed line,
printed circuit boards. The technique protects printed
 and this wedges or compresses the assembly-pair firmly
wiring boards from vibration, conducts component- between side walls 24 and 26 of the chassis compart-
generated heat to the chassis, augments chassis rigidity 15
 ment.
and damping, and protects the circuits from contami-
 The reiatjve movement shown schematically in FIG.
natlon
- 2 is provided by a compression lock mechanism, an ex-
SUMMARY ample of which is shown in FIG. 3. A bracket 28 is at-
tached to the left-hand board 10 and holds a screw 30.
Each printed wiring board is housed or packaged in 20
 Jhe threaded portjon of screw 30 engages a lug 32 at-
a pair of contoured polyurethane foam covers. Thermal ,ached to the right.hand board 10. Relative lateral
pads are incorporated into one of the covers of a pair
 movernent of the left and right assemblies is provided
and conduct heat from components on the board to the
 b turnj screw 30 Other equivalent compression
chassis. The wedge shape of the other cover of a pair
 |ock mechanisms be used FIG 3 shows integrated
gives each cover-pair a tapered or wedge-shaped pro- 25 ^ ^
 34 mounted Qn boar(Js ,0 an<J meta, ..woo,., 36
file. The internal contour of each cover of a pa.r pre-
 between meta, foj, , lg an<J M M ^ jte
c,sely matches the profile of the printedI c.rcu.t board
 tfce int ted circui/s or other components which re-
assembly for maximum support, but the covers are
 ife ^ remova| of transfer of hea, Numera, 38 refers
readily removable for inspection or repa.r. Two of the ^
 fc ; between h inted circuk boards an(J the
boards with their associated covers are mounted ,n 30 > *
 foam ^^ re|ative movement of a
each chassis compartment. The tapered thicknesses of •_ j j • j • -j r A i . •
.. . * . . j u »u i board and its associated rigid foam covers. An electri-the packages are complementary and when the-pack- . ... .6 . ... . , , ,_
ages are moved laterally with respect to one another <=al connector 40 is associated with each board 10.
the total thickness of the pair of packages changes. A ™e inv.e.nt'on lsKnot h™!!?d * the Pa^tlcu'ar sPecies
compression lock mechanism associated with each pair 35 shown, wh.ch may be modified ,n a number of ways and
of packages produces this movement and the resulting stl" ""a'n the essence of the invention The mvent.on
increase in thickness wedges the pair of packages in 1S to be llmlted on-'y ^ the foHowmg claims,
compression in the chassis compartment. Keying be- l claim.
tween the circuit boards and the foam covers prevents L A Clrcult board Packa8e assembly adapted for
stress on the components mounted on the board by pre- 40 mounting in a chasis compartment comprising:
venting relative motion between a board and its covers. a Pair of Clrcuit boards each havin8 components
mounted on one side thereof;
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS a pair of covers for each circuit board, each of said
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a single circuit board Pairs of covers forming a wedge in cross section
and its package 45 and encasing one of said boards;
FIG. 2 schematically shows a complementary pair of one cover in each pair being contoured to fit over the
printed circuit board packages mounted between the component side of one of said boards and having
side walls of a chassis compartment. apertures opposite component locations on the
FIG. 3 is a detailed cross sectional view of a comple- board and the other cover in each pair being con-
mentary pair of printed circuit board packages wedged 50 toured to fit over the other side of one board;
between the side walls of a chassis compartment. a heat conductive layer mounted on the external sur-
face of said one cover and protruding through said
DESCRIPTION apertures; and
In FIG. 1 a printed circuit board 10 is housed in an means attached to said boards to provide relative
assembly comprising a pair of contoured polyurethane movement thereof;
foam covers 12 and 14 and a heat transfer layer 16 the covered boards being disposed with a major por-
which forms a part of cover 14. Layer 16 is formed of tion of their sides in contact so that relative move-
two sub-layers 18, 20 of metal foil between which is mentof the boards will effect a change in thickness
placed metal "wool" to form raised portions or pads 22 ,- of the assembly.
which protrude through apertures in cover 14. Pads 22 2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the other of said
contact and conduct heat away from the components covers of each pair is tapered.
mounted on board 10. The metal foil and "wool" may 3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the means at-
be aluminum or copper. The wedge shape of cover 12 tached to said boards to provide relative movement
gives the assembly a tapered profile. Cover 14, instead
 65 thereof comprises:
of cover 12, may be tapered. To provide maximum sup- a lug mounted on one of the boards; and a bracket
port the internal contours of covers 12 and 14 are holding a screw and mounted on the other board,
molded to match the contours of board 10. Covers 12 the screw engaging the lug, relative movement of
3,735,206
3 4
the covered boards being provided by turning the live layer comprises two sub-layers of metal foil be-
screw. tween which is placed metallic material forming raised
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said covers are
made of polyurethane foam material. Pads which protrude through the apertured covers.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the heat conduc- 5 * * * * *
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Circuit board package with wedge shaped covers

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