Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Heretofore prior art packaging schemes for utilizing substrate
means bearing planar circuit means and operating in the microwave
frequences has been to install such substrates into a reversible
protrusion box or cavity of a milled out material using a paste down
method such as conductive alue, epoxy sheet or indium solder. These
methods work, but it is very difficult or in some instances impossi-
ble to repair or replace the substrates.
Other prior art utilizes press down retainers, some of which in-
clude an embossed or quilted foil on the metalized side of the sub-
strate, to install the substrates into a box or cavity. The press-
down method is satisfactory where small substrates are employed, but
are unsatisfactory when large substrates are used and will, environ-
~,entally speaking, deteriorate in time.
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SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, the disadvantages of the
prior art are overcome by providing a modular mounting apparatus
for substrate means bearing planar circuit means wherein an economi-
cal nonreversible precision extrusion is cut to length, milled,
drilled and tapped to accept cast precision end plates or side plates
with attached signal conductors such as coaxial cables and feed-thru
capacitorS. A strip of elastomeric conductive material is inserted
to provide a cushion and grounding support for the metalized hybrid
0 substrates; held, making intimate contact to a ground plane, by means
of chemically milled one-piece retainer clips with integral canti-
lever toothed spring end means. Signal and power interconnections
are made by means of: parallel gap welding a thin gold ribbon to the
`/~ -coaxed lines, to other substrates, or to a center conductor of termi-
r: nals that are secured to the housing. The assembly is closed by means
of either a mesh strip or conductlve elastomer seal and a lid carrying
suitable absorber pads where needed and then fastenea to the housing.
It is therefore an obiect of the present invention to provide a
systematic, economical means of packaging microcircuits which provide
. 2~ an advanced means of providing highly efficient interconhections.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a syste-
matic, economical means of packaging microcircuits using modular com-
ponents;
' It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a
systematic, economical means of packaging microcircuits having modu-
larity, serviceability and compactness.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed
, i out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specifi-
cation. The invention, ho~ever, both as to organization and method
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of operation, together with further advantages and objects
thereof may best be understood by reference to the
i following description taken in connection with the
~: accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters
refer to like elements.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention
there is provided a modular package in which planar
circuit means are mounted, comprising: housing means
having side walls and a bottom defining a channel-shaped
configuration and having a predetermined variable length;
¦ elastomeric conduction means in engagement with said
bottom and extending substantially along the length
thereof; substrate means containing planar circuit means
on at least the upper surface means thereof and ground
circui-t means provided on the bottom surface thereof, said
ground circuit means electrically engaging said
elastomeric conduction means; removable substrate securing
means extending between said housing means and said
; substrate means urging said ground circuit means into
electrical connection with said elastomeric conduction
means and said elastomeric conduction means providing
cushion means therefor; removable connection means
provided by said housing means electrically connected
' respectively to said planar circuit means on said upper
.
surface means and to said ground circuit means on said
lower surface means; and means sealing said substrate
means so as to be free from interfering signals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
,.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is an exploded view of an apparatus according
to the present invention;
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,. Figure 2 i9 a cross-sectioned view of the embodiment
of Figure 1 with the components inserted; and
Figure 3 is a partial view of a second apparatus
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, and in particular to Figure
1, there is shown in exploded view, a modular mounting
apparatus for substrate means bearing planar circuit means
according to the present invention. A nonreversible
housing means 10, cut to a desired length depending upon
the number of planar circuit bearing substrates required,
is milled in a channel shaped configuration from a
; suitable material such as aluminum. The housing means isdrilled and tapped to provide a plurality of attachment
means 11, 12 and access parts 13 (optional). A groove 14
is disposed in and traverses along both sides of the
housing means and is provided for receiving a means for
- sealing the apparatus which will be described elsewhere in
this specification.
A conductive elastomeric material 16 is next provided
for disposal into a portion A of ~he channel shaped
housing member. The elastomeric
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material is preferably silver powdered silicone rubber having a
~ low durometer rating so that it is easily formed. The elastomeric
!i material provides a cushion and grounding support for the substrates
to be hereinafter discussed, as well as for conduction of heat from
the substrate ~or dissipation in the housing. Also disposed in the
A portion of the channel shaped housing means are the substrates 18.
These substrates are removably disposed in the housing means by se-
curing means 20, which, are retainer cTips with integral cantilever
tooth spring end means and secured by conventional screw means 22
0 threaded into attachment means 12 in the area B of the channeled
housing means. These substrates are preferrable ceramic and have a
metalized underside (not shown) for well known reasons. Additionally,
th~se substrates could be, say, an etched circuit board. Although
` not shown, these substrates have planar circuitry thereon such as
amplifiers, oscillators, etc. The drawing shows 6 such substrates
~e adjacent one another of various lengths and are shown as illustration
only. Once the substrates are disposed and secured to the housing
means 10, the elastomeric material provides the ground support to the
ground or ground plane (the bottom of the housing means).
` 20 Next provided are a pair of access means 24 milled from a suit-
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~` able material, preferrably zinc. These access means are placed ad-
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~; ~ jacent the outer two su~strates and provide for communication with the
planar circuits, i,e., electricall~ connections. Tnese access means
are removably secured and selectively positioned in and along the
housing means in the portions A and B by conventional screws 23 threaded
, into the attachment means 12 in the portion B. They also include a
.
groove 26, similar to the groove 14, for receiving the means for seal-
c ing the apparatus. Each access means includes sign~l conductors 28 for
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providing an input signal to the planar circuits on the substrates
.5 and for taking an output signal from the apparatus such as conven-
tional BNC or UHF type connector systems having an insulated center
conductor and a grounded outer conductor.
A seal 30, which is preferably an absorber for radio frequency
interference, is a woven mesh but which can be a conductive elasto-
meric material for moisture considerations, is next provided for dis-
posal into the groove 14 and the groove 26. Once installed, this
seal completely surrounds the channel shaped housing means in the
~ 1 0 area or portion generally donated C and extends slightly above the
f upper surface of the housing means. Once the seal 30 has been in-
stalled, a removable cover 32 is disposed along and over the channel
shaped housing means and the access means and removably secured there-
, to by further conventional screws 34 threaded into attachment means 11
f~ in portion C of the housing means.
As can be discerned from this drawing, a modular mounting
apparatus for substrate means bearing planar circuit means including
, ~ a housing means, means including the substrate means bearing the
I planar circuit means, and means removably disposed along both the
f 20 housing means and the access means which permits removal and replace-
ment of the substrate is provided. This, of course, is an object of
the subject invention.
As can also be discerned from the drawing of Figure 1, the appara-
` tus may also include an additional member 36 defining a mode suppressor
and is preferably an epoxy iron powder loaded lossy dielectric or simi-
lar member for absorbing both radio frequency energy and electromag-
netic energy. This member is secured to cover member 32. For exam?le,
assume that the substrate marked X included a planar circuit such as a~
; oscillator operating in the microwave frequency rang~.
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Member 36 would be secured to cover member 32 directly above sub-
strate X so that when cover member 36 is secured to the housing means
10 the absorber would prevent radiation therefrom. Member 36 in the
preferred embodiment is secured to the cover with an epoxy adhesive.
Also shown in Figure 1 are a plurality of additional access
means 38 for disposal into access ports 13. Additional signal, power,
etc. connections may be made to the planar circuits by parallel gap
welding a thin gold ribbon to the circuit leads. These additional
access means could be, for example, BNC or UHf connectors or feed-thru
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Referring now to figure 2, there is shown a cross sectional view
of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, taken along the line 2-2 thereof.
This drawing includes the various components d;sposed into the housing
means ~0. As was previously stated, the elastomeric material 16 is
disposed into the portion A of the channel shaped housing means and
' ~ the substrate 18 disposed on the elastomeric material. This figure
~`~ shows the metalized underside 50 of the substrate 18 as previously:~
stated. As can be discerned from this drawing, the total thickness
of the elastomeric material 16, and substrate 18 extend above the A
- 2~ portion of the channel shaped housing means; this enables the spring
~- end means of the securing means 20 to provide sufficient pressure on
the combined units to securely hold them in place. Also shown in this
drawing is, say, a gold ribbon 52 whic,h is welded to a lead 54 on the
substrate 18 for providing additional electrical access to the appara-
tus via access means 38. It should be emphasized that the lead 54
could be a transmission line, a circuit component, etc. Also shown
7 in the drawing is the inside portion of the means 24 for providing
input signals to or taking output signals from the apparatus which
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comprises an insulative portion 56 and a inner conductive portion
58 which is soldered to another unit 60 which, like 54, is part
of the planar circuit.
Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a partial
view of another embodiment of the apparatus according to the
present invention. This embodiment includes the housing means
10, a removable cover 32, sealing means 30, access means 24,
substrate 18, securing means 20 and the various screw means.
Additionally, there is shown an isolation means 61 which is
removably received in the channel shaped housing means. The
isolation means is similar to the access means 24; the difference
is, however, that the isolation means provides no means for
providing input signals or means for taking output signals from -
the apparatus. The isolation means 61 is removably received in
the housing and secured thereto by the securing means 62 threaded
into the attachment means 11 (not shown). The isolation means 61
is generally used between two adjacent substrates. Also shown
in the Figure 3 embodiment is a further accessing means 65.
` Accessing means 65 enables signal inputs and outputs from the
side of the housing means, rather than the ends of the housing
means. Side accesses, such as the accessing means 65, enable,
say, the access means 24 to be replaced by an isolation means
61 whenever desired. A still further type of additional access
means are the units 66, 67 which are similar to a bushing or
sleeve and insert.
As has been previously stated, the substrates are in
communication with the bottom portion of the channel shaped
housing means via the elastomeric material to provide both a
~ cushion and a ground (electrically). Additionally, conductive
,~ 30 portions of the access means such as the gold ribbons are in
ungrounded (electrically) communication with
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the planar circuits. This, therefore, provides for signal con-
duction via transmission means which have a grounded outer conduc-
tor and conductive inner conductor,
While there has been shown and described the prPferred embodi-
ments of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without
departing from the invention in 7ts broader aspects. For example,
it is well known that both sides of the substrates may be utilized
; ;.e., bear planar circuits. To utilize such a substrate, the
0 elastomeric material is simply perforated where contact is not de-
sired leaving an air gap between the planar circuit and the bottom
of the channel shaped housing means, Therefore, the appended c~aims
are intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall
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within the true spirit and scope of the invention
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