Network switch based on flexible circuit board, assembling method thereof, and communication system

Abstract

The application provides a network switch based on a flexible circuit board, an assembling method thereof, and a communication system. The network switch comprises a switching mainboard and at least one functional port subboard. The switching mainboard comprises a first rigid circuit board area, on which a switching chip is arranged. The functional port subboard comprises a second rigid circuit board area, on which a network interface connector is arranged. The first rigid circuit board area and the second rigid circuit board area are connected through a flexible circuit board area. The flexible circuit board area is configured to be bent and deformed at a preset angle in a three-dimensional space, so that the functional port subboard is in a folded state relative to the switching mainboard and a stacked port layout is formed in a cabinet. Compared with a conventional way of increasing ports by using a connector stacking buckle plate, not only the number of ports can be multiplied, but also signal transmission loss caused by the introduction of additional connectors can be effectively avoided, and the port performance of the network switch is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to network switches based on flexible circuit boards, their assembly methods, and communication systems. Background Technology

[0002] Network switches are core devices in scenarios such as data centers and high-performance computing. As the demand for network bandwidth continues to grow in these scenarios, higher requirements are being placed on the port density, signal rate, and system reliability of network switches.

[0003] Current switching boards generally use rigid printed circuit boards (PCBs) as the substrate to carry switching chips and port connectors. Due to the planar layout and standard chassis size of rigid PCBs, there is an upper limit to the number of ports that can be placed on a rigid PCB. To increase port density, related technologies use connector stacking to add ports. However, this method is not only limited by the size and characteristics of the connectors themselves, resulting in limited room for increasing port density, but the added connectors also lead to additional signal transmission losses, reducing the overall port performance of the switch.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of network switch that can increase port density while ensuring port performance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a network switch based on a flexible circuit board, an assembly method thereof, and a communication system, so as to improve port density while ensuring port performance.

[0006] This application provides a network switch based on a flexible circuit board, the network switch comprising: a main board and at least one functional port sub-board; The switching motherboard includes: a first rigid circuit board area, wherein a switching chip is disposed in the first rigid circuit board area; The functional port sub-board includes a second rigid circuit board area, on which a network interface connector is provided. The first rigid circuit board region and the second rigid circuit board region are connected through a flexible circuit board region; The flexible circuit board area is configured to bend and deform at a preset angle in three-dimensional space, so that the functional port sub-board is in a non-coplanar folded state relative to the main switching board, thereby forming a stacked port layout within the switch chassis.

[0007] As one embodiment, the switching motherboard, the functional port daughterboard, and the flexible circuit board area are integrally press-fitted structures.

[0008] As one embodiment, the flexible circuit board region is laminated as an intermediate layer between two rigid circuit layers of the first rigid circuit board region, and extends from one side of the first rigid circuit board region to the second rigid circuit board region as an intermediate layer of the second rigid circuit board region.

[0009] As one embodiment, the flexible circuit board area is configured as a diagonally folded structure, such that the functional port sub-board is tilted at an acute angle, a right angle, or an obtuse angle relative to the main switching board.

[0010] As one embodiment, the number of the switching motherboard and the functional port daughterboard is one, and the number of the flexible circuit board area is one; the switching motherboard is also provided with a network interface connector. The flexible circuit board area is bent at a first preset angle so that the network interface connector on the functional port sub-board is distributed parallel to the network interface connector on the switching motherboard and the ports face the same direction.

[0011] As one embodiment, the number of the switching motherboard is one, the number of the functional port daughterboards is two, and the number of the flexible circuit board areas is two; the switching motherboard is also provided with a network interface connector. The two flexible circuit board areas extend from both sides of the switching motherboard and are respectively connected to the two functional port subboards; the network interface connectors on the two functional port subboards are arranged side by side after being bent at a second preset angle, and this row is parallel to the network interface connectors on the switching motherboard and the ports face the same direction.

[0012] As one embodiment, the switching motherboard is horizontally disposed inside the chassis, and the functional port daughterboard is vertically disposed in the front panel area of ​​the chassis, so as to form a double-layer or multi-layer port arrangement density in the vertical direction.

[0013] As one embodiment, the flexible circuit board area is provided with equal-length shielded differential line pairs for high-speed signal transmission, the equal-length shielded differential line pairs being used to transmit high-speed signals at a specified rate.

[0014] As one embodiment, the flexible circuit board area forms a stress-relief bending structure at the root of the hot-swappable module connector.

[0015] This application also provides a flexible assembly method for a network switch, the method comprising: A switching motherboard is provided, the switching motherboard including a first rigid circuit board area carrying a switching chip; at least one functional port subboard is provided, the functional port subboard including a second rigid circuit board area carrying a network interface connector. The functional port sub-board is connected to the switching motherboard via a flexible circuit board. The flexible circuit board is shaped and bent so that the functional port sub-board is flipped relative to the main switching board and fixed at a preset angle, so as to expand the physical layout density of the network interface in the direction perpendicular to the main switching board.

[0016] This application also provides a communication system, including at least one network switch as described above.

[0017] As can be seen from the above technical solution, in this embodiment, the network switch is configured as a combined structure including a switching motherboard and at least one functional port sub-board. The switching motherboard includes a first rigid circuit board area carrying a switching chip and a network interface connector, and the functional port sub-board includes a second rigid circuit board area carrying a network interface connector. The first and second rigid circuit board areas are connected by a flexible circuit board area. Then, utilizing the bendable characteristics of the flexible circuit board area, it is bent at a preset angle in three-dimensional space, bending the functional port sub-board relative to the switching motherboard to a non-coplanar folded state, thereby forming a stacked port layout within the switch chassis.

[0018] This switch architecture, which uses the bending and deformation of flexible circuit board areas to form a stacked port layout, not only breaks through the limitations of rigid printed circuit board planar layout and standard chassis size compared to the traditional method of increasing ports by stacking connectors, but also expands the physical density of network interfaces in the direction perpendicular to the switching motherboard, achieving a doubling of the number of ports. It can also effectively avoid signal transmission loss caused by introducing additional connectors, ensure the integrity of high-speed signal transmission between the rigid and flexible circuit board areas, and thus improve the overall port performance and system reliability of the network switch.

[0019] Furthermore, the flexible interconnect characteristics of the flexible circuit board area can make full use of the limited space inside the chassis, optimize internal wiring, and help the switch achieve a compact and heterogeneous hardware design, thereby further improving the overall performance and reliability of the network switch. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1a This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a traditional 4U box-type switch provided in related technologies; Figure 1b This is a schematic diagram of another traditional 4U box switch architecture provided in related technologies; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network switch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network switch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network switch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network switch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network switch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the flexible assembly method for a network switch provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the network switch provided in this application easier to understand, the network switch provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0022] Before introducing the switch architecture provided in the embodiments of this application, let's first combine... Figure 1a , Figure 1b The existing technical problems are explained: Please see Figure 1a , Figure 1a This is a schematic diagram of a traditional 4U box-type switch provided in related technologies. It uses a backplate and connectors to expand ports, representing a typical solution used in related technologies to increase port density. For example... Figure 1a As shown, a single rigid PCB (typically connecting 64 ports) and upper and lower panels (typically connecting 32 ports each) are connected via connectors to achieve a 128-port design. While this stacked architecture overcomes some of the planar layout limitations of a single rigid PCB and increases port density compared to a single-PCB switch, the following problems still exist: Since each connector occupies a certain amount of physical space, the increase in port density is very limited, even with multi-level stacking, due to the constraints of the connector's own size, the assembly method between the connector and the backing plate, and the standard chassis size. Furthermore, each new connector interface introduces an additional signal transmission path, causing high-speed signals (such as 56G / 112GPAM4 SerDes) to experience reflection and additional loss when passing through the connector, severely impacting port performance. Additionally, the vertical stacking structure between the backing plate and the rigid PCB board occupies a significant amount of internal space, hindering the design of heat dissipation channels.

[0023] Please see Figure 1b , Figure 1b This is a schematic diagram of another traditional 4U box-type switch architecture provided in related technologies, which uses cable expansion ports. For example... Figure 1bAs shown, the switching board connects to the ports via cables, achieving a 64-port design. However, this approach not only results in cables tangling together inside the chassis, leading to a bulky and complex internal structure, increasing assembly difficulty, obstructing airflow, and affecting heat dissipation efficiency, but also requires connectors at both ends of the cables to interconnect with the FCB board. Each connector introduces signal loss, and the cable's own transmission loss increases with length, limiting the attenuation of high-speed signals and impacting port performance.

[0024] It is evident that existing switch architectures either rely on connector stacking boards or on cable connection port boards, both of which suffer from limited port density improvement, compromised port performance, and low internal space utilization.

[0025] Therefore, how to break through the physical limitations of traditional rigid PCB planar layout, effectively double the port density, and ensure the transmission quality of high-speed signals has become an urgent technical problem to be solved.

[0026] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide network switches and network systems to ensure port performance while increasing port density.

[0027] To make the technical solution of this application clearer, the application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: See Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network switch provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] like Figure 2 As shown, the network switch includes a main board 10 and at least one functional port daughterboard 20. The main board 10 includes a first rigid circuit board region 11, on which a switching chip 111 and a network interface connector 112 are disposed. The functional port daughterboard 20 includes a second rigid circuit board region 21, on which a network interface connector 211 is disposed. The first rigid circuit board region 11 and the second rigid circuit board region 21 are connected through a flexible circuit board region 31.

[0029] The flexible circuit board region 31 is bendable. By bending it at a preset angle in three-dimensional space, the functional port sub-board 20 can be bent relative to the main switch board 10 into a non-coplanar folded state, thereby forming a stacked port layout within the switch chassis and doubling the port density. Compared to the traditional solution using connector stacking, this embodiment avoids reflections and losses introduced by connectors, ensuring the integrity of high-speed signals.

[0030] In this embodiment, the first rigid circuit board region 11 contains at least one flexible circuit layer, which is laminated between two rigid circuit layers and extends from one side of the first rigid circuit board region 11 to form a flexible circuit board region 31. The flexible circuit board region 31 further extends to the second rigid circuit board region 21, and is laminated between its two rigid circuit layers as an intermediate layer of the second rigid circuit board region 21. Thus, the switching motherboard 10, the flexible circuit board region 31, and the functional port daughterboard 20 form a whole, that is, the switching motherboard 10, the functional port daughterboard 20, and the flexible circuit board region 31 are integrally laminated structures.

[0031] Optionally, in one embodiment, the rigid circuit layers in the first rigid circuit board region 11 and the second rigid circuit board region 21 can be made of standard rigid printed circuit boards such as flame-retardant glass fiber reinforced epoxy copper clad laminate (Flame Retardant 4, FR-4). The flexible circuit layers are made of flexible printed circuit boards such as polyimide or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The above three components are formed into an integral structure through a lamination process. This process ensures the interlayer bonding strength and avoids delamination or cracking during subsequent use.

[0032] Optionally, in one embodiment, the network interface connector 112 of the first rigid circuit board region 11 is assembled on its uppermost rigid circuit layer, and the network interface connector 211 of the second rigid circuit board region 21 is assembled on its uppermost rigid circuit layer. The high-speed signal interconnection lines between the network interface connector 112 and the switching chip 111 are routed on a flexible circuit layer inside the first rigid circuit board region 11 and extend to the second rigid circuit board region 21 through the flexible circuit board region 31. In other words, the signal travels through the flexible layer inside the rigid region, avoiding impedance abrupt changes caused by vias during layer switching and further improving signal quality.

[0033] Optionally, in one embodiment, the flexible circuit board region 31 is provided with equal-length shielded differential pairs for high-speed signal transmission, which are used to transmit high-speed signals at a specified rate (such as 112Gbps and above).

[0034] Optionally, in one embodiment, a stress-relieving bending structure is formed in the flexible circuit board region 31 near the root of the network interface connector 112 on the switching motherboard 10 and / or near the root of the network interface connector 211 on the functional port daughterboard 20. When vibrations occur due to optical module insertion / removal or fan operation, this bending structure absorbs impact and vibration energy through elastic deformation, preventing solder joint or circuit breakage and improving mechanical reliability. This bending structure can be in the same region as the flexible circuit board region that achieves bending deformation, or it can be an additional localized bend.

[0035] Optionally, in one embodiment, the switching motherboard 10 is horizontally disposed inside the chassis, and the functional port daughterboards 20 are vertically disposed in the front panel area of ​​the chassis, so that the network interface connectors 112, 211 face the chassis panel to facilitate the plugging and unplugging of external cables. By stacking multiple functional port daughterboards 20 in the vertical direction, a double-layer or multi-layer port layout can be formed within a limited chassis height, expanding the port density.

[0036] This concludes the process. Figure 2 The structure is described as shown.

[0037] pass Figure 2 As shown in the diagram, by utilizing the bendable characteristics of the flexible circuit board area, the functional port sub-boards are bent into a non-coplanar folded state relative to the main switching board, forming a stacked port layout within the switch chassis, thus doubling the port density. This switch architecture, which uses the bending deformation of the flexible circuit board area to create a stacked port layout, overcomes the limitations of rigid printed circuit board planar layout and standard chassis size compared to the traditional method of increasing ports by stacking connectors. It expands the physical density of network interfaces in the direction perpendicular to the main switching board, doubling the number of ports, and effectively avoids signal transmission loss caused by introducing additional connectors. This ensures the integrity of high-speed signal transmission between the rigid and flexible circuit board areas, thereby improving the overall port performance and system reliability of the network switch.

[0038] Furthermore, the flexible interconnect characteristics of the flexible circuit board area can make full use of the limited space inside the chassis to extend across regions, optimize internal wiring, and help the switch achieve a compact and heterogeneous hardware design, thereby further improving the overall port performance and system reliability of the network switch.

[0039] In one embodiment, the flexible circuit board area 31 is configured as a diagonally folded structure, such that the functional port sub-board 20 is tilted relative to the main switch board 10 at acute, right, obtuse, or flat angles, in order to adapt to the diverse requirements of different chassis internal structures for port orientation and space adaptation.

[0040] The following examples illustrate this point. Of course, it should be understood that the implementation methods provided in this application are merely examples and do not constitute a limitation.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network switch provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 Based on the illustrated embodiment, this embodiment further specifies the exact number and bending angle. There is one mainboard 10, one functional port daughterboard 20, and one flexible circuit board area 31. The flexible circuit board area 31 is bent 180°, causing the functional port daughterboard 20 to flip directly above or below the mainboard 10. After flipping, the network interface connector 211 on the functional port daughterboard 20 and the network interface connector 112 on the mainboard 10 are parallel and have the same port orientation. For example, both face the front panel. Thus, a position that could originally only accommodate one row of ports can now accommodate two rows of ports vertically, doubling the number of ports. Simultaneously, due to the integrated structure, no additional connectors are required, ensuring a continuous signal transmission path.

[0042] During implementation, to further optimize space utilization, the length of the rigid circuit board on the side of the first rigid circuit board area 11 away from the switching chip 111 can be less than the length of the rigid circuit board on the side closer to the switching chip 111 (e.g., Figure 2 (The right side is shorter than the left side). This asymmetrical design can be integrated with the internal structure of the chassis, allowing the flipped-up functional port daughterboard 20 to be closer to the front panel, reducing cable length.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network switch provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 Based on the illustrated embodiment, this embodiment further specifies the exact quantity and bending angle. See also... Figure 4 In this embodiment, there is one mainboard 10, two functional port subboards 20, and two flexible circuit board regions 31. The two flexible circuit board regions 31 extend from both sides of the mainboard 10 and are connected to the two functional port subboards 20 respectively. The network interface connectors 211 on the two functional port subboards 20 are bent and arranged side-by-side in a row, which is parallel to the network interface connectors 112 on the mainboard 10 and has the same port orientation.

[0044] Specifically, such as Figure 4As shown, two flexible circuit board regions 31 extend from adjacent sides of the main switching board 10, respectively connecting to two functional port sub-boards 20. Each of the two flexible circuit board regions 31 is bent 180° along its respective bending line LZ, which is perpendicular to the line LB of the network interface connector 112 on the main switching board 10. After bending, the two functional port sub-boards 20 simultaneously flip to the bottom (or top) of the main switching board 10, with their network interface connectors 211 arranged side-by-side in a row. This row is parallel to the line LB of the network interface connector 112 on the main switching board 10, and the ports face the same direction. This doubles the port density.

[0045] like Figure 5 As shown, the bending line LZ of the flexible circuit board area 31 forms a 45° angle with the line LB of the network interface connector 112 on the switching motherboard 10. The flexible circuit board area 31 is bent 180° along the bending line LZ, causing the functional port daughterboard 20 to flip to the bottom (or top) of the switching motherboard 10.

[0046] It should be noted that, in the above Figures 2 to 5 In the illustrated embodiment, a network interface connector 112 is provided on the switching motherboard 10. In other embodiments, the switching motherboard 10 may not have a network interface connector, and all network interface connectors may be located on the function port daughterboard 20. The following will combine... Figure 6 Please provide a detailed explanation.

[0047] See Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another network switch provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 As shown, this embodiment improves upon the traditional cable solution by replacing the traditional cable with a flexible circuit board.

[0048] Specifically, the switching motherboard 10 includes a first rigid circuit board region 11, on which a switching chip 111 is disposed. The function port daughterboard 20 includes a second rigid circuit board region 21, on which a network interface connector 211 is disposed. The switching motherboard 10 and the function port daughterboard 20 are connected via a flexible circuit board region 31.

[0049] Optionally, the flexible circuit board area 31 is an independent flexible circuit board, one end of which is fixedly connected to the switching motherboard 10 via a first connector 31, and the other end is fixedly connected to the functional port daughterboard 20 via a second connector. Optionally, the first connector and the second connector can use a gold finger slot with gold fingers, or a board-to-board connector, or be pressed together with conductive adhesive. The flexible circuit board area 31 has a bendable flexible area, which can be bent and adjusted according to the internal space of the chassis.

[0050] The number of functional port sub-boards 20 is at least one. When multiple functional port sub-boards 20 exist, they can be located on the front and back sides of the main switching board 10, meaning that functional port sub-boards 20 can be arranged on both sides of the main switching board 10. Each functional port sub-board 20 is independently connected to the main switching board 10 through its own flexible circuit board area 31, without interfering with each other. The number of functional port sub-boards 20 can be flexibly increased or decreased according to actual port density requirements.

[0051] The shape and size of the functional port daughterboard 20 can be customized according to requirements, such as rectangular, L-shaped or irregular polygon.

[0052] In one implementation, after the functional port daughterboard 20 is electrically connected to the switching motherboard 10 via the flexible circuit board area 31, the functional port daughterboard 20 can be spatially repositioned relative to the switching motherboard 10. For example, the functional port daughterboard 20 can be flipped to the side, above, or below the switching motherboard 10 so that the network interface connector faces the chassis panel, thereby maximizing port density within a limited space.

[0053] In one embodiment, the functional port daughterboard 20 is tilted at an acute, right, or obtuse angle relative to the switching motherboard 10 to adapt to the internal structure requirements of different chassis and achieve flexible space adaptation.

[0054] Compared to traditional cable solutions, the flexible circuit board area 31 in this embodiment is smaller and more flexible, avoiding airflow blockage and assembly complexity caused by cable tangling. Furthermore, compared to using separate cables and connectors, the flexible circuit board area 31 in this embodiment reduces layer switching holes and impedance discontinuities, improving signal integrity. Since each functional port sub-board 20 is independently connected, the system has excellent modular expansion capabilities, facilitating maintenance and upgrades.

[0055] This concludes the process. Figure 6 The structure is described as shown.

[0056] In one embodiment, at least one network switch as provided in the above embodiments is included.

[0057] See Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the flexible assembly method for a network switch provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0058] like Figure 7 As shown, the process includes the following steps: S701 provides a switching motherboard that includes a first rigid circuit board area that carries switching chips.

[0059] S702 provides at least one functional port subboard, the functional port subboard including a second rigid circuit board area carrying a network interface connector.

[0060] The S703 connects the functional port daughterboard to the main switching board via a flexible circuit board.

[0061] S704 shapes and bends the flexible circuit board, causing the functional port daughterboard to flip relative to the main switching board and be fixed at a preset angle, thereby expanding the physical layout density of the network interface in a direction perpendicular to the main switching board.

[0062] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A network switch based on a flexible circuit board, characterized in that, The network switch includes: a switching motherboard and at least one functional port subboard; The switching motherboard includes: a first rigid circuit board area, wherein a switching chip is disposed in the first rigid circuit board area; The functional port sub-board includes a second rigid circuit board area, on which a network interface connector is provided. The first rigid circuit board region and the second rigid circuit board region are connected through a flexible circuit board region; The flexible circuit board area is configured to bend and deform at a preset angle in three-dimensional space, so that the functional port sub-board is in a non-coplanar folded state relative to the main switching board, thereby forming a stacked port layout within the switch chassis.

2. The network switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching motherboard, the functional port subboard, and the flexible circuit board area are integrally press-fitted into a single structure.

3. The network switch according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flexible circuit board region is laminated between the two rigid circuit layers of the first rigid circuit board region as an intermediate layer, and extends from one side of the first rigid circuit board region and extends to the second rigid circuit board region as an intermediate layer of the second rigid circuit board region.

4. The network switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible circuit board area is constructed as a diagonally folded structure, such that the functional port sub-board is tilted at an acute angle, a right angle, or an obtuse angle relative to the main switching board.

5. The network switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the switching motherboard and the number of the functional port daughterboard are both one, and the number of the flexible circuit board area is one; the switching motherboard is also provided with a network interface connector. The flexible circuit board area is bent at a first preset angle so that the network interface connector on the functional port sub-board is distributed parallel to the network interface connector on the switching motherboard and the ports face the same direction.

6. The network switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the switching motherboard is one, the number of the functional port daughterboards is two, and the number of the flexible circuit board areas is two; the switching motherboard is also provided with a network interface connector. The two flexible circuit board areas extend from both sides of the switching motherboard and are respectively connected to the two functional port subboards; the network interface connectors on the two functional port subboards are arranged side by side after being bent at a second preset angle, and this row is parallel to the network interface connectors on the switching motherboard and the ports face the same direction.

7. The network switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching motherboard is horizontally positioned inside the chassis, and the functional port daughterboard is vertically positioned in the front panel area of ​​the chassis to form a double or multi-layer port arrangement density in the vertical direction.

8. The network switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible circuit board area is provided with equal-length shielded differential line pairs for high-speed signal transmission, which are used to transmit high-speed signals at a specified rate.

9. The network switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible circuit board area forms a stress-relieving bending structure at the root of the hot-swappable module connector.

10. A communication system, characterized in that, It includes at least one network switch as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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