Mounting bracket for printed circuit board mounting

Abstract

A holder (40; 140; 240; 340) for a printed circuit board assembly (110; 210) (PCA) comprising the following: a first PCB interconnection section (141_1; 241_1; 341_1) configured to be coupled to a first surface (21_1; 121_1; 221_1) of a first printed circuit board (PCB) (20-1; 120_1; 220_1) of the PCA in an assembled state of the PCA; a second PCB interconnection section (141_2; 241_2; 341_2) configured to be coupled to a first surface (21_2; 121_2; 221_2) of a second printed circuit board (20-2; 120_2; 220_2) of the PCA in the assembled state of the PCA; an intermediate section (142; 242; 342) extending along a first direction between the first and second PCB interconnection sections; and a rib (247; 347) extending in a second direction from the intermediate section, where the second direction runs perpendicular to the first direction, and where, in the assembled state of the PCA, the first and second circuit boards are in a stacked arrangement, with their respective first surfaces facing in the first direction; and The holder controls a distance (D2) between the respective first surfaces of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction, independent of the respective thicknesses of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] Some electronic systems (e.g., computers, network equipment, power supplies, and other electronic systems) include one or more smaller electronic devices (e.g., server blades, network adapters, PCIe cards, solid-state drives (SSDs), hard disk drives, power supplies, and other electronic devices) that are installed within the system. In some cases, the electronic devices can be selectively added to or removed from the system, for example, by inserting or removing an electronic device from a bay or receptacle within the system. When installed within the system, the electronic devices may be housed in a system chassis (the electronic devices may also have their own individual chassis that can be inserted into the system chassis) and may be communicatively (e.g., electrically, optically, etc.) connected to the system and / or to each other.For example, the electronic system may include electrical connectors configured to connect to complementary electrical connectors of the electronic devices when these devices are installed in the system. The electronic devices may comprise one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs), and the connector(s) of the electronic devices may be coupled to the PCB(s). Similarly, the system may also include one or more circuit boards or other circuits housed within the system enclosure, and the system connectors may be connected to such a system circuit board. These system boards or other circuits may facilitate the communication of electrical and / or other signals between the various devices that comprise the system.

[0002] In some cases, the respective connectors of the electronic devices and the system may not be visible to the user when the electronic devices are added to the system. Therefore, the system and the electronic devices can be configured to facilitate mating of the connectors without relying on their visibility, a process also known as blind mating. For example, the system connectors can be positioned at predetermined locations, and the system enclosure can be equipped with guide structures that engage with an electronic device when it is inserted into the system enclosure, guiding the electronic device to another predetermined location where its connector aligns with the system connector.

[0003] JP H05 - 206 605 A describes a circuit module with circuit components mounted on a module substrate with solder pads arranged around its circumference. The head of one leg of a connector is angled substantially perpendicular to an upper contact surface, which rests on the solder pad for secure fixation and is subsequently soldered. The connector is located around the circumference of the module substrate. A mounting frame 40, consisting of an insulator that rests around the circumference of the module substrate and bridges the upper contact surface for secure fixation, is then attached to the module substrate using an adhesive whose main component is a thermosetting resin. SHORT DESCRIPTION

[0004] A holder according to claims 1 to 8, an electronic device according to claims 9 to 15 and a method according to claims 16 to 18 are disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The present disclosure can be understood from the following detailed description, either alone or together with the accompanying drawings. The drawings and the accompanying descriptions of the illustrations serve to further the understanding of the present disclosure and are an integral part of this description and are incorporated therein. The drawings illustrate one or more non-limiting aspects and embodiments of the present teaching and, together with the description, explain certain principles and modes of operation. In the drawings: Fig. is a block diagram showing a printed circuit assembly (PCA). Fig. is a block diagram that shows an electronic device and a system. Fig. This is a perspective view of a bracket for a PCA. Fig. is a side view of the bracket of Fig. . Fig. is a side view of a PCA, which holds the bracket of Fig. includes. Fig. is a perspective view of a PCA in an installed position in a system. Fig. This is a perspective view of a different bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] Some electronic devices may comprise several different printed circuit boards (PCBs) connected together to form a printed circuit assembly (PCA). Some such PCAs include two or more PCBs arranged in a stacked configuration, meaning the faces of the PCBs are approximately parallel to each other and overlap at least partially in a direction perpendicular to the faces. The term "faces" refers to the two opposite surfaces of the PCB with the largest area, including the surface(s) on which printed circuits and / or components are located. This contrasts with the "edges" of the PCB, which are the smaller surfaces that extend between the faces.For the sake of simplicity, the direction perpendicular to the faces of the printed circuit boards is referred to here as "vertical," but it should be understood that such references to "vertical" do not restrict the orientation of the devices relative to external reference frames. A PCA with printed circuit boards arranged in the stacked configuration mentioned above may be referred to here as a stacked PCA. Some stacked PCAs include connectors configured to mate with corresponding system connectors on a system printed circuit board, and in some cases, these connectors are located on different printed circuit boards of the stacked PCA. Consequently, the connectors in such PCAs are vertically spaced from one another. The faces of the printed circuit boards on which these connectors are located may be referred to here as the "first face" of the printed circuit board, and the opposite face as the "second face."In some stacked PCAs, the circuit boards are connected in such a way that the first side of each circuit board faces in the same direction.

[0007] An electronic device may use a stacked PCA for a variety of reasons. For example, a stacked PCA can allow greater flexibility in allocating space within a device or system enclosure by allowing one or more printed circuit boards to occupy the space above another that would otherwise be unused. As another example, a stacked PCA can allow the electronic device to have vertically spaced connections (e.g., connections can be located on different stacked circuit boards), which can be useful for coupling with corresponding vertically spaced connections on a system circuit board.In contrast, an electronic device with a single printed circuit board (PCB) may be more restricted in terms of its connection layout, potentially preventing it from connecting to multiple vertically spaced connections on the system PCB. The ability of an electronic device with a stacked PCA to connect to vertically spaced connections on a system board can provide greater flexibility in the layout of connections on the system board. As another example, a stacked PCA can also enable the use of an electronic device with a system board originally designed for a different type of electronic device.For example, a system board configured to connect two vertically stacked 1U devices may have two connectors at vertically spaced locations corresponding to each of the 1U devices (where "U" refers to a standard rack unit familiar to those skilled in the art). However, a 2U electronic device equipped with a stacked PCA could also be connected to the same board in place of the two 1U devices by positioning the stacked PCA's circuit boards at locations corresponding to the system connectors. Thus, a system board originally designed for use in a system with two 1U devices can be reused in a different system with a single 2U device, since that 2U device uses a stacked PCA.

[0008] However, when using a stacked PCA, it can be difficult to control the vertical positions of the connectors mounted on the PCA with a high degree of precision. Particularly in applications where the stacked PCA is to be connected to vertically spaced connectors within a system, variations in the vertical positions of the PCA connectors can make it challenging to ensure that the PCA connectors are vertically aligned with the corresponding connectors on the system board. Such deviations in the vertical positions of the PCA connectors can occur, for example, due to variations in the dimensions of the PCA components resulting from manufacturing tolerances, especially variations in the thickness of the printed circuit boards, as described in more detail below.

[0009] In general, it is relatively easy to control the vertical position of the first surface of a printed circuit board (PCB)—for example, the bottom PCB of a stacked PCA—relative to the system chassis with sufficient precision. In the case of a removable electronic device, for instance, the system chassis's guide structures can steer the device chassis into a known position relative to the system chassis when the electronic device is inserted into the chassis. Furthermore, a surface of one of the PCBs can be fixed relative to the device chassis, allowing the position of that surface to be known with high precision. Since the position of the PCB surface relative to the device chassis is known, and the position of the device chassis relative to the system chassis can be controlled by the guide structures, the position of the PCB surface relative to the system chassis can be precisely controlled.Another example: In the case of an electronic device permanently installed in the system chassis, one area of ​​one of the printed circuit boards (PCBs) of the PCA can be permanently attached to the system chassis, making it easy to control the position of that PCB area relative to the system chassis. However, the vertical position of the other PCB(s) of the PCA relative to the fixed PCB is not so easily controlled and can vary depending on the manufacturing tolerances of various parts of the PCA, including the thickness of the PCBs.

[0010] In some stacked PCAs, for example, the printed circuit boards are oriented so that their respective first faces point in the same direction, and these boards are connected by column-shaped fasteners, such as cap nuts, positioned between adjacent boards. These fasteners can connect to the respective faces of the two adjacent boards that are facing each other, i.e., to the first face of one board (e.g., the top of a lower board) and to the second face of the other board (e.g., the bottom of an upper board). In such an arrangement, the relative vertical positions (i.e.,The vertical distance between the respective first faces of the two printed circuit boards (PCBs) depends on the dimensions of the coupling element and the thickness of the PCBs. For example, the distance from the first face of a lower PCB to the first face of an upper PCB is the sum of the length of the coupling element and the thickness of the upper PCB (assuming flush contact between the coupling element and both PCBs). Due to the manufacturing process of PCBs, it can be difficult to precisely control their thickness. Therefore, the relative vertical positions of the first faces of the PCBs will exhibit some variance (tolerance), at least partially due to variations in PCB thickness.Since even slight deviations in the vertical positions of connectors on stacked printed circuit boards (PCBs) can prevent these connectors from mating with the corresponding connectors on the system PCB in some systems, variations in PCB thickness alone can be sufficient to prevent mating. Under certain circumstances, the range of PCB thickness variation is often on the order of approximately 10% of the PCB thickness per board and can, in some cases, be on the order of ±0.5 mm per board. With stacked PCAs containing many PCBs (e.g., three, four, or more), the deviation in connector positioning is even greater, as the individual PCB thickness tolerances overlap.

[0011] To solve these and other problems, the examples disclosed here use one or more supports to couple two or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) in a stacked configuration (thus forming a stacked PCA). Each support precisely controls the vertical positions of the PCBs' first faces relative to the support and relative to each other, regardless of variations in PCB thickness. More precisely, the support is configured to couple with the PCBs such that the separation distance between the respective first faces of each pair of adjacent PCBs is entirely controlled by the dimensions of the support, with PCB thicknesses contributing nothing to the separation distance (i.e., the separation distance between adjacent first faces is independent of PCB thickness).Since the connectors are coupled to the first surfaces, the precise control of the relative vertical positions of these surfaces also controls the relative vertical positions of the connectors. In this way, board thickness variations are completely eliminated from the tolerance stack with respect to the vertical positions of the connectors, and the tolerances of the mounting brackets remain the primary contributors to these variations. The mounting bracket tolerances can be made very small; that is, the relevant dimensions of the brackets can be controlled with high precision, and therefore the overall deviation in the vertical positions of the connectors can be minimized.Thus, the holders disclosed herein can be used to precisely control the vertical positions of the PCA connectors, thereby facilitating the mating of the PCA connectors with the corresponding system connectors.

[0012] In some examples, the control over the vertical positions of the first surfaces described above is achieved, at least partially, by directly connecting the supports to the respective first surfaces of the PCA's printed circuit boards at known and fixed locations on the supports. For instance, a support might have a first section with a first engagement surface that is coupled to and contacts the first surface of the first printed circuit board, and a second section with a second engagement surface that is coupled to and contacts the first surface of the second printed circuit board. The first and second sections could be connected by an intermediate section extending vertically between them.The intermediate section of the support can extend through one thickness dimension of the second printed circuit board (PCB), such that the first section of the support is located on one side of the second PCB (the side closer to the first PCB) and the second section of the support is located on the opposite side of the second PCB (the side farther from the first PCB). The first and second engagement surfaces are aligned horizontally and parallel to the first surfaces and are held in tight contact with them. The contact between these engagement surfaces and the first surfaces precisely controls the vertical positions of the first surfaces relative to the support; that is, one first surface is fixed in the same vertical position as the first engagement surface, and the other first surface is fixed in the same vertical position as the second engagement surface.Since the engagement surfaces control the positions of the first surfaces of the printed circuit boards (PCBs) relative to the holder, the vertical positions of these surfaces relative to each other are entirely dependent on the distance between the holder's engagement surfaces. Consequently, the vertical positions of the first surfaces relative to each other are independent of the respective thicknesses of the PCBs. By precisely controlling the distance between the holder's engagement surfaces, the vertical positions of the first surfaces of the first and second PCBs can be precisely controlled. It can be relatively easy to accurately control the separation distance between the holder's engagement surfaces using existing manufacturing techniques, and thus, with the example holders described here, the vertical positions of the first surfaces and the connectors mounted on them can be precisely controlled.

[0013] It should be noted that, with the arrangement described above, variations in the thickness of the printed circuit boards (PCBs) can still affect the relative vertical positions of the second PCB surfaces relative to each other and / or relative to the first surfaces. However, under certain circumstances, the vertical positions of the second PCB surfaces may be of lesser importance, since the first PCB surfaces are those on which the PCAs (PCA connectors) are located. In other words, potential variations in the vertical position of the second PCB surfaces due to variations in PCB thickness may be irrelevant when it comes to ensuring the alignment and mating of the connectors.

[0014] The figures describe various devices, systems, and methods consistent with the non-restrictive aspects of this disclosure. In the following description, directional / relational terms such as bottom, top, top, bottom, top and bottom, and the like are used for ease of understanding, but these terms are used only in relation to the orientations and arrangements shown in the figures and are not intended to convey anything about the positions or orientations of the parts in other contexts, such as with respect to an external frame of reference. For example, a printed circuit board shown and described in the figures as being above a second printed circuit board may be below the second printed circuit board if the assembly is rotated 180 degrees from the orientation shown.In particular, the directional term "vertical" can be used here in relation to a stacked PCA (or in relation to individual components thereof) to refer to directions perpendicular to the faces of the printed circuit boards of the stacked PCA in its assembled state. The term "vertical" can also be used here in relation to a system intended to accommodate such a PCA, and in this context refers to directions perpendicular to the faces of the printed circuit boards of the PCA in a state where the PCA is in an installed position within the system. More broadly, the term "horizontal" here refers to any direction perpendicular to a vertical direction.The terms “vertical” and “horizontal” used here say nothing about the orientation of the components in relation to other objects or frames of reference, so that, for example, a direction described here as “vertical” may be horizontal in relation to another frame of reference, e.g. the floor.

[0015] Fig. This is a block diagram that conceptually represents a PCA 10. It is meant to illustrate that... Fig. It is not intended to accurately or to scale represent specific shapes, dimensions, or other structural details, and implementations of PCA 10 may have a different number and arrangement of the components shown and may also include other parts that are not shown.

[0016] The PCA 10 comprises two or more printed circuit boards 20 arranged in a stacked configuration, i.e., a configuration in which the faces of the printed circuit boards 20 are approximately parallel to each other and the printed circuit boards 20 overlap each other at least partially in a vertical direction 5 perpendicular to the faces, as in Fig. depicted. In Fig. For simplicity, two printed circuit boards 20 are shown – a first printed circuit board 20_1 and a second printed circuit board 20_2 – but it is understood that the PCA 10 can comprise any number of printed circuit boards 20 equal to or greater than two. The PCA 10 also includes a holder 40 that connects the printed circuit boards 20 together in the stacked configuration.

[0017] The printed circuit boards 20 each have a first surface 21. Specifically, the first printed circuit board 20_1 includes a first surface 21_1, the second printed circuit board 20_2 a first surface 21_2, and so on. The first surfaces 21 are the surfaces of the printed circuit boards 20 on which one or more components are arranged whose relative vertical position is to be controlled. In some examples, such components may include connectors configured to mate with complementary connectors of another device, for example, a larger system into which the PCA 10 is to be installed, thereby connecting the PCA 10 communicatively to the other device. In other examples, the components could be sensors, optical transmitter-receivers, or other components whose relative vertical position is to be controlled.In the PCA 10, the respective first surfaces 21 of the printed circuit boards 20 are all oriented in the same direction, i.e. in the direction shown. Fig. Vertical direction shown: 5.

[0018] The holder 40 is configured to be coupled to the first surfaces 21 of each of the printed circuit boards 20 in order to precisely control the vertical positions of the first surfaces 21 of the printed circuit boards 20 relative to the holder 40 and relative to each other, regardless of the thickness variations of any of the printed circuit boards 20 (where thickness here refers to the dimensions of the printed circuit boards 20 extending in the vertical direction 5). In other words, the holder 40 controls the distances in the vertical direction 5 between the respective first surfaces 21 of the printed circuit boards 20 independently of the thicknesses of the individual printed circuit boards 20. In particular, in the Fig. In the example shown with two printed circuit boards 20, the bracket 40 controls the vertical distance D2 between the first surfaces 21_1 and 21_2. In examples where more than two printed circuit boards 20 are present, the bracket 40 similarly controls the distances between the first surfaces 21 of the other printed circuit boards 20.

[0019] In some examples, the holder 40 is configured to connect directly to the respective first surfaces 21 of the circuit boards 20 (e.g., the first surfaces 21_1 and 21_2 in Fig. ) is connected. Especially in the in Fig. In the illustrated orientation, the vertical direction 5 points upwards, and thus the bracket 40 is coupled to the upper (upward-facing) sides of the stacked printed circuit boards 20. Consequently, in the illustrated orientation, part of the bracket 40 is positioned below the second printed circuit board 20_2 to couple to the first surface 21_1 on the top side of the first printed circuit board 20_1, while another part of the bracket is positioned above the second printed circuit board 20_2 to couple to the first surface 21_2 on the top side of the second printed circuit board 20_2. If the PCA 10 contained further printed circuit boards 20 (not shown), the bracket 40 would comprise further parts (not shown), each positioned above each of these additional printed circuit boards 20 to connect to the respective first surfaces 21 on the top sides of the printed circuit boards 20.The engagement between the holder 40 and the first surfaces 21 controls the vertical positions of the first surfaces 21 relative to the holder 40, and thus the holder 40 controls the vertical distances between the printed circuit boards 20 independently of the thickness of the printed circuit boards 20. In particular, the vertical distances between the parts of the holder 40 that engage with the first surfaces 21 determine the distance D1 in . Fig. 1, the vertical distances between the first surfaces 21, such as the distance D2 in Fig. 1. By precisely controlling the dimensions of the bracket 40, e.g. by precisely controlling the distance D1, the vertical positions of the first surfaces 21 can be precisely controlled.

[0020] Bracket 40 can be manufactured from a relatively rigid material such as steel, aluminum, zinc, brass, or various plastics. Bracket 40 can be produced, for example, by casting, molding, forging, and / or machining. These manufacturing techniques allow for relatively simple and highly precise control of the bracket's dimensions.

[0021] The PCA 10 can be used as part of an electronic device, such as a computer device (e.g., an input / output module (IOM) of a data storage system, a server node, a blade of a blade server, or other type of computer device), a network device (e.g., a switch, a router, or other type of network device), a power supply device, or other type of electronic device. In some embodiments, the PCA 10 is configured to be installed within a system, which may include being enclosed in a system enclosure. In some implementations, the PCA 10 is configured to be removable and installed within a system enclosure of a larger system—for example, the PCA 10 may be part of a pluggable module.

[0022] The PCA 10 is described above and in Fig. The figure is shown in an assembled state for ease of understanding. However, it should be understood that aspects of this disclosure also include the bracket 40 before it is coupled to the printed circuit boards 20 to form the PCA 10 (i.e., aspects of the disclosure include the bracket 40 itself, with the bracket 40 configured to be coupled to the printed circuit boards 20 in the manner described above, without the bracket 40 necessarily being coupled in this way).

[0023] Fig. This is a block diagram that conceptually represents an electronic device 100 and a system 170. It should be understood that Fig. is not intended to accurately or to scale represent specific shapes, dimensions, or other structural details, and implementations of Electronic Device 100 and System 170 may have a different number and arrangement of the components shown and may also include other parts not shown.

[0024] As in Fig. As shown, the electronic device 100 comprises a PCA 110. The PCA 110 is an example configuration of the PCA 10 described above. The electronic device 100 may also include a device chassis 101 that supports and / or houses the PCA 110. The chassis 101 comprises one or more support structures, such as walls, platforms, and other similar structures, that support and / or house various components of the electronic device 100. The chassis 101 may, for example, consist of sheet metal walls that form a partially or fully enclosed enclosure. The electronic device 100 may contain additional electronic components or other components (not shown). The electronic device 100 may be a computing device (e.g., an input / output module (IOM) of a data storage system, a server node, a blade of a blade server, or another type of computing device), a network device (e.g.,a switch, a router or other type of network device), a power supply device or other type of electronic device.

[0025] The electronic device 100 is configured so that it can be installed in the system 170, which means that it is at least partially enclosed in a system housing 180 of the system 170 and electrically coupled to the system 170. Fig. The insertion of the electronic device 100 into the system housing 180 is indicated by dashed arrows. In some examples, the electronic device 100 can be installed in the system 170 in a removable manner. In some examples, the electronic device 100 is hot-swappable, i.e., the electronic device 100 can be installed in or removed from the system 170 while the system 170 is powered on and ready for operation. In some examples, the electronic device 100 can be installed in and removed from the system 170 without having to open or otherwise disassemble the system housing 180—for example, the electronic device 100 can be received in a receptacle or slot accessible from outside the system housing 180. The system 170 is in Fig. For clarity, this is stated, but those with ordinary technical knowledge will understand that aspects of the disclosure include the electronic device 100 itself, without the system 170 being present. Although the electronic device 100 and the system 170 are described separately here for the sake of simplicity, the electronic device 100 can, in some contexts, be considered part of the system 170—for example, if the electronic device 100 is incorporated into the system 170, the electronic device can be considered part of the system 170. The system 170 also includes various electronic circuits (which in some cases include the electronic device 100), so the system 170 can also be referred to as an electronic device.

[0026] The PCA 110 comprises two or more printed circuit boards 120, arranged in a stacked configuration, like the PCA 10 described above. Fig. For simplicity, two printed circuit boards 120 are shown – a first printed circuit board 120_1 and a second printed circuit board 120_2 – but it is understood that the PCA 110 can comprise any number of printed circuit boards 120 equal to or greater than two. The PCA 110 also includes a bracket 140 that connects the printed circuit boards 120 together in the stacked configuration. The bracket 140 is an example configuration of the bracket 40 described above.

[0027] The printed circuit boards 120 each consist of a first surface 121 and a second surface 122 opposite the first surface 121. In particular, the first printed circuit board 120_1 comprises a first surface 121_1 and a second surface 122_1, the second printed circuit board 120_2 comprises a first surface 121_2 and a second surface 122_2, and so on. The respective first surfaces 121 of the printed circuit boards 120 are all oriented in the same direction, i.e., in the direction shown in Fig. In the vertical direction shown, 5. A connector 130 is arranged (i.e., attached) to each of the first surfaces 121, i.e., a first connector 130_1 for the first circuit board 120_1, a second connector 130_2 for the second circuit board 120_2, etc. The connectors 130 can include electrical connectors (e.g., analog and / or digital electrical signal connectors and / or electrical power transmission connectors), optical connectors (e.g., for an optical communication path), fluidic connectors (e.g., fluid couplings for a liquid cooling system), or any other connectors for establishing a communication path for electricity, light, information, liquid, or other transmissible media.

[0028] The connectors 130 are configured to fit the corresponding complementary system connectors 191 of the system 170 when the electronic device 100 is installed in the system 170, as indicated by the dashed arrows in Fig. This connection of the terminals 130 with the system terminals 191 establishes a communicative connection (e.g., an electronic connection, an optical connection, a fluidic connection, and / or another communicative connection) between the PCA 110 and the system 170. In some embodiments, the connectors 130 and the system connectors 191 are configured to be blindly connected when the electronic device 100 is inserted into the system housing 180 and moved into an installed position. The system housing 180 may include guide structures (e.g., ramps, rails, slots, flanges, or other guide structures) that guide the housing 101 of the electronic device 100 into a desired position relative to the system housing 180 when the housing 101 is moved into an installed position. Such guide structures are known to those skilled in the art and are therefore omitted from the drawings for the sake of simplicity.The system connectors 191 are vertically spaced apart from each other, i.e., between adjacent system connectors 191 there is a non-zero distance in the vertical direction 5, e.g., the separation distance D3 between the first system connector 191_1 and the second system connector 191_2, as shown in . Fig. In some examples, the system connectors 191 are oriented such that they can be joined with the connectors 130 in response to a movement of the electronic device 100 in a horizontal direction (a direction parallel to the first surfaces 121 of the printed circuit boards 120) relative to the system housing 180.

[0029] The bracket 140 is connected to the first faces 121 of the printed circuit boards 120, just like the bracket 40 described above. Specifically, the bracket 140 comprises at least two PCB interconnect sections 141 (at least one for each PCB 120 of the PCA 110) and one or more intermediate sections 142, each extending between a pair of adjacent PCB interconnect sections 141. The bracket 140 may also include a first end section 143 and a second end section 144. The first end section 143 may include one of the PCB interconnect sections 141 located at one end of the bracket 140, while the second end section 144 may include another of the PCB interconnect sections 141 located at the opposite end of the bracket 140. In the Fig. In the example shown, only two PCB connection sections 141 are depicted, so that PCB connection sections 141_1 and 141_2 correspond to the first and second end sections 143 and 144, respectively. In examples where more than two PCB connection sections 141 are present, additional PCB connection sections 141 may be arranged between end sections 143 and 144, and additional intermediate sections 142 may be arranged between adjacent pairs of PCB connection sections 141.

[0030] As in Fig. As shown, each printed circuit board interconnection section 141 is arranged above an upper (upward-facing) side of a corresponding printed circuit board 120 and coupled to it (direction-related terms here refer to the Fig. (to understand the orientation shown, where the vertical direction 5 points upwards). Consequently, the intermediate section 142 extends through the thickness dimension of at least one of the printed circuit boards 120. In particular, in the Fig. In the illustrated example, the PCB interconnect section 141_1 at the first end section 143 is arranged below the second PCB 120_2 (so that it can couple with the first surface 121_1 on the top side of the first PCB 120_1), the PCB interconnect section 141_2 at the second end section 144 is arranged above the second PCB 120_2 (so that it can couple with the first surface 121_2 on the top side of the second PCB 120_2), and the intermediate section extends through the thickness dimension of the second PCB 120_2. To enable the PCB interconnect section 141_2 to be positioned above the first surface 121_2, the PCB interconnect section 141_2 can extend horizontally in at least one direction from the intermediate section 142 of the support 140, as shown in Fig. shown. Some or all of the other printed circuit board interconnect sections 141 can similarly extend horizontally in at least one direction from the intermediate section 142. The intermediate section 142 can be positioned outside a perimeter of the second printed circuit board 120_2 (e.g., the intermediate section 142 can extend along an outer edge of the second printed circuit board 120_2 if the intermediate section 142 extends through the thickness dimension of the second printed circuit board 120_2), or it can be positioned inside a perimeter of the second printed circuit board 120_2 (e.g., the intermediate section 142 can extend through an opening in the printed circuit board 120_2 if the intermediate section 142 extends through the thickness dimension of the second printed circuit board 120_2).

[0031] As in Fig. As shown, each printed circuit board interconnection section 141 contains an engagement surface 145 which is oriented horizontally and parallel to the first surface 121 of one of the printed circuit boards 120 and faces it. In particular, in the example of Fig. 2 the engagement surface 145_1 of the PCB connection section 141_1 (at the first end section 143) faces the first surface 121_1 of the first PCB 120_1 and engages in it, and similarly the engagement surface 145_2 of the PCB connection section 141_2 (at the second end section 144) faces the first surface 121_2 of the first PCB 120_2 and engages in it. Each printed circuit board interconnect section 141 is firmly connected to its corresponding printed circuit board 120, for example by a mechanical fastening element (e.g. a screw), adhesive, welding, soldering (e.g. soldering) or another fastening technique, and when the printed circuit board interconnect section 141 is connected to a printed circuit board 120 in this way, the engagement surface 145 of the printed circuit board interconnect section 141 is held firmly in engagement with the corresponding first surface 121 of this printed circuit board 120.Thus, the vertical position of the first surface 121 with respect to the support 140 is entirely controlled by the vertical position of the engagement surface 145 with which it engages. Consequently, the vertical positions of the first surfaces 121 of adjacent printed circuit boards 120 relative to the support 140 and relative to each other are controlled by the distance between the engagement surfaces 145 that contact the first surfaces, regardless of the thickness of the printed circuit boards 120. In particular, in the example of . Fig. The separation distance D2 between the first surface 121_1 and the first surface 121_2 is controlled by and equal to the vertical separation distance D1 between the engagement surfaces 145_1 and 145_2. The vertical distance between the first and second connectors 130_1 and 130_2 is also equal to the distance D2 between the first surface 121_1 and the first surface 121_2, since the first and second connectors 130_1 and 130_2 are located on the first and second surfaces 121_1 and 121_2.

[0032] Since the engagement surfaces 145_1 and 145_2 are fixed in contact with the first surfaces 121_1 and 121_2, the separation distance between the engagement surfaces 145_1 and 145_2 of the holder 140 can be controlled so that it is equal to the separation distance D3 between the system connectors 191_1 and 191_2. This ensures that the connectors 130_1 and 130_2 are vertically separated from each other by the same distance as the system connectors 191_1 and 192_2; in other words, it ensures that D2 equals D3. This can facilitate the alignment and mating of the connectors 130_1 and 130_2 with the connectors 191_1 and 191_2.In particular, the vertical position of the first surface 121_1 of the first printed circuit board 120_1 relative to the device chassis 101 can be controlled by attaching the first surface 121_1 to a known structure with a known position in the chassis 101, and the position of the chassis 101 relative to the system chassis 180 can be controlled using guide structures, as already described above. Thus, the position of the first surface 121_1 relative to the system chassis 180 can be controlled so that it is precisely aligned with the first system connector 191_1.Once the first surface 121_1 is positioned vertically with the first system connector 191_1, it is automatically ensured that the second connector 130_2 is also vertically aligned with its corresponding system connector 191_2, since the second connector 130_2 is spaced from the first connector 130_1 by the same amount as the second system connector 191_2 is spaced from the first system connector 191_1. In examples where more circuit boards 120 and connectors 130 are present, the same mechanism as described above also enables the automatic vertical alignment of the additional connectors 130 with their corresponding system connectors 191.

[0033] The bracket 140 can be manufactured from a relatively rigid material, such as steel, aluminum, zinc, brass, various plastics, or another rigid material. The bracket 140 can be manufactured, for example, by casting, molding, forging, and / or machining. With such manufacturing techniques, the distances between the engagement surfaces 145 of the bracket 140 can be controlled relatively easily and with high precision.

[0034] Although only one holder 140 is shown for simplicity, in practice several similar or identical holders 140 could be used to connect the printed circuit boards 120. The holders 140 could, for example, be arranged at intervals around the perimeter of the printed circuit boards 120 to provide stable support. One or more holders 140 could also be arranged at points within the perimeter of one or more printed circuit boards 120 (e.g., through openings in the printed circuit boards 120).

[0035] As in Fig. As shown, in some examples, the system 170 can comprise a system circuit board 190, and the system connectors 191 can be arranged on the system circuit board 190. In particular, in some examples, the system connectors 191 are electrically connected to the system circuit board 190, and when the connectors 130 are mated with their corresponding system connectors 191, this can establish communication paths between the circuit boards 120 and the system circuit board 190. In some examples, the system circuit board 190 is oriented transversely (e.g., perpendicularly) to the circuit boards 120 of the PCA 110 (i.e., the faces of the system circuit board 190 are parallel to the vertical direction 5), and the system connectors 191 are connected to the system circuit board 190 at vertically spaced positions, as shown in Fig. shown. In other examples, the system board 190 can be horizontally oriented and the system connectors 191 can be connected at different vertical positions to one or more support structures (not shown) extending vertically from the system board 190.

[0036] The system chassis 180 can include one or more support structures such as walls, platforms, and other similar structures that support and / or accommodate various components of the system 170. For example, the system enclosure 180 can consist of sheet metal walls forming a partially or fully enclosed enclosure. The system chassis 180 can optionally include one or more receptacles (not shown) for the removable mounting of electronic devices (including, in some examples, the electronic device 100).

[0037] The system board 190 is referred to here as the "system board" to distinguish it from the boards 120 of the electronic device 100, but otherwise this designation does not impose any restrictions on the system board 190. In particular, the system board 190 may be a main board of the system 170, but it need not be. In some examples, the system board 190 is a mid-board of the system, which is a board located inside the system enclosure 180 near a central portion thereof (between opposite ends of the system enclosure 180) and configured to communicate with devices (such as the electronic device 100) mounted in receptacles within the system enclosure 180. The system 170 may also include additional circuit boards (not shown) and / or other circuitry (not shown) that are connected to the system board 190 in a manner capable of communication.For example, the System 170 may include a mainboard (not shown) containing circuitry (such as a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC)) that controls aspects of the System 170 as a whole and that may be communicatively connected to the System Board 190. The System 170 may also include additional electronic devices (in addition to the Electronic Device 100) or be configured to accommodate additional electronic devices that can be installed within the System Enclosure 180. In some examples, the System Board 190 is omitted, and the System Connectors 191 may be communicatively connected to other components of the System 170 via communication lines such as cables, wires, etc. Although the System Connectors 191 are described above as separate parts, it is understood that the System Connectors 191 may be formed as two parts of a larger body, such as...a single connector body comprising two or more groups of pins (or other connecting elements) that are vertically spaced apart, each group being configured to be coupled to one of the 130 connectors.

[0038] Now to the Fig. A bracket 240, a PCA 210, and a system 270 are described in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure. Bracket 240 is a configuration of brackets 40 and 140, PCA 210 is a configuration of PCAs 10 and 110, and System 270 is a configuration of System 170. Thus, some components of bracket 240, PCA 210, and System 270 are similar to the components described above. The above descriptions are therefore applicable to the similar components of bracket 240, PCA 210, and / or System 270, and a duplication of various aspects already described above can be omitted below. Similar components are designated by the same last two digits, such as... B. 241 and 141. Although the bracket 240, the PCA 210 and the system 270 configurations of the brackets 40 and 140, the PCA 210 respectively.The brackets 40 and 140, the PCAs 10 and 110 and the system 170 are not limited to the bracket 240, the PCA 210 or the system 270.

[0039] Fig. The bracket 240 itself is shown in a state where it is not connected to circuit boards. Fig. Figure 240 shows the bracket 240, which is used as part of the PCA 210 in an assembled state of the PCA 210, wherein the bracket 240 is connected to the first and second circuit boards 220_1 and 220_2 (described below) (certain components of the PCA 210, which are shown in Figure 240). Fig. are visible, are in Fig. (hidden to allow better visibility of other components). Multiple units of bracket 240 can be used in the PCA 210, but for the sake of simplicity, the following description focuses on a single bracket 240. Furthermore, it shows Fig. The PCA 210 in an installed position within the system 270 with ports 230 (described below). The PCA 210 in a coupled state with system ports 291 (described below) of the system 270. Various aspects described below are visible in several figures, and the following description refers to figures that are particularly relevant for different aspects, as these aspects are being described, rather than describing the figures in strict order.

[0040] As in Fig. As shown, the bracket 240 comprises a first end section 243, a second end section 244, and an intermediate section 242 extending along a vertical direction 5 between the first and second end sections 243 and 244. As shown in the Fig. As shown, the first end section 243 comprises a first printed circuit board connection section 241_1, which is configured to be attached to a printed circuit board positioned below the support 240 (e.g., the first printed circuit board 220_1, which is in the Fig. (as depicted). As in Fig. As shown, the first printed circuit board connection section 241_1 extends horizontally from the intermediate section 242 and includes a first engagement surface 245_1 that points downwards (in a direction opposite to the vertical direction 5). The first engagement surface 245_1 is arranged such that it runs parallel to and contacts an upward-facing surface of the printed circuit board located below the holder. For example, as in Fig. As shown, the first contact surface 245_1 can touch the first surface 221_1 of the first printed circuit board 220_1. By attaching the first printed circuit board connector 241_1 to this first printed circuit board, the first contact surface 245_1 is brought into contact with the upward-facing surface of the first printed circuit board (e.g., the first surface 221_1 in the figure). Fig. ) fixed. As in Fig. As shown, the first PCB connection section 241_1 can also include an opening 246_1 through which a mechanical fastener (e.g., screw, rivet, etc.) can be inserted to fasten the first PCB connection section 241_1 to the PCB - as shown in Fig. As shown, for example, a mechanical fastening device 249 is inserted through the opening 246_1 to fasten the first PCB interconnect section 241_1 to the first PCB 220_1.

[0041] As in Fig. As shown, the second end section 244 includes a second printed circuit board connection section 241_2, which is configured to be attached to a second printed circuit board positioned above the first printed circuit board (e.g., on the one shown in Fig. (circuit board 220_2 shown). As in Fig. As shown, the second printed circuit board interconnection section 241_2 extends horizontally from the intermediate section 242 and includes a second engagement surface 245_2 that points downwards (in a direction opposite to the vertical direction 5). The second engagement surface 245_2 is arranged such that it runs parallel to and comes into contact with an upward-facing surface of the second printed circuit board. For example, as shown in Fig. As shown, the second contact surface 245_2 touches the first surface 221_2 of the second circuit board 220_2. By attaching the second circuit board connection section 241_2 to the second circuit board, the second contact surface 245_2 is fixed in this contact state with the upward-facing surface of the second circuit board (e.g., with the first surface 221_1). As shown in Fig. As shown, the second PCB connection section 241_2 can also have an opening 246_2 through which a mechanical fastening element (e.g., screw, rivet, etc.) can be inserted to fasten the second PCB connection section 241_2 to the second PCB, such as the mechanical fastening element 249, with which the second PCB connection section 241_2 is fastened to the second PCB 220_2. Fig. is attached. The second engagement surface 245_2 is vertically separated from the first engagement surface 245_1 by a distance D1, as shown in Fig. shown.

[0042] As in the Fig. As shown, the bracket 240 can optionally also have horizontal ribs 247. The horizontal ribs 247 consist of flanges or tabs that extend horizontally from the intermediate part 242, as shown in Fig. The horizontal ribs 247 can generally have a planar structure, meaning that they have length and width dimensions that are greater than a thickness dimension, with the thickness dimension extending in the vertical direction 5. The length and width dimensions can be arranged in a plane parallel to the horizontal direction (i.e., perpendicular to the vertical direction 5). The horizontal ribs 247 can increase the stiffness of the support 240 to prevent deflection of the intermediate part 242. Such deflection can change the vertical positions of the printed circuit boards coupled to the support 240, so preventing such deflection can help the printed circuit boards remain in their intended vertical positions. Fig. Three horizontal ribs 247 are shown. 3-6 are shown, but in other examples more or fewer horizontal ribs 247 may be used, and in some examples no horizontal ribs 247 at all.

[0043] As mentioned previously, the holder 240 can be used to connect two printed circuit boards 220_1 and 220_2 in a stacked configuration to form a PCA 210. The printed circuit boards 220_1 and 220_2 include components whose vertical spacing must be precisely controlled, including the connectors 230. Fig. Each printed circuit board 220 is labelled with a connector 230, namely a first connector 230_1 for the first printed circuit board 220_1 and a second connector 230_2 for the second printed circuit board 220_2. However, it is understood that each printed circuit board 220 can contain multiple connectors 230. Additional connectors or other components may also be present on the printed circuit boards 220, but are not shown or labelled for the sake of simplicity. As in the Fig. As shown, several of the brackets 240 can be used to form the PCA 210. In the example of Fig. Five brackets 240 are used, but any number of brackets 240 equal to or greater than one can also be used. The more brackets 240 are used, the greater the structural stability of the PCA 210. As in Fig. As shown, the clamps 240 can be distributed around the circumference of the second circuit board 220_2. Notches or other openings can be incorporated into the circumference of the second circuit board 220_2 to facilitate the connection of the clamps 240. The clamps 240 can also extend through the second circuit board 220_2 at points within its circumference, for example, over openings in the circuit board 220_2 (not shown).

[0044] As in Fig. As shown, during the assembly of the PCA 210, the bracket 240 extends from a first surface 221_1 of the first printed circuit board 220_1 in a vertical direction 5 to the second printed circuit board 220_2 and then extends further in a vertical direction through a thickness dimension of the second printed circuit board 220_2, so that the second printed circuit board connection section 241_2 is located at the second end section 244 of the bracket 240 above the second printed circuit board 220_2 and is coupled to the first surface 221_2 on the top side of the second printed circuit board 220_2. As a result of the engagement between the engagement surfaces 245_1 and 245_2 and the first surfaces 221_1 and 221_2, the vertical distance D2 between the first surfaces 221_1 and 221_2 (see Fig. ) controlled so that it equals the vertical distance D1 between the intervention surfaces 245_1 and 245_2 (see Fig. ). Thus, the vertical distance D2 between the first surfaces 221_1 and 221_2 is independent of the thickness of the printed circuit boards 220_1 and 220_2, and consequently, a change in the thickness of the printed circuit boards 220_1 and 220_2 has no effect on the vertical distance D2. Fig. For example, a hypothetical variation in the thicknesses of the printed circuit boards 220_1 or 220_2 from the initial thicknesses t1 and t2, respectively, to the thicknesses t3 and t4, respectively, is shown. As in Fig. As can be seen, changing the thicknesses of the printed circuit boards 220_1 and 220_2, respectively, changes the vertical positions of the second surfaces 222_1 and 222_2 relative to the support 240 (the dashed lines labeled 222_1' and 222_2' indicate hypothetical positions of the second surfaces 222_1 and 222_2, respectively, connected to the thicknesses t3 and t4), but the first surfaces 221_1 and 221_2 remain in the same vertical position because they are attached to the engagement surfaces 245_1 and 245_2. As mentioned above, in certain contexts, variation in the vertical position of the second surface 222_1 or 222_2 may be acceptable because these surfaces do not have any connected connectors 230 that need to mate with the system connectors 291.

[0045] Fig. Figure 2 shows the brackets 240 and the PCA 210 in an installed position within an example system 270 and in a coupled state of the connectors 230 with the system connectors 291 of system 270. As shown in Figure 2. Fig. As shown, the system board 290 is oriented transversely (e.g., perpendicularly) to the boards 220_1 and 220_2 when the PCA 210 is in the installed position; in other words, the system board 290 is oriented with its surfaces parallel to the vertical direction 5. The system 270 may also include a system chassis, which is omitted from the figure to allow the visibility of other features, and the system PCB 290 may be coupled to and supported by the system chassis. The PCA 210 may be part of an electronic device, which may include a device chassis, also omitted from the figure to allow the visibility of other features, and the PCA 210 may be supported by and coupled to the device chassis. As shown in Fig. As shown, the system board 290 comprises one or more first system connectors 291_1 and one or more second system connectors 291_2. The first system connectors 291_1 are arranged to mate with the corresponding first connectors 230_1 of the PCA 210, while the second system connectors 291_2 are vertically spaced from the first system connectors 291_1 and configured to mate with the corresponding second connectors 230_2 of the PCA 210. The PCA 210 may include additional electronic circuitry beyond the connectors 230, such as that shown on the first circuit board 220_1 in Fig. 6 illustrated electronic circuits 228. The electronic circuit 228 can include, for example, a processor, a storage device, a hardware accelerator, a power supply or control circuit, etc.

[0046] In Fig. An example of a bracket 340 is described. The bracket 340 can be used like the bracket 40 or 140. Furthermore, some components of the bracket 340 are similar to the components described above, and the descriptions above therefore also apply to the similar components of the bracket 240. Similar components are designated with the same last two digits, such as 241 and 141. Although the bracket 340 is a configuration of the brackets 40 and 140, the brackets 40 and 140 are not limited to the bracket 340.

[0047] The bracket 340 includes printed circuit board connection sections 341, which are similar to the printed circuit board connection sections 141 and 241 described above. In contrast to the one in the Fig. In contrast to the bracket 240 shown, which includes two PCB connection sections 241 for coupling to two PCBs 220, the bracket 340 includes three PCB connection sections 341_1 to 341_3 for coupling to three PCBs 320_1 to 320_3. The PCB connection section 341_1 is part of a first end section 343 of the bracket 340, the PCB connection section 341_3 is part of the second end section 344 of the bracket 340, which is arranged opposite the first end section 343 along the vertical direction 5, and the PCB connection section 341_2 is arranged between the other two PCB connection sections 341_1 and 341_3. The PCB connection sections 341_1 to 341_4 each comprise engagement surfaces 345_1 to 345_2, each arranged such that they touch the upward-facing first surface of a corresponding PCB 320_1 to 320_3, which is located below the respective PCB connection section 341_1 to 341_3.

[0048] The bracket 340 also includes intermediate sections 342, which are similar to the intermediate sections 142 and 242 described above. However, unlike the bracket 240, which includes one intermediate section 242, the bracket 340 includes two intermediate sections 342: a first intermediate section 342_1, extending between the PCB connection sections 341_1 and 341_2, and a second intermediate section 342_2, extending between the PCB connection sections 341_2 and 341_3. The bracket 340 may also include horizontal ribs 347 extending from one, some, or all of the intermediate sections 342.

[0049] Although Fig. While one configuration of the holder 340 shows three PCB interconnect sections 341 and two intermediate sections 342, other examples of the holder 340 should have more PCB interconnect sections 341 and intermediate sections 342 to allow coupling with more PCBs 320. In particular, the holder 340 can be configured to accommodate any number N of PCBs 320 by providing N x PCB interconnect sections 341 (one for each PCB 320) and (N-1) x intermediate sections 342, wherein the PCB interconnect sections 341 are spaced apart from each other at desired locations in the vertical direction 5, and each intermediate section 342 extends in the vertical direction 5 between a pair of vertically adjacent PCB interconnect sections 341.

[0050] By controlling the distances between the engagement surfaces 345 of the respective circuit board connection sections 341, the vertical positions of the circuit boards 320 relative to the holder 340 and relative to each other can be controlled, as described above. Fig. The distance between the intervention surfaces 345_1 and 345_2 is shown to be equal to the distance between the intervention surfaces 345_2 and 345_3, but in other examples, one or more adjacent pairs of intervention surfaces 345 may have different vertical separation distances than the separation distance between one or more other adjacent pairs of intervention surfaces 345.

[0051] The above description encompasses various types of electronic circuits or devices. The term "electronic" as used here is broad and includes all types of circuits / devices that utilize electricity, including digital and analog circuits, direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) circuits, as well as circuits / devices for converting electricity into another form of energy and circuits / devices for using electricity to perform other functions. In other words, no distinction is made here between "electronic" circuits / devices and "electrical" circuits / devices. In some cases, certain electronic circuits / devices may include processing circuits. Processing circuits are circuits equipped with logic for performing various operations.The logic of the processing circuit can include dedicated hardware for performing various operations, software (machine-readable and / or processor-executable instructions) for performing various operations, or any combination thereof. In implementations where the logic includes software, the processing circuit can include a processor for executing the software instructions and a storage device for storing the software. The processor can include one or more processing devices capable of executing machine-readable instructions, such as a processor, a processor core, a central processing unit (CPU), a controller, a microcontroller, a system-on-a-chip (SoC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc.In cases where the processing circuit includes dedicated hardware in addition to or instead of the processor, the dedicated hardware can comprise any electronic device configured to perform specific operations, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), discrete logic circuits, a hardware accelerator, a hardware encoder, etc. The processing circuits can also include any combination of dedicated hardware and processor plus software.

[0052] It is self-evident that both the general and detailed descriptions contain example implementations that are explanatory in nature and intended to aid in understanding the present disclosure without limiting its scope. Other examples in accordance with the present disclosure will be obvious to a person skilled in the art based on the present disclosure. For example, various mechanical, compositional, structural, electronic, and operational modifications can be made to the disclosed examples without departing from the scope of this disclosure, including, for example, adding, removing, changing, replacing, or rearranging elements of the disclosed examples, as would be obvious to a person skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure.Furthermore, it will be obvious to the person skilled in the art that certain features or aspects of the present teaching can be used independently (even if they are disclosed together in some examples) or together (even if they are disclosed in separate examples) whenever practical. In some cases, known circuits, structures, and techniques have not been shown or described in detail so as not to obscure the examples. Therefore, the following claims are to retain their full scope, including equivalents, under applicable law, without being limited to the examples disclosed herein.

[0053] References in this document to examples, implementations, or similar references are to be understood as referring to prophetic or hypothetical examples and not to devices / systems that have actually been manufactured, unless expressly stated otherwise. Likewise, references to properties or characteristics of examples are to be understood as representing the inventors' informed estimates or expectations based on their understanding of the relevant principles, the application of theory and / or modeling, and / or prior experience, and not as representations of the actual properties or characteristics of any device / system actually manufactured or the empirical results of tests actually conducted, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0054] The spatial, positional, and relational terminology used here is intended to facilitate the reader's understanding of examples of the invention, but is not meant to restrict the invention to any particular frame of reference, orientation, or positional relationship. For example, spatial, positional, and relational terms such as "above," "below," "sideways," "under," "above," "proximal," "distal," and the like may be used here to describe directions or to describe the spatial relationship of one element or feature to another, as illustrated in the figures. These spatial terms are used in relation to the reference systems shown in the figures and are not limited to any particular real-world reference system.If a different frame of reference than the one depicted in the illustrations is considered, the spatial terms used here may need to be interpreted differently within that other frame of reference. Furthermore, the positions of the objects shown in the illustrations were chosen for clarity and description; in practice, however, the objects may be arranged differently.

[0055] Furthermore, the singular forms "a" and "the" also include the plural forms unless otherwise indicated by the context. Additionally, terms like "comprises," "comprehensive," "includes," and the like specify the presence of certain features, steps, processes, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, processes, elements, components, and / or groups. Components described as coupled may be directly coupled electronically or mechanically, or they may be coupled indirectly via one or more intermediate components, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0056] And / or: Occasionally, the expression "and / or" is used here in conjunction with a list of items. This expression means that any combination of elements in the list—from a single element to all elements and any permutation in between—can be included. For example, "A, B and / or C" means "one of {A}, {B}, {C}, {A, B}, {A, C}, {C, B} and {A, C, B}".

[0057] Mathematical and geometric terms need not necessarily be used in accordance with their strict definitions unless the context of the description indicates otherwise. A person with normal subject-matter knowledge would understand, for example, that an essentially similar element functioning in an essentially similar way could easily fall within the scope of a descriptive term, even though the term also has a strict definition. Unless otherwise noted here or evident from the context, the use of approximate terms such as "essentially," "approximately," "about," and the like is to be understood as not requiring mathematical precision and instead referring to a range of variation that includes, but is not strictly limited to, the specified value, property, or ratio.In particular, the range of variation implied by the use of such an approximation includes, in addition to the ranges of variation explicitly stated here (if any), at least all immaterial variations and also those variations that are typical in the relevant field for the type of item in question due to manufacturing or other tolerances. In any case, the range of variation may include at least values ​​that lie within ±1% of the stated value, property, or ratio, unless otherwise specified.

Claims

[1] A holder (40; 140; 240; 340) for a printed circuit board assembly (110; 210)(PCA) comprising the following: a first PCB interconnection section (141_1; 241_1; 341_1) configured to be coupled to a first surface (21_1; 121_1; 221_1) of a first printed circuit board (PCB) (20-1; 120_1; 220_1) of the PCA in an assembled state of the PCA; a second PCB interconnection section (141_2; 241_2; 341_2) configured to be coupled to a first surface (21_2; 121_2; 221_2) of a second printed circuit board (20-2; 120_2; 220_2) of the PCA in the assembled state of the PCA; an intermediate section (142; 242; 342) extending along a first direction between the first and second PCB interconnection sections; and a rib (247; 347) extending in a second direction from the intermediate section, where the second direction runs perpendicular to the first direction, and where, in the assembled state of the PCA, the first and second circuit boards are in a stacked arrangement, with their respective first surfaces facing in the first direction; and The holder controls a distance (D2) between the respective first surfaces of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction, independent of the respective thicknesses of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction. [2] The holder according to claim 1, wherein the first PCB interconnection section comprises a first engagement surface (145_1; 245_1; 345_1) and the second PCB interconnection section comprises a second engagement surface (145_2; 245_2; 345_2) parallel to the first engagement surface, and where, in the assembled state of the PCA, the first contact surface is firmly engaged with the first surface of the first circuit board and the second contact surface is firmly engaged with the first surface of the second circuit board, and The distance between the respective first surfaces of the first and second circuit boards along the first direction depends on the distance between the first contact surface and the second contact surface along the first direction. [3] The holder according to claim 2, wherein the first printed circuit board comprises a first component (30) attached to the first face of the first printed circuit board, and the second printed circuit board comprises a second component (30) attached to the first face of the second printed circuit board; wherein the distance between the first component and the second component along the first direction depends on the distance between the first contact surface and the second contact surface along the first direction and is independent of the respective thicknesses of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction. [4] The holder according to claim 1, wherein the first PCB connection section extends in the second direction from the intermediate section. [5] The holder according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate section in the assembled state of the PCA extends through a thickness dimension of the second printed circuit board. [6] The holder according to claim 1, wherein in the assembled state of the PCA the intermediate section adjoins an edge of the second printed circuit board and the second PCB interconnection section extends from the intermediate section over the edge of the second printed circuit board and over the first surface of the second printed circuit board. [7] The support according to claim 1, wherein the rib has length and width dimensions lying in a plane parallel to the second direction and a thickness dimension parallel to the first direction, wherein the thickness dimension is smaller than the length and width dimensions. [8] The holder according to claim 1, further comprising: a third PCB interconnection section (341_3) configured to be coupled to a first surface of a third printed circuit board (320_3) of the PCA in the assembled state of the PCA, where, in the assembled state of the PCA, the first, second, and third printed circuit boards are in a stacked arrangement, with their respective first faces pointing in a first direction; and The holder controls the distances between the respective first surfaces of the first, second and third circuit boards along the first direction, regardless of the respective thicknesses of the first, second and third circuit boards along the first direction. [9] An electronic device (100) comprising the following: a first printed circuit board (PCB) (20-1; 120_1; 220_1) comprising a first area (21_1; 121_1; 221_1) and a first component (30) coupled to the first area; a second printed circuit board (20-2; 120_2; 220_2) comprising a first area (21_2; 121_2; 221_2) and a second component (30) coupled to the first area; and a support (40; 140; 240; 340) that couples the first printed circuit board to the second printed circuit board in a stacked arrangement, wherein the first faces of the first and second printed circuit boards point in a first direction, the support comprising: a first PCB interconnection section (141_1; 241_1; 341_1) comprising a first engagement surface (145_1; 245_1; 345_1) which is firmly engaged with the first surface of the first printed circuit board; a second PCB interconnection section (141_2; 241_2; 341_2) comprising a second engagement surface (145_2; 245_2; 345_2) which runs parallel to the first engagement surface and is firmly engaged with the first surface of the second printed circuit board; an intermediate section (142; 242; 342) extending along a first direction between the first and second PCB interconnection sections; and a rib (247; 347) extending in a second direction from the intermediate section, where the second direction runs perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein a distance between the first component and the second component along the first direction depends on a distance between the first contact surface and the second contact surface along the first direction and is independent of the respective thicknesses of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction. [10] The electronic device according to claim 9, the first PCB connection section extends in the second direction from the intermediate section. [11] The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the intermediate section extends through a thickness dimension of the second printed circuit board. [12] The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the rib has length and width dimensions lying in a plane parallel to the second direction and a thickness dimension parallel to the first direction, wherein the thickness dimension is smaller than the length and width dimensions. [13] The electronic device according to claim 9, further comprising: a third printed circuit board (190) which is oriented perpendicular to the first and second printed circuit boards and includes third and fourth components which are configured so that the third component can be coupled to the first component and the fourth component to the second component. [14] The electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising: a case (180), the third circuit board is housed in the enclosure and coupled to it, wherein the first and second circuit boards are part of a pluggable module that is configured to be removable and installed in the housing, wherein the first, second, third and fourth components comprise electrical connectors (130_1, 130_2, 191_1, 191_2), and wherein the first and second components are arranged such that, in response to the installation of the pluggable module into the housing, the first component is electrically connected to the third component and the second component to the fourth component via a dummy connection. [15] The electronic device according to claim 9, further comprising: a third printed circuit board (320_3) comprising a first surface and a third component coupled to the first surface, wherein the holder includes a third PCB connection section (341_3) which includes a third engagement surface (345_3) that engages firmly with the first surface of the third printed circuit board, wherein the first, second and third printed circuit boards are arranged in a stacked configuration, the respective first faces of which point in a first direction; and wherein the distances between the first, second and third components along the first direction depend on the respective distances between the first, second and third engagement surfaces along the first direction and are independent of the respective thicknesses of the first, second and third printed circuit boards along the first direction. [16] A procedure comprising the following: Coupling a first printed circuit board (PCB) (20-1; 120_1; 220_1) with a second printed circuit board (20-2; 120_2; 220_2) by coupling a first PCB interconnect section (141_1; 241_1; 341_1) of a holder (40; 140; 240; 340) with a first surface (21_1; 121_1; 221_1) of the first printed circuit board and coupling a second PCB interconnect section (141_2; 241_2; 341_2) of the holder with a first surface (21_2; 121_2; 221_2) of the second printed circuit board, wherein the respective first surfaces of the first and second PCBs point in a first direction; and Controls, by means of the support and regardless of the respective thicknesses of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction, a distance along the first direction between the respective first faces of the first and second printed circuit boards, wherein the support further comprises: an intermediate section (142; 242; 342) extending along a first direction between the first and second PCB interconnection sections; and a rib (247; 347) extending in a second direction from the intermediate section, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. [17] The method according to claim 16, wherein the first PCB interconnection section comprises a first engagement surface (145_1; 245_1; 345_1) and the second PCB interconnection section comprises a second engagement surface (145_2; 245_2; 345_2) parallel to the first engagement surface, wherein in a coupled state of the first and second PCB connection sections at the respective first surfaces of the first and second printed circuit boards, the first and second engagement surfaces are firmly engaged with the respective first surfaces of the first and second printed circuit boards, and wherein the distance along the first direction between the respective first surfaces of the first and second printed circuit boards depends on a distance in the first direction between the first contact surface and the second contact surface and is independent of the respective thicknesses of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction. [18] The method according to claim 16, wherein the first printed circuit board comprises a first component (30) coupled to the first surface of the first printed circuit board, and the second printed circuit board comprises a second component (30) coupled to the first surface of the second printed circuit board, and wherein the method further comprises controlling a distance along the first direction between the first component and the second component, irrespective of the respective thicknesses of the first and second printed circuit boards along the first direction, by controlling the distance along the first direction between the respective first faces of the first and second printed circuit boards.

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