Electromechanical assembly having integral conductors - Patents.com

Abstract

The method and apparatus are for a housing assembly including a housing including a conductive material, a conductor extending through the housing, and a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor. A portion of the housing may surround the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] As is known in the art, electromechanical assemblies require electrical interconnects. As assemblies shrink in size and increase in integration, interconnects can become a limiting factor. A wide variety of interconnects and connectors can be used to provide the desired signal paths. For example, in conventional systems, cables and connectors can be either free-running or tied down with cable ties. Summary of the Invention

[0002] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for electromechanical housing assemblies with integrated cable channels, such as DC and RF cable channels. In some embodiments, the housing is 3D printed. In some embodiments, the conductive channel is used as an external ground conductor for the coaxial RF cable and as a shield for the DC / logic cable. Direct contact between the cable structure and the housing serves as a thermal connection to the housing and improves power handling. A wide variety of desired complex geometries can be achieved to simplify assembly and reduce the likelihood of miswiring, as well as control cable length, phase, loss, etc. Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure can provide techniques that enable high frequency arrays with high interconnect density. In some embodiments, the channel can function as a high performance coaxial transmission line.

[0003] In one aspect, the housing assembly includes a housing including a conductive material, a conductor extending through the housing, and a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, wherein the portion of the housing surrounds the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing.

[0004] The housing assembly may further include one or more of the following features: the first channel includes a coaxial transmission line; the housing is printed; the housing forms part of a conformal antenna array; the circuit board is conformally mounted on the housing; the housing has a hemispherical shape; the housing has a cylindrical shape; the housing is grounded; the housing provides a heat dissipation path; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected for phase performance; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected for loss performance; the housing includes a surface having a series of facets; each circuit card is mounted on the facet; each channel is connected to a circuit card; the housing further includes a structural member for enhancing thermal performance of the assembly; the housing further includes a structural member for enhancing structural strength of the housing; and / or the ends of the conductors provide a through-hole soldering interface to the circuit board.

[0005] In another aspect, a method includes using a housing including a conductive material, using a conductor extending through the housing, and using a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, where the portion of the housing surrounds the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing.

[0006] The method may further include one or more of the following features: the first channel includes a coaxial transmission line; the housing is printed; the housing forms part of a conformal antenna array; the circuit board is conformally mounted on the housing; the housing has a hemispherical shape; the housing has a cylindrical shape; the housing is grounded; the housing provides a heat dissipation path; the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor; the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected for phase performance; the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected for loss performance; the housing includes a surface having a series of facets; each circuit card is mounted on the facets; each channel is connected to a circuit card; the housing further includes a structural member for enhancing thermal performance of the assembly; the housing further includes a structural member for enhancing structural strength of the housing; and / or the ends of the conductors provide a through hole soldering interface to the circuit board.

[0007] The foregoing features of the disclosure, as well as the disclosure itself, may be more fully understood from the following description of the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1A] FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway side view of a housing assembly having an integral cable. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 is a first isometric view of a housing assembly with an integral cable. [Figure 1C] FIG. 13 is a second isometric view of a housing assembly with an integral cable. [Figure 2A] 1B is a graphical representation of S-mode parameters of the housing assembly of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2B] 1B is a graphical representation of the E field of the housing assembly of FIG. 1A. [Diagram 3]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a conductive cylindrical housing with a groove for a cable. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a housing assembly having an integral channel. [Figure 4B] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a housing assembly having an integral channel. [Figure 4C] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a housing assembly having an integral channel with certain features removed. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a cutaway isometric view of a housing assembly having integrated cables and structural members. [Figure 6] 1A is an isometric view of a housing assembly having an integral cable interconnected to a circuit board, and FIGB shows further details of the connection of the cable to the circuit board. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Before describing example embodiments of the present disclosure, some information is provided. A coaxial cable refers to a type of electrical cable having an inner conductor surrounded by a concentric conductive material forming a shield separated from the inner conductor by a dielectric material. A protective sheath or jacket may form the outer layer of the coaxial cable. A coaxial cable may be considered a type of transmission line for propagating high frequency electrical signals with relatively low loss. In a coaxial cable arrangement, the electromagnetic field corresponding to the propagating signal exists only in the space between the inner and outer conductors, so the coaxial cable may be located near conductive objects and materials without power loss. Similarly, the outer conductor prevents external signals from interfering with the signal carried by the central conductor. Typically, the outside of the shield is kept at ground potential and a signal carrying voltage is applied to the central conductor.

[0010] In general, the characteristic impedance of a coaxial cable corresponds to the dielectric constant of the insulating material and the size of the center and outer conductors. In applications where the cable length is comparable to the wavelength of the signal being transmitted, a uniform cable characteristic impedance minimizes signal loss. Source and load impedances may be selected to match the cable impedance for favorable power transfer and standing wave characteristics.

[0011] It is understood that any suitable dielectric may be used to meet the needs of a particular application. Exemplary dielectrics include solid and foam dielectric materials that may contain air or other gases to achieve desired operating characteristics. In some embodiments, the dielectric is air.

[0012] Coaxial cables have a connector at the end to maintain the coaxial connection and provide the same impedance as the cable, and the connector is usually coated with a highly conductive metal.

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary assembly 100 including a conductive metal housing 102 and a conductor 104 at least partially contained within a dielectric material 106 to provide a low loss, high insulation interconnect. The exemplary interconnect is configured for RF signals, DC signals, digital logic signals, and the like. In some embodiments, the conductor 104 is completely contained within the dielectric material 106. In other embodiments, the conductor 104 is not completely contained within the dielectric material. In some embodiments, a coaxial cable includes the conductor 104, the dielectric material 106, and a shield or outer conductor 108 provided by the conductive housing 102. In some embodiments, the conductor 104 is completely contained within the housing material 108. In other embodiments, the conductor 104 is not completely contained within the housing material 108.

[0014] In an embodiment, the conductor 104, dielectric 106, and shield 108 provide a signal channel within a 3D printed housing. The use of 3D printing allows for more freedom to form the housing than traditional assemblies, resulting in better performance.

[0015] This arrangement allows the channel to be added to an existing housing and allows the cable to be secured in place without the need for additional tie down points. Because the housing 102 is conductive, the housing can act as the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to reduce the overall size of the cable. In an embodiment, the channel can act as a high performance coaxial transmission line.

[0016] In an embodiment, the conductor 104 is integrally formed within the housing 102 and provides a thermal path for dissipating heat generated within and around the conductor.

[0017] Aspects of the present disclosure allow for complex geometries to be implemented to control the cable length, phase, loss, etc. of each channel to meet the needs of a particular application. In embodiments, the channels can serve to carry multiple signals as enablers of high frequencies and conformal arrays. Additionally, exemplary channel embodiments may reduce the likelihood of miswiring an assembly.

[0018] As best seen in Figure 1A, the channels may include respective conductors 104 interconnected into a conformal antenna array 120, as shown in Figure 1C. As used herein, a conformal array refers to an array that conforms to the shape of a non-planar substrate. For example, a conformal array may conform to the exterior surface of an airplane.

[0019] In embodiments, the channels can provide better phase and loss matching than standard connectors and cables. The channels can be optimized for specific lengths and shapes for desired performance.

[0020] Figure 2A shows an example plot of S-parameters versus frequency for modes S(1,1) 200 and S(2,1) for the housing assembly of Figure 1 A. Figure 2B shows an example graphical E-field display of an example channel, such as the conductor 104, dielectric 106, and hemispherical housing 108 arrangement of Figure 1A.

[0021] 3 shows an example of a conductive housing 300 that is cylindrical in shape. The housing 300 includes grooves 302 along the length of the housing that are configured to accommodate conductor and dielectric materials. The grooves 302 allow for cable routing on the inner surface of the conductive housing 300. It is understood that the grooves 302 can have any geometry, location, size, etc. suitable to accommodate a particular conductor and dielectric arrangement to form a channel having selected properties.

[0022] FIG. 4A is an isometric view of a housing assembly 400 having an integral cable, FIG. 4B is an isometric cross-sectional view of the housing assembly 400 of FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is an isometric cross-sectional view of the housing assembly of FIG. 4B in which the outer conductor of the cable is not provided by the conductive housing.

[0023] In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 402 includes a top with eight facets 404 and a bottom 408. A respective circuit card assembly (CCA) 410 is mounted on each of the facets 404. Additional CCAs (not shown) can be mounted to the bottom 408 of the housing.

[0024] At least some of the CCAs 410 are interconnected to a circuit board on the bottom surface 408 of the housing. In the illustrated embodiment, each channel includes a cable (not shown) surrounded by a dielectric material 412 and a shield 414 provided by the same material as the conductive housing 402.

[0025] In an embodiment, the housing 402 can be 3D printed using a conductive material to form the channel facets 404, sides 416, and outer conductor / cable shield 414. The channel can carry multiple high frequency signals, for example, to an antenna array. In some embodiments, the array can include a conformal array. Cables can be inserted and / or embedded in the housing to reduce or eliminate mis-wired connections and facilitate easier assembly.

[0026] 5 shows a housing assembly 500 having an integral channel 502 shaped and configured to match phase and loss to provide improved performance compared to conventional cable arrangements. The channel 502 can have a length and shape for optimization of desired performance characteristics.

[0027] The channel walls, which may comprise the same conductive material as the housing, provide a thermal interface to the rest of the system. In some embodiments, the structural members 504 can provide additional structural support and thermal performance.

[0028] It will be appreciated that any practical number of support members may be used in any suitable geometric shape to achieve desired structural, thermal, and / or electrical performance characteristics. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the channel 502 may be flared 506 at one or both ends.

[0029] Figure 6A is an isometric view of a housing assembly 600 having an integral cable that may provide an interface to a circuit board 602, such as a printed wiring board. Figure 6B shows further details of the interface to the circuit board.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, a printed wiring board (PWB) 602 is conformally attached to a hemispherical housing 604. As described above, conductors 606 surrounded by dielectric material 608 may pass through the housing 604. The conductors 606 may extend upward from a surface of the housing. In an embodiment, the conductors 606 are used as a through-hole solder interface to the PWB 602.

[0031] 6B, a portion of conductor 606 extends through PWB 602. Solder fillets 610 and solder via pads 612 provide connections to PWB 602. This arrangement allows the circuit card to be mounted on the housing with wires soldered into through holes in the circuit board.

[0032] It will be appreciated that embodiments of assemblies having integrated cables, where a highly integrated electromechanical assembly is desirable, are applicable to a wide variety of applications such as radar antenna feedlines, computer network connections, digital audio, streaming configurations, cellular network connections, vehicles, and the like.

[0033] Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments incorporating these concepts may also be used. The embodiments contained herein should not be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather should be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. All publications and references cited herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0034] Elements of different embodiments described herein may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically described above. Various elements that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination. Other embodiments not specifically described herein are also within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. a housing including a conductive material; a conductor extending through the housing; a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, the portion of the housing surrounding the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; a housing assembly including:

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first channel comprises a coaxial transmission line.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing is printed.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing forms a portion of a conformal antenna array.

5. The assembly of claim 4 further comprising a circuit board conformally mounted on said housing.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a hemispherical shape.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a cylindrical shape.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing is grounded.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing provides a heat dissipation path.

10. 10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor.

11. 10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the path of the conductors through the housing is non-linear and selected for phase performance.

12. 10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected for loss performance.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a surface having a series of facets, each circuit card being mounted on a facet, and each of the channels being connected to a circuit card.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a structural member for improving thermal performance of the assembly.

15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a structural member for improving the structural strength of the housing.

16. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ends of the conductors provide a through-hole solder interface to a circuit board.

17. using a housing comprising a conductive material; using a conductor extending through the housing; using a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, the portion of the housing surrounding the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; A method comprising:

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing is printed.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing forms a portion of a conformal antenna array.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising using a circuit board conformally mounted on the housing.

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