Circuit board assembly and electronic device

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of electronic devices. Disclosed are a first circuit board assembly and an electronic device. The first circuit board assembly comprises a first circuit board, a first processing chip and a plurality of port connectors, wherein the first circuit board comprises a first flexible portion, a first hard board portion and a second hard board portion, the first hard board portion and the second hard board portion being arranged spaced apart from each other in the direction of thickness of the second hard board portion, one end of the first flexible portion being connected to the first hard board portion, and the other end of the first flexible portion being connected to the second hard board portion; the first processing chip is arranged on the first hard board portion; and the plurality of port connectors are distributed on at least one surface of the end of the first hard board portion away from the first flexible portion and at least one surface of the end of the second hard board portion away from the first flexible portion, and the plurality of port connectors are connected to the first processing chip by means of an in-board wiring layer.

Description

Circuit board assemblies and electronic devices

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims Chinese patent applications filed on January 17, 2025, with application number 202510080482.4 and title "A Circuit Board Assembly and Electronic Device", and Chinese patent applications filed on January 17, 2025, with application number 202510080404.4 and title "A Circuit Board Assembly and Electronic Device", and Chinese patent applications filed on January 17, 2025, with application number 202510080389.3 and title "A Circuit Board Assembly and Electronic Device". The entire priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 202510080411.4, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on January 17, 2025, entitled "A Circuit Board Assembly and Electronic Device", and Chinese Patent Application No. 202510080470.1, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on January 17, 2025, entitled "A Circuit Board Assembly and Electronic Device", is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to the field of electronic equipment technology, and particularly to circuit board assemblies and electronic equipment. Background Technology

[0004] In recent years, with the rapid development of network communication technology, the speed of Ethernet single-channel SERDES (serializer / deserializer) has increased from 25G to 224G. Furthermore, with the support of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC), the speed continues to accelerate. This has led to a demand for upgrades to the hardware architecture of communication equipment.

[0005] For example, a 51.2T switch chip can support 128 400G optical modules or 64 800G optical modules, requiring a corresponding number of port connectors on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board). In practice, the PCB is horizontally positioned, with the port connectors placed on two surfaces at one end. However, the PCB width is limited by the chassis width, meaning a single PCB cannot meet the port count requirements of the switch chip.

[0006] To address this issue, the industry-standard solution is to use multiple PCBs, interconnected by snap-on connectors or cables, to accommodate the required number of port connectors. However, the introduction of these passive components negatively impacts signal integrity (SI) and process reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention provides a circuit board assembly and electronic equipment to improve the problem that the width of a single PCB cannot meet the port requirements of a switch chip due to the limitation of chassis width.

[0008] This invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0009] A first circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board, a first processing chip, and a plurality of port connectors. The first circuit board includes a first flexible portion, a first rigid portion, and a second rigid portion. The first rigid portion and the second rigid portion are spaced apart in the thickness direction of the second rigid portion. One end of the first flexible portion is connected to one end of the first rigid portion, and the other end of the first flexible portion is connected to one end of the second rigid portion.

[0010] The first processing chip is disposed on the first rigid board portion, and the plurality of port connectors are distributed on at least one surface of the first rigid board portion away from the first flexible portion and at least one surface of the second rigid board portion away from the first flexible portion, and the plurality of port connectors are connected to the first processing chip through an in-board wiring layer.

[0011] Optionally, the port connector disposed on the second rigid board portion is a second port connector, which is connected to the first processing chip through a second wiring group; the wiring in the second wiring group includes a first wiring segment disposed on the second rigid board portion, a second wiring segment disposed on the first flexible portion, and a third wiring segment disposed on the first rigid board portion, and the first wiring segment, the second wiring segment, and the third wiring segment of the same wiring are disposed on the same layer.

[0012] Optionally, the port connector disposed on the second rigid board portion is a second port connector, which is connected to the first processing chip through a second wiring group; the wiring in the second wiring group includes a first wiring segment disposed on the second rigid board portion, a second wiring segment disposed on the first flexible portion, and a third wiring segment disposed on the first rigid board portion, and the number of wiring layers distributed in the second wiring group in both the first rigid board portion and the second rigid board portion is greater than the number of wiring layers in the first flexible portion;

[0013] At least some of the second routing segments in the second routing group are on different layers from the first and third routing segments and are connected by vias.

[0014] Optionally, the port connector disposed on the first rigid board portion is a first port connector, and the centerline of the first processing chip in the arrangement direction of the first flexible portion and the first rigid board portion is a first centerline;

[0015] The edge of the first processing chip has multiple pins. The pins located on the side of the first centerline facing the first flexible portion are connected to the second port connector, and the pins located on the side of the first centerline away from the first flexible portion are connected to the first port connector.

[0016] Optionally, the end face of the open end of the first port connector and the end face of the open end of the second port connector are both located in the first plane.

[0017] Optionally, the first rigid plate portion is parallel to the second rigid plate portion, and the first rigid plate portion is perpendicular to the first plane.

[0018] Optionally, the side of the first rigid plate portion opposite to the first flexible portion is designated as the first side, and the plurality of port connectors disposed on the first rigid plate portion are evenly distributed along the first side;

[0019] The side of the second rigid plate portion opposite to the first flexible portion is called the second side, and a plurality of port connectors disposed on the second rigid plate portion are evenly distributed along the second side.

[0020] Optionally, the first processing chip is disposed on the surface of the first rigid plate portion opposite to the second rigid plate portion.

[0021] Optionally, the first circuit board assembly includes a first heat sink, which is fixed to the surface of the first rigid plate portion facing the first processing chip, and there is a gap between the first heat sink and the first rigid plate portion; the first processing chip is located between the first heat sink and the first rigid plate portion and is in contact with the first heat sink.

[0022] The present invention also provides an electronic device, which includes a first housing and any of the first circuit board assemblies provided in the above technical solutions. The first circuit board assembly is disposed in the first housing, and the open ends of each of the port connectors face the first surface of the first housing. The first surface is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each of the port connectors.

[0023] In this design, the first circuit board adopts a rigid-flex structure. By bending the first flexible portion, the first rigid portion and the second rigid portion are spaced apart along the thickness direction of the second rigid portion. This allows port connectors to be installed on both surfaces of the first rigid portion and the second rigid portion, respectively, at the end furthest from the first flexible portion. Port connectors can be placed on at least one surface of both the first and second rigid portions, depending on actual needs. This doubles the area available for port connectors on the first circuit board, enabling twice the number of port connectors of existing technologies to be installed within the same width, thus better meeting the port quantity requirements of the switch chip.

[0024] Furthermore, the first circuit board assembly does not use any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity for the entire assembly. The connection between the port connector and the first processing chip is achieved through in-board wiring, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link.

[0025] A second circuit board assembly includes a second circuit board, a second processing chip, and multiple port connectors. The second circuit board includes a third rigid board portion, a fourth rigid board portion, a fifth rigid board portion, a second flexible portion, and a third flexible portion. The third rigid board portion and the fourth rigid board portion are spaced apart in the thickness direction of the fourth rigid board portion. The fifth rigid board portion is located between the third rigid board portion and the fourth rigid board portion and is located on the same side as the third rigid board portion and the fourth rigid board portion. One end of the fifth rigid board portion is connected to one end of the third rigid board portion through the second flexible portion, and the other end of the fifth rigid board portion is connected to one end of the fourth rigid board portion through the third flexible portion.

[0026] The second processing chip is disposed on the fifth rigid board portion, and the plurality of port connectors are distributed on at least one surface of the third rigid board portion away from the second flexible portion and at least one surface of the fourth rigid board portion away from the third flexible portion, and the plurality of port connectors are connected to the second processing chip through an in-board wiring layer.

[0027] Optionally, the port connector disposed on the third rigid board portion is a third port connector, and the port connector disposed on the fourth rigid board portion is a fourth port connector; the second processing chip is disposed in the middle of the fifth rigid board portion, and in the extending direction of the second circuit board from the third rigid board portion to the fourth rigid board portion, the second processing chip is located in the middle of the second circuit board;

[0028] The edge of the second processing chip has multiple pins. In the extension direction of the second circuit board from the third rigid plate portion to the fourth rigid plate portion, the pins near the third port connector are connected to the third port connector, and the pins near the fourth port connector are connected to the fourth port connector.

[0029] Optionally, the port connector disposed on the third rigid board portion is a third port connector, which is connected to the second processing chip through a third wiring group; the wiring in the third wiring group includes a fourth wiring segment disposed on the third rigid board portion, a fifth wiring segment disposed on the second flexible portion, and a sixth wiring segment disposed on the fifth rigid board portion;

[0030] The fourth, fifth, and sixth trace segments of the same trace are disposed on the same layer; or, in the third rigid board portion and the fifth rigid board portion, the number of trace layers in the third trace group is greater than the number of trace layers in the second flexible portion; at least some of the fifth trace segments of the traces in the third trace group are on different layers from the fourth and sixth trace segments and are connected by vias.

[0031] Optionally, the port connector disposed on the fourth rigid board portion is a fourth port connector, which is connected to the second processing chip through a fourth trace group; the traces in the fourth trace group all include a seventh trace segment disposed on the fourth rigid board portion, an eighth trace segment disposed on the third flexible portion, and a ninth trace segment disposed on the fifth rigid board portion;

[0032] The seventh, eighth, and ninth trace segments of the same trace are disposed on the same layer; or, in the fourth rigid board section and the fifth rigid board section, the number of trace layers in the fourth trace group is greater than the number of trace layers in the third flexible section; at least some of the eighth trace segments of the traces in the fourth trace group are on different layers from the seventh and ninth trace segments and are connected by vias.

[0033] Optionally, the end face of the open end of the third port connector and the end face of the open end of the fourth port connector are both located in the first plane.

[0034] Optionally, the third rigid plate portion is parallel to the fourth rigid plate portion, and the third rigid plate portion is perpendicular to the first plane.

[0035] Optionally, the fifth rigid plate portion is perpendicular to the third rigid plate portion.

[0036] Optionally, the side of the third rigid plate portion opposite to the second flexible portion is called the third side, and the plurality of port connectors disposed on the third rigid plate portion are evenly distributed along the third side;

[0037] The side opposite to the third flexible part of the fourth rigid plate portion is the fourth side, and the plurality of port connectors disposed on the fourth rigid plate portion are evenly distributed along the fourth side.

[0038] Optionally, the second processing chip is disposed on the surface of the fifth rigid plate portion opposite to the fourth rigid plate portion.

[0039] The present invention also provides an electronic device, which includes a second housing and any of the second circuit board assemblies provided in the above technical solutions. The second circuit board assembly is disposed in the second housing, and the open ends of each of the port connectors face the second surface of the second housing. The second surface is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each of the port connectors.

[0040] In this design, the second circuit board adopts a rigid-flex structure. Through bending of the second and third flexible sections, the third and fourth rigid sections on both sides of the fifth rigid section are spaced apart in the thickness direction of the fourth rigid section. This allows port connectors to be placed on both surfaces of the third rigid section and the fourth rigid section, respectively, at least one surface at the end of the third rigid section and the other at the end of the fourth rigid section, as needed. The area available for port connectors on the second circuit board is doubled, enabling twice the number of port connectors of existing technologies to be placed within the same width, thus better meeting the port quantity requirements of the switch chip.

[0041] Furthermore, the second circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the port connectors and the second processing chip is achieved through in-board traces, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. With the same width and number of port connectors on the second circuit board, the height of the second circuit board assembly can be reduced compared to a design where the port connectors and the second processing chip are located on the same surface within the same plane of the second circuit board.

[0042] A third circuit board assembly includes a third circuit board, a third processing chip, and multiple port connectors. The third circuit board includes a fourth flexible portion, a sixth rigid portion, and a seventh rigid portion. The sixth and seventh rigid portions each have a third and a fourth surface opposite each other in the thickness direction, and also include a side surface connected between the third and fourth surfaces. The sixth rigid portion is located on one side of the seventh rigid portion and is spaced apart from and opposite to the seventh rigid portion. The side surface of the sixth rigid portion is parallel to the third surface of the seventh rigid portion. The fourth flexible portion is located between the sixth and seventh rigid portions, with one end connected to one end of the sixth rigid portion and the other end connected to one end of the seventh rigid portion.

[0043] The third processing chip is disposed on the sixth rigid board section, and the fifth port connector is distributed on the surface of the seventh rigid board section opposite to the sixth rigid board section and is connected to the third processing chip through the in-board wiring layer.

[0044] Optionally, the fifth port connector is connected to the third processing chip through the fifth trace group. The traces in the fifth trace group all include a tenth trace segment disposed on the sixth rigid board, an eleventh trace segment disposed on the fourth flexible board, and a twelfth trace segment disposed on the seventh rigid board. The tenth trace segment, the eleventh trace segment, and the twelfth trace segment of the same trace are disposed on the same layer.

[0045] Optionally, the fifth port connector is connected to the third processing chip through a fifth wiring group. The wiring in the fifth wiring group includes a tenth wiring segment disposed in the sixth rigid board section, an eleventh wiring segment disposed in the fourth flexible section, and a twelfth wiring segment disposed in the seventh rigid board section. In both the sixth and seventh rigid board sections, the number of wiring layers distributed in the fifth wiring group is greater than the number of wiring layers in the fourth flexible section.

[0046] At least a portion of the eleventh routing segment in the fifth routing group is on a different layer than the tenth and twelfth routing segments and is connected by vias.

[0047] Optionally, the plurality of port connectors are arranged in a rectangular array on the surface of the seventh rigid plate.

[0048] Optionally, the seventh rigid board portion is located on the side of the sixth rigid board portion opposite to the third processing chip.

[0049] Optionally, the third circuit board assembly includes a second heat sink, which is fixed to the surface of the sixth rigid plate portion facing the third processing chip, and there is a gap between the second heat sink and the sixth rigid plate portion; the third processing chip is located between the second heat sink and the sixth rigid plate portion and is in contact with the second heat sink.

[0050] Optionally, the seventh rigid board portion is located on the side of the sixth rigid board portion facing the third processing chip.

[0051] Optionally, the side of the sixth rigid plate portion opposite to the fourth flexible portion is the fifth side, and the third processing chip is located in the middle of the sixth rigid plate portion in a direction parallel to the fifth side.

[0052] The present invention also provides an electronic device comprising a third housing and any one of the aforementioned third circuit board assemblies, wherein the third circuit board assemblies are disposed in the third housing, and the open ends of each of the plurality of port connectors are all facing the third surface of the third housing; the third surface is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each of the fifth port connectors.

[0053] In this solution, the third circuit board adopts a rigid-flex structure. By bending the fourth flexible part, the sixth rigid part and the seventh rigid part are made perpendicular to each other. This allows the fifth port connector to be set on the surface of the seventh rigid part opposite to the sixth rigid part, making the area on the third circuit board available for setting the fifth port connector larger. This allows for setting a number of fifth port connectors that are several times greater than those in the prior art under the same width, which can better meet the port number requirements of the switch chip.

[0054] Furthermore, the third circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the fifth port connector and the third processing chip is achieved through in-board wiring, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The sixth rigid board section, where the third processing chip is located, is perpendicular to the seventh rigid board section, where the fifth port connector is located, reducing the size of the third circuit board assembly in the direction from the seventh rigid board section away from the sixth. In practical applications, the third processing chip can be horizontally positioned, allowing the second heat sink to be placed on the surface opposite the third processing chip and the sixth rigid board section without having to extend the heat sink further, thus simplifying its design and installation.

[0055] A fourth circuit board assembly includes a fourth circuit board, a fourth processing chip, a fifth processing chip, and a plurality of sixth port connectors. The fourth circuit board includes an eighth rigid board portion, a ninth rigid board portion, a tenth rigid board portion, a fifth flexible portion, and a sixth flexible portion. The eighth rigid board portion and the ninth rigid board portion are spaced apart in the thickness direction of the ninth rigid board portion. The tenth rigid board portion is located between the eighth rigid board portion and the ninth rigid board portion and is located on the same side as the eighth rigid board portion and the ninth rigid board portion. One end of the tenth rigid board portion is connected to one end of the eighth rigid board portion through the fifth flexible portion, and the other end of the tenth rigid board portion is connected to one end of the ninth rigid board portion through the sixth flexible portion.

[0056] The fourth processing chip is disposed on the eighth rigid board section, the fifth processing chip is disposed on the ninth rigid board section, and the plurality of sixth port connectors are distributed on the surface of the tenth rigid board section away from the eighth rigid board section, and each of the plurality of sixth port connectors is connected to the fourth processing chip and the fifth processing chip through an in-board trace layer.

[0057] Optionally, the sixth port connector is connected to the fourth processing chip via a sixth wiring group; the wiring in the sixth wiring group includes a thirteenth wiring segment disposed on the eighth rigid board section, a fourteenth wiring segment disposed on the fifth flexible section, and a fifteenth wiring segment disposed on the tenth rigid board section;

[0058] The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth segments of the same trace are disposed on the same layer; or, in the eighth rigid board section and the tenth rigid board section, the number of trace layers distributed in the sixth trace group is greater than the number of trace layers in the fifth flexible section; at least some of the fourteenth trace segments of the traces in the sixth trace group are on different layers from the thirteenth and fifteenth trace segments and are connected by vias.

[0059] Optionally, the sixth port connector is connected to the fifth processing chip via a seventh wiring group; the wiring in the seventh wiring group includes a sixteenth wiring segment disposed on the ninth rigid board portion, a seventeenth wiring segment disposed on the sixth flexible portion, and an eighteenth wiring segment disposed on the tenth rigid board portion;

[0060] The sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth segments of the same trace are disposed on the same layer; or, in the ninth rigid board section and the tenth rigid board section, the number of trace layers distributed in the seventh trace group is greater than the number of trace layers in the sixth flexible section; at least some of the seventeenth trace segments of the traces in the seventh trace group are on different layers from the sixteenth and eighteenth trace segments and are connected by vias.

[0061] Optionally, the eighth rigid plate portion is parallel to the ninth rigid plate portion, and the tenth rigid plate portion is perpendicular to the eighth rigid plate portion.

[0062] Optionally, the plurality of sixth-port connectors are arranged in a rectangular array on the surface of the tenth rigid plate.

[0063] Optionally, the side of the eighth rigid plate portion opposite to the fifth flexible portion is the sixth side, and the fourth processing chip is located in the middle of the eighth rigid plate portion in a direction parallel to the sixth side.

[0064] Optionally, the side of the ninth rigid plate portion opposite to the sixth flexible portion is the seventh side, and the fifth processing chip is located in the middle of the ninth rigid plate portion in a direction parallel to the seventh side.

[0065] Optionally, the fourth processing chip is disposed on the surface of the eighth rigid board portion opposite to the ninth rigid board portion, and the fifth processing chip is disposed on the surface of the ninth rigid board portion facing the eighth rigid board portion.

[0066] Optionally, the fourth circuit board assembly includes a third heat sink, which is fixed to the surface of the eighth rigid plate portion facing the fourth processing chip, and there is a gap between the third heat sink and the eighth rigid plate portion; the fourth processing chip is located between the third heat sink and the eighth rigid plate portion and is in contact with the third heat sink.

[0067] And / or, the fourth circuit board assembly includes a fourth heat sink, the fourth heat sink being fixed to the surface of the ninth rigid plate portion facing the fifth processing chip, and there is a gap between the fourth heat sink and the ninth rigid plate portion; the fifth processing chip is located between the fourth heat sink and the ninth rigid plate portion and is in contact with the fourth heat sink.

[0068] The present invention provides an electronic device including a fourth housing and the aforementioned fourth circuit board assembly, wherein the fourth circuit board assembly is disposed in the fourth housing, and the open ends of each of the sixth port connectors face the fifth surface of the fourth housing; the fifth surface is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each of the sixth port connectors.

[0069] In this design, the fourth circuit board adopts a rigid-flex board structure. The fourth circuit board is bent twice through the fifth and sixth flexible sections, so that the eighth and ninth rigid sections are both bent to the same side of the tenth rigid section. The sixth port connector is set on the surface of the tenth rigid section facing away from the eighth rigid section. The area for setting the sixth port connector is larger, which can increase the number of sixth port connectors by several times compared with the existing technology. Thus, it is possible to set a number of sixth port connectors that are several times greater than the existing technology under the same width condition, which can better meet the port number requirements of the dual-chip architecture switch.

[0070] Furthermore, the fourth circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the sixth port connector and the processing chip is achieved through an in-board trace layer, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The fourth circuit board assembly also exhibits improved process reliability. With the same width of the fourth circuit board and the same number of sixth port connectors, the height of the fourth circuit board assembly can be reduced compared to a design where the sixth port connector and processing chip are located on the same surface within the same plane of the fourth circuit board.

[0071] A fifth circuit board assembly includes a fifth circuit board, a sixth processing chip, and a plurality of seventh port connectors. The fifth circuit board includes a seventh flexible portion and eleventh and twelfth rigid portions that are parallel to each other. The twelfth rigid portion has a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The plurality of seventh port connectors are distributed at the first end. The eleventh rigid portion is located on the side opposite to the first end of the second end, and there is a gap between the eleventh rigid portion and the twelfth rigid portion in the thickness direction of the eleventh rigid portion.

[0072] The seventh flexible part is located between the eleventh rigid board part and the twelfth rigid board part, and one end of the seventh flexible part is connected to one end of the eleventh rigid board part, and the other end of the seventh flexible part is connected to the second end; the sixth processing chip is disposed on the eleventh rigid board part, and the seventh port connector is connected to the sixth processing chip through the in-board wiring layer.

[0073] Optionally, the seventh port connector is connected to the sixth processing chip through the eighth trace group. The traces in the eighth trace group all include a nineteenth trace segment disposed on the eleventh rigid board section, a twentieth trace segment disposed on the seventh flexible section, and a twenty-first trace segment disposed on the twelfth rigid board section. The nineteenth trace segment, the twentieth trace segment, and the twenty-first trace segment of the same trace are disposed on the same layer.

[0074] Optionally, the seventh port connector is connected to the sixth processing chip through an eighth trace group. The traces in the eighth trace group all include a nineteenth trace segment disposed in the eleventh rigid board section, a twentieth trace segment disposed in the seventh flexible section, and a twenty-first trace segment disposed in the twelfth rigid board section. In the eleventh rigid board section and the twelfth rigid board section, the number of trace layers distributed in the eighth trace group is greater than the number of trace layers in the seventh flexible section.

[0075] At least a portion of the twentieth routing segment in the eighth routing group is on a different layer from the nineteenth and twenty-first routing segments and is connected by vias.

[0076] Optionally, the seventh port connector is provided on both surfaces of the second end.

[0077] Optionally, the plurality of seventh-port connectors are evenly distributed on the two surfaces of the first end.

[0078] Optionally, the fifth circuit board assembly includes a fifth heat sink, which is fixed to the surface of the eleventh rigid plate portion facing the sixth processing chip, and there is a gap between the fifth heat sink and the eleventh rigid plate portion; the sixth processing chip is located between the fifth heat sink and the eleventh rigid plate portion and is in contact with the fifth heat sink.

[0079] Optionally, the side opposite to the seventh flexible part of the eleventh rigid board is the eighth side, and the sixth processing chip is located in the middle of the eleventh rigid board in a direction parallel to the eighth side.

[0080] The present invention also provides an electronic device comprising a fifth housing and any of the aforementioned fifth circuit board assemblies, wherein the fifth housing has a receiving space for accommodating the fifth circuit board assemblies, and the fifth circuit board assemblies are disposed in the receiving space; a first end of the receiving space is provided with a through-hole corresponding to each of the seventh port connectors, and the open end of each of the seventh port connectors is respectively connected to the through-hole corresponding to it.

[0081] Optionally, the height of the accommodating space is 4.445 cm.

[0082] In this invention, the fifth circuit board adopts a rigid-flex structure. Through the bending of the seventh flexible section, a height difference is achieved between the eleventh and twelfth rigid sections on either side of the seventh flexible section. The fifth circuit board assembly does not use any other passive components, resulting in high overall simplicity. Furthermore, the connection between the seventh port connector and the sixth processing chip is achieved through in-board wiring, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The fifth circuit board assembly also exhibits stronger process reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0083] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0084] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0085] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first circuit board assembly shown in Figure 1 when it is in the unfolded state.

[0086] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0087] Figure 4 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 3;

[0088] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0089] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the second circuit board assembly shown in Figure 5 when it is in the unfolded state.

[0090] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0091] Figure 8 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 7;

[0092] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a third circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0093] Figure 10 is an unfolded view of a third circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0094] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of another third circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0095] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0096] Figure 13 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 12;

[0097] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0098] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the fourth circuit board assembly shown in Figure 14 in the unfolded state, wherein the third heat sink and the fourth heat sink are not shown.

[0099] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0100] Figure 17 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 16;

[0101] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0102] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth circuit board assembly in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0103] Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0104] Figure 21 is a rear view of an electronic device shown in Figure 20.

[0105] Icons: 1-First circuit board; 11-First flexible section; 12-First rigid section; 121-First side; 13-Second rigid section; 131-Second side; 2-First processing chip; 31-First port connector; 32-Second port connector; 4-Second wiring group; 41-First wiring segment; 42-Second wiring segment; 43-Third wiring segment; 5-First heat sink; 6-First wiring group; 100-First optical module; 200-First enclosure; 201-First surface. 7-Second circuit board; 71-Second flexible section; 72-Third rigid section; 721-Third side; 73-Fourth rigid section; 731-Fourth side; 74-Third flexible section; 75-Fifth rigid section; 8-Second processing chip; 91-Third port connector; 92-Fourth port connector; 10-Third wiring group; 101-Fourth wiring segment; 102-Fifth wiring segment; 103-Sixth wiring segment; 11-Fourth wiring group; 111-Seventh wiring segment; 112-Eighth wiring segment; 113-Ninth wiring segment; 12-First cooling fan; 300-Second optical module; 400-Second enclosure; 401-Second surface. 14-Third circuit board; 141-Fourth flexible section; 142-Sixth rigid section; 1421-Fifth side; 143-Seventh rigid section; 15-Third processing chip; 16-Fifth port connector; 17-Fifth wiring group; 171-Tenth wiring segment; 172-Eleventh wiring segment; 173-Twelfth wiring segment; 18-Second heat sink; 19-Second cooling fan; 500-Third optical module; 600-Third enclosure; 601-Third surface. 21-Fourth circuit board; 211-Fifth flexible section; 212-Eighth rigid section; 2121-Sixth side; 213-Ninth rigid section; 2131-Seventh side; 214-Sixth flexible section; 215-Tenth rigid section; 221-Fourth processing chip; 222-Fifth processing chip; 23-Sixth port connector; 24-Sixth wiring group; 241-Thirteenth wiring segment; 242-Fourteenth wiring segment; 243-Fifteenth wiring segment; 25-Seventh wiring group; 251-Sixteenth wiring segment; 252-Seventeenth wiring segment; 253-Eighteenth wiring segment; 26-Third heat sink; 27-Fourth heat sink; 28-Third cooling fan; 700-Fourth optical module; 800-Fourth enclosure; 801-Fifth surface. 29-Fifth Circuit Board; 291-Seventh Flexible Section; 292-Eleventh Rigid Section; 2921-Eighth Side; 293-Twelfth Rigid Section; 30-Sixth Processing Chip; 33-Seventh Port Connector; 34-Eighth Trace Group; 341-Nineteenth Trace Segment; 342-Twentieth Trace Segment; 343-Twenty-first Trace Segment; 35-Fifth Heatsink; 900-Fifth Optical Module; 1000-Fifth Cabinet. Detailed Implementation

[0106] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0107] In recent years, with the rapid development of network communication technology, the speed of Ethernet single-channel SERDES (serializer / deserializer) has increased from 25G to 224G. Furthermore, with the support of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC), the speed continues to accelerate. This has led to a demand for upgrades to the hardware architecture of communication equipment.

[0108] For example, a 51.2T switch chip can support 128 400G optical modules or 64 800G optical modules, requiring a corresponding number of port connectors on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board). In practice, the PCB is horizontally positioned, with the port connectors placed on two surfaces at one end. However, the PCB width is limited by the chassis width, meaning a single PCB cannot meet the port count requirements of the switch chip.

[0109] The present invention provides a first circuit board assembly and electronic device to improve the problem that the width of a single PCB cannot meet the port requirements of a switch chip due to the limitation of chassis width.

[0110] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first circuit board assembly shown in Figure 1 in an unfolded state. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportional relationships. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application includes a first circuit board 1, a first processing chip 2, and multiple port connectors. The first circuit board 1 includes a first flexible portion 11, a first rigid portion 12, and a second rigid portion 13. The first rigid portion 12 and the second rigid portion 13 are spaced apart in the thickness direction F1 of the second rigid portion 13. One end of the first flexible portion 11 is connected to one end of the first rigid portion 12, and the other end of the first flexible portion 11 is connected to one end of the second rigid portion 13. The first processing chip 2 is disposed on the first rigid portion 12. Multiple port connectors are distributed on at least one surface of the first rigid portion 12 away from the end of the first flexible portion 11 and at least one surface of the second rigid portion 13 away from the end of the first flexible portion 11. The multiple port connectors are connected to the first processing chip 2 through an in-board wiring layer.

[0111] In this design, the first circuit board 1 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. By bending the first flexible portion 11, the first rigid portion 12 and the second rigid portion 13 are spaced apart in the thickness direction of the second rigid portion 13. This allows port connectors to be placed on both surfaces of the first rigid portion 12 and the second rigid portion 13, respectively, at least one surface of the first rigid portion 12 and the second rigid portion 13. Port connectors can be placed on at least one surface of both the first and second rigid portions 12 and the second rigid portion 13, as needed. This doubles the area available for port connectors on the first circuit board 1, enabling twice the number of port connectors of existing technologies to be placed within the same width, thus better meeting the port quantity requirements of the switch chip.

[0112] Furthermore, the first circuit board assembly does not use any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity for the entire assembly. The connection between the port connector and the first processing chip 2 is achieved through in-board wiring, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The process reliability of the first circuit board assembly is also better.

[0113] For example, the first circuit board 1 can be a first circuit board 1 manufactured using a rigid-flex manufacturing process. For instance, the first rigid portion 12 and the second rigid portion 13 are conventional printed circuit boards, and the first flexible portion 11 is a bendable printed circuit board manufactured using a manufacturing process. The first flexible portion 11, the first rigid portion 12, and the second rigid portion 13 can be an integrally formed structure.

[0114] In one specific implementation, port connectors are provided on both surfaces of the first rigid plate portion 12 at the end away from the first flexible portion 11 and on both surfaces of the second rigid plate portion 13 at the end away from the first flexible portion 11. Of course, in other implementations, a port connector may be provided on one surface of the first rigid plate portion 12 at the end away from the first flexible portion 11, or a port connector may be provided on one surface of the second rigid plate portion 13 at the end away from the first flexible portion 11. Furthermore, depending on actual needs, one or two layers of port connectors may be provided on both the surfaces of the first rigid plate portion 12 and the second rigid plate portion 13.

[0115] It is easy to understand that when the first circuit board assembly is placed in the first housing of the electronic device, the first rigid board portion 12 and the second rigid board portion 13 can be supported by a support structure, and the first rigid board portion 12 and the second rigid board portion 13 can be fixed in the first housing.

[0116] In a specific implementation, the port connector can be an I / O connector, which can be used to connect the first optical module 100 and the cable. For example, only four first optical modules 100 are shown in both Figures 1 and 2. The first processing chip can be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a MAC (Media Access Control) chip, etc.

[0117] The port connector disposed on the first rigid board portion 12 is designated as the first port connector 31, and the first port connector 31 is connected to the first processing chip 2 via the first trace group 6. The port connector disposed on the second rigid board portion 13 is designated as the second port connector 32, and the second port connector 32 is connected to the first processing chip 2 via the second trace group 4. The traces in the second trace group 4 all include a first trace segment 41 disposed on the second rigid board portion 13, a second trace segment 42 disposed on the first flexible portion 11, and a third trace segment 43 disposed on the first rigid board portion 12. In some embodiments, the first trace segment 41, the second trace segment 42, and the third trace segment 43 of the same trace are disposed on the same layer to simplify the manufacturing process and further improve the SI performance of the link.

[0118] As an alternative, the number of routing layers in the second routing group of the first rigid board portion 12 and the second rigid board portion 13 is greater than the number of routing layers in the first flexible portion 11. At least some of the second routing segments 42 in the second routing group 4 are on different layers from the first routing segment 41 and the third routing segment 43 and are connected by vias. In this way, the number of layers in the first flexible portion 11 can be reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the first flexible portion 11 and making it easier to achieve the bendability of the first flexible portion 11.

[0119] In practice, the first processing chip 2 can be placed as close as possible to the first port connector 31 to reduce the length of the first circuit board 1 and shorten the trace distance.

[0120] The first processing chip 2 has a first center line m along its centerline in the arrangement direction of the first flexible portion 11 and the first rigid portion 12. It should be understood that the first center line m is a straight line passing through the midpoint of the first processing chip 2 in the arrangement direction of the first flexible portion 11 and the first rigid portion 12, and perpendicular to the first rigid portion 12. Referring to Figure 1, the edge of the first processing chip 2 has multiple pins. The pins located on the side of the first center line m facing the first flexible portion 11 are connected to the second port connector 32, and the pins located on the side of the first center line m away from the first flexible portion 11 are connected to the first port connector 31, thereby reducing the length of the trace and thus reducing the signal transmission loss of the link. For example, the edge pins of the first processing chip 2 can be SERDES pins.

[0121] In one specific implementation, the end face of the open end of the first port connector 31 and the end face of the open end of the second port connector 32 are both located in the first plane, so that when the first circuit board assembly is disposed in the electronic device, the open ends of the first port connector 31 and the open ends of the second port connector 32 can be exposed on the same surface of the electronic device, thereby facilitating the maintenance of the electronic device.

[0122] In one possible implementation, the first rigid plate portion 12 is parallel to the second rigid plate portion 13 (that is, the first flexible portion 11 realizes the 180-degree bending of the first circuit board 1), and the first rigid plate portion 12 is perpendicular to the first plane. This allows the first processing chip 2 to be horizontally positioned in a specific application, and the first heat sink 5 can be positioned on the surface of the first processing chip 2 opposite to the first rigid plate portion 12 without having to move the first heat sink 5 far away, which makes the design and installation of the first heat sink 5 easier.

[0123] For example, as shown in FIG1, the first processing chip 2 is disposed on the surface of the first rigid plate portion 12 opposite to the second rigid plate portion 13, thereby facilitating the placement of the first heat sink 5 on the surface of the first processing chip 2 opposite to the first rigid plate portion 12. Specifically, the first circuit board assembly includes the first heat sink 5, which is fixed to the surface of the first rigid plate portion 12 facing the first processing chip 2, and there is a gap between the first heat sink 5 and the first rigid plate portion 12. The first processing chip 2 is located between the first heat sink 5 and the first rigid plate portion 12 and is in contact with the first heat sink 5.

[0124] With the side opposite to the first rigid plate portion 12 and the first flexible portion 11 designated as the first side 121, in one specific implementation, a plurality of port connectors disposed on the first rigid plate portion 12 are evenly distributed along the first side 121.

[0125] With the side of the second rigid plate portion 13 opposite to the first flexible portion 11 designated as the second side 131, in one specific implementation, a plurality of port connectors disposed on the second rigid plate portion 13 are evenly distributed along the second side 131.

[0126] Figure 3 is a side view of an electronic device provided in this application, and Figure 4 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 3. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportional relationships. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the electronic device provided in this embodiment includes a first housing 200 and the aforementioned first circuit board assembly. The first circuit board assembly is disposed in the first housing 200, and the open ends of each port connector face the first surface 201 of the first housing 200. The first surface 201 of the first housing 200 is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each port connector, thereby enabling external devices to be connected to the corresponding port connectors through the first surface 201 of the first housing 200.

[0127] In this design, the first circuit board 1 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. By bending the first flexible portion 11, the first rigid portion 12 and the second rigid portion 13 are spaced apart in the thickness direction of the second rigid portion 13. This allows port connectors to be placed on both surfaces of the first rigid portion 12 and the second rigid portion 13, respectively, at least one surface of the first rigid portion 12 and the second rigid portion 13. Port connectors can be placed on at least one surface of both the first and second rigid portions 12 and the second rigid portion 13, as needed. This doubles the area available for port connectors on the first circuit board 1, enabling twice the number of port connectors of existing technologies to be placed within the same width, thus better meeting the port quantity requirements of the switch chip.

[0128] In addition, the first circuit board assembly does not use any other passive components, the whole assembly is highly simple, and the connection between the port connector and the first processing chip 2 is achieved through the wiring inside the board, resulting in better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link.

[0129] For example, both the first rigid plate portion 12 and the second rigid plate portion 13 are perpendicular to the first surface 201 of the first housing 200.

[0130] In one specific embodiment, the width of the first circuit board 1 is 420 mm (that is, the length of the first side 121 of the first rigid board portion 12 and the second side 131 of the second rigid board portion 13 are both 420 mm), and the length of the first circuit board 1 is 550 mm. The port connectors adopt a belly-to-belly layout (that is, a double-layer press-fit layout of the port connectors). In this case, 16 rows of port connections can be provided on both sides of the first rigid board portion 12 and both sides of the second rigid board portion 13 in the first circuit board assembly, and the first circuit board 1 can provide a total of 16×2×2×2=128 port connectors. When the port connectors adopt a single-layer arrangement, the first circuit board 1 can also arrange 16×2×2=64 port connectors. Of course, the size of the first circuit board 1 can be determined according to specific needs and is not limited to the above situation.

[0131] The present invention provides a second circuit board assembly and electronic device to improve the problem that the width of a single PCB cannot meet the port requirements of a switch chip due to the limitation of chassis width.

[0132] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the second circuit board assembly shown in Figure 5 in an unfolded state. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportional relationships. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the second circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application includes a second circuit board 7, a second processing chip 8, and multiple port connectors. The second circuit board 7 includes a third rigid board portion 72, a fourth rigid board portion 73, a fifth rigid board portion 75, a second flexible portion 71, and a third flexible portion 74. The third rigid board portion 72 and the fourth rigid board portion 73 are spaced apart in the thickness direction F2 of the fourth rigid board portion 73. The fifth rigid board portion 75 is located between the third rigid board portion 72 and the fourth rigid board portion 73 and is located on the same side of the third rigid board portion 72 and the fourth rigid board portion 73. One end of the fifth rigid board portion 75 is connected to one end of the third rigid board portion 72 through the second flexible portion 71, and the other end of the fifth rigid board portion 75 is connected to one end of the fourth rigid board portion 73 through the third flexible portion 74; the second processing chip 8 is disposed on the fifth rigid board portion 75, and a plurality of port connectors are distributed on at least one surface of the third rigid board portion 72 away from the second flexible portion 71 and at least one surface of the fourth rigid board portion 73 away from the third flexible portion 74, and the plurality of port connectors are connected to the second processing chip 8 through the in-board wiring layer.

[0133] In this design, the second circuit board 7 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. Through the bending of the second flexible portion 71 and the third flexible portion 74, the third rigid portion 72 and the fourth rigid portion 73 on both sides of the fifth rigid portion 75 are arranged opposite each other in the thickness direction of the fourth rigid portion 73. This allows port connectors to be placed on both surfaces of the third rigid portion 72 away from the second flexible portion 71 and both surfaces of the fourth rigid portion 73 away from the third flexible portion 74, according to actual needs. The area available for port connectors on the second circuit board 7 is doubled, enabling twice the number of port connectors in the same width, thus better meeting the port quantity requirements of the switch chip.

[0134] Furthermore, the second circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the port connectors and the second processing chip 8 is achieved through an in-board trace layer, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The manufacturing reliability of the second circuit board assembly is also improved. With the same width and number of port connectors on the second circuit board 7, the height of the second circuit board assembly can be reduced compared to a design where the port connectors and the second processing chip 8 are located on the same surface within the same plane of the second circuit board 7.

[0135] For example, the second circuit board 7 can be a second circuit board 7 manufactured using a rigid-flex manufacturing process. For instance, the third rigid portion 72, the fourth rigid portion 73, and the fifth rigid portion 75 are conventional printed circuit boards, and the second flexible portion 71 and the third flexible portion 74 are bendable printed circuit boards manufactured using a manufacturing process. The third rigid portion 72, the fourth rigid portion 73, the fifth rigid portion 75, the second flexible portion 71, and the third flexible portion 74 can be an integrally formed structure.

[0136] In one specific implementation, port connectors are provided on both surfaces of the third rigid plate portion 72 at the end away from the second flexible portion 71 and on both surfaces of the fourth rigid plate portion 73 at the end away from the third flexible portion 74. Of course, in other implementations, a port connector may be provided on one surface of the third rigid plate portion 72 at the end away from the second flexible portion 71, or a port connector may be provided on one surface of the fourth rigid plate portion 73 at the end away from the third flexible portion 74. Furthermore, depending on actual needs, one or two layers of port connectors may be provided on the surfaces of both the third rigid plate portion 72 and the fourth rigid plate portion 73.

[0137] It is easy to understand that when the second circuit board assembly is placed in the second housing of the electronic device, the third rigid board portion 72 and the fourth rigid board portion 73 can be supported by a support structure and fixed in the second housing.

[0138] In a specific implementation, the port connector can be an I / O connector, which can be used to connect the second optical module 300 and the cable. For example, only four second optical modules 300 are shown in Figures 5 and 6. The second processing chip 8 can be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or MAC (Media Access Control) chip, etc.

[0139] The port connector located on the third rigid board portion 72 is designated as the third port connector 91, and the port connector located on the fourth rigid board portion 73 is designated as the fourth port connector 92. In one specific implementation, the second processing chip 8 is located in the middle of the fifth rigid board portion 75, and on the second circuit board 7 extending in the direction A from the third rigid board portion 72 to the fourth rigid board portion 73. The second processing chip 8 has multiple pins on its edge. On the second circuit board 7 extending in the direction A from the third rigid board portion 72 to the fourth rigid board portion 73, the pins near the third port connector 91 are connected to the third port connector 91, and the pins near the fourth port connector 92 are connected to the fourth port connector 92, thereby achieving a certain degree of equalization of trace length. For example, the pins on the edge of the second processing chip 8 are SERDES pins.

[0140] For example, the third port connector 91 is connected to the second processing chip 8 through the third wiring group 10; the wiring in the third wiring group 10 includes a fourth wiring segment 101 disposed on the third rigid board portion 72, a fifth wiring segment 102 disposed on the second flexible portion 71, and a sixth wiring segment 103 disposed on the fifth rigid board portion 75.

[0141] The fourth trace segment 101, the fifth trace segment 102, and the sixth trace segment 103 of the same routing path are arranged on the same layer to simplify the manufacturing process of the second circuit board and further improve the SI performance of the link. Alternatively, in the third rigid board section 72 and the fifth rigid board section 75, the number of routing layers in the third trace group 10 is greater than the number of routing layers in the second flexible section 71. At least some of the fifth trace segment 102 in the third trace group 10 is on a different layer than the fourth trace segment 101 and the sixth trace segment 103, and the fifth trace segment 102 is connected to the fourth trace segment 101 and the sixth trace segment 103 via vias. This reduces the number of layers in the second flexible section 71, thereby reducing the thickness of the second flexible section and making it easier to achieve bendability.

[0142] For example, the fourth port connector 92 is connected to the second processing chip 8 through the fourth wiring group 11; the wiring in the fourth wiring group 11 includes a seventh wiring segment 111 disposed on the fourth rigid board portion 73, an eighth wiring segment 112 disposed on the third flexible portion 74, and a ninth wiring segment 113 disposed on the fifth rigid board portion 75.

[0143] The seventh, eighth, and ninth trace segments 111, 112, and 113 of the same trace are arranged on the same layer to simplify the manufacturing process of the second circuit board and further improve the SI performance of the link. Alternatively, in the fourth rigid section 73 and the fifth rigid section 75, the number of trace layers in the fourth trace group can be greater than the number of trace layers in the third flexible section 74; at least some traces in the fourth trace group 11, including the eighth trace segment 112, are on different layers from the seventh and ninth trace segments 111 and 113, and are connected to them via vias. This reduces the number of layers in the third flexible section 74, thereby reducing its thickness and making it easier to achieve bendability.

[0144] In one specific implementation, the end face of the open end of the third port connector 91 and the end face of the open end of the fourth port connector 92 are both located in the first plane, so that when the second circuit board assembly is disposed in the electronic device, the open ends of the third port connector 91 and the open ends of the fourth port connector 92 can face the same surface of the electronic device, thereby facilitating the maintenance of the electronic device.

[0145] In one possible implementation, the third rigid plate portion 72 is parallel to the fourth rigid plate portion 73 and perpendicular to the first plane to facilitate the placement of the port connector. Further, in another possible implementation, the fifth rigid plate portion 75 is perpendicular to the third rigid plate portion 72, meaning the second flexible portion 71 and the third flexible portion 74 are both at a 90° angle, thereby reducing the size of the second circuit board assembly in the arrangement direction of the fifth rigid plate portion 75 and the third rigid plate portion 72.

[0146] For example, as shown in FIG5, the second processing chip 8 is disposed on the surface of the fifth rigid plate portion 75 opposite to the fourth rigid plate portion 73, thereby facilitating the heat dissipation of the second processing chip 8.

[0147] With the side of the third rigid plate portion 72 opposite to the second flexible portion 71 designated as the third side 721, in one specific implementation, a plurality of port connectors disposed on the third rigid plate portion 72 are evenly distributed along the third side 721. Of course, in other embodiments, the plurality of port connectors disposed on the third rigid plate portion 72 may also be unevenly distributed along the third side 721.

[0148] With the side of the fourth rigid plate portion 73 opposite to the third flexible portion designated as the fourth side 731, in one specific implementation, a plurality of port connectors disposed on the fourth rigid plate portion 73 are evenly distributed along the fourth side 731. Of course, in other embodiments, the plurality of port connectors disposed on the fourth rigid plate portion 73 may also be unevenly distributed along the fourth side 731.

[0149] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 8 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 7. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportional relationships. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the electronic device provided in this embodiment includes a second housing 400 and the aforementioned second circuit board assembly. The second circuit board assembly is disposed in the second housing 400, and the open ends of each port connector face the second surface 401 of the second housing 400. The second surface 401 of the second housing 400 is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each port connector, thereby enabling external devices to be connected to the corresponding port connectors through the second surface 401 of the second housing 400.

[0150] In this design, the second circuit board 7 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. Through the bending of the second flexible portion 71 and the third flexible portion 74, the third rigid portion 72 and the fourth rigid portion 73 on both sides of the fifth rigid portion 75 are arranged opposite each other in the thickness direction of the fourth rigid portion 73. This allows port connectors to be placed on both surfaces of the third rigid portion 72 away from the second flexible portion 71 and both surfaces of the fourth rigid portion 73 away from the third flexible portion 74, according to actual needs. The area available for port connectors on the second circuit board 7 is doubled, enabling twice the number of port connectors in the same width, thus better meeting the port quantity requirements of the switch chip.

[0151] Furthermore, the second circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the port connectors and the second processing chip 8 is achieved through an in-board trace layer, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The manufacturing reliability of the second circuit board assembly is also improved. With the same width and number of port connectors on the second circuit board 7, compared to a design where the port connectors and the second processing chip 8 are located on the same surface in the same plane on the second circuit board 7, the height of the second circuit board assembly can be reduced, thereby reducing the height of the second housing used to accommodate the second circuit board assembly.

[0152] For example, the third rigid plate portion 72 and the fourth rigid plate portion 73 are both perpendicular to the second surface 401 of the second housing 400, and the fifth rigid plate portion 75 is parallel to the second surface of the second housing.

[0153] In some embodiments, a first cooling fan 12 may be provided in the second housing 400. The first cooling fan 12 is located on the side of the second processing chip 8 that is away from the fifth rigid board portion 75, and the first cooling fan 12 is spaced apart from the second processing chip 8 and opposite to the fifth rigid board portion 75, so as to dissipate heat for the second circuit board assembly through the first cooling fan 12.

[0154] In one specific embodiment, the width of the second circuit board 71 is 420 mm (that is, the lengths of the third side 721 of the third rigid board portion 72 and the fourth side 731 of the fourth rigid board portion 73 are both 420 mm), and the length of the second circuit board 71 is 550 mm. The port connectors adopt a belly-to-belly layout (that is, a double-layer press-fit layout of the port connectors). In this case, 16 rows of port connections can be provided on both sides of the third rigid board portion 72 and both sides of the fourth rigid board portion 73 in the second circuit board assembly, and the second circuit board 71 can provide a total of 16×2×2×2=128 port connectors. When the port connectors are arranged in a single layer, the second circuit board 71 can also arrange 16×2×2=64 port connectors. Of course, the size of the second circuit board 71 can be determined according to specific needs and is not limited to the above situation.

[0155] This invention provides a third circuit board assembly and electronic device to improve the problem that the width of a single PCB cannot meet the port requirements of a switch chip due to the limitation of chassis width.

[0156] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a third circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application, and Figure 10 is an unfolded view of the third circuit board assembly shown in Figure 9. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportional relationships. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the third circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application includes a third circuit board 14, a third processing chip 15, and a plurality of fifth port connectors 16. The third circuit board 14 includes a fourth flexible portion 141, a sixth rigid portion 142, and a seventh rigid portion 143. The sixth rigid portion 142 and the seventh rigid portion 143 each have a third surface and a fourth surface that are opposite each other in the thickness direction, and also include a side surface connecting the third surface and the fourth surface. The sixth rigid portion 142 is located on one side of the seventh rigid portion 143 and is spaced apart from and opposite to the seventh rigid portion 143. The side surface of the sixth rigid portion 142 is parallel to the third surface of the seventh rigid portion 143, that is, the sixth rigid portion 142 is perpendicular to the seventh rigid portion 143. The fourth flexible section 141 is located between the sixth rigid section 142 and the seventh rigid section 143, and one end of the fourth flexible section 141 is connected to one end of the sixth rigid section 142, and the other end of the fourth flexible section 141 is connected to one end of the seventh rigid section 143; the third processing chip 15 is disposed on the sixth rigid section 142, and a plurality of fifth port connectors 16 are distributed on the surface of the seventh rigid section 143 opposite to the sixth rigid section 142 and are connected to the third processing chip 15 through the in-board wiring layer.

[0157] In this scheme, the third circuit board 14 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. By bending the fourth flexible part 141, the sixth rigid part 142 and the seventh rigid part 143 are perpendicular to each other. This allows the fifth port connector 16 to be set on the surface of the seventh rigid part 143 opposite to the sixth rigid part 142, making the area on the third circuit board 14 available for setting the fifth port connector 16 larger. As a result, the number of fifth port connectors 16 can be set up many times more than in the prior art under the same width condition, which can better meet the port number requirements of the switch chip.

[0158] Furthermore, the third circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the fifth port connector 16 and the third processing chip 15 is achieved through in-board wiring, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The process reliability of the third circuit board assembly is also improved. The sixth rigid board portion 142, where the third processing chip 15 is located, is perpendicular to the seventh rigid board portion 143, where the fifth port connector 16 is located. This reduces the size of the third circuit board assembly in the direction B from the seventh rigid board portion 143 away from the sixth rigid board portion 142. In practical applications, the third processing chip 15 can be horizontally positioned, allowing the second heat sink 18 to be placed on the surface opposite to the sixth rigid board portion 142 without having to move the second heat sink 18 further away, thus facilitating its design and installation.

[0159] For example, the third circuit board 14 can be a third circuit board 14 manufactured using a rigid-flex manufacturing process. For instance, the sixth rigid portion 142 and the seventh rigid portion 143 are conventional printed circuit boards, and the fourth flexible portion 141 is a bendable printed circuit board manufactured using a manufacturing process. The fourth flexible portion 141, the sixth rigid portion 142, and the seventh rigid portion 143 can be a single integrally formed structure.

[0160] It is easy to understand that the third processing chip is disposed on the third or fourth surface of the sixth rigid board portion 142, and the fifth port connector is disposed on the third or fourth surface of the seventh rigid board portion 143. In a specific implementation, when the third circuit board assembly is disposed in the third housing of the electronic device, the sixth rigid board portion 142 and the seventh rigid board portion 143 can be supported by a support structure, and the sixth rigid board portion 142 and the seventh rigid board portion 143 can be fixed in the third housing.

[0161] In a specific implementation, the fifth port connector 16 can be an I / O connector, which can be used to connect the third optical module 500 and the cable. For example, two third optical modules 500 are shown in both Figures 9 and 11. The third processing chip 15 can be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or MAC (Media Access Control) chip, etc.

[0162] In one specific implementation, the fifth port connector 16 is connected to the third processing chip 15 through the fifth wiring group 17. The wiring in the fifth wiring group 17 includes a tenth wiring segment 171 disposed on the sixth rigid board section 142, an eleventh wiring segment 172 disposed on the fourth flexible section 141, and a twelfth wiring segment 173 disposed on the seventh rigid board section 143. The tenth wiring segment 171, the eleventh wiring segment 172, and the twelfth wiring segment 173 of the same wiring are disposed on the same layer to simplify the processing technology of the third circuit board 14 and further improve the SI performance of the link. Of course, the arrangement of the fifth wiring group 17 is not limited to this. For example, the number of wiring layers in the fifth wiring group in the sixth rigid board section 142 and the seventh rigid board section 143 can be greater than the number of wiring layers in the fourth flexible section 141. At least some of the eleventh wiring segments in the fifth wiring group 17 are on different layers from the tenth wiring segment 171 and the twelfth wiring segment 173, and the eleventh wiring segment is connected to the tenth wiring segment 171 and the twelfth wiring segment 173 through vias. In this way, the number of layers in the fourth flexible section 141 can be reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the fourth flexible section 141 and making it easier to achieve the bendability of the fourth flexible section 141.

[0163] In practice, the third processing chip 15 can be placed as close as possible to the fifth port connector 16 to reduce the length of the third circuit board 14, shorten the trace distance, and thus reduce the signal transmission loss of the link.

[0164] In one possible implementation, multiple fifth port connectors 16 are arranged in a rectangular array on the surface of the seventh rigid plate portion 143, which facilitates both the processing and assembly of the third circuit board assembly and maximizes the number of fifth port connectors 16.

[0165] In one possible implementation, as shown in FIG9, the seventh rigid board portion 143 is located on the side of the sixth rigid board portion 142 opposite to the third processing chip 15, thereby isolating the heat dissipation channels of the fifth port connector 16 and the third processing chip 15 from each other, which is beneficial to their heat dissipation. Specifically, the third circuit board assembly includes a second heat sink 18, which is fixed to the surface of the sixth rigid board portion 142 facing the third processing chip 15, and there is a gap between the second heat sink 18 and the sixth rigid board portion 142; the third processing chip 15 is located between the second heat sink 18 and the sixth rigid board portion 142, and is in contact with the second heat sink 18.

[0166] As shown in Figure 11, as an alternative, the seventh rigid board portion 143 is located on the side of the sixth rigid board portion 142 facing the third processing chip 15. This solution can reduce the size of the third circuit board assembly in the direction B of the seventh rigid board portion 143 away from the sixth rigid board portion 142.

[0167] Next, referring to Figures 9 and 10, the side opposite to the fourth flexible part 141 of the sixth rigid part 142 is the fifth side 1421. In some embodiments, the third processing chip 15 is located in the middle of the sixth rigid part 142 in a direction parallel to the fifth side 1421, thereby balancing the length of the traces to a certain extent.

[0168] Figure 12 is a side view of an electronic device provided in this application, and Figure 13 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 12. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportional relationships. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the electronic device provided in this embodiment includes a third housing 600 and the aforementioned third circuit board assembly. The third circuit board assembly is disposed in the third housing 600, and the open ends of each fifth port connector 16 face the third surface 601 of the third housing 600. The third surface 601 of the third housing 600 is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each fifth port connector 16, thereby enabling external devices to be connected to the corresponding fifth port connector 16 via the third surface 601 of the third housing 600.

[0169] In this scheme, the third circuit board 14 adopts a combination of rigid and flexible structure. By bending the fourth flexible part 141, the sixth rigid part 142 and the seventh rigid part 143 are perpendicular to each other. This allows the fifth port connector 16 to be set on the surface of the seventh rigid part 143 opposite to the sixth rigid part 142, making the area on the third circuit board 14 available for setting the fifth port connector 16 larger. As a result, the number of fifth port connectors 16 can be set up many times more than in the prior art under the same width condition, which can better meet the port number requirements of the switch chip.

[0170] Furthermore, the third circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the fifth port connector 16 and the third processing chip 15 is achieved through in-board wiring, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link, and improved process reliability of the third circuit board assembly. The third processing chip 15 can be horizontally positioned, allowing the second heat sink 18 to be placed on the surface opposite to the sixth rigid board portion 142 without having to be moved further away, thus simplifying the design and installation of the second heat sink 18. The sixth rigid board portion 142, where the third processing chip 15 is located, is perpendicular to the seventh rigid board portion 143, where the fifth port connector 16 is located. This reduces the size of the third circuit board assembly in the direction B from the seventh rigid board portion 143 away from the sixth rigid board portion 142, and also reduces the height of the third housing 600 used to accommodate the third circuit board assembly.

[0171] For example, the seventh rigid plate portion 143 is parallel to the third surface 601 of the third housing 600, and the sixth rigid plate portion 142 is perpendicular to the third surface 601 of the third housing 600, thereby minimizing the size of the third circuit board assembly in the direction B of the seventh rigid plate portion 143 away from the sixth rigid plate portion 142 and the height of the accommodating space of the third housing 600 for accommodating the third circuit board assembly.

[0172] In some embodiments, a second cooling fan 19 may be provided in the third housing 600. The second cooling fan 19 is located on the side of the sixth rigid plate portion 142 facing away from the seventh rigid plate portion 143, and the second cooling fan 19 is spaced apart from the sixth rigid plate portion 142 and opposite to the seventh rigid plate portion 143, thereby dissipating heat for the third circuit board assembly through the second cooling fan 19.

[0173] In one specific embodiment, the width of the third circuit board 14 is 420 mm (that is, the length of the fifth side 1421 of the sixth rigid board portion 142 is 420 mm), and the length of the third circuit board 14 is 550 mm. In this case, 128 fifth port connectors 16 can be provided on the surface of the seventh rigid board portion 143 in the third circuit board assembly. Of course, the size of the third circuit board 14 and the number of fifth port connectors 16 in the third circuit board 14 can be determined according to specific needs and are not limited to the above situation.

[0174] The present invention provides a fourth circuit board assembly and electronic device to improve the problem that the width of a single PCB cannot meet the port requirements of a switch chip due to the limitation of chassis width.

[0175] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application, and Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the fourth circuit board assembly shown in Figure 14 in an unfolded state. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportional relationships. Referring to Figures 14 and 15, the fourth circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application includes a fourth circuit board 21, a fourth processing chip 221, a fifth processing chip 222, and a plurality of sixth port connectors 23. The fourth circuit board 21 includes an eighth rigid plate portion 212, a ninth rigid plate portion 213, a tenth rigid plate portion 215, a fifth flexible portion 211, and a sixth flexible portion 214. The eighth rigid plate portion 212 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213 are spaced apart in the thickness direction F3 of the ninth rigid plate portion 213. The tenth rigid plate portion 215 is located between the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213, and is located between the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and the sixth flexible portion 214. On the same side of the ninth rigid board section 213, one end of the tenth rigid board section 215 is connected to one end of the eighth rigid board section 212 through the fifth flexible section 211, and the other end of the tenth rigid board section 215 is connected to one end of the ninth rigid board section 213 through the sixth flexible section 214; the fourth processing chip 221 is disposed on the eighth rigid board section 212, the fifth processing chip 222 is disposed on the ninth rigid board section 213, and a plurality of sixth port connectors 23 are distributed on the surface of the tenth rigid board section 215 away from the eighth rigid board section 212, and each plurality of sixth port connectors 23 is connected to the fourth processing chip 221 and the fifth processing chip 222 through the in-board wiring layer.

[0176] In this design, the fourth circuit board 21 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. The fourth circuit board 21 is bent twice through the fifth flexible part 211 and the sixth flexible part 214, so that the eighth rigid part 212 and the ninth rigid part 213 are both bent to the same side of the tenth rigid part 215. The sixth port connector 23 is provided on the surface of the tenth rigid part 215 that is away from the eighth rigid part 212. The area for providing the sixth port connector 23 is larger, which can increase the number of sixth port connectors 23 by several times compared with the prior art. Thus, it is possible to set a number of sixth port connectors 23 that is several times larger than that of the prior art under the same width condition, which can better meet the port number requirements of the dual-chip architecture switch.

[0177] Furthermore, the fourth circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the sixth port connector 23 and the processing chip is achieved through an in-board trace layer, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The fourth circuit board assembly also exhibits improved process reliability. With the same width of the fourth circuit board 21 and the same number of sixth port connectors 23, the height of the fourth circuit board assembly can be reduced compared to a design where the sixth port connectors 23 and the processing chip are located on the same surface within the same plane of the fourth circuit board 21.

[0178] For example, the fourth circuit board 21 can be a fourth circuit board 21 manufactured using a rigid-flex manufacturing process. For instance, the eighth rigid board portion 212, the ninth rigid board portion 213, and the tenth rigid board portion 215 are conventional printed circuit boards, while the fifth flexible portion 211 and the sixth flexible portion 214 are bendable printed circuit boards manufactured using a manufacturing process. The eighth rigid board portion 212, the ninth rigid board portion 213, the tenth rigid board portion 215, the fifth flexible portion 211, and the sixth flexible portion 214 can be an integrally formed structure.

[0179] It is easy to understand that when the fourth circuit board assembly is placed in the fourth housing of the electronic device, the eighth rigid board part 212 and the ninth rigid board part 213 can be supported by the support structure, and the eighth rigid board part 212, the ninth rigid board part 213 and the tenth rigid board part 215 can be fixed in the fourth housing.

[0180] In some embodiments, the distance between the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213 can be adjusted by the bending angle of the fifth flexible portion 211, thereby making it possible to compress the size of the electronic component to within 4U in the arrangement direction of the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213.

[0181] In a specific implementation, the sixth port connector 23 can be an I / O connector, which can be used to connect the fourth optical module 700 and the cable. For example, only two fourth optical modules 700 are shown in Figure 14. The processing chip can be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or MAC (Media Access Control) chip, etc.

[0182] For example, each sixth port connector 23 is connected to the fourth processing chip 221 via a sixth trace group 24; the traces in the sixth trace group 24 all include a thirteenth trace segment 241 disposed on the eighth rigid section 212, a fourteenth trace segment 242 disposed on the fifth flexible section 211, and a fifteenth trace segment 243 disposed on the tenth rigid section 215; the thirteenth trace segment 241, fourteenth trace segment 242, and fifteenth trace segment 243 of the same trace are disposed on the same layer to simplify the manufacturing process of the fourth circuit board 21. To further improve the SI performance of the link, as an alternative, in the eighth rigid board section 212 and the tenth rigid board section 215, the number of routing layers distributed in the sixth routing group 24 is greater than the number of routing layers in the fifth flexible section 211; at least some of the routing in the sixth routing group 24 has its fourteenth routing segment 242 on a different layer from the thirteenth routing segment 241 and the fifteenth routing segment 243, and the fourteenth routing segment 242 is connected to the thirteenth routing segment 241 and the fifteenth routing segment 243 through vias. In this way, the number of layers in the fifth flexible section 211 is reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the fifth flexible section 211 and making it easier to achieve the bendability of the fifth flexible section 211.

[0183] For example, each sixth port connector 23 is connected to the fifth processing chip 222 through a seventh wiring group 25, that is, each sixth port connector 23 is connected to the fourth processing chip 221 through a sixth wiring group 24 and to the fifth processing chip 222 through a seventh wiring group 25. Specifically, the traces in the seventh trace group 25 all include a sixteenth trace segment 251 disposed on the ninth rigid board section 213, a seventeenth trace segment 252 disposed on the sixth flexible section 214, and an eighteenth trace segment 253 disposed on the tenth rigid board section 215; the sixteenth trace segment 251, the seventeenth trace segment 252, and the eighteenth trace segment 253 of the same trace are disposed on the same layer to simplify the manufacturing process of the fourth circuit board 21 and further improve the SI performance of the link; as an alternative, the number of trace layers distributed in the seventh trace group 25 in the ninth rigid board section 213 and the tenth rigid board section 215 can be greater than the number of trace layers in the sixth flexible section 214; at least some of the traces in the seventh trace group 25 have a seventeenth trace segment 252 on a different layer from the sixteenth trace segment 251 and the eighteenth trace segment 253, and the seventeenth trace segment 252 of this trace is connected to the sixteenth trace segment 251 and the eighteenth trace segment 253 through vias. In this way, the number of layers of the sixth flexible part 214 is reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the sixth flexible part 214 and making it easier to achieve the bendability of the sixth flexible part 214.

[0184] In some embodiments, the eighth rigid plate portion 212 is parallel to the ninth rigid plate portion 213, and the tenth rigid plate portion 215 is perpendicular to the eighth rigid plate portion 212, meaning that the fifth flexible portion 211 and the sixth flexible portion 214 are both at a 90° angle. When the electronic components are disposed in the fourth housing, the arrangement direction of the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213 is usually the height direction of the fourth housing. This solution can reduce the size of the fourth circuit board assembly in the arrangement direction of the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213, that is, the height of the fourth circuit board assembly.

[0185] For example, as shown in FIG15, the plurality of sixth port connectors 23 are arranged in a rectangular array on the surface of the tenth rigid plate portion 215, thereby maximizing the number of sixth port connectors 23.

[0186] With the side opposite to the fifth flexible part 211 of the eighth rigid board part 212 as the sixth side 2121, in one specific implementation, the fourth processing chip 221 is located in the middle of the eighth rigid board part 212 in a direction parallel to the sixth side 2121, thereby balancing the length of the traces to a certain extent.

[0187] With the side opposite to the sixth flexible part 214 of the ninth rigid board part 213 as the seventh side 2131, in one specific implementation, the fifth processing chip 222 is located in the middle of the ninth rigid board part 213 in a direction parallel to the seventh side 2131, thereby balancing the length of the traces to a certain extent.

[0188] In some embodiments, a fourth processing chip 221 is disposed on the surface of the eighth rigid plate portion 212 opposite to the ninth rigid plate portion 213, and a fifth processing chip 222 is disposed on the surface of the ninth rigid plate portion 213 facing the eighth rigid plate portion 212.

[0189] In some embodiments, the fourth circuit board assembly includes a third heat sink 26, which is fixed to the surface of the eighth rigid plate portion 212 facing the fourth processing chip 221, and there is a gap between the third heat sink 26 and the eighth rigid plate portion 212. The fourth processing chip 221 is located between the third heat sink 26 and the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and is in contact with the third heat sink 26. Compared to arranging the third heat sink 26 further away, it is easier to design and install the third heat sink 26.

[0190] In some embodiments, the fourth circuit board assembly includes a fourth heat sink 27, which is fixed to the surface of the ninth rigid plate portion 213 facing the fifth processing chip 222, and there is a gap between the fourth heat sink 27 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213. The fifth processing chip 222 is located between the fourth heat sink 27 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213 and is in contact with the fourth heat sink 27. Compared to placing the fourth heat sink 27 further away, it is easier to design and install the fourth heat sink 27.

[0191] Figure 16 is a side view of an electronic device provided in this application, and Figure 17 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 16. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportional relationships. As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the electronic device provided in this embodiment includes a fourth housing 800 and the aforementioned fourth circuit board assembly. The fourth circuit board assembly is disposed in the fourth housing 800, and the open ends of each sixth port connector 23 face the fifth surface 801 of the fourth housing 800. The fifth surface 801 of the fourth housing 800 is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each sixth port connector 23, thereby enabling external devices to be connected to the corresponding sixth port connector 23 via the fifth surface 801 of the fourth housing 800.

[0192] In this design, the fourth circuit board 21 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. The fourth circuit board 21 is bent twice through the fifth flexible part 211 and the sixth flexible part 214, so that the eighth rigid part 212 and the ninth rigid part 213 are both bent to the same side of the tenth rigid part 215. The sixth port connector 23 is provided on the surface of the tenth rigid part 215 that is away from the eighth rigid part 212. The area for providing the sixth port connector 23 is larger, which can increase the number of sixth port connectors 23 by several times compared with the prior art. Thus, it is possible to set a number of sixth port connectors 23 that is several times larger than that of the prior art under the same width condition, which can better meet the port number requirements of the dual-chip architecture switch.

[0193] Furthermore, the fourth circuit board assembly does not employ any other passive components, resulting in a high degree of simplicity. The connection between the sixth port connector 23 and the processing chip is achieved through an in-board trace layer, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The fourth circuit board assembly also exhibits improved process reliability. With the same width of the fourth circuit board 21 and the same number of sixth port connectors 23, the height of the fourth circuit board assembly can be reduced compared to a design where the sixth port connectors 23 and the processing chip are located on the same surface within the same plane of the fourth circuit board 21.

[0194] For example, both the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and the ninth rigid plate portion 213 are horizontally arranged in the fourth housing 800.

[0195] In some embodiments, a third cooling fan 28 may be provided in the fourth housing 800. The third cooling fan 28 is located on the side of the eighth rigid plate portion 212 that is away from the tenth rigid plate portion 215, and the third cooling fan 28 is spaced apart from the eighth rigid plate portion 212 and opposite to the tenth rigid plate portion 215, thereby cooling the fourth circuit board assembly through the third cooling fan 28.

[0196] In one specific embodiment, the width of the fourth circuit board 21 is 420 mm (that is, the lengths of the sixth side 2121 of the eighth rigid board portion 212 and the seventh side 2131 of the ninth rigid board portion 213 are both 420 mm), and the length of the fourth circuit board 21 is 550 mm. The fourth circuit board 21 can be provided with a total of 128 sixth port connectors 23. Of course, the dimensions of the fourth circuit board 21 and the number of sixth port connectors 23 can be determined according to specific needs and are not limited to the above-described scenario.

[0197] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application. It should be understood that the figure is only a structural illustration and does not represent actual proportional relationships. As shown in Figure 18, the fifth circuit board assembly provided in an embodiment of this application includes a fifth circuit board 29, a sixth processing chip 30, and a plurality of seventh port connectors 33. The fifth circuit board 29 includes a seventh flexible portion 291 and eleventh rigid portion 292 and twelfth rigid portion 293 that are parallel to each other. The twelfth rigid portion 293 has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, and the plurality of seventh port connectors 33 are distributed at the first end; the eleventh rigid portion 292 is located on the side opposite to the first end of the second end of the twelfth rigid portion 293, and in the... In the thickness direction of the eleventh rigid board portion 292, there is a gap between the eleventh rigid board portion 292 and the twelfth rigid board portion 293; the seventh flexible portion 291 is located between the eleventh rigid board portion 292 and the twelfth rigid board portion 293, and one end of the seventh flexible portion 291 is connected to one end of the eleventh rigid board portion 292, and the other end of the seventh flexible portion 291 is connected to the second end of the twelfth rigid board portion 293; the sixth processing chip 30 is disposed in the eleventh rigid board portion 292, and the seventh port connector 33 is connected to the sixth processing chip 30 through the in-board wiring layer.

[0198] In this design, the fifth circuit board 29 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. Through the bending of the seventh flexible section 291, the eleventh rigid section 292 and the twelfth rigid section 293 on both sides of the seventh flexible section 291 can have a height difference. The fifth circuit board assembly does not use any other passive components, resulting in high overall simplicity. Furthermore, the connection between the seventh port connector 33 and the sixth processing chip 30 is achieved through in-board wiring, leading to better SI performance and impedance consistency of the link. The fifth circuit board assembly also exhibits stronger process reliability.

[0199] For example, the fifth circuit board 29 can be a fifth circuit board manufactured using a rigid-flex manufacturing process. For instance, the eleventh rigid section 292 and the twelfth rigid section 293 are conventional printed circuit boards, and the seventh flexible section 291 is a bendable printed circuit board manufactured using a manufacturing process. The seventh flexible section 291, the eleventh rigid section 292, and the twelfth rigid section 293 can be a single-piece molded structure.

[0200] It is easy to understand that the positional relationship between the eleventh rigid plate part 292 and the twelfth rigid plate part 293 can be controlled by the bending angle of the seventh flexible part 291 according to actual needs. In addition, in specific implementation, when the fifth circuit board assembly is placed in the fifth housing of the electronic device, the eleventh rigid plate part 292 and the twelfth rigid plate part 293 can be supported by a support structure and fixed in the fifth housing.

[0201] In practical implementation, the seventh port connector 33 can be an I / O connector, which can be used to connect the fifth optical module 900 and the cable. Only two fifth optical modules 900 are shown in Figures 18 and 19. The sixth processing chip 30 can be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or MAC (Media Access Control) chip, etc.

[0202] In one specific implementation, the seventh port connector 33 is connected to the sixth processing chip 30 through the eighth wiring group 34. The wiring in the eighth wiring group 34 includes a nineteenth wiring segment 341 disposed on the eleventh rigid board section 292, a twentieth wiring segment 342 disposed on the seventh flexible section 291, and a twenty-first wiring segment 343 disposed on the twelfth rigid board section 293. The nineteenth wiring segment 341, the twentieth wiring segment 342, and the twenty-first wiring segment 343 of the same wiring are disposed on the same layer to simplify the processing technology of the fifth circuit board 29 and further improve the SI performance of the link. Of course, the arrangement of the eighth wiring group 34 is not limited to this. For example, in the eleventh rigid board section 292 and the twelfth rigid board section 293, the number of wiring layers distributed in the eighth wiring group can be greater than the number of wiring layers in the seventh flexible section 291. At least some of the wiring in the eighth wiring group 34, the twentieth wiring segment 342, is on a different layer from the nineteenth wiring segment 341 and the twenty-first wiring segment 343, and the twentieth wiring segment 342 is connected to the nineteenth wiring segment 341 and the twenty-first wiring segment 343 through vias. In this way, the number of layers in the seventh flexible section 291 is reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the seventh flexible section 291 and making it easier to achieve the flexibility of the seventh flexible section 291.

[0203] In practical implementation, the sixth processing chip 30 can be placed as close as possible to the seventh port connector 33 to reduce the length of the fifth circuit board 29, shorten the trace distance, and thus reduce the signal transmission loss of the link. Furthermore, the specific location of the sixth processing chip 30 can be set according to the link loss requirements and the loss requirements of the seventh port connector 33.

[0204] In one possible implementation, both surfaces of the first end of the eleventh rigid board portion 292 are provided with a seventh port connector 33, thereby allowing the fifth circuit board 29 to have more seventh port connectors 33. Furthermore, both surfaces of the first end of the twelfth rigid board portion 293 can be provided with two layers of seventh port connectors 33 to further increase the number of seventh port connectors 33. Of course, both surfaces of the first end of the twelfth rigid board portion 293 can also be provided with a single layer of seventh port connectors 33.

[0205] In some embodiments, a plurality of seventh port connectors 33 are evenly distributed on two surfaces at the first end of the twelfth rigid plate portion 293 to facilitate the design and assembly of the fifth circuit board assembly.

[0206] Of course, in other implementations, the seventh port connector 33 may be provided only on one surface of the first end of the eleventh rigid plate section 292.

[0207] In one possible implementation, the fifth circuit board assembly includes a fifth heat sink 35, which is fixed to the surface of the eleventh rigid plate portion 292 facing the sixth processing chip 30, with a gap between the fifth heat sink 35 and the eleventh rigid plate portion 292. The sixth processing chip 30 is located between the fifth heat sink 35 and the eleventh rigid plate portion 292 and is in contact with the fifth heat sink 35. Compared to the case where the heat sink is arranged further away, the design and installation of the fifth heat sink 35 are simpler in this solution.

[0208] Next, referring to Figure 19, the side opposite to the eleventh rigid plate portion 292 and the seventh flexible portion 291 is the eighth side 2921. In some embodiments, the sixth processing chip 30 is located in the middle of the eleventh rigid plate portion 292 in a direction parallel to the eighth side 2921, thereby balancing the length of the traces to a certain extent.

[0209] Figure 20 is a side view of an electronic device provided in this application, and Figure 21 is a rear view of the electronic device shown in Figure 20. It should be understood that the figures are only schematic diagrams and do not represent actual proportions. As shown in Figures 20 and 21, the electronic device provided in this embodiment includes a fifth housing 1000 and the aforementioned fifth circuit board assembly. The fifth housing 1000 has a receiving space for housing the fifth circuit board assembly, and the fifth circuit board assembly is disposed in the receiving space. The first end of the receiving space is provided with a through-hole corresponding to each of the seventh port connectors 33. The open end of each seventh port connector 33 is connected to its corresponding through-hole, thereby enabling external devices to be connected to the corresponding seventh port connector 33 through the through-hole of the fifth housing 1000.

[0210] In this scheme, the fifth circuit board 29 adopts a rigid-flex board structure. Through the bending of the seventh flexible part 291, the eleventh rigid part 292 and the twelfth rigid part 293 on both sides of the seventh flexible part 291 can have a height difference. The fifth circuit board assembly does not use any other passive components, the whole assembly has high simplicity, and the connection between the seventh port connector 33 and the sixth processing chip 30 is realized through the in-board wiring. The SI performance and impedance consistency of the link are better, and the process reliability of the fifth circuit board assembly is also better.

[0211] In some embodiments, the height of the aforementioned accommodating space is 4.445 cm (i.e., 1U). Within a height of 1U, this solution has a more significant advantage over the solution of connecting two fifth circuit boards with copper cables. Specifically, within a height of 1U, the copper cable wiring is more difficult when connecting two fifth circuit boards with copper cables, and the copper cable arrangement also affects the system airflow. These problems are solved in this solution.

[0212] For example, both the eleventh rigid plate portion 292 and the twelfth rigid plate portion 293 can be horizontally arranged in the fifth housing 1000.

[0213] For example, the electronic devices mentioned in this embodiment include, but are not limited to, switches and servers.

[0214] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A first circuit board assembly, characterized in that, The system includes a first circuit board, a first processing chip, and multiple port connectors. The first circuit board includes a first flexible portion, a first rigid portion, and a second rigid portion. The first rigid portion and the second rigid portion are spaced apart in the thickness direction of the second rigid portion. One end of the first flexible portion is connected to one end of the first rigid portion, and the other end of the first flexible portion is connected to one end of the second rigid portion. The first processing chip is disposed on the first rigid board portion, and the plurality of port connectors are distributed on at least one surface of the first rigid board portion away from the first flexible portion and at least one surface of the second rigid board portion away from the first flexible portion, and the plurality of port connectors are connected to the first processing chip through an in-board wiring layer.

2. The first circuit board assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The port connector disposed on the second rigid board portion is a second port connector, which is connected to the first processing chip through a second wiring group; the wiring in the second wiring group includes a first wiring segment disposed on the second rigid board portion, a second wiring segment disposed on the first flexible portion, and a third wiring segment disposed on the first rigid board portion, and the first wiring segment, the second wiring segment, and the third wiring segment of the same wiring are disposed on the same layer.

3. The first circuit board assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The port connector disposed on the second rigid board portion is a second port connector, which is connected to the first processing chip through a second wiring group; the wiring in the second wiring group includes a first wiring segment disposed on the second rigid board portion, a second wiring segment disposed on the first flexible portion, and a third wiring segment disposed on the first rigid board portion, and the number of wiring layers distributed in the second wiring group in both the first rigid board portion and the second rigid board portion is greater than the number of wiring layers in the first flexible portion; At least some of the second routing segments in the second routing group are on different layers from the first and third routing segments and are connected by vias.

4. The first circuit board assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The port connector disposed on the first rigid board portion is the first port connector, and the centerline of the first processing chip in the arrangement direction of the first flexible portion and the first rigid board portion is the first centerline; The edge of the first processing chip has multiple pins. The pins located on the side of the first centerline facing the first flexible portion are connected to the second port connector, and the pins located on the side of the first centerline away from the first flexible portion are connected to the first port connector.

5. The first circuit board assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The end face of the open end of the first port connector and the end face of the open end of the second port connector are both located in the first plane.

6. The first circuit board assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first rigid plate portion is parallel to the second rigid plate portion, and the first rigid plate portion is perpendicular to the first plane.

7. The first circuit board assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The side of the first rigid plate portion opposite to the first flexible portion is called the first side, and the plurality of port connectors disposed on the first rigid plate portion are evenly distributed along the first side; The side of the second rigid plate portion opposite to the first flexible portion is called the second side, and a plurality of port connectors disposed on the second rigid plate portion are evenly distributed along the second side.

8. The first circuit board assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first processing chip is disposed on the surface of the first rigid plate portion opposite to the second rigid plate portion.

9. The first circuit board assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The device includes a first heat sink, which is fixed to the surface of the first rigid plate portion facing the first processing chip, and there is a gap between the first heat sink and the first rigid plate portion; the first processing chip is located between the first heat sink and the first rigid plate portion and is in contact with the first heat sink.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a first housing and a first circuit board assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first circuit board assembly is disposed in the first housing, and the open ends of each of the port connectors face the first surface of the first housing; the first surface is provided with through openings corresponding to the open ends of each of the port connectors.

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