Asymmetric PCB Component Stacking for Enclosure Space Optimization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Computing device enclosures have limited physical space for storing multiple devices and memory resources, restricting the number of computing resources that can be utilized within a given footprint.
Innovation Solution
The orientation of printed circuit boards (PCBs) within computing device enclosures, where one side has taller components and the other side has shorter components, allows for more efficient stacking and placement of devices, enabling additional devices and memory resources to be stored by minimizing overall footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional PCB orientations are used with uniform component distribution, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but the enclosure footprint increases and storage capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by orienting PCBs with non-uniform component distribution - placing heavier components on one side and lighter components on the other side of the PCB. This asymmetric layout allows adjacent PCBs to be stacked efficiently, with taller components on one side fitting into spaces between shorter components on the adjacent side, thereby reducing the overall enclosure footprint while increasing storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vertical stacking in the third dimension by orienting multiple PCBs at different heights and angles. Instead of arranging devices only horizontally, the asymmetric PCB orientation enables vertical layering where components extend at different heights, effectively using the Z-axis to increase storage density within the same footprint.
2Quantity of substance
If PCBs are oriented to minimize footprint with asymmetric component placement, then storage capacity increases, but manufacturing complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different component densities to different regions of the PCB - high-density component placement on one side and low-density placement on the other side. This localized differentiation optimizes space utilization in specific areas while maintaining overall manufacturing feasibility, as each region's complexity is managed independently rather than uniformly across the entire board.
3Quantity of substance
If devices are densely packed to maximize space utilization, then storage capacity increases, but airflow for cooling is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by creating gaps and channels between asymmetrically oriented PCBs, dividing the enclosure into distinct airflow zones. The non-uniform component heights naturally form ventilation passages that segment the internal space, allowing cooling air to flow through designated pathways between devices rather than being completely blocked by dense packing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces vertical airflow paths in the third dimension by orienting PCBs with varying heights. This creates multi-level cooling channels where air can flow both horizontally between devices and vertically through the stacked arrangement, utilizing the Z-axis to maintain adequate thermal management while achieving high storage density.
Data Source
AI summary
An example computing device enclosure can include a first printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a first plurality of components, where a first portion of the first plurality of components that are shorter than a threshold height are positioned on a first side of the first PCB and a second portion of the first plurality of components that are taller than the threshold height are positioned on a second side of the first PCB, and a second printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a second plurality of components, where a first portion of the second plurality of components that are shorter than the threshold height are positioned on a first side of the second PCB and a second portion of the second plurality of components that are taller than the threshold height are positioned on a second side of the second PCB.