High current, high mechanical strength connectors for insulated metal substrate circuit boards
OwnerRichard T. Westinventor
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Abstract
The invention is a method of and devices for making electrical connections to an Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS) printed circuit board. The approach is novel. The invention enables IMS type materials to be cost-effectively used with much higher currents. The invention also enables the substrate layer to be used as an active circuit layer.
Claims8
A device that makes an electrical connection to the top foil of an insulated metal substrate (IMS) printed circuit board (PCB) using a mechanical fastener and the structural integrity of the IMS substrate to simultaneously provide a high strength mechanical connection and an electrical connection that is electrically isolated from said fastener and said IMS substrate.
A method of making two simultaneous electrical connections from one Printed Circuit Board (PCB), of any material type, to another PCB, of any material type, using four basic components;
- a conductive ring;
- an electrically insulating bushing having a center through hole;
- a machine screw and a nut. The said bushing is placed inside the said conductive ring and both are sandwiched between two PCBs, each having at least one through hole. The assembly is clamped together with the machine screw and nut. The conductive ring carries the current of one of the electrical circuits and the machine screw carries the current of the other circuit.
A device for enabling two simultaneous electrical connections from one Printed Circuit Board (PCB) to another PCB that is comprised of a conductive ring and an electrically insulating center bushing having at least one through hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.