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AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation
InventorsKeith L. Volz, Frederick R. Deak, David C. Johnson, Warren A. Bates, Robert M. Renn
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A unitary heat sink and connector housing (10, 10', 10", 10"') is disposed between a pair of electrical members, such as printed circuit boards (11, 12, 31) and/or flexible etched circuits (32) in an overall assembly used in a variety of high-performance miniaturized electronic products. One or more flexible electrical connectors (21, 25, 26, 29, 30) are mounted within the unitary heat sink and connector housing (10, 10', 10", 10"') and provide a circuit interface between respective circuit elements or pads (13, 14) on the printed circuit boards (11, 12, 31) and/or flexible etched circuits (32), respectively. The unitary heat sink and connector housing (10, 10', 10", 10"'), which preferably has heat-radiating fins (20), is made from a material which is thermally conductive but electrically non-conductive. Examples of such a material are anodized aluminum, silicon dioxide and beryllium oxide. Any suitable ceramic material could be used.
In an electrical assembly, the combination of a first electrical member having at least one first circuit element thereon, a second electrical member having at least one second circuit element thereon, a unitary heat sink and connector housing, made from a material which is thermally conductive but electrically insulative, and disposed between the first and second electrical members, means for securing the first and second electrical members to the unitary heat sink and connector housing, a unitary heat sink and connector housing having a through slot therein, and a flexible electrical connector mounted within said slot for electrical engagement with said first and second electrical members, whereby said flexible electrical connector includes at least one circuit trace thereon providing a circuit interface between the first and second circuit elements on the first and second electrical members, respectively.
An electrical assembly, comprising a first electrical member having a plurality of first circuit elements thereon, a second electrical member having a plurality of second circuit elements thereon, a unitary heat sink and connector housing disposed between the first and second electrical members and made from a material which is thermally conductive but electrically insulative, heat-radiating means on the unitary heat sink and connector housing, means for securing the unitary heat sink and connector housing to the first and second electrical members, the unitary heat sink and connector housing having an opening formed therein, and at least one flexible electrical connector within the opening in the unitary heat sink and connector housing, the flexible electrical connector having an elastomeric core compressed between the first and second electrical members, and the flexible electrical connector further having a plurality of circuit traces carried by the elastomeric core and providing a circuit interface between the first and second plurality of circuit elements on the first and second electrical members, respectively.
A combination heat sink and connector housing, comprising a unitary member having a plurality of heat-radiating fins formed thereon and made from a material selected from the group consisting of anodized aluminum, silicon dioxide and beryllium oxide, such that the unitary member is thermally conductive but electrically insulative, the unitary member having an opening formed therein, and a flexible electrical connector in the opening in the unitary member, the flexible electrical connector having an elastomeric core and further having a plurality of closely-spaced circuit traces carried by the elastomeric core.
A combination heat sink and connector housing, comprising a unitary member having a plurality of heat-radiating fins formed thereon and made from a ceramic material, such that the unitary member is thermally conductive but electrically insulative, the unitary member having an opening formed therein, and a flexible electrical connector in the opening in the unitary member, the flexible electrical connector having an elastomeric core and further having a plurality of closely-spaced circuit traces carried by the elastomeric core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.