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US 5,495,076 AGranted
Flexible geometry circuit board
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorMichael S. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit board has one or more planar sections each connected to another portion of the circuit board by springs. The springs allow the sections of the circuit board connected by the springs to move in the planes of the sections relative to the remainder of the circuit board. An electrical device such as an automotive instrument cluster uses the circuit board in conjunction with gauges and a face plate. A method of producing an automotive instrument cluster includes the steps of attaching the gauges to the circuit board and mounting the gauges to a face plate.
Claims17
A circuit board comprising:
- at least one planar section containing attachment means for attaching electrical components;
- a portion of said circuit board distinct from said at least one planar section;
- and
- spring means for connecting said at least one section to said portion of said circuit board so that each section so connected can be moved relative to said portion in two orthogonal axes in the plane of said section;
- wherein said at least one section, said portion and said spring means are fabricated from a single piece of material.
2 more elements
An electrical device comprising:
- a circuit board including at least one planar section containing attachment means for attaching electrical components, a portion of said circuit board distinct from said at least one planar section, and spring means connecting said at least one section to said portion of said circuit board so that said at least one section so connected can be moved relative to said portion in two orthogonal axes in the plane of said section, wherein said at least one section, said portion and said spring means are fabricated from a single piece of hard circuit board material;
- at least one gauge attached to said circuit board by said attachment means;
- and
- a face portion of said electrical device to which said at least one gauge is mounted.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.