Electrical coupling method and apparatus for printed circuit boards including a method of assembly

An electrical device, comprising:

• a housing portion having an inner face and an outer face, said inner face including first and second protrusive elements having first and second protrusive element faces, respectively;
• a flex circuit disposed in said housing portion adjacent to said inner face, said flex circuit including a flex body and a flexible portion, said flexible portion including a first flex end and a second flex end, said first flex end having a first flex face including at least a first flex conductive pad, said second flex end having a second flex face including at least a second flex conductive pad, said first and second flex ends bent at angles substantially perpendicular to said flex body along said first and second protrusive element faces, respectively;
• a first elastomeric connector having a first elastomeric face and a first elastomeric edge, said first elastomeric connector disposed between said first protrusive element face and said first flex face;
• a second elastomeric connector having a second elastomeric face and a second elastomeric edge, said second elastomeric connector disposed between said second protrusive element face and said second flex face;
• a retainer disposed between said first and said second protrusive element faces to maintain pressure between said first elastomeric face and said first flex face and between said second elastomeric face and said second flex face;
• and
• a printed circuit board (PCB) having at least third and fourth PCB conductive pads, said PCB positioned substantially parallel to said flex body, substantially perpendicular to said first and second elastomeric edges, and in abutment with said first and said second elastomeric edges such that said at least third and fourth PCB conductive pads are electrically coupled to said first and second flex conductive pads, respectively.

A communication device, comprising:

• a housing portion, said housing portion having an inner face and an outer face, said inner face including a protrusive element;
• a keypad, said keypad having a plurality of keys, said keypad disposed in said housing portion such that said plurality of keys are displayed on said outer face;
• a single-sided flex circuit, said single-sided flex circuit disposed in said housing portion, said single-sided flex circuit used for accepting inputs from said keypad and including a flex body and a flexible portion, said flex body disposed substantially parallel to said inner face, said flexible portion including at least a first conductive pad and bending at an angle along said protrusive element;
• a printed circuit board (PCB), said PCB positioned substantially parallel to said flex body and including at least a second conductive pad;
• and
• an elastomeric connector, said elastomeric connector having a plurality of conductive layers, a first contact area, and a second contact area, said first contact area secured to said flexible portion to maintain an electrical coupling between said plurality of conductive layers and said at least a first conductive pad, said PCB in abutment with said second contact area to maintain an electrical coupling between said at least a second conductive pad and at least a portion of said plurality of conductive layers for electrically coupling said at least first and second conductive pads.