Circuit card with potting containment fence apparatus
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsRobert Loose, Scott Eastman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid containment fence apparatus provides a border around the perimeter of an area to be potted on one or both sides of a circuit board. First, or first and second (top and bottom), containment walls are secured in place using interlocking elements integral to the walls such that no external fasteners are needed. The interlocking elements permit snug adhesion of the fence to the board even when the board has variations in thickness. The interlocking elements extend through and interlock through engagement with another fence or the board. The size of the holes is minimized. As a result, a minimum amount of board space is occupied by the fence, and the overall size of the board is maintained.
Claims16
A circuit card comprising:
- a board having
- circuit components arranged on a first face of the board, components of the circuit components on the first face of the board encased in a cured potting fluid, and
- a cavity on the first face of the board;
- and
- a fence comprising a first wall including:
- a first plurality of segments disposed to form a closed polygonal wall providing containment for the cured potting fluid on the first face of the board;
- at least one protrusion for engaging the cavity, the at least one protrusion disposed on a face of the first wall adjacent to the first face;
- and
- at least one boss extending inwardly or outwardly from a segment of the first plurality of segments;
- wherein the first wall is formed of material which is rigid before any protrusion of the at least one protrusion is engaged in the cavity.
A circuit card comprising:
- a board having
- circuit components arranged on both an upper face of the board and a lower face of the board, the components encased in a cured potting fluid, and
- at least one hole passing from the upper surface of the board to the lower surface of the board;
- and
- a fence comprising:
- a first wall having
- a first plurality of segments disposed to form a closed first polygon providing containment for the cured potting fluid on the upper face of the board, and
- at least one element of a pair of interlocking elements, the at least one element disposed on a lower face of the first wall;
- and
- a second wall having
- a second plurality of segments disposed to form a closed second polygon providing containment for the cured potting fluid on the lower face of the board, and
- at least one complementary element of the pair of interlocking elements, the complementary element disposed on an upper surface of the second wall, and
- wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall includes a boss extending inwardly or outwardly from a segment of the respective plurality of segments;
- wherein the at least one element engages the at least one complementary element through a corresponding hole of the at least one hole.
A circuit card with encased circuit components, produced by:
- engaging, into holes on a circuit board, protrusions of a pre-formed polygonal fence of rigid material having a boss extending inwardly or outwardly from a fence wall, such that the polygonal fence surrounds the components to be encased;
- filling the area inside the fence with a potting fluid;
- and
- curing the potting fluid until it hardens.
A circuit card with encased circuit components on both sides of a circuit board, produced by:
- engaging, through holes on a circuit board, one or more interlocking elements of a pre-formed polygonal first wall of a fence of rigid material having a boss extending inwardly or outwardly from a fence wall, with corresponding one or more complementary interlocking elements of a pre-formed polygonal second wall of the fence, such that the first wall surrounds first components to be encased on a first face of the board and the second wall surrounds second components to be encased on a second face of the board;
- filling the area inside the first wall with potting fluid while the first face of the board is up;
- curing the potting fluid inside the first wall until it hardens;
- filling the area inside the second wall with a potting fluid while the second face of the board is up;
- and
- curing the potting fluid inside the second wall until it hardens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.