# US 9,521,741 B1 · Side surface mounting of shields for a circuit board assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,521,741 B1 - Document ID: US9521741B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/295,855 - Filed: 2014-06-04 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-04 - Assignees: Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Libo Wang; Jasmin B. Farshi; Andrew Frederick Skipor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521741B1 ## CPC - H05K 1/0216: {Reduction of cross-talk, noise or electromagnetic interference (grounding H05K1/0215)} - H05K 9/0015: {Gaskets or seals} - H05K 9/0016: {having a spring contact} - H05K 9/0033: {disposed on both PCB faces} - H05K 9/0052: {Shielding other than Faraday cages} - H05K 9/0075: {Magnetic shielding materials} - H05K 9/0081: {Electromagnetic shielding materials, e.g. EMI, RFI shielding (H05K9/0003 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/117: {Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors} - H05K 2201/10371: Shields or metal cases - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A circuit board assembly includes a first shield positioned over a top surface of a printed circuit board and a second shield positioned over a bottom surface. The first and second shields include conductive tabs which are coupled to a first side surface of the circuit board, wherein the tabs of the first shield are generally interposed or staggered with the tabs of the second shield. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device, comprising: a circuit board comprising: a first major surface; a second major surface opposed to the first major surface; and a first side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major surface, the first side surface having a first set of grounding contacts and a second set of grounding contacts, wherein at least one grounding contact of the second set of grounding contacts is positioned between two adjacent grounding contacts of the first set of grounding contacts; a first electronic component electrically coupled to the first major surface of the circuit board; a second electronic component electrically coupled to the second major surface of the circuit board; a first shield comprising a first planar portion and a first plurality of tabs extending from the first planar portion, wherein the first planar portion is positioned over the first electronic component and is substantially parallel to the first major surface, and wherein each of the first plurality of tabs is coupled to the first side surface and electrically coupled to a respective grounding contact of the first set of grounding contacts; and a second shield comprising a second planar portion and a second plurality of tabs extending from the second planar portion, wherein the second planar portion is positioned over the second electronic component and is substantially parallel to the second major surface, and wherein each of the second plurality of tabs is coupled to the first side surface and electrically coupled to a respective grounding contact of the second set of grounding contacts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the circuit board further comprises: a second side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major surface, the second side surface having a third set of grounding contacts and a fourth set of grounding contacts, wherein at least one grounding contact of the fourth set of grounding contacts is positioned between two adjacent grounding contacts of the third set of grounding contacts, wherein the first shield further comprises a third plurality of tabs extending from the first planar portion, wherein each of the third plurality of tabs is coupled to the second side surface and electrically coupled to a respective grounding contact of the third set of grounding contacts, wherein the second shield further comprises a fourth plurality of tabs extending from the second planar portion, wherein each of the fourth plurality of tabs is coupled to the second side surface and electrically coupled to a respective grounding contact of the fourth set of grounding contacts. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein: each of the first plurality of tabs comprises a base layer of a copper material, a first plating layer of a silver material, and a second plating layer of a nickel material. ### Claim 4 An electronic device, comprising: a circuit board comprising: a first major surface; a second major surface opposed to the first major surface; and a first side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major surface, the first side surface having a first set of grounding contacts and a second set of grounding contacts, wherein at least one grounding contact of the first set of grounding contacts is positioned between two adjacent grounding contacts of the second set of grounding contacts; a first shield comprising a first planar portion and a first plurality of tabs extending from the first planar portion, wherein each of the first plurality of tabs is electrically coupled to a respective grounding contact of the first set of grounding contacts; and a second shield comprising a second planar portion and a second plurality of tabs extending from the second planar portion, wherein each of the second plurality of tabs is electrically coupled to a respective grounding contact of the second set of grounding contacts. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein: a first grounding contact of the first set of grounding contacts comprises a first portion extending over a portion of the first major surface of the circuit board and a second portion extending over a portion of the first side surface of the circuit board, wherein a first tab of the first plurality of tabs is coupled to the second portion of the first grounding contact. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electronic device of claim 5, wherein: a second grounding contact of the second set of grounding contacts comprises a third portion extending over a portion of the second major surface of the circuit board and a fourth portion extending over a portion of the first side surface of the circuit board, wherein a second tab of the second plurality of tabs is coupled to the fourth portion of the second grounding contact. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein: the first shield and the second shield comprise a conductive metal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein: each tab in the first plurality of tabs is coupled to its respective grounding contact via solder. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising: a first electronic component electrically coupled to the first major surface of the circuit board, wherein the first planar portion is positioned substantially parallel to the first major surface and over the first electronic component; and a second electronic component electrically coupled to the second major surface of the circuit board, wherein the second planar portion is positioned substantially parallel to the second major surface and over the second electronic component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, wherein: the first planar portion comprises a conductive material, the first planar portion enveloping the first electronic component; and the second planar portion comprises the conductive material, the second planar portion enveloping the second electronic component. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the circuit board further comprises: a second side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major surface, wherein the first shield comprises a third plurality of tabs coupled to the second side surface and the second shield comprises a fourth plurality of tabs coupled to the second side surface; a third side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major surface, wherein the first shield comprises a fifth plurality of tabs coupled to the third side surface and the second shield comprises a sixth plurality of tabs coupled to the third side surface; and a fourth side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major surface, wherein the first shield comprises a seventh plurality of tabs coupled to the fourth side surface and the second shield comprises an eighth plurality of tabs coupled to the fourth side surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising: a first electronic component electrically coupled to a first area of the first major surface of the circuit board; a second electronic component electrically coupled to a second area of the first major surface of the circuit board, wherein the first planar portion is positioned over the first area, and wherein the first area is different from the second area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first shield further comprises: a major surface tab electrically coupled to a grounding contact of the first major surface of the circuit board. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein: at least one grounding contact of the first set of grounding contacts is positioned between two adjacent grounding contacts of the second set of grounding contacts such that a first gap is disposed between the grounding contact and a first one of the two adjacent grounding contacts and a second gap is disposed between the grounding contact and a second one of the two adjacent grounding contacts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising: a first preform disposed between a first tab of the first plurality of tabs and a first grounding contact of the first set of grounding contacts, the first preform electrically coupling the first tab to the first grounding contact. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising: a second preform disposed between a second tab of the second plurality of tabs and a second grounding contact of the second set of grounding contacts, the second preform electrically coupling the second tab to the second grounding contact. ### Claim 17 An electronic device, comprising: a circuit board comprising: a first major surface; a second major surface opposed to the first major surface; and a first side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major surface, the first side surface having a first set of grounding contacts and a second set of grounding contacts, wherein at least one grounding contact of the first set of grounding contacts is positioned between two adjacent grounding contacts of the second set of grounding contacts; a first shield comprising an electrically conductive material, wherein the first shield further comprises a first portion and a first plurality of tabs extending from the first portion, wherein each of the first plurality of tabs is electrically coupled to a respective grounding contact of the first set of grounding contacts; and a second shield comprising an electrically conductive material, wherein the second shield further comprises a second portion and a second plurality of tabs extending from the second portion, wherein each of the second plurality of tabs is electrically coupled to a respective grounding contact of the second set of grounding contacts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first portion of the first shield includes corrugation, ridges, valleys, ribs, or dents. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first shield comprises a nonconductive material plated with a conductive material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of tabs have a first length of between 20% and 80% of a second length of the first side surface.