IP Library Granted Patent US 10,257,951
Granted Patent B2
US 10,257,951 · App. 15/854,917 · Granted Apr 9, 2019

Substrate-free interconnected electronic mechanical structural systems

Inventors: Ian Hovey (Christianburg, VA); J. Robert Reid (Billerica, MA); David Sherrer (Cary, NC); Will Stacy (Blacksburg, VA); Ken Vanhille (Cary, NC)
Assignee: NUVOTRONICS, INC
H05K7/005H01P1/045H01P3/06H01P5/12H05K7/02H05K7/026
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,257,951
App. No.
15/854,917
Granted
Apr 9, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Substrate-free mechanical structural systems comprised of interconnected subsystems of electronic and/or electromechanical components.

Claims (22)

1. A substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system, comprising:

a first substrate-free, electronic subsystem comprising a plurality of sequential planar layers of a material disposed parallel to a first plane, the layers including an electronic component and a first mechanical alignment feature; and

a second substrate-free, electronic subsystem comprising a plurality of sequential planar layers of a material disposed parallel to a second plane, the layers including an electronic component and a second mechanical alignment feature, wherein the first and second mechanical alignment features are configured to cooperate to join the first and second subsystems such that the first and second planes of the respective subsystems are orthogonal to one another.

2. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component of at least one of the first and second subsystems comprises a waveguide.

3. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component of at least one of the first and second subsystems comprises an antenna.

4. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component of at least one of the first and second subsystems comprises one or more of a filter, coupler, and a combiner.

5. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component of at least one of the first and second subsystems comprises one or more of a heterogeneous component and a monolithic component.

6. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component of at least one of the subsystems comprises an electromechanical component.

7. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component of at least one of the subsystems comprises a beam forming network.

8. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second substrate-free, electronic subsystems are disposed in one or more of electrical, thermal, optical, and/or fluidic communication.

9. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component of at least one of the subsystems comprises mechanically interconnected DC and RF transmission lines.

10. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the first mechanical alignment feature includes a peg and the second mechanical alignment feature includes a hole for receiving the peg.

11. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second mechanical alignment features are configured to be pressfit into one another.

12. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second mechanical alignment features are configured to be irreversibly pressfit into one another.

13. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the first mechanical alignment feature is disposed at an end of the first subsystem.

14. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 13 , wherein the second mechanical alignment feature is disposed at an end of the second subsystem.

15. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 13 , wherein the second mechanical alignment feature is disposed between opposing ends of the second subsystem.

16. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the material of the first subsystem comprises metal.

17. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second subsystems are configured to slide relative to one another.

18. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second subsystems are configured to pivot relative to one another.

19. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , comprising a base subsystem configured to connect and join the first and second subsystems to one another.

20. The substrate-free, interconnected electronic mechanical structural system according to claim 1 , wherein the first mechanical alignment feature has the shape of a cylindrical bump-out.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2025
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: CUBIC CORPORATION; CUBIC DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LLC; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 072281/0176 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 056393/0281 Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: CUBIC CORPORATION; CUBIC DEFENSE APPLICATIONS, INC.; CUBIC DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LLC (FORMERLY PIXIA CORP.)
Reel/Frame 072282/0124 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 26, 2021
From: CUBIC CORPORATION; PIXIA CORP.; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 056393/0281 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 26, 2021
From: CUBIC CORPORATION; PIXIA CORP.; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 056393/0314 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EFFECTIVE DATE INSIDE THE ASSIGNMENT DOCUMENTATION PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 048698 FRAME: 0301. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 10, 2019
From: NUVOTRONICS, INC.
To: CUBIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048843/0801 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2019
From: NUVOTRONICS, INC.
To: CUBIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048698/0301 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2018
From: HOVEY, IAN; REID, J. ROBERT; SHERRER, DAVID; STACY, WILL; VANHILLE, KEN
To: NUVOTRONICS, INC
Reel/Frame 045343/0599 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15069325 · Mar 14, 2016
Continuation 14211407 · Mar 14, 2014
Provisional Application 61788675 · Mar 15, 2013
Related Publication 20180153055A1 · May 31, 2018