Circuit assemblies and related methods
In exemplary embodiments, a circuit assembly may be provided on and/or supported by an electrically conductive structure, such as a board level shield, a midplate, a bracket, a precision metal part, etc. For example, a circuit assembly may be provided on and/or supported by an outer top surface of a board level shield. In an exemplary embodiment, an assembly generally includes an electrically conductive structure configured for a first functionality in the electronic device. An electrically nonconductive material is on at least part of the electrically conductive structure. First electrical component(s) are at least partly on the electrically nonconductive layer and configured to define at least a portion of a circuit assembly for electrical connection with one or more second electrical components of the electronic device. The electrically conductive structure may thus be configured for a second functionality in the electronic device.
1. An assembly suitable for use in an electronic device, the assembly comprising:
an electrically conductive structure;
an electrically nonconductive material on at least part of the electrically conductive structure;
a substrate including a circuit along an upper surface of the electrically conductive structure; and
one or more routing connections along the electrically nonconductive material and extending from the circuit and along at least one sidewall of the electrically conductive structure, for electrically connecting the circuit with one or more electrical components of the electronic device.
2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrically nonconductive material is along at least a portion of an upper surface of the electrically conductive structure and along at least a portion of one or more sidewalls of the electrically conductive structure depending from the upper surface.
3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive structure comprises a board level shield (BLS) including a cover and one or more sidewalls depending from the cover.
4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the electrically nonconductive material comprises a layer of electrically nonconductive material along at least a portion of an outer surface of the cover and at least one of the one or more sidewalls of the BLS.
5. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the electrically nonconductive material comprises a layer of electrically nonconductive material between the one or more routing connections and an outer surface of the cover and at least one of the one or more sidewalls of the BLS.
6. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein:
the electrically nonconductive material is directly on at least a portion of an outer surface of the cover and at least one of the one or more sidewalls of the BLS; and
the one or more routing connections are directly on at least a portion of the electrically nonconductive material.
7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the electrically conductive structure comprises a mid-plate including a recessed portion; and
a heat spreader is disposed within the recessed portion of the mid-plate.
8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the electrically nonconductive material is along at least a portion of one or more outer surfaces of the mid-plate; and
the electrically nonconductive material is thermally conductive such that a thermally-conductive heat path is defined through the mid-plate, the heat spreader, and the thermally conductive electrically nonconductive material.
9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly includes a pattern of electrically conductive material on the electrically nonconductive material defining the one or more routing connections.
10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board along the upper surface of the electrically conductive structure.
11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrate comprises a flexible printed circuit board along the upper surface of the electrically conductive structure; and
the circuit comprises a flexible circuit along the flexible printed circuit board.
12. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive structure comprises one or more of a board level shield (BLS) or a mid-plate.
13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive structure configured to be multifunctional having a first functionality of providing EMI shielding and/or grounding and a second functionality of supporting the one or more routing connections and/or the substrate including the circuit.
14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
the electrically nonconductive material is thermally conductive; and
the electrically conductive structure is configured with a third functionality of defining or providing part of a thermally-conductive heat path within the electronic device from a heat source to a heat dissipating device or component.
15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the electrically conductive structure comprises a board level shield (BLS) that is multifunctional having a first functionality of providing EMI shielding and a second functionality of supporting the one or more routing connections and/or the substrate including the circuit;
the electrically nonconductive material is thermally conductive; and
the BLS is configured with a third functionality of defining or providing part of a thermally-conductive heat path within the electronic device from a heat source to a heat dissipating device or component.
16. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the assembly includes a pattern of electrically conductive material on the electrically nonconductive material defining the one or more routing connections; and
the substrate comprises a printed circuit board including the circuit thereon, the printed circuit board mounted on the upper surface of the electrically conductive structure.
17. An electronic device comprising the assembly of claim 1 , a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the one or more electrical components of the electronic device are on the PCB, and wherein the one or more routing connections are electrically connected with the one or more electrical components on the PCB.
18. An assembly suitable for use in an electronic device, the assembly comprising:
an electrically conductive structure including an upper surface and one or more sidewalls depending from the upper surface;
an electrically nonconductive material along at least a portion of the upper surface of the electrically conductive structure and along at least a portion of the one or more sidewalls of the electrically conductive structure; and
one or more first electrical components at least partly on the electrically nonconductive material and configured for electrically connecting with one or more second electrical components of the electronic device.
19. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the electrically conductive structure comprises a board level shield including a cover defining the upper surface and the one or more sidewalls depending from the cover, the one or more sidewalls configured for installation to a substrate generally about one or more components on the substrate such that when the board level shield is installed to the substrate, the board level shield is operable for shielding the one or more components that are within an interior cooperatively defined by the cover and the one or more sidewalls.
20. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the electrically nonconductive material comprises a layer of electrically nonconductive material along at least a portion of an outer surface of the cover and at least one of the one or more sidewalls.
21. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the electrically nonconductive material comprises a layer of electrically nonconductive material between the one or more first electrical components and an outer surface of the cover and at least one of the one or more sidewalls.
22. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein:
the cover is removable from and reattachable to the one or more sidewalls;
the electrically nonconductive material is directly on at least a portion of an outer surface of the cover and at least one of the one or more sidewalls; and
the one or more first electrical components are directly on at least a portion of the electrically nonconductive material.
23. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the one or more first electrical components are configured to define at least a portion of a circuit assembly for electrically connecting with the one or more second electrical components of the electronic device.
24. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the one or more first electrical components comprise a circuit along a substrate, which is along the upper surface of the electrically conductive structure, and a pattern of electrically conductive material on the electrically nonconductive material defining one or more routing connections extending from the circuit and along at least one of the one or more sidewalls of the electrically conductive structure, for electrically connecting the circuit with the one or more second electrical components of the electronic device.
25. An assembly suitable for use in an electronic device, the assembly comprising:
an electrically conductive structure;
an electrically nonconductive material on at least part of the electrically conductive structure; and
one or more first electrical components at least partly on the electrically nonconductive material and configured for electrically connecting with one or more second electrical components of the electronic device;
wherein:
the electrically conductive structure comprises a mid-plate including a recessed portion; and
a heat spreader is disposed within the recessed portion of the mid-plate.
26. The assembly of claim 25 , wherein:
the electrically nonconductive material is along at least a portion of one or more outer surfaces of the mid-plate; and
the electrically nonconductive material is thermally conductive such that a thermally-conductive heat path is defined through the mid-plate, the heat spreader, and the thermally conductive electrically nonconductive material.
27. The assembly of claim 25 , wherein the one or more first electrical components comprise a circuit along a substrate, which is along an upper surface of the electrically conductive structure, and a pattern of electrically conductive material on the electrically nonconductive material defining one or more routing connections extending from the circuit and along at least one sidewall of the electrically conductive structure, for electrically connecting the circuit with the one or more second electrical components of the electronic device.
28. The assembly of claim 25 , wherein the one or more first electrical components comprise one or more printed circuit boards including circuits, and connectors extend outwardly from the one or more printed circuit boards, for electrically connecting the circuit with the one or more second electrical components of the electronic device.