IP Library Granted Patent US 11,147,179
Granted Patent B2
US 11,147,179 · App. 16/798,801 · Granted Oct 12, 2021

Mounting system for mechanical-shock resistant printed circuit board (PCB)

Inventor: William John Nicoloff (Camarillo, CA)
Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
H05K7/1422B64C1/06B64D45/00H05K1/0271H05K1/181H05K5/0034H05K5/0217H05K7/183B64C1/00B64C39/024H05K2201/09063H05K2201/10522H05K2201/10628H05K2201/2027H05K2201/2045H05K2203/167
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,147,179
App. No.
16/798,801
Granted
Oct 12, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A shock resistant fuselage system includes first and second fuselage side walls, each of the first and second fuselage side walls having a plurality of guide posts, and a printed circuit board (PCB) rigidly attached to at least one of the first and second fuselage side walls, the PCB having a plurality of guide slots, each of the plurality of guide posts slideably seated in a respective one of the plurality of guide slots so that elastic deformation of the PCB is guided by the guide slots between the first and second fuselage side walls.

Claims (42)

1. A method comprising:

attaching a printed circuit board (PCB) to a frame having a plurality of guide posts and at least one fixed post, wherein the PCB comprises a plurality of guide slots and at least one mounting hole;

seating at least one guide post of the plurality of guide posts slideably in a respective one of the plurality of guide slots,

seating at least one fixed post fixedly in a respective one of the at least one mounting hole;

arranging a plurality of electrical components mounted to the PCB such that each of the plurality of electrical components are mounted with their major longitudinal axis oriented perpendicularly to a major longitudinal axis of the frame; and

guiding elastic deformation of the PCB by the guide slots.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises one or more fuselage side walls.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fuselage side walls are first and second fuselage side walls of a unitary fuselage clam shell.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frame is a unitary section of a fuselage.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a major longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of guide slots extends parallel to the major longitudinal axis of the frame.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

attaching the PCB to the frame rigidly at a front of the PCB board.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

attaching the PCB to the frame rigidly at a rear of the PCB board.

8. A method comprising:

attaching a printed circuit board (PCB) to a frame having a plurality of guide posts and at least one fixed post, wherein the PCB comprises a plurality of guide slots and at least one mounting hole;

seating at least one guide post of the plurality of guide posts slideably in a respective one of the plurality of guide slots,

seating at least one fixed post fixedly in a respective one of the at least one mounting hole;

arranging a plurality of electrical components mounted to the PCB such that a larger proportion of larger electrical components of the plurality of electrical components are mounted at a PCB front end than a PCB rear end; and

guiding elastic deformation of the PCB by the guide slots.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the frame comprises one or more fuselage side walls.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more fuselage side walls are first and second fuselage side walls of a unitary fuselage clam shell.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the frame is a unitary section of a fuselage.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein a major longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of guide slots extends parallel to the major longitudinal axis of the frame.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

attaching the PCB to the frame rigidly at a front of the PCB board.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

attaching the PCB to the frame rigidly at a rear of the PCB board.

15. A method comprising:

attaching a printed circuit board (PCB) to a frame having a plurality of guide posts and at least one fixed post, wherein the PCB comprises a plurality of guide slots and at least one mounting hole;

seating at least one guide post of the plurality of guide posts slideably in a respective one of the plurality of guide slots,

seating at least one fixed post fixedly in a respective one of the at least one mounting hole;

arranging a plurality of electrical components mounted to the PCB such that electrical components having relatively larger widths are mounted distal from the at least one mounting hole; and

guiding elastic deformation of the PCB by the guide slots.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

arranging the plurality of electrical components mounted to the PCB such that electrical components having relatively smaller widths are mounted closer to the at least one mounting hole than the electrical components having relatively larger widths.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

attaching the PCB to the frame rigidly at a front of the PCB board.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

attaching the PCB to the frame rigidly at a rear of the PCB board.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein a major longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of guide slots extends parallel to the major longitudinal axis of the frame.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein elastic deformation of the PCB is larger in an area of the PCB proximate the at least one fixed post.

Assignments (2)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 19, 2021
From: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 055343/0926 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 24, 2020
From: NICOLOFF, WILLIAM JOHN
To: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
Reel/Frame 051901/0683 →