Electronic component, electronic device, and electronic substrate

The present invention relates to an electronic component, an electronic device, and an electronic substrate.

An electronic device, such as a laptop personal computer (a laptop PC), may include an electronic component having a main substrate and a sub-substrate connected to the main substrate (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-12886, for example). The two substrates (the main substrate and the sub-substrate) are connected to each other, for example, via a board-to-board connector.

When it is necessary to flow a large current between two substrates, extension of a board-to-board connector to flow a current through the extended connector is a possibility. However, with extension of a connector, there is a possibility that reliability in connection decreases in any of the plurality of connectors. In view of the above, an electronic component that ensures high reliability in connection between two substrates and allows flowing a large current between substrates has been desired.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is an object to provide an electronic component, an electronic device, and an electronic substrate that ensure high reliability in connection between two substrates and allow flowing of a large current between the substrates.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component including: a first substrate including first connection terminals in an end region on a first surface; and a second substrate including second connection terminals on a first surface, the second connection terminals being disposed at a position corresponding to the first connection terminals, wherein the first connection terminals each include a base and an elastic contact piece extending from the base, the elastic contact piece is elastically deformable in a direction in which the tip end portion thereof approaches and departs with respect to the base, and the first connection terminals are electrically connected to the second connection terminals while having the first surface of the first substrate being opposed to the first surface of the second substrate, and the second connection terminals being pressed onto the elastic contact pieces.

Preferably, the electronic component further includes a locking part on which an end edge portion of the second substrate is locked, the locking part being provided on the first surface of the first substrate, wherein the elastic contact piece in an undeformed state extends, while being inclined, in a direction that departs further away from the first surface of the first substrate as it goes closer to the locking part, and the second connection terminals of the second substrate are pressed onto the elastic contact pieces while having the end edge portion locked on the locking part.

Preferably, the elastic contact piece is connected to each of the second connection terminals of the second substrate while being elastically bent and deformed.

Preferably, the locking part is made of electrically conductive material, and the second substrate includes a ground pad provided on a part thereof, the ground pad being configured to be electrically connected to the locking part.

Preferably, the first connection terminals and the second connection terminals include a terminal for power supply.

Preferably, the first substrate further includes a first board-to-board connector at a position adjacent to the first connection terminals on the first surface, the second substrate further includes a second board-to-board connector at a position adjacent to the second connection terminals on the first surface, and the second board-to-board connector is vertically connected to the first board-to-board connector.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device including the electronic component.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic substrate including: first connection terminals and a locking part formed on a first surface, the locking part being capable of locking an end edge portion of another substrate, wherein the first connection terminals each include a base and an elastic contact piece extending from the base, and the elastic contact piece is elastically deformable in a direction in which the tip end portion thereof approaches and departs with respect to the base, and the elastic contact piece in an undeformed state extends, while being inclined, in a direction that departs further away from the first surface of the first substrate as it goes closer to the locking part.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there are provided an electronic component, an electronic device, and an electronic substrate that ensure high reliability in connection between two substrates, and allow flowing of a large current between the substrates.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the structure of an electronic device including an electronic component according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a main substrate of an electronic component according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a main substrate of an electronic component according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a connection terminal of an electronic component according to an embodiment;

FIG. 5A is a schematic plan view of a first surface of a sub-substrate of an electronic component according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 5B is a schematic plan view of a second surface of the sub-substrate;

FIG. 6 illustrates processes of assembling an electronic component according to an embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates subsequent processes of assembling to those in FIG. 6 ; and

FIG. 8 illustrates subsequent processes of assembling to those in FIG. 7 .

[Electronic Device and Electronic Component]

An electronic device 100 according to an embodiment will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the electronic device 100 includes an electronic component 10 and a chassis 20 . The chassis 20 accommodates the electronic component 10 .

The electronic device 100 may be, for example, a lap-top personal computer (a laptop PC), a smart phone, a portable phone terminal, a workstation, or a server.

As to the electronic component 10 , the positional relationships of respective structures may be described using the XYZ rectangular coordinate system. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the X direction is the front-back direction (a first direction) of a substrate main body 1 A. The +X direction is a forward direction. The −X direction is a backward direction. The Y direction is an in-plane direction of the substrate main body 1 A, that is a direction (a second direction) orthogonal to the X direction. The dimension in the Y direction may be referred to as a “width”. The Z direction is a thickness direction of the substrate main body 1 A, or a direction (a third direction) orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction. The +Z direction is an upward direction. The −Z direction is a downward direction. Viewing in the Z direction (the up-down direction) is referred to as a plan view. The substrate main body 1 A is assumed to be shaped like a rectangular plate. The front end edge 1 Aa of the substrate main body 1 A corresponds to the longer edge of the rectangular substrate main body 1 A. The positional relationship defined here does not limit the posture of the electronic device 100 in use.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the electronic component 10 includes a main substrate 1 (an electronic substrate) and a sub-substrate 2 .

The main substrate 1 includes the substrate main body 1 A, first connection terminals 3 A, a locking part 4 , and a first board-to-board connector 5 (a first substrate-to-substrate connector) (refer to FIG. 3 ).

The main substrate 1 is one example of a “first substrate”. The substrate main body 1 A is, for example, a rigid substrate. One surface of the substrate main body 1 A is referred to as a mount surface 1 a (a first surface). As illustrated in FIG. 3 , a front end region 1 Ab is an end region of the mount surface 1 a of the substrate main body 1 A, the end region containing the front end edge 1 Aa. The front end region 1 Ab is a band region extending over the entire length in the Y direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the locking part 4 is provided on the mount surface 1 a of the substrate main body 1 A. The locking part 4 includes a base pillar portion 7 and a locking convex portion 8 . The locking part 4 is made of electrically conductive material, for example. Examples of electrically conductive material include metals, such as copper, bronze, aluminum, and aluminum alloy.

The base pillar portion 7 stands on the mount surface 1 a . The base pillar portion 7 extends upward (the +Z direction) from the mount surface 1 a . The base pillar portion 7 may be shaped like, for example, a rectangular pillar or a plate along the YZ plane.

The locking convex portion 8 projects forward (the +X direction) from the front surface of the upper end portion of the base pillar portion 7 . The locking convex portion 8 is a plate along the XY plane, for example. On the lower surface 8 a of the locking convex portion 8 , a connection pad (an electrode pad) is formed (refer to FIG. 2 ). The connection pad 11 is made of metal, such as copper or bronze. The connection pad 11 is electrically connected to the main substrate 1 . The locking convex portion 8 is formed integral to the base pillar portion 7 . The width (the dimension in the Y direction) of the locking convex portion 8 is equal to the width of the base pillar portion 7 (refer to FIG. 3 ).

As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the position of the locking part 4 in the Y direction on the main substrate 1 is, for example, at the middle.

The first connection terminals 3 A are provided in the front end region 1 Ab on the mount surface 1 a of the main substrate 1 .

The first connection terminals 3 A include a plurality of (for example, six in FIG. 3 ) connection terminals 3 (terminals). The plurality of connection terminals 3 are aligned at intervals in the Y direction. In detail, the first connection terminals 3 A include connection terminals 3 A 1 and connection terminals 3 A 2 . The connection terminals 3 A 1 include a plurality of (for example, four in FIG. 3 ) connection terminals 3 aligned at intervals in the Y direction. The connection terminals 3 A 2 are provided spaced apart from the connection terminals 3 A 1 in the −Y direction. The connection terminals 3 A 2 include a plurality of (for example, two in FIG. 3 ) connection terminals 3 aligned at intervals in the Y direction. As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the connection terminals 3 are positioned further in the +X direction compared with the locking part 4 .

Of the plurality of connection terminals 3 , at least one connection terminal 3 may be a connection terminal for power supply. That is, the first connection terminals 3 A may include a connection terminal 3 for power supply.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the connection terminals 3 A 1 are positioned further in the +Y direction than the locking part 4 . The connection terminals 3 A 2 are positioned further in the −Y direction than the locking part 4 .

As illustrated in FIG. 4 , each connection terminal 3 includes a base 13 and an elastic contact piece 14 . The connection terminal 3 is made of metal, such as copper or bronze, for example.

The base 13 is provided on the mount surface 1 a . The base 13 may be a plate along the mount surface 1 a . As illustrated in FIG. 3 , in a plan view, the base 13 may be shaped like a rectangle whose longitudinal direction extends along the front-back direction (the X direction).

As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the elastic contact piece 14 is assumed to be an elastically bendable and deformable plate. The elastic contact piece 14 extends from the front end (the tip end in the +X direction) of the base 13 . The elastic contact piece 14 may have, for example, a rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction extends along the front-back direction (the X direction) in a plan view. The elastic contact piece 14 in an undeformed state extends, from the front end of the base 13 as a start, in a direction that departs further away from the mount surface 1 a as it goes closer to the locking part 4 (refer to FIG. 2 ). That is, the elastic contact piece 14 extends in a direction that goes rearward as it goes upward further away from the mount surface 1 a.

In FIG. 4 , the elastic contact piece 14 in an undeformed state is indicated by a solid line, while an example of the elastic contact piece 14 in an elastically bent and deformed state is indicated by a virtual line. The elastic contact piece 14 is elastically deformable in a direction in which its tip end portion 14 a approaches and departs with respect to the base 13 .

As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the first board-to-board connector 5 is positioned close to the front end edge 1 Aa, compared with the locking part 4 , for example. The first board-to-board connector 5 is positioned further in the −Y direction than the connection terminals 3 A 1 . The first board-to-board connector 5 is positioned further in the +Y direction than the connection terminals 3 A 2 . The first board-to-board connector 5 is positioned adjacent to the connection terminals 3 A 1 and connection terminals 3 A 2 in the Y direction (that is, a position adjacent to the first connection terminals 3 A).

The first board-to-board connector 5 is to be connected to the second board-to-board connector 22 of the sub-substrate 2 (refer to FIG. 5A ).

The first board-to-board connector 5 and the second board-to-board connector 22 have a function for relatively positioning the main substrate 1 and the sub-substrate 2 on the XY plane. The first board-to-board connector 5 and the second board-to-board connector 22 have a function for connecting a signal line between the main substrate 1 and the sub-substrate 2 .

As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the sub-substrate 2 includes a substrate main body 2 A, second connection terminals 21 A, and a second board-to-board connector 22 (a second substrate-to-substrate connector) (refer to FIG. 5A ). The sub-substrate 2 is one example of a “second substrate”. The substrate main body 2 A is a rigid substrate, for example. The substrate main body 2 A is assumed to be a rectangular plate (refer to FIG. 5A ).

The first surface 2 a of the substrate main body 2 A is a surface opposed to the main substrate 1 . The second surface 2 b is a surface opposite from the first surface 2 a . The rear end edge of the substrate main body 2 A is referred to as a first end edge 2 c . The front end edge of the substrate main body 2 A is referred to as a second end edge 2 d.

As illustrated in FIG. 5A , the second connection terminals 21 A are provided on the first surface 2 a of the substrate main body 2 A. The second connection terminals 21 A are disposed at a position corresponding to the first connection terminals 3 A of the main substrate 1 (refer to FIG. 3 ).

The second connection terminals 21 A include a plurality of (for example, six in FIG. 5A ) connection terminals 21 (a terminal, a connection pad, an electrode pad). The plurality of connection terminals 21 are aligned at intervals in the up-down direction in FIG. 5A (or the Y direction in FIG. 1 ). In detail, the second connection terminals 21 A include connection terminals 21 A 1 and connection terminals 21 A 2 . The connection terminal 21 is made of metal, such as copper or bronze.

The connection terminals 21 A 1 include a plurality of (for example, four in FIG. 5A ) connection terminals 21 aligned at intervals in the Y direction. The connection terminals 21 A 1 are disposed at a position corresponding to the connection terminals 3 A 1 (refer to FIG. 3 ). The connection terminals 21 A 2 are provided spaced apart from the connection terminals 21 A 1 in the −Y direction (refer to FIG. 1 ). The connection terminals 21 A 2 include a plurality of (for example, two in FIG. 5A ) connection terminals 21 aligned at intervals in the Y direction. The connection terminals 21 A 2 are disposed at a position corresponding to the connection terminals 3 A 2 (refer to FIG. 3 ).

At least one of the plurality of connection terminals 21 may be a connection terminal for power supply. That is, the second connection terminals 21 A may include a connection terminal 21 for power supply. The connection terminal 21 for power supply among the second connection terminals 21 A is connected to the connection terminal 3 for power supply among the first connection terminals 3 A. With the above, it is possible to flow a large current between the main substrate 1 and the sub-substrate 2 .

The second board-to-board connector 22 is provided at a position corresponding to the first board-to-board connector 5 of the main substrate 1 . The second board-to-board connector 22 is positioned further in the −Y direction than the connection terminals 21 A 1 . The second board-to-board connector 22 is positioned further in the +Y direction than the connection terminals 21 A 2 . The second board-to-board connector 22 is disposed at a position adjacent to the connection terminals 21 A 1 , 21 A 2 in the Y direction (that is, a position adjacent to the second connection terminals 21 A).

The second board-to-board connector 22 is vertically connectable to the first board-to-board connector 5 .

As illustrated in FIG. 5B , on the second surface 2 b of the sub-substrate 2 , a ground pad 23 (an electrode pad) is provided. The ground pad 23 is made of metal, such as copper or bronze. The ground pad 23 is located, for example, on a portion (the end edge portion 24 ) of the substrate main body 2 A, the portion containing the first end edge 2 c . The end edge portion 24 is a band portion extending over the entire length in the up-down direction in FIG. 5B .

As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the end edge portion 24 of the sub-substrate 2 is locked on the locking part 4 (in detail, the locking convex portion 8 ). The end edge portion 24 is locked on the lower surface 8 a of the locking convex portion 8 of the locking part 4 . The ground pad 23 abuts on the connection pad 11 of the locking convex portion 8 to be electrically connected to the connection pad 11 . The ground pad 23 is electrically connected to the locking part 4 via the connection pad 11 .

Each connection terminal 21 of the second connection terminals 21 A of the sub-substrate 2 is pressed onto the elastic contact piece 14 of the connection terminal 3 , while having the end edge portion 24 locked on the locking convex portion 8 . As indicated by a virtual line in FIG. 4 , the elastic contact piece 14 may be in a state of being elastically bent and deformed. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the connection terminal 21 of the sub-substrate 2 abuts on the elastic contact piece 14 , and is electrically connected to the elastic contact piece 14 . With the above, the second connection terminals 21 A of the sub-substrate 2 are electrically connected to the first connection terminals 3 A of the main substrate 1 .

The second board-to-board connector 22 of the sub-substrate 2 is fit to the first board-to-board connector 5 of the main substrate 1 . The sub-substrate 2 may be parallel to the main substrate 1 .

[Method for Assembling Electronic Component]

Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 , one example of a method for assembling the electronic component 10 will be described.

As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the main substrate 1 and the sub-substrate 2 are prepared. The elastic contact piece 14 of the connection terminal 3 is not deformed. The sub-substrate 2 is in a posture in which a part of the first surface 2 a is opposed to the mount surface 1 a of the main substrate 1 . Preferably, the sub-substrate 2 is in a posture in which the sub-substrate 2 is inclined so as to descend from the second end edge 2 d toward the first end edge 2 c.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 7 , the sub-substrate 2 is moved backward while descending until a part of the end edge portion 24 is positioned between the locking convex portion 8 of the locking part 4 and the substrate main body 1 A. In the above, the sub-substrate 2 is disposed such that the position of the second connection terminals 21 A coincides with the position of the first connection terminals 3 A.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 8 , with the portion of the end edge portion 24 , the portion abutting on the locking convex portion 8 , as a fulcrum, the sub-substrate 2 is rotated downward. The sub-substrate 2 becomes substantially parallel to the main substrate 1 . With the above, the connection terminal 21 of the second connection terminals 21 A is pressed onto the elastic contact piece 14 of the connection terminal 3 . The elastic contact piece 14 abuts on the connection terminal 21 , while being elastically bent and deformed. With the above, the second connection terminals 21 A of the sub-substrate 2 are electrically connected to the first connection terminals 3 A of the main substrate 1 .

With the elasticity of the elastic contact piece 14 , a force in a push-up direction is applied to the sub-substrate 2 . Thus, the ground pad 23 of the sub-substrate 2 is pressed onto the connection pad 11 of the locking part 4 to be electrically connected to the locking part 4 via the connection pad 11 .

The second board-to-board connector 22 is connected to the first board-to-board connector 5 . With the above, the electronic component 10 is obtained.

With the first connection terminals 3 A connected to the second connection terminals 21 A, the electronic component 10 can flow a large current between the main substrate 1 and the sub-substrate 2 . As the first connection terminals 3 A include the elastically deformable elastic contact pieces 14 , even when the main substrate 1 and the sub-substrate 2 are not accurately positioned, connection can be ensured. Thus, reliability in connection between the main substrate 1 and the sub-substrate 2 can be enhanced.

The elastic contact piece 14 in an undeformed state is inclined in a direction that departs further away from the mount surface 1 a as it goes closer to the locking part 4 . Thus, in assembling the sub-substrate 2 to the main substrate 1 , even if the sub-substrate 2 should touch the elastic contact piece 14 of the connection terminal 3 , the movement of the sub-substrate 2 in a direction toward the main substrate 1 is unlikely hindered. Thus, assembling the sub-substrate 2 is unlikely hindered. Also, damage to the connection terminal 3 is avoidable.

As the sub-substrate 2 is pressed onto the elastic contact piece 14 of the connection terminal 3 while having the end edge portion 24 locked on the locking part 4 , it is possible to have the second connection terminals 21 A of the sub-substrate 2 in a stable posture, connected to the first connection terminals 3 A. This facilitates assembling the electronic component 10 .

As a formation for comparison, assume an electronic component (not illustrated) including a pogo pin instead of the connection terminal 3 . A pogo pin is a movable probe pin whose movable terminal portion is urged in a stick-out direction by a spring. A pogo pin is assumed to have a pillar shape, and stands on the mount surface of the main substrate. With this electronic component, in assembling the sub-substrate to the main substrate, the sub-substrate abuts on a pogo pin and is thereby hindered from moving. Thus, assembling the sub-substrate can be hindered.

The elastic contact piece 14 in a state of being elastically bent and deformed is connected to the second connection terminals 21 A of the sub-substrate 2 . Thus, the elastic contact piece 14 enables reliable electrical connection relative to the connection terminal 21 of the sub-substrate 2 .

When the elastic contact piece 14 in a state of being elastically bent and deformed is connected to the second connection terminals 21 A of the sub-substrate 2 , a force in a push-up direction is applied to the sub-substrate 2 . Thus, the ground pad 23 of the sub-substrate 2 is pressed onto the locking part 4 . This enables reliable electrical connection between the ground pad 23 and the locking part 4 .

A specific structure of this invention is not limited to the above described embodiment, and, for example, a design in a range not departing from the gist of the present invention is included. The respective structures described in the above embodiment can be arbitrarily combined.

For example, in the connection terminal 3 illustrated in FIG. 4 , the elastic contact piece 14 in an undeformed state extends linearly, while being inclined in a direction that departs further away from the mount surface 1 a as it goes closer to the locking part 4 . This, however, is not an exclusive example of the shape of the elastic contact piece. The elastic contact piece can have a structure in which at least a part of the elastic contact piece extends while being inclined in a direction in which the part departs further away from the mount surface as it goes closer to the locking part. For example, only a part of the elastic contact piece in the longitudinal direction may extend while being inclined in a direction in which the part departs further away from the mount surface as it goes closer to the locking part, while the remaining part may not extend in such a direction. The elastic contact piece is not necessarily linear, and may extend curvedly.

The electronic component in the embodiment can include no locking part. In this case, the sub-substrate can be positioned relative to the main substrate, with a positioning structure different from the locking part. For example, the sub-substrate can be positioned relative to the main substrate by means of concave and convex mating or screwing, for example.

Although the connection terminal 3 including the base 13 and the elastic contact piece 14 is provided on the main substrate 1 in the electronic component 10 , as illustrated in FIG. 1 , a connection terminal including a base and an elastic contact piece may be provided on the sub-substrate. In this case, the connection terminal (a connection pad) on the main substrate is pressed onto the elastic contact piece. In this structure, the main substrate corresponds to the “second substrate”, and the sub-substrate corresponds to the “first substrate”.

Although the electronic component 10 includes the board-to-board connectors 5 , 22 for positioning the main substrate 1 and the sub-substrate 2 , an electronic component in this embodiment can have no board-to-board connector. In the case of an electronic component without a board-to-board connector, preferably, the main substrate and the sub-substrate include a mechanism for relatively positioning the main substrate and the sub-substrate on the XY plane.

In the case where the locking part 4 (refer to FIG. 2 ) is made of electrically conductive material, such as metal, the connection pad 11 is omissible.