Interconnect technique for stacked circuit boards

Claim 2

In a circuit board assembly comprising a plurality of substantially planar circuit boards each having printed circuit means supported on at least one planar surface thereof and having circuit devices connected to said respective printed circuit means and supported adjacent at least one planar surface of the respective board, said circuit boards being stacked in spaced relation to define regions between adjacent circuit boards, the improvement comprising: a plurality of electrically conductive interconnect means mounted to selected ones of said circuit boards; each of said interconnect means including housing means mounted to a respective circuit board, a substantially rigid, elongated member supported by each of said housing means and extending from one end of said housing means into the respective region between adjacent circuit boards, and a slotted, cylindrical bore in the opposite end of said housing means having opposite jaw members, an end portion of each of said elongated members being assembled to a respective bore in a respective interconnect means on an adjacent circuit board, thermally expandable means assembled to said housing means for deflecting said jaw members to selectively expand and contract said bore to selectively create an interference fit between said bore and an assembled elongated member, connecting means establishing electrical connection between each of said end portions and the respective bore; said interconnect means being arranged in pseudo-random arrays on planar surfaces of said circuit boards so that said end portions of said elongated members are assembled to respective bores on adjacent boards for selectively connecting printed circuit means on one circuit board with printed circuit means on another circuit board.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing means each include a cylindrical portion mounted in an aperture in the respective circuit board, and flange means at each end of said cylindrical portion sandwiching a portion of the respective circuit board therebetween.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said printed circuit means is connected to at least some of said housing means.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said assembly includes at least first, second, and third circuit boards arranged in stacked relation so that said second circuit board is positioned between said first and third circuit boards, said apparatus including a first of said housing means mouNted to said first circuit board, a second of said housing means mounted to said second circuit board, and a third of said housing means mounted to said third circuit board, said first, second and third housing means being aligned in a plane normal to the planes defined by said first, second and third circuit boards, said first housing means including an elongated member extending into the region between said first and second circuit boards and having an end portion assembled to a bore in said second housing means, and said second housing means including an elongated member extending into the region between said second and third circuit boards and having an end portion assembled to a bore in said third housing means, whereby said first housing means on said first circuit board is electrically connected to said third housing means on said third circuit board.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said housing means each include a cylindrical portion mounted in an aperture in the respective circuit board, and flange means at each end of said cylindrical portion sandwiching a portion of the respective circuit board therebetween.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said printed circuit means is connected to at least some of said housing means.

Claim 8

A circuit assembly comprising, in combination: a. a plurality of individual printed circuit boards, each of said boards having at least two opposite planar surfaces, each of said boards including: i. a pattern of electrically conductive members supported on at least one of said planar surfaces, and ii. circuit means supported by said board adjacent at least one of said planar surfaces, said circuit means being electrically connected to selected portions of said conductive members; b. assembly means supporting said plurality of boards in spaced, stacked relation so that the circuit means supported by each said board is spaced from the next adjacent board; and c. interconnect means electrically connecting selected ones of the conductive members on each board to respective ones of the conducting members on another board of the stack of boards, each of said interconnect means including: i. metallic housing means mounted in an aperture through the respective board and electrically connected to selected ones of said conductive members, ii. an elongated, rigid member extending from the housing means in one direction into the region between adjacent boards, iii. receiving means comprising a slotted, cylindrical bore in the housing means, said bore facing in a direction opposite from the elongated member and having opposite jaw members, an end portion of an elongated member of an interconnect means mounted to the next adjacent board being assembled to said bore, iv. thermally expandable means assembled to said receiving means for deflecting said jaw members to selectively expand and contract said bore to selectively create an interference fit between said bore and an assembled elongated member, and v. connecting means for establishing electrical connection between a bore and an assembled end portion; said interconnect means being arranged in psuedo-random arrays on the planar surfaces of said boards.

Claim 9

A circuit assembly comprising, in combination: a. a plurality of individual printed circuit boards, each of said boards having at least two opposite planar surfaces, each of said boards including: i. a pattern of electrically conductive members supported on at least one of said planar surfaces, and ii. circuit means supported by said board adjacent at least one of said planar surfaces, said circuit means being electrically connected to selected portions of said conductive members; b. assembly means supporting said plurality of boards in spaced, stacked relation so that the circuit means supported by each said board is spaced from the next adjacent board; and c. interconnect means electrically connecting selected ones of the conductive members on each board to respective ones of the conducting members on another board of the stack of boards, each of said interconnect means including: i. metallic housing means mounted in an aperture through the respective board and electrically connected to selected ones of said conductive members, ii. an elongated, rigid member extending from the housing means in one direction into the region between adjacent boards, iii. receiving means comprising a slotted, cylindrical bore in the housing means, said bore facing in a direction opposite from the elongated member and having opposite jaw members, an end portion of an elongated member of an interconnect means mounted to the next adjacent board being assembled to said bore, iv. thermally expandable means assembled to said receiving means for deflecting said jaw members to selectively expand and contract said bore to selectively create an interference fit between said bore and an assembled elongated member, and v. connecting means for establishing electrical connection between a bore and an assembled end portion; said interconnect means being arranged in psuedo-random arrays on the planar surfaces of said boards.

Claim 10

An assembly according to claim 7 further including flange means at each end of said housing means sandwiching a portion of the board therebetween.

Claim 11

An assembly according to claim 7 wherein said circuit means is selected from the group consisting of discreet circuit elements and integrated circuits.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises flowable solder means.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said connecting means comprises flowable solder means.