Motorola Corporation

John S Walker

Scott Jenkins

Larry A Moore

An origami printed circuit board comprises a rigid printed circuit board having a flexible conducting back secured to the bottom of the circuit board. The flexible back is constructed of alternating layers of flexible dielectric and conducting layers bonded together, where the conducting layers may include copper. The circuit board is then grooved in a predetermined manner with the grooves extending through the rigid circuit board, but not extending into the flexible conducting back. The entire circuit board/flexible back is then folded along the grooves in origami fashion to form an enclosure, or other designed shape, with the flexible back forming the outer walls of the shape. By coupling the electronic elements of the circuit board to the conducting layers of the flexible back, the flexible conducting back includes electronic circuit printed interconnections on the rigid board. A bottom conducting layer of the flexible back may be uncoupled to the electronic elements of the circuit board. When the origami printed circuit board is folded into shape, the bottom layer forms the board's outer wall and creates an EMI/TEMPEST shield. The shield also isolates RF frequency emissions.

Origami composite EMI/TEMPEST proof electronics module

A means and method of constructing electronic housing modules in sections and joining the sections together in modular fashion. A coupler for joining the sections of the module housing can be constructed in a variety of ways allowing the module to take on various housing configurations. For instance, the module can be constructed as a rectangular or triangular box using the coupler. The coupler is preferably comprised of a longitudinal member including at least one groove. Each groove comprises an upper and lower extending lip. To construct the housing module, the sections, or housing walls, of the module are inserted into the groove between the upper and lower lips. The lower lip acts as a support for the inserted housing wall. The upper lip includes a flared portion at the extending end of the upper lip. A ledge secured to and protruding from the bottom plane of the upper lip. The ledge is located close to the inner portion of the groove. The walls of the housing module are made of malleable or extrudable materials. When the housing wall is inserted into the groove of the coupler, the end of the extrudable housing member slips underneath the ledge and butts against the end of the groove. This insures proper alignment of the extrudable housing member with the coupler. The upper lip is then crimped down onto the inserted housing wall. The flare of the upper lip causes the material of the housing wall to flow into the cavity areas of the groove. By constructing the housing module in modular fashion, the housing can be made easily and inexpensively.

Electronic housing module

A composite antenna element formed of a plurality of high modulus, high strength, low density, unidirectional graphite fibers bonded together by a flexible matrix material and formed into a tapered rod. The element is stored in a coiled configuration within a groove on the device to which it is attached and uses the strain energy stored within it during coiling to uncoil itself upon release into a vertical cantilever column on the order of eight feet high.

Growing community of inventors

Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America

John S Walker