EMI/RFI and vibration resistant electronics enclosure

Abstract

A panel used in an enclosure for housing at least one electronic component, and an enclosure made of at least one of such panels is disclosed. The panel includes an electrically conductive layer, a separate, magnetically permeable layer connected to the electrically conductive layer, and a separate, extensionally damped layer covering at least 80 percent of a surface of the panel and attached to one or more of the electrically conductive layer and the magnetically permeable layer, where electrical and magnetic conductivity are maintained between all panels of the enclosure, and a ground is provided between circuitry of the electrical component and the electrically conductive layer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A panel for an enclosure for housing at least one electronic component, which comprises: 
 an electrically conductive layer;    a separate, magnetically permeable layer, connected to said electrically conductive layer; and    a separate, extensionally damping layer, covering at least 80 percent of a surface of said panel, and attached to at least one of said electrically conductive layer and said magnetically permeable layer.    
     
     
         2 . A panel as set forth in    claim 1   , wherein said electrically conductive layer is formed of a material conductive at frequencies greater than 100 kHz.  
     
     
         3 . A panel as set forth in    claim 2   , wherein said electrically conductive layer comprises at least one of aluminum, copper-plated steel, plastic which is sprayed with a conductive coating, and plastic which is vapor coated with a conductive coating.  
     
     
         4 . A panel as set forth in    claim 1   , wherein said magnetically permeable layer comprises at least one of CONETIC® and NETIC® magnetic shielding alloy.  
     
     
         5 . A panel as set forth in    claim 1    wherein said magnetically permeable layer is a foil of at least about 0.1 mm in thickness.  
     
     
         6 . A panel as set forth in    claim 5   , wherein said magnetically permeable layer is a foil of at least about 0.25 mm in thickness.  
     
     
         7 . A panel as set forth in    claim 4   , wherein said CONETIC® magnetic shielding alloy is CO-NETIC AA foil, and said NETIC® magnetic shielding alloy is NETIC S3-6 foil, said magnetic shielding alloy being hydrogen annealed.  
     
     
         8 . A panel as set forth in    claim 1   , wherein said extensionally damping layer comprises a single pass extruded, thermoplastic alloy damping material.  
     
     
         9 . A panel as set forth in    claim 8   , wherein said extensionally damping layer is ISODAMP® CN, with a thickness of at least about 1.5 mm.  
     
     
         10 . A panel as set forth in    claim 9   , wherein said extensionally damping layer is of a thickness of at least about 3.1 mm.  
     
     
         11 . A panel as set forth in    claim 8   , wherein said extensionally damping layer is Sorbothane®, with a thickness of at least about 3.2 mm.  
     
     
         12 . A panel as set forth in    claim 1   , wherein each of said electrically conductive layer, said magnetically permeable layer, and said extensionally damping layer are connected using an adhesive material.  
     
     
         13 . An enclosure for housing at least one electronic component, which comprises at least one panel, wherein each of said at least one panel comprises: 
 an electrically conductive layer;    a separate, magnetically permeable layer, connected to said electrically conductive layer; and    a separate, extensionally damping layer, covering at least 80 percent of a surface of said panel, and attached to at least one of said electrically conductive layer and said magnetically permeable layer.    
     
     
         14 . An enclosure as set forth in    claim 13   , wherein said electrically conductive layer is formed of a material conductive at frequencies greater than 100 kHz, and which comprises at least one of aluminum, copper-plated steel, plastic which is sprayed with a conductive coating, and plastic which is vapor coated with a conductive coating.  
     
     
         15 . An enclosure as set forth in    claim 13   , wherein said magnetically permeable layer comprises at least one of CO-NETIC® and NETIC® magnetic shielding alloy.  
     
     
         16 . An enclosure as set forth in    claim 13   , wherein said extensionally damping layer comprises a single pass extruded, thermoplastic alloy damping material which comprises at least one of ISODAMP® CN, and Sorbothane®.  
     
     
         17 . An enclosure as set forth in    claim 13   , wherein each of said electrically conductive layer, said magnetically permeable layer, and said extensionally damping layer are connected using an adhesive material.  
     
     
         18 . An enclosure as set forth in    claim 13   , wherein said electrically conductive layer is an outermost layer, and said extensionally damping layer is an innermost layer.  
     
     
         19 . An enclosure as set forth in    claim 13   , wherein electrical and magnetic conductivity are maintained between all panels of said enclosure, and a ground is provided between circuitry of said electrical component and said electrically conductive layer.  
     
     
         20 . An enclosure as set forth in    claim 13   , wherein a connector, which connects each of said at least one panel together, provides continuity of electrical conductivity throughout said enclosure.  
     
     
         21 . A method of making an enclosure for housing at least one electronic component, which comprises: 
 providing at least one panel, which comprises:    an electrically conductive layer, a separate, magnetically permeable layer, and a separate, extensionally damping layer;    attaching said magnetically permeable layer to said electrically conductive layer;    attaching said extensionally damping layer to at least one of said electrically conductive layer and said magnetically permeable layer, whereby at least 80 percent of a surface of said panel is covered with said extensionally damping layer; and    maintaining electrical and magnetic conductivity between all of said at least one panel of said enclosure.    
     
     
         22 . A method as set forth in    claim 21   , further comprising: 
 providing a ground between circuitry of said electrical component and said electrically conductive layer.    
     
     
         23 . A method as set forth in    claim 21   , wherein said maintaining electrical conductivity comprises using an electrically conductive connector to connect each of said at least one panel together.