Pin side edge mount connector and systems and methods thereof

Abstract

A printed circuit board (PCB) device including one or more insulating layers and one or more conducting layers arranged to form a layer stack; and one or more blind holes disposed along a side edge of the layer stack and parallel to a plane of the layer stack. Each of the one or more blind holes along the side edge of the layer stack is configured to receive a pin. Each pin can make an electrical connection with a corresponding blind hole.

1 . A printed circuit board (PCB) device, comprising:
 one or more insulating layers and one or more conducting layers arranged to form a layer stack, a plane of the one or more insulating layers being parallel to a plane of the one or more conducting layers;   one or more conducting tracks; and   one or more blind holes disposed in a side edge of the layer stack, each of the one or more blind holes having a depth that extends from the side edge into the layer stack in a direction parallel to the plane of the one or more insulating layers and the plane of the one or more conducting layers, the one or more blind holes being plated with a conducting material,   wherein each of the one or more blind holes is configured to receive a pin.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the conducting tracks electrically couple the one or more blind holes to components on the PCB. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more conducting tracks starts and terminates in an interior layer of the layer stack. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the pin having a compliant portion, wherein   the one or more blind holes has a diameter and a depth,   the pin has a length, and the compliant portion of the pin has a width,   the length of the pin is no greater than the depth of the one or more blind holes,   the diameter of the one or more blind holes is no greater than the width of the compliant portion of the pin,   the compliant portion is configured to deform when the pin is inserted into the blind hole, and   the compliant portion is configured to retain the pin in the blind hole when the pin is fully seated in the blind hole.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising a housing configured to hold each said pin, the housing having a predetermined height, wherein
 the housing is configured to be removably mounted to the side edge of the layer stack such that each said pin held by the housing is inserted into and retained by a respective one of the one or more blind holes and such that the housing extends from the side edge parallel to the plane of the one or more insulating layers and the plane of the one or more conducting layers.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more blind holes is configured to retain the pin via a press fit. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined height of the housing is substantially equal to a thickness of the layer stack. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of the PCBs, wherein
 the plurality of PCBs form a stack in a thickness direction of the PCBs,   the stack of PCBs have a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and   the housing is disposed along the side edge of each of the plurality of the PCBs and is not disposed over the top or bottom surfaces of the stack of PCBs.   
     
     
         9 . A printed circuit board (PCB) system, comprising:
 one or more insulating layers and one or more conducting layers arranged to form a layer stack;   one or more blind holes disposed along a side edge of the layer stack and parallel to a plane of the layer stack;   at least one pin; and   a housing configured to hold the at least one pin and be removably mounted to the side edge of the layer stack, wherein   each said at least one pin held by the housing is configured to be inserted into and retained by a respective one of the one or more blind holes.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein
 the at least one pin includes a compliant portion,   the one or more blind holes have a diameter and a depth,   the at least one pin has a length, and the compliant portion of the at least one pin has a width,   the length of the at least one pin is no greater than the depth of the one or more blind holes,   the diameter of the one or more blind holes is no greater than the width of the compliant portion of the at least one pin,   the compliant portion is configured to deform when the pin is inserted into the blind hole, and   the compliant portion is configured to retain the pin in the blind hole when the pin is fully seated in the blind hole.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a height of the housing is substantially equal to a thickness of the layer stack. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of the PCBs, wherein
 the plurality of PCBs form a stack in a thickness direction of the PCBs,   the stack of PCBs have a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and   the housing is disposed along the side edge of each of the plurality of the PCBs and is not disposed over the top or bottom surfaces of the stack of PCBs.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 one or more conducting tracks, wherein   the conducting tracks electrically couple the one or more blind holes to components on the PCB.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each of the one or more conducting tracks starts and terminates in an interior layer of the layer stack. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 providing one or more insulating layers and one or more conducting layers arranged to form a layer stack, a plane of the one or more insulating layers being parallel to a plane of the one or more conducting layers;   providing one or more conducting tracks to electrically couple one or more blind holes to components on the layer stack; and   providing one or more blind holes disposed in a side edge of the layer stack, each of the one or more blind holes having a depth that extends from the side edge into the layer stack in a direction parallel to the plane of the one or more insulating layers and the plane of the one or more conducting layers, the one or more blind holes being plated with a conducting material,   wherein each of the one or more blind holes is configured to receive a pin.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing the pin having a compliant portion, wherein   the one or more blind holes has a diameter and a depth,   the pin has a length, and the compliant portion of the pin includes a width,   the length of the pin is no greater than the depth of the one or more blind holes,   the diameter of the one or more blind holes is no greater than the width of the compliant portion of the pin, and   said providing the pin includes the compliant portion deforming when the pin is inserted into the blind hole, and the compliant portion retaining the pin in the blind hole when the pin is fully seated in the blind hole.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing a housing configured to hold each said pin, the housing having a predetermined height, wherein
 providing the housing includes the housing being configured to be removably mounted to the side edge of the layer stack such that each said pin held by the housing is inserted into and retained by a respective one of the one or more blind holes and such that the housing extends from the side edge parallel to the plane of the one or more insulating layers and the plane of the one or more conducting layers.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said providing the housing includes the one or more blind holes retaining each said pin via a press fit. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined height of the housing is substantially equal to a thickness of the layer stack. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising separating the housing from the layer stack, wherein
 the layer stack includes a plurality of the blind holes and the pins, and   the separating the housing from the layer stack includes substantially simultaneous extraction of the plurality of pins from the blind holes.