A) TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] Present invention generally relates to a printed circuit board and more specifically to an electronic component assembly mounting mechanism for a printed circuit board
B) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In electronics the printed circuit boards or PCBs are used to mechanically support and electrically connect the electronic components using conductive pathways or traces that are etched from copper sheets which are laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. Alternative names of the PCB are printed wiring board (PWB) and etched wiring board.
[0003] Originally every electronic component is provided with wire leads. The PCB is provided with drilled holes for each wire of each component. The components' leads are then passed through the holes and soldered to the PCB trace. This method of assembly is called through-hole construction. In 1949, Moe Abramson and Stanislaus F. Dank of the United States Army Signal Corps developed the Auto-Sibyl process in which the electronic component leads are inserted into a copper foil interconnection pattern and dip soldered. With the development of board lamination and etching techniques, this concept evolved into the standard printed circuit board fabrication process in use today. The soldering could be done automatically by passing the board over a ripple or wave of molten solder in a wave-soldering machine.

However the wires and holes are wasteful since drilling holes is expensive and the protruding wires are merely cut off
[0004] Through-hole technology also spelled "thru-hole", refers to the mounting scheme used for electronic components. The through-hole technology involves the use of pins on the components. The pins on the electronic components are inserted into holes drilled in the printed circuit boards and soldered to the pads on the opposite side.
[0005] In recent years, the use of surface mount components on a printed circuit board has gained popularity as the demand for smaller electronics packaging and greater functionality has grown widely. After the PCB is fabricated, the electronic components are to be attached to form a functional printed circuit assembly, or PCA. In through-hole construction, component leads may be inserted into the drilled holes and electrically and mechanically fixed to the board with a molten metal solder, while in surface-mount construction, the components are simply soldered to pads or lands on the outer surfaces of the PCB.
[0006] The Surface mount technology (SMT) is a method for constructing electronic circuits in which the components are mounted directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards. The Electronic devices so made are called surface-mount devices or SMDs. In the industry it has largely replaced the previous construction method of fitting components with wire leads into holes in the circuit board (also called through-hole technology). An SMT component is usually smaller than its leaded counterpart because it has no leads or smaller leads. It may have short pins or leads of various

styles, flat contacts, a matrix of balls (BGAs), or terminations on the body of the component (passives).
[0007] The surface mount technology is developed in the 1960s, gained momentum in Japan in the early 1980s and became widely used globally by the mid 1990s. The electronic components are mechanically redesigned to have small metal tabs or end caps that could be directly soldered to the surface of the PCB. The electronic components became much smaller and component placement on both sides of the board became far more common with surface-mounting than through-hole mounting, allowing much higher circuit densities. Often, only the solder joints hold the parts to the board, although parts on the bottom or "second" side of the board are temporarily secured with a dot of adhesive as well. The Surface-mounted devices are usually made physically small and lightweight for this reason.
[0008] The surface mounting process lends itself well to a high degree of automation, reducing labor cost and greatly increasing production rates. The SMDs can be one-quarter to one-tenth the size and weight, and one-half to one-quarter the cost of through-hole parts. The surface mount devices can be one-quarter to one-tenth the size and weight, and passive components can be one-half to one-quarter the cost of through-hole parts. The Integrated circuits (where the chip itself is the most expensive part) are often priced the same regardless of package type however. As of 2006, some wire-ended components, such as small signal switch diodes (Philips 1N4148 for instance), are actually significantly cheaper than corresponding SMD versions.

[0009] The main advantages of SMT over the older through-hole technique are listed as foam’s. The SMT allows usage of smaller, lighter components. Only fewer holes need to be drilled through the abrasive boards. The SMT process enables to obtain simpler automated assembly. The small errors in component placement are corrected automatically (the surface tension of the molten solder pulls the component into alignment with the solder pads). [0010] The components can be fitted to both sides of the circuit board. The SMT process reduces lead resistance and inductance (leading to better performance for high frequency parts). The SMT technology provides better mechanical performance under shake and vibration conditions. The cost of the SMT components is generally less than that of the through-hole components.
[0011] The one major disadvantage of SMT is the difficulty in manual handling due to the very small sizes and lead spacing of SMDs, making component-level repair of devices using it extremely difficult, and often uneconomical.
[0012] While through-hole mounting provides strong mechanical bonds when compared to surface-moist technology techniques, the additional drilling required makes the boards more expensive to produce. They also limit the available routing area for signal traces on layers immediately below the top layer on multilayer boards since the holes must pass through all layers to the opposite side. To that end, through-hole mounting techniques are now usually reserved for bulkier components such as electrolytic capacitors or semiconductors in larger packages such as the TO220 that require the additional mounting strength.

[0013] The design engineers often prefer the larger through-hole to surface mount parts when prototyping because they are easier to handle, insert, and solder. A rule of thumb for creating a through-hole on a PCB is to make the drill diameter 0.008" larger then the part's lead. To install a SIL through-hole part (e.g. resistor, capacitors, and diodes), bend leads 90 degrees in the same direction, insert the part in the board, bend leads located on the backside of the board in opposing directions to improve the part's mechanical strength; finally, solder the leads such that the solder seeps through to both sides of the board.
[0014] Often, the through-hole and surface-mount construction must be combined in a single PCA because some required components are available only in surface-mount packages, while others are available only in through-hole packages.
[0015] Generally printed circuit boards are designed and developed individually for mounting through hole components and surface mounted device (SMD) components. Currently both the through hole components and the SMD components could not be mounted on the same printed circuit board. Sometimes during the development of a prototype device through hole components are mounted and tested. Afterwards the SMD components have to be mounted on the same printed circuit board for testing. But the SMD components could not be mounted on the printed circuit board used for mounting through hole components for want of change in design of the printed circuit board. Moreover the paucity of SMD components during a manufacturing process or servicing process could lead to the mounting of through hole components and vice versa. The stoppage of production or the non availability of through hole components may lead to the replacement of the components by SMD components. This leads to

the usage of two different printed circuit boards with two different designs for mounting SMD and through hole components. Hence there is a need to develop and design a printed circuit board with facility for mounting both the through hole and SMD components in the same component area.
[0016] During the concept proving and prototype development process, the designer are bound to use the through hole components as the availability of the through hole components is easier than that of the SMD components. If the prototype is proved successful at the first time during a design testing process, the SMD components are to be used in a production batch and the PCB circuit had to go for iteration forcefully. Then option of providing foot print for both the through hole and surface mount components is proved advantageous.
[0017] The US patent No.7086879 discloses a dual connector assembly provided with two sockets on mutually opposite directions to receive two components respectively. The connector assembly is designed in such a manner that the connector assembly may receive only one component at a time and not both the components simultaneously.
[0018] The US patent No.6325659 discloses a dual connector printed circuit assembly. The electrical connector has a plurality of electrical connector contacts which have insulation-displacement portions at first ends and slidable pin-engaging portions at second opposite ends so that all wire-wrap electrical connections have been eliminated and all electrical connections between external wires and pin contacts of a second electrical connector are solderless.

[0019] The US patent No. 4859190 discloses a dual connector printed circuit board assembly and method. A printed circuit board assembly having a main printed circuit board and a subsidiary board that are coupled to a connector. The main board has a plurality of socket holes and the connector has a corresponding plurality of pins.
[0020] The US pre grant application No. 20060009061 Al discloses a Universal connector assembly. The advanced modular plug connector assembly containing an insert assembly disposed in the rear portion of the connector housing. The connector has plurality of ports in multi-rov^ configuration. The insert assembly has a substrate adapted to receive several electronic components such as choke coils, transformers, or other signal conditioning elements. The substrate also interfaces with the conductors of two modular ports of the connector, and is removable from the housing such that an insert assembly of a different electronics or terminal configuration can be substituted.
[0021] Thus none of the prior art devices provide a design or mechanism for mounting either a through hole component or a surface mounted component on the same component area in the same printed circuit board. Hence there is a need to design and develop a dual component mount assembly mechanism for a printed circuit board to mount either a through hole component or a surface mounted component in the same area at one printed circuit board.
C) SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The abovementioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.

[0023] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a dual component assembly mechanism in a printed circuit board to mount either a through hole component or a surface mounted device component in the same printed circuit board.
[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a component lay out area is provided with vias and lanes or pads for mounting the through hole components and the SMD components respectively. The pins of the through hole components are connected to the lanes and the common pins of the components are shorted. The leads of the SMD components are connected to the lands or pads provided in the components lay out area.
[0025] According to another embodiment of the invention, a dual option method for mounting the through hole component and SMD component in a same printed circuit board is provided.
[0026] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
D) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows the perspective view of a printed circuit board according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a printed circuit board mounted with through hole component according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a printed circuit board mounted with SMD component according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0031] Although specific features of the present invention are shown in some drawings and not in others. This is done for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the present invention.
E) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which the specific embodiments which may be practiced is shown by way of illustration. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical, mechanical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0033] According to an embodiment of this invention, a printed circuit board is provided with lanes in addition to the through holes or vias arranged in the board. The lanes are provided with the vias in the same printed circuit board to mount the SMD components. The through hole components are mounted on the printed circuit board by passing the pins of the through hole components into the vias or through holes and the common pins of the components are soldered to the pads provided in the opposite side of the printed circuit board. The SMD components are mounted on the printed circuit board by soldering the leads of the SMD components to the lanes provided in the printed circuit board. Thus through hole components or SMD components are mounted on the same printed circuit board.
[0034] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a dual option method for mounting a through hole component and a SMD component on same printed circuit board is provided. A lane and a through are provided in the same component mounting area in a same printed circuit board to mount a SMD component and a through hole component in the same printed circuit board. The leads of the SMD component are soldered to the lanes provided in the printed circuit board to mount the SMD component. The pins of the through hole components are inserted through the through holes provided in the component mounting area and the pins are soldered to the pads provided in the printed circuit board to mount the through hole components.
[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a printed circuit board 11 according to one embodiment of the invention. The printed circuit board 11 is provided with several components mounting areas 12-14. The printed circuit board 11 is provided

with lanes 15 and through holes 16 in one component mounting area 13 for mounting the SMD components and the through hole components respectively.
[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a printed circuit board 11 mounted with a through hole component 17 in a component mounting area 13 according to one embodiment of the invention. The printed circuit board 11 is provided with a plurality of component mounting areas 12-14. Each component mounting area 13 is provided with lanes 15 and through holes 16 for mounting the SMD components and the through hole components 17 respectively. A through hole component 17 is mounted on the component mounting area 13 in the printed circuit board 11 by inserting the pins 18 of the through hole components 17 into the through holes 16 or vias and the common pins of the through hole components 17 are soldered to the pads that are arranged opposite to the through holes 16 in the printed circuit board 11.
[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a printed circuit board 11 mounted with a SMD component 19 according to one embodiment of the invention. The printed circuit board 11 has several component mounting areas 12-14 for mounting a through hole component or a SMD component 19. Each component mounting area 13 is provided with lanes 15 and vias or through holes 16 to mount the SMD component 19 and a through hole component respectively. The leads 20 of the SMD components 19 are mounted on a component mounting area 13 by soldering the leads 20 of the SMD components to the lanes 15.

F) ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0038] By providing an option for mounting both the through hole and the SMD components on a single printed circuit board, the assembly time, the servicing time and the cost of the printed circuit board is reduced greatly. This invention helps to utilize the available huge stock of through hole components. The PCB will carry either the through hole component or Surface Mounted devices depending on the availability of type of the component thereby reducing the iterations of PCB. The assembler can switch over to either one of the two options to mount the components based on the availability of the components to make a workable Printed Circuit Board. This invention provides flexibility in mounting the through hole components or SMD components in a PCB during a device manufacturing process based on the availability of the components in the market and the stock condition thereby ensuring a smooth production process effectively. This helps in reducing the manufacturing time and assembly time and saves money by avoiding the wastage of available components in the stock. The cost of a product may be varied based on the customer requirement by using either the low cost through hole components or the high cost SMD components. This invention enables to manufacture the printed circuit board effectively and efficiently based on the economic condition such as cost, of the buyer.
[0039] Generally the designers are bound to use the through hole components during the concept proving and the prototype development process, as the availability of the through hole components are more than that of the SMD components. When the prototype is proved successfully at the first time in a design testing process, then the PCB had to go for iteration forcefiilly because of the usage of the SMD components

on a production batch. The option of providing foot print for both is proved advantageous.
[0040] Thus the various embodiments of the present invention provides a method and mechanism for mounting the SMD components and the trilogy hole components in a same printed circuit board.
[0041] It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the present invention described herein and all the statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall there between.

CLAIMS
What is claimed is
1. A Printed Circuit Board comprising:
component mounting area for installing an electronic component and provided with lanes and through holes.
2. The printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein said lanes are provided to mount the surface mounting device (SMD) components
3. The printed circuit board according to claim I, wherein said through holes are provided to mount the through hole components.
4. The printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the leads of the surface mounting device components are soldered to said lanes to mount the SMD components.
5. The printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the pins of the through hole components are inserted into said through holes and soldered to the pads in the said component mounting area.
t 6. The printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein said through holes and said lanes are provided on same component mounting area to mount the through hole components or the SMD components selectively.

7. An electronic component mounting method in a printed circuit board, the method
comprising:
providing lanes and through holes in one component mounting area to selectively mount surface mounting device components and through hole component selectively.
8. The electronic component maiming method according to claim 7, wherein said lanes
and the said through holes are provided in the same component mounting area in same
printed circuit board.
9. The electronic component mounting method according to claim 7, wherein the leads of the SMD components are soldered to said lanes to mount the SMD components on the printed circuit board.
10. The electronic component mounting method according to claim 7, wherein the pins of the through hole components are inserted into said through holes provided in the component mounting area and soldered to the pads provided in the printed circuit boards.

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