Circuit Assembly and Corresponding Methods

• US 20150022986A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Steuer, Paul R., Barabolak, Mark A., Cauwels, Patrick J., Sutherland, Timothy J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/767
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/023 using auxiliary mounted passive components or auxiliary substances printed passive components H05K1/16
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/111 Pads for surface mounting, e.g. lay-out
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/145 Arrangements wherein electric components are disposed between and simultaneously connected to two planar printed circuit boards, e.g. Cordwood modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/042 Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09072 Hole or recess under component or special relationship between hole and component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10371 Shields or metal cases
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10969 Metallic case or integral heatsink of component electrically connected to a pad on PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2036 Permanent spacer or stand-off in a printed circuit or printed circuit assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/341 Surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/368 parallel to each other H05K3/361 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0022 of components mounted on printed circuit boards [PCB] shields integrated within component packages H01L23/552; shields integrated within PCB H05K1/0218

Abstract

A circuit assembly (1800) includes a first circuit substrate (1200) defining a first major face (1201) and a second circuit substrate (1500) defining a second major face (1502). A plurality of electrical components (1203,1204,1205) can be disposed on one or more of the first major face or the second major face. One or more substrate bridging members (1301,1302,1303,1304) are disposed between the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate. Each substrate bridging member can define a unitary structure having a first end bonded to the first major face and a second end bonded to the second major face to bridge the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate.

Claims

1. A circuit assembly, comprising:

a first circuit substrate defining a first major face;

a second circuit substrate defining a second major face;

a plurality of electrical components disposed on one or more of the first major face or the second major face; and

one or more substrate bridging members;

each substrate bridging member defining a unitary structure having a first end bonded to the first major face and a second end bonded to the second major face to bridge the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate.

2. The circuit assembly of claim 1, the one or more substrate bridging members, one or more of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate, or combinations thereof, to electromagnetically shield at least one of the plurality of electrical components.

3. The circuit assembly of claim 1, the one or more substrate bridging members comprising metal.

4. The circuit assembly of claim 3, the first end soldered to the first major face and the second end soldered to the second major face.

5. The circuit assembly of claim 4, the first end soldered by a reflow process, the second end soldered by a resistive heat process.

6. The circuit assembly of claim 3, at least one substrate bridging member defining a non-linear bridge wall.

7. The circuit assembly of claim 1, at least one substrate bridging member disposed interior to at least one electrical component.

8. The circuit assembly of claim 1, the one or more substrate bridging members comprising a plurality of substrate bridging members defining a perimeter about at least one electrical component.

9. The circuit assembly of claim 8, one or more of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate comprising a ground plane interior to the perimeter.

10. The circuit assembly of claim 1, the one or more substrate bridging members comprising a plurality of substrate bridging members disposed across the first major face and the second major face to orient the first circuit substrate substantially parallel to the second circuit substrate.

11. The circuit assembly of claim 1, at least one electrical component coupled to one of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate, another of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate defining a recess, at least a portion of the at least one electrical component extending into the recess.

12. The circuit assembly of claim 1, at least one of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate deformed.

13. The circuit assembly of claim 12, the at least one of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate deformed to bond to at least another of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate, at least a portion of the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate substantially parallel.

14. The circuit assembly of claim 1, at least one electrical component electrically coupled to both the first major face and the second major face.

15. The circuit assembly of claim 1, at least some of the plurality of electrical components disposed on two major faces of the first circuit substrate and two other major faces of the second circuit substrate.

16. A circuit assembly, comprising:

a first circuit substrate defining a first major face;

a second circuit substrate defining a second major face;

one or more electrical components coupled to one or more of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate; and

one or more substrate bridging members;

one of the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate comprising a solder pad aligned with a resistive element, the solder pad to heat when current is applied to the resistive element;

at least one substrate bridging member having a first end bonded to the solder pad and a second end bonded to another of the first major face or the second major face to bridge the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate.

17. The circuit assembly of claim 16, the solder pad and the resistive element integral to the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate.

18. A circuit assembly, comprising:

a first substrate defining a first side of the circuit assembly;

a second substrate defining a second side of the circuit assembly;

at least one electrical component disposed on at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate interior to the circuit assembly; and

one or more unitary shield elements disposed interior to the circuit assembly and having a first end soldered to the first substrate and a second end soldered to the second substrate.

19. The circuit assembly of claim 18, further comprising:

a display, operable with the circuit assembly, attached to one of the first substrate or the second substrate exterior to the circuit assembly; and

a battery, operable with the circuit assembly, attached to another of the first substrate or the second substrate on a side of the circuit assembly opposite the display.

20. The circuit assembly of claim 18, at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate defining an aperture, further comprising an electrical component disposed on another of the first substrate or the second substrate, the electrical component extending through the aperture.