DISCRETE COMPONENT ASSEMBLY
A discrete component assembly includes a discrete component having a central longitudinal axis and having an outer surface with a laterally outermost point positioned at a first radial distance from the central longitudinal axis. The assembly includes a support structure mounted on the discrete component. The assembly also includes a plurality of contact pads electrically connected to the discrete component and mounted on the support structure at radial distances from the central longitudinal axis greater than the first radial distance.
This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ of Mark Allen Gerber, entitled CIRCUIT ASSEMBLY, filed on the same date as the present application, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all that it discloses. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/758,459 filed Jan. 30, 2013 for Low Profile Passive Packaging, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all that it discloses.
BACKGROUNDIntegrated circuit (“IC”) packages are ubiquitous in modern electronic devices. A typical integrated circuit package includes an IC die (“chip”) that is mounted on a substrate such as a lead frame. The die and portions of the substrate are usually covered in a layer of protective encapsulant. An IC die is a small block of semiconductor material, such as silicon, in which an electrical circuit that performs a predetermined function is provided. Some dies have contact pads on a top surface that allow the die circuit to be connected to the substrate or other electrical components by wire bonding. Another type of die known as a flipchip has an array of conductive solder balls formed on a bottom surface of the die. The solder balls are connected to corresponding contact pads of a substrate on which the die is mounted.
In some cases it may be desirable to add functionality to an IC die by attaching one or more discrete circuit components to an integrated circuit package that contains the die. The discrete components may be passive circuit elements, e.g., capacitors, inductors, and resistors. Or, the discrete components may be more complex circuit devices such as, for example, transistors, crystals, sensors, microelectromechanical system (MEMS), or oscillators. A discrete component is typically provided in a small hard surfaced package that may have various shapes, heights and sizes. Two or more electrical contacts, such as contact pads, or leads, may be provided for attaching the discrete component to corresponding electrical contacts on a die, substrate or other electrical component. The phrase “discrete component” as used herein means the primary circuitry of the component and packaging thereof. The phrase “discrete component assembly,” as used herein, means the discrete component and any structure used to attach it to an electrical substrate and any electrical conductors/contacts that are provided to electrically connect the discrete component to an electrical substrate or other electrical components.
After attaching the die and discrete component(s) a layer of protective encapsulant is often applied to complete an IC package. The encapsulant usually covers the die, discrete component(s) and at least portions of the substrate. Some complex packages have multiple IC dies and multiple discrete components and are often referred to as “systems in package modules.” The phrase “integrated circuit (IC) package” as used in this specification means any functional assembly that includes an IC die mounted on a substrate, including systems in package modules as well as simple die substrate assemblies, whether encapsulated or not.
There is a continuing need for manufacturers to decrease the size, and particularly the height, of IC packages to facilitate the production of ever smaller electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablet computers and smart appliances.
This specification, in general, discloses a discrete component assembly, e.g., 130,
The terms “top” and “bottom” as used herein do not imply any particular orientation with respect to a gravitational field, but rather are used in a relative sense for describing the spatial relationship between various objects, often based upon the orientation shown in a drawing figure. The terms “up,” “down,” “upper,” “lower,” “vertical,” “horizontal” and similar terms are used in the same manner. For example, when describing integrated circuit package 10 shown in
Discrete circuit components may be provided in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
Power modules and many other multiple component circuit packages have size constraints based upon the intended use of the package. In compact electronic devices such as cell phones and electronic tablets, the package thickness (height) requirements continue to shrink with time. Currently, a maximum package thickness of about 1.3 to 1.4 millimeters is a maximum thickness for many integrated circuit packages, but smaller thicknesses will be mandated in future size standards and there are currently many requests from customers to provide thinner packages. Due to the physical structures of many types of discrete components, e.g., wire windings for inductors, plates for capacitors, etc., it is difficult to shrink the height of such components without encountering performance problems.
A new type of circuit assembly is disclosed below which may enable the continued use of standard sized discrete components in reduced height circuit packages.
A discrete component 131 of a discrete component assembly 130,
The discrete component assembly 130 may include a top, horizontally disposed, rectangular-shaped, upper support structure 136 mounted at the upper terminal end of the discrete component 131. The horizontally disposed upper support structure 136 may have a flat top surface 138 and a flat bottom surface 140. The support structure or “flange” 136 may have a first flange portion 141 and a second flange portion 143. The first flange portion 141 and the second flange portion 143 each extend laterally beyond the hole 120 when the discrete component 131 is received in the hole 120. The discrete component assembly 130 also includes contact surfaces or pads 142, 144, which may be attached to the bottom surface 140 of each of the flange portions 141, 143, as by silver epoxy or other conductive material. The contact pads 142, 144 are also fixedly mechanically and electrically attached to the substrate contact pads 122, 124 respectively. Thus, the discrete component assembly 130 is fixedly mounted on the substrate 112 such that a portion of the discrete component 131 is positioned within the hole 120 and a portion of it is positioned outside of the hole 120. The discrete component assembly 131 is thus physically and electrically attached to the top surface 114 of the substrate 112. The horizontally disposed rectangular support structure or flange 136 may be constructed from conductive material or may be constructed from nonconductive material with electrical traces 145, 147 provided internally or on a surface portion of the flange 136 that connect the contact pads 142, 144 to the wire windings 134.
The discrete component 130 may also have a horizontally disposed bottom structure 146 mounted at the lower terminal end of the inductor core 132. In one embodiment, the bottom structure 146 has a lateral dimension that enables it to be closely slidingly received within the hole 120. The bottom structure 146 may be formed from a nonconductive material and may have a sufficient width to prevent wire windings 134 from coming into contact with the side wall of the substrate hole 120. Also, the windings 134 may be coated to prevent shorting.
As further illustrated by
In
The first lead frame 160 has a top surface 162 and a bottom surface 164. A first lead frame hole 166 extends entirely through the first lead frame 160 and has a top opening 168 and a bottom opening 169. The second lead frame 170 has a top surface 172 and a bottom surface 174. A second lead frame hole 176 extends between a top surface opening 178 and a bottom surface opening 179.
The discrete component 189 may be an inductor having a core 191 with a wire winding or coil 193 around the core 191. The discrete component assembly 190 has a laterally disposed upper support structure 192, which in one embodiment may be made from a nonconductive material. The upper support structure 192 has a top surface 194 and a bottom surface 196. The upper support structure 192 may include a laterally extending first flange portion 198 and a laterally extending second flange portion 199. The discrete component assembly 190 may also comprise a bottom structure 212 having a flat top surface 214 and a flat bottom surface 216. The bottom support structure 212 may comprise a first laterally extending flange portion 218 and a second laterally extending flange portion 219.
A first electrical contact pad 222 may be formed on the upper surface 194 of the laterally extending flange portion 198. The first electrical contact pad 222 may be affixed to a portion 223 on the lower surface 164 of the first lead frame 160. A second electrical contact pad 224 may be provided on the lower surface 216 of the second laterally extending flange portion 219. The second electrical contact pad may be attached to a second contact portion 225 of the second lead frame 170. Thus, the first and second electrical contact pads 222, 224 act to physically and electrically connect the first and second lead frames 160, 170. The top surface 194 of the (upper) second flange portion 199 may be physically attached to the portion of the first lead frame 160 positioned above it and the (lower) first laterally extending flange portion 218 may be physically attached to the portion of the second lead frame 170 positioned below it.
An upwardly extending terminal end 226 of the core 191 is positioned above the discrete component 190 upper structure 192. This upwardly extending structure 226 has a dimension smaller than that of the first lead frame hole 166 and extends into the hole 166. Similarly, a downwardly extending structure 228 which is the lower terminal end of the core 191 extends downwardly beyond lower structure 212 and extends into the hole 176 in the second lead frame 170.
Other electrical components (not shown) such as dies and discrete components may be mounted on the first lead frame top surface 162 and bottom surface 164 and the second lead frame 170, top surface 172 and bottom surface 174. The first and second lead frames 160, 170 of the circuit assembly 158 may thus be positioned more closely by the disclosed configuration than would be possible if the component 190 were mounted directly on the top surface of the second lead frame and on the bottom surface of the first lead frame. The height of the compound leadframe structure of circuit assembly 158 is thus less than the height of a conventional compound leadframe structure with a similarly sized discrete component. In one embodiment, portions of the first and second lead frames 160, 170 and the discrete component 190 may be covered in protective encapsulant 230.
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Certain inventive discrete component assemblies and related methods of making and using such discrete component assemblies have been expressly disclosed in detail herein. Alternative embodiments of such assemblies and methods will occur to those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure. It is intended that the appended claims be broadly construed to cover such alternative embodiments, except as limited by the prior art.
Claims
1. A discrete component assembly comprising:
- a discrete component having a central longitudinal axis and having an outer surface with a laterally outermost point positioned at a first radial distance from said central longitudinal axis;
- a support structure mounted on said discrete component;
- a plurality of contact pads electrically connected to said discrete component and mounted on said support structure at radial distances from said central longitudinal axis greater than said first radial distance.
2. The discrete component of claim 1 further comprising:
- a second support structure mounted on said discrete component;
- a second plurality of contact pads electrically connected to said discrete component and mounted on said second support structure at a radial distance from said central longitudinal axis greater than said first radial distance.
3. The discrete component assembly of claim 1 wherein plurality of contact pads are each positioned at about an equal radial distance from said central longitudinal axis.
4. The discrete component assembly of claim 1 wherein some of said plurality of contact pads are positioned at different radial distances from said central longitudinal axis.
5. The discrete component assembly of claim 1 wherein said support structure is mounted at a top portion of said discrete component.
6. The discrete component assembly of claim 1 wherein said support structure is mounted at an intermediate portion of said discrete component.
7. The discrete component assembly of claim 2 wherein said support structure is mounted at a top portion of said discrete component and wherein said second support member is mounted at a bottom portion of said discrete component.
8. The discrete component assembly of claim 1 wherein said support structure is electrically conductive.
9. The discrete component assembly of claim 1 wherein said support structure is not electrically conductive.
10. The discrete component assembly of claim 11 wherein said nonconductive support structure supports a conductive trace connected to said contact pad.
11. The discrete component assembly of claim 1 wherein said support structure is a flange member.
12. The discrete component of claim 11 wherein said flange member is symmetrically positioned relative said central longitudinal axis.
13. The discrete component of claim 11 wherein said flange member is asymmetrically positioned relative said central longitudinal axis.
14. The discrete component assembly of claim 14 wherein said flange comprises a central portion and at least two radially extending arm portions extending from said central portion.
15. The discrete component assembly of claim 14 wherein said flange member has a polygonal shape.
16. The discrete component assembly of claim 15 wherein said flange member has a rectangular shape.
17. A method of making a discrete component assembly comprising:
- mounting a support structure on a discrete component; and
- mounting a plurality of contact pads on the support structure that are positioned laterally outwardly of the discrete component.
18. A method of mounting a discrete component on a substrate comprising:
- forming a hole in the substrate; and
- suspending at least a portion of the discrete component in the hole.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said suspending comprises suspending the discrete component from a support structure having contact pads mounted thereon that are electrically connected to the discrete component.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising connecting the contact pads to corresponding substrate contact regions positioned on a flat surface of the substrate adjacent to the hole.
Type: Application
Filed: May 23, 2013
Publication Date: Jul 31, 2014
Inventor: Mark Allen Gerber (Lucas, TX)
Application Number: 13/900,749
International Classification: H05K 7/02 (20060101); H05K 3/32 (20060101);