Electronic Assemblies without Solder and Methods for their Manufacture

Abstract

An electronic assembly 400 and a method for its manufacture 800, 900, 1000 1200, 1400, 1500, 1700 . The assembly 400 uses no solder. Components 406 , or component packages 402, 802, 804, 806 with I/O leads 412 are placed 800 onto a planar substrate 808 . The assembly is encapsulated 900 with electrically insulating material 908 with vias 420, 1002 formed or drilled 1000 through the substrate 808 to the components' leads 412 . Then the assembly is plated 1200 and the encapsulation and drilling process 1500 repeated to build up desired layers 422, 1502, 1702 . The planar substrate 808 may be a flexible substrate 2016 allowing bending of an assembly 2000 to fit into various enclosures.

1 . A circuit assembly comprising:
 a flexible substrate,   a component package with at least one lead,   an electrically insulating material attaching the component package with the flexible substrate; and   at least one via extending through the flexible substrate to the at least one lead.   
     
     
         2 . A circuit assembly comprising:
 a flexible substrate having a first planar side and a second planar side,   a least one component with a first set of one or more leads, the component having at least one surface,   a first electrically insulating material attaching at least one surface of the component with the first planar side, and   at least one via extending from the second planar side exposing the first set of one or more leads.   
     
     
         3 . A circuit assembly comprising:
 a flexible substrate having a first planar side and a second planar side,   at least one component package with a first set of one or more leads, the at least one component package having at least one surface,   a first electrically insulating material attaching the at least one surface with the first planar side, and   at least one via extending from the second planar side exposing the first set of one or more leads.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the flexible substrate is electrically insulating. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the first electrically insulating material envelops the component package. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the first electrically insulating material has a tapered edge. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the first electrically insulating material is thermally conductive. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the assembly further comprises a heat spreader. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the assembly further comprises a heat sink. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 3  further comprising the at least one via filled with an electrically conductive material electrically connecting with the first set of one or more leads. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the conductive material is selected from a group comprising copper, silver, aluminum, gold, tin, a metal alloy, electrically conductive film, electrically conductive adhesive, and electrically conductive ink. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the conductive material is plated to the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the conductive material is printed on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the conductive material forms a second set of one or more leads on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the conductive material forms a set of one or more traces on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 10  further comprising a second electrically insulating material on the second planar side, the second material covering at least one of the least one via. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a second electrically insulating material on the second planar side, the second material covering at least one of the second set of the least one leads. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 15  further comprising a second electrically insulating material on the second planar side, the second material covering at least one of the least one traces. 
     
     
         19 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A RIP subassembly comprising at least one via and at least one lead of at least one component package wherein the at least one via extends through a substrate and exposes less than the entire area of the at least one lead of the at least one component package. 
     
     
         32 . A RIP subassembly wherein enveloping electrically insulating material incorporates at least one metal screen.