Method for producing displays and modular components

Abstract

Processing techniques for various modular components provide various surface mount structures for single device components (10) and multiple device components (FIGS. 6 and 7) suitable as character displays. The technique beings with a slab of substrate material 12 patterned on both sides. Plated through holes (33, 43) connecting back side terminals (19, 20) to front side connective strips (22, 24) are formed. Devices (15, 16) are mounted to land areas (13, 34) and wire bonded to connecting pads (14). The front side is coated with epoxy to encapsulate the devices in a layer having an outer surface formed into optional lenses (262, 263). The slab is then separated to provide the modular components.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing modular components, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an electrically insulating, generally planar substrate having two opposing major surfaces, the first of said two major surfaces including a plurality of land areas for receiving devices to be mounted thereon and a plurality of connection pads, the second of said two major surfaces including a plurality of terminal pads serving as external terminals for mounted devices, and plated through holes for providing electrical connections between some of the external terminals to the land areas and between the remaining external terminals to the connection pads;   (b) mounting at least one device having at least two terminals on individual land areas so that one terminal is electrically and mechanically coupled to one of said land areas and electrically connected to its corresponding external terminal;   (c) electrically connecting any remaining terminals of each device to respective ones of said connection pads;   (d) depositing a curable layer of insulative material onto said first major surface for encapsulating said devices including electrical connections made in step (c);   (e) curing said layer of insulative material at least partially; and   (f) dividing the planar substrate including the layer of insulative material into individual modular components, each individual modular component including at least one device mounted therein and encapsulated by the layer of insulative material and electrically connected to its external terminals.   
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of electrically connecting any remaining terminals of .Iadd.each .Iaddend.device to respective ones of said connection pads comprises bonding a wire between each connection pad and .Iadd.a corresponding .Iaddend.remaining terminal. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said devices mounted on said land areas are light emitting diodes and wherein said curable layer of insulative material is at least partially transparent to the light emitted by the light emitting diodes. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said curable layer of insulative material is an epoxy material. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.3 .Iaddend.wherein said step of depositing a curable layer of insulative material includes forming a generally hemispherically shaped lens in the region above each light emitting diode. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.3 .Iaddend.wherein said step of depositing a curable layer of insulative material includes forming a prism of insulative material over each light emitting diode. 
     
     
       7. The method according to claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.3 .Iaddend.wherein said step of depositing a curable layer of insulative material includes forming a fresnal prism of insulative material over each light emitting diode. 
     
     
       8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of curing said layer of insulative material is preceded by the step of degassing said insulative material under a pressure less than atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
       9. The method according to claim 1 wherein after said step of curing said layer of insulative material said terminal pads are coated with solder. 
     
     
       10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of applying an adhesive carrier onto said second major surface prior to said step of dividing the planar substrate. 
     
     
       11. The method according to claim 1 wherein said plated through holes are arranged in the form of parallel straight lines and said step of dividing the planar substrate comprises dividing said plated through holes into substantially equal parts having semicircular cross-sections. 
     
     
       12. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of dividing comprises sawing the planar substrate. 
     
     
       13. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of dividing is carried out by first sawing the substrate into strips and then cutting said strips up into individual modular components. 
     
     
       14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of mounting comprises a plurality of devices on the plurality of land areas being arranged to form lines and columns, the portion of the land areas corresponding to the devices forming each line being interconnected together and being connected to at least one of said plated through holes, said remaining terminals of devices corresponding to each column being connected to each other and to at least one of said plated through holes by a bonding wire and said step of dividing includes forming individual modular components, each individual modular component having a plurality of devices arranged in lines and columns. 
     
     
       15. The method according to claim 14 wherein said step of dividing includes dividing at least some of said plated through holes into two portions, each portion having a generally semicircular cross-section. 
     
     
       16. The method according to claim 1 wherein said devices mounted on said land areas are light emitting diodes, a plurality of said light emitting diodes forming a multiple segment font having each segment corresponding to a light emitting diode and wherein said step of dividing said planar substrate includes forming individual modular components, whereby each individual modular component functions as a single character display. 
     
     
       17. The method according to claim 16 wherein said step of dividing includes dividing at least some of said plated through holes into two portions, each portion having a generally semicircular cross-section. .Iadd. 
     
     
       18.  A method of manufacturing modular components, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an electrically insulating, generally planar substrate having two opposing major surfaces, the first of said two major surfaces including a plurality of land areas for receiving devices to be mounted thereon and a plurality of connection pads, the second of said two major surfaces including a plurality of terminal pads serving as external terminals for mounted devices, and plated through holes for providing electrical connections between some of the external terminals to the land areas and between the remaining external terminals to the connection pads;   (b) mounting at least one device having at least two terminals on individual land areas so that one terminal is electrically and mechanically coupled to one of said land areas and electrically connected to its corresponding external terminal;   (c) electrically connecting any remaining terminals of each device to respective ones of said connection pads;   (d) depositing a curable layer of insulative material onto said first major surface for encapsulating said devices including electrical connections made in step (c);   (e) curing said layer of insulative material at least partially; and   (f) dividing the planar substrate and the layer of insulative material into individual modular components, each individual modular component including at least one device mounted therein and encapsulated by a portion of the divided layer of insulative material and electrically connected to its external terminals..Iaddend..Iadd.19. The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of electrically connecting any remaining terminals of each device to respective ones of said connection pads comprises bonding a wire between each connection pad and a corresponding remaining terminal..Iaddend..Iadd.20. The method according to claim 18 wherein said devices mounted on said land areas are light emitting diodes and wherein said curable layer of insulative material is at least partially transparent to the light emitted by the light emitting diodes..Iaddend..Iadd.21. The method according to claim 18 wherein said curable layer of insulative material is an epoxy material..Iaddend..Iadd.22. The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of depositing a curable layer of insulative material includes forming a generally hemispherically shaped lens in the region above each light emitting diode..Iaddend..Iadd.23. The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of depositing a curable layer of insulative material includes forming a prism of insulative material over each light emitting diode..Iaddend..Iadd.24. The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of depositing a curable layer of insulative material includes forming a fresnal prism of insulative material over each light emitting diode..Iaddend..Iadd.25. The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of curing said layer of insulative material is preceded by the step of degassing said insulative material under a pressure less than atmospheric pressure..Iaddend..Iadd.26. The method according to claim 18 wherein after said step of curing said layer of insulative material said terminal pads are coated with solder..Iaddend..Iadd.27. The method according to claim 18 further comprising the step of applying an adhesive carrier onto said second major surface prior to said step of dividing the planar substrate..Iaddend..Iadd.28. The method according to claim 18 wherein said plated through holes are arranged in the form of parallel straight lines and said step of dividing the planar substrate and the layer of insulative material comprises dividing said plated through holes into substantially equal parts having semicircular cross-sections..Iaddend..Iadd.29. The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of dividing the planar substrate and the layer of insulative material comprises sawing the planar substrate and the layer of insulative   
     
     
        material..Iaddend..Iadd.30.  The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of dividing the planar substrate and the layer of insulative material is carried out by first sawing the substrate and the layer of insulative material into strips and then cutting said strips up into individual modular components..Iaddend..Iadd.31. The method according to claim 18 wherein the step of mounting comprises a plurality of devices on the plurality of land areas being arranged to form lines and columns, the portion of the land areas corresponding to the devices forming each line being interconnected together and being connected to at least one of said plated through holes, said remaining terminals of devices corresponding to each column being connected to each other and to at least one of said plated through holes by a bonding wire and said step of dividing the planar substrate and the layer of insulative material includes forming individual modular components, each individual modular component having a plurality of devices arranged in lines and columns..Iaddend..Iadd.32. The method according to claim 31 wherein said step of dividing the planar substrate and the layer of insulative material includes dividing at least some of said plated through holes into two portions, each portion having a generally semicircular cross-section..Iaddend..Iadd.33. The method according to claim 18 wherein said devices mounted on said land areas are light emitting diodes, a plurality of said light emitting diodes forming a multiple segment font having each segment corresponding to a light emitting diode and wherein said step of dividing said planar substrate includes forming individual modular components, whereby each individual modular component functions as a single character display..Iaddend..Iadd.34. The method according to claim 33 wherein said step of dividing the planar substrate and the layer of insulative material includes dividing at least some of said plated through holes into two portions, each portion having a generally semicircular cross-section..Iaddend.