Method and apparatus for enabling attachment of surface mount technology (SMT) components of different sizes to a base substrate

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods for enabling surface mount technology (SMT) components of different sizes to be attached to an underlying substrate are disclosed. An example apparatus includes: a circuit board; a first pad on the circuit board for electrically coupling to a first end of a surface mount technology (SMT) component, the first pad having a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge, the first edge being shorter than the second edge; and a second pad on the circuit board for electrically coupling to a second end of the SMT component, the second pad having a third edge and a fourth edge opposite to the third edge, the third edge being shorter than the fourth edge.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This patent claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 777,008, filed March 25, 2025. This patent also claims the benefit of International Patent Application No. PCT / CN2025 / 076415, filed February 8, 2025. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 777,008 and International Patent Application No. PCT / CN2025 / 076415 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 777,008 and International Patent Application No. PCT / CN2025 / 076415 is claimed herein. Background Technology

[0003] Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are components used in many electronic devices. Due to the piezoelectric effect, MLCCs expand and contract in response to voltage changes. This expansion and contraction can cause vibrations to be transmitted to the underlying substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). The degree of vibration can vary depending on the size of the MLCC involved. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Figure 1 It is an isometric view of two capacitors of different sizes (e.g., two MLCCs) mounted on different sample capacitor pad pairs.

[0005] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a construction based on the teachings disclosed herein, which can be used to implement... Figure 1 Different examples of capacitor pad pairs.

[0006] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates an area covered with solder material to facilitate... Figure 1 The example capacitor pad pair shows the range of attachments for the smaller capacitor.

[0007] Figure 4 The diagram shows Figure 3 The same example capacitor pad pair, but with pads covered by solder material to facilitate... Figure 1 The different ranges of attachment of the larger capacitors shown are illustrated.

[0008] Figure 5 It is installed on different capacitor pad pairs according to the teachings disclosed in this article. Figure 1 An isometric view of the two capacitors in the middle.

[0009] Figure 6Cross-sectional views of different capacitors on different PCBs are shown to illustrate the inclusion of... Figure 5 The benefits of capacitor extenders.

[0010] Figure 7 The illustration shows three example capacitor assemblies that include smaller capacitors and extenders to achieve a size comparable to larger capacitors.

[0011] Figure 8 It can be used to implement Figure 7 An isometric top view of an example assembly of the third capacitor assembly.

[0012] Figure 9 It is along Figure 8 The line shown is cut from line 9-9. Figure 8 An isometric sectional view of an example assembly.

[0013] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 An isometric bottom view of an example assembly.

[0014] Figure 11 yes Figure 8 An exploded view of an example assembly.

[0015] Figure 12 It can be used to implement Figure 7 An isometric top view of another example assembly of the third capacitor assembly.

[0016] Figure 13 It is along Figure 12 The line shown is cut from line 13-13. Figure 12 An isometric sectional view of an example assembly.

[0017] Figure 14 yes Figure 12 An isometric bottom view of an example assembly.

[0018] Figure 15 yes Figure 12 An exploded view of an example assembly.

[0019] Figures 16-18 The diagram shows that Figures 7-15 The example assembly containing smaller capacitors is attached (e.g., surface mounted) to a PCB with capacitor pads that set the dimensions for larger capacitors at different stages of the example method.

[0020] Figures 19-23 The diagram illustrates attachment (e.g., surface mounting). Figure 7 Another example of a different stage in the method of the first capacitor assembly.

[0021] Figure 24 This is a top view of an example PCB assembly with an array of large capacitors.

[0022] Figure 25 The diagram shows the relationship between Figure 24 The example PCB assembly shown is similar to the example PCB assembly, except that... Figure 24 The rows of large capacitors have been replaced by smaller capacitors in the corresponding rows.

[0023] Figure 26 The diagram shows the relationship between Figure 25 The example PCB assembly shown is similar to the example PCB assembly, except that the larger and smaller capacitors are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

[0024] Figure 27 It means to use Figures 1 to 23 Any of the example capacitor pads in the example capacitor pads and / or Figures 5 to 23 Any of the example capacitor expanders in the example capacitor expander is used to manufacture Figures 24 to 26 The flowchart shows an example method for any example PCB assembly in the example PCB assembly.

[0025] Figure 28 This is a block diagram of an example electrical device constructed based on the teachings disclosed in this article.

[0026] Generally, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the accompanying drawings and written description to refer to the same or similar parts. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, the thickness of layers or extents may be enlarged in the drawings. While the drawings show layers and extents with clearly defined lines and boundaries, some or all of these lines and / or boundaries may be idealized. In reality, boundaries and / or lines may be unobservable, mixed, and / or irregular. Detailed Implementation

[0027] There is a demand for computing devices with enhanced capabilities. A major driver of this demand is the workloads associated with the cutting edge of artificial intelligence (AI). One way to meet the high computational demands of modern computing, whether for AI or other applications, is to implement computing systems with a large number of central processing units (CPUs) and / or CPU cores, a large number of graphics processing units (GPUs) and / or GPU cores, a large number of neural processing units (NPUs) and / or NPU chips, and / or a large number of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). However, increasing the computational power of a system in this way requires increased power. Supplying the required higher power to such systems (e.g., systems with many cores / chips) requires more power rails and more capacitors than was needed in the past. Including more capacitors poses a challenge to meeting target acoustic design specifications because capacitors (e.g., multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs)) generate vibrations that can lead to audible noise. More specifically, MLCCs vibrate as they expand and contract in response to changes in an electric field (e.g., the piezoelectric effect), and these vibrations can cause vibrations in the underlying printed circuit board (PCB) to which the MLCCs are attached. When the resulting vibrations on the PCB are within the audible frequency band (e.g., 20 Hz to 20 kHz), these vibrations are identified as audible noise that can be characterized as a buzzing or humming sound that may be annoying and / or uncomfortable to humans.

[0028] While it is theoretically possible to design the PCB and its associated MLCC placement to reduce (e.g., minimize) the amount of acoustic noise that would be generated, this is difficult to do in practice because acoustic noise is hard to simulate or model until a fully enclosed system assembly is developed. However, developing a fully enclosed system assembly has revealed that it produces unacceptable amounts of acoustic noise at prohibitively high costs.

[0029] Another possible solution to reduce acoustic noise is to place matching capacitors on both sides of the PCB, attempting to offset (or at least suppress) the vibrational effects of the other capacitor by the piezoelectric effect of each capacitor on the PCB (e.g., vibration). However, this approach is ineffective and requires complex layout design. Furthermore, in space-constrained applications, placing capacitors on both sides of the PCB is often impractical due to the significant increase in Z-height. Another solution is to place the capacitors higher and / or further away from the PCB to reduce the transmission of vibration to the underlying PCB. However, this approach also increases the overall Z-height and is therefore often unacceptable. Another potential solution is to add slots adjacent to the capacitors, through the PCB, to (at least partially) mechanically isolate the PCB portion supporting the capacitors from the surrounding portion of the PCB(s). However, such methods result in complex layout design (e.g., exhausting the PCB's real estate for electrical interconnects) and negative electrical effects (e.g., power plane degradation due to the gaps in the slots penetrating the PCB).

[0030] Another way to reduce acoustic noise caused by capacitor vibration is to replace larger capacitors on the PCB with smaller ones. Larger capacitors produce larger PCB vibrations (e.g., vibrating the PCB at a higher amplitude), and therefore result in higher acoustic noise. Replacing a larger capacitor with a smaller one will reduce the amplitude of the vibrations and thus lower the level of acoustic noise. However, this solution is not simply a matter of swapping sizes, as each size of capacitor is typically attached to the PCB via a pair of contacts (e.g., pads) sized according to the capacitor size. That is, the capacitor pads for larger capacitors occupy more space than those for smaller capacitors. The reason capacitor pads are designed with different footprints for different sizes of capacitors is to avoid several additional problems. For example, attempting to mount a smaller capacitor on an oversized capacitor pad may cause the capacitor to shift (e.g., skew) during solder reflow, which could cause a short circuit. Additionally or alternatively, attempting to mount a capacitor on an incorrectly sized capacitor pad may cause the capacitor to tilt and / or flip up onto an edge (sometimes called a tombstone failure). Furthermore, irregular filleting of the solder along misaligned, skewed, tilted, and / or edge-flipped capacitor ends can lead to cracks in the solder, which may compromise the reliability of the electrical connection. In short, capacitors of different sizes are not interchangeable on existing PCBs because capacitor pads are designed for specific capacitor sizes. Therefore, using smaller capacitors to reduce noise requires a complete redesign and manufacturing of different PCBs with smaller capacitor pads, which can be prohibitively expensive.

[0031] The examples disclosed herein overcome the aforementioned concerns by implementing capacitor pads that can be shaped to accommodate capacitors of different sizes, without requiring the redesign and / or fabrication of new PCBs. The example capacitor pads disclosed herein offer the advantage of allowing interchangeable or swapped capacitors of different sizes on the same capacitor pads on the same PCB (and / or different arrangements of small and large capacitors on two similarly designed PCBs). Other examples disclosed herein advantageously overcome the concerns above by using capacitor expanders to increase the effective size of smaller capacitors, thereby enabling more reliable mounting on capacitor pads designed for larger capacitors. In some examples, capacitor expanders, such as those disclosed herein, are used in conjunction with the capacitor pads disclosed herein. However, in other examples, either the disclosed capacitor pads or the capacitor expanders may be used alone, without the other.

[0032] Although the examples are described with reference to capacitors, the teachings disclosed herein can be similarly applied to any type of electrical component (e.g., resistors) that has different sizes and is surface-mounted onto a PCB (e.g., surface mount technology (SMT) components). That is, in some examples, the contact pads of any type of SMT component can be modified according to the teachings disclosed herein so that components of different sizes can be attached to contact pads occupying the same space. Additionally or alternatively, extenders can be attached to any suitable type of smaller SMT component so that such component can be surface-mounted to contact pads designed for larger SMT components of the same type, according to the teachings disclosed herein.

[0033] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of two capacitors 102 and 104 of different sizes (e.g., two MLCCs, two SMT components). As shown, capacitors 102 and 104 are mounted on different example capacitor pad pairs 106, 108, and 110 (e.g., contacts). In this example, capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 are constructed according to the teachings disclosed herein. In some examples, capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 are distributed along the outer surface of a PCB (e.g., a device for supporting electronic components). Therefore, capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 are example devices for mounting electronic components to a PCB. However, for clarity, Figure 1 The PCB is omitted. In this example, the first capacitor 102 is positioned on the first pair of capacitor pads 106, the second capacitor 104 is positioned on the second pair of capacitor pads 108, and the third pair of capacitor pads 110 has no capacitors disposed thereon, to illustrate the shape of the example capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110. In this example, each pair of capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 occupies the same space. That is, the first pair of capacitor pads 106 and the second pair of capacitor pads 108 have the same size and the same shape as the third pair of capacitor pads 110.

[0034] As shown in the example illustration, the first capacitor 102 is larger than the second capacitor 104. More specifically, in this example, the first capacitor 102 has a first length 112, which is greater than the second length 113 of the second capacitor 104, wherein lengths 112 and 113 are measured in a direction extending between the ends 114 at both ends of capacitors 102 and 104. Furthermore, the first capacitor 102 has a first width 116, which is greater than the second width 117 of the second capacitor 104, wherein widths 116 and 117 are measured in a direction traversing the respective lengths 112 and 113 and parallel to the exposed upper surfaces of capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110. Furthermore, in this example, the first capacitor 102 has a first height 118 (e.g., thickness) that is greater than the second height 119 (e.g., thickness) of the second capacitor 104, wherein heights 118 and 119 are measured in a direction perpendicular to the exposed upper surfaces of the capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 (e.g., perpendicular to the length 112 and width 116 of capacitor 102 and the length 113 and width 117 of capacitor 104). It is noteworthy that the length 112 and width 116 of capacitor 102 and the length 113 and width 117 of capacitor 106 are most relevant for reliably mounting capacitors 102 and 104 to the underlying pads 106, 108, and 110, as the lengths 112 and 113 and the widths 116 and 117 define the overall footprint of capacitors 102 and 104.

[0035] In this example, capacitors 102 and 104 are attached to corresponding capacitor pad pairs 106 and 108 via solder. However, the solder is not shown for illustrative purposes. In some examples, at least some solder is located between capacitor 102 and the underlying capacitor pad 106, on the underside of capacitor 102, and between capacitor 104 and the underlying capacitor pad 108, on the underside of capacitor 104. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the solder extends along the outer edges of capacitors 106 and 104, where end 114 contacts capacitor pads 106 and 108. In some such examples, the solder defines a fillet extending along the interface between end 114 and one or more exposed portions of the corresponding capacitor pads 106 and 108. In some examples, the solder is distributed (e.g., completely covers) the entire exposed area of ​​capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110. However, in other examples, the solder may remain only adjacent to the ends 114 of capacitors 102, 104, while at least some of the capacitor pads 106, 108, 110 remain exposed and / or uncovered by solder.

[0036] Due to the shape of capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110, capacitors 102 and 104 can be reliably attached to the capacitor pads despite their different sizes. More specifically, as illustrated in the example shown, each of the corresponding capacitor pad pairs 106, 108, and 110 includes an inward-facing edge 120 that is smaller than (e.g., shorter than) the opposing outward-facing edge 122. That is, the inward-facing edge 120 has a third width 124 that is smaller than the fourth width 126 of the outward-facing edge 122. As shown, the inward-facing edges 120 face each other and define the closest portions of the two pads in each pair of capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110, spaced apart by a first distance 128. In contrast, the outward-facing edges 122 face away from each other and define the farthest portion of the two pads, spaced apart by a second distance 129 corresponding to the sum of the lengths 130 of the first distance 128 and the lengths of the two corresponding capacitor pads 106, 108, 110.

[0037] Capacitor pads are typically described using terminology associated with foot anatomy. That is, just as the heel of a foot lies beneath the body while the toes extend outwards and away from the body, the area on capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 directly beneath the capacitor (e.g., defined and adjacent to the inward-facing edge 120) is referred to as the heel 132 of the pad. In contrast, the area on capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 extending beyond the ends of the pads (e.g., defined and adjacent to the outward-facing edge 122) is referred to as the toe 134 of the pad. Therefore, as illustrated in the example, the heels 132 (facing inwards and towards each other) of the corresponding pad pairs 106, 108, and 110 are smaller or narrower than the toes 134 (facing outwards and away from each other). In this example, the heel 132 is associated with the narrower portion (defined by the third width 124), while the toe is associated with the wider portion (defined by the fourth width 126). In this example, the narrower portion has a third length of 136, which is less than the fourth length of 138 of the wider portion. In other examples, the third length is equal to or greater than the fourth length of 138.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, both capacitors 102 and 104 extend onto and / or over the heel 132 of the corresponding capacitor pad pairs 106, 108, and 110, while leaving the toe 134 uncovered and / or exposed. This is true despite the different sizes of capacitors 102 and 104. However, the degree to which the heel 132 is covered and / or the amount of toe 134 uncovered differs between the two capacitors 102 and 104. More specifically, in Figure 1In the illustrated example, the second capacitor 104 is primarily limited to extending over the narrower heel 132 portion, while the first capacitor 102 extends further, reaching the wider portion of the pad (e.g., near the center of the pad between the toe 134 and the heel 132). Furthermore, in this example, the width of the narrower heel 132 (e.g., a third width 124) is equal to or less than the width 117 of the second (smaller) capacitor 104, while the width of the toe 134 of capacitor pads 106, 108, 110 (e.g., a fourth width 126) is approximately equal to the width 116 of the first (larger) capacitor 102. In some examples, the width of the toe 134 (which in some examples corresponds to the maximum width of the capacitor pad) is less than the width 116 of the first capacitor 102.

[0039] The width 126 of toe 134 and the width 124 of heel 132 are equal to or less than the width 116 of the corresponding first capacitor 102 and the width 117 of the second capacitor 104. This limits or constrains the area under capacitors 102, 104 where solder can spread, thereby preventing capacitors 102, 104 from shifting and / or tilting away from their predetermined positions, preventing them from uniformly and squarely spanning the corresponding capacitor pad pairs 106, 108, 110. Although the example shows that the widths 124, 126 of pads 106, 108, 110 are equal to or less than the width 116 of capacitor 102 and the width 117 of capacitor 104, in other examples, toe 134 and / or heel 132 may have widths 124, 126 that are at least slightly larger than the widths 116 of the corresponding first capacitor 102 and the width 117 of the second capacitor 104.

[0040] In some examples, the different widths 124, 126 of the different portions (e.g., heel 132 and toe 134) can help reduce (e.g., prevent) displacement of capacitors 102, 104 in directions perpendicular to their lengths 112, 113. Furthermore, in some examples, the size and / or spacing of the different portions of capacitor pads 106, 108, 110 along the longitudinal lengths 112, 113 of capacitors 102, 104 help reduce (e.g., prevent) displacement in directions parallel to the longitudinal length. More specifically, in some examples, the first distance 128 between heels 132 is equal to or less than the third distance 140 between the ends 114 of the second capacitor 104. In some examples, the first distance 128 is greater than the third distance 140, but still less than the total length 113 of the second capacitor 104. Defining a first distance 128 between capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 based on a third distance 140 between the ends 114 of the second (smaller) capacitor 104 may help center the second capacitor 104 across the gap between the two pads. Furthermore, in some examples, a fourth distance 142 between the portions of the capacitor pads having a maximum width 126 (e.g., defining the toe 134 of the pad) is equal to or less than a fifth distance 144 between the ends 114 of the first capacitor 102. In some examples, the fourth distance 142 is greater than the fifth distance 144, but still less than the total length 112 of the first capacitor 102. Defining the fourth distance 142 based on the fifth distance 144 may help center the second capacitor 104 across the gap between the two pads.

[0041] In summary, the shapes of the capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 in the illustrated examples help maintain the positions of both the larger capacitor 102 and the smaller capacitor 104 during the solder reflow process, ensuring reliable attachment to the capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110. Therefore, capacitors 102 and 104 of either size can be reliably mounted to... Figure 1 The example capacitor pads shown are 106, 108, and 110.

[0042] In some examples, the first (larger) capacitor 102 is a 0603 capacitor, and the second (smaller) capacitor 104 is a 0402 capacitor. The 0603 capacitor has a length of 0.06 inches (112) and a width of 0.03 inches (116), while the 0402 capacitor has a length of 0.04 inches (112) and a width of 0.02 inches (116). 0603 and 0402 capacitors are two form factors of MLCCs, widely used in PCB design, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, 0603 capacitors are relatively inexpensive and provide good capacitance across a range of 100 kHz to 2 MHz for low alternating current (AC) load lines. However, 0603 capacitors generate significantly more acoustic noise (due to much greater vibration) compared to 0402 capacitors. Therefore, while 0603 capacitors offer the desired electrical performance at an affordable price, these advantages may be offset by the significant noise they generate during use, especially when a large number of such capacitors are used together. In other words, there is a trade-off between high-efficiency, low-cost capacitors and low-noise capacitors. A balance can be struck between these two trade-offs by using some 0603 capacitors (to save costs and improve performance) and some 0402 capacitors (to reduce noise levels).

[0043] Previously, due to the need to balance the two trade-offs mentioned above, any change in the number of each type of capacitor on the underlying PCB required a complete redesign and rebuild of the PCB. In the past, a completely new PCB was needed in such cases because different sized capacitor pads were used for each of the different sized capacitors. Unlike in the past, there is no need to redesign and / or rebuild the PCB. Figure 1The PCBs shown with capacitor pad pairs 106, 108, and 110 are designed to replace larger 0603 capacitors (e.g., first capacitor 102) with smaller 0402 capacitors (e.g., second capacitor 104), or vice versa. Conversely, based on the teachings disclosed herein, it is advantageous to use identical PCB designs, as each pair of capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 can support (e.g., be compatible with) capacitors of any size. That is, capacitors 102 and 104 are completely interchangeable or interchangeable on any given capacitor pad pair 106, 108, and 110. To be clear, while capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 are described as compatible with both large capacitor 102 and small capacitor 104, thus allowing capacitor interchangeability, the examples are not limited to the case of one capacitor being interchanged with another on the same board. Conversely, in some examples, a first capacitor arrangement can be implemented on a first PCB, while a second capacitor arrangement (where at least some capacitors are different in size from those in the first arrangement) can be implemented on a second PCB with the same design as the first PCB (e.g., the same capacitor pad layout). Although Figure 1 The capacitors 102 and 104 in the illustrated examples have been described as corresponding to 0603 and 0402 capacitors, but the examples disclosed herein are not limited to capacitors of any particular size. Rather, the teachings disclosed herein are applicable to capacitors of any suitable size (e.g., 0805, 1206, etc.).

[0044] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates different example capacitor pad pairs 200 (e.g., contacts, devices for mounting electronic components on a PCB), which can be used to achieve... Figure 1 The capacitor pads are 106, 108, and 110 to allow interchangeable mounting of capacitors of different sizes (e.g., first capacitor 102 and second capacitor 104). More specifically, Figure 2 This includes corresponding example capacitor pad pairs 200 in two columns (e.g., first column 202 and second column 204) and six rows (e.g., first row 206, second row 208, third row 210, fourth row 212, fifth row 214, and sixth row 216). Each pair of capacitor pads 200 in the first column 202 is covered by a relatively large dashed box 218, which corresponds to a larger capacitor (e.g., a 0603 capacitor). Figure 1 The space occupied by the first capacitor 102. For illustrative purposes, the dashed box 218 representing the space occupied by the larger capacitor is sometimes simply referred to as the larger capacitor 218. Furthermore, each pair of capacitor pads 200 in the second column 204 is covered by a smaller dashed box 220, which corresponds to the smaller capacitor (e.g., the 0402 capacitor). Figure 1The space occupied by the second capacitor 104. For illustrative purposes, the dashed box 220 representing the smaller capacitor is sometimes simply referred to as the smaller capacitor 220. As shown in the example, except for the first row 206, the capacitor pad pairs 200 across two columns 202 and 204 in each of the second to sixth rows 208, 210, 212, 214, and 216 are identical. That is, in these rows 208, 210, 212, 214, and 216, the only difference between the first column 202 and the second column 204 is the different size of the dashed boxes 218 and 220.

[0045] As shown in the example illustration, each pad 200 in any given pad pair has the same size and shape as the corresponding pad in the same pair. However, in some examples, corresponding pads in a given pad pair have opposite orientations. That is, in some examples, the two pads in a given pad pair are mirror images of each other along the center line extending between the pad pairs. Therefore, in some examples, the overall footprint of any given pad pair is symmetrical in both the longitudinal and transverse directions. However, importantly, in this example, the individual pads 200 in any given pair of pads 200 in rows 2 through 6 (208, 210, 212, 214, 216) are not symmetrical in the longitudinal direction, due to the reason described above. Figure 1 The narrower heel 132 is compared to the wider toe 134.

[0046] The capacitor pad pairs 200 in each column 202, 204 of the first row 206 are different from each other because this row 206 is intended to show known designs of capacitor pads commonly used on PCBs today. That is, it is provided for the purpose of comparing past work with newer designs disclosed herein as shown in other rows 208, 210, 212, 214, 216. Figure 2 The first row, 206. As shown in the first row, 206, standard capacitor pads used today are typically rectangular in shape and sized to have a width equal to or slightly smaller than the width of the corresponding capacitor to be mounted therein. Therefore, unlike those shown in the other rows, 208, 210, 212, 214, and 216, the known pads in the first row, 206, are symmetrical in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Furthermore, the total length of a pair of known capacitor pads 200 is designed to be slightly longer than the length of each corresponding capacitor to be mounted thereon. Although Figure 2The known capacitor pads 200 shown in the first row are designed to attach capacitors of a corresponding size, but they will not be suitable for attaching capacitors of another size. More specifically, attempting to attach a larger capacitor 218 to pad pair 200 in the second column 204, and / or attempting to attach a smaller capacitor 220 to pad pair 200 in the first column 202, is likely to result in displacement, tilting, tombstoning, solder cracking, and / or other unreliable connections between the capacitor and the underlying pads.

[0047] With (in) Figure 2 (As indicated in the first line, 206) It is known that the capacitor pads are different. Figure 2 The capacitor pads 200 shown in rows 2 to 6 (208, 210, 212, 214, 216) facilitate a reliable connection between a larger capacitor 218 and a smaller capacitor 220. As illustrated in the example, each capacitor pad 200 in the pad pair in the second row includes two portions (e.g., a first portion 222 and a second portion 224). In some examples, the first portion 222 of the pad pair 200 is sized and positioned to enable attachment of the larger capacitor 218. Thus, the first portion 222 is an example of a first means for attaching a first component of a first size (e.g., the larger capacitor 218). Furthermore, the second portion 224 is sized and positioned to enable attachment of the smaller capacitor 220. Thus, the second portion 224 is an example of a second means for attaching a second component of a second size (e.g., the smaller capacitor 220) smaller than the first size. In this example, portions 222 and 224 of the two corresponding pads 200 are arranged on a line (in... Figure 2 (The middle span extends horizontally), where the second part 224 is closer together and between the first part 222.

[0048] In the second row 208 of the illustrated example, the two portions 222 and 224 are discrete and separated from each other (e.g., spaced apart). As shown, the first portion 222 has a first width (defined by the distance between the first side edges 226, e.g., Figure 1 The fourth width 126), which is greater than the second width of the second portion 224 (defined by the distance between the substantially parallel second side edges 228 (e.g., Figure 1 The third width is 124). As used in this context, in relation to the above, Figure 1 The width is measured in the same direction as described, which corresponds to Figure 2 The direction extends vertically along the page (e.g., perpendicular to a line along which different portions 222, 224 of corresponding pads 200 are arranged). Figure 2In the second row 206, the first portion 222 has a width wider than the smaller capacitor 220, while the second portion 224 is smaller than the width of the smaller capacitor 220. Furthermore, in this example, the first portion 222 is smaller than the width of the larger capacitor 218. In some examples, the first portion 222 has a width equal to that of the larger capacitor 218, and / or the second portion 224 has a width equal to that of the smaller capacitor 220. As used herein, substantially parallel means within 10 degrees of perfect parallelism. Furthermore, as used herein, substantially perpendicular means within 10 degrees of perfect perpendicularity.

[0049] exist Figure 2 In the example shown in the second row 208, the first portion 222 of each pad has a shorter length (e.g., measured in the direction of horizontal extension across the page), which is less than the length of the second portion 224 (e.g., Figure 1 (Length 136 compared to length 138). In other examples, the lengths of the two portions 222 and 224 are equal. In other examples, the length of the first portion 222 is greater than the length of the second portion 224. Regardless of the relative lengths of portions 222 and 224, as shown in the illustrated example, the lengths (and the associated spacing between the portions) cause the first portion 222 to extend beyond the end of the larger capacitor 218, and the second portion 224 to extend beyond the end of the smaller capacitor 220.

[0050] As mentioned above, in Figure 2 In the illustrated example, the two portions 222, 224 of the example pad 200 in the second row 208 are discrete and spaced apart from each other by a gap 230. In other examples, at least some metal bridges this gap 230. In some examples, the gap is bridged by one or more metal strips narrower than the first portion 224. That is, in some examples, there is a narrow metal neck connecting the two portions 222, 224. In some examples, the gap 230 between the first portion 222 and the second portion 224 is completely filled with metal, such that the second portion 224 is a continuous extension (e.g., a monolithic extension) of the first portion 222. This essentially corresponds to Figure 2 The example capacitor pad 200 is shown in the third row 210. However, the capacitor pad 200 in the third row 210 also differs from that in the second row 208 in that the first portions 222 are longer (e.g., they extend further outward from the end of the larger capacitor 218) and wider (e.g., they are equal to the width of the larger capacitor 218).

[0051] like Figure 2As shown in the third row 210, there is an inwardly facing recessed edge 232 (e.g., the inner edge of the first portion 222) that extends between the first side edge 226 of the first portion 222 and the second side edge 228 of the second portion 224. In other words, the first side edge 226, the second side edge 228, and the recessed edge 232 extending therebetween define a stepped profile along the side edge of the pad 200. That is, in some examples, the inwardly facing recessed edge 232, along with the first side edge 226 and the second side edge 228, collectively correspond to different segments of the complete side edge of the pad that extend from the inwardly facing edge 120 along a non-linear line to the outwardly facing edge 122. Figure 2 In the third row 210, the second side edge 228 is relatively long, causing the recessed edge 232 to lie outside the end of the smaller capacitor 220 (but still inside the end of the larger capacitor 218). In other examples, such as Figure 2 As shown in line 4, 212, the second side edge 228 is relatively short, such that the recessed edge 232 is completely within the end of the smaller capacitor 220. In other examples, the length of the second side edge 228 and the corresponding position of the recessed edge 232 can be at any other suitable location. In some examples, the position of the recessed edge 232 is aligned with the end of the smaller capacitor 220. Therefore, in some examples, the side edge 226 is longer than the recessed edge 232 (e.g., ...). Figure 2 As shown in the example in row 3, 210. In other examples, the side edge 226 is shorter than the recessed edge 232 (as shown in the example in row 3, 210). Figure 2 As shown in the example in row 4, 212. In other examples, the side edge 226 is approximately the same length as the recessed edge 232 (as shown in the example in row 4, 212). Figure 2 As shown in the example in line 5, 214.

[0052] Aside from a slight difference in the shape of the stepped profile, the example pad 200 in row 5, 214, differs from the previous examples in that its total length is greater, extending further beyond the end of the larger capacitor 218. That is, the first portion 222 in row 5, 214, is significantly longer than... Figure 2 The first part 222 in any of the other rows 208, 210, 212, 216 shown.

[0053] exist Figure 2In line 216, the example capacitor pad 200 does not include a stepped profile based on the different widths of the first portion 222 and the second portion 224. Instead, in line 216, the second portion 224 of the example capacitor pad 200 is defined by angled side edges 234 (e.g., tapered side edges) that extend directly between the inward-facing edge 120 of the capacitor pad 200 and the first side edge 226 of the first portion 222. Because the inward-facing edge 120 and the outward-facing edge 122 have different lengths, the angled side edges 234 are not perpendicular to the inward-facing edge 120 and the outward-facing edge 122. In this example, the outer ends of the angled side edges 234 are further apart than the width of the smaller capacitor 220. However, the inner ends of the angled side edges 234 are closer together than the width of the smaller capacitor 220. That is, in this example, only a portion of the second portion 224 of each pad 200 has a width less than or equal to the width of the smaller capacitor 220. In some examples, the angle or steepness of the angled side edges 234 depends on the total length of each pad 200 (e.g., Figure 1 The length of the middle part 130) and the length of the first part 222 (e.g., Figure 1 The length of the middle is 138).

[0054] In some examples, the angled side edge 234 is used in conjunction with a second side edge 228 extending substantially perpendicular to the inward-facing edge 120. That is, in some examples, instead of the inner end of the angled side edge 234 originating at the inward-facing edge 120 of the pad 200, a portion of the second side edge 228 extends therebetween the angled side edge 234 and the inward-facing edge 120. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the angled side edge 234 is used in conjunction with a recessed edge extending substantially perpendicular to the first side edge 226 of the first portion 222. In some examples, the first side edge 226 is omitted, and the angled side edge 234 extends to the end of the outward-facing edge 122 of the pad. In some examples, the angled side edge 234 is replaced by a curved edge. Figure 2 The examples of capacitor pad 200 shown in rows 2 through 6 (208, 210, 212, 214, 216) are different combinations of features; other shapes are possible. That is, the examples disclosed herein are not limited to... Figure 2The specific examples shown are not provided. Instead, it should be understood that the length, width, and / or positioning of portions 222 and 224 may be appropriately modified in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein. Furthermore, any edge in the perimeter may be straight or non-linear (e.g., curved) and may be oriented perpendicular to the inward-facing edge 120 and the outward-facing edge 122, or at other angles, in any suitable arrangement, provided that the heel 132 of pad 200 is narrow enough to allow proper attachment of the smaller capacitor 220, and the toe 134 of pad 200 is wide enough to allow proper attachment of the larger capacitor.

[0055] Furthermore, the examples disclosed herein are not limited to those accommodating only two capacitor sizes. In some examples, three or more different capacitor sizes can be interchangeably attached to the example capacitor pads disclosed herein. In some such examples, the pads include a stepped profile comprising two or more steps (instead of...) Figure 2 (The individual steps shown in rows 3 through 5, 210, 212, 214).

[0056] As discussed above, Figure 1 and Figure 2 The shapes of the capacitor pads 106, 108, 110, and 200 allow capacitors of different sizes 102, 104, 218, and 220 to be attached to the same pair of capacitor pads. In some examples, proper positioning and reliable attachment of capacitors of different sizes 102, 104, 218, and 220 are facilitated by placing solder applied to the capacitor pads during attachment. Specifically, Figure 3 The diagram illustrates an example capacitor pad pair 300 having a range covered by solder material 302 to facilitate attachment of a smaller capacitor 220. More specifically, in this example, solder material 302 (also simply solder) covers an area adjacent to the inward-facing edge 120 of the capacitor pad 300 (e.g., adjacent to heel 132). In this example, solder material 302 covers all of the second portion 224 of the capacitor pad 300, but only some of the first portion 222. That is, at least a portion of the first portion 222 remains uncovered by solder material 302. In some examples, solder material 302 is exclusively limited to the second portion 224 of the capacitor pad 300. When the second portion 224 extends beyond the end of the smaller capacitor 220 (e.g.) Figure 2As in line 210 of the third row, this may be appropriate. In some examples, solder material 302 covers enough of the capacitor pads 300 (whether covering the first portion 222 and / or the second portion 224) to extend beyond the end of the smaller capacitor 220. In this example, solder material 302 is distributed across the capacitor pads 300 with a width smaller than the width of the smaller capacitor 220 (and therefore smaller than the width of the first portion 222 of the capacitor pads 300). In other examples, solder material 302 is applied with a width approximately equal to or greater than the width of the smaller capacitor 220.

[0057] Figure 4 The diagram shows the relationship between Figure 3 The same example capacitor pad pair 300 is used, but the solder material 302 covers a different area to facilitate the attachment of the larger capacitor 218. More specifically, in this example, the solder material 302 covers an area adjacent to the outward-facing edge 122 of the pad 300 (e.g., adjacent to the toe 134), while remaining spaced from the inward-facing edge 120 (e.g., adjacent to the heel 132). In this example, the solder material 302 covers only a portion of the first portion 222, without covering the second portion 224. In other examples, the solder material 302 covers all of the first portion 222 of the pad 300. In some examples, the solder material 302 may cover at least some of the second portion 224.

[0058] By controlling the placement of solder material 302 toward the heels 132 of capacitor pads 106, 108, 110, 200 (when attaching a smaller capacitor 104) or toward the toes 134 of capacitor pads 106, 108, 110, 200 (when attaching a larger capacitor 102), the amount of excess solder material 302 is reduced, thereby decreasing the likelihood of capacitor displacement and / or solder ball formation during reflow. Simultaneously, Figure 3 and Figure 4 The placement of the solder material 302 shown helps ensure proper wetting of the capacitor ends 114 to ensure a reliable electrical connection. In some examples, the placement of the solder material 302 is controlled by using a stencil opening and / or other suitable mask.

[0059] Figure 5 It is based on the teachings published in this article. Figure 1 An isometric view of two (large and small) capacitors 102 and 104 mounted on different capacitor pad pairs 502, 504, and 506. Figure 1 Similarly, in some examples, Figure 5 The capacitor pads 502, 504, and 506 are distributed along the outer surface of the PCB. However, for clarity, Figure 5The PCB is omitted. In this example, the first capacitor 102 is positioned on the first pair of capacitor pads 502, the second capacitor 104 is positioned on the second pair of capacitor pads 504, and the third pair of capacitor pads 506 has no capacitors disposed thereon, to illustrate the shape of the capacitor pads 502, 504, and 506. In this example, each pair of capacitor pads 106, 108, and 110 occupies the same space. That is, the first pair of capacitor pads 106 and the second pair of capacitor pads 108 have the same size and shape as the third pair of capacitor pads 110. More specifically, in this example, the capacitor pads 502, 504, and 506 are generally rectangular and correspond to standard (e.g., known) capacitor pads designed for mounting the first (larger) capacitor 102. That is, in this example, the capacitor pads 502, 504, and 506 are similar to Figure 2 The capacitor pad 200 is shown in the first column 202 of the first row 206.

[0060] Since capacitor pads 502, 504, and 506 are standard pads for the first capacitor 102, attaching the first capacitor 102 to pads 502, 504, and 506 is straightforward. However, as described above, attaching capacitors of different sizes (such as the smaller second capacitor 104) can introduce problems that may lead to displacement, tilting, tombstoning, and / or failure to establish a reliable connection. In this example, these concerns are overcome by including a capacitor extender 508 (also referred to herein as a dummy structure, component extender, or capacitor housing) coupled to the second capacitor 104 to provide a resulting assembly 510 with a size more suitable for mounting to capacitor pads 502, 504, and 506. Specifically, in this example, the capacitor extender 508 is located adjacent to one end of the second capacitor 104 to increase the overall length 512 of the assembly 510 to approximately equal the first length 112 of the first capacitor 102. In some examples, the increased length of assembly 510 allows the second capacitor 104 to span the distance between corresponding capacitor pad pairs 502, 504, and 506 for better attachment. Thus, capacitor extender 508 is an example device for facilitating the movement of electronic components (e.g., the smaller capacitor 104) across the distance between underlying capacitor pad pairs 502, 504, and 506.

[0061] In this example, the capacitor extender 508 includes a conductive block 511 (e.g., a metal block, a means for conducting electricity) having a similar width and height to the second capacitor 104. However, it can be any other suitable shape as long as the capacitor extender 508 provides the additional length required for the assembly and is conductive to ensure that the adjacent ends 114 of the second capacitor 104 are electrically coupled to the corresponding capacitor pads 502, 504, 506. Furthermore, in some examples, the material and shape of the capacitor extender 508 are chosen so as not to contribute acoustic noise. That is, however, the reason for using the second capacitor 104 instead of the first capacitor 102 is to reduce acoustic noise, and in some examples, the capacitor extender 508 is designed not to exhibit a piezoelectric effect that causes vibration, thus retaining the advantage of the lower noise generated by the second capacitor 104 (relative to the first capacitor 102).

[0062] In some examples, the total length 512 of the assembly is achieved using a separate capacitor extender 508 at each end of the second capacitor 104. In some examples, the capacitor extender 508 has a different width and / or height than the second capacitor 104. For example, in some examples, the second capacitor extends laterally beyond the sides of the second capacitor 104 to a width corresponding to the width 116 of the first capacitor 102 to further match the space occupied by the first capacitor 102. In some examples, the capacitor extender 508 is placed along one side of the first capacitor 102 to increase the width of the assembly 510 rather than increasing the length 512. In some examples, the capacitor extender 508 (or multiple extenders) is attached to at least one side and at least one end of the second capacitor 104. In some examples, the capacitor extender surrounds all sides of the second capacitor 104 (e.g., two sides and both ends) to create an assembly 510 that substantially corresponds to the space occupied by the first capacitor 102.

[0063] Figure 6 Cross-sectional views of different capacitors on different PCBs are shown to illustrate the following: Figure 5 The benefits of capacitor extender 508. Specifically, first image 602 shows two 0603 capacitors 604 attached to corresponding 0603 capacitor pads 606 (corresponding to...). Figure 5 (First capacitor 102). Figure 6 The second image 608 shows two 0402 capacitors 610 attached to 0603 capacitor pads 606. As shown, the smaller 0402 capacitor 610 is not large enough to properly span the distance between the 0603 capacitor pads 606, resulting in an unreliable connection. Figure 6The third image 612 shows two identical 0402 capacitors 610 attached to the same 0603 capacitor pad 606, except that the 0602 capacitor 610 includes Figure 5 The capacitor extender 508. Therefore, as Figure 6 As shown, the 0402 capacitor 610 and the capacitor extender 508 together are equal in length to the 0603 capacitor 604, thereby enabling proper connection with the 0603 capacitor pad 606.

[0064] There may be many different ways in which a capacitor extender (e.g., capacitor extender 508) can be attached to a smaller capacitor to provide an assembly having a size greater than one or more of the smaller capacitor. Specifically, Figure 7 The figures illustrate three example capacitor assemblies 702, 704, and 706, which include a smaller capacitor 708 and an extender 710 (e.g., means for facilitating the smaller capacitor 708 across the distance between the underlying capacitor pad pairs) to result in a size comparable to a larger capacitor 712. As shown in the illustrated example, the first assembly 702 is created by securing a metal block 711 (e.g., means for conducting electricity) and an extender 710 to the smaller capacitor 708 using solder material 714 and / or other conductive adhesives (e.g., means for holding a metal block 711 in position relative to the smaller capacitor 708). Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the extender 710 is secured to the smaller capacitor 708 via a transient liquid phase sintering process.

[0065] Figure 7 The second assembly 704 is created by placing the metal block 711 in direct contact (e.g., abutting) with the smaller capacitor 708 and then holding the assembly in place with a plate 716 (e.g., a means for holding the metal block 711 in place relative to the smaller capacitor 708) attached to the outer surfaces of both assemblies. In this example, the plate 716 is attached to the sides of the smaller capacitor 708 and the metal block 711. In some examples, the plate 716 is attached to both sides of the smaller capacitor 708 and the metal block 711. In some examples, the plate 716 is additionally or alternatively attached to the top surface of the smaller capacitor 708 and the metal block 711. Since the extender 710 is in direct contact with the smaller capacitor 708, the plate 716 does not need to be conductive. Therefore, in some examples, the plate 716 is plastic. In other examples, the plate can be any other suitable material. In some examples, the plate 716 is attached to the smaller capacitor 708 and the metal block 711 with adhesive. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, plate 716 is part of a clip that includes spring force that clamps the smaller capacitor 708 and metal block 711 by friction, without the need for adhesive.

[0066] Figure 7 The third assembly 706 is created by inserting a smaller capacitor 708 into the housing or casing corresponding to the expander 710. Figure 7 Different example implementations of the third assembly 706 are combined below. Figures 8-15 It is described in detail. More specifically, Figure 8 It can be used to implement Figure 7 An isometric top view of example assembly 800 for the third assembly 706. Figure 9 Example assembly 800 along Figure 8 The isometric sectional view shown is cut by line 9–9. Figure 10 yes Figure 8 An isometric bottom view of example assembly 800. Figure 11 yes Figure 8 An exploded view of example assembly 800. (See example 800.) Figures 8-11 As shown in the illustrated example, assembly 800 includes an outer housing or cage 802 that defines the external dimensions of assembly 800. In some examples, cage 802 has a width and length that correspond to those of a larger capacitor (e.g., Figure 7 The cage 802 has the same or similar external dimensions as the larger capacitor 712. In some examples, only one of the external dimensions of the cage 802, either length or width, is similar to the larger capacitor 712, while the other dimension differs from the corresponding dimension of the larger capacitor 712. In this example, the cage 802 includes a conductive material (e.g., metal) for serving as an extension to the end 114 of the smaller capacitor 708 housed within the cage 802. Therefore, in this example, the smaller capacitor 708 is electrically coupled to the cage 802 constituting the example conductive device. In some examples, the electrical coupling between the smaller capacitor 708 and the cage 802 is achieved through direct contact between the end 114 of the smaller capacitor 708 and the cage 802. In some examples, the electrical coupling between the smaller capacitor 708 and the cage 802 is achieved through solder material between the end 114 of the smaller capacitor 708 and the cage 802.

[0067] It is noteworthy that, in the illustrated example, the cage 802 comprises two electrically isolated, separate portions to ensure no short circuit between the two ends 114 of the capacitor 708. More specifically, in some examples, the two portions of the cage 802 occupy the same or similar space as the ends 114 of the larger capacitor 712. In some examples, the separate portions of the cage 802 are held in place relative to each other and relative to the capacitor 708 by inserts 804 (e.g., means for holding the cage 802 in place relative to the smaller capacitor 708) that fill the gap between the inner wall of the cage 802 and the smaller capacitor 708. That is, as shown in the illustrated example, the insert 804 is mounted within the cage 802 and includes an opening 806 for receiving the smaller capacitor 708. In some examples, the insert 804 comprises a non-conductive material (e.g., a dielectric material), such as plastic. In some examples, the insert 804 has elastic flexibility to press-fit into the cage 802 and / or to allow the smaller capacitor 708 to press-fit into the opening 806, thereby maintaining the different components in a fixed spatial relationship. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the cage 802 is formed of a bent metal plate that has elastic flexibility to clamp the insert 804. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the insert 804 is secured to the cage 802 and / or to a smaller capacitor 708 with adhesive.

[0068] Figure 11 The exploded view of the example assembly 800 shown illustrates the process of assembling the components of assembly 800. As shown in the example, a smaller capacitor 708 is inserted from the top into cage 802 (and insert 804). In some examples, the smaller capacitor 708 is first placed in opening 806 in insert 804, and then insert 804 is inserted into cage 802. In other examples, insert 804 is first inserted into cage 802, and then the smaller capacitor 708 is inserted into opening 806 in insert 804.

[0069] Figure 12 It can be used to implement Figure 7 An isometric top view of another example assembly 1200, the third assembly 706. Figure 13 Example assembly 1200 along Figure 12 The isometric sectional view shown is cut by line 13–13. Figure 14 yes Figure 12 An isometric bottom view of example assembly 1200. Figure 15 yes Figure 12 An exploded view of example assembly 1200. (See example...) Figures 12-15As shown in the illustrated example, assembly 1200 includes an outer housing or cage 1202 that defines the external dimensions of assembly 1200. In some examples, cage 1202 has a width and length that correspond to the dimensions of a larger capacitor (e.g., Figure 7 The cage 1202 has the same or similar external dimensions as the larger capacitor 712. In some examples, only one of the external dimensions of the cage 1202, either length or width, is similar to the larger capacitor 712, while the other dimension differs from the corresponding dimension of the larger capacitor 712. In this example, the cage 1202 includes a conductive material (e.g., metal) for serving as an extension to the end 114 of the smaller capacitor 708 housed within the cage 1202. Thus, in this example, the smaller capacitor 708 is electrically coupled to the cage 1202 constituting an example device for conducting electricity. In some examples, the electrical coupling between the smaller capacitor 708 and the cage 1202 is achieved through direct contact between the end 114 of the smaller capacitor 708 and the cage 1202. In some examples, the electrical coupling between the smaller capacitor 708 and the cage 1202 is achieved through solder material between the end 114 of the smaller capacitor 708 and the cage 1202.

[0070] and Figures 8-11 Similarly, in Figures 12-15 In the illustrated example, cage 1202 comprises two electrically isolated, separate portions to ensure no short circuit between the two ends 114 of capacitor 708. More specifically, in some examples, the two portions of cage 1202 occupy the same or similar space as the ends 114 of the larger capacitor 712. In some examples, the separate portions of cage 1202 are held in place relative to each other and relative to capacitor 708 by inserts 1204 (e.g., means for holding cage 1202 in place relative to the smaller capacitor 708) that fill the gap between the inner wall of cage 1202 and the smaller capacitor 708. That is, as shown in the illustrated example, insert 1204 is mounted within cage 1202 and includes an opening 1206 for receiving the smaller capacitor 708. In some examples, insert 1204 comprises a non-conductive material (e.g., a dielectric material), such as plastic. In some examples, insert 1204 has elastic flexibility to press-fit into cage 1202 and / or allow smaller capacitor 708 to press-fit into opening 1206, thereby maintaining the different components in a fixed spatial relationship. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, cage 1202 is formed of a bent metal plate with elastic flexibility to clamp insert 1204. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, insert 1204 is secured to cage 1202 and / or to smaller capacitor 708 with adhesive.

[0071] Figure 15The exploded view of the example assembly 1200 shown illustrates the process of assembling the components of assembly 1200. As shown in the example, a smaller capacitor 708 is inserted from the side of assembly 1200 into cage 1202 (and insert 1204). In some examples, the smaller capacitor 708 is first placed in opening 1206 in insert 1204, and then insert 1204 is inserted into cage 1202. In other examples, insert 1204 is first inserted into cage 1202, and then the smaller capacitor 708 is inserted into opening 1206 in insert 1204.

[0072] Figures 16-18 The diagram shows that Figures 5-15 This refers to different stages in an example method of attaching (e.g., surface mount) any of the example assemblies 510, 702, 704, 706, 800, and 1200, which include a smaller capacitor 708, to a PCB 1600 having a capacitor pad 1602 sized for a larger capacitor 712. Specifically, Figure 16 This indicates the stage following the deposition of solder material 1604 onto capacitor pad 1602. In some examples, solder material 1604 is deposited as a paste via a printing process. In this example, solder material 1604 is deposited across the entire exposed surface of capacitor pad 1602. In other examples, solder material 1604 is applied only to a portion of capacitor pad 1602 (e.g., with...). Figure 3 and / or Figure 4 (The example is consistent). Figure 17 This indicates the stage after the small capacitor assembly 1702 is placed onto the solder material 1604 on the two capacitor pads 1602. The small capacitor assembly 1702 is represented by a dashed box for general representation. Figures 5-15 Examples of assemblies 510, 702, 704, 706, 800, and 1200. In some examples, the small capacitor assembly 1702 is placed in place using a pick-and-place process. Figure 18 This indicates a stage following the reflow process, in which solder material 1604 is melted and subsequently cooled to form solder joints (and associated fillets) between capacitor pads 1602 and small capacitor assemblies 1702.

[0073] Combination Figures 16-18 The example method described in detail assumes that the small capacitor assembly 1702 is already assembled so that it can be picked up and placed in place in a single operation. In other examples, it can be combined as follows: Figures 19-23 As described in detail, at least [the components] are assembled in place on PCB 1600. Figure 7 The first example assembly 702, these figures illustrate its use for attachment (e.g., surface mounting). Figure 7This is another example of a different stage in the first assembly 702. Specifically, Figure 19 This indicates the stage following the deposition of surface mount adhesive 1904 onto PCB 1600. Figure 20 This indicates the stage after the solder material 1604 is deposited onto the capacitor pad 1602 (as described above). Figure 16 As discussed.

[0074] Figure 21 This indicates a stage following the placement of the smaller capacitor 708 onto solder material 1604 associated with one of the capacitor pads 1602. Furthermore, as shown in the illustrated example, the smaller capacitor 708 is also placed onto surface mount adhesive 1904 positioned between the capacitor pads 1602. In some examples, the smaller capacitor 708 is positioned using a pick-and-place process. The surface mount adhesive 1904 helps hold the smaller capacitor 708 in place during subsequent processes for adding the capacitor extender 710. That is, as... Figure 21 As shown, the capacitor extender 710 is not yet attached to the smaller capacitor 708. However, in this example, the capacitor extender 710 includes solder material 714 on its surface facing the smaller capacitor 708. In some examples, solder material 714 is applied to the smaller capacitor 708 in addition to or instead of being applied to the extender 710. In some examples, the extender 710 is first placed on the PCB 1600 (e.g., on surface mount adhesive 1904), and the smaller capacitor 708 is positioned in subsequent pick-and-place operations.

[0075] Figure 22 This indicates a stage following the placement of the capacitor extender 710 adjacent to the smaller capacitor 708, with solder material 714 present. In some examples, the capacitor extender 710 is placed in place using a pick-and-place process. In some examples, the extender 710 (and / or the associated solder material 714) contacts surface mount adhesive 1904. In other examples, the smaller capacitor 708 may be completely covered by surface mount adhesive 1904. Figure 23 This indicates a stage following the reflow process, where solder material 1604 on capacitor pad 1602 and solder material 714 between smaller capacitor 708 and expander 710 are melted and subsequently cooled to form solder joints (and associated fillets) between capacitor pad 1602 and small capacitor assembly 1702, and between smaller capacitor 708 and expander 710 within small capacitor assembly 702. Therefore, in this example, only a single reflow process is required, instead of two.

[0076] As mentioned above Figures 1-4The example capacitor pads 106, 108, 110, 200, having a shape that is narrower than the toe 134 and the heel 132 (e.g., the width 124 of the inward-facing edge 120 of capacitor pads 106, 108, 110, 200 is smaller than the width 126 of the outward-facing edge 122), allow capacitors of different sizes to be reliably attached to the capacitor pads 106, 108, 110, 200. Furthermore, as described above... Figures 5-23 The example capacitor extenders 508, 710 can be combined with smaller capacitors 104, 610, 708 to produce example capacitor assemblies 510, 702, 704, 706, 800, 1200 suitable for attachment to standard (e.g., rectangular) capacitor pads 502, 504, 506, 606, 1602 for larger capacitors 102, 604, 712. In some examples, Figures 1-4 Various aspects and / or characteristics may be related to Figures 5-23 The various aspects and / or features are used in combination. That is, in some examples, for surface mounting purposes, a small capacitor is coupled to example capacitor expanders 508, 710 to adjust the effective size of the capacitor, and the resulting assembly is then mounted to a device with a combination of Figure 1 and Figure 2 The capacitor pads are any of the example shapes described. Furthermore, in any of the foregoing examples, solder material may be applied to the entire area of ​​the capacitor pad, or only to a selected area (such as a combination). Figure 3 and Figure 4 The features discussed herein facilitate the attachment of capacitors (and / or capacitor assemblies) to capacitor pads. In other words, although the different illustrations show different examples with different features, it should be understood that a particular feature of one example is not necessarily exclusive to that example. Rather, any feature described above and / or depicted in the figures may be combined with any example, in addition to or replacing any other feature among the other features of those examples. A feature of one example is not mutually exclusive with a feature of another example. Rather, the scope of this disclosure covers any combination of any features among the various features.

[0077] The ability to attach or mount capacitors of different sizes to capacitor pads of the same size (whether due to the shape of the pads and / or due to capacitor extenders attached to smaller capacitors) is advantageous because it greatly facilitates the trade-off between improved performance (based on larger capacitors) and reduced noise (based on smaller capacitors) at a lower cost, without the time or expense of completely redesigning the PCB layout. More specifically, PCB design engineers can begin designing and building the PCB with the assumption that larger capacitors will be used. Figure 24This is a top view of an example PCB assembly 2400 constructed in this manner, featuring an array of large capacitors 2402 (e.g., 0603 capacitors). Once the PCB assembly is designed, engineers can test it to verify the generated acoustic noise. If the noise level exceeds an acceptable threshold, engineers can replace one or more of the larger capacitors with one or more smaller capacitors until a suitable design is achieved that satisfies both the noise level requirements and the capacitance requirements. Because the smaller capacitors can be reliably attached to capacitor pads according to the teachings disclosed herein, engineers do not need to redesign the underlying PCB. Furthermore, engineers can choose any suitable number of larger capacitors to swap in any suitable arrangement. Figure 25 and Figure 26 The diagram shows the relationship between Figure 24 The PCB assembly 2400 corresponds to two possible arrangements of small and large capacitors. Specifically, Figure 25 The diagram shows the relationship between Figure 24 The example PCB assembly shown is similar to example PCB assembly 2500, except... Figure 24 The rows of the large capacitor 2402 have been replaced by the corresponding rows of the smaller capacitor 2502. Figure 26 The diagram shows the relationship between Figure 25 The example PCB assembly shown is similar to example PCB assembly 2600, except that the larger capacitor 2402 and the smaller capacitor 2502 are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Any other suitable arrangement is possible.

[0078] Figure 27 It means to use Figures 1 to 23 Example capacitor pads 106, 108, 110, 200, 502, 504, 506, 606, 1602 and / or Figures 5 to 23 To manufacture using any of the example capacitor expanders 508 and 710 Figures 24 to 26 A flowchart of an example method for any of the example PCB assemblies 2400, 2500, and 2600. In some examples, Figure 27 Some or all of the operations outlined in the example methods are performed automatically by manufacturing equipment programmed to perform these operations. Although the reference... Figure 27 The flowcharts shown illustrate an example method of fabrication, but many other methods may be used alternatively. For example, the execution order of the boxes may be changed, and / or some of the boxes in the illustrated examples may be combined, divided, rearranged, omitted, eliminated, and / or implemented in any other way. Furthermore, in some examples, additional processing operations may be performed before, between, and / or after any of the boxes represented in the illustrated examples.

[0079] Figure 27 The example method in box 2702 begins by fabricating a PCB with capacitor pad pairs. In some examples, the capacitor pads may be standard (known) pads sized for larger capacitors. In some examples, the capacitor pads may have the features described above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The discussed area is smaller (narrower) than the inward-facing edge 120 of the outward-facing edge 122. In box 2704, the example method involves depositing solder material onto corresponding capacitor pad pairs. In some examples, solder material is deposited across the entire exposed surface of the capacitor pads. In other examples, solder material is deposited on a portion of the capacitor pads corresponding to a portion smaller than the entire exposed surface. More specifically, in some examples, the portion(s) covered by the solder material depends on whether a larger or smaller capacitor is being attached to the corresponding capacitor pad pair.

[0080] In box 2706, the example method involves determining whether a large capacitor should be attached to the capacitor pad. If so, the example method proceeds to box 2708, which involves placing the large capacitor onto the capacitor pad. Afterward, the example method proceeds to box 2710. If no large capacitor is to be attached (as determined in box 2706), the example method proceeds directly to box 2710.

[0081] In box 2710, the example method involves determining whether to attach a small capacitor to a capacitor pad. If so, the example method proceeds to box 2712, which involves determining whether to include a capacitor extender along with the small capacitor to facilitate attachment. In some examples, the capacitor extender is included when the capacitor pad has a standard (e.g., rectangular) shape. In some examples, the capacitor pad includes elements as described above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 When the shape is as described above, a capacitor extender is not required. However, in some examples, a capacitor extender may be combined with the shape described above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The capacitor pads of the described shape are used in combination. If a capacitor extender is to be included, the example method proceeds to box 2714.

[0082] In box 2714, the example method involves attaching a capacitor extender to a small capacitor to produce a small capacitor assembly. In some examples, the small capacitor assembly corresponds to the combination described above. Figures 5-23Any example assembly discussed in the example assembly discussion. Subsequently, in box 2716, the example method involves placing a small capacitor assembly onto a corresponding capacitor pad pair. In some examples, the implementations of boxes 2714 and 2716 are modified such that the small capacitor assembly is formed in place on the capacitor pads. That is, in some examples, a small capacitor or extender is first placed on the capacitor pads, and then another component is placed next to the first component. Regardless of the order of operations, once the complete capacitor assembly has been placed on the corresponding capacitor pads, the example method proceeds to box 2720.

[0083] Returning to box 2712, if the capacitor extender is not included, the example method proceeds to box 2718, which involves placing a small capacitor onto the capacitor pad. Afterward, the example method proceeds to box 2720. Returning to box 2710, if the small capacitor is not attached, the example method proceeds directly to box 2720. In box 2720, the example method involves performing a reflow process to create solder joints between the capacitor pad and the corresponding capacitor. Afterward, Figure 27 The example method ends here.

[0084] Figure 28 Here is a block diagram of an example electrical device 2800: This example electrical device 2800 may include... Figures 1 to 23 Example capacitor pads 106, 108, 110, 200, 502, 504, 506, 606, 1602 and / or Figures 5 to 23 Any of the example capacitor expanders 508 and 710 Figures 24 to 26 Example PCB assemblies include one or more of types 2400, 2500, and 2600. Multiple components are in... Figure 28 The components are illustrated as being included in electrical device 2800, but any one or more of these components may be omitted or duplicated as appropriate for the application. In some examples, some or all of the components included in electrical device 2800 may be attached to one or more motherboards. In some examples, some or all of these components are manufactured on a single system-on-a-chip (SoC) die.

[0085] Additionally, in various examples, electrical equipment 2800 may not include... Figure 28The electrical device 2800 may include one or more of the components shown in the diagram, but may include interface circuitry for coupling to one or more components. For example, the electrical device 2800 may not include a display 2806, but may include a display interface circuitry (e.g., connector and driver circuitry) to which the display 2806 may be coupled. In another set of examples, the electrical device 2800 may not include an audio input device 2818 (e.g., a microphone) or an audio output device 2808 (e.g., a speaker, headphones, earbuds, etc.), but may include an audio input or output device interface circuitry (e.g., connector and support circuitry) to which the audio input device 2818 or audio output device 2808 may be coupled.

[0086] Electrical device 2800 may include programmable circuit system 2802 (e.g., one or more processing devices). Programmable circuit system 2802 may include one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), cryptographic processors (specialized processors that execute cryptographic algorithms within hardware), server processors, or any other suitable processing devices. Electrical device 2800 may include memory 2804, which itself may include one or more memory devices, such as volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random-access memory, DRAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory, ROM), flash memory, solid-state memory, and / or hard drives. In some examples, memory 2804 may include memory sharing a die with programmable circuit system 2802. The memory can be used as a cache memory and may include embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM) or spin transfer torque magnetic random-access memory (STT-MRAM).

[0087] In some examples, electrical device 2800 may include communication chip 2812 (e.g., one or more communication chips). For example, communication chip 2812 may be configured to manage wireless communication for transmitting data to and from electrical device 2800. The term "wireless" and its derivatives can be used to describe circuits, devices, systems, methods, techniques, communication channels, etc., that enable data transmission through non-solid-state media using modulated electromagnetic radiation. This term does not imply that the associated device does not contain any wires, but in some examples, the associated device may not contain any wires.

[0088] The 2812 communication chip can implement any of several wireless standards or protocols, including but not limited to: Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards, including Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 series), IEEE 802.16 standards (e.g., IEEE 802.16-2005 revision); Long-Term Evolution (LTE) projects and any modifications, updates, and / or revisions (e.g., Advanced LTE projects, Ultra Mobile Boardband (UMB) projects (also known as "3GPP2"), etc.). Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) networks compliant with IEEE 802.16 are generally referred to as WiMAX networks, an acronym for Global Microwave Access Interoperability, and a certification mark used for products that have passed compliance and interoperability testing to the IEEE 802.16 standard. The communication chip 2812 can operate with Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Evolved HSPA (E-HSPA), or LTE networks. The communication chip 2812 can also operate with Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), or Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN).The communication chip 2812 may operate according to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), and their derivatives, as well as any other wireless protocols designated as 3G, 4G, 5G, and higher generations. In other examples, the communication chip 2812 may operate according to other wireless protocols. The electrical device 2800 may include an antenna 2822 to facilitate wireless communication and / or receive other wireless communications (such as AM or FM radio transmissions).

[0089] In some examples, communication chip 2812 can manage limited communications (such as electrical, optical, or any other suitable communication protocol, such as Ethernet). As described above, communication chip 2812 may include multiple communication chips. For example, a first communication chip 2812 may be dedicated to shorter-range wireless communications such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and a second communication chip 2812 may be dedicated to longer-range wireless communications such as Global Positioning System (GPS), EDGE, GPRS, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, Ev-DO, or others. In some examples, the first communication chip 2812 may be dedicated to wireless communications, and the second communication chip 2812 may be dedicated to wired communications.

[0090] Electrical device 2800 may include battery / power circuit system 2814. Battery / power circuit system 2814 may include one or more energy storage devices (e.g., batteries or capacitors) and / or circuit systems for coupling components of electrical device 2800 to a power source (e.g., AC line power) separate from electrical device 2800.

[0091] Electrical equipment 2800 may include display 2806 (or a corresponding interface circuit system, as discussed above). Display 2806 may include any visual indicator (such as a head-up display, computer monitor, projector, touch screen display, liquid crystal display (LCD), light-emitting diode display, or flat panel display).

[0092] Electrical device 2800 may include audio output device 2808 (or a corresponding interface circuit system, as discussed above). Audio output device 2808 may include any device that generates auditory indicators (such as a speaker, headphones, or earbuds).

[0093] Electrical device 2800 may include audio input device 2818 (or a corresponding interface circuit system, as discussed above). Audio input device 2818 may include any device that generates a signal representing sound (such as a microphone, microphone array, or digital instrument (e.g., an instrument with a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) output)).

[0094] Electrical device 2800 may include GPS circuitry 2816. GPS circuitry 2816 may communicate with satellite-based systems and may receive the location of electrical device 2800, as is known in the art.

[0095] Electrical equipment 2800 may include any other output device 2810 (or a corresponding interface circuit system, as discussed above). Examples of other output devices 2810 may include audio codecs, video codecs, printers, wired or wireless transmitters for providing information to other devices, or additional storage devices.

[0096] Electrical device 2800 may include any other input device 2820 (or a corresponding interface circuit system, as discussed above). Examples of such other input device 2820 may include an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, image capture device, keyboard, cursor control device (such as a mouse), stylus, touchpad, barcode reader, Quick Response (QR) code reader, any sensor, or radio frequency identification (RFID) reader.

[0097] Electrical device 2800 may have any desired form factor, such as handheld or mobile electrical devices (e.g., cellular phones, smartphones, mobile internet devices, music players, tablets, laptops, notebooks, ultrabooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), ultra-mobile personal computers, etc.), desktop electrical devices, servers or other networked computing components, printers, scanners, monitors, set-top boxes, entertainment control units, vehicle control units, digital cameras, digital video recorders, or wearable electrical devices. In some examples, electrical device 2800 may be any other electronic device that processes data.

[0098] "Including" and "comprising" (and all their forms and tenses) are used herein as open-ended terms. Therefore, whenever a claim uses any form of "including" or "comprising" (e.g., including, containing, including, having, etc.) as a preamble or in the content of any kind of claim, it should be understood that additional elements, terms, etc., may be present and not fall outside the scope of the corresponding claim or statement. As used herein, when the phrase "at least" is used as a transitional term, for example, in the preamble of a claim, it is open-ended in the same way that the terms "comprising" and "containing" are open-ended. The term "and / or" when used, for example, in forms such as A, B, and / or C, refers to any combination or subset of A, B, and C, such as (1) only A, (2) only B, (3) only C, (4) A and B, (5) A and C, (6) B and C, or (7) A and B and C. As used herein in the context of describing structures, components, items, objects, and / or things, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is intended to refer to an implementation that includes any one of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing structures, components, items, objects, and / or things, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is intended to refer to an implementation that includes any one of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. As used herein in the context of describing the conduct or execution of processes, instructions, actions, activities, etc., the phrase “at least one of A and B” is intended to refer to an implementation that includes any one of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used in this text in the context of describing the conduct or execution of processes, instructions, actions, activities, etc., the phrase “at least one of A or B” is intended to refer to an implementation that includes any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0099] As used herein, singular references (e.g., "a ("a", "an")", "first", "second", etc.) do not exclude plurals. The term "a ("a" or "an")" as used herein refers to one or more of those objects. The terms "a ("a" or "an")", "one or more", and "at least one" are used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, although listed separately, multiple means, elements, or actions may be implemented by, for example, the same entity or object. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different examples or claims, these features may be combined, and inclusion in different examples or claims does not imply that the combination of features is not feasible and / or not advantageous.

[0100] As used herein, unless otherwise stated, the term "above" describes the relationship between two components relative to the ground. The first component is above the second component if the second component has at least one component located between the ground and the first component. Similarly, as used herein, the first component is "below" the second component when the first component is closer to the ground than the second component. As above, the first component may be above or below the second component in one or more of the following situations: when there are other components between them, when there are no other components between them, when the first component is in contact with the second component, or when the first component and the second component are not in direct contact with each other.

[0101] Despite the foregoing, when referring to semiconductor devices (e.g., transistors), semiconductor dies containing semiconductor devices, and / or integrated circuit (IC) packages containing semiconductor dies during assembly or manufacturing, "above" is not a reference to the Earth, but rather to the underlying substrate on which the relevant components are mounted, assembled, installed, supported, or otherwise provided. Therefore, as used herein and unless the context otherwise indicates or implies, when a first component (e.g., a transistor or other semiconductor device) within a semiconductor die is located further away from the substrate on which both components are mounted or otherwise provided (e.g., a semiconductor wafer) than a second component within the semiconductor die during assembly / manufacturing, the first component is "above" the second component. Similarly, unless the context otherwise indicates or implies, during assembly, when a first component (e.g., a semiconductor die) within an IC package is located further away from the printed circuit board (PCB) on which the IC package is to be mounted or attached, the first component is "above" the second component within the IC package. It should be understood that semiconductor devices are often used during assembly in orientations different from their orientations. Therefore, when referring to semiconductor devices (e.g., transistors), semiconductor dies containing semiconductor devices, and / or integrated circuit (IC) packages containing semiconductor dies during use, the definition of “above” in the preceding paragraph (i.e., the term “above” describes the relationship between two components relative to the Earth) may be applied based on the context of use.

[0102] As used in this patent, it is stated that any component (e.g., layer, film, region, range, or plate) is in any way (e.g., positioned on, located on, disposed on, or formed on, etc.) another component indicating that the referenced component is in contact with that other component, or that the referenced component is above that other component and one or more intermediate components are positioned between the referenced component and that other component.

[0103] As used herein, unless otherwise indicated, a connection reference (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) may include intermediate components between the elements referenced by the connection reference and / or relative movement between those elements. Therefore, a connection reference does not necessarily imply that two elements are directly connected and / or in a fixed relationship with each other. As used herein, the statement that any component is in “contact” with another component is defined to mean that there is no intermediate component between the two components.

[0104] Unless otherwise specified, descriptors such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., are used herein without imposing or otherwise indicating any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and / or any sorting, but merely as labels and / or arbitrary names to distinguish elements for ease of understanding of the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor “first” may be used to refer to an element in a particular embodiment, while different descriptors such as “second” or “third” may be used in the claims to refer to the same element. In such instances, it should be understood that such descriptors are used only to distinguish those elements in the context of this discussion (e.g., in the claims), where elements might otherwise share the same name, for example.

[0105] As used herein, “approximately” and “about” modify their subject / value to identify the potential presence of variations that occur in real-world applications. For example, “approximately” and “about” may modify dimensions that may be imprecise due to manufacturing tolerances and / or other real-world defects as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, “approximately” and “about” may indicate that such dimensions are within a tolerance of + / - 10%, unless otherwise specified herein.

[0106] As used in this article, "substantially real-time" means that it occurs in a near-instantaneous manner, acknowledging that there may be real-world delays in computation time, transmission, etc. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, "substantially real-time" means real-time plus 1 second.

[0107] As used herein, the phrase “to communicate” (including variations thereof) includes direct communication and / or indirect communication through one or more intermediate components, and does not require direct physical (e.g., wired) communication and / or continuous communication, but additionally includes selective communication performed at periodic intervals, predetermined intervals, non-periodic intervals, and / or one-off events.

[0108] As used herein, a “programmable circuit system” is defined as including (i) one or more dedicated electrical circuits (e.g., application-specific circuits, ASICs) configured to perform one or more specific operations and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors), and / or (ii) one or more semiconductor-based general-purpose electrical circuits programmable by instructions to perform one or more specific functions and / or one or more operations and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors). Examples of programmable circuit systems include: programmable microprocessors (such as central processing unit (CPU)) that can execute first instructions to perform one or more operations and / or functions; field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that can be programmed with second instructions to cause the configuration and / or construction of the FPGA to instantiate one or more operations and / or functions corresponding to the first instructions; graphics processing units (GPUs) that can execute first instructions to perform one or more operations and / or functions; digital signal processors (DSPs) that can execute first instructions to perform one or more operations and / or functions; XPUs; network processing units (NPUs); one or more microcontrollers that can execute first instructions to perform one or more operations and / or functions; and / or integrated circuits (such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs)). For example, an XPU can be implemented by a heterogeneous computing system that includes various types of programmable circuit systems (e.g., one or more FPGAs, one or more CPUs, one or more GPUs, one or more NPUs, one or more DSPs, etc., and / or any combination thereof) and orchestration techniques (e.g., one or more application programming interfaces (APIs)) that can assign one or more computing tasks to any of the various types of programmable circuit systems that are suitable for and can be used to perform one or more computing tasks.

[0109] As used herein, an integrated circuit / circuit system is defined as one or more semiconductor packages containing one or more circuit elements, such as transistors, capacitors, inductors, resistors, current paths, diodes, etc. For example, an integrated circuit can be implemented as one or more of an ASIC, FPGA, chip, microchip, programmable circuit system, semiconductor substrate coupling multiple circuit elements, system-on-a-chip (SoC), etc.

[0110] As will be understood from the foregoing, example systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods have been disclosed that enable (SMT) components of different sizes (e.g., capacitors) to be attached to SMT contact pads with the same footprint. In some examples, this advantage is achieved through contact pad designs that are compatible with different sized SMT components based on the pads having a larger (wider) portion near the toe of the pad (e.g., near the outward-facing edge of the corresponding pad pair) and a smaller (narrower) portion near the base of the pad (e.g., near the inward-facing edge of the corresponding pad pair). Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, a component expander is provided in conjunction with a smaller SMT component to produce a component with a size comparable to the larger SMT component, thereby enabling the component to be attached to contact pads sized for the larger SMT component. As a result of the teachings disclosed herein, on a given PCB, SMT components of different sizes can be interchanged or interchanged (and / or arranged differently on two similar PCBs) without redesigning and / or rebuilding a new PCB with a different layout (and different associated pads). Therefore, it is easier to design PCB assemblies with a proper trade-off between performance and acoustic noise.

[0111] Further examples and combinations thereof include the following: Example 1 includes an example device comprising: a circuit board; a first pad on the circuit board for electrically coupling to a first end of a surface mount technology (SMT) component, the first pad having a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge, the first edge being shorter than the second edge; and a second pad on the circuit board for electrically coupling to a second end of the SMT component, the second pad having a third edge and a fourth edge opposite to the third edge, the third edge being shorter than the fourth edge.

[0112] Example 2 includes any of the foregoing terms of Example 1(one or more), wherein the first edge and the third edge face each other and the second edge and the fourth edge face away from each other.

[0113] Example 3 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses of Examples 1-2, wherein the first edge has the same length as the third edge and the second edge has the same length as the fourth edge.

[0114] Example 4 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 1-3, wherein the first pad includes a side edge extending between the first edge and the second edge, the side edge following a non-linear line.

[0115] Example 5 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 1-4, wherein the side edge includes a tapered edge that extends at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the first edge and the second edge.

[0116] Example 6 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses of Examples 1-5, wherein the side edges include a stepped profile.

[0117] Example 7 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 1-6, wherein the first pad includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being defined by a first edge and an opposing first side edge, and the second portion being defined by a second edge and an opposing second side edge.

[0118] Example 8 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses of Examples 1-7, wherein the first part and the second part are separated from each other by a gap therebetween.

[0119] Example 9 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 1-8, wherein the first part is a continuation and extension of the second part.

[0120] Example 10 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 1-9, wherein the first portion has a first length extending in a direction traversing the first and second edges, and the second portion has a second length extending in a direction traversing the first and second edges, the first length being greater than the second length.

[0121] Example 11 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 1-10, wherein the first portion has a first length extending in a direction traversing the first and second edges, and the second portion has a second length extending in a direction traversing the first and second edges, the second length being greater than the first length.

[0122] Example 12 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 1-11, wherein the SMT component is one of a first SMT component or a second SMT component, the first SMT component having a first footprint and the second SMT component having a second footprint, the first footprint being larger than the second footprint.

[0123] Example 13 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 1-12, wherein a first occupied space has a first width and a second occupied space has a second width less than the first width, and a first edge is greater than the first width and less than or equal to the second width.

[0124] Example 14 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 1-13, wherein a first occupied space has a first length and a second occupied space has a second length less than the first length, a first edge and a third edge are separated by a first distance, a second edge and a fourth edge are separated by a second distance, the first distance is less than the second length, and the second distance is less than the first length.

[0125] Example 15 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 1-14, wherein the SMT component is a multilayer ceramic capacitor.

[0126] Example 16 includes an apparatus comprising: a circuit board including a first pair of capacitor pads and a second pair of capacitor pads, the first pair of capacitor pads having the same size and the same shape as the second pair of capacitor pads; a first capacitor electrically coupled to the first pair of capacitor pads; and a second capacitor electrically coupled to the second pair of capacitor pads, the second capacitor being smaller than the first capacitor.

[0127] Example 17 includes any of the foregoing provisions of Example 16(one or more), wherein the first pair of capacitor pads includes a first pad and a second pad, the first pad including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being defined by an inwardly facing edge and an opposing first side edge, the second portion being defined by an outwardly facing edge and an opposing second side edge, the inwardly facing edge facing the second pad, and the outwardly facing edge facing in the opposite direction to the inwardly facing edge.

[0128] Example 18 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses of Examples 16-17, wherein the inward-facing edge is smaller than the outward-facing edge.

[0129] Example 19 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses of Examples 16-18, wherein the first side edges are substantially parallel.

[0130] Example 20 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 16-19, wherein the first side edge slopes outward from the inward-facing edge.

[0131] Example 21 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 16-20, wherein the first pad includes an inwardly recessed edge that extends between the corresponding edge of the first side edge and the corresponding edge of the second side edge.

[0132] Example 22 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 16-21, wherein the first part and the second part are separated from each other by a gap therebetween.

[0133] Example 23 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 16-22, wherein the first part is a continuation and extension of the second part.

[0134] Example 24 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses of Examples 16-23, wherein the first portion has a first length extending in a first direction that traverses an inward-facing edge and an outward-facing edge; and the second portion has a second length extending in the first direction, the first length being greater than the second length.

[0135] Example 25 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 16-24, wherein the first portion has a first length extending in a first direction that traverses an inward-facing edge and an outward-facing edge, and the second portion has a second length extending in the first direction that is greater than the first length.

[0136] Example 26 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 16-25, wherein the inward-facing edge is a first inward-facing edge, the outward-facing edge is a first outward-facing edge, and the second pair of capacitor pads includes a third pad and a fourth pad, the third pad including a second inward-facing edge and a second outward-facing edge, the device including a first solder on the first pad and a second solder on the third pad, the first solder being spaced apart from the first inward-facing edge and the second solder being spaced apart from the second outward-facing edge.

[0137] Example 27 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 16-26, wherein the first capacitor is a 0603 capacitor and the second capacitor is a 0402 capacitor.

[0138] Example 28 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 16-27, including a capacitor extender coupled to a second capacitor, the second capacitor and the capacitor extender having a dimension corresponding to at least one of the length or width of the first capacitor.

[0139] Example 29 includes an apparatus comprising: means for supporting electronic components; and means for mounting electronic components on the support means, the mounting means comprising (i) a first means for attaching a first component of a first size and (ii) a second means for attaching a second component of a second size, the first size being larger than the second size.

[0140] Example 30 includes one or more of the foregoing provisions of Example 29, wherein the first attachment device is larger than the second attachment device.

[0141] Example 31 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 29-30, including a first and a second mounting device adjacent to each other in a mounting device for attaching a single end of a first or second component, wherein the first and second attachment devices of both the first and second mounting devices in the mounting device are arranged in a row.

[0142] Example 32 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 29-31, wherein a second attachment of both the first and second mounting devices in the mounting apparatus is located along the line between the first attachments of both the first and second mounting devices in the mounting apparatus.

[0143] Example 33 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 29-32, wherein the first attachment device has a first width measured in a direction perpendicular to the line, and the second attachment device has a second width measured in a direction perpendicular to the line, the second width being less than the first width.

[0144] Example 34 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses of Examples 29-33, wherein the second width is less than or equal to the width of the second component.

[0145] Example 35 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 29-34, wherein the second attachment device is spaced apart from the first attachment device.

[0146] Example 36 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 29-35, wherein the second attachment device is an integral extension of the first attachment device.

[0147] Example 37 includes a method comprising: manufacturing a circuit board having a pair of capacitor pads having inner edges facing each other and outer edges facing away from each other, the inner edges being shorter than the outer edges; and depositing solder on the capacitor pads.

[0148] Example 38 includes any of the foregoing provisions of Example 37, wherein depositing solder includes depositing solder over a region smaller than the full area of ​​the capacitor pad.

[0149] Example 39 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 37-38, attaching one of a first capacitor or a second capacitor to a capacitor pad, the first capacitor being larger than the second capacitor, the extent being adjacent to the outer edge when attaching the first capacitor, and the extent being adjacent to the inner edge when attaching the second capacitor.

[0150] Example 40 includes an apparatus comprising: a first surface mount technology (SMT) assembly having a first width and a first length; and a dummy structure coupled to the first SMT assembly for enabling an end of the first SMT to be electrically coupled to contact pads having a size for mounting a second SMT assembly larger than the first SMT assembly.

[0151] Example 41 includes any of the foregoing terms of Example 40(one or more), wherein a first SMT component has a first width and a first length, and a second SMT component has a second width and a second length, wherein the second width is greater than the first width and the second length is greater than the first length.

[0152] Example 42 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 40-41, wherein the combined length of the first SMT component and the dummy structure is approximately equal to the second length.

[0153] Example 43 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 40-42, wherein the combined width of the first SMT component and the dummy structure is approximately equal to the second width.

[0154] Example 44 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 40-43, wherein the combined length of the first SMT component and the dummy structure is approximately equal to the second length, and the combined width of the first SMT component and the dummy structure is approximately equal to the second width.

[0155] Example 45 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 40-44, wherein the dummy structure is coupled to the first SMT component via solder between the dummy structure and the first SMT component.

[0156] Example 46 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses of Examples 40-45, wherein the dummy structure is a conductive block.

[0157] Example 47 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 40-46, wherein the dummy structure is in direct contact with at least one end of the first SMT component.

[0158] Example 48 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 40-47, wherein the dummy structure maintains direct contact with at least one end of the first SMT assembly via a plate extending along the side of the dummy structure and the first SMT assembly.

[0159] Example 49 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms of Examples 40-48, wherein the dummy structure includes a conductive cage in which the first SMT component is located.

[0160] Example 50 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 40-49, wherein the cage includes a first portion and a second portion spaced apart from the first portion, the first portion being electrically coupled to a first end of the first SMT assembly, and the second portion being electrically coupled to a second end of the first SMT assembly.

[0161] Example 51 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 40-50, wherein the dummy structure includes a non-conductive insert between the first and second portions of the cage, and the first SMT component is in the opening of the insert.

[0162] Example 52 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 40-51, wherein the first SMT component is to be inserted into the cage through a side extending between the top and bottom of the cage, the bottom facing the contact pads and the top facing away from the contact pads.

[0163] Example 53 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 40-51, wherein the first SMT component is to be inserted into the cage through the top of the cage, with the top facing away from the contact pad.

[0164] Example 54 includes a method comprising: coupling a capacitor extender to a capacitor to provide an assembly larger than the capacitor; and mounting the assembly to a pair of capacitor pads on a circuit board.

[0165] Example 55 includes any of the foregoing provisions of Example 54(1), wherein coupling the capacitor extender to the capacitor includes soldering the capacitor extender to the capacitor.

[0166] Example 56 includes any one or more of the foregoing clauses in Examples 54-55, wherein soldering occurs after the capacitor is attached to the circuit board.

[0167] Example 57 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 54-56, including providing an adhesive between capacitor pad pairs for holding the capacitor in place prior to soldering.

[0168] Example 58 includes any one or more of the foregoing terms in Examples 54-57, wherein soldering occurs before the capacitor is attached to the circuit board.

[0169] Example 59 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 54-58, wherein the coupling of the capacitor extender to the capacitor includes attaching a plate to the side of the capacitor extender and the capacitor, the plate being used to keep the capacitor extender in proximity to the capacitor.

[0170] Example 60 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 54-59, wherein the capacitor extender includes a conductive cage and a non-conductive insert, and the coupling of the capacitor extender to the capacitor includes: inserting the capacitor into an opening in the insert and inserting the insert into the cage.

[0171] Example 61 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 54-60, wherein the opening in the insert is accessible via the top of the assembly, the top of the assembly being opposite to the capacitor pads.

[0172] Example 62 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 54-61, wherein the opening in the insert is accessible via a side of the assembly that extends between the top and bottom of the assembly, with the bottom facing the capacitor pads and the top facing away from the capacitor pads.

[0173] Example 63 includes an apparatus comprising: means for supporting an electronic component, the support means including means for mounting the electronic component on the support means, the electronic component being electrically coupled to the support means via a pair of mounting means; and means for facilitating the electronic component across a distance between the pair of mounting means, the facilitating means being electrically coupled between the electronic component and at least one of the mounting means.

[0174] Example 64 includes any of the foregoing provisions of Example 63(1), wherein the facilitating device includes means for conducting electricity and means for holding the conductive means in place relative to the electronic component.

[0175] Example 65 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 63-64, wherein the retaining device is conductive.

[0176] Example 66 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 63-65, wherein the retaining device is non-conductive.

[0177] Example 67 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 63-66, wherein the retaining device is between the electronic component and the conductive device.

[0178] Example 68 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 63-67, wherein the conductive device is in direct contact with the electronic component and the device extends along the side of the conductive device and the electronic component.

[0179] Example 69 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 63-68, wherein the electronic component is inserted into an opening in the retaining device and the retaining device is contained within the conductive device.

[0180] Example 70 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 63-69, wherein the facilitating device is attached to a first end of the electronic component and spaced apart from a second end of the electronic component.

[0181] Example 71 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 63-70, wherein the facilitating device surrounds the electronic component.

[0182] Example 72 includes any one or more of the foregoing provisions of Examples 63-71, wherein the device is a computing device that includes a memory and a programmable circuit system.

[0183] The appended claims are therefore incorporated herein by reference. While certain example systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods have been disclosed herein, the scope of this patent is not limited thereto. Rather, this patent covers all systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods that, fairly speaking, fall within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: Circuit board; A first pad is located on the circuit board and is used for electrical coupling to a first end of a surface mount technology (SMT) component. The first pad has a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge, the first edge being shorter than the second edge. as well as The second pad is located on the circuit board and is used for electrical coupling to a second end of the SMT assembly. The second pad has a third edge and a fourth edge opposite to the third edge, the third edge being shorter than the fourth edge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The first edge and the third edge face each other, while the second edge and the fourth edge face away from each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The first edge has the same length as the third edge, and the second edge has the same length as the fourth edge.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The first pad includes a side edge extending between the first edge and the second edge, the side edge following a non-linear line.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The side edge includes a tapered edge that extends at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the first edge and the second edge.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The side edges include a stepped profile.

7. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The first pad includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being defined by a first edge and an opposing first side edge, and the second portion being defined by a second edge and an opposing second side edge.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The first part and the second part are spaced apart from each other by a gap therebetween.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The first part is a further extension of the second part.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The first portion has a first length extending in a direction traversing the first edge and the second edge, and the second portion has a second length extending in a direction traversing the first edge and the second edge, wherein the first length is greater than the second length.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The first portion has a first length extending in a direction traversing the first edge and the second edge, and the second portion has a second length extending in a direction traversing the first edge and the second edge, the second length being greater than the first length.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The SMT component is one of a first SMT component or a second SMT component. The first SMT component has a first occupied space, and the second SMT component has a second occupied space. The first occupied space is greater than the second occupied space.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, The first occupied space has a first width and the second occupied space has a second width that is less than the first width, and the first edge is greater than the first width and less than or equal to the second width.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, The first occupied space has a first length and the second occupied space has a second length that is less than the first length. The first edge and the third edge are separated by a first distance, and the second edge and the fourth edge are separated by a second distance. The first distance is less than the second length, and the second distance is less than the first length.

15. An apparatus comprising: A circuit board, the circuit board including a first pair of capacitor pads and a second pair of capacitor pads, the first pair of capacitor pads and the second pair of capacitor pads having the same size and the same shape; A first capacitor, which is electrically coupled to the pads of the first pair of capacitors; as well as The second capacitor is electrically coupled to the second pair of capacitor pads and is smaller than the first capacitor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, The first pair of capacitor pads includes a first pad and a second pad. The first pad includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is defined by an inward-facing edge and an opposing first side edge. The second portion is defined by an outward-facing edge and an opposing second side edge. The inward-facing edge faces the second pad, and the outward-facing edge faces a direction opposite to the inward-facing edge.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein, The inward-facing edge is smaller than the outward-facing edge.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein, The first pad includes an inwardly recessed edge that extends between a corresponding edge of the first side edge and a corresponding edge of the second side edge.

19. The apparatus of any one of claims 16-18, wherein, The first part and the second part are spaced apart from each other by a gap therebetween.

20. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein, The first portion has a first length extending along a first direction that traverses the inward-facing edge and the outward-facing edge, and the second portion has a second length extending along the first direction that is greater than the second length.

21. The apparatus of any one of claims 16-18, wherein, The first portion has a first length extending along a first direction that traverses the inward-facing edge and the outward-facing edge, and the second portion has a second length extending along the first direction that is greater than the first length.

22. The apparatus of any one of claims 15-18, comprising a capacitor extender coupled to the second capacitor, the second capacitor and the capacitor extender having a dimension corresponding to at least one of the length or width of the first capacitor.

23. An apparatus comprising: Devices used to support electronic components; as well as The means for mounting the electronic components on the support device includes (i) a first means for attaching a first component of a first size and (ii) a second means for attaching a second component of a second size, the first size being larger than the second size.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein, The first attachment device is larger than the second attachment device.

25. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 or 24, comprising a first mounting device and a second mounting device adjacent to each other in the mounting apparatus, the first mounting device and the second mounting device being used to attach a single end of one of the first component or the second component, wherein the first attachment device and the second attachment device of both the first mounting device and the second mounting device in the mounting apparatus are arranged in a row.

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