Insulative Layer on Terminals for Soft Support Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

The production of electrical connections between electronic chips and soft supports, such as those in passports, is hindered by the risk of unwanted short circuits due to the deformation of soft materials and the formation of lateral beads in conductive ink terminals, making precise positioning constraints necessary to avoid these issues.

Innovation Solution

Applying an insulative layer to the terminals before contact with the chip's pads, allowing the bosses to pass through and establish connections while maintaining insulation between terminals and adjacent pads, thus reducing the risk of short circuits and relaxing positioning constraints.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the chip is pressed against the terminals of the antenna on a soft support, then electrical connection is established, but the soft support deforms locally causing unwanted connections with adjacent pads

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidunwanted short circuits

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

An insulative layer is introduced as an intermediary between the terminal and the soft support. This layer prevents the terminal from directly deforming the soft support, thereby blocking the harmful effect that causes unwanted connections with adjacent pads while still allowing the boss to pass through and establish the desired electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The insulative layer is applied beforehand to the terminal before the mounting process. This preliminary action creates a protective barrier that prevents the deformation of the soft support during the pressing operation, counteracting the harmful effect before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the dimensions of the terminals are reduced to avoid unwanted connections, then short circuit risk decreases, but positioning constraints increase to the point of preventing mass production

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshort circuit riskVSAvoidmass production capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulative layer serves as a mediator that allows terminals to maintain their larger dimensions (necessary for mass production compatibility) while still preventing unwanted connections. The layer blocks lateral contact with adjacent pads even when terminals are large, eliminating the need to reduce terminal dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The introduction of the insulative layer changes the effective parameters of the terminal system. It allows terminals to have larger area and width (improving manufacturability) while the insulative property prevents harmful lateral contact, effectively decoupling terminal size from short circuit risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If bosses are used to ensure connection reliability, then electrical connection is guaranteed, but lateral portions of terminals can still contact adjacent pads causing short circuits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidunwanted contact with adjacent pads

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The insulative layer acts as a mediator that allows the boss to pass through and establish reliable electrical connection while simultaneously blocking the lateral portions of the terminal from contacting adjacent pads. The layer is positioned and dimensioned to permit vertical passage of the boss while preventing lateral contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method effectively minimizes the risk of unwanted connections and allows for high-throughput mass production without increasing positioning constraints, ensuring reliable electrical connections on both soft and rigid supports, including those in identity documents.

Implementation Method 1

the surface of this terminal is covered by an insulative layer, this insulative layer being of a material chosen to have this boss pass through it under said conditions of temperature and pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical insulation: Electrical Resistance

Implementation Method 2

this boss and this terminal are brought into contact and they are fixed the one to the other, under given conditions of temperature and of pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal and mechanical deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS7948764B2Method for mounting an electronic component on a preferably soft support, and resulting electronic entity, such as a passport

Publication Date: 2011.05.24 FRANCOIS CHARLES OBERTHUR FIDUCIAIRE SA

AI summary

Method for mounting an electronic component, such as a silicon chip, on a support which consists in: providing an electronic component (40) having connection pads, whereof one predetermined pad (41A) is provided with a bump (42); providing a support having (30) to the predetermined pad via the bump; aligning the predetermined pad provided with the bump with the terminal; contacting the bump and the terminal and assembling them in specific temperature and pressure conditions. Prior to contacting and fixing the bump and the terminal, the surface of the terminal is covered with an insulating layer (32), the insulating layer being a material selected so as to be traversed by the bump in the temperature and pressure conditions.