Metal Pad Venting Channels for Bubble-Free Component Soldering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic boards face issues with gas bubbles forming during soldering, which compromise the thermal conductivity and cooling efficiency of electronic components, particularly when the component's electronic element is not centrally located on the metal pad.

Innovation Solution

The electronic board features venting channels on the metal pad that start near a peripheral side and extend to the opposite side, ensuring efficient gas evacuation from non-central areas, minimizing bubble formation under the electronic element by positioning it over the channel beginnings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If radial vent channels are used in conventional metal pads, then gas evacuation is improved from central areas, but non-central areas (where electronic elements are located) experience insufficient gas drainage and bubble formation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas bubble formationVSAvoidcooling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the electronic element in a non-central location on the metal pad and configuring the vent channel to start near the peripheral side rather than from the center. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that the vent channel directly serves the non-central area where the heat-generating electronic element is located, optimizing gas evacuation from the critical region while maintaining effective thermal coupling between the element and metal pad.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Adaptability or versatility

If the electronic element is positioned in a non-central area of the package, then packaging flexibility is improved, but gas drainage efficiency deteriorates in that specific area leading to increased bubble density

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent packaging flexibilityVSAvoidbubble density under electronic element
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the vent channel configuration specifically adapted to the non-central location of the electronic element. The channel starts near the peripheral side at a position optimized for the element's location, ensuring that gas evacuation capability is locally enhanced precisely where the electronic element is positioned, rather than using a uniform central design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the vent channel geometry and position during metal pad manufacturing, before the soldering process occurs. The channel is预先 designed to start near the peripheral side and extend toward the center, creating a gas evacuation pathway that is ready in advance to handle the specific needs of non-centrally positioned electronic elements during the subsequent soldering operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-generated harmful factors

If conventional central vent channels are used, then gas evacuation from central areas is effective, but thermal conductivity is reduced due to bubble formation in non-central areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas evacuation efficiencyVSAvoidthermal energy dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the vent channel to start near the peripheral side rather than from the center, and by placing the electronic element in a non-central location. This asymmetric configuration ensures that the vent channel directly serves the area where the electronic element is located, optimizing gas evacuation from the critical heat-generating region while maintaining effective thermal coupling between the element and metal pad, thus preserving thermal conductivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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 design reduces bubble density and enhances heat dissipation by effectively venting gases away from the component's heat-generating area, improving thermal conductivity and cooling efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

the channel begins at a first end closed to gas diffusion and ends at a second end open to gas diffusion, so that during brazing the gases propagate in a direction following the first end towards the second end of the channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas diffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

The metal pad typically acts as a heat sink for the electronic component

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat sink: Heat Sink

Implementation Method 3

These gas bubbles are detrimental to the component's cooling because they introduce areas of low thermal conductivity within the solder joint

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 4

Soldering the electronic component to a component's mounting area, typically a metal pad, is a common method

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSoldering: Soldering

Implementation Method 5

During the soldering of an electronic component, gas can be generated by the evaporation of solvents from the solder paste

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 6

During the soldering of an electronic component, gas can be generated by the evaporation of solvents from the solder paste

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP3197247B1Electronic card intended for receiving an electronic component
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 VALEO ELECTRIFICATION
  • EP3197247B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3197247B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an electronic board intended to receive an electronic component, said electronic board comprising a metal pad (130d) forming a block having a face, said mounting face (132), intended to receive the electronic component by soldering, said mounting face (132) having at least one channel (135, 136, 137) which opens onto the periphery of the mounting face (132) and which is configured to evacuate gases formed during the soldering of the electronic component, characterized in that the channel (135, 136, 137) begins near a first peripheral side (133) of the mounting face (132) extending from a first half of the mounting face (132) to a second half of the mounting face (132).