PCB Package Corner Pins to Prevent Reflow Collapse

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge in the electronics industry is to prevent the collapse of semiconductor packages on printed circuit boards (PCBs) during the reflow process, which can lead to bridging and short circuiting of solder balls.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves attaching pins to the package at corner locations, which provide mechanical support during the reflow process, preventing the package from collapsing and reducing the risk of solder bridging and short circuiting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If pins are attached to the package at corner locations, then the package stability during reflow is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage stabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pins are attached to the package at corner locations before the reflow process. This preliminary action provides mechanical support that prevents package collapse during the subsequent reflow operation, thereby improving package stability without requiring complex real-time control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pins serve as intermediary elements between the package and the external environment during reflow. These pins provide mechanical support and act as a mediator to prevent direct contact forces from causing package collapse, thus improving stability while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If pins are attached to prevent package collapse, then the reliability of electrical connections is improved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of electrical connectionsVSAvoidease of manufacture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The pins are attached during the package assembly process before final testing and deployment. This preliminary attachment ensures that the mechanical support structure is in place before the critical reflow operation, improving the reliability of electrical connections while allowing for standard manufacturing workflows.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pins are simple, relatively inexpensive components that provide critical mechanical support during the reflow process. Their simplicity and low cost allow them to be easily integrated into the manufacturing process without significantly increasing complexity, while effectively improving connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS12205859B2Package and printed circuit board attachment

Publication Date: 2025.01.21 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

Generally, the present disclosure provides example embodiments relating to a package that may be attached to a printed circuit board (PCB). In an embodiment, a structure includes a package. The package includes one or more dies and metal pads on an exterior surface of the package. At least some of the metal pads are first solder ball pads. The structure further includes pins, and each of the pins is attached to a respective one of the metal pads.