Solderless Electronic Component Stacking via Compression Bonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The use of solder in electronic assemblies poses health and environmental risks due to toxic materials like lead, requires heat-based processes that can damage components, and occupies space, making it undesirable for miniaturization and efficient component stacking.

Innovation Solution

Electronic components are overlapped and encapsulated in an insulating material for solderless assembly, allowing for increased density and reduced layer counts, eliminating solder-related issues like shorts and opens, and enabling stacked integration without the need for solder.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If solder is used to join electronic components, then reliable electrical interconnections are achieved, but toxic materials like lead pose health and environmental risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical interconnection reliabilityVSAvoidtoxic material exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the solder material from the assembly process, replacing it with a mechanical pressing and bonding system. Components are joined through direct contact and compression forces applied by a press, removing the harmful solder substance entirely from the electronic assembly while maintaining reliable electrical connections through the bonding interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the thermal-mechanical soldering process with a purely mechanical bonding system. Instead of using heat to melt solder and create joints, the invention uses a press to apply compression forces that bond components directly to the substrate through friction and contact pressure, substituting thermal processes with mechanical ones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If heat-based soldering processes are used, then components are joined together, but the heat increases component failure rate and causes outright damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent joining capabilityVSAvoidcomponent failure rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the heat-based soldering process with a mechanical compression bonding system. A press applies controlled compression forces to bond components to the substrate without generating heat, eliminating thermal damage to sensitive electronic components while achieving reliable mechanical and electrical connections through the bonding interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental process parameter from thermal energy to mechanical energy. Instead of controlling temperature and heat transfer during joining, the system controls compression force, pressure, and contact time during the bonding process, fundamentally altering the physical parameters involved in component assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If solder material is used for component assembly, then electrical connections are established, but the solder occupies space that could be used for miniaturization and component stacking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection establishmentVSAvoidassembly size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the solder material from the assembly structure, eliminating the additional volume that solder occupies. By joining components through direct mechanical contact and compression bonding, the system eliminates the need for solder joints, reducing overall assembly volume and enabling tighter component spacing for miniaturization and stacked configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the component and substrate into a more integrated structure by eliminating the intermediate solder layer. Components are bonded directly to the substrate through compression bonding, reducing the total assembly height and volume by consolidating the interface between components and eliminating the separate solder material volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If solder is used in electronic assemblies, then components are joined reliably, but the additional material occupies space and increases assembly complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent joining reliabilityVSAvoidassembly structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the solder material from the assembly structure, simplifying the overall system. By removing the solder layer and using direct compression bonding between components and substrate, the invention reduces material complexity and simplifies the assembly structure while maintaining reliable electrical and mechanical connections through the bonding interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS8300425B2Electronic assemblies without solder having overlapping components

Publication Date: 2012.10.30 FJELSTAD JOSEPH CHARLES

AI summary

An apparatus is disclosed that improves density of electrical components in a circuit assembly. Electrical components 202, 204 are stacked so that they overlap each other and are encapsulated in an electronic insulating material 104. The resulting subassembly may be integrated onto a printed circuit board or into a reverse-interconnection process assembly.