Solderless Flexible Circuit Assembly via Adhesive Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The electronics industry faces challenges with traditional soldering methods due to the toxicity of lead, environmental damage from mining tin and silver, high energy consumption, reliability issues, and the complexity of solderless connections, particularly in densely packed IC assemblies.
Innovation Solution
The development of a reverse-interconnection process (RIP) that eliminates the need for solder by placing pre-tested components on a planar base, encapsulating them with insulating material, and building up layers through drilling and plating, allowing for robust, low-profile, and cost-effective electronic assemblies without the use of solder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional soldering methods are used, then reliable electrical connections are achieved, but toxic lead exposure and environmental damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful soldering process entirely from the assembly method. By removing the soldering step and replacing it with mechanical insertion and adhesive bonding, the toxic lead exposure and environmental damage associated with traditional soldering are completely eliminated while maintaining connection reliability through alternative bonding mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal-mechanical soldering system with a mechanical insertion and adhesive bonding system. Components are mechanically inserted into recesses and held in place by adhesives, eliminating the need for high-temperature soldering processes that cause lead toxicity and environmental harm.
2Reliability
If soldering processes are used, then electrical connections are established, but high energy consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-energy thermal soldering process with low-energy mechanical insertion and adhesive bonding. Components are inserted mechanically into pre-formed recesses and bonded using room-temperature or low-temperature adhesives, eliminating the energy-intensive heating and melting processes required for traditional soldering.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If solderless connections are used, then environmental benefits are achieved, but connection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection structure into distinct functional elements: recesses in the substrate, insertion holes in components, and adhesive bonding zones. This segmentation organizes the solderless connection process into manageable, standardized components that reduce overall system complexity despite eliminating traditional soldering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-forming recesses in the substrate and pre-drilling insertion holes in components before assembly. These pre-prepared features guide component placement and simplify the bonding process, reducing the complexity that might otherwise arise from solderless connection methods.
4Area of stationary object
If components are densely packed, then space efficiency is improved, but thermal management becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flexible thermal interface materials and thin-film thermal management layers between densely packed components. These thin thermal conductive films and flexible heat dissipation structures enable efficient heat transfer in compact arrangements, allowing dense component packing while maintaining effective thermal management.
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 approach reduces manufacturing waste, material usage, and processing steps, while enhancing reliability, thermal performance, and electromagnetic interference shielding, and allows for more efficient heat dissipation and denser component packing without the drawbacks of traditional soldering.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible circuit assembly including a flexible circuit board, a first electronic component mounted on the flexible circuit board and a second electronic component mounted on the flexible circuit board. The first electronic component is joined to the flexible circuit board by a first adhesive layer. The second electronic component is joined to the flexible circuit board by a second adhesive layer.
Implementation Method 2
The adhesive layer has embedded within it a conductive joining material that conducts electrical signals from the flexible circuit board to the electronic component and from the electronic component to the flexible circuit board.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a flexible electronic assembly that uses no solder. Components or component packages are mounted on a flexible substrate. Vias connect through the substrate to the components' leads. Circuits are formed on the opposite side of the substrate interconnecting the component through the vias. The assembly is made flexible by removing encapsulent material between components.