Stacked PCB Capacitor Interconnect to Reduce Parasitic Inductance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stacked printed circuit boards (PCBs) introduce parasitic inductance due to pillars and vias, leading to low frequency resonance and increased component stress, requiring additional compensation measures.
Innovation Solution
Positioning a capacitor between PCBs to provide a current path and mechanical connection, eliminating the need for pillars and reducing parasitic inductance by using the capacitor's pins aligned with vias on both PCBs, and optionally incorporating a frame assembly for additional stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pillars and vias are used to connect stacked PCBs, then mechanical connection and current path are provided, but parasitic inductance increases leading to low frequency resonance and component stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mechanical support function and electrical connection function into a single integrated structure. The capacitor's own pins serve dual purposes: providing mechanical support between PCBs and establishing electrical current paths, eliminating the need for separate pillars and vias. This combination reduces the number of discrete components and interfaces that generate parasitic inductance.
Solution Approach 2:
The capacitor is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: electrical energy storage, mechanical support between stacked PCBs, and current path provision. By making the capacitor multi-functional, the patent eliminates dedicated mechanical support structures (pillars) and reduces the complexity of electrical interconnections, thereby reducing parasitic inductance while maintaining connection stability.
2Reliability
If additional compensation measures are implemented to address parasitic inductance, then system performance is maintained, but device complexity and component cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful parasitic inductance generation sources by removing conventional pillars and vias from the design. By taking out these separate components and replacing them with the capacitor's integrated pins, the need for additional compensation measures is eliminated, simplifying the overall system while maintaining performance.
3Strength
If conventional stacked PCB structure with pillars is used, then mechanical support is provided, but the electronic module size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mechanical support function with the electrical connection function in the capacitor's pins. This merging eliminates the need for separate pillar structures, reducing the overall volume required for mechanical support while maintaining the necessary strength and stability for stacked PCB configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
Electronic devices, electronic modules, and methods for manufacturing electronic devices and/or electronic modules are described herein. In some embodiments, the present invention may be directed to an electronic module that includes a pair of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and a capacitor positioned between the PCBs. Each of the PCBs may include a pair of vias configured to provide electrical connections through the PCB, and the capacitor may include a pair of pins. Each pin of the capacitor may be aligned with a via of one of the PCBs and a corresponding via of the other PCB such that each pin is configured to provide electrical connection between the two PCBs. Additionally, the pair of pins may be configured to support the PCBs with respect to each other.