Abstract:
A circuit assembly (10,110,210,310,410) containing a surface mount (SM) IC package (14) wire bonded to a substrate (12) and configured to conduct heat from the package (14) into a heat sink (18) through a heat-conducting member (16) instead of the substrate (12). The package (14) contains an IC device (20) with input/output pads (22) on a surface (32) thereof that are connected with leads (38) to conductors on the substrate (12). The heat sink (18) is located adjacent the package (14) so as not to be separated from the package (14) by the substrate (12). The heat-conducting member (16) is positioned adjacent the surface (34) of the device (20) opposite its input/output pads (22), and is bonded to the device (20) and heat sink (18) to provide a heat path between the package (14) and heat sink (18) that does not pass through the substrate (12).
Abstract:
An audio volume control system (10) including a plurality of audio signal sources (12) each configured to generate an audio signal (14), and a controller (16) configured to retrieve a stored volume setting for each audio signal source (12) and control the output volume level of an output device (18) in response to the stored volume setting.
Abstract:
A power semiconductor device package utilizes integral fluid conducting micro-channels (14), one or more inlet ports (38) for supplying liquid coolant to the micro-channels (14), and one or more outlet ports (40) for exhausting coolant that has passed through the micro-channels (14). The semiconductor device (10) is mounted on a single or multi-layer circuit board (44) having electrical and fluid interconnect features that mate with the electrical terminals (12a, 12b) and inlet and outlet ports (38, 40) of the device (10) to define a self-contained and self-sealed micro-channel heat exchanger.
Abstract:
A surface mountable axial leaded component (100) including a component body (102), a first component lead (104A) and a second component lead (104B). The first component lead (104A) extends from a first end of the component body (102) and a second component lead (104B) extends from a second end of the component body (102) that is opposite the first end. A portion of the first and second component leads (104A,104B) is formed in a loop and a diameter of the loop is at least equal to the diameter of the component body (102). The loop may be formed as a circular loop, an elliptical loop, a polygon loop, a square loop or rectangular loop, among other loop configurations. When formed as a circular loop, the loop may include a flat segment.
Abstract:
A circuit board assembly (30) that makes use of a low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate (10), and a process for producing the assembly (30). The substrate (10) contains at least first and second regions (32,34) formed by a plurality of first ceramic layers (36) and at least one second ceramic layer (38), respectively, that are superimposed and bonded to each other. Conductor lines (22) are present on at least some of the first ceramic layers (36) so as to be between adjacent pairs of the layers (36). Electrically-conductive vias (16) electrically interconnect the conductor lines (22) on different first ceramic layers (36), and a surface-mount IC device (12) is mounted to the substrate (10). The first ceramic layers (36) are formed of electrically-nonconductive materials, while the one or more second ceramic layers (38) contain thermally-conductive particles dispersed in a matrix of electrically-nonconductive materials, such that the one or more second ceramic layers (38) are more thermally conductive than the first ceramic layers (36).
Abstract:
An overmolded electronic package (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) includes a circuit-carrying substrate (24) and a connector housing (14) or shroud (14') interconnected via a suitable interconnection arrangement (20, 32, 34; 20' 32, 320). Some embodiments may include a backplate (12) affixed to the substrate (24) and, in some cases, also to the connector housing (14) or shroud (14'). In some embodiments, the connector housing (14) or shroud (14') may be affixed to the substrate (12), and in any case the entire subassembly of components is overmolded with a rigidly formable molding compound (110) to bond together all components of the subassembly and form the overmolded electronic package (100, 200, 300, 400, 500). The subassembly of components with the exception of the backplate (12) may alternatively be overmolded with the molding compound (110), and a backplate (12) thereafter affixed to the subassembly via a compliant bonding medium (402).
Abstract:
An overmolded circuit board assembly (30,50) and a method for forming the assembly (30,50). The assembly (30,50) and method entail overmolding both surfaces of a circuit board (12,42,62,82) and underfilling at least one surface-mount circuit device (14,44,64,84) attached to at least one surface of the board (12,42,62,82) with solder bump connections (18,48), with the result that the circuit device (14,44,64,84) is spaced above the surface of the circuit board (12,42,62,82) so as to define a gap (22,52,72,92) therebetween. The circuit board assembly (30,50) further comprises a cavity (20,50,70,90), such as a blind hole (30) or closed through-hole (50,70,90), defined in the surface of the circuit board (12,42,62,82) beneath the circuit device (14,44,64,84), such that the cavity (20,50,70,90) communicates with the gap (22,52,72,92) between the circuit board (12,42,62,82) and device (14,44,64,84), but is closed off from the opposite surface of the circuit board (12,42,62,82). As a result of the presence of the cavity (20,50,70,90), air that becomes trapped in the gap (22,52,72,92) by a molding material (16,46) during the overmolding/underfilling process is collected and compressed within the cavity (20,50,70,90), yielding a void-free underfill between the circuit board (12,42,62,82) and