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US5501003A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of assembling electronic packages for surface mount applications

Assignee: Bel Fuse Inc
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Filing: 1993-12-15
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Granted: 1996-03-26
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Expires: 2013-12-15
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Abstract

Abstract The method is used to assemble an electronic package of the type having a plurality of external conductive output pads for subsequent surface mounting of the electronic package. The method includes forming a nonconductive frame within the opening of a conductive lead frame such that the nonconductive frame is attached to and encapsulates a portion of each of the leads of the conductive lead frame. An electronic package, which includes two printed circuit boards, having components and conductive output areas on respective sides thereof, is positioned within the non-conductive frame from opposite sides and the conductive output areas of the boards attached to respective parts of different ones of the leads of the conductive lead frame. The electronic package is then encapsulated, leaving an air gap between the boards which cushions and isolates the internal solder joints from subsequent stress by allowing the boards to flex. The leads of the conductive lead frame are then separated from the frame.

Inventors

  • 👤 Elliot Bernstein

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 18:34
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/14; H05K1/144; H05K13/00; H05K13/04; H10; H10W; H10W70/00; H10W70/40; H10W70/421; H10W70/435; H10W76/00; H10W76/40; H10W76/42; H10W76/47; H10W76/60; H10W90/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49121; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49126; Y10T29/49128; Y10T29/49169; Y10T29/49171

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 300 words
A method of assembling an electronic package of the type having first and second printed circuit boards, each of which has discrete components and conductive output areas on one side thereof for subsequent surface mounting of the electronic package, which method comprises: (a) providing a conductive lead frame having a plurality of sides defining a first opening, the lead frame further having a plurality of leads extending into the first opening, each of the leads having first and second sides, one end of each lead being attached to one of the sides of the lead frame and a second end of each lead extending into the first opening; (b) forming a nonconductive frame within the first opening, the nonconductive frame being attached to each of the leads intermediate the first and second ends thereof and defining a second opening within the first opening, the first and second openings having peripheral dimensions greater than the peripheral dimensions of the electronic package, and the leads of the conductive lead frame extending into the second opening; (c) positioning the electronic package within the second opening such that the first and second boards are supported on the nonconductive frame, the components of the first board are spaced from and face the components of the second board, the conductive output areas of the first board are in contact with the first sides of a first group of the leads and the conductive output areas of the second board are in contact with the second sides of a second group of the leads; (d) conductively attaching the conductive output areas of the electronic assembly to different ones of the leads in the second opening; (e) encapsulating the electronic package; and (f) severing the sides of the conductive lead frame from the first ends of the leads.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 300 words
A method of assembling an electronic package of the type having first and second printed circuit boards, each of which has discrete components and conductive output areas on one side thereof for subsequent surface mounting of the electronic package, which method comprises: (a) providing a conductive lead frame having a plurality of sides defining a first opening, the lead frame further having a plurality of leads extending into the first opening, each of the leads having first and second sides, one end of each lead being attached to one of the sides of the lead frame and a second end of each lead extending into the first opening; (b) forming a nonconductive frame within the first opening, the nonconductive frame being attached to each of the leads intermediate the first and second ends thereof and defining a second opening within the first opening, the first and second openings having peripheral dimensions greater than the peripheral dimensions of the electronic package, and the leads of the conductive lead frame extending into the second opening; (c) positioning the electronic package within the second opening such that the first and second boards are supported on the nonconductive frame, the components of the first board are spaced from and face the components of the second board, the conductive output areas of the first board are in contact with the first sides of a first group of the leads and the conductive output areas of the second board are in contact with the second sides of a second group of the leads; (d) conductively attaching the conductive output areas of the electronic assembly to different ones of the leads in the second opening; (e) encapsulating the electronic package; and (f) severing the sides of the conductive lead frame from the first ends of the leads.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the respective second ends of the leads are crimped to form respective offset portions prior to step (c) and the conductive output areas are attached to different ones of the offset portions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 64 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the respective second ends of the first group of leads are crimped to form respective offset portions offset in a first direction from the lead frame and the respective second ends of the second group of leads are crimped to form respective offset portions offset in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, from the lead frame.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 307 words
A method of assembling an electronic package of the type having first and second printed circuit boards, each of which has discrete components and conductive output areas on one side thereof for subsequent surface mounting of the electronic package, which method comprises: (a) providing a conductive lead frame having a plurality of sides defining a first opening, the lead frame further having a plurality of leads extending into the first opening, each of the leads having first and second sides one, end of each lead being attached to one of the sides of the lead frame and a second end of each lead extending into the first opening; (b) forming a nonconductive frame with oppositely facing ledges within the first opening, the nonconductive frame being attached to each of the leads intermediate the first and second ends thereof and defining a second opening within the first opening, the first and second openings having peripheral dimensions greater than the peripheral dimensions of the electronic package, and the leads of the conductive lead frame extending into the second opening; (c) positioning the electronic package within the second opening such that the first and second boards are supported on the first and second ledges, respectively, of the lead frame, the components of the first board face the components of the second board, the conductive output areas of the first board are in contact with the first sides of a first group of the leads and the conductive output areas of the second board are in contact with the second sides of a second group of the leads; (d) conductively attaching the conductive output areas of the electronic assembly to different ones of the leads in the second opening; (e) encapsulating the electronic package; and (f) severing the sides of the conductive lead frame from the first ends of the leads.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 307 words
A method of assembling an electronic package of the type having first and second printed circuit boards, each of which has discrete components and conductive output areas on one side thereof for subsequent surface mounting of the electronic package, which method comprises: (a) providing a conductive lead frame having a plurality of sides defining a first opening, the lead frame further having a plurality of leads extending into the first opening, each of the leads having first and second sides one, end of each lead being attached to one of the sides of the lead frame and a second end of each lead extending into the first opening; (b) forming a nonconductive frame with oppositely facing ledges within the first opening, the nonconductive frame being attached to each of the leads intermediate the first and second ends thereof and defining a second opening within the first opening, the first and second openings having peripheral dimensions greater than the peripheral dimensions of the electronic package, and the leads of the conductive lead frame extending into the second opening; (c) positioning the electronic package within the second opening such that the first and second boards are supported on the first and second ledges, respectively, of the lead frame, the components of the first board face the components of the second board, the conductive output areas of the first board are in contact with the first sides of a first group of the leads and the conductive output areas of the second board are in contact with the second sides of a second group of the leads; (d) conductively attaching the conductive output areas of the electronic assembly to different ones of the leads in the second opening; (e) encapsulating the electronic package; and (f) severing the sides of the conductive lead frame from the first ends of the leads.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 4, wherein at least some of the components are wound components.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the boards has tabs on at least one side and the wound components have leads which are wound around respective tabs to form conductive output areas for the wound components.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the wound tabs are soldered.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 7, wherein at least one blank tab is provided intermediate any two adjacent wound tabs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 8, wherein a soft material is introduced into the space between the facing sides of the first and second printed circuit boards.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the soft material is silicone.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3271625A Cited
US4089733A Cited
JPS59107064A Cited
US4751611A Cited
JPS63211657A Cited
JPH0289389A Cited
JPH04291984A Cited
US5168368A Cited
JPH0521703A Cited
US5210936A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-03-26 1999-09-25 2000-03-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-03-26 2003-09-25 2004-03-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-03-26 2007-09-25 2008-03-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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