Patent DE900222C successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5546654A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5546654A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Vacuum fixture and method for fabricating electronic assemblies
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1994-08-29
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Granted: 1996-08-20
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Expires: 2014-08-29
Abstract
Abstract A method for fabricating an electronic assembly comprises attaching an insulative film to a frame and positioning at least one electronic component having a face with connections pads face down on the insulative film. The insulative film is positioned on a porous sheet supported by a vacuum fixture. The porous sheet and vacuum fixture are adapted so as to be capable of creating vacuum conditions for holding the insulative film with a substantially flat surface on the porous sheet. A vacuum is created within the vacuum chamber for flatly holding the insulative film on the porous sheet. A substrate is applied to the insulative film and the at least one electronic component. In one embodiment the substrate is applied by securing the insulative film in position with a mold form having at least one opening around the electronic component and adding substrate molding material at least partially around the component through the opening. In another embodiment the substrate is applied by providing a substrate having at least one well therein and positioning the insulative film over at least a portion of the substrate and the electronic component into the well.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Wojnarowski
- 👤 Thomas B. Gorczyca
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 21:46
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/22; H05K3/28; H05K3/284; H05K1/00; H05K1/18; H05K1/182; H10; H10W; H10W70/00; H10W70/60; H10W70/67; H10W70/68; H10W70/682; H10W72/00; H10W72/851; H10W72/874; H10W90/00; H10W90/10; H10W90/701; H10W90/731; H10W90/734; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S29/00; Y10S29/044; Y10T; Y10T279/00; Y10T279/11; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/4913; Y10T29/49146; Y10T29/49155; Y10T29/49165; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/53191
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A method for packaging an electronic component, comprising the steps of: positioning at least one electronic component having a face with connection pads face down on an insulative film; positioning the insulative film on a porous sheet supported by a vacuum fixture, the porous sheet and vacuum fixture for creating vacuum conditions for holding the insulative film with a substantially flat surface on the porous sheet; creating a vacuum for flatly holding the insulative film on the porous sheet; and applying a substrate to the insulative film and the at least one electronic component by securing the insulative film in position with a mold form having at least one opening for holding substrate molding material to be added therein, the at least one opening positioned around the at least one electronic component; and adding substrate molding material at least partially around the at least one component through the at least one opening; and hardening the substrate molding material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
A method for packaging an electronic component, comprising the steps of: positioning at least one electronic component having a face with connection pads face down on an insulative film; positioning the insulative film on a porous sheet supported by a vacuum fixture, the porous sheet and vacuum fixture for creating vacuum conditions for holding the insulative film with a substantially flat surface on the porous sheet; creating a vacuum for flatly holding the insulative film on the porous sheet; and applying a substrate to the insulative film and the at least one electronic component by securing the insulative film in position with a mold form having at least one opening for holding substrate molding material to be added therein, the at least one opening positioned around the at least one electronic component; and adding substrate molding material at least partially around the at least one component through the at least one opening; and hardening the substrate molding material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of securing the insulative film includes placing a first portion of the mold form over the vacuum fixture, the first portion comprising a material that is nonadherent to the substrate molding material, and placing a second portion of the mold form over the first portion, the second portion comprising a clamping plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing a coating on at least a portion of the mold form, the coating comprising a material that is nonadherent to the substrate molding material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of positioning a reinforcement plate over at least a portion of the substrate molding material prior to hardening the substrate molding material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of applying an adhesive layer on the insulative film prior to positioning the at least one electronic component.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the adhesive layer comprises an epoxy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer and the substrate molding material comprise similar materials.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of applying an adhesive to the face of the at least one electronic component prior to positioning the at least one electronic component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1, further including the steps of, after hardening the substrate molding material, removing the substrate molding material, the insulative film, and the at least one electronic component from the vacuum fixture, forming a plurality of vias in the insulative film aligned with predetermined ones of the component pads, and applying a pattern of electrical conductors extending through selected ones of said vias.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for packaging an electronic component, comprising the steps of: positioning at least one electronic component having a face with connection pads face down on an insulative film; positioning the insulative film on a porous sheet supported by a vacuum fixture, the porous sheet and vacuum fixture for creating vacuum conditions for holding the insulative film with a substantially flat surface on the porous sheet; creating a vacuum for flatly holding the insulative film on the porous sheet; and applying a substrate to the insulative film and the at least one electronic component by providing a substrate having at least one well therein; and positioning the insulative film on at least a portion of the substrate and the at least one electronic component into the at least one well while maintaining the vacuum.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for packaging an electronic component, comprising the steps of: positioning at least one electronic component having a face with connection pads face down on an insulative film; positioning the insulative film on a porous sheet supported by a vacuum fixture, the porous sheet and vacuum fixture for creating vacuum conditions for holding the insulative film with a substantially flat surface on the porous sheet; creating a vacuum for flatly holding the insulative film on the porous sheet; and applying a substrate to the insulative film and the at least one electronic component by providing a substrate having at least one well therein; and positioning the insulative film on at least a portion of the substrate and the at least one electronic component into the at least one well while maintaining the vacuum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 10, further including the step of applying an adhesive to the at least one well prior to positioning the insulative film and the electronic component.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for packaging an electronic component comprising the steps of: attaching an insulative film to a frame; positioning the insulative film on a porous sheet supported by a vacuum fixture, the porous sheet and vacuum fixture for creating vacuum conditions for holding the insulative film with a substantially flat surface on the porous sheet; providing a substrate having at least one well therein; positioning at least one electronic component having a face with connection pads face up in the at least one well; creating a vacuum for flatly holding the insulative film on the porous sheet; and positioning the insulative film on the at least one electronic component and at least a portion of the substrate while maintaining the vacuum.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for packaging an electronic component comprising the steps of: attaching an insulative film to a frame; positioning the insulative film on a porous sheet supported by a vacuum fixture, the porous sheet and vacuum fixture for creating vacuum conditions for holding the insulative film with a substantially flat surface on the porous sheet; providing a substrate having at least one well therein; positioning at least one electronic component having a face with connection pads face up in the at least one well; creating a vacuum for flatly holding the insulative film on the porous sheet; and positioning the insulative film on the at least one electronic component and at least a portion of the substrate while maintaining the vacuum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 12, further including the step of applying an adhesive to the at least one well prior to positioning the at least one electronic component in the at least one well.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
71 words
An apparatus for fabricating an electronic assembly, the apparatus comprising: a porous sheet; a vacuum fixture supporting the porous sheet, the porous sheet and vacuum fixture for creating vacuum conditions for holding an insulative film with a surface substantially flat on the porous sheet; and a mold form positioned over one portion of the vacuum fixture, the mold form having at least one opening for the addition of substrate molding material.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
71 words
An apparatus for fabricating an electronic assembly, the apparatus comprising: a porous sheet; a vacuum fixture supporting the porous sheet, the porous sheet and vacuum fixture for creating vacuum conditions for holding an insulative film with a surface substantially flat on the porous sheet; and a mold form positioned over one portion of the vacuum fixture, the mold form having at least one opening for the addition of substrate molding material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mold form comprises a clamping plate and an insert between the vacuum fixture and the clamping plate, the insert comprising a material that is nonadherent to the substrate molding material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the insert has a thickness which is greater than the thickness of the substrate molding material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the insert comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 14, further including a coating on at least a portion of the mold form, the coating comprising a material that is nonadherent to the substrate molding material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the coating comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 14, further including at least one screw extending through the mold form and into the vacuum fixture for securing the mold form in position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 14, further including a clamp for securing the mold form in position.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the porous sheet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, nickel molybdenum metal alloys, nickel copper metal alloys, and nickel chromium metal alloys.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the vacuum fixture and the support posts comprise a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, and nickel alloys.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-08-20 | 2000-02-19 | 2000-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-08-20 | 2004-02-19 | 2004-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-08-20 | 2008-02-19 | 2008-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |