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US 10,568,215 B1Granted
PCBA encapsulation by thermoforming
AssigneeFlex Ltd.
InventorYitzchak Shpitzer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An encapsulated circuit board assembly has a circuit board assembly that includes a substrate with a first surface and one or more electronic components mounted to the first surface to form an irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly. A thermoformed sheet encapsulates the irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly. Vacuum forming and pressure forming methods are used to apply a thermoformable sheet to the irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly.
Claims17
A method of forming an encapsulated circuit board assembly comprising:
- a. providing a circuit board assembly, wherein the circuit board assembly comprises a substrate have a first surface and one or more electronic components mounted to the first surface to form an irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly, wherein the substrate further comprises a second surface on an opposite side of the substrate as the first surface, and one or more through holes extending through the substrate from the first surface to the second surface;
- b. providing a thermoformable sheet;
- c. positioning the thermoformable sheet over the irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly;
- d. heating the thermoformable sheet to a point of pliability;
- and
- e. applying a vacuum to draw the thermoformable sheet toward and onto the irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly to encapsulate the irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly with the thermoformable sheet, wherein applying the vacuum includes drawing air from between the thermoformable sheet positioned over the irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly and through the one or more through holes.
3 more elements
An encapsulated circuit board assembly comprising:
- a. a circuit board assembly comprises a substrate have a first surface and one or more electronic components mounted to the first surface to form an irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly, wherein the substrate further comprises a second surface on an opposite side of the substrate as the first surface, and one or more through holes extending through the substrate from the first surface to the second surface, wherein each of the one or more through holes is void of material to allow air to be drawn through the through hole when vacuum is applied;
- and
- b. a thermoformed sheet that encapsulates the irregularly contoured front side of the circuit board assembly with the thermoformed sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.