# US 11,114,780 B2 · Electronic module with an electrically conductive press-fit terminal having a press-fit section > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,780 B2 - Document ID: US11114780B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/854,589 - Filed: 2020-04-21 - Published: 2020-08-06 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-17 - Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG - Applicants: Infineon Technologies AG - Inventors: Katharina Teichmann; Alexander Herbrandt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114780B2 ## CPC - H01R 12/585: {Terminals having a press fit or a compliant portion and a shank passing through a hole in the printed circuit board} - H01B 1/026: {Alloys based on copper} - H01R 4/58: characterised by the form or material of the contacting members (H01R4/01 takes precedence) - H01R 12/52: connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures - H05K 1/144: {Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards} - H05K 5/0069: {having connector relating features for connecting the connector pins with the PCB or for mounting the connector body with the housing} - H01R 13/03: characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials - H05K 1/0306: {Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass} - H05K 2201/042: Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other - H05K 2201/10303: Pin-in-hole mounted pins - H05K 2201/10318: Surface mounted metallic pins - H05K 2201/1059: Connections made by press-fit insertion - H05K 2201/10856: Divided leads, e.g. by slot in length direction of lead, or by branching of the lead - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract An electronic assembly includes an electronic module and an electric part. The electronic module includes an electrically conductive press-fit terminal. The electrically conductive press-fit terminal has a press-fit section. The electric part has a contact hole. The press-fit section is inserted in the contact hole and plastically deformed therein, such that the press-fit section both mechanically and electrically contacts the electric part in the plastically deformed state. A corresponding method of assembly is also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: providing an electronic module comprising an electrically conductive press-fit terminal, the electrically conductive press-fit terminal comprising a press-fit section; providing an electric part comprising a contact hole, the press-fit section having a maximum lateral dimension greater than a minimum lateral width of the contact hole as measured in a same lateral direction as the maximum lateral dimension of the press-fit section; and pressing the press-fit section into the contact hole such that the press-fit section plastically deforms, and both mechanically and electrically contacts the electric part, wherein the press-fit section comprises a first leg, a second leg, a protrusion, and a recess opposite the protrusion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the pressing of the press-fit section into the contact hole, a ratio of the maximum lateral dimension of the press-fit section to the minimum lateral width of the contact hole is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 1.3. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the contact hole has a circular cross-section, wherein the minimum lateral width of the contact hole is a minimum diameter of the contact hole, and wherein the maximum lateral dimension of the press-fit section and the minimum lateral width of the contact hole are determined perpendicularly to a pressing direction of a force with which the press-fit section is pressed into the contact hole. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal is made of a Cu-containing alloy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the Cu-containing alloy is one of CuFeP, CuZr, CuCrZr, CuMg, CuCrTiSi, CuCrAgFeTiSi, and CuNiSiMg. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal further comprises a module connection section and the electronic module further comprises a housing, the method further comprising: routing the electrically conductive press-fit terminal through a passage opening of the housing such that the press-fit section is disposed outside the housing and the module connection section is disposed inside the housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: attaching a module connection section of the electrically conductive press-fit terminal to a circuit carrier of the electronic module or to a terminal metallization layer of a semiconductor chip mounted on the circuit carrier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the attaching of the module connection section comprises: joining the module connection section to the circuit carrier via a solder layer, a layer including a sintered metal powder, or a layer of an electrically conductive adhesive. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the attaching of the module connection section comprises: pressing the electrically conductive press-fit terminal into a sleeve mounted on and electrically connected to the circuit carrier, such that the module connection section electrically and mechanically contacts the sleeve. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the attaching of the module connection section comprises: connecting the module connection section to a substrate metallization layer of the circuit carrier by welding. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the welding comprises ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, or laser welding. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the electronic module further comprises a rigid base plate, the method further comprising: attaching the circuit carrier to the rigid base plate via a joining layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal is pre-fabricated such that, after the module connection section is attached to the circuit carrier or to the terminal metallization layer of the semiconductor chip mounted on the circuit carrier, no material is removed from the electrically conductive press-fit terminal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second legs of the press-fit section enclose an angle different from 0° and different from 180° and form a spring, and wherein when pressing the press-fit section into the contact hole, the spring is elastically pre-tensioned such that the first and the second legs and the protrusion are pressed against and electrically contact a metallization of the electric part. ### Claim 15 An electronic assembly, comprising: an electronic module comprising an electrically conductive press-fit terminal, the electrically conductive press-fit terminal comprising a press-fit section; and an electric part comprising a contact hole, wherein the press-fit section is inserted in the contact hole and plastically deformed therein, such that the press-fit section both mechanically and electrically contacts the electric part in the plastically deformed state, wherein the press-fit section comprises a first leg, a second leg, a protrusion, and a recess opposite the protrusion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic assembly of claim 15, wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal is made of a Cu-containing alloy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic assembly of claim 16, wherein the Cu-containing alloy is one of CuFeP, CuZr, CuCrZr, CuMg, CuCrTiSi, CuCrAgFeTiSi, and CuNiSiMg. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The electronic assembly of claim 15, wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal further comprises a module connection section, wherein the electronic module further comprises a housing, and wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal is routed through a passage opening of the housing such that the press-fit section is disposed outside the housing and the module connection section is disposed inside the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic assembly of claim 18, wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal further comprises a shaft electrically and mechanically connecting the press-fit section and the module connection section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The electronic assembly of claim 15, wherein a module connection section of the electrically conductive press-fit terminal is attached to a circuit carrier of the electronic module or to a terminal metallization layer of a semiconductor chip mounted on the circuit carrier. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The electronic assembly of claim 20, wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal is pressed into a sleeve mounted on and electrically connected to the circuit carrier, such that the module connection section electrically and mechanically contacts the sleeve. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The electronic assembly of claim 20, further comprising: a rigid base plate to which the circuit carrier is attached via a joining layer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The electronic assembly of claim 15, wherein the first and the second legs of the press-fit section enclose an angle different from 0° and different from 180° and form a spring, and wherein the first and the second legs and the protrusion are pressed against and electrically contact a metallization of the electric part via tension applied by the spring. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The electronic assembly of claim 15, wherein the press-fit section comprises a core region and an electrically conductive surface coating formed on the core region. ### Claim 25 An electronic assembly, comprising: an electronic module comprising an electrically conductive press-fit terminal, the electrically conductive press-fit terminal comprising a press-fit section; and an electric part comprising a contact hole, wherein the press-fit section is inserted in the contact hole and plastically deformed therein, such that the press-fit section both mechanically and electrically contacts the electric part in the plastically deformed state, wherein a module connection section of the electrically conductive press-fit terminal is attached to a circuit carrier of the electronic module or to a terminal metallization layer of a semiconductor chip mounted on the circuit carrier, wherein the electrically conductive press-fit terminal is pressed into a sleeve mounted on and electrically connected to the circuit carrier, such that the module connection section electrically and mechanically contacts the sleeve. ### Claim 26 A method, comprising: providing an electronic module comprising an electrically conductive press-fit terminal, the electrically conductive press-fit terminal comprising a press-fit section; providing an electric part comprising a contact hole, the press-fit section having a maximum lateral dimension greater than a minimum lateral width of the contact hole as measured in a same lateral direction as the maximum lateral dimension of the press-fit section; pressing the press-fit section into the contact hole such that the press-fit section plastically deforms, and both mechanically and electrically contacts the electric part; and attaching a module connection section of the electrically conductive press-fit terminal to a circuit carrier of the electronic module or to a terminal metallization layer of a semiconductor chip mounted on the circuit carrier, wherein the attaching of the module connection section comprises pressing the electrically conductive press-fit terminal into a sleeve mounted on and electrically connected to the circuit carrier, such that the module connection section electrically and mechanically contacts the sleeve.