# US 12,224,146 B2 · Embedded substrate, circuit board assembly, and electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,146 B2 - Document ID: US12224146B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/955,796 - Filed: 2022-09-29 - Published: 2023-01-26 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-30 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Chao Shen; Zhiqiang Xiang; Xiaojing Liao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224146B2 ## CPC - H01H 85/046: Fuses formed as printed circuits - H10W 42/80: protecting against overcurrent or overload, e.g. fuses or shunts (integrated devices comprising arrangements for electrical protection H10D89/60) - H01H 85/06: characterised by the fusible material (H01H85/11 takes precedence) - H05K 1/0257: {Overvoltage protection} - H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components - H05K 1/185: associated with components encapsulated in the insulating substrate of the PCBs; associated with components incorporated in internal layers of multilayer circuit boards - H05K 1/188: {manufactured by mounting on or attaching to a structure having a conductive layer, e.g. a metal foil, such that the terminals of the component are connected to or adjacent to the conductive layer before embedding, and by using the conductive layer, which is patterned after embedding, at least partially for connecting the component} - H10W 20/493: {Fuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from conductive to non-conductive} - H10W 70/614: {the multiple chips being integrally enclosed} - H10W 70/685: comprising multiple insulating layers - H05K 1/0293: {Individual printed conductors which are adapted for modification, e.g. fusable or breakable conductors, printed switches} - H05K 1/141: {One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters (H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence)} - H05K 2201/10181: Fuse - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract This application provides an embedded substrate, a circuit board assembly, and an electronic device. The embedded substrate in this application includes an insulation layer, and an electronic element and a conductive connector that are embedded inside the insulation layer. The conductive connector is electrically connected to the electronic element. The conductive connector includes at least one fuse unit, each of the at least one fuse unit includes a fusible structure and two electrical connection ends, the fusible structure is connected between the two electrical connection ends in a direction of an electrical path of the conductive connector, and the fusible structure is configured to be blown when a passing current exceeds a preset current threshold, to disconnect an electrical connection between the electronic element and an external connection end. In this application, maintenance and replacement costs are low during current burning prevention, and a volume is compact. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An embedded substrate, comprising an insulation layer, an electronic element, and a conductive connector, wherein the electronic element and the conductive connector are embedded inside the insulation layer, the conductive connector is electrically connected to the electronic element, and the conductive connector comprises an external connection end for transmitting an electrical signal to the electronic element; and the conductive connector comprises at least one fuse unit, each of the at least one fuse unit comprises a fusible structure and two electrical connection ends, the fusible structure is connected between the two electrical connection ends in a direction of an electrical path of the conductive connector, and the fusible structure is configured to be blown when a passing current exceeds a current threshold, to disconnect an electrical connection between the electronic element and the external connection end, wherein the insulation layer comprises a first insulation layer and a second insulation layer that are disposed in a stacked manner, and the second insulation layer comprises a hollow area; and the electronic element and the conductive connector are embedded in the first insulation layer, the at least one fuse unit is located on a surface, of the first insulation layer, that faces the second insulation layer, and the at least one fuse unit is exposed in the hollow area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The embedded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the fusible structure is exposed on an outer surface of the insulation layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The embedded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the fusible structure fills at least a part of the hollow area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The embedded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the fusible structure is a fusible conductive material, the two electrical connection ends are spaced apart in the direction of the electrical path of the conductive connector, and the fusible structure is connected between the two electrical connection ends. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The embedded substrate according to claim 4, wherein an accommodating space that is adapted to accommodate the fusible conductive material is formed between the two electrical connection ends in the at least one fuse unit, and the fusible conductive material is disposed in the accommodating space. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The embedded substrate according to claim 5, wherein the two electrical connection ends in the at least one fuse unit jointly define the accommodating space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The embedded substrate according to claim 6, wherein two first insulators spaced apart from each other are disposed between the two electrical connection ends, a spacing between the two first insulators is less than a width of a remaining part of the fusible conductive material in the direction of the electrical path, and a part, of the fusible conductive material, that is located between the two first insulators forms a partition point. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The embedded substrate according to claim 5, wherein the two electrical connection ends in the at least one fuse unit are disposed opposite to each other; and the at least one fuse unit further comprises a second insulator, and the second insulator is provided with the accommodating space connected to the two electrical connection ends. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The embedded substrate according to claim 8, wherein the second insulator comprises a protruding part protruding into the accommodating space, so that the fusible conductive material forms a partition point at a position corresponding to the protruding part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The embedded substrate according to claim 5, wherein the accommodating space is a roundabout channel, and the fusible conductive material is at least filled in the roundabout channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The embedded substrate according to claim 10, wherein the roundabout channel is in a hollow-out shape or a maze shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The embedded substrate according to claim 4, wherein the fusible conductive material is a colloidal object comprising a metal particle, and a melting point of the metal particle is lower than a melting point of the conductive connector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The embedded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the fusible structure is a fusible part that is integrally connected between the two electrical connection ends, and a cross-sectional area of the fusible structure in a direction perpendicular to the electrical path is less than a cross-sectional area of another part of the conductive connector in the direction perpendicular to the electrical path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The embedded substrate according to claim 13, wherein a nick is provided on a side of the fusible part, to form a partition point at the nick of the fusible part. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The embedded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fuse unit includes at least two fuse units; and the at least two fuse units are connected in parallel to the electrical path of the conductive connector, and/or connected in series to the electrical path of the conductive connector. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The embedded substrate according to claim 15, wherein fusible structures in different fuse units of the at least one fuse unit have different current thresholds. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The embedded substrate according to claim 16, wherein fusible structures in different fuse units of the at least one fuse unit each have parameters including: a melting point of the fusible structure, a usage amount of the fusible structure, or a cross-sectional area of the fusible structure in the direction perpendicular to the electrical path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The embedded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the insulation layer comprises a first side and a second side that are disposed opposite to each other, the external connection end is located on the first side of the insulation layer, and the at least one fuse unit is located on the second side of the insulation layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The embedded substrate according to claim 1, wherein the insulation layer further comprises a third insulation layer, the third insulation layer is located on one side, of the first insulation layer, that faces away from the second insulation layer, and the third insulation layer has a hollow area; and the external connection end is located on a surface, of the first insulation layer, that faces the third insulation layer, and is exposed in the hollow area. ### Claim 20 A circuit board assembly, comprising a circuit board and an embedded substrate including an insulation layer, an electronic element, and a conductive connector, wherein the electronic element and the conductive connector are embedded inside the insulation layer, the conductive connector is electrically connected to the electronic element, and the conductive connector comprises an external connection end for transmitting an electrical signal to the electronic element; the conductive connector comprises at least one fuse unit, each of the at least one fuse unit comprises a fusible structure and two electrical connection ends, the fusible structure is connected between the two electrical connection ends in a direction of an electrical path of the conductive connector, and the fusible structure is configured to be blown when a passing current exceeds a current threshold, to disconnect an electrical connection between the electronic element and the external connection end; and the embedded substrate is disposed on the circuit board, and the external connection end of the conductive connector is electrically connected to the circuit board, wherein the insulation layer comprises a first insulation layer and a second insulation layer that are disposed in stacked manner, and the second insulation layer comprises a hollow area; and the electronic element and the conductive connector are embedded in the first insulation layer, the at least one fuse unit is located on a surface, of the first insulation layer, that faces the second insulation layer, and the at least one fuse unit is exposed in the hollow area. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The circuit board assembly according to claim 20, wherein the circuit board is a printed circuit board (PCB). ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The circuit board assembly according to claim 20, wherein the embedded substrate is a power supply configured to supply power to the circuit board. ### Claim 23 An electronic device, comprising a circuit board assembly including a circuit board and an embedded substrate, wherein the embedded substrate comprises an insulation layer, an electronic element, and a conductive connector, the electronic element and the conductive connector are embedded inside the insulation layer, the conductive connector is electrically connected to the electronic element, and the conductive connector comprises an external connection end for transmitting an electrical signal to the electronic element; the conductive connector comprises at least one fuse unit, each of the at least one fuse unit comprises a fusible structure and two electrical connection ends, the fusible structure is connected between the two electrical connection ends in a direction of an electrical path of the conductive connector, and the fusible structure is configured to be blown when a passing current exceeds a current threshold, to disconnect an electrical connection between the electronic element and the external connection end; and the embedded substrate is disposed on the circuit board, and the external connection end of the conductive connector is electrically connected to the circuit board, wherein the insulation layer comprises a first insulation layer and a second insulation layer that are disposed in a stacked manner, and the second insulation layer comprises a hollow area; and the electronic element and the conductive connector are embedded in the first insulation layer, the at least one fuse unit is located on a surface, of the first insulation layer, that faces the second insulation layer, and the at least one fuse unit is exposed in the hollow area.