Electronic Module Having a Groove Anchoring Terminal Pins

A pin-protecting module comprising:

• a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) having at least two conductive layers that are patterned;
• Integrated Circuit (IC) components mounted on the PCB;
• a top molding that covers a top surface of the PCB;
• a bottom molding that covers a bottom surface of the PCB;
• a molding interlock that at least partially covers sides of the PCB and connects to the top molding and to the bottom molding;
• a conductive slot formed in the PCB;
• conductive slot metal formed around a perimeter of the conductive slot, the conductive slot metal electrically connected to at least one of the conductive layers in the PCB;
• a groove formed in the top molding, the groove formed above and aligned to the conductive slot;
• a terminal pin having a lower end placed in the conductive slot, an upper end above the top molding, the upper end of the terminal pin exposed for electrical connection to an external system, the terminal pin having a middle disposed within the groove;
• and
• an embedded solder joint between the lower end of the terminal pin and the conductive slot metal;
• wherein the lower end and the middle of the terminal pin are protected from physical contact with an external shorting conductor by the top molding surrounding the groove.

A method for manufacturing a module comprising:

• receiving a panel Printed Circuit Board (PCB) having encapsulant channel slots along singulation lines and having conductive slots along groove lines, and having electronic components mounted thereon;
• encapsulating the panel PCB with a top molding and a bottom molding that connect together at molding interlocks formed within the encapsulant channel slots;
• cutting the panel PCB along the groove lines and along the singulation lines, wherein the groove lines are cut to a reduced depth that cuts through the top molding without cutting through the bottom molding to form a groove, and the singulation lines are cut fully through the top molding and the bottom molding and the molding interlock;
• separating the panel PCB after encapsulation into a plurality of modules separated by the singulation lines;
• applying solder flux to lower ends of terminal pins and inserting the lower ends of the terminal pins through the groove and into the conductive slots;
• and
• applying heat to cause embedded solder placed on conductive slot metal in the conductive slots to flow and form solder joints between the conductive slot metal and the lower ends of the terminal pins.