# US 2023/0422388 A1 · Circuit board structures for component protection

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- Number: US 2023/0422388 A1
- Document ID: US20230422388A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/849,093
- Filed: 2022-06-24
- Published: 2023-12-28
- Earliest claimed: 2022-06-24
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Bradley Bitz; João Elmiro da Rocha Chaves; Kristopher Hamrick
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230422388A1

## CPC

- H05K 1/0203: {Cooling of mounted components (H05K1/0272 takes precedence)}
- H05K 1/0216: {Reduction of cross-talk, noise or electromagnetic interference (grounding H05K1/0215)}
- G11C 5/04: Supports for storage elements {, e.g. memory modules}; Mounting or fixing of storage elements on such supports
- G11C 5/06: Arrangements for interconnecting storage elements electrically, e.g. by wiring
- H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components
- H05K 2201/0999: Circuit printed on or in housing, e.g. housing as PCB; Circuit printed on the case of a component; PCB affixed to housing
- H05K 2201/10159: Memory
- H05K 2201/10371: Shields or metal cases
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for circuit board structures for component protection are described. A memory system may be implemented on a circuit board, where one or more memory devices may be attached to the circuit board. Components for accessing the one or more memory devices may also be attached to the circuit board. The circuit board may also include one or more structures extending from the circuit board that are configured to shield the one or more memory devices, the components for accessing the one or more memory devices, or both, from forces.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
a circuit board;
a memory device coupled with the circuit board;
components for accessing the memory device that are coupled with the circuit board; and
a structure extending from the circuit board and configured to shield the memory device, the components for accessing the memory device, or both, from impact.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
a component of the components is positioned a first distance from an edge of the circuit board, and
the structure is positioned a second distance from the edge of the circuit board, the second distance being smaller than the first distance, wherein the structure is configured to shield the component from impact.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
a second structure extends from the circuit board and is configured to shield the memory device, the components, or both from impact,
the structure extends along a first edge of the circuit board, and
the second structure extends along a second edge of the circuit board, the second edge of the circuit board opposing the first edge.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:
a third structure extends from the circuit board and is configured to shield the memory device, the components, or both from impact, and
the third structure extends along a third edge of the circuit board.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:
a fourth structure extends from the circuit board and is configured to shield the memory device, the components, or both from impact, and
the fourth structure is positioned between the third edge of the circuit board and a fourth edge of the circuit board, wherein the fourth structure extends in a direction that extends from the first edge of the circuit board to the second edge of the circuit board, and wherein a portion of the circuit board is stiffened based at least in part on a position of the fourth structure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a height of the structure is greater than or equal to a height of the memory device, the components for accessing the memory device, or both, based at least in part on building up a laminate layer in a third area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
a second structure extends from the circuit board and is configured to shield the memory device, the components, or both from impact, and
the apparatus further comprises a label connected to a top of the structure and a top of the second structure, the label covering at least a portion of the memory device, at least a portion of the components for accessing the memory device, or both.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the label comprises an electrically-conductive material, a thermally-conductive material, or both.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the label comprises one or more protrusions configured to dissipate thermal energy generated by the memory device, thermal energy generated by the components for accessing the memory device, or both.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the label comprises a first thermally-conductive material, and
the structure comprises a second thermally-conductive material, wherein the first thermally-conductive material of the label is coupled with the second thermally-conductive material of the structure based at least in part on the label being connected to the top of the structure, and wherein the second thermally-conductive material of the structure is configured to dissipate thermal energy generated by the memory device, thermal energy generated by the components for accessing the memory device, or both.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the structure at least a portion of the circuit board are formed by an integrally-formed layer of laminate material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the structure is composed of an insulative material and is attached to the circuit board via one or more first pins of the structure that are soldered to the circuit board, via one or more second pins of the structure that are press-fit into receiving holes of the circuit board, via one or more screws that pass through the structure and are screwed into or bolted to the circuit board, via one or more jacks that are plugged into one or more plugs that are coupled with the circuit board, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the structure comprises an insulative material comprising a first stiffness and a second material that is at least partially encapsulated by the insulative material and comprising a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness; and
the structure, the circuit board, or both, are stiffened by the second material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the structure comprises a plurality of substructures that are detachably connected to one another to form the structure.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of substructures comprises:
a first set of substructures configured to form a first portion of a wall; and
a second set of substructures configured to form a second portion of the wall and a covering that extends orthogonally from the wall.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
a portion of the structure extends over a component of the components, the portion of the structure configured to protect the component from impact.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a case that encapsulates the circuit board, the memory device, the components for accessing the memory device, and the structure.

### Claim 18

A method of manufacture, comprising:
forming a circuit board that comprises a first area for a memory device and a second area for a set of components associated with the memory device;
configuring a third area of the circuit board to support one or more structures for protecting the memory device, the set of components for accessing the memory device, or both, from impact; and
attaching, to the circuit board, the memory device in the first area and the set of components for accessing the memory device in the second area.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of manufacture of claim 18, wherein:
forming the circuit board comprises forming a laminate layer of the circuit board, wherein forming the laminate layer of the circuit board comprises building up the laminate layer in the third area to form the one or more structures.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of manufacture of claim 18, further comprising:
attaching, to the circuit board, the one or more structures in the third area.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of manufacture of claim 20, wherein attaching the one or more structures to the circuit board comprises:
guiding pins of the one or more structures through holes in a first side of the circuit board; and
soldering the pins to an opposite side of the circuit board.

### Claim 22

An apparatus, comprising:
a circuit board;
a memory device coupled with the circuit board;
components for accessing the memory device that are coupled with the circuit board;
a first structure extending from the circuit board;
a second structure extending from the circuit board; and
a label coupled with the first structure and the second structure, wherein the label covers the memory device, the components for accessing the memory device or both.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:
a third structure extending from the circuit board; and
a fourth structure extending from the circuit board and opposing the third structure, wherein the label is coupled with the third structure and the fourth structure, and wherein the first structure, the second structure, the third structure, the fourth structure, and the label enclose the memory device and the components for accessing the memory device.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:
a fifth structure extending from the circuit board, wherein the fifth structure extends in a direction that extends from the first structure to the second structure, the first structure opposing the second structure, wherein the fifth structure is positioned between the third structure and the fourth structure, and wherein a structural strength of an enclosure formed by the first structure, the second structure, the third structure, the fourth structure, and the label is increased by the fifth structure.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:
a height of the first structure and a height of the second structure exceeds a height of the memory device and heights of the components.