Assembling and packaging a discrete electronic component

An electronic component assembly comprising:

• a. a printed component structure comprising at least one of a semiconducting ink, an insulating ink and a conducting ink deposited onto a substrate, the component structure defining at least one contact area;
• b. a connecting lead disposed against or adjacent to said at least one contact area;
• c. at least one layer of electrically insulating material enclosing the component structure;
• and
• d. a layer of at least one other material between the substrate surface and the layer of insulating material, said layer of at least one other material comprising a soft material which can deform plastically or elastically under a small compressive force and has a hardness less than 100 on the Shore A scale or a Brinell hardness less than 30, and an end of the connecting lead is held in electrical contact with the at least one contact pad by pressure exerted on them by the substrate and the at least one layer of electrically insulating material.

A method of fabricating an electronic component, the method including the steps of:

• a. printing a component structure comprising at least one of a semiconducting ink, an insulating ink and a conducting ink onto a substrate, the component structure defining at least one contact area;
• b. disposing a connecting lead against or adjacent to said at least one contact area;
• and
• c. applying at least one layer of electrically insulating material to enclose the component structure,
• wherein at least one of the substrate and the layer of electrically insulating material is a soft material which can deform plastically or elastically under a small compressive force and has a hardness less than 100 on the Shore A scale or a Brinell hardness less than 30, and an end of the connecting lead is held in electrical contact with the at least one contact pad by pressure exerted on them by the substrate and the at least one layer of electrically insulating material.

A method of fabricating an electronic component, the method including the steps of:

• a. printing a component structure comprising at least one of a semiconducting ink, an insulating ink and a conducting ink onto a substrate, the component structure defining at least one contact area;
• b. disposing a connecting lead against or adjacent to said at least one contact area;
• and
• c. applying at least one layer of electrically insulating material to enclose the component structure;
• and
• d. including a layer of at least one other material between the substrate surface and the layer of insulating material, said layer of at least one other material comprising a soft material which can deform plastically or elastically under a small compressive force and has a hardness less than 100 on the Shore A scale or a Brinell hardness less than 30, and an end of the connecting lead is held in electrical contact with the at least one contact pad by pressure exerted on them by the substrate and the at least one layer of electrically insulating material.