Patent ID: 8081484

Claim:
A printed circuit board assembly comprising: a plurality of electrical components including at least one chip having a foot print, an upper edge, a lower edge and at least one adjacent component; a circuit board substrate having a plurality of mounting points, the circuit board substrate configured to receive electrical components from the plurality of electrical components; an underfill material interposed between the at least one chip and the circuit board substrate configured to secure the at least one chip to the board substrate, the underfill material drawn between the at least one chip and the circuit board substrate; a trench formed in the circuit board substrate, the trench positioned to: limit a flow of the underfill such that the underfill does not interact with the at least one adjacent component; limit the distribution of the underfill to a continuous path traversing the entire length of the upper edge and a continuous path traversing the entire length of the lower edge of the at least one chip; and underlie portions of the at least one chip with at least one underfill receiving portion and extend outward from under the at least one chip; and an underfill deposit area interposed between the foot print of the chip and the trench; wherein during assembly of the printed circuit board underfill is dispensed at the underfill deposit area and is drawn between the at least one chip and the circuit board substrate; and wherein the at least one underfill receiving portion is located within the trench.