PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11006524-B2
Application Number: US-201815875886-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Circuit board interposer

Abstract:
An interposer for mechanically and electrically connecting two circuit boards is described. The interposer can be bent to enclose an area of a circuit board. The interposer can include a first layer external to the enclosed area. The first layer can be conductive and can serve as an EMI shield. The interposer can also include a second layer internal to the enclosed area. The second layer can be non-conductive but can carry multiple discrete pins that can electrically couple the first and second circuit boards and provide signal transmission pathways between the circuit boards. The interposer can be formed by folding a sheet of conductive material having different cutout regions that forms a comb pattern into multiple stacked layers. Then, the bent regions that connect the stacked layers can be removed so that the conductive bars in the comb patterns can be separated and isolated to form discrete pins.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An interposer for mechanically and electrically coupling together a first circuit board having first electrical components at a first surface and a second circuit board having second electrical components at a second surface, the first and second circuit boards having a circuit board shape and the first and second surfaces are separate from each by a separation distance and face each other in a face to face arrangement, the interposer comprising:
 an external wall, formed from an electrically conductive substrate, partially defines an electrically shielded volume and has: (i) a height, and (ii) a length in accordance with a shape of the first and second circuit boards; 
 an electrically insulating substrate abuts an interior surface of the external wall and has a first mounting surface at a first end and a second mounting surface at a second end opposite the first end, the first and second mounting surfaces separated by the separation distance equal to the height; and 
 a pin, formed from the electrically conductive metal and having a length that at least equals the height of the external wall, abuts an interior surface of the electrically insulating substrate from the first to the second mounting surfaces. 
 
     
     
       2. The interposer as recited in  claim 1 , wherein in an assembled state, the first and second circuit boards face each other and are secured to and supported by the external wall in such a way that (i) the first and second electrical components are located within the electrically shielded volume, and (ii) the pin is electrically coupled to, at the first and second mounting surfaces, respectively, the first and second circuit boards so as to facilitate communication therebetween. 
     
     
       3. The interposer as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating substrate electrically isolates the pin from the external wall. 
     
     
       4. The interposer as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating substrate has a length that corresponds to a perimeter of the first and second circuit boards. 
     
     
       5. The interposer as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the external wall includes a castellation feature that is recessed in the first mounting surface. 
     
     
       6. The interposer as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pin is one of an array of pins that are arranged in rows and columns. 
     
     
       7. The interposer as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pin is one of an array of pins that are arranged in an alternating pattern. 
     
     
       8. The interposer as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the exterior wall, the pin and the electrically insulating substrate are conformally bendable. 
     
     
       9. A circuit assembly, comprising:
 a first circuit board has a first electrical component at a first surface; 
 a second circuit board has a second electrical component at a second surface that is facing and separated from the first surface by a separation distance; 
 an interposer includes (i) an external wall in the form of a sheet of electrically conductive metal having a height equal to the separation distance, wherein the external wall secures together the first and second circuit boards in a manner that defines a closed volume that is electrically shielded by the external wall such that the first and second electrical components located therein are electrically isolated from an environment outside of the external wall and (ii) an electrically insulative substrate abutting an interior surface of the external wall includes a first mounting surface that abuts the first circuit board at the first surface, and a second mounting surface that abuts the second circuit board at the second surface, the first and second mounting surfaces separated by the separation distance; and 
 an electrically conductive pin has a length at least equal to the height of the external wall is embedded within the electrically insulative substrate electrically and connects to the first electrical component at the first mounting surface and the second electrical component at the second mounting surface so as to facilitate communication therebetween. 
 
     
     
       10. The circuit assembly as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the external wall has a length in accordance with a perimeter of the first circuit board. 
     
     
       11. The circuit assembly as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the internal volume has a cross sectional area in accordance with an area of the first and the second surfaces. 
     
     
       12. The circuit assembly as recited in  claim 9 , wherein a portion of the interposer is bent around a standoff. 
     
     
       13. The circuit assembly as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the pin is one of an array of pins arranged in an alternating pattern on the first mounting surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/556,192, entitled “CIRCUIT BOARD INTERPOSER,” filed Sep. 8, 2017, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The described embodiments relate generally to interface structures that connect circuit boards of electronic devices. More specifically, the described embodiments relate to structure of interposers that can mechanically and electrically connect multiple circuit boards and methods of making such interposers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Rigid circuit boards such as those used as main logic boards in electronic devices have become successively more densely packed with components as increasingly complex feature sets are provided by such electronic devices. Increasing the footprint area of a circuit board sometimes requires system-level tradeoffs, for example, by reducing the sizes of other system modules such as batteries, speakers, or cameras. Such tradeoffs can often be sufficiently disadvantageous to make them unacceptable to system performance. Hence, it may be more preferable to stack one or more circuit boards above the footprint of the first circuit board to effectively multiply the area available for electronic component placement on circuit boards without requiring a footprint size reduction in another system module. However, providing an interposer that serves as an interface structure that mechanically and electrically connects a circuit board positioned above another circuit board can be expensive and challenging. 
     SUMMARY 
     This paper describes various interposer structures that can mechanically and electrically connect multiple circuit boards and methods of making such interposer structures. 
     According to one embodiment, an interposer for mechanically and electrically coupling a first circuit board to a second circuit board is described. The interposer can include an electrically conductive layer that can be continuous. The interposer can also include a substrate formed of an insulating material and coupled to the electrically conductive layer such that the substrate can define a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface. The first and second mounting surfaces can respectively be coupled to the first and second circuit boards. The first and second mounting surfaces can be perpendicular to the electrically conductive layer and can be opposite to each other. The interposer can further include discrete pins formed of an electrically conductive material. The discrete pins can be carried by the substrate and be positioned from the first mounting surface to the second mounting surface such that the discrete pins can transmit signals between the first and second circuit boards. 
     According to another embodiment, a circuit assembly is described. The circuit assembly can include a first circuit board, a second circuit board separated from the first circuit board by a distance, and an interposer strip mechanically secured between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. The interposer strip can be bent to enclose at least an area of the first circuit board. The interposer strip can include a first layer external to the area and a second layer internal to the area. The first layer can be an electrical conductor that can provide electromagnetic shielding to the area. The second layer can include an insulating substrate carrying discrete pins that are electrically conductive. The discrete pins can electrically connect the first circuit board to the second circuit board. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a method for making an interposer using a sheet formed of a conductive material is described. The method can include forming cutout regions at the sheet. The method can also include folding the sheet to form a new shape that includes conductive layers stacked on top of each other. One of the conductive layers can include a comb pattern characterized as having conductive bars alternating with the cutout regions. The conductive layers can be joined by one or more bent regions of the sheet. The method can also include forming insulating materials between the conductive layers. The method can further include removing the one or more bent regions from the folded sheet such that the conductive layers can be separated from each other and isolated by the insulating materials and the conductive bars are separated by the cutout regions. 
     Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the described embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a circuit assembly in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a circuit assembly in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  is another cross-sectional view of a circuit assembly in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart depicting a method for making an interposer in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates cutout patterns of a conductive sheet in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  is the conductive sheet in  FIG. 5  that is folded into a new shape. 
         FIG. 7  is an interposer in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  is the top view of the interposer shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  illustrates cutout patterns of another conductive sheet in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 10  is the conductive sheet in  FIG. 9  that is folded into a new shape. 
         FIG. 11  is an interposer in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the interposer shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the interposer shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 14  shows an interposer strip in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 15  shows a circuit assembly in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 16  is a flowchart depicting a method for coupling an interposer to circuit boards in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate and understand that, according to common practice, various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that dimensions of various features and elements of the drawings can be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention described herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Representative applications of methods and apparatus according to the present application are described in this section. These examples are being provided solely to add context and aid in the understanding of the described embodiments. It will thus be apparent to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described embodiments. Other applications are possible, such that the following examples should not be taken as limiting. 
     In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in accordance with the described embodiments. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, it is understood that these examples are not limiting; other embodiments may be used, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments. 
     To reduce the size of consumer electronic products, sometimes it is desirable to replace a single large circuit board with multiple circuit boards stacked above each other to reduce the footprint area occupied by the circuit boards. However, providing a satisfactory interposer that serves as an interface structure between the circuit boards has been challenging from the design standpoint. Mechanically, the circuit boards are required to be separated sufficiently apart to provide sufficient clearance space for the components carried on the lower circuit board. Hence, an interposer board needs to be quite thick compared to the circuit boards. Electrically, constructing vias that can provide high-speed pathways for high frequency signals to be transmitted between the circuit boards can be expensive. For example, conventionally an interposer board is constructed using a labor-intensive process that includes laminating substrate material layer by layer until a desired total thickness is achieved. Each time a new layer is formed, the new layer is drilled to form the vias. Since a via is not formed by a single drill, the portion of the via of each layer may not align perfectly. Any slight misalignment may affect the signal transmission of the via and signal integrity. 
     Embodiments described herein relate to new interposers that are easy to produce and provide superior electrical and mechanical performance compared to conventional interposers. In term of the structure, an exemplary interposer can have an elongated structure and can be positioned between two circuit boards, preferably along the outer perimeter (or part of the outer perimeter) of a circuit board. The interposer can include a first layer that can be formed of a conductive material such as a metal. The interposer can also include a second layer that can include an insulating substrate carrying multiple discrete pins that are formed of a conductive material. The first layer and the second layer can be oriented generally perpendicular to the circuit boards so that the side edges of the two layers can cooperate to define two mounting surfaces that can be coupled to the circuit boards. The conductive pins can span from the first mounting surface to the second mounting surface so that the pins can be used as communication and/or thermal pathways between the circuit boards. Since solid conductive pins are used instead of conventional vias that may be formed by a series of drilling, the solid communication pathways provide significantly improved high-speed signal transmission compared to conventional interposers. 
     An exemplary interposer can be elongated and in a shape of a strip. Both the first layer and the second layer can be made of flexible materials so that the interposer strip can be bent into different shapes. As such, the interposer strip can be shaped in accordance with the contour of a circuit board or a portion of the circuit board. Two distal ends of the interposer strip can join to form an enclosure that can enclose an area of the circuit board. The first layer of the interposer can simultaneously serve multiple purposes. First, when the interposer strip encloses the area, the first layer, which is conductive and perpendicular to the circuit board, can be external to the area and completely surround the area. As a result, the conductive first layer can serve as an electromagnetic shield that protects the components on the circuit boards from interference. Second, since the conductive first layer is in connection with both the circuit boards, the first layer can also serve as a common ground for both circuit boards. Third, the first layer can include castellation features on an exterior surface so that interposer can also serve as the mechanical structure that connects the two circuit boards using soldering. 
     An exemplary interposer in accordance with some embodiments can be manufactured using simple and inexpensive procedures. A method for making an exemplary interposer can begin with a sheet of conductive material such as a sheet of metal. The sheet can be stamped or cut to form multiple cutout regions. The cutout regions can form a comb pattern that can include conductive bars alternating with cutout regions. The cutout regions can be positioned towards a first edge of the sheet so that a region of the sheet that is near a second edge opposite the first edge can be free of the cutout regions. 
     After such cutout regions are formed on the sheet, the sheet can be folded one or more times so that the sheet can become multiple layers stacked together. A first layer can correspond to the region near the second edge that is free of cutout regions. One or more other layers can correspond to other regions of the sheet that includes the comb pattern with alternating conductive bars and cutout regions. At this folded stage, the stacked layers remain joined to each other by one or more bent regions of the sheet. Insulating materials can be added between the layers so that conductive layers are alternating with insulating layers. 
     After the insulating layers are formed and secured with the conductive layers, the bent regions of the sheet can be removed so that the stacked conductive layers are now separated form each other and are isolated by the insulating layers. The conductive bars in the comb pattern that are originally joined are also separated. Among the conductive layers, the conductive bars are isolated by the insulating layers. Within a conductive layer, the conductive bars are separated from each other by spaces that correspond to the cutout regions. Hence, multiple discrete pins (i.e. the separated conductive bars) can be formed by this folding and removal process. In addition, the first layer that is free of cutout regions can remain as a continuous piece of conductive material that can be used as the shielding layer of the interposer. 
     The described method of forming an interposer can start with an elongated sheet of conductive material that can take the form of a long strip that can define a long longitudinal axis. The folding can be along one or more fold line that is parallel to the longitudinal axis. The removal can also be along planes that are parallel to the longitudinal axis. Both the conductive material and the insulating material can be flexible. As a result, the interposer formed can also be a strip, which can be bent into any shape. Conventional interposers are formed by a series of laminations and are normally rigid. Hence, conventional interposers cannot be bent or serve as a shield for circuit boards. The interposers described herein can be all-in-one structures that can provide better electrical connection, improved mechanical support, and superior electromagnetic shielding. At the same time, the manufacturing of the interposers can be significantly simpler and cheaper than that of conventional interposers. 
     These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 1-16 ; however, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary circuit assembly  100  in accordance with some embodiments. Circuit assembly  100  can include a first circuit board  102 , a second circuit board  104  and an interposer  106  positioned in between the two circuit boards. Second circuit board  104  is represented by dashed lines for not obstructing the view of other parts of circuit assembly  100  below second circuit board  104 . The circuit boards  102  and  104  can both be rigid circuit boards such as the main logic boards of an electronic device. First circuit board  102  can include a first surface  108  facing second circuit board  104  and a second surface  110  opposite the first surface  108 . Similarly, second circuit board  104  can include a first surface  112  opposite a second surface  114  that faces first circuit board  102 . The circuit boards can carry various electrical and/or electronic components including integrated circuits, processors, memories, capacitors, resistors, transistors, inductors, diodes, batteries, switches, connectors and/or other suitable components. For simplicity, the components carried on first surface  108  of first circuit boards  102  are represented by components  116  and the components carried on first surface  112  of second circuit boards  104  are represented by components  118 . Both circuit boards  102  and  104  can also be double-sided and can include components on both surfaces. 
     Interposer  106  can be used to mechanically and electrically connect first circuit board  102  and second circuit board  104 . When assembled, second circuit board  104  can be positioned above first circuit board  102  and the two circuit boards can be separated by a distance to provide sufficient clearance space to components  116  carried on the first circuit board  102 . Interposer  106  can provide the mechanical support and maintain the separation between the circuit boards. Interposer  106  can be characterized as having a first mounting surface  120  (e.g. the bottom surface of interposer  106  in  FIG. 1 ) that is configured to connect and be in contact with first surface  108  of first circuit board  102 . Interposer  106  can also include a second mounting surface  122  (e.g. the top surface of interposer  106  in  FIG. 1 ) that is configured to connect to and be in contact with second surface  114  of second circuit board  104 . Interposer  106  can take the form of a long strip that can be bent, based on the contour of the circuit boards, to from an enclosure that encloses an area  124  of first circuit board  102 . In some cases, interposer  106  can also be referred to as interposer strip, interposer structure, interposer element, interconnect interface, interposer board, and other suitable terms. In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , interposer  106  can be shaped substantially in accordance with a perimeter of first circuit board  102  such that interposer  106  can enclose substantially the entire first circuit board  102 . However, it is understood that interposer  106  can also be bent into other suitable shapes. 
     In term of the structure, interposer  106  can include a first layer  126  (shaded and best shown in enlarged view  160 ) that is external to area  124  and a second layer  128  that can be an internal layer facing area  124 . Both first layer  126  and second layer  128  can be oriented generally perpendicular to circuit boards  102  and  104 . First layer  126  can be formed of an electrical conductor such as a metal. In one case, first layer  126  can be a long continuous strip of electrically conductive layer. By using interposer  106  that includes first layer  126  to enclose area  124 , interposer  106  can serve as an electromagnetic shield for area  124  so that components  116  and signal transmission between first and second circuit boards  102  and  104  are protected from electromagnetic interference and/or magnetic field interference. The first distal end  130  of interposer  106  can meet the second distal end  132  to form this enclosure structure. As first layer  126  can be a solid and conductive exterior wall of interposer  106  that is positioned external to area  124 , first layer  126  can also be electrically grounded to provide grounding for first and second circuit boards  102  and  104 . Since first layer  126  can be connected to both circuit boards  102  and  104 , first layer  126  can also serve as a common ground for the circuit boards. First layer  126  can also provide structure rigidity to the interposer  106  and can improve the overall structural performance of circuit assembly  100 . 
     Second layer  128  of interposer  106  can include a substrate  134  formed of an insulating material. The substrate can take the form of a matrix that can be formed by various ways that will be discussed in detail below. The substrate  134  can carry multiple discrete pins  136  that are electrically conductive and that are formed of a solid electrically conductive material such as metal. The pins  136  are represented in  FIG. 1  by numerous small rectangles on substrate  134  throughout the length of interposer  106  and are also shown in the enlarged view  160 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , interposer  106  can mostly include two rows of pins  136 . However, there can also be any numbers of rows and columns of pins  136 . Also, different sections of the interposer can include different rows of pins. For example, there can be one row of pins  136  at a recessed region  144  and three rows of pins  136  at a region  162 . In some embodiments, the conductive material of the pins  136  can be the same as the conductive material of first layer  126  for reasons that will be explained below. The pins  136  can span from first mounting surface  120  to second mounting surface  122  such that the pins  136  can be used to transmit signals between first and second circuit boards  102  and  104 . The discrete pins  136  can be separated and isolated from each other by the insulating substrate  134  so that each pin  136  can serve as an individual electrical communication pathway and/or a thermal conductive pathway. First circuit board  102  can include multiple pin patterns  138  that correspond to and align with the pins  136  of interposer  106 . On surface  114 , second circuit board  104  can also include multiple pin patterns  140  that correspond to and align with the pins  136  of interposer  106 . Hence, when circuit assembly  100  is assembled, first circuit board  102  and second circuit board  104  can communicate with each other using high speed and/or high frequency signals through the pins  136 . For simplicity, only a set of exemplary pin patterns  140  are shown in the dash lined second circuit board  104  in  FIG. 1 . 
     Circuit boards  102  and  104  can also include one or more standoff feature  142 , each of which can receive one or more standoff (not shown) used to mechanically couple the two circuit boards  102  and  104  and/or to mount the circuit boards  102  and  104  to a structural element such as a housing of an electronic device. Interposer  106  can be bent and be contoured around the standoff features  142  so that interposer  106  can enclose area  124  in a continuous manner. In some cases, interposer  106  can contour to exclude a standoff feature  142 , such as at the recessed area  144 , or can contour to enclose a standoff feature  142 , such as at the area  146 . 
     Interposer  106  can also include multiple castellation features  148  on an exterior surface  150  of first layer  126 . A castellation feature can be positioned near one or both mounting surfaces  120  and  122 . Castellation features  148  can be features recessed both from the exterior surface  150  of first layer  126  and from a mounting surface  120  or  122 . Castellation features  148  can provide recessed areas for solders to settle when interposer  106  is secured to circuit boards  102  and  104 . For simplicity, only exemplary castellation features  148  are shown near box  154 , but it should be understood that castellation features  148  can be located at any suitable location of interposer  106  and can be located throughout the entire exterior surface  150 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate different cross-sectional views of circuit assembly  100  when circuit boards  102  and  104  are coupled to interposer  106 .  FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of a section of circuit assembly  100  shown in  FIG. 1  marked by box  152 . Circuit assembly  100  can include first circuit board  102 , second circuit board  104 , and interposer  106  mechanically secured in between the two circuit boards. First mounting surface  120  of interposer  106  can be in contact with first surface  108  of first circuit board  102 . Second mounting surface  122  of interposer  106  can be in contact with second surface  114  of second circuit board  104 . First circuit board  102  and second circuit board  104  can respectively include pin patterns  138  and pin patterns  140 . A pin pattern  138  and a pin pattern  140  can respectively be connected to the circuitry (not shown) such as an electrical trace of the circuit board  102  and of circuit board  104 . Hence, pin patterns  138  and  140  can be electrically connected to one or more components  116  and/or  118  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) and can be used to transmit and receive signals from components  116  and/or  118 . 
     Multiple discrete pins  136  (shaded) can be carried by substrate  134  and be aligned with the pin patterns  138  and  140 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the pins  136  can span from first mounting surface  120  to second mounting surface  122  across the entire height of substrate  134 . Hence, when interposer  106  couples first circuit board  102  and second circuit board  104  together, pins  136  can provide multiple individual electrical communication pathways between first circuit board  102  and second circuit board  104  through the pin patterns  138  and  140  so that, for example, signals from one circuit board can be transmitted to another circuit board for processing. 
       FIG. 3  shows a different cross-sectional view of a section of circuit assembly  100  shown in  FIG. 1  marked by box  154 .  FIG. 3  shows two rows of pins  136  that are connected to pin patterns  138  and  140 . Second circuit board  104  can be positioned above first circuit board  102  and be separated from first circuit board  102  by a distance D. Interposer  106  not only can mechanically couple the two circuit boards  102  and  104 , but can also maintain the distance D. The height of interposer  106  can be multiple time of the thickness of either circuit board so that a clearance C can be maintained between component  116  and second circuit board  104 . In one case, the height of interposer  106  can be at least twice of the thickness of either circuit board. 
       FIG. 3  shows one side of internal area  124  that is enclosed by interposer  106 . First layer  126  of interposer  106  can be external to area  124  and can serve an electromagnetic shield that encloses area  124 . Second layer  128  of interposer  106  can be internal to area  124  and can carry the pins  136 . As shown, first layer  126  and second layer  128  can be generally perpendicular to circuit boards  102  and  104 . Hence, side edges of first layer  126  and second layer  128  can cooperate to define mounting surfaces  120  and  122  that are in contact with the surfaces of circuit boards  102  and  104 . In one case, first layer  126  can be flush with second layer  128  so that mounting surfaces  120  and  122  can be flat. In another case, the first layer and the second layer  128  do not have to be flush and second layer  128  alone can define the mounting surfaces  120  and  122 . On the exterior surface  150  of first layer  126 , castellation features  148  can be used to receive solders  156  that mechanically secure interposer  106  between first circuit board  102  and second circuit board  104 . Alternatively or additionally, adhesive can also be applied on mounting surfaces  120  and  122  to secure interposer  106  between the circuit boards. 
       FIG. 4  through  FIG. 8  illustrates a method to make an exemplary interposer that can be used as interposer  106  shown in  FIGS. 1-3 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart depicting an exemplary method for making an interposer in accordance with some embodiments.  FIGS. 5-8  illustrate the change in shapes and configurations of the materials in forming the interposer. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an exemplary method  400  for making an interposer can begin at step  402 , where a sheet formed of a metal or a suitable bendable conductive material is provided. In one case, the sheet can be a strip being characterized as having a longitudinal axis that defines the direction of elongation. 
     At step  404 , a series of cutout regions can be formed at the sheet. The cutout regions can be formed by any suitable machining processes including stamping and/or cutting such as die cutting. The series of cutout regions can form a comb pattern on the sheet that includes conductive bars alternating with the cutout regions. 
     At step  406 , the sheet can be folded to form a new shape that can include conductive layers stacked on top of each other. At least one of the conductive layers can retain the comb pattern. At this stage, the stacked conductive layers, which are formed by the folding of the same conductive sheet, can remain joined by the bent regions of the sheet. 
     At step  408 , insulating materials can be formed between the conductive layers. It should be noted that the insulating materials could be secured to the sheet before or after the sheet is folded. For example, the insulating materials can be a heat-activated film that can be laminated on at least a portion of a surface of the sheet before the sheet is folded. Alternatively, insulating materials can be inserted into the folded sheet and be melt to form a non-conductive matrix. The layers of insulating materials can cooperate to form a substrate. 
     At step  410 , the bent regions can be removed such that the conductive layers are separated from each other. Since insulating materials have been formed between the conductive layers, each conductive layer can then be electrically isolated by the insulating materials. Within a layer, the conductive bars are separated from each other by the cutout regions. Between layers, the conductive bars are also separated by the insulating materials. In some cases, the insulating materials can be melt and can fill the voids of the cutout regions. In any cases, the conductive bars can be electrically isolated and physically separated from each other so that they can serve as discrete electrically conductive pins that are capable of transmitting signals between two circuit boards. 
     At optional step  412 , an additive process such as injection molding can be performed on the interposer to add additional insulating materials to further increase the thickness of the non-conductive substrate to provide better protection to the pins. The optional step  412  can be performed before or after step  410 . 
       FIGS. 5 through 8  illustrates the shapes and configurations of the materials used to make an interposer in accordance with the method described in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a sheet  500  that can be formed of any suitable conductive material such as a metal. In one case, the conductive material can be copper or a copper alloy such as a high strength copper alloy. Non-metallic electrically conductive material can also be used but a material that is bendable and malleable is more preferred. In one case, the shape of sheet  500  can be closer to a square, as shown in  FIG. 5 . However, in other cases, sheet  500  can be a long strip that can have a length L that is much longer than the width W. In some cases, the length L can be ten to hundred times longer than the width W. For simplicity, only a section of the length of the long strip is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . For the case where  500  is elongated along the length L, the sheet can be characterized as having a longitudinal axis A that defines the direction of elongation. 
       FIG. 5  shows the state of the sheet that corresponds to step  404  of method  400 . A series of cutout regions  502  can be formed by cutting and/or stamping. The shapes, patterns, distribution and locations of cutout regions  502  may vary. In this particular embodiment, a series of elongated parallel cutout regions  502  can be formed in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. The series of cutout regions  502  can form a comb pattern  504  that can include alternating conductive bars  506  and cutout regions  502  (i.e. cutout strips). Dashed lines  508  and  510  can represent a first fold line  508  and a second fold line  510  along which sheet  500  can be bent and folded. In one case, fold lines  508  and  510  can be generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. However, in other cases other directions of folding are also possible. Fold lines  508  and  510  can generally define three regions of sheet  500 , which can be first region  512 , second region  514 , and third region  516 . Cutout regions  502  can be positioned towards a first edge  518  that is parallel to longitudinal axis A so that second region  514  and third region  516 , which are closer to first edge  518 , can include the cutout regions  502 . Hence, second region  514  and third region  516  can include the comb pattern  504 . First region  512 , which is closer to second edge  520  and is away from the first edge  518 , can be generally free of cutout regions  502 . 
     As it will be discussed in further detail, when the interposer is formed, first region  512 , which can be a continuous region of solid conductive material, can become a first conductive layer of the interposer that can serve as an electromagnetic shield. For example, first region  512  can correspond to first layer  126  of interposer  106  shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Second region  514  and third region  516  can form discrete pins for the interposer. For example, conductive bars  506  can correspond to pins  136  of interposer  106  shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , sheet  500  can be folded into a new shape.  FIG. 6  can correspond to step  406  and  408  in which sheet  500  is folded into multiple conductive layers  524 ,  526 , and  528  stacked together and insulating layers  522  (shaded) are formed between the conductive layers. Preferably, the insulating layers can be formed of materials that are flexible or at least semi-flexible. The insulating layers  522  can be formed before or after sheet  500  is folded and can be adhered to sheet  500  suing any suitable methods. In one case, before sheet  500  shown in  FIG. 5  is folded, insulating materials can take the form of insulating films that can be laminated on one or more surfaces of regions  512 ,  514 , and/or  516 . The insulating films can be heat-activated films that can be adhered to sheet  500  when heat is applied. If sheet  500  is an elongated strip, the insulating film can also be a long strip that can be laminated on sheet  500 . In one particular case, first, an insulating strip can be laminated on a first surface of second region  514  before sheet  500  is folded. Second, sheet  500  can be folded 180 degree once along fold line  508  so that an insulating layer  522  formed by the lamination is positioned between first region  512  and second region  514 . Third, a second insulating strip can be laminated on a second surface of second region  514  opposite the first surface. Fourth, sheet  500  can be folded 180 degree again along fold line  510  to form the structure shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     In other cases, insulating materials can be applied after sheet  500  is folded. For example, insulating materials can take the form of solid or liquid resins or other similar curable materials that can be added to the spaces between the conductive layers. The resins or other similar curable materials can be cured by heat or by chemical reaction such as by an addition of a suitable chemical reagent. When the insulating materials are cured, the materials can form a matrix that can serve as a substrate to carry multiple discrete pins in a manner that will be described in more detail. In yet other cases, both insulating films and curable materials can be used to form the insulating portion of the interposer. 
     Sheet  500  can be folded along fold lines  508  and  510  in a zigzag manner to form a first conductive layer  524 , a second conductive layer  526 , and a third conductive layer  528  that are stacked together. In other words, sheet  500  can be folded along directions that are generally parallel to the longitudinal axis A so that the conductive layers  524 ,  526 , and  528  are stacked along a direction that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. First conductive layer  524  can be connected to second conductive layer  526  by a first bent region  530  that has been bent 180 degree. Similarly, second conductive layer  526  can be connected to third conductive layer  528  by a second bent region  532  that has also been bent 180 degree. Second conductive layer  526  can generally correspond to second region  514  (shown in  FIG. 5  before sheet  500  is folded) so that second conductive layer  526  can include a part of the comb pattern  504  that includes alternating conductive bars  506  and cutout regions  502 . Similarly, third conductive layer  528  can generally correspond to third region  516  (shown in  FIG. 5  before sheet  500  is folded) so that second conductive layer  526  can also include a part of the comb pattern  504 . On the contrary, first conductive layer  524  can generally correspond to first region  512  (shown in  FIG. 5  before sheet  500  is folded) that is free of cutout regions  502 . As shown in first bent region  530 , cutout regions  502  end at first bent region  530  before reaching first conductive layer  524 . Hence, first conductive layer  524  can be free of cutout regions  502  and can be a continuous piece of conductive layer that is suitable to be used as a shielding layer. 
       FIG. 6  also shows two planes  534  and  536  that represent the cut planes for performing the step of removing the bent regions  530  and  532  and extra materials. The cut planes  534  and  536  can be generally perpendicular to the stacks of conductive layers  524 ,  526 , and  528  and be generally parallel or follow the direction of the longitudinal axis A. The removal step can correspond to step  410  in method  400 . The removal step can be performed by any suitable cutting methods such as laser cutting and/or grinding such as a dual-disk grinding. All materials and regions below plane  534  and above plane  536  can be remove to form an interposer structure. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an interposer  700  formed after the removal procedure that removes the extra materials and bent regions  530  and  532  shown in  FIG. 6 . Interposer  700  can be used as interposer  106  shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Interposer  700  can include first conductive layer  524  that can be a strip of continuous electrically conductive layer. First conductive layer  524  of interposer  700  can correspond to first layer  126  of interposer  106 . Insulating layers  522  can cooperate to define a substrate  702  that can be coupled to first conductive layer  524 . After the bent regions  530  and  532  are removed, first conductive layer  524 , second conductive layer  526 , and third conductive layer  528  are separated from each other and are isolated by insulating layers  522 . Within second conductive layer  526  or within third conductive layer  528 , the conductive bars  506  are separated by cutout regions  502 , which have become spaces. Each conductive bar  506  now becomes discrete and can be used as pins for interposer  700 . Hence, conductive bars  506  can correspond to pins  136  of interposer  106 . The pins of interposer  700  and first conductive layer  524  that is used as a shield can be formed of the same conductive material because both the pins and the first conductive layer  524  come from the same sheet  500 . By using the method  400 , an interposer with shielding capability and discrete pins can be formed in a precise and controlled manner. 
       FIG. 7  shows spaces among conductive bars  506 . However, in some cases where insulating layers  522  are melt or are formed from liquid, the insulating materials may fill the spaces and form a substrate  702  in the form of a single matrix that carries multiple discrete pins. 
     By cutting or grinding to remove extra materials of multiple layers together, the removal procedural can result in flat mounting surfaces  704  (bottom surface of interposer  700  in  FIG. 7 ) and  706  (top surface of interposer  700  in  FIG. 7 ) in accordance with cut planes  534  and  536 . Mounting surfaces  704  and  706  can be formed by the cooperation of first, second, and third conductive layers  524 ,  526 , and  528  and insulating layers  522 . Precisely controlled flatness of mounting surfaces  704  and  706  of interposer  700  may be required to ensure proper assembly of interposer  700  to circuit boards. Dual-disk grinding can be utilized to control both height and flatness of the interposer  700 . For example, the folded sheet  500  shown in  FIG. 6  can be placed between two rotating abrasive disks that are aligned to the desired thickness so that extra materials and bent regions  530  and  532  can be removed once the fold sheet  500  is processed down to the desired thickness when pressure is no longer applied by the disks to the fold sheet  500 . As a result, first, second, and third conductive layers  524 ,  526 , and  528  and insulating layers  522  can be flush with each other on both mounting surfaces  704  and  706 . Mounting surfaces  704  and  706  can be generally perpendicular to first conductive layer  524  and can be used to mount respectively on a first circuit board and a second board. Conductive bars  506  can span between first mounting surface  704  and second mounting surface  706  and can be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. Hence, when interposer  700  is positioned between two circuit boards, conductive bars  506  can be in contact with both circuit boards for signal and/or thermal transmission. 
     An additive process such as injection molding can also be performed to add additional insulating material to interposer  700  to increase the thickness of substrate  702 . Increasing the thickness of substrate  702  can increase the area of mounting surfaces  704  and  706  so that interposer  700  can have additional areas to mount on circuit boards. Increasing the thick of substrate  702  can also enhance the protection to the pins of interposer  700 . The increased thickness  708  of substrate  702  is illustrated in  FIG. 7  by dash lines. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a top view of interposer  700  showing mounting surface  706 . The shaded squares can be conductive bars  506  that are separated by cutout regions  502  and by insulating layers  522 . The pattern and distribution of conductive bars  506  (i.e. pins) can be controlled by the pattern of cutout regions  502  when cutout regions  502  are first formed as in  FIG. 5  and by how many times sheet  500  is folded. In this particular embodiment, cutout regions  502  in sheet  500  in  FIG. 5  are regularly arranged in a parallel and evenly spaced manner. Also, the striated side of sheet  500  (i.e. regions of sheet  500  having the cutout regions  502  and excluding first region  512 ) is only folded once. Hence, two rows of pins are formed as a result. 
       FIGS. 9-13  illustrate a process in accordance with method  400  for making an interposer that is similar to interposer  700  but the process can vary as for the pin patterns and the number of folding and can include additional features. Similar to the process illustrated in  FIG. 5-8 , the process in  FIGS. 9-13  can include forming cutout regions at a conductive sheet, folding the sheet, and removing bent regions and extra material according to cut planes to form the interposer.  FIG. 9  illustrates a sheet  900  of a conductive material that includes various cutout regions  902 .  FIG. 10  illustrates sheet  900  being folded into a new shape that includes a stack of conductive layers.  FIG. 11  illustrates interposer  904  formed after bent regions and extra materials are removed.  FIG. 12  is a front view of the interposer  904  and  FIG. 13  is a top view of the interposer  904 . Similar to sheet  500 , it should be noted that sheet  900  could sometimes have a length L along the longitudinal axis A that is significantly longer than width W. In other words, sheet  900  can sometimes also be referred to as a strip that can be elongated along the longitudinal axis A. For simplicity, a segment of the strip is shown in  FIG. 9  as sheet  900 . 
     Sheet  900  can include a series of cutout regions  902  that can be formed by cutting and/or stamping. The cutout regions  902  cooperate to define a comb pattern that can include alternating conductive bars  906  and cutout regions  902 . Compared to sheet  500 , which is illustrated as being folded twice, sheet  900  can be folded three times in accordance with a first fold line  908 , a second fold line  910 , and a third fold line  912 . However, it should be understood that the number of folding is not limited to two or three times. A conductive sheet in accordance with some embodiments can be folded any number of times, including once, which will result in a single row of pins. The fold lines  908 ,  910 , and  912  can generally define four regions of sheet  900 , which can be first region  914 , second region  916 , third region  918 , and fourth region  920 . Similar to sheet  500 , cutout regions  902  can be positioned towards a first edge  922  that is parallel to longitudinal axis A so that second, third, and fourth regions  916 ,  918 , and  920 , which are closer to first edge  922 , can include the cutout regions  902  and the comb pattern. First region  914 , which is closer to second edge  924  and is away from the first edge  922 , can be generally free of cutout regions  902 . 
     The number of rows of pins of the interposer  904  formed can be controlled by the number of times sheet  900  is folded. As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , since sheet  900  is folded three times, four conductive layers are formed, which can be first conductive layer  926 , second conductive layer  928 , third conductive layer  930 , and fourth conductive layer  932 . Insulating layers  934  are formed among those conductive layers. Three bent regions  936 ,  938 , and  940  maintain the connections among the conductive layers  926 ,  928 ,  930 , and  932 . As cutout regions  902  end before reaching first conductive layer  926 , first conductive layer  926 , which can generally correspond to first region  914 , can be free of cutout regions  902  and can be a continuous piece of conductive layer that is suitable to be used as a shielding layer. Second, third, and fourth conductive layers  928 ,  930 , and  932 , which can generally correspond to second, third and fourth regions  916 ,  918 ,  920  (shown in  FIG. 9 ), can include the cutout regions  902 . Since three conductive layers with cutout regions  902  are formed, three rows of discrete pins can be formed after the bent regions  936 ,  938 , and  940  are removed, as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , in accordance with cut planes  942  and  944 . In one case, the cut planes  942  and  944  can be generally perpendicular to the stacks of conductive layers  926 ,  928 ,  930 , and  932  and be generally parallel or follow the direction of the longitudinal axis A. 
     The patterns, shapes, and distribution of the pins of interposer  904  shown in  FIGS. 11-13  can be controlled by the original patterns of cutout regions  902  before sheet  900  is folded shown in  FIG. 9 . Referring to  FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 , interposer  904  can include discrete conductive bars  906  that are separated from each other after the removal of the bent regions. The conductive bars  906  can be isolated by cutout regions  902  and insulating layers  934  so that conductive bars  906  can serve as the pins of interposer  904 . Unlike the conductive bars  506  shown in  FIG. 7  which have regular and parallel patterns, conductive bars  906  can have various shapes and patterns that are in accordance with the original cutout pattern in sheet  900  shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     For example, sheet  900  in  FIG. 9  can include an area  946  that include alternating comb patterns across second, third and fourth regions  916 ,  918 ,  920 . As a result of the cutout pattern in area  946 , the three rows of pins in region  948  shown in  FIG. 13  can also show an alternating pattern. In area  950 , sheet  900  in  FIG. 9  can also include cutout regions  902  that are tapered. As a result of the cutout shape in area  950 , a pin  952  labeled in  FIG. 12  can have an inverted trapezoidal shape. Moreover, sheet  900  in  FIG. 9  can include cutout regions  902  in area  954  that make turns in the middle of fourth region  920 . As a result of the cutout shape in area  956 , a pin  966  labeled in  FIG. 12  can have a shape of a step. While several cutout shapes and patterns are illustrated in  FIGS. 9-12 , it should be understood that those cutout shapes and patterns are examples only and other various shapes and patterns can also be possible. The method described herein can provide a simple and convenient way to control the exact shapes and patterns of the pins of an interposer by manipulating the shapes and patterns of the cutout regions of the conductive sheet before the sheet is folded. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 9 , sheet  900  can include a section  958  that is free of any cutout region. After sheet  900  is folded, insulating layers may or may not be formed at section  958 . In a particular case shown in  FIG. 10 , insulating layers  934  are not formed at section  958 . After bent regions  936 ,  938 , and  940  are removed, second, third, and fourth conductive layers  928 ,  930 , and  932  at section  958  are cut loose so that only first conductive layer  926  remains at section  958 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . An optional additive process can be used to form insulating materials on first conductive layer  926  and to increase the thickness of the substrate that carries the multiple rows of conductive bars  906 . The optional additive insulating materials are illustrated by dashed lines and labeled as  968 . Section  958  after interposer  904  is formed can correspond to section of an interposer that is free of pins. For example, section  958  can correspond to a section  158  of interposer  106  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Since section  958  includes mainly first conductive layer  926 , which can typically be made by a bendable and malleable conductive material such as a metal, section  958  is particularly suited for use in sections of the interposer that requires contouring and bending, such as section  158  shown in  FIG. 1  and any other sections that may contour around a standout of a circuit board. 
     To promote the mounting of interposer  904  to a circuit board, in some cases castellation features  960  can be formed on sheet  900  before it is folded. Castellation features  960  are illustrated as a series of dashed rectangles in  FIG. 9 . The castellation features  960  can be features that are recessed from a surface of sheet  900 . The castellation features  960  can be formed by any suitable removal process including etching and/or scraping. Referring to  FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 , after interposer  904  is formed, castellation features  960  can be recessed from both a mounting surface and an exterior surface of first conductive layer  926 . Castellation features  960  can be present in both mounting surfaces  962  and  964 . Castellation features  960  can receive solder in a suitable soldering process such as a reflow soldering so that interposer  904  can be mounted onto circuit boards. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates an interposer  1400  formed using the processes described in  FIGS. 4-12 . As discussed above, both sheet  500  and sheet  900  can sometimes be long strips that have lengths L significantly longer than widths W. Hence, a resultant multi-layer interposer can also be a long strip as illustrated in  FIG. 14 . Interposer  1400  can include first conductive layer  1402  and substrate layer  1404  that carries multiple discrete pins  1406 . Substrate layer  1404  can be formed by multiple insulating layers as discussed previously. For simplicity, other details of interposer  1400  are not illustrated. Interposer  1400  can be a long strip having a first distal end  1408  and a second distal end  1410 , which are not shown in  FIG. 14 . Since first conductive layer  1402  and substrate layer  1404  can both be made of flexible material, interposer  1400  can also be flexible and can be bent into different shape. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates interposer  1400  (represented by a thick line) that can be bent into different shapes. In some cases, an interposer can be bent substantially in accordance with a perimeter of a circuit board such that the interposer encloses substantially the entire circuit board. In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 15 , interposer  1400  can be bent to define multiple sub-sections of a circuit board  1500 . Each sub-section can be shielded by interposer  1400 . Circuit board  1500  can include multiple components  1502  and standoff features  1504 . Interposer  1400  can be a long strip that can be cut to a desired length and bent into to divide circuit board  1500  into different sub-sections. Interposer  1400  can be bent to define a first enclosed section  1506 , a second enclosed section  1508 , and a third enclosed section  1510 . In some locations interposer  1400  can be bent 90 degree and in other locations interposer  1400  can even be bent 180 degree. Each enclosed section is shielded by interposer  1400 . Interposer  1400  can also be bent around standoff features  1504  to avoid the standoff features. Interposer  1400  can also further be bent inward at section  1512  so that section  1512  is exposed and is not shielded. Unlike interposer  106  shown in  FIG. 1 , interposer  1400  can have a first distal end  1408  and a second distal end  1410  that do not meet. Instead, the distal ends  1408  and  1410  can terminate against midsections of the strip of interposer  1400 , thereby segmenting the internal area of circuit board  1500  to create two or more enclosed areas separated by the walls of interposer  1400 . The separation can also be achieved by allowing midsections of interposer  1400  to come into contact or near contact to segment the internal area of circuit board  1500 , such as at area  1514 . 
       FIG. 16  illustrates a flowchart depicting a method  1600  for mounting an interposer on a circuit board in accordance with some embodiments. Method  1600  can start at step  1602 , where an interposer strip is formed. At step  1604 , the interposer strip can be cut to a desired length. At step  1606 , the interposer strip can be bent to a desired shape that may match the contoured shape or a part of the contoured shape of a circuit board. The bending can be achieved with wire forming equipment, a press, a heated press, etc., depending on the thickness of interposer strip and material choices of the conductive material and the insulating material. At step  1608 , a first mounting surface of the bent interposer can be secured to a first circuit board by any suitable method. For example, a reflow soldering process can be used to solder the interposer to the first circuit board. At step  1610 , a second circuit board can be secured to a second mounting surface of the interposer board by a similar method. 
     The various aspects, embodiments, implementations or features of the described embodiments can be used separately or in any combination. The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180119
Publication Date: 20210511
Grant Date: 20210511
Priority Date: 20170908
Inventors: MYERS, SCOTT A.
SMITH, JAMES B.
MORGAN, DALE T.
MALEK, SHAYAN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H05K2203/0235", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/2018", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2203/302", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/042", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/202", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/09009", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/144", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/11", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2203/302", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10378", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10378", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/2018", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/0011", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2203/0235", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/028", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/042", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/202", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/144", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/1075", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/4644", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/0011", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/144", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/09009", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/1075", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/2018", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/028", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2203/0235", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/11", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/4644", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K3/202", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10378", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/042", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2203/302", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 65631991