Solder-Free Component Carrier Connection Using an Elastic Element and Method

Abstract

An arrangement is illustrated and described. The arrangement includes a component carrier including ia) a stack with at least one electrically conductive layer structure and/or at least one electrically insulating layer structure, and ib) at least one elastic element attached to the stack and configured to reversibly connect the component carrier with a further component carrier by elastically deforming the at least one elastic element and essentially not deforming the stack and the further component carrier; ii) the further component carrier connected with the component carrier by the at least one elastic element, wherein the further component carrier includes: iia) a further recess configured such that the component carrier is at least partially placeable into the further recess; iii) the component carrier is a smaller unit than the further component carrier, and iv) the component carrier is at least partially placed into the further recess.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An arrangement, comprising:
 a component carrier, wherein the component carrier comprises:
 a stack comprising at least one electrically conductive layer structure and/or at least one electrically insulating layer structure, and 
 at least one elastic element attached to the stack and configured to reversibly connect the component carrier with a further component carrier by elastically deforming the at least one elastic element and essentially not deforming the stack and the further component carrier; 
   the further component carrier connected with the component carrier by the at least one elastic element, wherein the further component carrier comprises:
 a further recess configured such that the component carrier is at least partially placeable into the further recess; 
 wherein the component carrier is a smaller unit than the further component carrier, and 
 wherein the component carrier is at least partially placed into the further recess. 
   
     
     
         22 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the component carrier comprises a recess in the stack, and   wherein the recess is configured such that another component carrier, which is a smaller unit than the component carrier, is at least partially placeable into the recess.   
     
     
         23 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the further recess is a blind hole.   
     
     
         24 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the further recess is a through hole.   
     
     
         25 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the elastic element is arranged at a sidewall of the component carrier.   
     
     
         26 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the elastic element is at least partially attached at a main surface of the stack.   
     
     
         27 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the at least one elastic element is at least one spring element, in particular at least one leaf spring.   
     
     
         28 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the at least one elastic element comprises an electrically conductive material, such that an electric connection can be established between at least one electrically conductive layer structure of the component carrier and at least one further electrically conductive layer structure of the further component carrier, when the component carrier is connected with the further component carrier.   
     
     
         29 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 ,
 wherein the electric connection is established between sidewalls of the component carrier and the further component carrier via the at least one elastic element.   
     
     
         30 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the at least one elastic element is formed as a part of the material of the stack, in particular integrally formed with the stack.   
     
     
         31 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 , comprising at least one of the following features:
 wherein an electric connection is established between a horizontal surface of the component carrier, in particular the bottom surface of the component carrier, and the further component carrier, in particular the bottom of the further recess;   wherein the at least one elastic element is configured for establishing a snap-fit connection between the component carrier and the further component carrier;   wherein the further component carrier further comprises an adhesive, in particular an electrically conductive adhesive, arranged between the at least one elastic element and the stack;   wherein the further component carrier further comprises a guiding structure for aligning the component carrier;   the component carrier and/or the further component carrier comprises at least one component being surface mounted on and/or embedded in the component carrier, wherein the at least one component is in particular selected from a group consisting of an electronic component, an electrically non-conductive and/or electrically conductive inlay, a heat transfer unit, a light guiding element, an energy harvesting unit, an active electronic component, a passive electronic component, an electronic chip, a storage device, a filter, an integrated circuit, a signal processing component, a power management component, an optoelectronic interface element, a voltage converter, a cryptographic component, a transmitter and/or receiver, an electromechanical transducer, an actuator, a microelectromechanical system, a microprocessor, a capacitor, a resistor, an inductance, an accumulator, a switch, a camera, an antenna, a magnetic element, a further component carrier, and a logic chip;   wherein at least one of the electrically conductive layer structures of the component carrier comprises at least one of the group consisting of copper, aluminum, nickel, silver, gold, palladium, and tungsten, any of the mentioned materials being optionally coated with supra-conductive material such as graphene;   the electrically insulating layer structure comprises at least one of the group consisting of resin, in particular reinforced or non-reinforced resin, for instance epoxy resin or bismaleimide-triazine resin, FR-4, FR-5, cyanate ester, polyphenylene derivate, glass, prepreg material, polyimide, polyamide, liquid crystal polymer, epoxy-based build-up film, polytetrafluoroethylene, a ceramic, and a metal oxide;   the component carrier and/or the further component carrier is shaped as a plate;   the component carrier and/or the further component carrier is configured as one of the group consisting of a printed circuit board, a substrate, and an interposer;   the component carrier and/or the further component carrier is configured as a laminate-type component carrier.   
     
     
         32 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the further recess is formed as a through hole, and   wherein the component carrier is only connected in the further recess by the elastic element.   
     
     
         33 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 , comprising at least one of the following features:
 wherein the further component carrier is configured as a socket and the component carrier is configured as a plug;   wherein the arrangement is configured as a board-in-board arrangement;   wherein the component carrier and/or the further component carrier comprises reinforcement elements;   further comprising an electrically conductive connection element that extends at least partially through the component carrier and the further component carrier, wherein the connection element mechanically and electrically connects the component carrier and the further component carrier;   wherein at least one of the component carrier and the further component carrier comprises a thread,   wherein the electrically conductive connection element is configured as a screw, and   wherein at least a part of the electrically conductive connection element is located in the thread; or   wherein at least one of the component carrier and the further component carrier comprises a through-hole,   wherein the electrically conductive connection element is configured as a bar, and   wherein at least a part of the electrically conductive connection element is located in the through-hole.   
     
     
         34 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the further component carrier comprises a further stack comprising at least one further electrically conductive layer structure and/or at least one further electrically insulating layer structure.   
     
     
         35 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the component carrier comprises two or more elastic elements which are configured, in particular wherein the tension properties and/or design properties of the elastic elements are configured, so that the component carrier is centered in the further recess, in particular wherein the two or more elastic elements comprise different tension properties and/or design properties.   
     
     
         36 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 an electrical connection, in particular a wire connection, between the component carrier, in particular the surface of the component carrier, and the further component carrier.   
     
     
         37 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 an electrically conductive structure at the bottom of the component carrier and/or at the bottom of the further recess, configured to establish an electrical connection between the component carrier and the further component carrier, in particular wherein the electrically conductive structure comprises at least one of the group which consists of conductive paste, in particular anisotropic conductive paste or anisotropic conductive film, sinter material, solder material.   
     
     
         38 . A method of manufacturing a component carrier arrangement, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a stack comprising at least one electrically conductive layer structure and/or at least one electrically insulating layer structure;   attaching at least one elastic element to the stack;   configuring the at least one elastic element for reversibly connecting the component carrier with a further component carrier by elastically deforming the at least one elastic element without essentially deforming the stack and the further component carrier;   providing the further component carrier with a further recess; and   at least partially placing the component carrier into the further recess;   
       wherein the component carrier is a smaller unit than the further component carrier.