Impermeable protective coatings through which electrical connections may be established and electronic devices including the impermeable protective coatings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9848495-B2
Application number	US-201514740211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2015
Priority date	Jun 13, 2014
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

Protective coatings are disclosed that are configured to cover electronic components within an electronic device, while enabling electrical connections to be established with electrical contacts that are covered by the protective coatings. Such a protective coating may comprise a parylene, or a poly(p-xylylene), protective coating that has a thickness of at least 0.1 μm and at most about 2 μm. Electronic devices that include such a protective coating are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing defining an interior of the electronic device;
at least one printed circuit board within the interior of the electronic device;
a plurality of electronic components assembled with but not carried by the at least one printed circuit board;
an electrical coupling element;
at least one coating comprising a poly(p-xylylene) on at least portions of the at least one printed circuit board and the plurality of electronic components, the at least one coating being thin enough at one of the plurality of electronic components to enable electrical connection to be made therethrough; and
an established electrical connection between the one of the plurality of electronic components and the electrical coupling element through the coating, the at least one coating covering a surface of the one of the plurality of electronic components and positioned between the one of the plurality of electronic components and the electrical coupling element.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one coating has a thickness of no greater than two microns.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the thickness is an average thickness across an entire area of the at least one coating.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the thickness is a maximum thickness.

5. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one coating has a thickness of at least about 0.1 μm.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one coating has a thickness of about 0.5 μm to about 1.25 μm.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the thickness is an average thickness across an entire area of the at least one coating.

8. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the thickness is a minimum thickness.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the at least one coating is sufficient to provide a confluent, water-impermeable barrier.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , where the at least one coating is not confluent.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the at least one coating is thin enough to enable solder connections, wire bonds, and plug-in type connections to remove material from contacts covered by the at least one coating.

12. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing defining an interior of the electronic device;
at least one printed circuit board within the interior of the electronic device;
a plurality of electronic components assembled with but not carried by the at least one printed circuit board;
an electrical coupling element;
at least one coating comprising a poly(p-xylylene) on at least portions of the at least one printed circuit board and the plurality of electronic components, the at least one coating comprising a non-confluent coating thin enough at one of the plurality of electronic components to enable electrical connection to be made therethrough; and
an established electrical connection between the one of the plurality of electronic components and the electrical coupling element through the coating, the at least one coating covering a surface of the one of the plurality of electronic components and positioned between the one of the plurality of electronic components and the electrical coupling element.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one coating has a thickness of no greater than two microns.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the thickness is a maximum thickness.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the at least one coating is thin enough to enable solder connections, wire bonds, and plug-in type connections to remove material from contacts covered by the at least one coating.

16. A method for protecting an electronic device, comprising:
obtaining access to an interior of an electronic device;
applying a coating comprising a poly(p-xylylene) to a plurality of electronic components exposed to the interior of the electronic device and to at least one electrical contact within the interior of the electronic device; and
establishing at least one electrical connection with the at least one electrical contact, through the coating, to an electrical coupling element, the coating covering a surface of the at least one electrical contact and positioned between the at least one electrical contact and the electrical coupling element.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein applying the coating comprises applying the coating to at least one contact pad.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein establishing at least one electrical connection comprises forming a solder bond or a wire bond on the at least one contact pad.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein applying the coating comprises applying the coating to at least one contact of an electrical coupling element of the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein establishing at least one electrical connection comprises coupling a complementary electrical coupling element to the electrical coupling element.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein friction between the at least one contact of the electrical coupling element and a corresponding contact of the complementary electrical coupling element establishes the at least one electrical connection.

Assignees

• Hzo Inc

Inventors

• Cao Liulei
• Su Tining
• Yun Yang

Classifications

• H05K3/285

  Permanent coating compositions · CPC title

• H05K3/284 Primary

  for encapsulating mounted components (H05K1/185 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2203/0759

  Forming a polymer layer by liquid coating, e.g. a non-metallic protective coating or an organic bonding layer · CPC title

• H05K2201/0191

  wherein the thickness of the dielectric plays an important role · CPC title

• H05K3/341

  Surface mounted components · CPC title