CN214757094U

CN214757094U - Pad of PCB

Info

Publication number: CN214757094U
Application number: CN202120562851.0U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 柳初发; 吴秀华; 朱飞棋
Original assignee: Dongguan Jinruixian Digital Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Dongguan Jinruixian Digital Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2021-03-18
Filing date: 2021-03-18
Publication date: 2021-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-18

Abstract

The application discloses PCB's pad belongs to the PCB field. The welding pad comprises a welding pad area positioned on a welding resistance layer of the PCB, and a part of the welding resistance layer, which is positioned in the welding pad area, is provided with an insert hole and an opening; the plug-in hole penetrates through the PCB and is used for inserting a pin of a component; the opening is used for exposing a copper foil positioned below the solder mask layer in the PCB, and the copper foil is used for tinning; the opening includes a first portion and a plurality of second portions in communication, the insert bore being within the first portion, the plurality of second portions being distributed about the first portion. The problem that the tin is not full, false solder, rosin joint and pad and tin cream area of contact are little can be solved in this application, increase the pulling force between tin cream, pad and the components and parts pin.

Description

Pad of PCB

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), and more particularly, to a pad of a PCB.

Background

With the development of technology, electronic devices have become popular. In almost every electronic device having an integrated circuit, a PCB is used to electrically interconnect the various components of the integrated circuit. In order to fix the components on the PCB, a bonding pad is arranged on the PCB, and then the pins of the components are fixed on the bonding pad of the PCB by using printing reflow soldering tin or wave soldering tin.

In the related art, when a pad is disposed on a PCB, a plug-in hole is disposed on the PCB, and then a portion of a solder resist layer around the plug-in hole of the PCB is removed to expose a copper foil for tin plating, where the copper foil around the plug-in hole and the plug-in hole is the pad.

However, under the condition that the wetting time of the pins of the component in the solder paste is very short, because the size of the pad is large and the tin absorption amount is large, the temperature of the solder paste from the solder paste chain to the pins of the component and the pad is reduced quickly, so that the pins and the pad of the component cannot be completely wetted by the solder paste, and further, the situations of incomplete tin on a welding spot, false soldering or small contact area between the solder paste and the pad easily occur, so that the tension among the solder paste, the pad and the pins of the component is small, the problem that the pins of the component or the solder paste easily fall off from the pad exists, and the function failure of the PCB can be caused.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The application provides a PCB's pad can increase the pulling force between tin cream, pad and the components and parts pin. The technical scheme is as follows:

in a first aspect, a pad of a PCB is provided, where the pad includes a pad region located in a solder mask layer of the PCB, and a portion of the solder mask layer located in the pad region has a plug hole and an opening;

the plug-in hole penetrates through the PCB and is used for inserting a pin of a component;

the opening is used for exposing a copper foil positioned below the solder mask layer in the PCB, and the copper foil is used for tinning; the opening includes a first portion and a plurality of second portions in communication, the insert bore being within the first portion, the plurality of second portions being distributed about the first portion.

In the present application, a portion of the solder resist layer around the via hole of the PCB is removed to obtain an opening to expose the copper foil under the solder resist layer in a first portion and a plurality of second portions of the opening, the plurality of second portions being distributed around the first portion. The two adjacent second portions are independent of each other, that is, there is a solder resist layer between the two adjacent second portions, and the copper foil under the solder resist layer between the two adjacent second portions is not exposed, so that the area of the copper foil for tinning is small. Can reduce the heat dispersion of pad like this, last tin equipment with tin cream go up the pad on after, the temperature reduction of tin cream is slower, the tin cream has enough time fully to soak components and parts pin and pad before the cooling solidifies to solve the problem that go up the tin not full, false solder, rosin joint and pad and tin cream area of contact are little, increase the pulling force between tin cream, pad and the components and parts pin. And because of the existence of the plurality of second parts, the solder paste has contact points with the copper foils in the plurality of second parts when fused on the copper foils, besides the contact points with the copper foils in the first parts, so that a plurality of force acting points are arranged between the solder paste and the bonding pad, and the pulling force among the solder paste, the bonding pad and the pins of the component can be further increased.

Optionally, the solder mask is a solder mask of the bottom surface of the PCB.

Optionally, the centre of the insert hole coincides with the centre of the first portion.

In this application, the coincidence of the center of the plug-in hole with the center of the first portion ensures that the edge of the plug-in hole is equidistant from the outer edge of the first portion, so that, in the case of applying tin to the component pin and the copper foil in the opening, the tin paste can be uniformly spread over the copper foil in the first portion and the plurality of second portions of the opening and can uniformly flow into the plug-in hole. Therefore, the effect of uniform stress at all positions of the welding spot can be achieved, and the effects of improving the strength of the welding spot and improving the maximum tensile force or the maximum thrust force born by the welding spot can be achieved.

Optionally, a portion of the copper foil within the first portion has a via extending through the PCB

Optionally, a portion of the copper foil within any one of the plurality of second portions has a via that extends through the PCB.

In this application, the position setting that is in first part or arbitrary one second part in the copper foil runs through this PCB's via hole, can be so that when the tin cream fused to the copper foil, the tin cream can soak in the via hole to can connect the copper foil of this PCB bottom surface and the copper foil of PCB top surface through the tin cream, can reach the effect that promotes solder joint intensity, the biggest pulling force or the biggest thrust that improves the solder joint and can bear.

Optionally, the insert aperture is circular in shape.

Optionally, the diameter of the plug-in hole is larger than the diameter of the component pin, and the difference between the diameter of the plug-in hole and the diameter of the component pin is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm and less than or equal to 0.6 mm.

Optionally, the diameter of the first portion is greater than or equal to 1.1a and less than or equal to 1.3a, said a being the bore diameter of the insert bore.

Optionally, the diameter of the pad region is greater than or equal to 1.5a and less than or equal to 2.2a, where a is the aperture of the interposer hole.

Optionally, the shape of any one of the plurality of second portions is triangular, rectangular or semicircular.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments are briefly introduced below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art to obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative efforts.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a PCB provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a pad of a PCB provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a bonding pad provided in the related art;

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a pad of another PCB provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a second portion in a pad of a PCB provided in an embodiment of the present application.

Reference numerals:

the application:

101: top surface, 102: bottom surface, 103: solder resist layer, 104: copper foil;

200: solder resist layer, 201: pad region, 202: insert hole, 203: opening, 2031: first part, 2032: second portion, 204: copper foil, 205: a via hole;

the related technology comprises the following steps:

301: opening, 302: insert hole, 303: copper foil.

Detailed Description

To make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more clear, embodiments of the present application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It should be understood that reference to "a plurality" in this application means two or more. In the description of the present application, "/" means "or" unless otherwise stated, for example, a/B may mean a or B; "and/or" herein is only an association relationship describing an associated object, and means that there may be three relationships, for example, a and/or B, which may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, for the convenience of clearly describing the technical solutions of the present application, the terms "first", "second", and the like are used to distinguish the same items or similar items having substantially the same functions and actions. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the terms "first," "second," etc. do not denote any order or quantity, nor do the terms "first," "second," etc. denote any order or importance.

Before explaining the embodiments of the present application in detail, an application scenario of the embodiments of the present application will be described.

At present, in some factories where PCBs are used to electrically interconnect various components in integrated circuits, printed reflow or wave solder is generally used to fix the pins of the components to the pads of the PCB. However, in order to save cost and improve efficiency, when soldering, the device pins pass through the solder paste chain in the soldering furnace at a high speed, and since the solder pads in the related art only have a large circle of copper foil for soldering, the temperature of the solder paste on the solder pads is reduced quickly, so that the solder paste is cooled and solidified before the device pins and the solder pads are completely wetted. Therefore, the situations of incomplete tin soldering, false soldering or small contact area between the tin paste and the bonding pad easily occur, the tension among the tin paste, the bonding pad and the pins of the component is small, the problem that the pins of the component or the tin paste easily fall off from the bonding pad exists, and the function failure of the PCB can be caused.

To this end, the embodiment of the application provides a pad of a PCB. Specifically, a portion of the solder resist layer around the plug-in hole of the PCB is removed to obtain an opening, so as to expose a first portion of the solder resist layer under the opening and a plurality of second portions of the copper foil, the plurality of second portions being distributed around the first portion. The interposer hole and the copper foil exposed around the interposer hole are pads of the PCB. Thus, since the opening in the embodiment of the present application is not directly a large circle of relatively large-sized openings as in the related art, but includes a first portion and a plurality of relatively small-sized openings of a second portion distributed therearound, the heat dissipation rate of the solder paste is relatively slow after the solder paste is applied to the pad, and the solder paste has sufficient time to sufficiently wet the component pins and the pad before the solder paste cools. Therefore, the problems of insufficient tin feeding, false soldering, insufficient soldering and small contact area between the bonding pad and the tin paste can be solved, and the tensile force among the tin paste, the bonding pad and the pin of the component is increased. In addition, in the embodiment of the application, when the solder paste is fused on the copper foil, the contact points are arranged on the copper foil in the first part and the copper foils in the second parts, so that a plurality of force points are arranged between the solder paste and the bonding pad, and the tensile force among the solder paste, the bonding pad and the pin of the component can be further increased.

The structure of the PCB referred to in the embodiments of the present application is explained below.

The PCB is a printed circuit board, a support for electronic components, and a carrier for electrical connection between electronic components. The PCB may be a single panel, a double panel, or a multi-layer board.

A single panel is a circuit board that includes one wiring layer. This wiring layer is copper-clad and can be wire-bonded.

For a single panel, a copper foil is applied to one wiring layer of the single panel, and the copper foil is a wire for electrical connection between components. This wiring layer is also printed with a solder mask. The solder mask does not stick to the soldering tin, and the short circuit of the redundant soldering tin of the adjacent welding point during welding can be prevented. And the copper foil is positioned below the solder mask layer, and the solder mask layer covers the copper foil, so that the copper foil can be prevented from being oxidized in the air too fast.

A double-sided board is a circuit board that includes two wiring layers, which are a top layer and a bottom layer, respectively. A multi-layer board is a circuit board that includes at least three wiring layers, a top layer, a bottom layer, and an intermediate layer (which may be, for example, two power supply board layers), respectively. Each wiring layer is copper-clad and can be wire-bonded. An insulating layer is arranged between two adjacent wiring layers.

For a double-sided board or a multi-layer board, as shown in fig. 1, fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a PCB provided in an embodiment of the present application. The side of the PCB on which the top layer is located is the top side 101 and the side of the PCB on which the bottom layer is located is the bottom side 102. Copper foils 104 are coated on the top layer and the bottom layer, and the copper foils 104 are leads for electrical connection between the components. Both the top and bottom layers are printed with a layer of solder mask 103. The solder mask layer 103 does not stick to solder, and can prevent the short circuit of redundant solder of adjacent welding points during welding. The copper foil 104 is positioned below the solder resist layer 103, and the solder resist layer 103 covers the copper foil 104, so that the copper foil 104 can be prevented from being oxidized in the air too quickly.

The pads of the PCB provided by the embodiments of the present application are explained in detail below.

Fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a pad of a PCB provided in an embodiment of the present application. Referring to fig. 2, the pad includes a pad region 201 of a solder resist layer 200 of the PCB, and a portion of the solder resist layer 200 within the pad region 201 has a plug hole 202 and an opening 203. A plug hole 202 extends through the PCB. The opening 203 is used for exposing a copper foil 204 positioned below the solder mask layer 200 in the PCB, and the copper foil 204 is used for tinning; opening 203 includes a first portion 2031 and a plurality of second portions 2032 in communication, with insert bore 202 within first portion 2031 and the plurality of second portions 2032 distributed about first portion 2031.

The pad region 201 is a region for realizing bonding of a component, that is, a region where a solder joint is located.

The package holes 202 are used for inserting component pins. A plug hole 202 extends through the PCB. In this case, after the component pin is inserted into the card hole 202, both ends of the component pin are respectively located on both sides of the PCB.

The opening 203 is an opening formed to expose the copper foil 204 after removing a portion of the solder resist layer 200 around the plug hole 202 on the PCB.

Alternatively, the solder resist layer 200 may be a solder resist layer on one side of the PCB. For example, the solder resist layer 200 may be a solder resist layer on the bottom surface of the PCB, or may be a solder resist layer on the top surface of the PCB.

The component pin is a wiring led out from the inside of the component, and a section of the tail end of the wiring can be welded on a bonding pad of the PCB through tinning, so that the component can be welded on the PCB.

A first portion 2031 of the opening 203 is a small circle of openings proximate the insert bore 202 and a plurality of second portions 2032 of the opening 203 are a plurality of openings distributed around the first portion 2031.

When using the pad of the PCB that this application embodiment provided to weld components and parts on PCB, insert the plug-in board hole 202 with the components and parts pin of this components and parts earlier for the body of this components and parts is in the one side of this PCB, and the end of this components and parts pin is in the another side of this PCB. For example, when the solder resist layer 200 is a solder resist layer on the bottom surface of a PCB, the component pins of the component may be inserted into the plug-in holes 202 from the top surface of the PCB, where the body of the component is on the top surface of the PCB and the ends of the component pins are on the bottom surface of the PCB.

Thereafter, the PCB and the component inserted into the package hole 202 are placed in a soldering oven to start soldering. When the device leads pass through the solder paste chain, a portion of the solder paste adheres to the device leads and the copper foils 204 in the first portion 2031 and the plurality of second portions 2032 of the opening 203. Because the solder paste is liquefied at a high temperature, the solder paste wets the component leads and the copper foil 204 within the first portion 2031 and the plurality of second portions 2032 of the openings 203 and flows into the interposer vias 202. When the solder paste temperature is lowered, the solder paste cools and solidifies, thereby soldering the device leads to the copper foils 204 in the first portion 2031 and the plurality of second portions 2032 of the opening 203, and thus fixing the device on the PCB.

See the pads of the PCB in the related art shown in fig. 3. The pad in the related art includes an opening 301, a plug hole 302, and a copper foil 303. An opening 301 is opened in the solder mask layer for exposing the copper foil located under the solder mask layer. The opening 301 in the related art is a large circle opening around the insert hole 302.

In the case where the diameters of the plug-in hole 202 in the embodiment of the present application and the plug-in hole 302 in the related art are equal, the sizes of the pad region 201 in the embodiment of the present application and the opening 301 in the related art are equal. In the embodiment of the present application, since the solder resist layer 200 is further present between the plurality of second portions 2032 in the pad region 201, the size of the opening 203 in the embodiment of the present application is smaller than that of the opening 301 in the related art, and the area of the copper foil 204 for tin-plating in the embodiment of the present application is also smaller than that of the copper foil 303 for tin-plating in the related art. Therefore, compared with the bonding pad in the related art, the structure of the bonding pad provided by the embodiment of the application dissipates heat more slowly.

It is worth noting that in the embodiment of the present application, the pad opening 203 includes a first portion 2031 and a plurality of second portions 2032, each two adjacent second portions 2032 are independent of each other, that is, there is a solder mask layer 200 between each two adjacent second portions 2032, and the copper foil under the solder mask layer 200 between each two adjacent second portions 2032 is not exposed, so that the area of the copper foil 204 for tinning is small. Can reduce the heat dispersion of pad like this, last tin equipment with tin cream go up the pad on after, the temperature reduction of tin cream is slower, the tin cream has enough time fully to soak components and parts pin and pad before the cooling solidifies to solve the problem that go up the tin not full, false solder, rosin joint and pad and tin cream area of contact are little, increase the pulling force between tin cream, pad and the components and parts pin. Moreover, due to the existence of the second portions 2032, when the solder paste is fused on the copper foil 204, in addition to the contact points with the copper foil 204 in the first portion 2031, the contact points with the copper foil 204 in the second portions 2032 are also provided, so that a plurality of force acting points are provided between the solder paste and the bonding pad, and the tensile force among the solder paste, the bonding pad and the component pin can be further increased.

It is noted that, in the conventional bonding pad of the related art, the pulling force or the knocking resistance after the tin is mounted on the component is about 15 kg. The improved bonding pad in the embodiment of the application has the advantages that the bearing capacity of pulling force or knocking after tin is coated on the plug-in component can reach more than 30kg, so that the stability of a large-size radiator or other components on a PCB can be ensured.

Optionally, the center of the insert bore 202 may coincide with the center of the first portion 2031.

In this manner, it is ensured that the edge of the plug hole 202 is equidistant from the outer edge of the first portion 2031, so that, in the case of applying tin to the component pin and the copper foil 204 in the opening 202, the tin paste can be uniformly spread over the copper foil 204 in the first portion 2031 and the plurality of second portions 2032 of the opening 202 and can uniformly flow into the plug hole 202. Therefore, the effect of uniform stress at all positions of the welding spot can be achieved, and the effects of improving the strength of the welding spot and improving the maximum tensile force or the maximum thrust force born by the welding spot can be achieved.

Optionally, referring to fig. 4, the copper foil 204 at a location within the first portion 2031 has a via 205 extending through the PCB.

The number of the vias 205 may be one or more, and is not limited in this embodiment of the application.

It should be noted that the via 205 penetrates the PCB, and when the solder paste is applied with solder, the solder paste flows into the via 205 under the condition that the solder paste wets the copper foil 204 in the first portion 2031, so that after the solder paste is cooled and solidified, the copper foil on the top surface of the PCB and the copper foil on the bottom surface of the PCB are connected together by the solder paste, and the effects of improving the strength of the solder joint and the maximum tensile force or the maximum pushing force that the solder joint can bear can be achieved.

Optionally, a portion of the copper foil 204 within any one of the second portions 2032 of the plurality of second portions 2032 has a via passing through the PCB.

The number of the via holes may be one or more, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application. It is worth mentioning that the via hole penetrates through the PCB, and when the solder paste is applied with solder, the solder paste flows into the via hole under the condition that the solder paste wets the copper foils 204 in the second portions 2032, so that after the solder paste is cooled and solidified, the copper foil on the top surface of the PCB and the copper foil on the bottom surface of the PCB are connected together by the solder paste, and the effects of improving the strength of the solder joint and improving the maximum tensile force or the maximum thrust force which can be borne by the solder joint can be achieved.

Alternatively, the insert hole 202 may be circular in shape.

In the embodiment of the present application, the shape of the insert hole 202 is described as a circle. In practical applications, the plug-in holes 202 may also be rectangular or triangular, and may be specifically set according to the shapes of the component pins, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, the diameter of the plug-in hole 202 is larger than the diameter of the pin of the component, and the difference between the diameter of the plug-in hole 202 and the diameter of the pin of the component is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm and less than or equal to 0.6 mm.

Thus, the tin penetration amount of the plug-in hole 202 after tin coating can be ensured to be more suitable, the solder paste amount on the copper foil 204 soaking the component pin and the first part 2031 and the second parts 2032 in the opening 203 is ensured to be more suitable, and the problem of solder joint cold joint or component falling off from the PCB is avoided.

Optionally, the diameter of the first portion 2031 is greater than or equal to 1.1a and less than or equal to 1.3a, a being the bore diameter of the insert bore 202.

So, can guarantee that first portion 2031's size is more suitable to not only can guarantee that the solder paste heat dissipation is slower after the tinning, guarantee that the solder paste has sufficient time to fully soak components and parts pin and pad before the cooling solidifies, can guarantee moreover to glue that the solder paste volume on being in the copper foil 204 in first portion 2031 is more.

Optionally, the diameter of the pad region 201 is greater than or equal to 1.5a and less than or equal to 2.2a, a being the aperture of the plug hole 202.

So, can guarantee that the size of pad region 201 is more suitable to not only can avoid influencing the circuit wiring on the PCB, can guarantee that the size of opening 203 is suitable moreover, guarantee that tin cream heat dissipation is slower and glue the tin cream volume on being in the copper foil 204 in opening 203 more after the tin.

Alternatively, the shape of any one of the second portions 2032 of the plurality of second portions 2032 may be triangular, rectangular, or semi-circular.

Illustratively, referring to fig. 5, the shape of one second portion 2032 shown in a of fig. 5 is semicircular, the shape of one second portion 2032 shown in b of fig. 5 is triangular, and the shape of one second portion 2032 shown in c of fig. 5 is rectangular. The length X of the first longest axis of one second portion 2032 shown in fig. 5 is greater than or equal to 0.4 mm and less than or equal to 1.2 mm, and the length Y of the second longest axis of this second portion 2032 is greater than or equal to 0.6 mm and less than or equal to 1.2 mm. Wherein the first longest axis is perpendicular to the second longest axis.

So, can guarantee that the size of second part 2032 is suitable to not only can avoid influencing the circuit wiring on the PCB, can guarantee moreover that the tin cream heat dissipation is slower and glue the tin cream volume on being in the copper foil 204 in second part 2032 more after the assurance goes up tin.

In the embodiment of the present application, the second portion 2032 is illustrated as being triangular, rectangular, or semicircular. In practical applications, the shape of the second portion 2032 may also be a combination of a triangle and a rectangle, a combination of a semicircle and a rectangle, or a rectangle with rounded corners, and the like, which is not limited in this embodiment.

In the embodiment of the present application, a portion of the solder resist layer 200 around the plug hole 202 of the PCB is removed to obtain an opening 203, so as to expose the copper foil 204 under the solder resist layer 200 in the first portion 2031 and the plurality of second portions 2032 of the opening 203, and the plurality of second portions 2032 are distributed around the first portion 2031. Between each two adjacent second portions 2032 are independent of each other, that is, there is a solder resist layer 200 between each two adjacent second portions 2032, and the copper foil under the solder resist layer 200 between each two adjacent second portions 2032 is not exposed, so that the area of the copper foil 204 for tinning is small. Can reduce the heat dispersion of pad like this, last tin equipment with tin cream go up the pad on after, the temperature reduction of tin cream is slower, the tin cream has enough time fully to soak components and parts pin and pad before the cooling solidifies to solve the problem that go up the tin not full, false solder, rosin joint and pad and tin cream area of contact are little, increase the pulling force between tin cream, pad and the components and parts pin. Moreover, due to the existence of the second portions 2032, when the solder paste is fused on the copper foil 204, in addition to the contact points with the copper foil 204 in the first portion 2031, the contact points with the copper foil 204 in the second portions 2032 are also provided, so that a plurality of force acting points are provided between the solder paste and the bonding pad, and the tensile force among the solder paste, the bonding pad and the component pin can be further increased.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, the via hole 205 penetrating through the PCB is disposed in the portion of the copper foil 204 located in the first portion 2031 or any one of the second portions 2032, so that when the solder paste is fused on the copper foil 204, the solder paste can be soaked into the via hole 205, and thus the copper foil on the bottom surface of the PCB and the copper foil on the top surface of the PCB can be connected by the solder paste, and the effects of increasing the strength of the solder joint and increasing the maximum pulling force or the maximum pushing force that the solder joint can bear can be achieved.

The above-mentioned embodiments are only used for illustrating the technical solutions of the present application, and not for limiting the same; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments may still be modified, or some technical features may be equivalently replaced; such modifications and substitutions do not substantially depart from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present application and are intended to be included within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A pad of a PCB, characterized in that the pad comprises a pad area (201) located in a solder mask (200) of a printed circuit board, PCB, where a part of the solder mask (200) located within the pad area (201) has a plug-in hole (202) and an opening (203);

the plug-in hole (202) penetrates through the PCB, and the plug-in hole (202) is used for inserting a component pin;

the opening (203) is used for exposing a copper foil (204) in the PCB under the solder mask layer (200), and the copper foil (204) is used for tin coating; the opening (203) includes a first portion (2031) and a plurality of second portions (2032) in communication, the insert bore (202) being within the first portion (2031), the plurality of second portions (2032) being distributed about the first portion (2031).

2. A pad according to claim 1, characterized in that the solder mask (200) is a solder mask of the bottom surface of the PCB.

3. A pad according to claim 1, characterized in that the centre of the insert hole (202) coincides with the centre of the first portion (2031).

4. A pad according to claim 1, characterized in that the copper foil has a via (205) through the PCB at a location within the first portion (2031).

5. The pad of claim 1, wherein a portion of the copper foil (204) within any one of the plurality of second portions (2032) has a via extending through the PCB.

6. A pad according to claim 1, characterized in that the insert hole (202) is circular in shape.

7. A pad according to claim 6, characterized in that the diameter of the plug hole (202) is greater than the diameter of the component pin, and the difference between the diameter of the plug hole (202) and the diameter of the component pin is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm and less than or equal to 0.6 mm.

8. A pad according to claim 6, characterized in that the diameter of the first portion (2031) is greater than or equal to 1.1a and less than or equal to 1.3a, a being the aperture of the interposer hole (202).

9. A pad according to claim 6, characterized in that the diameter of the pad area (201) is greater than or equal to 1.5a and less than or equal to 2.2a, a being the aperture of the plug-in hole (202).

10. A pad according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein any one of the plurality of second portions (2032) is triangular, rectangular or semi-circular in shape.