WO2006120061A1

WO2006120061A1 - Modular component assembly and its method of use

Info

Publication number: WO2006120061A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/061082
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joerg Muchow; Horst Muenzel; Thorsten Pannek; Simon Armbruster; Ralf Reichenbach; Sonja Knies
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2005-05-10
Filing date: 2006-03-28
Publication date: 2006-11-16
Also published as: DE102005021494A1

Abstract

A modular component assembly, in particular a sensor module, includes at least: a voltage-generating system (1), in particular a battery (1), with a top side and an underside and two connection poles (P, M), a substrate (2) on whose top side strip conductors (10, 12, 14) are formed, at least two of the strip conductors (10, 12) being connected to the connection poles (P, M) and at least one other strip conductor (14), which acts as a connecting strip conductor (14), not contacting the connection poles, and a component (25), in particular a sensor chip (25), arranged on the top side of the substrate, in contact with the strip conductors (10, 12, 14) on the top side of the substrate, the voltage-generating system (1) being part of the substrate (2) and fulfilling a load-bearing function in the substrate (2). The claimed modular component assembly can be used, in particular, for measuring air pressure in vehicle tyres, and has a compact structure which withstands high forces and temperatures and is subjected to low thermal shearing forces. It can, in particular, be vulcanised in the rubber material of the vehicle tyre.

Description

Component module and method of using the same

The invention relates to a component module, in particular a sensor module. The sensor module according to the invention can in particular for measuring a gas or air pressure, for. B. in a vehicle tire, are used.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for using such a module module.

State of the art

For measuring the air pressure in vehicle tires, sensor modules are known which, when the vehicle is stationary or else while driving, are measuring signals via e.g. Send an antenna to a receiver. The recorded measurement signals are generally used to check whether the air pressure is sufficient and can additionally be used for vehicle dynamics control.

In vehicle tires, however, high loads occur on the sensor module, in particular high pressure loads and, due to the centrifugal forces, high accelerations which can cause damage to the semiconductor components used. Furthermore, high temperatures occur in vehicle tires, which on the one hand lead to a decrease in the modulus of elasticity of the materials used, in particular of plastics, which in turn reduces the resistance to mechanical forces and, on the other hand, gives rise to very high shear forces at the interfaces of materials having different thermal expansion coefficients , which are often much larger than the external mechanical forces. Since the vulcanization of the tire temperature loads up to 200 ⁰ C and very high pressure loads of some 10 bar occur, generally only an attachment in or on the rim is possible. Such attachment is relatively expensive; Furthermore, a complete disassembly of the vehicle tire is required for an exchange of the sensor.

The formation of a suitable for use in the vehicle tire sensor module and its attachment in the vehicle tire are thus generally difficult.

WO 2004/045260 A1 shows a method for producing a semi-finished printed circuit board from a plurality of intermediate layers, wherein in an intermediate layer, a recess is provided, in which a battery or battery element is used with a thickness not greater than the intermediate layer and contacted with printed conductors of the printed circuit board. Here, the supporting function of serving as a substrate circuit board is ensured by the several stacked individual layers.

Advantages of the invention

In contrast, the component module according to the invention and the method for its use have several advantages:

According to the invention, a voltage-generating device, ie a device which outputs an electrical voltage, itself serves as a substrate or at least part of the substrate, ie it has a supporting function in the substrate. The voltage generating device may in particular an energy storage, for. B. be a galvanic cell; it may in particular be a non-rechargeable battery or a rechargeable accumulator; the battery or the accumulator can be designed as a simple button cell or larger cylinder and thus allow different shape bonds. Furthermore, however, z. B. also a fuel can be used, energy is supplied in the form of a fuel and Oxid dationsmittels and generates electrical energy from this and provides a voltage. In this case, the voltage-generating device generally has a housing and connection poles.

The voltage-generating device may simply be coated with an insulator layer on its upper or lower side or else on both sides, the conductor tracks for contacting the components being formed directly on one or both insulator layers. The insulator layer or insulator layers serve for the electrical insulation of the terminal poles and as a thermomechanical decoupling. In the simple case, they can be designed as non-self-supporting ceramic plates placed on the connection poles. In principle, however, the housing of the voltage-generating device can already serve as such an insulator layer. Furthermore, on the voltage generating device and an intermediate substrate, for. As a printed circuit board made of plastic or a ceramic substrate, are attached.

According to a preferred embodiment, the component module according to the invention can be a sensor module in which a sensor chip, advantageously also an evaluation chip and possibly transmitter chips, are mounted on the substrate as components. In addition, an antenna can be connected to the substrate.

The contacting of the connection poles with the conductor tracks provided on the insulator layer can take place firstly via a through-connection through the insulator layer to the closer connection pole and additionally through an angle-shaped contact guidance to the pole on the opposite side of the voltage-generating device. When using two insulator layers with conductor tracks on the top and bottom of the voltage-generating device, two angular contact guides are accordingly provided. Thus, a positive conductor track and a negative track track, which are contacted with the connecting poles, and one or more connecting conductor tracks, which serve - as is known in conventional substrates - for contacting the various terminals of the accommodated components, thus run on top of the insulator.

The at least one component is advantageously soldered by means of flip-chip technology, so that no connection pins protrude to the side. As a result, a compact, substantially cylindrical structure of the entire sensor module is ensured, which is designed to be stable against external loads. An antenna advantageously serves for data transmission, in particular when used in a tire. Advantageously, the entire system is potted, e.g. in temperature-stable epoxy resin, so that the contacts and possibly the antenna are integrated and stably absorbed.

In addition to round or cylindrical formations of the voltage-generating device and of the entire module module, e.g. also rectangular formations are created. This makes it possible to produce the substrate with the electronics in a batch process known as such, in which the intermediate substrate, e.g. a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate is fabricated in use contacting the electronic components on the at least one intermediate substrate or the two intermediate substrates, e.g. are soldered, the modules thus formed are separated and a stack of the intermediate substrate with the voltage generating device or a sandwich stack of the voltage generating device between two such intermediate substrates is formed.

Furthermore, it is also possible in principle for contacts to be integrated directly into the housing of the voltage-generating device. Here is the Advantageously, the voltage-generating device is completely surrounded by the insulator material that provides the thermo-mechanical decoupling. The conductor tracks run accordingly in the insulator. On the outer skin of the voltage-generating device here plus minus connections and connecting lines of the sensor chip and evaluation chips and the antenna are provided. The components are in this case soldered directly to the voltage-generating device.

The sensor module according to the invention may in particular be an inertial sensor or a sensor directly in contact with external media, e.g. Pressure sensor, flow sensor or chemical sensor. In the latter sensors, no full encapsulation of the entire system takes place, since the sensor element requires contact with the media and thus remains unencapsulated. In this case, the sensor element and the evaluation circuit can be placed on opposite sides of the voltage-generating device.

The sensor module according to the invention can withstand great forces, since due to its compact design only small moments arise; Furthermore, a small size is achieved, which allows use in the rubber materal of a tire. Due to its small size and the small number of components used cost-effective production is possible. The sensor module can be advantageously without a direct contact of materials with a high difference in their thermal expansion coefficients, for. As metal and silicon, be constructed so that internal shear forces are kept low.

Description of the embodiments

The invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings of some embodiments. Show it: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a substrate according to the invention of battery, insulator layer and conductor tracks on the substrate top, with a flat structure.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a sensor module according to a first embodiment with the substrate from FIG. 1 and the sensor chip and evaluation chip accommodated; FIG.

3 shows a cross section through the sensor module from FIG. 2 with additional filling material;

4 shows a sensor module according to a further embodiment with a rod-shaped construction comprising a battery, insulator layers and evaluation chip and sensor chip received on opposite sides;

5 shows a sensor module according to a further embodiment in exploded view with a substrate in a stacked construction of the battery contacting and the chip receiving intermediate substrates and these connecting contact pins.

6 shows an arrangement for producing a sensor module according to a further embodiment in cross section with a battery, the battery between receiving intermediate substrates and components mounted thereon.

1 shows a substrate 2 with a cylindrical battery 1, which has its negative pole M on its underside and its positive pole P on its upper side, and an insulator layer 4 set on the upper side 1.1 of the battery 1. The battery 1 can be a non-rechargeable galvanic Cell or even a rechargeable galvanic cell, ie an accumulator. The insulator layer 4 is also cylindrical with substantially the same circular base area as the battery 1, so that the substrate 2 has a cylindrical shape.

The positive pole P and the negative pole M can be used as subregions of the upper side 1.1 or bottom 1.2 of the battery 1 may be formed or each extend completely over the top 1.1 and bottom 1.2 of the battery 1. The positive pole P is contacted by an opening 5 which extends continuously through the insulator layer 4 and into which a contact pin 6 is inserted as pole contact, which rests on the positive pole P or is conductively contacted, eg by means of conductive adhesive or solder. The contact pin 6 extends to the top 4.1 of the insulator 4, with which it terminates flush.

For contacting the negative pole M extends an angular terminal 8 from the negative terminal M on the bottom 1.2 of the battery 1 laterally outward and from there along the side surface of the battery 1 and the insulator 4 to the top 4.1. Thus, the two poles P, M of the battery 1 on the top 4.1 of the insulator 4 are contacted or accessible. In this case, a plus conductor track 10 contacts the contact pin 6 above the opening 5. Correspondingly, a negative conductor 12 contacts the angle-shaped terminal contact 8 laterally outside. In addition, one or more connecting conductor tracks 14 are in contact the insulator top 4.1 trained. In this case, the conductor tracks 10, 12 and 14 advantageously run parallel in accordance with the conductor tracks on a conventional substrate, such as e.g. a circuit board, so that components can be placed directly on the substrate top and contacted with the tracks 10, 12 and 14.

FIG. 2 shows a sensor module 20-without passivation-with the substrate 2 from FIG. 1, onto which an evaluation chip 24 and a sensor element 25 or sensor chip are placed as components and contacted with the conductor tracks 10, 12, 14. By connecting lines 14, the connections of the attached components 24, 25 are contacted. The components 24, 25 are contacted here in flip-chip technology directly with their contact pads. According to the cross-section of FIG. 3 (through the plane A of FIG. 1), the insulator 4-unlike FIG. 1, 2 -can extend laterally beyond the battery 1, with laterally next to the battery 1 further insulator regions. che 22 are provided, around which the angle-shaped terminal contact 8 is placed. On the insulator top 4.1 extend in this embodiment, for example, two parallel interconnect tracks 14; It may also be provided according to other connecting lines 14. A component, for example the evaluation chip 24 or the sensor element 25, is contacted on the conductor tracks 10, 12, 14 in a manner known per se by means of contact means 26, eg conductive adhesive bumps 26 and / or solder bumps 26. Advantageously, an underfill material 28 or filling material, for example epoxy resin, is filled between the component 24 and the insulator surface 4.1 for passivation and insulation of the conductor tracks 10, 12, 14 and the connecting medium bumps 26, wherein the underfill material 28 also supplements the substrate 2 to the Surrounds sides and towards the bottom so that it includes this advantageously completely.

The evaluation chip 24 may, for. B. an ASIC, and the sensor element 25 in particular a pressure sensor or sensor chip for measuring an air pressure, but also z. B. a sensor chip for measuring infrared radiation for spectroscopic detection of at least one gas concentration and / or a mass flow sensor.

FIG. 4 shows a sensor module 120 with a rod-shaped structure of its substrate 116. In this case, cylindrical insulators 104a, 104b with the same diameter as the battery 1 are provided on the top and bottom sides of the battery 1. Both isolators 104a, 104b respectively have an opening 105a, 105b with contact pins 106a, 106b corresponding to the insulator 4 of FIG. 1, so that both poles M, P of the battery 1 are contacted in the axial direction via the contact pins 106a, 106b , A terminal contact 108a allows the contact of the pole M on the insulator 104a; corresponds speaking, a terminal contact 108b allows the contacting of the pole P on the insulator 104b, so that both the plus and the minus terminal are available on the upper sides of both insulators 104a, 204b. Further contact guides 110 and 111 (largely hidden) between the upper sides of the insulators 104 a, b are used for data transmission. Thus, the substrate 216 serves as a substrate on both sides, in which both on the top and on the bottom of components 24 - for example, an evaluation circuit - and 25 - can be contacted - for example, a sensor element 25 -. According to FIG. 4, when mounting the components 24, 25 on the opposite sides, an elongate or rod-shaped structure can be achieved.

FIG. 5 shows a sensor module 220, in which the battery 1 is arranged between an upper intermediate substrate 221 and a lower intermediate substrate 222. On the underside of the upper intermediate substrate 221, a metal contact 224 for the positive pole P of the battery 1 is provided. Accordingly, a metal contact 226 for the negative pole M of the underside 1.2 of the battery 1 is formed on the upper side of the lower intermediate substrate 222. The metal contacts 224, 226 are contacted with the upper sides of the respective other intermediate substrate 222, 221 via contact pins 208 extending laterally next to the battery 1. Further, in each intermediate substrate 221, 222, there is a via 234, 236 between the respective metal contact 224, 226 and the outside - i. the upper side 221a of the upper intermediate substrate 221 and the lower side 222a of the lower intermediate substrate 222, respectively. Thus, both terminals of the battery 1 are provided on the outside of each intermediate substrate 221, 222, wherein on the intermediate substrates 221, 222, in turn, the conductor tracks 10,12, 14 of the embodiments described above are formed.

Both on the upper side 221a of the upper intermediate substrate 221 and on the lower side 222a of the lower intermediate substrate 222, one or more components, for example the evaluation chip 24 and / or the sensor element 25 can be contacted on the conductor tracks 10, 12, 14. Only the For clarity, here the lower intermediate substrate 222 is not populated. The substrate 216 comprising the battery 1 and the intermediate substrates 221, 222 advantageously has a rectangular outer shape which is thus compatible with a wide variety of applications.

6 shows a pressure sensor module 320, in which the poles P and M of the battery 1 with the intermediate substrates 321, 322 arranged above and below them are directly or via angular connection contacts 328 and, if appropriate, plated-through holes 234, 236 corresponding to the through-connections 234, 236 of FIG. 5 are contacted. Here, on the upper side of the upper intermediate substrate 321, a sensor element 25 and on the underside of the lower intermediate substrate 322 an evaluation chip 24 via Verbindungsungsmittelbumps 26 contacted.

After assembly of upper intermediate substrate 321 and lower intermediate substrate 322 to battery 1 and possibly an antenna 324 contacted to lower intermediate substrate 322, the assembly thus formed is lowered head down into a lower mold 332 until upper intermediate substrate 321 on an upper mold 330 or a seal 334 rests and subsequently with a passivation agent, eg Epoxy resin 338 potted. The sensor element 25 provided on the upper side of the upper intermediate substrate 321 remains spared by the passivation agent. Between the sensor element 25 and the upper side of the upper intermediate substrate 321, an underfiller 329 for passivating the connecting medium bumps 26 can be applied in advance.

Claims

claims

A component module, in particular for measuring a gas pressure in a vehicle tire, which has at least: a voltage-generating device (1) with an upper side and a

Underside and two connection poles (P, M), a substrate (2, 116, 216), on the substrate top conductor tracks (10, 12, 14) are formed, of which at least two conductor tracks (10, 12) with the terminal poles (P, M) are connected and at least one further conductor track (14) as connecting line (14) free from contact with the terminal poles (P, M) of the voltage generating device (1), a component (24, 25) which on the Conductor tracks (10, 12, 14) mounted on the substrate top and contacted, wherein the voltage generating means (1) is a part of the substrate

(2, 116, 216), and wherein the voltage generating means (1) in the substrate (2, 116, 216) has a supporting function.

Second component module according to claim 1, characterized in that the voltage-generating device (1) is a non-rechargeable battery (1), a rechargeable battery (1) or a fuel cell.

3. The module according to claim 1, characterized in that the substrate (2, 116, 216) has at least one insulator layer (4, 104a, b) applied to the upper side and / or the underside of the voltage-generating device (1) the at least part of the conductor tracks (10, 12, 14) is formed.

4. Module module according to claim 3, characterized in that the voltage-generating device (1) has its first terminal pole (P) on its upper side (1.1) and its second connection pole (M) on its lower side (1.2), a first pole contact (6) from the first connection pole (P) through the insulator layer (4, 104a) to the upper side of the insulator layer (4, 104a) and contacted with a conductor track (10), and a second pole contact (8) from the second terminal pole (M) from the underside of the voltage generating device (1) laterally adjacent to the voltage generating device (1) up to the Top of the insulator layer (4, 104 a) out and connected to a second conductor track (12).

5. The module according to claim 4, characterized in that the first connection pole (P) with the first conductor (10) by means of a through the insulator layer (4, 104 a) extending contact pin (6, 106 a) is contacted.

6. Device module according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that both on the top and the underside of the voltage generating device (1) insulator layers (104a, b) formed on the insulator layers printed conductors (10, 12, 14) and applied with the terminal poles (P, M) of the voltage generating device (1) are contacted.

7. The component module according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one insulator layer (4; 104a, b) is not self-supporting.

8. The component module according to claim 3, wherein the voltage-generating device is accommodated between two intermediate substrates, each of which has a metal contact on its side facing the voltage-generating device (1) ) for contacting with the respective Terminal pole (P, M) of the voltage generating device (1), wherein the intermediate substrates (221, 222) via vertically adjacent to the voltage generating means (1) extending contacts (208) are contacted with each other.

9. component module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one component (24, 25) is contacted on formed on its underside contact pads on the conductor tracks (10, 12, 14).

10. The component module according to claim 9, characterized in that the at least one component (24, 25) is mounted in flip-chip technology.

11. The module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that around the voltage generating means (1), the conductor tracks (10, 12, 14) and optionally the at least one insulator layer (4; 104a, b) a filling material (28, 338) is trained.

12. Component module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a sensor module (20, 120, 220, 320), wherein at least one on the substrate (2, 116, 216) recorded component (25) has a sensor chip (25) is.

13. The component module according to claim 12, characterized in that it has an evaluation chip (24), e.g. an ASIC, which is arranged and contacted laterally next to the sensor chip (25) on the substrate upper side of the substrate (2, 116, 216).

14. The component module according to claim 12, characterized in that it has an evaluation chip (24), for example an ASIC, which is arranged and contacted on the substrate underside of the substrate.

15. Component module according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the filling material (28, 338) leaves free at least one upper side of the sensor chip (25) and optionally covers the evaluation chip (24).

16. Component module according to one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that it comprises an antenna (324) for emitting measurement signals or evaluation values obtained from measured values.

17. Component module according to one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the sensor chip is a pressure sensor chip (25) for measuring a gas pressure.

18. A method of using a component module according to claim 17 in a vehicle tire, wherein the sensor chip (25) is a pressure sensor chip (25) for measuring a gas pressure in the vehicle tire.

19. Method according to claim 18, characterized in that the component module (20, 120, 220, 320) is vulcanized into the rubber material of the vehicle tire.