The present invention generally relates to interconnection systems for high speed electronics systems, and more particularly to an electrical contact assembly and connector system that is adapted for use in electronic systems that are capable of high speed data transmission.
High density integrated circuit (IC) packages that house LSI/VLSI type semiconductor devices are well known. Input/output contacts for such IC packages are often arranged in such a dense pattern (sometimes more than five hundred closely spaced contacts) that direct soldering of the IC package to a substrate, such as a printed wiring or circuit board (PCB) creates several significant problems related to inspection and correction of any resulting soldering faults as well as thermal expansion mismatch failures.
Land grid array (LGA) connectors are known for interconnecting IC packages to PCB's. LGA's typically do not require soldering procedures during engagement with the PCB. Referring to
Prior art LGA assemblies E are known which include an insulative housing and a plurality of resilient conductive contacts F received in passageways formed in the housing. The resilient conductive contacts typically have exposed portions at the upper and lower surfaces of the insulative housing for engaging flat contact pads B,C. When IC package A is accurately positioned in overlying aligned engagement with PCB D, such that conductive pads B engage conductive pads C, a normal force is applied to the exposed portions of each resilient conductive contact to electrically and mechanically engage the respective contact pads.
The resilient conductive contacts associated with prior art LGA's have had a variety of shapes. A commonly used form of resilient conductive contact includes two free ends connected by a curved portion which provides for the storage of elastic energy during engagement with the IC package and PCB. Prior art resilient conductive contacts are usually a single metal structure in the form of a spring to provide the required elastic response during service while also serving as a conductive element for electrical connection. Typically, a combination of barrier metal and noble metal platings is applied to the surface of the spring for corrosion prevention and for electrical contact enhancement. It is often the case that these platings are not of sufficient thickness for electrical conduction along the surface of the spring. Examples of such prior art resilient conductive contacts may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,153,177; 3,317,885; 3,513,434; 3,795,884; 4,029,375; 4,810,213; 4,820,376; 4,838,815; 4,922,376; 5,030,109; 5,061,191; 5,232,372; and 5,473,510. The foregoing patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
A problem exists in the high density electrical interconnection art in that a good material for the construction of a spring, such as a high strength steel, is not a very good electrical conductor. On the other hand, a good electrical conductor, such as a copper alloy or precious metal, is often not a good spring material. There is a need for a simplified resilient conductive contact which incorporates the seemingly opposing requirements of good spring properties and high conductivity. Additionally, attributes, missing from the prior art that are necessary for a universally applicable electrical contact include: (i) extendibility to a large contact array at fine pitch, i.e., five mils or less and (ii) spring members of relatively small size but high elastic compliance, i.e., spring members capable of deflections in the elastic range of as much as thirty percent of their uncompressed or undeflected height, and with low contact force, i.e., less than twenty grams per contact. In addition, such a universally applicable electrical contact will be capable of high frequency transmittance of signals greater than 10 gigahertz, which would require a small self-inductance and therefore a short contact height. Also, a universally applicable electrical contact will be capable of high current capacity, i.e., having less than 10 milliohm bulk resistance per contact and low contact resistance. Furthermore, a universally applicable electrical contact will be capable of high durability or high cycles of touchdowns, i.e., greater than five hundred thousand cycles, which requires a spring having a high elastic compliance to avoid permanent set in contact height under repeated compressive loadings as well as high fatigue strength. Additionally, a universally applicable electrical contact will be capable of high reliability with minimum degradation in contact resistance which often requires a noble metal contact surface and redundancy in contact points. Also, a universally applicable electrical contact will be capable of high service temperatures, i.e., often exceeding two hundred and fifty degrees centigrade, which requires the structural part of the electrical contact to be made of high melting temperature metals to prevent the relaxation of contact force. All of the foregoing will be essential, but will only help solve the problems in the art if achieved with low cost manufacturing, using conventional high volume tools and processes.
Therefore, an improved electrical contact system and assembly for use in a wide variety of electrical connector and interface sockets and interposers is needed which can overcome the drawbacks of conventional electrical contacts and exhibit the foregoing attributes.
The present invention provides a connector system having a housing that has a plurality of through openings. A plurality of electrical contact assemblies is provided where each includes at least one torsion spring supported upon a conductive mandrel. Each of the plurality of electrical contact assemblies is arranged within a corresponding one of the plurality of through openings such that each of the conductive mandrels is lodged within a respective one of the through openings.
In another aspect of the invention an electrical contact assembly is provided that includes at least one torsion spring supported upon a conductive mandrel. The at least one torsion spring includes at least a one and one half turn wound section that is outwardly biased by the conductive mandrel, with a first free end and a second free end emerging from the wound section in a substantially cantilevered inclined disposition relative to the conductive mandrel.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which are to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further wherein:
This description of preferred embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses, if used, are intended to cover the structures described, suggested, or rendered obvious by the written description or drawings for performing the recited function, including not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.
Referring to
Referring to
A second cantilevered arm 42a, 42b having a contact pad interface portion 51 is often formed at a position that is spaced from wound section 40 along the length of each of cantilevered arms 37, 39 by placing a bend or “crook” in each cantilevered arm 37, 39. In this way, a compound cantilevered spring configuration is created by the combination of each cantilevered arm 37, 39 with its respective second cantilevered arm 42a, 42b. This structural arrangement provides for a relatively small size (i.e., relative to the center line spacing of contact pads 23 and contact pads 24, e.g., five mils or less) with a high but adjustable elastic compliance that allows for compressive deflections of as much as thirty percent of the undeflected or uncompressed height of each cantilevered arm 37, 39, and with low contact forces that are routinely less than twenty grams per electrical contact assembly.
In another embodiment illustrated in
Straight torsion spring 30 and curved torsion spring 41 are often formed from hardened stainless steel, comparable other metal alloy wire having high melting temperature characteristics, hardened high temperature compatible copper alloys, or their equivalent, by conventional winding and forming methods known in the art. Importantly, the wire used to form either straight torsion spring 30 or curved torsion spring 41 should exhibit a high yield strength in the range from about 275 ksi to about 325 ksi, and most preferably 300 ksi or more. In one preferred embodiment, a preplated vacuum melted, 304V stainless steel has been used to form either straight torsion spring 30 or curved torsion spring 41 so as to provide high service temperature capability on the order of two hundred and fifty degrees centigrade while at the same time exhibiting high durability and high cycles of touchdowns that will exceed five hundred thousand cycles. This preferred material (preplated 304V stainless steel and related alloys) also provides the high elastic compliance which avoids permanent set in contact height under repeated compressive loadings and also exhibits high fatigue strength. A preplating regimen that has been found to yield adequate results includes a two hundred microinch copper layer for conductivity/bulk resistivity improvement, followed by a fifty microinch nickel barrier layer, and finally a fifty microinch gold outer layer for a 1.5 mil diameter stainless steel wire since copper plating thickness often varies with wire diameter.
Straight torsion spring 30 and curved torsion spring 41 are often formed from wires having an average diameter from about 0.5 to about 1.5 mils (thousandths of an inch) with about 1-1.5 mil diameter wire being preferred for interconnection applications requiring center line spacing in the range of 40 mils to 50 mils. In interconnection applications requiring center line spacings of 20 mils or less, an average wire diameter from about 0.5 mils to 1 mil will be preferable. For chip attach applications, having center line spacing requirements of 10 mils or less, an average wire diameter of 0.5 mils or less is preferable. In accordance with the present invention, the ability to select a particular wire diameter from the foregoing wire diameter ranges provides the ability to selectively adjust the elastic compliance of the cantilevered arms for optimization of both spring characteristics and bulk resistance that are needed for a particular application.
The outer surfaces of each contact pad interface portion 51, 53 may also have a heavier coating of gold (greater than fifty microinches) or of another highly conductive noble metal, such as, palladium, or other highly conductive metals alloys, or other means for conducting electricity so as to further improve the mechanical durability of the wearing surfaces of straight torsion springs 30 and curved torsion spring 41.
In one embodiment, mandrel 34 comprises a cylinder including a first end 60, a second end 62, and a curved outer surface 64 (
In a further embodiment of the invention, utilizing straight torsion spring 30 or curved torsion contact 41, individual mandrels 70 (
A connector system 2 may be assembled in accordance with the present invention in the following manner. A plurality of electrical contact assemblies 5 (comprising either straight torsion springs 30, curved torsion springs 41, mandrel 34, or mandrel 70) are created by first manipulating a length of preplated wire, e.g., preplated 304V stainless steel, so as to form either straight torsion spring 30 or curved torsion spring 41. It should be noted that wound sections 40, 47 are sized so as to have an internal diameter that is less than the external diameter of mandrel 34 or annular trough 76 of mandrel 70. The mandrel may be formed from a continuous length of preplated material that is then cut to predetermined lengths.
Once a plurality of torsion springs have been formed, they are each place upon a mandrel (
A torsion spring is first loaded onto insertion head 94 so that free arms 37, 39 or 43, 45 are received within a respective slot 96. Once in this position, first diameter end 101 of hollow tapered insert 99 is inserted into the central opening that is defined by wound section 41, 47. As this occurs, the tapered configuration of hollow tapered insert 99 elastically expands wound section 40, 47 as the torsion spring moves from first diameter end 101 toward second diameter end 102. The torsion springs are slid back along hollow tapered insert 99 so as to expand each wound section 40 or 47 until each has an internal diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of a mandrel 34, 70. A mandrel 34, 70 is then inserted into second diameter end 102 of hollow tapered insert 99 (
As a result, each wound section 40 or 47 of each torsion spring 30, 41 is biased outwardly by the mandrel so as to exert a contact force upon outer surface 64. In addition, since each wound section 40 or 47 is preloaded by the mandrel, each arm 37, 39 or 43, 45 acts as a cantilever that is essentially clamped at the point 77 where it engages the mandrel (
Referring to
Referring to
Numerous advantages are obtained by employing the present invention. More specifically, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided which avoid the aforementioned problems associated with prior art devices. For one thing, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided that allows for a more simplified resilient conductive contact which incorporates the seemingly opposing requirements of good spring properties and high conductivity.
Additionally, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided that are extendible to a large contact array at fine pitch, i.e., five mils or less, with relatively small size, high elastic compliance, i.e., deflections of as much as thirty percent of the undeflected height of the electrical contact, and with low contact force, i.e., less than twenty grams per contact.
In addition, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided that are capable of high frequency transmittance of signals greater than ten gigahertz, due to low self-inductance created by a short contact height.
Also, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided that are capable of high current capacity, i.e., an electrical contact assembly having less than ten milliohm bulk resistance and low contact resistance.
Furthermore, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided that are capable of high durability or high cycles of touchdowns, i.e., greater than five hundred thousand cycles, utilizing a spring having a high elastic compliance that avoids permanent set in contact height under repeated compressive loadings and exhibits high fatigue strength.
Additionally, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided that are capable of high reliability with minimum degradation in contact resistance by employing a noble metal contact surface and redundancy in contact points via multiple mutually shorted circuited cantilevered beams.
Also, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided that are capable of high service temperatures often exceeding two hundred and fifty degrees centigrade, by employing structural parts of the electrical contact formed of high melting temperature metals, such as 304V stainless steel, that prevent the relaxation of contact force at high temperatures.
Moreover, an electrical contact assembly and connector system are provided which avoid the aforementioned problems associated with prior art devices with low cost manufacturing, using conventional high volume tools and processes.
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited only to the particular constructions herein disclosed and shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20070099445 A1 | May 2007 | US |