The present invention relates generally to high-density electrical interconnections structures and more particularly to such an interconnection structure that may be used in interposer applications and to connect electrical devices to circuit boards.
Microelectronic devices such as state-of-the-art microprocessors require large numbers of reliable connections in increasingly-small areas. As the number of connections between an electronic device and a substrate to which the device is to be mounted increases, the likelihood that just a single connections will not be made or will fail increases.
In “wave soldering,” an electronic components is soldered to a substrate by flowing molten solder over a substrate in which electronic components are mounted. A substrate, to which electronic components are to be soldered, is passed over the flowing, molten solder such that exposed metal and fluxed surfaces on the lower surface of the substrate surface wick the molten solder upward from the solder bath. As the substrate with the wicked, molten solder moves away from the molten solder bath, the solder cools and solidifies, establishing an electrical connection between electronic devices and soldered surfaces of the substrate.
As connection density increases in the electronic arts and lead lengths from electronic devices decreases, the increasing number of connections that must be made make it statistically more likely that even a single connection will not be made or will fail. Even minor irregularities in a substrate's planarity can cause connection problems.
One problem with prior art soldering techniques arises when the contact surfaces of a substrate and an electronic device are separated from each other by different distances. For example, if one or two contact leads or one or two contact surfaces of a microprocessor are more widely separated from a planar substrate than the other contact leads or contact surfaces, the molten solder might not wick between the substrate and the more-distant contact surfaces of the electronic device. Prior art soldering techniques suffer from an inability to make a connection when the spacing or distance between contact surfaces of two devices or surfaces to be joined, varies by more than a small amount.
When even a single connection between an electronic device and its supporting substrate is either not made at the time of manufacture, or fails while in use, the cost to identify a failed electrical connection and to repair it can often exceed the cost to manufacture the product in which the electronic device and supporting substrate operates. Improving the manufacturability of electrical connections and improving the reliability of electrical connections after manufacture would be an improvement over the prior art.
The present invention is directed to a connector structure that is suitable for use in high-density applications, is easy to manufacture and which provides a reliable contact force while avoiding the aforementioned shortcomings.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a connector device that has a plurality of flexible, conductive rings arranged in an array so as to contact conductive pads on a circuit board and contacts or contact pads of an opposing electronic device.
Microelectronic devices are electrically connected and mounted to a circuit board or other planar surface using small conductive hollow rings between electrical contacts of an electronic device and a circuit board or substrate. Each ring is a band of pliant conductive material that extends around a center point. An axis of rotation extends through each ring. Each ring's axis of rotation is substantially parallel to the other axes or rotation and to the plane of the substrate and the plane of the electronic device.
Each ring acts as a small, round spring-type of contact which will deform when a force is directed toward the interior of the ring from any direction. When the force is removed, the ring will return to its original shape. The resilient behavior of the rings provide a small, flexible interconnection which can accommodate variations in the planarity of opposing surfaces. Each ring's flexibility also accommodates circuit board or substrate flexing as well as impacts and vibration.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.
In the course of this detailed description, the reference will be frequently made to the attached drawings in which:
The ring is preferably made up of a band of pliant conductive material, such as a copper or gold alloy or a spring steel coated or plated with a good conductor such as copper or gold. Alternate embodiments can include resilient plastics that are either plated or otherwise conductively coated. Regardless of its material, as is true of all rings, the material from which it is made is centered about a point in space 12 through which extends an axis of rotation 14 for the ring 10. A force, F, exerted on the ring 10 from the exterior, and directed radially inward of the ring, will cause the ring 10 to deflect as shown in
The ring 10 illustrated is provided with two strips, or bands, of nickel-plating 20, 22 that run along the side of the ring 10 from one open end to the other. The nickel plating bands 20 and 22 act as and are referred to herein as solder barriers 20 and 22. As shown, they are substantially opposite to each other on the exterior surface of the ring 10. They prevent solder from wicking all the way up and around the circumference of the ring, thereby insuring that at least part of flexible ring side wall will not be soldered to the substrate 8 or an opposing surface, but rather will still remain pliant.
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment as shown in
The mounting rings 10 in
Inasmuch as the axes 14 extend into the plane of
The several discrete conductive hollow rings 10 each provide a redundant signal path along its body between conductive traces on the surface 8 of the substrate and connection points or nodes on the under side 6 of the electronic device 4. Signals can traverse both sides of the ring to get from circuits on the device 4 to circuits on the substrate 8 below. This dual signal path also assist in reducing the inductance of the system in which such contacts are used. As shown in
The connector 2 shown in
As shown in
The hollow, conductive rings are preferably made from electronically conductive metals that will also accept a solder barrier. Copper, silver and gold are excellent conductors and can be alloyed with other metals that can provide good resilience; they can also be locally plated with solder-barrier metals such as nickel. The rings 10 can also be formed from metal-plated plastics.
Those of skill in the art will appreciate that since each of the rings 10 can be slightly compressed from its original shape that the rings can overcome slight variations in the planarity of the substrate 8 and/or the electronic device 4. By providing a solder barrier that prevents solder from wicking all the way around a ring, each ring's flexible side walls acts as a small round spring and will deform when a force is directed toward the interior of the ring. When the force is removed, the ring will return to its original shape. The resilient behavior of the rings provide a small, flexible interconnection which can accommodate variations in the planarity of opposing surfaces. Each ring's flexibility also accommodates circuit board or substrate flexing as well as impacts and vibration. The resulting connection between the substrate 8 and an electronic device 4 is more tolerant of substrate and/or device flexing. The connection is also less susceptible to shock or vibration-induced failure.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.
This application is a continuation application of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/139,846 filed May 27, 2005 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,291, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Nos. 60/575,347 and 60/575,348, both of which were filed May 28, 2004.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4109378 | Davies | Aug 1978 | A |
4421370 | Treakle et al. | Dec 1983 | A |
5035628 | Casciotti et al. | Jul 1991 | A |
5071359 | Arnio et al. | Dec 1991 | A |
5199889 | McDevitt | Apr 1993 | A |
5214563 | Estes | May 1993 | A |
5679928 | Okano et al. | Oct 1997 | A |
5879172 | McKenna-Olson et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
5971253 | Gilleo et al. | Oct 1999 | A |
5984692 | Kumagai et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
6019610 | Glatts, III | Feb 2000 | A |
6027346 | Sinsheimer et al. | Feb 2000 | A |
6077091 | McKenna-Olson et al. | Jun 2000 | A |
6204455 | Gilleo et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6224394 | Matsumoto | May 2001 | B1 |
6686015 | Raab et al. | Feb 2004 | B2 |
6716037 | Kung et al. | Apr 2004 | B2 |
6722896 | McGrath et al. | Apr 2004 | B2 |
6840777 | Sathe et al. | Jan 2005 | B2 |
6873168 | Kazama | Mar 2005 | B2 |
6939142 | Maruyama et al. | Sep 2005 | B2 |
20010016433 | Pieper | Aug 2001 | A1 |
20030003784 | Neidich | Jan 2003 | A1 |
20040002234 | Masao et al. | Jan 2004 | A1 |
20050266703 | Noda et al. | Dec 2005 | A1 |
20050277309 | Noda et al. | Dec 2005 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
1049205 | Nov 2000 | EP |
1315244 | May 2003 | EP |
1381116 | Jan 2004 | EP |
3236975 | Oct 2001 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20070123067 A1 | May 2007 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60575347 | May 2004 | US | |
60575348 | May 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 11139846 | May 2005 | US |
Child | 11657995 | US |