Electronic systems are ubiquitous today, and electronic systems often require a variety of electrical connectors. Many different types of electrical interconnection are used, for example, cable to cable, cable to circuit board, circuit board to circuit board, integrated circuit package to circuit board, semiconductor die to integrated circuit package. Techniques for creating electrical interconnections vary depending on the situation, and include pin and socket connectors, card edge connectors, splices, elastomeric connectors, etc. Some connections are permanent and others temporary, allowing plugging together and unplugging a mating pair of connectors.
Across many different electrical interconnection techniques, a common desire to achieve high density interconnection appears. With the prevalence of miniaturized electronics, such as cell phone, personal digital assistants, and the like, the need for high density interconnection is great.
Referring to connector mating pairs in more detail, various formats of connectors are known which can be plugged together and unplugged. For example, a well-known 9-pin miniature circular connector is used for interconnection between a personal computer and peripherals such as a keyboard or mouse. Many common connectors are constructed from a plastic or rubber housing into which stamped metal contacts are placed. Pins are provided on one connector, and sockets on the mating connector, such that the pins plug or slide into the sockets when the connectors are mated. Connector contacts can be arranged in rows or circular patterns and are held within the housing various techniques. Some higher quality connectors use machined contacts and ceramic bodies to provide increased precision.
The state of the art in mateable connectors is demonstrated by so-called “nano-miniature” connectors which provide contact spacing of about 0.025 inch. Such spacing can theoretically provide interconnect density of up to 1600 connections per square inch, although typical connectors provide only one or two rows of contacts and under 100 contacts total. More common are so-called “micro-miniature” connectors with contact spacing of about 0.05 inch to 0.1 inch, providing theoretical interconnect density of a few hundred connections per square inch. In practice, however, housings included in such connectors result in actual connection density considerably below these theoretical values. Although common 32 AWG wires are about 0.008 inch (about 200 micrometer) in diameter (excluding insulation), the connector technology is relatively large compared to the wires. Even smaller wires are available. Connection of wires to these connectors is typically performed by crimping, clamping, insulation displacement blades, or soldering. Placing connectors onto a wire bundle can be a tedious and expensive manufacturing processing.
In some applications, there is also a need to include other types of connections, such as fluid or optical connections in additional to electrical connections. Few techniques for making both electrical and other types of connections simultaneously are known.
The present invention includes ultra-high density connectors which help to overcome problems and deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
In accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, an ultra-high density connector can be used for a variety of applications. An ultra-high density electrical connector includes a bundle of substantially parallel elongate cylindrical elements. Each of the cylindrical elements is substantially in contact with at least one adjacent cylindrical element. The ends of the elongate cylindrical elements are disposed differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional interdigitating mating surface. Electrical contacts are disposed on one or more of the elongate cylindrical elements in a position to tangentially engage a corresponding electrical contact of a mating connector.
The present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings merely depict exemplary embodiments of the present invention they are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope. It will be readily appreciated that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, can be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Nonetheless, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
a and 5b illustrates a side view and end view, respectively, of a variety of electrically conductive contact arrangements in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
a and 6b illustrate cross-section views of a pair of mated ultra-high density electrical connectors in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
The following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and in which are shown, by way of illustration, exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that various changes to the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is presented for purposes of illustration only and not limitation to describe the features and characteristics of the present invention and to sufficiently enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims.
The following detailed description and exemplary embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the elements and features of the invention are designated by numerals throughout.
In describing the present invention, the following terminology will be used.
The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a microfilament includes reference to one or more microfilament.
As used herein, the term “about” means quantities, dimensions, sizes, formulations, parameters, shapes and other characteristics need not be exact, but may be approximated and/or larger or smaller, as desired, reflecting acceptable tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like and other factors known to those of skill in the art.
Numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to 5, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as 1-3, 2-4, and 3-5, etc. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value and should apply regardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristics being described.
As used herein, a plurality of items may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary.
In general, the present invention is directed towards an ultra-high density connector system. The connector can be constructing using a bundle of substantially parallel micro filaments, where individual microfilaments can serve a variety of functions, including for example contacts, spacers, key elements, supporting structure, protective elements, etc.
With reference to
As can be seen, each cylindrical element is touching at least one adjacent cylindrical element. For example, the bundle can be a one-dimensional linear arrangement of elongate cylindrical elements as shown in
Referring to
The elongate cylindrical elements 12 of the ultra-high density electrical connector 10 can be held together in a variety of ways. For example, the elongate cylindrical elements can be bonded together by a bonding material (not shown) disposed on the outer surface of the elongate cylindrical element. By bonding the elongate cylindrical elements together, the electrical connector can be constructed without a housing. This can help to reduce the overall size of the electrical connector. As another example, the elongate cylindrical elements can be held together by inserting the bundle into a ferule or housing structure (not shown). As yet another example, outermost elongate cylindrical elements can serve as a sheath for the connector.
The elongate cylindrical elements of an ultra-high density electrical connector can be arranged in various ways. For example, as illustrated in
It will be appreciated that the elongate cylindrical elements can have a variety of different cross-sections, including for example round, oval, triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, and in general polygonal cross-section. It is not essential that the elongate cylindrical elements have a constant cross-section; the cross-section can be variable. For example, a particular geometry can be micro-machined onto the elongate cylindrical elements before assembly of the ultra-high density electrical connector. The elongate cylindrical elements can also have a bore, making them in a tubular configuration. Additionally, the elongate cylindrical elements can have cross sectional shapes that are similar to or different from each other.
Various types of elongate cylindrical elements can be used in embodiments of the present invention. For example, the elongate cylindrical elements can be a filamentary structure such as a microwire, insulated microwire, glass fiber, silicon fiber, and the like. A mixture of different types of filamentary structures can be used, including for example filamentary structures of different cross-section geometry, different composition, or both. For example, various ways are known to draw a glass fiber having a desired cross section. Some of the elongate cylindrical elements can be high strength materials, such as an aramid fiber, to help provide strength to the bundle.
As a more specific example, with reference to
Note that microwires can be used for both the ultra-high density connector and the wire bundle to be interconnected. In other words, the connector can be an integral part of an interconnecting cable, by using the wires within the cable as some of the elongate cylindrical elements of the connector. This provides a benefit in reducing the need to provide a connection between the wires and a separate connector element as is the case in known connectors.
Turning to the three-dimensional interdigitating mating surface 16 in further detail, it will be appreciated that the mating surface can take on various forms, including for example, an irregular arrangement as illustrated in
The elongate cylindrical elements having electrically conductive contacts can be referred to as active elements, and the remaining elongate cylindrical elements can be referred to as spacer elements. In one embodiment, all of the active elements can have their ends in a first plane, and all of the spacer elements can have their ends in a second plane, different from the first plane, for example as illustrated in
Turning to the mating aspects and electrical contacts in further detail,
As shown in
Multiple electrical connections can be carried on a single cylindrical element. For example, as shown in
Note that a mating pair of contacts need not have the same geometry. For example, a conductive strip 52 can interface with a conductive ring 56. Furthermore, contacts can be placed at a variety of different positions or orientations on the elongate cylindrical elements provided that mating contacts will tangentially engage. For example, an active element can include more than one contact. As another option, the conductive region can be provided by the surface of the corresponding elongate cylindrical element itself, for example, where the elongate cylindrical element is a conductive material.
a and 6b illustrate cross-sectional views of a pair of mated ultra-high density electrical connectors 60, 60′ in a wire-to-wire connection, connecting two wire bundles 64, 64′, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
The sheath 68 may be clamped around the mated connectors to help press the contacts together and provide a reliable connection. The sheath can be a clamp, wrap around, thermo-tightening sleeve, or similar arrangement. The spacer elements can be an elastic material, so that when clamped, pressure is maintained on the electrical contacts.
As will now be appreciated, an ultra-high density connector in accordance with the present invention can provide extremely high-density interconnection. For example, 32 AWG wire has a diameter of about 0.008 inch (200 micrometer) excluding insulation. Finer wires are available, however, including insulated wires (e.g., magnet wire) as small at 60 AWG (about 0.0003 inch or 8 micrometer diameter). Such very small wires are highly desirable in applications where space is a premium, such as miniaturized electronics. As another example, some biomedical applications require wires to be threaded through parts of the body. Connectors having comparably small scale can be achieved using embodiments of the present invention.
For example, the elongate cylindrical elements can have a diameter of about 0.008 inch or less (about 0.2 millimeter or less). Using a contact arrangement as illustrated in
Although the foregoing discussion has focused primarily on electrical connections, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to just electrical connectors. Hybrid connectors are also possible. For example, as discussed above, the elongate cylindrical elements can be glass fibers or tubes.
Considering the hybrid connector 70 in more detail, spacer elements 78 can be selected to provide various functions. For example, as noted above, elastic spacer elements can be used to help maintain contact pressure on electrical elements 72 when mated connectors are clamped. As another example, spacer elements can be positioned around fluid communication elements 76 to function as a sealing gasket.
Electronic circuitry may be built into the connector as will now be described. Electronic circuitry can be microfabricated onto an elongate cylindrical element using cylindrical lithography, for example as described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,106,455, 5,269,882, and 5,273,622 to Jacobsen et al., herein incorporated by reference. Accordingly, a connector can include circuitry to monitor the integrity of the connector, such as a thermocouple, moisture sensor, or the like. Information from the electronic circuitry can be communicated via electrical or optical signals along elements within the bundle dedicated to that purpose.
An interconnection method will now be described. The interconnection method, shown generally at 80, is illustrated in flow chart form in
Because very small connectors can be formed using micro filaments, it may be helpful to use a fixture to plug the connectors together. Accordingly, the method 80 can include inserting the first and second electrical connectors into a mating fixture. The method 80 can further include clamping a sheath around the first connector and the second connector, for example, as described above.
Finally, a method of making an ultra-high density connector will now be described. The method, shown generally at 90, is shown in flow diagram form in
In forming the bundle, ends of the elongate cylindrical elements are disposed differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional interdigitating mating surface, as described above. For example, the bundle can be stacked up by placing a first elongate cylindrical element in a manufacturing jig, and then added elongate cylindrical elements on top of or along side of previously placed elongate cylindrical elements and sliding the elongate cylindrical elements along until a stop in the manufacturing jig is reached. The manufacturing jig can thus include a set of stops that define the three-dimensional interdigitating mating surface.
Alternately, the ends of the elongate cylindrical elements can initially be disposed in a common plane, and then the three-dimensional interdigitating mating surface defined by preferentially etching some of the elongate cylindrical elements. For example, cylindrical elements can be of different materials. As another example, etch-resist can be deposited on some of the cylindrical elements before forming of the bundle.
The method 90 also includes fixing 96 the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements together. For example, the cylindrical elements can be held together in a bundle by being bonded together or by being inserted inside a sleeve, ferule, or housing. For example, a bonding compound can be coated onto an outer surface of the elongate cylindrical elements before forming the bundle. Alternately, a bonding compound can be applied to the bundle after it is formed.
The method can include forming at least one electrically conductive region on an outer surface of at least one elongate cylindrical element. For example, electrically conductive regions can be formed using cylindrical lithography techniques as described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,106,455, 5,269,882, and 5,273,622 to Jacobsen et al., herein incorporated by reference. The conductive regions can be of various geometries, for example as discussed above. For example, multiple layers of conductive and/or insulating materials can be formed on the elongate cylindrical element to enable three-dimensional structures on the surface of the elongate cylindrical element to be formed.
Summarizing and reiterating to some extent, it can be appreciated from the foregoing that embodiments of the present invention can provide an ultra-high density connector having a number of benefits. An ultra-high density connector as taught herein can be used to provide various types of interfaces, including electrical, optical, and fluid. An ultra-high density connector can provide a large number of electrical circuit connections in a very small volume, providing orders of magnitude improvement in connection density over known molded pin and socket type connectors. By bonding the cylindrical elements together, for example by glue or epoxy, the need for a housing can be reduced, providing an even smaller connector. Microwires used for an interconnecting cable can be used as integral part of the connector, helping to improve reliability and reduce manufacturing cost. Examples of applications for ultra-high density connectors include interfacing to microscopic probe arrays, interfacing to electrical circuits, or similar applications.
The foregoing detailed description describes the invention with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. However, it will be appreciated that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. The detailed description and accompanying drawings are to be regarded as merely illustrative, rather than as restrictive, and all such modifications or changes, if any, are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention as described and set forth herein.
More specifically, while illustrative exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described herein, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but includes any and all embodiments having modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., of aspects across various embodiments), adaptations and/or alterations as would be appreciated by those in the art based on the foregoing detailed description. The limitations in the claims are to be interpreted broadly based the language employed in the claims and not limited to examples described in the foregoing detailed description or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive. For example, in the present disclosure, the term “preferably” is non-exclusive where it is intended to mean “preferably, but not limited to.” Any steps recited in any method or process claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented in the claims. Means-plus-function or step-plus-function limitations will only be employed where for a specific claim limitation all of the following conditions are present: a) “means for” or “step for” is expressly recited in that limitation; b) a corresponding function is expressly recited in that limitation; and c) structure, material or acts that support that function are described within the specification. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined solely by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the descriptions and examples given above.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/637,509, entitled “Ultra-High Density Electrical Connector”, filed Dec. 11, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,333,699, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/749,777, filed Dec. 12, 2005, entitled “Ultra-High Density Electrical Connector” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/749,873, filed Dec. 12, 2005, entitled “Multi-Element Probe Array,” each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
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