Abstract:
Electrical connectors are provided with spring contact elements each having a tapered contact portion for mating with the plated rim of a hole. The tapered contact portion can be configured as a bifurcated cone, a suitably shaped wire, or other tapered, flexible contact. Besides the contact portion, the contact elements also include spring portions which can assume various configurations and tail portions which can also assume various configurations. Where the tapered contact portion is a suitably shaped wire, the spring portion and the contact portion are essentially the same. The tail portions can be arranged to have tapered contact portions where permanent connection of the tail is not desired. The disclosed electrical connectors have housings for the spring contact elements, and a first make, last break function can be provided by configuring the housings appropriately. The holes with which the tapered spring contact elements mate can be part of a printed circuit board, a flex circuit, or other object.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit package is provided with a plurality of contact element leads, each lead having a first portion for making electrical connection with the integrated circuit and a second tapered contact portion for mating with a conductive rim of the hole of a circuit board. In conjunction with the integrated circuit package, a fastener is provided for holding the tapered contact elements in mating relationship with the conductive rims. The tapered contact portion of the lead of the integrated circuit package may take any of various forms, as long as the lead is tapered and resilient so that proper mating with a conductive rim can be accomplished. Likewise, the fastener which holds the tapered contact elements in mating relationship with the conductive rims may take any of numerous forms. All that is required is that the fastener couple to both the circuit board and the integrated circuit package, and that the integrated circuit package be removable from the fastener.
Abstract:
Both a system and a method are provided for electrically and mechanically connecting at least one integrated circuit die to a solderless printed wiring board of the type which uses connecting interfaces which include an array of resilient electrical connector means held within a sheet of compliant, insulating material. The system of the invention generally comprises a fanout interface formed from a sheet of insulating material integrally connected to the side of an integrated circuit die that includes the bond pads associated with such dies, wherein the fanout interface includes an internal array of contact pads that are connected to the bond pads of the die, and an external array of contact pads on its exterior surface which are advantageously spaced farther apart than the bond pads of the die. The system further comprises a connecting interface having an array of resilient electrical connectors disposed between the external surface of the fanout interface of the die, and an array of contact pads mounted directly on the printed wiring board. Finally, a screw-type heat conductive retainer is provided in order to compress the resilient electrical connectors of the connecting interface into conducting engagement between the contact pads on the fanout interface and the printed wiring board.
Abstract:
An electronic component (16, 18) having contact pads (20) is surface mounted to a circuit board (27) by means of electrical terminals (1) each comprising a head (2) having a flat, contact pad engaging, face (6) and a shank (4), which may be in form of a compliant pin, extending normally of the pad engaging face (6). Each pad engaging surface (6) has a gold covering provided by electroplating or by inlaying. The circuit board (27) has metal lined through holes (30) in the same pattern as the pads (20) of the electronic component (16, 18). The shank (4) of each terminal (1) is inserted into the metal lining (36) of a respective hole (30) in the circuit board (27) so that the head (2) of the terminal (1) lies against a land (38) of one of the linings (36), after which the electronic component (16, 18) is seated on the circuit board (27) with each contact pad (20) of the electronic component (16, 18) in engagement with the gold covered face (6) a respective terminal (1). Another embodiment of the invention includes an array (50) of contacts interposed between the components (16, 17) and the circuit board (27) so that the contacts (52) are electrically in between the pads (20) and the respective gold covered faces (6).
Abstract:
The present invention is a compression connection apparatus for electrically connecting a disc drive motor to electronic signal sources. The apparatus comprises a circuit board attached to a disc drive motor having a pattern of metal contacts and each metal contact is attached to the internal motor electronics, a flexible printed circuit cable attached to the disc drive assembly's base deck having a pattern of metal contacts matching the metal contacts on the motor mounted circuit board, and a means for providing compressive force to maintain conductive contact between the aforementioned metal contacts.
Abstract:
An apparatus for surface mounting an integrated circuit package onto a printed circuit board. Cantilever beams from a housing member extend inwardly toward a central opening and reside upon portion of the lead making contact to the printed circuit board. A tightening of the housing member onto the circuit board by retaining means causes the cantilever beam to provide a downward force to maintain lead contact to the electrical contact, as well as a sideward force for retaining the integrated circuit stationary.
Abstract:
A pluggable electrical connector is provided having contact elements with first ends soldered to a daughter board, midsections which are crimped and bent through ninety degrees, and second ends which have a converging portion and which terminate in bifurcated conical contact portions which make contact with the rims of contact-quality plated through holes of a mother board. By causing contact between the rim and the cone surface, normal forces greater than the mating force are generated. The connector housing includes self-centering funnel openings adjacent the mother board for centering the converging portions of the contact elements therein in a nominal position and for acting as a preloading stop. The housing also includes side-wall locking tabs which hold adjacent rows of contacts at identical fixing points relative to the ninety-degree bend to ensure identical spring parameters for all contact elements. By arranging the housing properly, the contact elements can be manufactured into preloaded spring contacts during assembly by bending and locking the first ends of the contacts past the side-wall locking tabs. Cams or retracting bars can be used with rows or individual contacts to create a ZIF connector and/or a selectively engaged pin enabled connector. Magnets, springloaded jack screws, or the like are used in conjunction with the connector to establish and maintain force during mating.
Abstract:
A solderless printed wiring board module for receiving and securing surface mounted solderless electronic component carrier and electronic components without carrier upon a printed wiring board, the module also providing a heat transfer path to a surface away from the printed wiring board and the module further adaptable to electrical and mechanical attachment to similar modules placed adjacent to said module to form a multi-module assembly.
Abstract:
An electrical component attachment for securing discrete components to a rigid circuit board without the use of plated-through holes. A unitary sheet member has a membrane portion and a flap portion. The membrane portion lies on one side of the circuit board. The flap portion wraps around an edge of the circuit board and is adhesively secured to the other side of the board. An electrical component is disposed between the flap portion and the board so as to be secured thereto by the flap portion. The sheet has conductive traces which contact the leads of the electrical component, providing electrical connection thereto. The sheet may have a tail onto which the traces extend for connection to external circuitry.
Abstract:
This disclosure describes an electrical connector for joining microcircuit or microcircuit modules, such as leadless integrated or hybrid circuit carriers to utilization means, such as printed or etched circuit boards or similar means. The electrical contacts through which the microcircuit and utilization means are connected are formed and etched in place on an elastomeric material, precisely located; the material acting as a restoring force to maintain connection. The connector when used in a system maintains transmission line mediums in a single environment.