By Deforming Or Shaping Patents (Class 29/844)
  • Patent number: 7318277
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid jet head includes the steps of: forming a piezoelectric element on one plane of a passage-forming substrate with a vibration plate interposed therebetween, and removing the vibration plate in an area where a communicating portion is formed, thus forming a penetrated hole; forming a predetermined metal layer on the one plane of the passage-forming substrate on which the piezoelectric element is formed to seal the penetrated hole with the metal layer, and patterning the metal layer in an area corresponding to the piezoelectric element, thus forming a lead electrode; adhering a reservoir-forming plate, in which a reservoir portion is formed, to the one plane of the passage-forming substrate; wet-etching the passage-forming substrate from the other plane thereof until the vibration plate and the metal layer are exposed, thus forming a pressure generating chamber and the communicating portion; and removing the metal layer by etching to allow the reservoir portion and the communic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuro Torimoto, Akira Matsuzawa, Mutsuhiko Ota, Tetsushi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7310872
    Abstract: A computing device having an improved enclosure arrangement is disclosed. One aspect of the enclosure pertains to enclosure parts that are structurally bonded together to form a singular composite structure. In one embodiment, structural glue is used to bond at least two unique parts together. Another aspect of the enclosure pertains to enclosure parts that are electrically bonded together to form a singular integrated conductive member. In one embodiment, conductive paste is used to bond at least two unique parts together. The improved enclosure is particularly useful in portable computing devices such as laptop computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Kriege, Dan Hong, John DiFonzo, Stephen Zadesky, David Lynch, David Lundgren, Nick Merz
  • Patent number: 7310869
    Abstract: The ink jet head is provided with a piezo-electric sheet having a plurality of contacts distributed on a surface thereof. A flat connector is fixed so as to cover the surface of the piezo-electric sheet. A plurality of conductive spots and a plurality of conductive lines are formed on a surface of the flat connector. One of each of the conductive lines is connected with one of each of the conductive spots, and the plurality of conductive spots is disposed with the same distributive pattern as the plurality of contacts. The flat connector is provided with a sheet formed of an insulating material, and is provided with a plurality of projections corresponding to the conductive spots. At least a distal end of each of the projections is covered with one of the conductive spots. The flat connector and the piezoelectric sheet are fixed such that the conductive spots make contact with the contacts of the piezo-electric sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Nakayama
  • Patent number: 7299529
    Abstract: A process comprising, in a vacuum, depositing a bottom electrode layer and a piezoelectric layer over a cavity in a substrate, the cavity being filled with a sacrificial material, patterning and etching the piezoelectric layer and the bottom electrode layer to expose one or more edges of the bottom electrode layer and the piezoelectric layer, treating some or all of the one or more edges to prevent electrical contact between the bottom electrode layer and a top electrode layer, and depositing and etching the top electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Eyal Ginsburg, Dora Etgar-Diamant, Li-Peng Wang
  • Patent number: 7284317
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a printed circuit board (PCB) with an embedded resistor, in which a resistor with a desired shape and volume is precisely formed using a resistor paste so that resistance values according to a position of the PCB are uniform, thereby a laser trimming process is omitted or minimally utilized. The method has advantages in that a production time of the PCB is shortened and productivity is improved because an operation condition is rapidly set without being greatly affected by the position precision of a printing device. Other advantages of the method are that the resistor paste with a relatively uniform thickness is secured through a screen printing process, thereby easily forming the resistor and improving resistance tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suk-Hyun Cho, Jang-Kyu Kang, Byung-Kook Sun, Jong-Kuk Hong, Seok-Kyu Lee, Jin-Yong Ahn
  • Patent number: 7262076
    Abstract: A method for production of a semiconductor package which enables uniform conduction processing for all through holes covered by the conduction processing without being limited to any specific structure, is free from surface relief shapes and internal voids, and enables conduction processing simply, in a short time, at a low cost utilizing existing facilities, wherein the conduction processing of the through holes includes a step of press fitting a conductor into the through holes by a ball bonder and a step of flattening the exposed heads of the press-fit conductors by coining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Aizawa, Mitsutoshi Higashi
  • Patent number: 7254889
    Abstract: A spring system arrangement and a related connector are disclosed. The purpose is to allow the use of contact springs, such as coil contact springs, with relatively large size body, to be located on a small center distance, i.e. pitch, and to electrically connect with contact pads of high density electronic devices, having a small device pitch. The device pitch can be smaller than the diameter of the spring body itself. In order to achieve this desired small spring pitch and high density, the contact springs are located in a nested head-to-toe and/or staggered orientation. Furthermore, the connectors utilize guide plates, referred to as combs, to accurately control the alignment of the contact springs tips to the contact pads of the electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventor: Gabe Cherian
  • Patent number: 7240416
    Abstract: A method of forming a device, such as an electrode array for a cochlear implant. The method comprises a step of forming a predetermined pattern of relatively electrically conductive regions and relatively electrically resistive regions in a sheet of biocompatible electrically conductive material, such as platinum foil. The method can comprise a step of working on the sheet to remove predetermined portions therefrom to form the one or more discrete relatively conducting regions. The step of working on the sheet can comprise embossing the sheet, cutting or slicing the sheet, or using electrical discharge machining (EDM) to remove unwanted portions of the sheet, the EDM equipment having a cutting tool comprising an electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Dusan Milojevic, John Parker
  • Patent number: 7240427
    Abstract: A pin contact for pressing into electrical engagement with a plated section in a hole in a circuit board. The contact includes a deformable portion for engaging the plated section with a feed-through portion and a terminal portion at opposite ends thereof. An end part of the deformable portion adjacent to the feed-through portion is deformed prior to insertion of the deformable portion into the hole. This substantially eliminates deviation of the feed-through portion from a central longitudinal axis or rotational deviation of the contact caused by pressing of the contact into the hole. A method and apparatus for making the contact are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Belgium EC N.V.
    Inventor: Tom Ocket
  • Patent number: 7240432
    Abstract: A contactor is placed between a semiconductor device and a test board. A contact electrode of the contactor electrically connects the semiconductor device to the test board. The contact electrode is formed of a conductive layer provided on an insulating substrate. The contact electrode comprises a first contact piece which contacts a terminal of the semiconductor device, a second contact piece which contacts an electrode of the test board, and a connecting portion which electrically connects the first contact piece and the second contact piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Maruyama, Hirohisa Matsuki
  • Patent number: 7240433
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a thermal inkjet head equipped with a symmetrical heater and the head fabricated by the method are provided. The method incorporates two thick photoresist deposition processes and a nickel electroplating process. The first thick photoresist deposition process is carried out to form an ink chamber in fluid communication with a funnel-shaped manifold and an injector orifice. The second thick photoresist deposition process forms a mold for forming an injector passageway that leads to the injector orifice. The nickel electroplating process provides an orifice plate on top of the inkjet head through which an injector passageway that leads to the injector orifice is provided for injecting ink droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chen-Kuei Chung, Chun-Jun Lin, Chung-Chu Chen
  • Patent number: 7240428
    Abstract: A method for producing probes for atomic force microscopy comprises producing, on a surface of one side of a semiconductor substrate, one or more moulds for the production of one or more probe tips. One or more probe configurations and at least one set of a probe tip and a cantilever are also produced on the side of the substrate, wherein each configuration comprises a contact region for attachment of a holder. The surface area of each contact region is smaller in size than the surface area of the holder. The method further includes attaching one or more holders to the contact region(s), and releasing the probe configuration and the holder from the substrate by under-etching the probe configuration from the side of the substrate on which the probe configuration is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum vzw (IMEC)
    Inventor: Marc Fouchier
  • Patent number: 7237317
    Abstract: A process is provided for the production of a superconducting cable having a single cable core that contains at least one elongated superconducting element and a flexible tube that which surrounds the cable core. The process includes continuously pulling the single cable core from a supply unit, continuously pulling a metal strip from a strip supply unit and continuously forming a slotted tube around the cable care with the metal strip to form a slotted tube. The longitudinal slot of the slotted tube is welded shut corrugating the welded tube with the cable core inside the tube. The then semi-finished superconducting cable is wound in at least one turn on a cable drum, and the ends of the cable core are mechanically joined to the ends of the corrugated tube while the cable is on the cable drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Nexans
    Inventor: Klaus Schippl
  • Patent number: 7213327
    Abstract: A method for fabricating the embedded thin film resistors of a printed circuit board is provided. The embedded thin film resistors are formed using a resistor layer built in the printed circuit board. Compared with conventional discrete resistors, embedded thin film resistors contribute to a smaller printed circuit board as the space for installing conventional resistors is saved, and better signal transmission speed and quality as the capacitive reactance effect caused by two connectors of the conventional resistors is avoided. The method for fabricating the embedded thin film resistors provided by the invention can be conducted using the process and equipment for conventional printed circuit boards and thereby saving the investment on new types of equipment. The method can be applied in the mass production of printed circuit boards and thereby reduce the manufacturing cost significantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Inventors: Sung-Ling Su, Zhiqiang Xu
  • Patent number: 7207106
    Abstract: There is disclosed a cable modem device capable of reducing unnecessary signals inputted into a circuit substrate which processes signals and signal terminals from the outside and unnecessary radiation generated by the circuit substrate, the device having a hexahedral shield case which shields a circuit substrate, and a plurality of terminals for use in input/output of the signals with respect to the circuit substrate. Each of the terminals has a noise filter function, and is fixed to the shield case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shuji Abe, Katsuya Kudo, Tsutomu Isoda, Masami Oosawa, Mikine Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7188413
    Abstract: A microelectronic element is formed from a structure including metal layers on top and bottom sides of a dielectric. Apertures are formed in the top metal layer, and vias are formed in the dielectric in alignment with the apertures. Top and bottom conductive features are formed in proximity to the vias, as by selectively depositing a metal on the metal layers or selectively etching the metal layers. The top and bottom conductive features are connected to one another by depositing a conductive material into the vias, most preferably without seeding the vias as, for example, by depositing solder in the vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
    Inventor: Owais Jamil
  • Patent number: 7178230
    Abstract: An electrical connector having a seamless metal housing and a method for manufacturing the same. The electrical connector includes a plastic base and a metal housing. The housing shields a connection portion of the plastic base and is integrally formed with a top surface and a plurality of circumferential surfaces to define a chamber having an opened bottom end. At least one surface among the circumferential surfaces and the top surface is formed with an opening to expose the connection portion of the plastic base. No seam is formed between any adjacent two surfaces among the top surface and the circumferential surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Inventor: Chou Hsuan Tsai
  • Patent number: 7174632
    Abstract: A circuit board including a desired number of electrically insulating layers and wiring layers laminated alternately, and an inner via hole for securing an electrical connection between the wiring layers by compressing and hardening a conductive paste including a conductive particle and a resin. In the electrically insulating layer, a porous sheet is provided a resin sheet at least one surface, and the porous sheet is not impregnated with a resin at least at a central portion. A through hole penetrating the electrically insulating layer in the direction of the thickness of the electrically insulating layer is filled with a conductive paste including a conductive particle and a resin, and pores that are present inside the porous sheet are filled with laminated resin. The average hole diameter of the pores inside the porous sheet may be smaller than the average particle size of the conductive particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kawakita, Daizo Andoh, Fumio Echigo, Tadashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7174324
    Abstract: Estimation sections which have beforehand learned a relationship between known connection data pertaining to connection design and unknown connection data pertaining to connection design for the known connection data estimate the unknown connection data for the known connection data in accordance wit an input of the known connection data, on the basis of the result of learning. The respective estimation sections are formed from a multilayer feedforward neural network in which layers constituted of a plurality of neurons are coupled together in a direction in which the layer runs from an input layer to an output layer by way of an intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kakuhari, Naoki Ito
  • Patent number: 7165311
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for attaching filamentary members to a substrate are disclosed. The substrate includes a plastic layer and the apparatus includes an anvil, a needle and a swaging tool movable relatively to the anvil. The method includes the steps of penetrating the substrate with the needle to create an opening, positioning the filamentary member in the opening, and compressing the substrate between the swaging tool and the anvil so as to deform the plastic layer and swage the filamentary member to the substrate. The needle is heated to melt the plastic layer so that it fuses with the filamentary member upon swaging. Motion of the needle and swaging tool is controlled by cams under the command of a microprocessor control unit. A substrate to which filamentary members are swaged is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: SKH Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Ronald C. Schwar
  • Patent number: 7159309
    Abstract: When an electronic component is mounted on a substrate, the electronic component is first placed on the substrate with a solid support interposed between the electronic component and the substrate. The solid support serves to space a terminal conductor of the electronic component from a corresponding terminal pad on the substrate. A conductive bonding material is then melted on the terminal pad. The melted conductive bonding material gets exposed to the peripheral atmosphere over a larger area. Even if a bubble is generated within the melted conductive bonding material, the bubble is allowed to easily get out of the melted conductive bonding material. Removal of the gas is promoted in the melted conductive bonding material. The solid support is subsequently melted. The electronic component is moved down toward the substrate, thereby contacting the terminal conductor with the melted conductive bonding material on the corresponding terminal pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Mitsuo Suehiro, Hiroshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 7126825
    Abstract: A combined chip/heat-dissipating metal plate includes a chip and a heat-dissipating metal plate bonded to a side of the chip, wherein the heat-dissipating metal plate is in a stretched state. The heat-dissipating metal plate is stretched before bonding the chip. Preferably, the stretched heat-dissipating metal plate has a thickness smaller than that of the heat-dissipating metal plate before stretching by not more than 20%. The chip has good compression strength in the radial direction and the heat-dissipating metal plate has higher tensile strength after being stretched and taking shape, providing a more stable structure and avoiding damage to the chip due to radially outward tension. The combined chip/heat-dissipating metal plate thus obtained is more stable and thus benefits the subsequent cutting by a laser cutting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Cleavage Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chih-Ming Hsu
  • Patent number: 7093347
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having a decreased electrical profile due to a confining of the device sense current within a conductive nanoconstriction. The MR sensor includes a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) stack and a layer of high resistivity material within the GMR stack. The layer of high resistivity material includes a nanoconstriction precursor. When a punch current is applied at the nanoconstriction precursor, a conductive nanoconstriction is formed through the layer of high resistivity material at the nanoconstriction precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Janusz J. Nowak, Konstantin R. Nikolaev, Khoung T. Tran, Mark T. Kief
  • Patent number: 7082682
    Abstract: Contact structures are formed by building a core structure on a substrate and over coating the core structure with a material that is harder or has a greater yield strength than the material of the core structure. The core structure may be formed by attaching a wire to the substrate and spooling the wire out from a spool. While spooling the wire out, the spool may be moved to impart a desired shape to the wire. The wire is severed from the spool and over coated. As an alternative, the wire is not over coated. The substrate may be an electronic device, such as a semiconductor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventor: Igor Y. Khandros
  • Patent number: 7065871
    Abstract: A printed circuit board electrical power contact for connecting a daughter printed circuit board to a mating contact on another electrical component. The power contact includes a main section; at least one daughter board electrical contact section extending from the main section; and at least one mating connector contact section extending from the main section. The mating connector contact section includes at least three forward projecting beams. A first one of the beams extends outward in a first direction as the first beam extends forward from the main section and has a contact surface facing the first direction. Two second ones of the beams are located on opposite sides of the first beam and extend outward in a second opposite direction as the second beams extend forward from the main section. The second beams have contact surfaces facing the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Christopher J. Kolivoski
  • Patent number: 7047636
    Abstract: A method in which a claw portion of a connecting member penetrates a first piercing portion of a flat circuit member in a thickness direction thereof. In the case of connection to the flat circuit member having a thick conductor portion, the claw portion is bent such that a distal end portion of the claw portion pierces the flat circuit member so as to obtain electric contact with the conductor portion of the flat circuit member. In the case of connection to the flat circuit member having a thin conductor portion, the claw portion is bent such that a portion of the flat circuit member is clamped between an outer surface of the claw portion and inner edge portion of a side wall portion of the connecting member, so as to obtain electric contact with the conductor portion of the circuit member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Onuma
  • Patent number: 7047630
    Abstract: A circuitized substrate assembly and method for making same wherein the assembly includes individual circuitized substrates bonded together. The substrates each include at least one opening, only one of which is substantially filled with a conductive paste prior to bonding. Once bonded, the paste is also partially located within the other opening to provide an effective electrical connection therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Endicott Interconnect Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Fuller, Jr., John M. Lauffer, Voya R. Markovich
  • Patent number: 7043830
    Abstract: A sealing layer is provided on the surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The sealing layer includes apertures which expose external contact locations for semiconductor dice formed on the wafer. Solder paste is deposited in the apertures and reflowed to form discrete conductive elements for attachment of the electronic devices to higher level circuit structures. The wafer is then divided or “singulated” to provide individual semiconductor dice having their active surfaces covered by the sealing layer. In this manner, the sealing layer initially acts as a stencil for forming the discrete conductive elements and subsequently forms a chip scale package structure to protect the semiconductor dice from the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Warren M. Farnworth
  • Patent number: 7045720
    Abstract: A system may include an electronic component body, and one or more leads coupled to and extending from the electronic component body. A first lead of the one or more leads may comprise a first leg and a second leg, the first leg and the second leg defining an acute angle therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Clement Sagayanathan, Paribalan Suntharalingam
  • Patent number: 7036218
    Abstract: A method for producing a wafer interposer (210) for use in a wafer interposer assembly is disclosed. The wafer interposer (210) is produced by attaching solder bumps (140) to a lower surface of a support (120). First electrical terminals (130) are attached to an upper surface of the support (120) and substantially correspond to the solder bumps (140). First electrical pathways are provided that passes through the support (120) and connect the solder bumps (140) to the first electrical terminals (130). Second electrical terminals (310) are attached to the upper surface of the support (120). Second electrical pathways (320) connect the first electrical terminals (130) to the second electrical terminals (310).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Eaglestone Partners I, LLC
    Inventor: John L. Pierce
  • Patent number: 7028398
    Abstract: A contactor is used for testing an integrated circuit electronic component provided with a plurality of electrodes. The contactor includes an insulating base material provided with holes formed at positions corresponding to the electrodes, a first conductive layer having contacts which are plastically deformed portions of the first conductive layer, and reinforcement members provided on the contacts on a first surface of the contacts. The first surface of the contacts is facing towards the holes. The contacts are provided at positions corresponding to the electrodes for enabling an electrical connection to the electronic component and are protruded from the insulating base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Haseyama, Shigeyuki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7024739
    Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device includes a base having a pair of right and left movable parts and a fixing part disposed at one end thereof, and piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements disposed on the sides of the movable parts of the base. Accordingly, the piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is fabricated to have a construction with fewer components. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having a construction with fewer components is provided by adopting a base having an integral structure formed by bending an original plate stamped into a shape that delineates a plane development of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Ikeda, Kazuyoshi Shibata
  • Patent number: 7010854
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating an array of aligned microstructures on a substrate are disclosed. The microstructures may be spring contacts or other microelements. The methods disclosed include construction of an alignment substrate, alignment of die elements with the alignment substrate, and fixation of the aligned die elements to a backing substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin N. Eldridge, Gaetan L. Mathieu
  • Patent number: 6971153
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a winding of a rotary electric machine includes steps of pressing a portion of a conductor segment in a predetermined direction to reduce its dimension in the direction, inserting the conductor segment into a slot of a stator core, bending the conductor segments and joining ends of the conductor segments. In the pressing step, the conductor segment is pressed with a punch in a condition that it is held in a die that has curved inside corner portions to restrict deformation of corners of the pressed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Tokizawa, Mitsuru Kato, Yoshinori Nakamura, Yasunori Kitakado, Motohiro Murahashi
  • Patent number: 6925703
    Abstract: A method for producing an insulated wire having a cross section of a desired shape, in which a conductor having a cross section of a desired shape is coated with an insulating film, which method comprises: supplying a raw conductor while passing through a rolling unit composed of at least one pair of rolling rolls that are capable of freely rotating without a drive mechanism and that have a desired shape, thereby forming a conductor having a cross section of a desired shape; and coating the conductor with an insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinobu Harada, Masaki Sugiura, Satoshi Saitou
  • Patent number: 6925708
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing proposes an assembly including a printed-circuit electronics card mounted on a metal substrate, as well as a metal screening cover electrically connected to the substrate. The substrate exhibits a recessed gutter in which the edge of the cover is accommodated. The edge is crimped onto the substrate in the gutter. The invention also proposed a method of producing such an assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Jean Marc Nicolai, Marc Duarte, Dung Kong-A-Siou
  • Patent number: 6918179
    Abstract: A method for preforming of two or more flexible cables in an arrangement consisting of a combination of rigid printed circuit boards and flexible cable sections extending therebetween. Moreover, also provided is an apparatus for the preforming of two or more flexible cable sections of a combination of rigid printed circuit boards and therewith interposed flexible cable sections which are adapted to interconnect the rigid printed circuit boards. The apparatus consists of a tool constituted of an elongated cylindrical member having a tapered leading end which narrows into an ultra-thin flat end section of a blade-like configuration, and which is adapted to be pushed between the flexible cables and so as to preform the flexible cable sections and cause them to yield in a predetermined outwardly bowed permanently relationship between the rigid printed circuit boards at the opposite ends thereof to lengthen the fatigue life of the conductors in the flexible cable sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lee Curtis Randall, Thomas Stanley Truman, Daniel James Winarski, George G. Zamora
  • Patent number: 6898848
    Abstract: A chip is fixed via an insulating film on a tape carrier on one main surface of which plural inner leads are laid and each electrode pad of the chip is bonded to each inner lead. The inner lead is bonded to the electrode pad when the chip is supplied in a fixed position for a bonding tool using a sprocket hole of the ape carrier. Next, the respective positions of the inner lead and the electrode pad are recognized and the center line of the inner lead is recognized. The inner lead is touched to the chip by the bonding tool and after the inner lead is pushed in the direction of the base and bent in the form of a letter S. the end of the inner lead is bonded to the electrode pad by thermocompression by the bonding tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Tatsuyuki Ohkubo, Keisuke Nadamoto, Yoshifumi Katayama
  • Patent number: 6877221
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a copper ball insertion machine, for integrating metal inserts in via holes provided through a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising a motor driven X-Y table (2) with the PCB on top. The X-Y table (2) is adjustable to position a selected via hole in a predetermined location aligned with a closable outlet opening (12) of a movable container (6) for metal inserts. The container is by means of a clamping cylinder (28) displaceable for clamping the part of the PCB adjacent said via hole against the working surface (2) of said X-Y table. By means of a pivoting cylinder (20) the container is rotatable for feeding one metal insert through the outlet opening (12) into said via hole. A stamp (30) is drivable by a hammer cylinder (40) for compressing said metal insert to shape and deform it into a tight fit with the via hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Birger Karlsson, Lars-Anders Olofsson, Christer Olsson
  • Patent number: 6842976
    Abstract: A method of connecting a flat cable and a terminal, comprising a sticking step in which cramp pieces (13b-13d) are stuck through a flat cable (10) to be received in corresponding cavities (15b, 15c) that are provided to allow the cramp pieces to maintain their shapes, and a cramping step in which the cramp pieces that have been stuck through the flat cable are bent and thereby cramped to the flat cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noritsugu Enomoto, Yoshiyuki Suzuki, Mitsuhiro Yamamura
  • Patent number: 6836962
    Abstract: Interconnection elements for electronic components, exhibiting desirable mechanical characteristic (such as resiliency, for making pressure contacts) are formed by using a shaping tool (512) to shape an elongate core element (502) of a soft material (such as gold or soft copper wire) to have a springable shape (including cantilever beam, S-shape, U-shape), and overcoating the shaped core element with a hard material (such as nickel and its alloys), to impart to desired spring (resilient) characteristic to the resulting composite interconnection element. A final overcoat of a material having superior electrical qualities (e.g., electrical conductivity and/or solderability) may be applied to the composite interconnection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Y. Khandros, Thomas H. Dozier, Gary W. Grube, Gaetan L. Mathieu
  • Publication number: 20040237296
    Abstract: A receiving layer formed of a thermoplastic resin is softened by applying heat. By using a solvent containing conductive particles, an interconnect layer is formed on the receiving layer which is softened by the application of heat. The conductive particles are bonded together by heating the interconnect layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Tetsuya Otsuki, Hirofumi Kurosawa, Hiroshi Miki
  • Patent number: 6789308
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flat antenna is composed of the steps of entirely applying Ni plating to the front and back surfaces of a long metal sheet, bonding masking tapes to the front surface of the metal sheet where the Ni plating has been applied except two stripe regions, applying Au plating to the two stripe regions by dipping the metal sheet into an Au plating solution, making a plurality of conductive flat sheets by punching the metal sheet to a plurality of regions along the lengthwise direction thereof after exfoliating the masking tapes, and bending the portions of each conductive flat sheet acting as a power feed terminal and a ground terminal. The metal sheet can be simply masked by bonding a plurality of the masking tapes thereto linearly except the regions where the plating is to be applied, thereby the productivity of the flat antenna can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Takaba, Takahiro Sugiyama, Shinichiro Suzuki, Morihiko Ikegaya
  • Publication number: 20040172818
    Abstract: A solder mask manufacturing method adapted to apply a solder mask on a surface of a substrate of a circuit board, said surface is provided with a conductor pattern having an unsheltered portion and a sheltered portion which is covered by said solder mask. The method comprises the steps of: a) disposing a layer of semi-solid solder mask material having an expansion coefficient substantially the same as that of the substrate on the surface of said substrate to cover said copper conductor pattern, and a metal foil covering the material layer; b) applying pressure to the metal foil and applying baking treatment to cure the solder mask material in to solid; c) utilizing chemical solution and plasma etching to remove the metal foil and the solid solder mask material above the unsheltered portion of said copper conductor pattern respectively such that the unsheltered portion can be exposed; and d) using chemical solution to remove the residual metal foil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: S & S Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Chong-Ren Maa, Wan-Kuo Chih, Ming-Sung Tsai
  • Publication number: 20040168315
    Abstract: The invention comprises filling a conductive adhesive on a hole end of a wire connection part in tubular shape of the terminal which has an electric contact part at one side and the wire connection part at the other side, inserting an electric wire from a hole opening of the wire connection part toward the hole end, and reducing evenly a size of a tubular wall of the wire connection part, thereby causing the conductive adhesive to infiltrate into a space of the electric contact part or between wires. The invention also comprises tightening the tubular wall of the wire connection part by a rotary swaging process. Further, the conductive adhesive is a nickel paste which is a mixture of nickel powders in a liquid epoxy resin based binder. In addition, at least one of a core wire portion of the electric wire or the terminal is aluminum or aluminum alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masanori Onuma
  • Publication number: 20040147825
    Abstract: A method of forming a device, such as an electrode array for a cochlear implant. The method comprises a step of forming a predetermined pattern of relatively electrically conductive regions and relatively electrically resistive regions in a sheet of biocompatible electrically conductive material, such as platinum foil. The method can comprise a step off working on the sheet to remove predetermined portions therefrom to form the one or more discrete relatively conducting regions. The step of working on the sheet can comprise embossing the sheet, cutting or slicing the sheet, or using electrical discharge machining (EDM) to remove unwanted portions of the sheet, the EDM equipment having a cutting tool comprising an electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Dusan Milojevic, John Parker
  • Publication number: 20040123457
    Abstract: By forming a terminal at a tip of a lead part of a lead frame, and by fixing this terminal and a connecting pad which was formed on an upper surface of a first printed circuit board, the lead frame is attached to the first printed circuit board. By cutting off a frame part and a tie bar part from the lead frame which was attached to the first printed circuit board, the lead part is separated, and forming is applied to the lead part so as for its tip to be extended over the first printed board. After the lead part which is expanded upward is inserted into a through-hole which was opened in a second printed circuit board, by soldering the lead part and the through-hole, the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are electrically connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicants: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Ohta, Kazuaki Yamada, Kiyoshi Tsujii, Hidekazu Manabe
  • Patent number: 6751860
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making an electronic parts mounting board, comprising the steps of: punching a conductive sheet to form a circuit pattern portion and through-holes in which electronic parts are to be mounted by use of a progressive die device while at the same time partially folding said circuit pattern portion to form connection terminal portions by use of said same progressive die device; and molding an insulative resin over the whole opposite sides of said circuit pattern portion and the base ends of the terminal portions including the folded parts thereof to form an integral covering portion having openings for electrically connecting said circuit pattern portion to electronic parts to be mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Watanabe, Hisashi Ohtsuki
  • Patent number: 6751849
    Abstract: A movable contact arrangement suitable for use in a switching device has a rigid contact body and a flexible conductor piece connecting the contact body to a fixed conductor. The contact body is connected to the conductor piece by mechanically compressing a section of a semifinished product in the form of a cable or strand, with the flexible conductor piece being formed by an uncompressed part of the semifinished product. The compressing operation can also be used at the same time to produce the contact body from the semifinished product. The method described allows low-cost production of contact modules for power circuit breakers used in sophisticated mechanical and electrical equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Helmke, Harald Kurzmann
  • Patent number: 6748651
    Abstract: This method includes punching a bus-bar pattern out of a conductive metal sheet. A bus bar terminal piece is punched out of the remaining material in the conductive metal sheet. An electrical connection is formed between the bus-bar pattern and the bus-bar terminal piece using male and female connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Miyajima, Shin Hasegawa, Yoshiaki Sawaki