Abstract: A connection portion of a z-axis interconnector is assembled into contact with a plurality of aligned vias in a corresponding plurality of stacked printed circuit boards by gripping and pulling a leader portion of the interconnector connected to the connection portion, to move the interconnector into the final position with the connection portion contacting the aligned vias. The leader portion is severed from the connection portion after the interconnector is moved into the final position. A single pulling and cutting tool which accomplishes these functions preferably does so by a single pinch and cut device having opposing blades which partially penetrate into the leader portion to grip the leader portion, which fully penetrated through the leader portion to sever the leader portion, and which are moved toward and away from the plurality of stacked printed circuit boards to pull the interconnector and to reposition for severing the leader portion.

Abstract: A twist pin is used as an interconnect interface to conduct signals to and from an electronic component. The twist pin includes a bulge which establishes compressive contact force with a sidewall of a via in which the twist pin resides, and the resulting force resists movement of the end of the twist pin away from the electronic component to assure good signal conductivity. The arrangement may be used as a test socket for testing integrated circuit components or permanently docking electronic components.

Abstract: Twist pin z-axis interconnectors are assembled in columns of aligned vias in stacked printed circuit boards of a circuit module in automated assembly cycles. Each assembly cycle involves singulating a single twist pin from a plurality of twist pins, inserting the twist pin into the via column, gripping a leader portion of the twist pin, pulling the gripped leader portion until a connection portion moves into contact with the vias of the column, severing the leader portion from the connection portion, extracting the severed leader portion, and automatically repeating assembly cycles until interconnectors have been assembled into a substantial majority of the via columns of the circuit module.

Abstract: A twist pin is used as an interconnect interface to conduct signals to and from an electronic component. The twist pin includes a bulge which establishes compressive contact force with a sidewall of a via in which the twist pin resides, and the resulting force resists movement of the end of the twist pin away from the electronic component to assure good signal conductivity. The arrangement may be used as a test socket for testing integrated circuit components or permanently docking electronic components.

Abstract: Twist pin z-axis interconnectors are assembled in columns of aligned vias in stacked printed circuit boards of a circuit module in automated assembly cycles. Each assembly cycle involves singulating a single twist pin from a plurality of twist pins, inserting the twist pin into the via column, gripping a leader portion of the twist pin, pulling the gripped leader portion until a connection portion moves into contact with the vias of the column, severing the leader portion from the connection portion, extracting the severed leader portion, and automatically repeating assembly cycles until interconnectors have been assembled into a substantial majority of the via columns of the circuit module.

Abstract: Twist pin z-axis interconnectors are assembled in columns of aligned vias in stacked printed circuit boards of a circuit module in automated assembly cycles. Each assembly cycle involves singulating a single twist pin from a plurality of twist pins, inserting the twist pin into the via column, gripping a leader portion of the twist pin, pulling the gripped leader portion until a connection portion moves into contact with the vias of the column, severing the leader portion from the connection portion, extracting the severed leader portion, and automatically repeating assembly cycles until interconnectors have been assembled into a substantial majority of the via columns of the circuit module.

Abstract: A connection portion of a z-axis interconnector is assembled into contact with a plurality of aligned vias in a corresponding plurality of stacked printed circuit boards by gripping and pulling a leader portion of the interconnector connected to the connection portion, to move the interconnector into the final position with the connection portion contacting the aligned vias. The leader portion is severed from the connection portion after the interconnector is moved into the final position. A single pulling and cutting tool which accomplishes these functions preferably does so by a single pinch and cut device having opposing blades which partially penetrate into the leader portion to grip the leader portion, which fully penetrated through the leader portion to sever the leader portion, and which are moved toward and away from the plurality of stacked printed circuit boards to pull the interconnector and to reposition for severing the leader portion.

Abstract: Bulges in a wire having helically coiled strands are formed by untwisting the strands in an anti-helical direction at a predetermined position, to form an electrical connector from a length of the stranded wire. The wire is gripped by moving two spaced apart clamp members to a closed position and thereafter rotating the clamp members relative to one another in at least one complete relative revolution in a direction which is anti-helical relative to the coiled strands to form the bulge. The wire is gripped and rotated in the anti-helical direction for a relative rotational interval of greater than one-half, and preferably three-fourths, of a complete relative revolution. Thereafter, during the remaining rotational interval of each relative revolution, the clamp members are opened to permit the wire to be advanced to the next position where a bulge is to be formed.

Abstract: Bulges in a wire having helically coiled strands are formed by untwisting the strands in an anti-helical direction at a predetermined position, to form an electrical connector from a length of the stranded wire. The wire is gripped by moving two spaced apart clamp members to a closed position and thereafter rotating the clamp members relative to one another in at least one complete relative revolution in a direction which is anti-helical relative to the coiled strands to form the bulge. The wire is gripped and rotated in the anti-helical direction for a relative rotational interval of greater than one-half, and preferably three-fourths, of a complete relative revolution. Thereafter, during the remaining rotational interval of each relative revolution, the clamp members are opened to permit the wire to be advanced to the next position where a bulge is to be formed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional circuit module includes z-axis connection pins, such as twist pins to electrically connect multiple, spaced-apart substrates, such as circuit boards. An expanding portion of a bulge of the pin mechanically and electrically contacts a corner edge of a via in a substrate without full insertion of the bulge in the via. Compression of the expanding portion of the non-inserted bulge establishes the electrical connection, which is also assisted by the longitudinal restraint on the pin relative to the substrate. Assembly and disassembly is facilitated without requiring the bulge to be fully inserted into the via.

Abstract: Twist pins having bulges are fabricated from helically coiled stranded wire. Wire is advanced from a source such as a spool to create slack wire configuration, and wire is then advanced from the slack wire configuration to a position where each bulge is formed. Each bulge is formed by gripping the wire in two spaced apart locations and rotating the wire in an anti-helical direction in a single continuous relative revolution to untwist the strands and form the bulge. The wire is thereafter advanced to the position of the next bulge or the position where the wire will be severed to release the fabricated twist pin. The severed fabricated twist pin is conveyed through a flow of gas in a delivery tube into a receptacle of a cassette where the twist pin is stored until used. The cassette is automatically moved to position an occupied receptacle to receive each newly fabricated twist pin.

Abstract: Wire from a wire source is supplied to create a predetermined amount of slack wire in a predetermined configuration and to maintain that slack wire configuration. Some of the slack wire is withdrawn from the configuration and advanced for use in forming an electrical connector. As wire is withdrawn from the slack wire configuration, additional wire is supplied to renew and maintain that configuration. A characteristic of the slack wire configuration is sensed to control the amount wire supplied. In this manner, the mass and rotational effects of unwinding wire from a spool while simultaneously advancing that wire are avoided, thereby avoiding wire slippage and allowing the constituent components of the connector, such as bulges of a twist pin connector, to be more precisely located during fabrication.

Abstract: A segment of wire from which an electrical connector has been fabricated is conveyed from a point where the electrical connector wire segment is severed from a length of remaining wire into a receptacle within which the electrical connector wire segment is stored until use. A reduced pressure is applied by a venturi assembly to the wire segment, and a gas flow conveys the wire segment to the receptacle. A cassette defines the receptacles, and the cassette is repeatedly positioned to each newly fabricated wire segment in a different receptacle.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a plurality of solder joints for electrically and mechanically coupling a printed circuit board (100) and a flexible circuit (101). Solder is applied to the connection surfaces of the printed circuit board (100), and the connection surfaces of the flexible circuit (101) are tinned. The circuit board (100) and flexible circuit (101) are then positioned so that the connections surfaces of each are in alignment and a gap exists between circuit board (100) and flexible circuit (101). The gap between circuit board (100) and flexible circuit (101) is precisely controlled and permits the solder of the printed circuit to be in contact with the connection surfaces of the flexible circuit (101). The solder is reflowed by applying heat by vapor phase condensation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for electrically and mechanically interconnecting electronic circuit assemblies or electronic modules. An integrated circuit (300) includes a plurality of leads (302) extending from a surface (305), each of the leads (302) having a seating portion (403) and a stem portion (402). A printed circuit board (400) includes a plurality of plated through holes (401) therein corresponding to the plurality of leads (302) extending from the integrated circuit (300). The steps of the method include positioning the printed circuit board (400) so that a lower surface (404) of the printed circuit board (400) rests on the seating portion (403) of the leads (302) of the integrated circuit (300), and so that the stem portion (302) of each of the leads are positioned within the corresponding plated through holes (401) in the printed circuit board (400).

Abstract: An optical interface includes at least two transmitters and receivers capable of transmitting and receiving, respectively, high bandwidth optical signals. A first transmitter/receiver assembly which includes at least one such transmitter and one such receiver is mounted inside a computer having a shell which maintains a hermetic seal. The transmitter and receiver of the first transmitter/receiver assembly face a transparent portion of the computer shell. A second transmitter/receiver assembly also includes at least one transmitter and receiver which are mounted outside the computer shell facing the transparent portion of the shell, with each transmitter and receiver of the second transmitter/receiver assembly opposite a corresponding receiver or transmitter of the first transmitter/receiver assembly. High bandwidth optical signals of up to 1 Gb/s are transmitted to and from the computer across the transparent portion of the shell while the hermetic seal is maintained.

Abstract: A connection assembly includes a coaxial cable to microstrip flexible circuit connector and a mating microstrip flex circuit to electronic circuit connector. The coaxial cable to microstrip flex circuit connector comprises a portion which is mechanically attached to the coaxial cable and a portion which is mechanically attached to the microstrip flex circuit. The coaxial cable attachment portion includes a first electrical connector electrically connected to the center conductor and a second electrical connector electrically connected to the shielding conductor of each coaxial cable. The microstrip flex circuit attachment portion includes a third electrical connector electrically connected to each trace and a fourth connector electrically connected to the ground plane conductor. The flex circuit to electrical circuit connector comprises a plurality of unsupported extensions of a trace or the ground plane conductor.

Abstract: A connection assembly includes a coaxial cable to microstrip flexible circuit connector and a mating microstrip flex circuit to electronic circuit connector. The coaxial cable to microstrip flex circuit connector comprises a portion which is mechanically attached to the coaxial cable and a portion which is mechanically attached to the microstrip flex circuit. The coaxial cable attachment portion includes a first electrical connector electrically connected to the center conductor and a second electrical connector electrically connected to the shielding conductor of each coaxial cable. The microstrip flex circuit attachment portion includes a third electrical connector electrically connected to each trace and a fourth connector electrically connected to the ground plane conductor. The flex circuit to electrical circuit connector comprises a plurality of unsupported extensions of a trace or the ground plane conductor.