Abstract: The claimed invention relates to structures suitable for improving the performance and reliability of electrical connectors. One embodiment of the claimed invention includes an integrated circuit die having an electrical contact coupled with electrically conductive paths that share a common electrical source. The conductive paths are configured to transmit the same electrical signal to the electrical contact, which supports an electrical connector, such as a solder bump. The electrical connector couples the die with an outside component, such as a circuit board. Each of the conductive paths connect to the electrical contact at different interface locations. When the electrical signal passes through the interface locations, the paths are configured to have non-zero current densities at those locations. The electrical resistance of the conductive paths may be substantially similar.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and arrangements for forming a solder joint connection. One embodiment involves an improved solder ball. The solder ball includes a perforated, metallic shell with an internal opening. Solder material encases the shell and fills its internal opening. The solder ball may be applied to an electrical device, such as an integrated circuit die, to form a solder bump on the device. The solder bump in turn can be used to form an improved solder joint connection between the device and a suitable substrate, such as a printed circuit board. In some applications, a solder joint connection is formed without requiring the application of additional solder material to the surface of the substrate. The present invention also includes different solder bump arrangements and methods for using such arrangements to form solder joint connections between devices and substrates.

Abstract: A Micro SMDxt package is provided that configured for mounting to a circuit board. The SMDxt package includes a silicon-based IC having an array of contact pads on one side of thereof, and a die electrically attached to the silicon-based IC. A plurality of solder balls is included, each of which has a polymeric core surrounded by a metallic shell that in turn is surrounded by a layer of solder material. Further, each solder ball is positioned in contact with a corresponding contact pad of the package. An intertwined intermetallic fusion layer is formed through the fusion between material components of the contact pads and the solder material, via heat treatment. The intermetallic fusion extends between and from an outer surface of the metallic shell of each solder to an outer surface of a corresponding contact pad to form a high strength intermetallic solder joint therebetween.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is described. The device includes an integrated circuit die having an active surface that includes a plurality of input/output (I/O) pads. The device further includes a plurality of crack resistant structures. Each crack resistant structure is formed over an associated I/O pad and includes an associated raised portion. Each I/O pad may be bumped with solder such that a solder bump is formed over the associated crack resistant structure on the I/O pad.

Abstract: A Micro SMDxt package is provided that configured for mounting to a circuit board. The SMDxt package includes a silicon-based IC having an array of contact pads on one side of thereof, and a die electrically attached to the silicon-based IC. A plurality of solder balls is included, each of which has a polymeric core surrounded by a metallic shell that in turn is surrounded by a layer of solder material. Further, each solder ball is positioned in contact with a corresponding contact pad of the package. An intertwined intermetallic fusion layer is formed through the fusion between material components of the contact pads and the solder material, via heat treatment. The intermetallic fusion extends between and from an outer surface of the metallic shell of each solder to an outer surface of a corresponding contact pad to form a high strength intermetallic solder joint therebetween.

Abstract: A rocker arm (1) made of thin-walled sheet steel which rocker arm is intended for a suspended arrangement together with other like rocker arms under a girder-like carrier (2) of a valve train of an internal combustion engine, the rocker arm having an inverted U-shaped profile, a support (7) for a gas exchange valve is formed on one end (6) of an underside (5) of a crossbar (4) of the rocker arm, an upper side (9) of the crossbar (4) is stamped in the region of the support (7) by a stamping and extrusion molding method toward the underside (5), so that an M-like cross-section with a longitudinal channel (10) formed on the upper side (9) is obtained and at its other end (11), the rocker arm (1) has a fork-shaped, open configuration and merges into a region (12) which is angularly bent towards the underside (5) and on which a roller (13) forming a cam contacting surface is arranged, said rocker arm (1) of this type possesses, among other things, an excellent stiffness, is simple to manufacture and has a small de

Abstract: An apparatus and method for increasing integrated circuit device package reliability is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a support coating is added to a wafer after solder bumps have been added but prior to dicing. This support coating or underfill layer provides added strength to the eventual reflowed solder connections, such that the operational lifetime of these connections is increased with respect to failure due to temperature cycling.

Abstract: An assembling device for sheet materials includes a supporting member including a guide rod and a supporting plate connected together to form an L-shape A clamping member includes and second clamping rods connected together at one end by a horizontal cross-member to form a substantially U-shaped. The first and second clamping rods are located on two sides of the guide rod, opposite to the outer and inner faces of the guide rod, respectively. When the first sheet is supported on the supporting plate and the second sheet is arranged to simultaneously abut against the first sheet and the inner face of the guide rod, the clamping member can be moved along the guiding groove to a suitable position and fixed at that position by a first positioning element, while a second positioning element holds the second sheet perpendicular to and abutting against the first sheet.

Abstract: Camping device suitable for lifting and handling of sheet like-objects, having a rigid frame configured to straddle an edge region of sheet-like objects, the frame including a stationary jaw and a frame housing defining a gap between them in which the sheet-like object may be received, the stationary jaw providing a first clamping surface, a movable jaw supported at the frame within the gap for movement towards and away from the stationary jaw, the movable jaw providing a second clamping surface, and an actuating carriage arranged to transmit a clamping force, the carriage being located between the movable jaw and frame housing for reciprocating movement along a longitudinal axis of the device on actuator tracks present at the movable jaw and frame housing, at least a portion of one of the actuator tracks having an inclined portion devised to bias the movable jaw towards the stationary jaw as the actuator carriage is caused by the clamping force to be displaced along the inclined portion, whereby the respecti

Abstract: Clamping device suitable for lifting and handling of sheet like-objects, having a rigid frame with a fixed jaw that provides a first clamping surface, a movable jaw that provides a second clamping surface that is substantially parallel to the first clamping surface, the movable jaw being supported at the frame for reciprocating, linear movement towards and away from the fixed jaw, and an operating mechanism arranged to bias the movable jaw towards the fixed jaw in response to an actuating force being exerted on a tensile force transmitting member of the operating mechanism, thereby to abut the respective clamping surfaces onto opposite faces of an object received between the jaws and frictionally clamping same against displacement, characterised in that the movable jaw comprises a clamping plate on which the second clamping surface is provided, the clamping plate being inclined at an angle of about 8 to 12 degrees with respect to the first and second clamping surfaces and being supported at the frame to maint