Having Spacer Patents (Class 361/770)
  • Patent number: 7447045
    Abstract: A board supporting mechanism and a board supporting method eliminating an adjustment of a support height of a support pin upon position-changing of the support pin in accordance with a change in the model of a circuit board, as well as a component mounting apparatus and a component mounting method. A single or a plurality of support pin(s) (42) have one end(s) and are brought into contact with a bottom face of a circuit board (14) to support the bottom face of the circuit board (14) and the other end(s) are brought into contact with a surface of a support table (27) for raising/lowering the support pin(s) (42). Each support pin is held in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the support table (27). The one end(s) of the support pin (42), held in the direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the support table (27), is brought into contact with the bottom face of the circuit board (14), and thereby, the support pins support the circuit board (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keishi Ikeya, Kazuo Kido, Tetsutaro Hachimura, Hideki Uchida
  • Publication number: 20080266811
    Abstract: One of the purpose is to obtain a motor drive circuit and an outdoor unit for an air conditioner using the same, which can flexibly support change of a model at a low price and in a small lot without using unnecessary materials, wherein a stress in a soldering part due to self-heating is low, a solder reliability is high, and design constraints are small, while maintaining a low-noise and low-loss power wiring due to lowering inductance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Yamada, Hitoshi Kawaguchi, Kazunori Sakanobe, Yosuke Shinomoto
  • Patent number: 7405477
    Abstract: A package-board co-design methodology preserves the signal integrity of high-speed signals passing from semiconductor packages to application PCBs. An optimal architecture of interconnects between package and PCB enhances the signal propagation, minimizes parasitic levels, and decreases electromagnetic interference from adjacent high frequency signals. The invention results in devices with superior signal quality and EMI shielding properties with enhanced capability for carrying data stream at multiple-gigabit per second bit-rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Yuming Tao, Jon M. Long, Anilkumar Raman Pannikkat
  • Patent number: 7400513
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a conductive printed board which can be used as a common part and therefore offers high productivity, and an ultrasonic probe which uses this conductive printed board. In a conductive printed board having terminals which are provided either in a contiguous manner or at a defined array spacing, and are connected to conduction paths, terminals connected to the terminals and spaced with different array spacing from the defined array spacing are provided on the ends. The conductive printed board is a flexible printed board, and a plurality of piezo elements having excitation electrodes on both main faces are lined up at the defined array spacing. If the terminals are widely spaced, the object can connect as-is to the other terminals, and if the terminals are spaced narrowly, then the portion with the other terminals can be removed, allowing the terminals to be connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Wakabayashi, Yasuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7359210
    Abstract: A shock absorbing system may be mounted on a circuit board, such as a carrier card, to reinforce the circuit board and/or to absorb shock forces from a neighboring circuit board, such as a mezzanine card coupled to the carrier card. The shock absorbing system may include one or more support members extending across at least a portion of the carrier card. One or more rollers may be supported on the support member(s) in a manner that allows rotation to facilitate insertion and/or extraction of mezzanine cards from the carrier card. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Summers, Edoardo Campini
  • Patent number: 7349223
    Abstract: Several embodiments of enhanced integrated circuit probe card and package assemblies are disclosed, which extend the mechanical compliance of both MEMS and thin-film fabricated probes, such that these types of spring probe structures can be used to test one or more integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer. Several embodiments of probe card assemblies, which provide tight signal pad pitch compliance and/or enable high levels of parallel testing in commercial wafer probing equipment, are disclosed. In some preferred embodiments, the probe card assembly structures include separable standard components, which reduce assembly manufacturing cost and manufacturing time. These structures and assemblies enable high speed testing in wafer form. The probes also have built in mechanical protection for both the integrated circuits and the MEMS or thin film fabricated spring tips and probe layout structures on substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Nanonexus, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Haemer, Fu Chiung Chong, Douglas N. Modlin
  • Patent number: 7349224
    Abstract: For a multi-terminal semiconductor package, such as a BGA or a CSP, that handles high-speed differential signals, a high-speed signal is assigned to the innermost located electrode pad on an interposer substrate, and the electrode pad is connected to the outermost located ball pad on the interposer substrate. With this arrangement, the length of a plating stub can be considerably reduced, and the adverse affect on a signal waveform can be minimized. This arrangement is especially effective for differential signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tohru Ohsaka
  • Publication number: 20080068814
    Abstract: An electronic equipment is provided with a housing which is assembled by combining first and second cases. The first and second cases are provided with first and second projections on inner surfaces of the first and second cases. A circuit board is located in the housing, which has a hole having a diameter larger than those of the first and second projections. The first and second projections are so engaged with each other as to be inserted in the hole. Stoppers are provided around the first and second projections so as to form gaps between first and second projections and the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Tomoko Monda, Minoru Mukai
  • Patent number: 7330357
    Abstract: A system may include a plurality of pliant conductive elements, a first end of one of the plurality of pliant conductive elements to be electrically coupled to a first electrical contact of an integrated circuit substrate and a second end of the one of the plurality of pliant conductive elements to be electrically coupled to a second electrical contact of an integrated circuit die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gilroy J. Vandentop, Hamid R. Azimi
  • Patent number: 7294928
    Abstract: A bottom unit including a bottom unit semiconductor chip is mounted to a circuit board and one or more top elements such as packaged semiconductor chips are mounted to the bottom unit. Both mounting operations can be performed using the same techniques as commonly employed for mounting components to a circuit board. Ordinary packaged chips can be employed as the top elements, thereby reducing the cost of the assembly and allowing customization of the assembly by selecting packaged chips. The assembly achieves benefits similar to those obtained with a preassembled stacked chip unit, but without the expense of special handling of the bare dies included in the packaged chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyong-Mo Bang, David Gibson, Young-Gon Kim, John B. Riley
  • Patent number: 7289337
    Abstract: The field of the invention is that of electronic computers that have to operate in a harsh mechanical environment. One of the main fields of application relates to computers for on-board fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft avionics systems operating in a highly vibratory environment. These computers generally comprise one or more large electronic cards. To limit the effects of vibrations on the integrity of the electronic components and on the connection system for the card, the invention proposes to place on each face braced structures for reducing the mechanical effects of the vibrations or for shifting the resonant frequencies of the electronic cards so as to avoid high-Q effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Catherine Lavergne, Mathieu Casagrande
  • Patent number: 7286369
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a pad and an electronic device employing the same, wherein the pad has an accommodating groove, a ditch disposed around the periphery of the accommodating groove, and at least one guiding groove disposed between the ditch and the accommodating groove, and one end of the guiding groove coupled to the ditch and the other end coupled to the accommodating groove; such that if a glue for attaching the pad with an electronic device is melted by heat, the melted glue will flow into the ditch, and thus can achieve the effects of preventing the melted glue flowing out from the body as well as guiding and collecting the melted glue within the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Inventec Corporation
    Inventor: Chun-Yi Yaor
  • Patent number: 7268437
    Abstract: A semiconductor package with an encapsulated passive component mainly includes at least a substrate having a surface, a passive component and a molding compound. A plurality of SMD pads (Solder Mask Defined pads) and a solder mask are formed on the surface of the substrate. Each SMD pad has an exposed sidewall portion exposed out of the solder mask. A blocking bar is formed between the exposed sidewall portions of the SMD pads. There is at least a flowing channel formed between the blocking bar and the exposed sidewall portions. The passive component is mounted on the surface of the substrate and connected to the SMD pads, the flowing channel is located under the passive component. It is advantageous to fill the molding compound into the flowing channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng-Tsung Liu
  • Patent number: 7259970
    Abstract: A substrate has an electrical wiring pattern formed thereon, one or a plurality of electrical parts provided thereon, a first contacting part and a second contacting part provided thereon and electrically connected to the electronic parts, and one or a plurality of electrical connecting bodies. The electrical connecting bodies are different from the electrical wiring pattern, and electrically connect the first contacting part and the second contacting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshige Nakayabu
  • Patent number: 7245496
    Abstract: A circuit board fixer structure, for fixing a circuit board having at least one through hole, includes a carrier for carrying the circuit board, a pillar, and a stud. The pillar is mounted on the carrier and is formed with a first opening and a second opening corresponding to the first opening. The circuit board is fixed in place on the carrier by the pillar penetrating the through hole of the circuit board and the stud penetrating the first and second openings of the pillar to be coupled to the pillar. By the circuit board fixer structure, there is no need to use any tool to assemble and disassemble a circuit board in an electronic device, making the assembly and disassembly of the circuit board convenient to implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Inventec Corporation
    Inventors: Zi-Gui Luo, Eva Ma, Bg Fan
  • Patent number: 7233503
    Abstract: An assembled structure. A first substrate having a base surface is connected to a second substrate by at least one metallic clamping device. The clamping device, vertically disposed on the second substrate, comprises two parts: a first half and a second half having a supporting surface. The first half comprises a main unit and a plurality of spaced arm units disposed on the main unit, and each arm unit comprises a first part extending from the main unit and a second part extending from the first part. When the base surface of the first substrate contacts the supporting surface of the second half, at least one of the second parts of the arm units presses the first substrate on the second half, so that the first substrate is positioned by and electrically connected to the clamping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Benq Corporation
    Inventor: Wei-Chieh Chen
  • Patent number: 7180181
    Abstract: A substrate is provided for carrying at least a semiconductor device. The substrate mainly includes a carrier body, a plurality of contact pads, a solder mask and a plurality of dams of a mesh. The contact pads are disposed on a surface of the carrier body and each has a bonding surface exposed out of the solder mask for connecting with the external terminals of the semiconductor device. The dams are disposed above the surface of the carrier body. The dams protrude from and located between the bonding surfaces of the contact pads to prevent solder paste, flux or the external terminals of the semiconductor device from bridging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Pai-Chou Liu, Sheng-Tsung Liu, Wei-Chang Tai
  • Patent number: 7170740
    Abstract: A foldable support structure suitable for a notebook is provided. The notebook includes a keyboard, a circuit board, and a support frame, disposed above the circuit board for carrying the edge of the keyboard. The support structure is disposed inside an opening of the support frame for supporting the bottom of the keyboard. The support structure and the support frame are fabricated as a whole. The support structure includes a flexibility section, a support section and a pedestal section. The flexibility section is connected to the support frame and the support section. The pedestal section is connected to the support section. The deformed flexibility section keeps the support section away from the circuit board. The support section has a support surface for supporting the keyboard. The pedestal section is suitable for connecting the circuit board such that a distance is kept between the support section and the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Compal Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jen-Hao Liu, San-Yang Lo, Hong-Wen Lee
  • Patent number: 7136289
    Abstract: A system for providing dual 10 GB uplinks in the front side of a single rack unit switch that stacks two MSA X2 I/O devices in a limited space. In one embodiment the two X2 I/O devices are mounted on opposite sides of a single circuit board positioned above the motherboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Samir Vasavda, William F. Edwards, Jr., Michael Kornprobst, David Nelsen
  • Patent number: 7113409
    Abstract: Mounting structures for facilitating fast and easy installation and/or removal of electronics components into or out of a computer system are disclosed. The mounting structures include a base and a stackable mounting structure. Each mounting structure generally includes generally parallel and opposing spacers, tapered supports extending from the spacers to engage holes defined on a surface of an electronics component, and a base portion extending between being generally orthogonal to the spacers. The spacers may define orifices to facilitate securing the mounting structure and the electronics component to an electronics base via, e.g., a hook and loop material. The stackable mounting structure may include sharp points and angled legs to also engage the electronics component below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: William H. Whitted
  • Patent number: 7102892
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed that allows for the arranging in a three dimensional array semiconductor chips on a circuit board. A unique chip carrier is disclosed on which any IC chip can be positioned on above the other on a circuit board. Additionally, the carrier allows for the testing of IC chips on the carrier and underneath it without having to remove the carrier and chips from the system even if they are of the BGA or CSP type. The carrier includes exposed test points to allow an on site test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Legacy Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Kledzik, Jason C. Engle
  • Patent number: 7085141
    Abstract: A circuit board holder includes a base portion, and a mounting portion coupled to the base portion. The mounting portion is configured to actuate with a first circuit board when the circuit board holder attaches to the first circuit board. The circuit board holder further includes a capturing portion coupled to the base portion. The capturing portion is configured to capture an edge of a second circuit board when the circuit board holder attaches to the first circuit board and when the second circuit board electrically connects with the first circuit board. Such a holder alleviates the need to consume a large amount of circuit board space on the second circuit board. Furthermore, the use of such a circuit board holder enables the first and second circuit boards to maintain reliable electrical connectivity even when exposed to heavy shock or vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: George Youzhi Yi
  • Patent number: 7042734
    Abstract: A CompactPCI blade assembly includes a main printed circuit assembly (PCA), a mezzanine PCA, an electrical connector, and at least one support structure. The main PCA is couplable to a connector plane of a CompactPCI-based computer system. The electrical connector is coupled between the mezzanine PCA and the main PCA. The at least one support structure is mechanically coupled between the main PCA and the mezzanine PCA and establishes a board-to-board distance between the mezzanine PCA and the main PCA of at least one slot unit width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James D. Hensley, Kirk M. Bresniker, Glenn C. Simon
  • Patent number: 7034387
    Abstract: A semiconductor multi-package module includes a processor and a plurality of memory packages mounted on a surface of the multipackage module substrate. In some embodiments the memory packages include stacked die packages, and in some embodiments the memory packages include stacked memory packages. In some embodiments the processor is situated at or near the center of the multipackage module substrate and the plurality of memory packages or of stacked memory package assemblies are situated on the multipackage module substrate adjacent the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: ChipPAC, Inc.
    Inventor: Marcos Karnezos
  • Patent number: 6989995
    Abstract: Electrode lead wires for each capacitor are soldered to land patterns of a mounting plate of insulation. Spacers each having a flexible structure composed of a grid of metal lines are mounted on electrode patterns printed on a printed circuit board, and tip portions of the electrode lead wires which project from the mounting plate are stuck into the spacers to provide mechanical contact therebetween. While keeping this contact, the mounting plate is secured with bolts to the printed circuit board. This forms a capacitor mounting structure. For replacement of the capacitors, by simply loosening the bolts, the entire mounting plate including all the capacitors can be demounted from the board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 6979781
    Abstract: A semiconductor package has first and second surfaces and has a plurality of pedestals disposed on the first surface, for keeping a certain height of the semiconductor package after mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kenji Aoki
  • Patent number: 6967848
    Abstract: Adapter for contacting chip cards with a connection of a data processing unit standardized according to a PCMCIA standard, including a plug-in card-like housing which has an insertion slot opening on a front end into a mounting channel for mounting a chip card and a connector panel arranged on an opposite front end, and a printed circuit electrically connected with the connector panel which extends parallel to the mounting channel and which is provided with contact elements for contacting the chip card, where the printed circuit has a length shortened in relation to the mounting channel in the direction of extension of the mounting channel and is provided with an apparatus for positioning the printed circuit and for guiding the chip card in the mounting channel on the front end facing the insertion slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: STOCKO Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dieter Klatt, Arnd Bäcker, Walter Breuer
  • Patent number: 6946732
    Abstract: Stabilizers for placement on a surface of a semiconductor device component and methods for fabricating and placing the stabilizers on semiconductor device components. Upon assembly of the semiconductor device component face down upon a higher level substrate and joining conductive structures between the contact pads of the semiconductor device component and corresponding contact pads of the higher level substrate, the stabilizers at least partially stabilize the semiconductor device component on the higher level substrate to prevent tilting or tipping of the semiconductor device component relative to the higher level substrate. The stabilizers can also be positioned and configured to define a minimum, substantially uniform distance between the semiconductor device component and the higher level substrate. The stabilizers may be either preformed structures or formed on the surface of the semiconductor device component. A stereolithographic method of fabricating the stabilizers is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Salman Akram, Syed Sajid Ahmad
  • Patent number: 6944030
    Abstract: A substrate has an electrical wiring pattern formed thereon, one or a plurality of electrical parts provided thereon, a first contacting part and a second contacting part provided thereon and electrically connected to the electronic parts, and one or a plurality of electrical connecting bodies. The electrical connecting bodies are different from the electrical wiring pattern, and electrically connect the first contacting part and the second contacting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshige Nakayabu
  • Patent number: 6914785
    Abstract: A circuit component has an elastically deformable first structure, a second structure, and a support structure coupling the first and second structures, wherein the support structure acts a fulcrum about which the first structure can be variably deformed in response to a variable force, to provide either a variable capacitor or a variable tank circuit having a variable capacitor and an inductor. In one particular embodiment, the circuit component includes a zipper actuator for elastically deforming the first structure. A method of making a circuit component includes forming an elastically deformable first structure, forming a second structure, and forming a support structure coupling the first and second structures, to provide either a variable capacitor or a variable tank circuit having a variable capacitor and an inductor. In one particular embodiment, the method includes forming a zipper actuator for elastically deforming the first structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Alexander H. Slocum, Jeffrey Lang, James R. White, Hong Ma, Xueen Yang
  • Patent number: 6906266
    Abstract: A planar board for attachment to a chassis and the resulting attachment structure and method of forming the resulting structure is provided. The planar board has components on one face thereof oriented toward one face of the chassis. The chassis has at least one standoff extending from the one face thereof and the planar board has a structure cooperating with each standoff on the chassis mounting the planar board in a standoff relationship at an installed distance. At least one spacer member is mounted on the one face of the planar board and extends from that one face a distance equal to the installed distance to engage the one face of the chassis in the installed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander V. Verrigni
  • Patent number: 6898087
    Abstract: A resilient element includes interconnected lower and upper parts. The lower part includes a planar bottom segment having front and rear ends, a first curved segment that curves upwardly and rearwardly from the front end of the planar bottom segment, and a second curved segment that curves upwardly and forwardly from the rear end of the planar bottom segment. The upper part includes a planar top portion having front and rear ends, a first curved portion that curves downwardly and rearwardly from the front end of the planar top portion, and a second curved portion that curves downwardly and forwardly from the rear end of the planar top portion. The first curved segment and the second curved portion have interconnected distal ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventor: Wei-Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 6885564
    Abstract: An electronics chassis box includes a pair of opposing sidewalls, a pair of opposing end walls, a bottom surface, a top cover, and ring connectors assemblies mounted in selective ones of the walls of the electronic box. Boss members extend from the bottom surface at different heights upon which circuit cards are mounted in spatial relationship to each other. A flex interconnect substantially reduces and generally eliminates the need of a motherboard by interconnecting the circuit cards to one another and to external connectors mounted within the ring connector assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: John E. Hockett
  • Patent number: 6867984
    Abstract: A resilient contact element includes a unitary conductive contact strip that has a strip axis and that is configured with a mounting section, a curved section, a resilient section and a contact section. The mounting section is to be disposed on a mounting plane, and has opposite front and rear end portions along the strip axis. The curved section includes a first curved segment that curves rearwardly from the rear end portion away from the mounting plane, and a second curved segment that curves rearwardly from the first curved segment toward the mounting plane. The resilient section curves forwardly from the second curved segment away from the mounting plane, and has a first end connected to the second curved segment, and an opposite second end. The contact section extends forwardly from the second end of the resilient section, and is generally parallel to the mounting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Emi Stop Corporation
    Inventor: Wei-Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 6864431
    Abstract: A method of supporting a fragile board by a plurality of supporting members formed of respective elastic materials. The method includes steps of: (a) preparing a plurality of first and second supporting members as the supporting members such that the second supporting members have higher compression modulus than the first supporting members; (b) arranging the first and second supporting members on a plane such that each of the first supporting members is adjacent to a corresponding one of the second supporting members and such that each of the first supporting members has a larger height from the plane than each of the second supporting members; and (c) positioning the first and second supporting members under the board, whereby the board is supported at a lower surface thereof by the supporting members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinsuke Suhara
  • Patent number: 6831839
    Abstract: An adjustable circuit sled module for a mass storage device has a housing, a mass storage device, a circuit board, a cover and spacers. The spacers position the mass storage device to align the power and data interface ports of the mass storage device with corresponding power and data interface connectors of the circuit board. The resulting sled module can be adjusted to accommodate a variety of brands and sizes of mass storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Netezza Corporation
    Inventor: Eric T. Bovell
  • Patent number: 6791843
    Abstract: An electronic system includes a first system component having a first connector and a second system component having a second connector. One of the first system component having the second system component pivots between a first position in which the first connector and the second connector are disconnected and a second position in which the first connector and the second connector are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert W. Dobbs, Stephan K. Barsun, Andrew H. Barr
  • Publication number: 20040165363
    Abstract: Polyimide is used as a spacer that also bonds together the elements that it is spacing apart. This is achieved by constructing the spacer on at least one of the wafers as is conventionally done, except that prior to performing the final curing of the polyimide precursor to form the final polyimide, the elements are aligned in a bonder and placed in contact with a pressure of 40 grams per square millimeter at a temperature slightly higher than the soft-bake temperature, as specified by the manufacturer of the polyimide precursor, for few minutes to promote tackiness. This holds the elements together, and the combined structure is then baked to fully cure the polyimide precursor into polyimide and complete the bonding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Victor Alexander Lifton, Victor Manuel Lubecke, Flavio Pardo
  • Patent number: 6771517
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for reducing circuit board flexing is presented. The apparatus is fastened to a printed circuit board to provide rigid support for reducing bending and flexing. In one embodiment, a rigid frame is provided that is adapted to be fastened to one or more components and to be fastened to a printed circuit board. The frame is adapted to elevate the attached component from the PCB surface allowing components to be mounted on the PCB therewith. The frame is adapted to occupy minimal printed circuit board surface area so as not to displace electronic components. In another embodiment, an elongated truss-like stiffener is provided that is adapted to be fastened to one side of the printed circuit board and adapted to span the printed circuit board. The elongated stiffener is adapted to have an open structure to minimize cooling flow disturbance and weight. The elongated stiffener includes a plurality of legs forming a truss-like structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Alex Crapisi, Jeffrey Scott Cogner, Stephen Cermak, III, Stephen A. Bowen, Rodney Ruesch, David Paul Gruber, Bonnie Kay Dobbs
  • Patent number: 6765805
    Abstract: A circuit component comprising a circuit board and a terminal for mounting the circuit board on a second circuit board. A length of the circuit board is 10 mm-80 mm, a difference in a coefficient of thermal expansion between the circuit board and the second circuit board is 0.2×10−5/° C. or greater. The terminal is made of an elastic material, and comprised of a first connection section, a second connection section and an elastic section disposed between the first and second connection sections, and the terminal separates the circuit board from the second circuit board by 0.3 mm-5 mm. In the circuit components of the present invention, deterioration in the conduction between the circuit board and the second circuit board due to heat cycles can be prevented. Thus, a circuit component having stable operating characteristics for a long period of time is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Naruse, Kenichi Kozaki, Kazuhiro Eguchi, Katsumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6747875
    Abstract: This improved surface mount power supply can withstand the rigors of the manufacturing process and still create sturdy and robust connection to a user's circuit card. The open frame power module uses a U-shaped or T-shaped interconnect rather than a spherical interconnect. In one embodiment, the U-shaped interconnect can have a hole through one surface to allow the wicking of solder. The wicked solder provides a sturdier connection that is more likely to survive subsequent reflow processes. The power module is also built on a thicker FR4 board. The thicker board is less likely to warp during subsequent heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Innoveta Technologies
    Inventors: Carl Milton Wildrick, Gordon K. Y. Lee
  • Patent number: 6722930
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a low impedance surface-mount connector comprises a length of cylindrical rod having an I-shaped cross section. The device permits interconnection by pick-and-place techniques, and the interconnection has advantageous qualities of low resistance, low inductance, mechanical compliance and ease of manufacture. A first circuit device having one or more circuit components is interconnected with a second circuit device by surface mounting such connectors on the first circuit device, providing corresponding solder pads on the second circuit device, and mounting the connectors of the first circuit device onto the pads of the second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: di/dt, Inc.
    Inventor: Apurba Roy
  • Patent number: 6707683
    Abstract: A circuit board having improved soldering characteristics having raised structure consisting of spacer pads arranged to provide for vertical distancing of electrical or electronic components from the component side planar surface of the circuit board. Such spacing is complementary to top vented soldering stations where the spacing allows solder process gases to flow unimpeded from the soldering stations through the spacing to atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Daktronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Bravek, Randy S. Uehran
  • Publication number: 20040035606
    Abstract: A circuit board assembly having a circuit board and a column grid array (“CGA”) integrated circuit package. The CGA package has a substrate having an array of solder columns extending from a bottom surface. A frame surrounds the CGA integrated circuit package and is affixed thereto. The frame extends from the substrate to a portion of the circuit board when the column grid array integrated circuit package is mounted on the circuit board to support the column grid array integrated circuit package. The frame is affixed to the CGA integrated circuit package by adhesive after the CGA integrated circuit package is mounted on the circuit board, the adhesive accommodating any variations in height of the CGA integrated circuit package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Deeney, Joseph D. Dutson, Richard J. Luebs
  • Patent number: 6646884
    Abstract: The power substrate is inserted in a housing (1) as base plate and together with the same forms a standardized power part from whose top side (11) there are projecting terminal pins (5) which are soldered by through-soldering to via holes of the board (4). The circuit board (4), in a strip portion (6) thereof that remains free, has contact pads (7) as control and power terminals by means of which the module can be soldered directly into the slot-like opening of a system circuit board (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG
    Inventors: Michael Frisch, Bernd Winkens
  • Patent number: 6646890
    Abstract: Mezzanine boards can be added to and removed from a supporting base board mounted in a slot of a shelf adjacent other base boards while the base boards remain in electrical service. Guide rails allow a mezzanine board to be slid into position from the front edge of the base board. The guide rails themselves can be moved to provide a new spacing to accommodate a different width mezzanine board without having to take the supporting base board out of service. Openings in the sides of the guide rails promote the flow of air between the mezzanine board and the base board to provide cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Calvin Byers, Todd Keaffaber, Andrew F. Scott
  • Patent number: 6624448
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a supporting member that reduces a resonance phenomenon. A pair of reinforcing members is fixed on a gate drive substrate with spacers interposed there between and upright portions of the pair of reinforcing members are fastened with screws on a side wall of a cathode flange. A spacer is fixed on the gate drive substrate and a projection of the spacer is inserted in an engaging member fixed on the bottom of the cathode fin electrode and thus fixed on the bottom of the cathode fin electrode. The pair of upright portions as the first and second supporting points and the projection of the spacer as the third supporting point stably support the gate drive substrate on the cathode fin electrode without freedom of rotation at the three positions arranged to surround an opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunori Taguchi, Kazuhiro Morishita, Kenji Oota
  • Patent number: 6587351
    Abstract: A standoff for a printed circuit board assembly is described. The standoff comprises at least one surface configured for surface mounting to a printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lynn Hollinsworth, Randy John Bicknese, Varinder Kumar Kalra, Keith Allen Spalding
  • Publication number: 20030099097
    Abstract: Several embodiments of enhanced integrated circuit probe card and package assemblies are disclosed, which extend the mechanical compliance of both MEMS and thin-film fabricated probes, such that these types of spring probe structures can be used to test one or more integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer. Several embodiments of probe card assemblies, which provide tight signal pad pitch compliance and/or enable high levels of parallel testing in commercial wafer probing equipment, are disclosed. In some preferred embodiments, the probe card assembly structures include separable standard components, which reduce assembly manufacturing cost and manufacturing time. These structures and assemblies enable high speed testing in wafer form. The probes also have built in mechanical protection for both the integrated circuits and the MEMS or thin film fabricated spring tips and probe layout structures on substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Inventors: Sammy Mok, Fu Chiung Chong, Frank John Swiatowiec, Syamal Kumar Lahiri, Joseph Michael Haemer
  • Patent number: 6560122
    Abstract: An integrated circuit chip package according to the present invention includes an integrated circuit chip that is mounted on a substrate by a reflow process and by a plurality of solder bumps. At least one standoff is located between the circuit chip and the substrate to maintain a distance between the circuit chip and the substrate during the reflow process. A mold compound is used for underfilling air gaps between the chip and the substrate. The integrated circuit chip package is formed by placing the chip and substrate within a mold cavity and pressing a transfer mold compound into the mold cavity. Air spaces between the integrated circuit chip and the substrate are underfilled by the mold compound as it is pressed in between the integrated circuit chip, the standoffs and the substrate. Air is allowed to escape from between the chip and the substrate during the underfilling through a vent which extends through the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Hestia Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick O. Weber