With External, Contact Enhancing Clamp Patents (Class 439/73)
  • Patent number: 6485311
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is an actuation system including a printed circuit board having a plurality of interconnects and a compression connector positioned adjacent the printed circuit board and having a plurality of contacts for engaging the interconnects. A processing module is positioned adjacent the compression connector. The processing module has a base and a plurality of terminals for engaging contacts on the compression connector. An actuator includes a fastener that engages the base of the processing module and a biasing member for maintaining a force on the compression connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John G. Torok, Gary F. Goth, John J. Loparco, Kent D. Waddell
  • Patent number: 6486410
    Abstract: The present invention uses the resilient behaviour of a flexible printed circuit board (10), both to mechanically clamp the components (20) in a permanent manner and to achieve good electrical contacts (24) between conducting parts (12) of the flexible circuit board (10) and the components (20). By cutting the flexible printed circuit board in such a manner that small tab-like, resilient members (12,16) are formed, the forces caused by elastically deformed resilient members (12,16) are usable both for mechanically fixing the components (20) and for causing an electrical contact (24). By choosing appropriate sizes of the resilient members (12,16), the relative strength of the spring force is increased, which even will be large enough to cause a plastic deformation of the material in the contact points (24) between the conducting resilient members (12) and the component contact members (22). In such a manner, soldering or gluing may be totally omitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Piezomotors Uppsala AB
    Inventors: Stefan Johansson, Staffan Karlsson
  • Patent number: 6476484
    Abstract: A heat sink dissipater includes a retaining device and a heat dissipater. A plurality of fins and a plurality of pads or recesses are integrally formed on the top surface of the heat dissipater. A plurality of resilient legs extend inward from the sides of the retaining device. Retaining edges are also formed on two sides of the retaining device. The resilient legs fall into the gaps between the fins when the retaining device is positioned on the heat dissipater to secure a CPU assembly. In an orientation, the legs are placed on the pads or recesses of the heat dissipater and in an orthogonal orientation, the legs are placed directly on the top surface of the heat dissipater. Therefore, CPU assemblies of different thickness can be accommodated by rotating the retaining device or the heat dissipater 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Malico Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Liang
  • Patent number: 6464513
    Abstract: An adapter and method for aligning and non-permanently connecting the external leads of a plurality of integrated circuit devices to conductors on a substrate of a multi-chip module. The adapter includes a plurality of component frames, each component frame being configured to receive at least one integrated circuit device. The plurality of component frames is attached to at least one support rod. The support rod with attached component frames is placed over one side of the multi-chip module substrate and the external leads of the integrated circuit devices are aligned with corresponding conductors on the multi-chip module substrate. A second support rod, which may also have component frames attached thereto, is placed over the opposing side of the multi-chip module substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Saeed Momenpour, Steven J. Brunelle
  • Publication number: 20020137367
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is an actuation system including a printed circuit board having a plurality of interconnects and a compression connector positioned adjacent the printed circuit board and having a plurality of contacts for engaging the interconnects. A processing module is positioned adjacent the compression connector. The processing module has a base and a plurality of terminals for engaging contacts on the compression connector. An actuator includes a fastener that engages the base of the processing module and a biasing member for maintaining a force on the compression connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: John G. Torok, Gary F. Goth, John J. Loparco, Kent D. Waddell
  • Patent number: 6454587
    Abstract: A mounting assembly for providing bus termination of a signal line on a printed circuit board (PCB). The mounting assembly includes a connector arrangement, a bus termination device, pressure plate and a clamping mechanism. The bus termination device is received by the connector arrangement, such that electrical interface elements of the bus termination device engage electrical interface elements of the connector arrangement to provide electrical communication between the connector arrangement and the signal line of the PCB. The clamping mechanism is engageable with the bus termination device for maintaining electrical contact between the electrical interface elements for securing the connector arrangement and bus termination device to the PCB. The pressure plate member is interposed between the clamping mechanism and the bus termination board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Christopher G. Malone
  • Patent number: 6443741
    Abstract: A socket for an electrical part comprises a socket body having an accommodation portion in which an electrical part having a number of terminals is accommodated, a number of contact pins arranged to the socket body so as to be contacted to or separated from the terminals of the electrical part, a pressure cover mounted to the socket body to be pivotal through a shaft member at one end portion thereof in a manner that, when the pressure cover is pivoted in a cover closed direction, the electrical part is pressed and held so that the terminals of the electrical part are contacted to the contact pins, respectively, an arm member attached to another end portion of the pressure cover to be rotatable, a latch member attached to the arm member to be rotatable so as to be engaged with or separated from the socket body, and a link member connecting the latch member and the pressure cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6439897
    Abstract: A socket (1) has a base (10) which forms a recess (10d) for receiving a support member (12). The support member (12) has a recessed surface (12a) for carrying a contact film (14) and has bores for mounting spring contact elements (15). The spring contact elements engage contact members (14b) of contact film (14) from below the film. An adapter (13) has a seat (13b) for a BGA package (2) for exposing solder balls (2a) to contact members (14b) from a location above the film. Socket terminal pins (11b) are electrically connected to spring contact elements (15) through circuit paths (13c) on a pitch expansion substrate (11). A cover (20) and a compression member (30) apply a force to the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Kiyokazu Ikeya
  • Patent number: 6439896
    Abstract: An IC socket adapted to establish an electrical connection between an IC package and a printed board includes a socket body having a mount portion on which the IC package is mounted, a number of contact pins disposed on the socket body in substantially equally adjacent arrangement, each of the contact pins having one end to be connected to a terminal of the IC package and another end to be connected to the printed board, and an interval widening member provided for the socket body for widening a pitch interval between the other ends of adjacent contact pins so as to provide a predetermined distance therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Kentaro Mori
  • Patent number: 6407566
    Abstract: A test module for simultaneously testing a plurality of IC packages in a simulated multi-chip module environment. The test module includes a module board adapted to receive the IC packages and a plurality of module adapters configured to secure the IC packages to the module board. The module adapters secure the IC packages to the module board and establish electrical contact between the IC package leads and a plurality of contact pads disposed on the module board, with no permanent bonding agent. Reliable electrical connections are established between the IC package leads and the contact pads by a plurality of protruding pins extending from each module adapter, which bias the IC package leads towards the contact pads. A plurality of IC packages assembled into the test module may be subjected to module level testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Brunelle, Phoung A. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 6382985
    Abstract: A display panel socket has a substantially rectangular socket body, panel positioning means for positioning the substrate of the display panel with respect to the socket body, film attachment boards attached to the socket body in parallel to the directions of arrangement of electrode terminals of the display panel via position adjusting means so that the positions can be adjusted, and flexible wiring boards which are attached to the film attachment boards and have contactors to be brought in contact with the electrode terminals of the display panel. Each of the position adjusting means has a biasing spring for spring biasing a film attachment board in one direction among the longitudinal directions of the same and an adjustment member for adjusting the position of an end portion of the film attachment board against the spring force. Both of the biasing spring and the adjustment member are arranged on the socket body so that they act upon the same end portion of the film attachment board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 6354856
    Abstract: A first contact portion of each of contact pins is formed with a positioning stepped portion, and a socket body is formed with a positioning engaging portion. While the positioning stepped portion is engaged with the positioning engaging portion in a state where a first spring portion of each contact pin is elastically deformed, the positioning stepped portion is pressed against the positioning engaging portion by means of an elastic force of the first spring portion so that positioning of each first contact portion supporting corresponding one of IC terminals is accomplished relative to the socket body with high accuracy. Thus, dispersion of positions of the first contact portions is diminished among the contact pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Hideo Shimada
  • Patent number: 6352435
    Abstract: A chip socket assembly provides for the mechanical and electrical coupling of edge-mountable chips to a bus of a circuit board with relative ease. An edge-mountable chip may be placed in a slot defined by a base. A clip may be attached to the base to retain the chip in the base. Alternatively, the base and the package of the chip may be configured such that the chip mates with the base in retaining the chip in the base. With the chip socket assembly, users may add, remove, or replace single chips and therefore expand the functionality of a system with the granularity of a single chip in a relatively easy manner. A chip file assembly may also be used to provide for the mechanical and electrical coupling of a plurality of edge-mountable chips to a bus of a circuit board with relative ease. Assemblies for securing horizontal chip packages are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Rambus, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald V. Perino, Wayne S. Richardson, John B. Dillon
  • Publication number: 20020016091
    Abstract: A chip socket assembly provides for the mechanical and electrical coupling of edge-mountable chips to a bus of a circuit board with relative ease. An edge-mountable chip may be placed in a slot defined by a base. A clip may be attached to the base to retain the chip in the base. Alternatively, the base and the package of the chip may be configured such that the chip mates with the base in retaining the chip in the base. With the chip socket assembly, users may add, remove, or replace single chips and therefore expand the functionality of a system with the granularity of a single chip in a relatively easy manner. A chip file assembly may also be used to provide for the mechanical and electrical coupling of a plurality of edge-mountable chips to a bus of a circuit board with relative ease. Assemblies for securing horizontal chip packages are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Publication date: February 7, 2002
    Applicant: Rambus, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald V. Perino, Wayne S. Richardson, John B. Dillon
  • Patent number: 6325638
    Abstract: An electrical assembly and actuating mechanism for use therewith in which conductor pairs of two circuit members (e.g., printed circuit board and electronic module or semiconductor chip) are effectively electrically coupled. A rigid plate is fixedly positioned relative to a first of the circuit members (e.g., using upstanding pins), a pressure plate is movably oriented relative to the rigid member, and an actuator (e.g., screw) moves within the rigid member to cause the pressure plate to engage the second circuit. Such engagement in turn causes the conductors of the second circuit member to forcibly engage the first circuit member's conductors. Solder balls and dendritic members can also be used for providing enhanced coupling without harm to either structures. The resulting assembly affords a low profile when in final position, as highly desired in the design of microelectronic packaging structures which the present invention is particularly related to.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Fletcher Leroy Chapin, James Daniel Herard
  • Publication number: 20010046795
    Abstract: A socket for electrical parts is provided with a socket body for accommodating the electrical part. A plurality of contact pins is arranged to the socket body so that a central side contact pin is arranged to the socket body to contact a center side terminal of the electrical part and a peripheral side contact pin is arranged to the socket body to contact a peripheral side terminal of the electrical part. A press unit is arranged to press an upper surface of the peripheral portion towards a bottom surface side thereof so that, if the electrical part is warped, it becomes possible to securely hold the electrical part by the press unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Hisao Ohshima, Osamu Hachuda, Masahito Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20010044226
    Abstract: A contact pin assembly for a socket for electrical parts comprises a plurality of contact pins provided for a socket body of a socket for electrical parts and a connection member, formed separately, connecting all the contact pins with a predetermined distance between adjacent ones. The predetermined distance is made substantially equal to a distance between adjacent ones of terminals provided for an electrical part which is held in the socket body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventors: Shuichi Satoh, Masami Fukunaga
  • Publication number: 20010012725
    Abstract: A system is provided for testing a bare IC chip having an array of electrode pads. A burn-in socket includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle. A plurality of terminals on the housing include contact portions exposed in the receptacle and terminating portions extending exteriorly of the housing. An adapter socket is configured for positioning in the receptacle in the burn-in socket and includes an opening for removably receiving the bare IC chip. A plurality of conductors have contact portions exposed in the opening for engaging the electrode pads of the bare IC chip. Connection portions of the conductors engage the contact portions of the terminals of the burn-in socket. The conductors are formed on a laminated film which is part of the adapter socket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Inventors: Ryu Maeda, Manabu Doi
  • Publication number: 20010012707
    Abstract: An integrated circuit socket having a contact pad is disclosed. The integrated circuit socket comprises: (1) a base unit, it further consists of a base, contact pins and an elastomer. The contact pins will provide the electrical contact of the other elements, the elastomer provides the compactness of the assembly. (2) an interposer, there are a flexible film, a stiffener and a stop layer wherein the contact pad of the flexible film may contact with the solder ball of IC device to buffer the pressure formed by a tight contact when IC device is moving downward. The pressure will be dispersed with the flexible film such that the testing signals are transmitted. (3) an adapter unit, the unit is capable of positioning the integrated circuit device and includes a depressor to suppress or release the integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: Urex Precision, Inc.
    Inventors: Han-Shin Ho, Wei-Hai Lai, Chien-Shuan Kuo, Deng-Tswen Shieh, Ming-Hsien Wang, Chin-Ting Whung
  • Patent number: 6252289
    Abstract: An electrical contact, preferably made from a gold-plated, beryllium-copper flat stock which allows radio-frequency signal to pass with low noise, is provided within a housing. The electrical contact has two arms for contact with two external circuits. The electrical contact further has a pivot for allowing the electrical contact to adjust within the housing. The housing supports the electrical contact and is provided with a pivot point, such as a non-conducting rubber tip, for meeting the pivot of the electrical contact. The housing combined with one or more of the electrical contacts results in a testing port especially suited for providing high frequency communication between an electrical testing fixture and a device under test, such as a high-frequency hybrid integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Agere Systems Guardian Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Thompson, Gerard J. Mietelski, William E. Fulmer
  • Patent number: 6244875
    Abstract: A socket connector includes a rectangular base plate adapted to be positioned on a circuit board and retaining an electronic device, such as an integrated circuit, thereon for establishing electrical connection between the electronic device and the circuit board by means of contacts retained therein. Bumps are formed on the base plate for engaging with notches defined in the electronic device to precisely positioning the electronic device with respect to the base plate. A retention module includes a frame having four wall segments defining an interior space therebetween for receiving the base plate. A pair of sideways projections is formed on one wall segment with aligned holes defined therein for receiving pivots of a resilient clip thereby making the clip movable between an open position where the base plate is exposed for receiving the electronic device and a closed position where the clip resiliently engages with the electronic device thereby securing the electronic device to the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert G. McHugh, Nick Lin, Hsing-Yu Yu
  • Patent number: 6224418
    Abstract: An electrical connector for flexible printed board includes a housing with an opening, and a cover rotatable about a pivotal axis for closing or opening the opening. When the cover is closed, a pressure portion disposed along one edge of the cover is clamped between a flexible printed board on a resilient piece of a fork-shaped contact and a fixing piece of the contact while pressing the flexible printed board against the resilient piece. A wire fixed within the cover includes a pair of opposite ends projecting from lateral sides of the cover along the pivotal axis, and an intermediate portion circumventing the pressure portion as spaced a distance from the pivotal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: J.S.T. Msf. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuto Miura, Taichiro Miyao, Shinji Uchida
  • Patent number: 6213806
    Abstract: In an IC socket, a pressure cover is disposed to be rotatable so as to be opened or closed with respect to a socket body, so that when the pressure cover is closed, an IC package mounted on the socket body is pressed. The pressure cover is provided with a heat sink and a heat of the IC package is radiated therefrom through a press-contact of the heat sink to the IC package. The pressure cover is formed with a heat sink receiver on an inner surface side to the socket body so as to receive the heat sink and a holding member is disposed on an inner surface side of the pressure cover to be detachable so as to detachably hold the heat sink between the heat sink receiver and the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Conrad Choy
  • Patent number: 6181567
    Abstract: A method of securing an electronic package to a circuit board includes the step of providing a retainer having a locating cavity defined therein. The method further includes the step of positioning the electronic package within the locating cavity so that the electronic package is fixed in relationship to the retainer. Moreover, the method includes the step of securing the retainer in fixed relationship to the circuit board so as to sandwich the electronic package between the retainer and the circuit board. The securing step is performed after the positioning step. An apparatus for securing an electronic package to a circuit board is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Roemer, Eddie V. Williams
  • Patent number: 6181568
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus comprises an electrical device including at least a first terminal. A carrier for electrically connecting the electrical device to a printed circuit board having at least a conductive contact includes a bridging terminal disposed between the first terminal and the conductive contact. The bridging terminal is arranged to be selectively displaced between a first position at which the first terminal and the conductive contact are not connected, and a second position at which the first terminal and the conductive contact are electrically connected by the bridging terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert G. McHugh, Yao-Chi Huang
  • Patent number: 6168451
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly for connecting a chipset to a printed circuit board comprises a dielectric housing having a number of terminal-receiving passageways defined between a top mating face and a bottom terminating face thereof. Two connecting protrusions are respectively formed on opposite sides of the housing. A number of terminals are received in the passageways of the housing. Each terminal has a contact portion and a tail portion extending from the contact portion. A fastening piece is attached to the housing, and includes a body and two legs extending substantially perpendicular from opposite ends of the body. Each leg defines a mating groove on an inner face thereof for mating with the corresponding connecting protrusion of the housing. When the fastening piece is mounted to the housing, the chipset is securely sandwiched between the fastening piece and the housing, and when the fastening piece is removed from the housing, the chipset can be easily detached from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nick Lin, Shih-Tsang Yang
  • Patent number: 6164982
    Abstract: An IC socket for holding an IC having multiple parallel lead units and multiple pins each of which includes a tip unit that is bent with respect to the lead unit is equipped with a contact pin for contacting the lead units and a pressing unit for pressing the lead units onto the contact pin. The tip unit may have a soldering unit to be soldered to an object part. The pressing unit is installed at a position that faces the contact pin. The lead units are installed between the pressing unit and the contact pin. The contact pin has elasticity against a direction in which the pressing unit presses the lead units. In order for the contact pin to have this elasticity, the contact pin may have a hollow tube, a spring installed inside the tube, and an axis that the spring presses in an extending direction of the spring. The IC further has a conductive support pin, which supports the IC. A detection pin detects that the IC has been properly installed when the detection pin is electrically connected to the support pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hama
  • Patent number: 6162066
    Abstract: A socket for positioning and installing an integrated circuit chip having terminals on one side thereof on a conductive elastomer includes a base which positions the chip over the elastomer. A camming member is moveable relative to the base between an open position disengaged from the chip and allowing the chip to be installed in the socket to a closed position in which the actuating member engages a side of the chip and exerts a force on the chip to embed the terminals in the elastomer to thereby provide an electrical connection between the terminals and the elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Wells-CTI, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Glick, Kenneth J. Mroczkiewicz
  • Patent number: 6160710
    Abstract: A thermally conductive mounting flange of an IC package is placed directly on a heat sink surface between respective sections of single layer PC board attached to the heat sink, such that electrical leads extending from opposing sides of the package are positioned over corresponding conductive areas formed on the surface of the respective adjacent PC board section. The leads are electrically coupled with the conductive areas by respective tie-down screws fastened through dielectric isolating washers. The screws are tightened sufficiently against the isolating washers so as to press the respective package leads into solid electrical contact with the conductive areas. Portions of the respective leads and conductive areas surrounding the tie-down screws are cut-away to prevent electrical contact, in order to avoid shorting the leads and/or conductive areas to the heat sink via the tie-down screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventors: Bengt Ahl, Larry C. Leighton, Thomas W. Moller
  • Patent number: 6155859
    Abstract: An IC socket is provided with a pressure cover so as to be opened and closed about a rotational shaft with respect to a socket body, and when the pressure cover is closed, an IC package mounted on the socket body is pressed. In the IC socket, a stopper member is disposed to lock the pressure cover in a state that the pressure cover and the socket body are closed, a proximity member for rotating the pressure cover to the socket body side so that the pressure cover further approaches towards the socket body side from the closed state thereof. The stopper member includes a stopper piece mounted to a support shaft, which is supported to be movable in a tangential direction of a circle with the rotational shaft being the center thereof with respect to the pressure cover, and a stopper piece engaging portion formed to the socket body with which the stopper piece is engaged, and the proximity member is provided with a separation member mounted to the support shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Conrad Choy
  • Patent number: 6142809
    Abstract: 1. An IC socket comprises a socket body in which an IC package is accommodated, a press cover mounted to the socket body to be rotatable, and a press member rotatably mounted through a hold shaft to the press cover. One of the socket body and the press member is provided with a guide convex portion projecting toward other thereof, and the other one of the socket body and the press member is provided with a guide groove for guiding the guide convex portion, in which the guide convex portion is adapted to be fitted into the guide groove in accordance with a closing operation of the press cover so that the press member moves vertically with respect to the IC package thereby to press the IC package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Masami Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 6124720
    Abstract: Surface mount test and/or burn-in sockets for electronic device packages are formed using contact pins supported between the top of a circuit board and the lower surface of the terminal lead. The central portion of each contact pin is secured in the socket base so that one end of the pin extends into a cavity in the socket and the other end extends from the lower surface of the socket. The ends of the contact pins are supported on curved beams which are designed to control the pressure exerted on the terminal leads and on the contact pads independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Plastronics Socket Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne K. Pfaff, Richard C. Muehling
  • Patent number: 6091474
    Abstract: A mounting assembly is used to mount a liquid crystal display (LCD) to a printed circuit board. The mounting assembly includes a display support which is mounted to the printed circuit board and supports the display in spaced relationship to the printed circuit board. A connector with integral spring contacts snaps into an opening into the display support to electrically connect the contacts on the LCD to the contacts on the printed circuit board. The connector extends over a top surface of the LCD display and functions as a mechanical retention element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Ericsson, Inc.
    Inventors: David Desmond Middleton, Stacy Neil Smith, Shawn Michael Stephenson
  • Patent number: 6071128
    Abstract: An integrated circuit socket 41 with built in EMC grounding for a heat sink 16 is provided. The socket 41 may be used with an electronic assembly 10 packaged with or without a planar card 20. The socket 41 includes or accepts one or more conductive fingers 53. The conductive fingers 53 are designed to extend down from the lug 81 of the socket 41 and form a pin. The socket body 41 may have two opposed side walls 71. Each side wall has a lug 81 that projects laterally out from the wall 71. A surface of each lug is coated or covered with a conductive material which forms the conductive finger 53. Each finger forms a pin which extends down from the socket 41 like other socket pins 50. Alternatively, the EMC fingers 55 are electrically coupled to one or more of the socket pins 50 via conductive traces 91/93. A curved upper portion of the finger 53/55 is designed to fit within the lug 81 such that solid electrical contact with the retainer clip 19 is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Gabriel Brewington, Paul Daniel Kangas
  • Patent number: 6062874
    Abstract: In an IC socket in which IC leads of an IC package are pressed down by a presser member so as to be contacted with and retained by contacts arranged on the socket, an IC socket for an IC package comprises an IC mount which is upwardly and downwardly movably interposed between the socket and the presser member. The IC mount is formed with through-holes or through-grooves, and the contacts each having a vertical slit are inserted into the through-holes or through-grooves. The IC leads of the IC package placed on the IC mount are pressed down together with the IC mount by the presser member such that distal end portions of the contacts are relatively protruded upwardly from the through-holes of the IC mount as the IC leads are pressed down, so that the IC leads are pushed into the vertical slits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Matsuda, Shigeru Sato, Yoshiharu Ishii
  • Patent number: 6057700
    Abstract: A test fixture that exhibits relatively low parasitic impedance and inductance characteristics (thereby allowing for high speed --several GHz testing) while capable of high volume testing. The fixture utilizes a high dielectric test substrate with gold test leads for best performance. A two-piece test fixture is aligned with and attached to the substrate, with a layer of vertically conductive material disposed between the substrate and the fixture. A first component of the two-piece test fixture include a central aperture for holding the test package in alignment with the leads formed on the test substrate. A second component of the two-piece test fixture covers the package and exerts a predetermined force on the package leads, thereby inducing conductivity through the vertically conductive material and forming a conduction path from the substrate to the package leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Brian Crispell
  • Patent number: 6045370
    Abstract: A socket for establishing a releasable connection between terminals of electronic modules and a circuit board includes a base having a module support surface for supporting the module in test position. A contact holder cooperates with the base for supporting contact elements for each terminal of the module. Each of the contact modules include a projecting portion projecting from the socket and before engagement with the circuit board, a support section which is supported on the contact holder in grooves defined between ribs and oriented with respect thereto by tabs on the contact elements engaging gaps in the grooves, and a deflecting section which extends over slots in the contact holder. When a module to be tested, the module is placed on the test surface and a lid pivotally mounted on the socket is closed to thereby push the terminals into engagement with the contact elements and thereafter downward force being accommodated by deflection of the deflectable portion of the contact elements into the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Wells-CTi, Inc.
    Inventors: Valts Edgars Treibergs, Craig Joseph Reske
  • Patent number: 6042412
    Abstract: A connector assembly featuring a socket for receiving a chip carrier insertable therein, whereby the socket is mountable to a circuit board; opposed arms extend from the socket; and actuators are movably secured between the opposed arms for urging the chip carrier towards said circuit board. The actuator is rotatable between an unactuated position and an actuated position on an axis of rotation extending between the arms. The actuator includes a cam portion between the opposed arms having an eccentric portion bearable against a top surface of the chip carrier for urging the chip carrier towards the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Keith Murr
  • Patent number: 6022225
    Abstract: An electrical assembly and actuating mechanism for use therewith in which conductor pairs of two circuit members (e.g., printed circuit board and electronic module or semiconductor chip) are effectively electrically coupled. A rigid plate is fixedly positioned relative to a first of the circuit members (e.g., using upstanding pins), a pressure plate is movably oriented relative to the rigid member, and an actuator (e.g., screw) moves within the rigid member to cause the pressure plate to engage the second circuit. Such engagement in turn causes the conductors of the second circuit member to forcibly engage the first circuit member's conductors. Solder balls and dendritic members can also be used for providing enhanced coupling without harm to either structures. The resulting assembly affords a low profile when in final position, as highly desired in the design of microelectronic packaging structures which the present invention is particularly related to.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Fletcher Leroy Chapin, James Daniel Herard
  • Patent number: 6019612
    Abstract: The connecting apparatus has a plurality of probes, each having a deformed portion, a needle front portion with a tip end to be pressed against an electrode portion of a device to be tested and continuous with the deformed portion, and a needle tail portion continuous with the other end portion of the deformed portion, assembled in parallel into a base plate by assembling equipment with the tail end portions brought into contact with a retraction preventive portion. Thereby, when device to be tested is pressed against the probe, the probe is prevented from retracting according to the curved state of the deformed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nihon Micronics
    Inventors: Yoshiei Hasegawa, Eichi Osato
  • Patent number: 6015301
    Abstract: A surface mount socket having a capability to permit replacing a surface mount component. The component is biased with a spring toward an area array site on a substrate. The component and spring are positioned within a base adjacent the area array site and mechanically held down with a coupler. An interconnect structure for use therewith is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Louis Brodsky, Benson Chan, Glenn Edward Myrto, John Henry Sherman
  • Patent number: 6004141
    Abstract: There is disclosed a socket for use with an electronic part, which is simple in structure and easily fabricated and in which a reliable contact between electrode terminals of the electronic part and those of a socket body is obtained when the electronic part is mounted or detached. Each electrode portion 1b of a socket body 10b has a sliding contact which contacts with an electrode terminal of the electronic part and whose contact point is movable by pushing of the electronic part against the socket body in a direction B perpendicular to the push, and a spring contact which biases with its degree of contact with the sliding contact increasing in proportion to a movable amount of the sliding contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Otax Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Naoki Hiyama
  • Patent number: 5997316
    Abstract: A test fixture for integrated circuits, particularly those having large numbers of contacts. The fixture has a socket for receiving the integrated circuit, with conductive wad pins of the socket contacting lands or solderballs of the integrated circuit. Four clamping and alignment studs having peripheral grooves near their upper ends extend upward from the four corners of the socket. A lid is pivoted about a hinge pin which goes through bearing holes in the two studs and the lid. A pressure pad is resiliently suspended from the lid for applying pressure to the upper surface of an integrated circuit disposed in the socket. A slide-lock plate is mounted on the upper surface of the lid. A pressure pad screw extends from a position above the slide-lock plate, through a hole in the slide-lock plate, to engage threads of the central hole of the lid to apply pressure to the pressure pad when the pressure pad screw is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: TWP, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter Albert Kunzel
  • Patent number: 5989039
    Abstract: A socket apparatus for testing a semiconductor package includes a main body having a plurality of contact pins therein, a locking member disposed in the main body for securing the semiconductor package that is to be loaded into the main body, an unlocking member for releasing the package secured by the locking member, and a cover disposed above the locking member and the unlocking member. The socket apparatus improves a contactability between the external terminals of the package and the contact pins during the package testing and decreases production cost due to its simplified composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: LG Semicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lim Yu Sik
  • Patent number: 5957704
    Abstract: A socket comprises a socket body and a plurality of contactors mounted on the socket body for electrical contact with leads of an electrical component at bottom sides of the leads. Holding members are mounted on the socket body. At least one slider made of an insulating member is held by the holding members and movable between a retracted position where the slider does not confront with the leads of the electrical component and a forward position where the slider can confront with the leads. The slider is urged by springs toward the forward position from the retracted position and is also urged by the holding members in a direction toward the leads. An operating member has a first operating portion which can push the holding members to move the slider upward from the leads of the electrical component and a second operating portion which can move the slider from the forward position to the retracted position against the urging force of the springs after the slider has been moved upward from the leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 5936849
    Abstract: A retainer assembly for releasably securing an integrated circuit package to a circuit board for testing purposes includes an insulative plate having a central aperture which surrounds the package and captures the package leads between the plate and the circuit board with the leads in conductive engagement with respective conductive contact lands on the circuit board. Screws extending through openings in the plate and the circuit board are threadingly received in nuts secured to the underside of the circuit board to releasably secure the plate with the captured integrated circuit package to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: H. Scott Fetterman
  • Patent number: 5924874
    Abstract: There is provided an IC socket capable of reducing inductance of contacts corresponding to a power supply pin and a ground pin of an IC, of increasing the level of impedance matching and of enabling the measurement of a high frequency IC. Contacts each formed of a single kind and comprising three contact portions and one curved portion are arranged in a straight line along grooves of an IC socket and the contacts are connected to a measuring circuit board which is inserted into the grooves of the IC socket through the three contact portions regardless of the curved portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Ando Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Gotoh, Yuji Kawanishi, Katsuhiro Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 5912804
    Abstract: A diode holder with spring clamped heat sink includes a unitary holder having spaced apart pockets for the diodes, a heat sink plate, a compression coil spring and connector such as a rivet for clamping the holder and plate with the diodes engaging the plate with the clamping force being applied through the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Randall Lee Lawson, Gary Patrick Schlosser
  • Patent number: 5901048
    Abstract: The invention relates to a printed circuit board having chips attached to the PCB. One or more of the chips has a planar collar mounted around the chip. The collar has a top and bottom planar surface without any projections. The collar extends laterally away from the edge of the chip to protect the leads electrically connecting the chip to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Yu-Fei Hu
  • Patent number: 5890914
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical socket for connecting a generally planar integrated circuit (IC) having a plurality of peripheral laterally extending contacts to a printed wiring board (PWB) comprising an insulative element interposed between the processing unit and the PWB and having means for retaining the IC; a plurality of latching means positioned in spaced peripheral relation adjacent the base element; a cover element superimposed over the base element and comprising an insulative housing being peripherally engageable by said latching means and a resilient control member positioned in concentric relation with said housing and having a plurality of legs each extending radially from said central section toward one of the latching means; and a plurality of contact means positioned in spaced peripheral relation adjacent the base element to abut the contacts on the processing unit and the PWB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Berg Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yakov Belopolsky, Alan Raistrick, Din-Kuen Wang