International Business Machines Corporation

Other

Ciro Neal Ramirez

Sudipta Kumar Ray

Gordon J Robbins

Robert Charles Dockerty

Ronald Maurice Fraga

Danny Marvin Neal

John Saunders Corbin, Jr

James Robert Taylor

Walter Denton Scott

Darryl Ray Polk

Dales Morrison Kent

Steven Michael Christensen

Michael Paul Pierce

Charles Levern Reynolds, Jr

Jose Arturo Garza

Rajeev Ranjan Sinha

Structure and method for reinforcing a solder column grid array attachment of a ceramic or the like substrate to a printed circuit board, the reinforcement providing support for a heat sink which is bonded or affixed by pressure to a structural element of the substrate. In one form, the invention involves the concurrent formation of materially larger solder columns along the perimeter of the substrate in conjunction with the array of thin electrically interconnecting solder columns on the substrate. The reinforcing and electrical signal columns are thereafter aligned and attached by solder reflow to a corresponding pattern of pads on the printed circuit board. The heat sink is thermally connected to a structural element of the substrate by bonding or mechanical compression. Stresses in the solder columns caused by heat sink compressive forces or vibration induced flexing are materially decreased without adding complex or unique manufacturing operations.

Column grid array substrate attachment with heat sink stress relief

A method and implementing system are described in which planar board or motherboard stiffness is provided through a support structure mounted to the planar. The support structure includes support bars connected together to form a stiffening structure for the motherboard. The support bars are mounted within planes which are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the motherboard and in proximity to electrical connectors on the motherboard which are arranged to have circuit boards connected thereto. A board mounting apparatus is connected to the support structure to enable and guide the insertion and extraction of circuit boards to the motherboard with only enclosure side panel access. In one example, the circuit boards include guide pins which are inserted into slots of a mounting bracket, and the mounting bracket is selectively moved to exert an insertion or extraction force on a pin connector attached to the circuit board relative to a corresponding connector on a motherboard.

Card stiffener optimized for connector engagement

A board-handling mechanism for more easily installing and removing boards from motherboards and/or other mountings within system enclosures such that it does not require the removal of the enclosure. The mechanism provides leverage to positively unseat circuit boards mounted into system connectors on the motherboard or other locations within system enclosures. A gripping mechanism is used for gripping one edge of the circuit board during the unseating process. The gripping mechanism is particularly adapted to provide additional force to unseat the circuit board. The gripping mechanism is adjustably mounted for accommodating circuit boards of various sizes.

Mechanism to assist in insertion or removal of PCI cards

A board-handling mechanism for more easily installing and removing boards from motherboards and/or other mountings within system enclosures does not require the removal of the enclosure. The mechanism provides leverage to positively seat and unseat circuit boards mounted into system connectors on the motherboard or other locations within system enclosures. A cable loop connector is provided within the enclosure opposite the opening for engaging the I/O connector on the forward edge of the daughterboard. The cable loop connector is biased to an upper position so that the daughterboard will first seat in the cable loop connector before being lowered and engaged to the motherboard connector.

Mechanism for inserting or removing I/O cards with internal connectors

An air duct structure for use in cooling a circuit card comprised of a printed circuit board to which an integrated circuit is connected. The air duct structure includes an air duct cover and a spring. The air duct cover includes a major panel that is sized or dimensioned to substantially cover the circuit card. First and second side panels extending substantially perpendicularly from opposing ends of the major panel to form a bracket. A depth of the bracket is suitable for receiving the circuit card and a heatsink positioned in close contact with the integrated circuit. When the circuit card and the heatsink are suitably received within the air duct cover, the air duct cover and the printed circuit board define an air duct within which the heatsink resides. The spring is attached to an interior surface of the major panel. The spring is positioned on the major panel to contact the heatsink and retain the heatsink in the close contact with the integrated circuit when the heatsink and the circuit card are suitably received by the air duct cover.

Heatsink retention and air duct assembly

Supporting structure for a ball grid array surface mounted integrated circuit device composed of support solder formed at selective corner locations on the ball grid array surface of the integrated circuit device. In one form, L-shaped patterns of high melting temperature solder are formed along the axes defined by the ball grid array and are characterized in that cross sections of the L-shaped pattern match that of the solder balls along one axis, and represent a continuum of solder between solder ball locations along the other axis. Support solder can be added where necessary to provide both structural reinforcement and thermal conduction. Control of the cross section of the support solder ensures that surface tension effects of the molten low temperature reflow solder used to connect the integrated circuit device does not materially change the final relative spacing between the integrated circuit device balls and the underlying printed circuit board contacts.

Structurally reinforced ball grid array semiconductor package and systems

A method and apparatus for attaching heatsinks having a disproportional size relative to the electronic component to which they are attached. In general, the apparatus comprises variable-length attaching means for attaching each corner of the heatsink to the circuit card while maintaining sufficient contact with the electronic component. The variable-length attaching means includes a post and a receiving well. Both the post and receiving well include attaching means, such as threads and nuts, for attachment to the heatsink and circuit board, respectively. The variable-length attaching means accommodates height variations between parts, establishes high structural integrity after assembly, controls static and dynamic loading of the solder columns, allows for module re-work while re-using the heatsink and card, and provides adequate protection from shock, vibration, and handling.

Apparatus for attaching heatsinks

A method and apparatus for minimizing escapement positioning error by matching the move sequence of a print carrier to the mechanical system dynamic characteristics without the use of a feedback sensor are described. A plurality of constant velocity signals are provided for driving the print carrier to the next print position. The sequential velocity signals comprise an acceleration velocity signal and a deceleration velocity signal, the duration of which are dependent upon the damped natural frequency of the print system. For long escapement moves, a slew velocity command is provided between the acceleration and deceleration velocity commands so as to maintain the velocity of the print carrier at the amplitude it had attained at the conclusion of the acceleration velocity signal. The relative amplitudes of the acceleration, slew and deceleration velocity signals are a function of the damping ratio of the printer system.

Method and apparatus for controlling escapement

A magnetic transducer is provided having a plurality of magnetic poles arranged annularly about an axis to form a stator coacting with a rotor which rotates about the same axis to induce changes in the magnetic forces between the poles. Each of the poles in the stator has a sense coil thereon for generating an electric output signal in response to the induced changes in flux. At least one pair of these magnetic poles have the same polarity and are positioned substantially 180.degree. apart. The sense coils on each of the poles in this pair are connected in series so that the resulting output electrical signal from these coils would be cumulative.

Rotational magnetic transducer

A tire pressure sensing and warning device will indicate automatically when the air pressure in any one of the vehicle tires drops below or exceeds a predetermined level. The device will not interfere with the changing of the tires and rims on any of the vehicle wheels.

Growing community of inventors

Round Rock, TX, United States of America

Ciro Neal Ramirez