International Business Machines Corporation

James D Herard

William Louis Brodsky

Der-jin Woan

Thomas G Macek

Fletcher L Chapin

Timothy Lee Sharp

George Joseph Shovlowsky

Donald Seton Farquhar

David L Questad

Michael Joseph Klodowski

Norman A Card

James M Ergler

Paul R Kasperek

Richard S McKinley

David Brian Stone

Jeffrey Scott Campbell

John Joseph Konrad

John Gerard Gaudiello

Timothy Leroy Wells

Jeffrey McKeveny

Ronald P Nowak

John R Slack

Steven R Herard

An electronic package and method of formation. A thermally conductive layer having first and second opposing surfaces is provided. A first dielectric layer is laminated under pressurization to the first opposing surface of the thermally conductive layer, at a temperature between a minimum temperature Tand a maximum temperature T. Tconstrains the ductility of the first dielectric layer to be at least Dfollowing the laminating. Tdepends on Dand on a first dielectric material comprised by the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is laminated under pressurization to the second opposing surface of the thermally conductive layer, at a temperature between a minimum temperature Tand a maximum temperature T. Tconstrains the ductility of the second dielectric layer to be at least Dfollowing the laminating. Tdepends on Dand on a second dielectric material comprised by the second dielectric layer.

Electronic package with optimized lamination process

A process for manufacturing a land grid array connector for a printed wiring board is disclosed. The process does not require electroplating precious metal overlays. Therefore, no commoning bar is required. Another benefit of the invention includes a connector design using only a flash, soft gold application in the outer surface of the connector. Physical hardness and durability are derived from a thin palladium layer lying beneath the flash gold layer.

Process for manufacturing a printed wiring board

A method and apparatus is described for reworking a printed circuit board having plugged vias and plated through holes. The printed circuit board, supported by a movable local support, is heated from only the bottom side by a heating device near the area on the PCB that contains the plated through hole or holes to be reworked. The heating device is removed when the solder in the plugged PTH is completely melted. At that time, blast air is turned on to remove and blow off the excess solder in the PTH. The compressed air is more effective in displacing the molten solder than is vacuuming, and has less chance of damaging the PCB than do conventional reworking methods, due to the non-contact nature of the invention.

Process for reworking circuit boards

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. The invention also assures effective heat sinking of at least one of the circuit members.

Electrical assembly for coupling two circuit members

Machine and process for reworking circuit boards

Electrical assembly

A circuitized structure including a flexible circuit with at least one layer of dielectric having a plurality of electrically conductive members (e.g., copper pads) thereon. An elastomeric member including a plurality of upstanding portions each having a respective metallic pad member thereon is utilized, this elastomeric-pad structure being bonded to the flexible circuit at locations relative to respective ones of the conductive members so as to assure substantially independent force exertion thereon, e.g., when the flexible circuit is electrically coupled to a separate, circuitized substrate such as a printed circuit board. A method for making an elastomeric support member for use in such a circuitized substrate is also provided.

Circuitized structure including flexible circuit with elastomeric member

A support structure is attached to the front or back side of a flexible circuit by direct mounting to the flexible circuit flat ribbon cable, thereby providing a stress-free region of the cable in which the flexible circuit electrical components can be mounted. The support structure comprises a flat ring that is attached to the cable by adhesive, soldering, or mechanical fastening. The flat ring mounts on one side of the flat ribbon cable and encloses an area of the cable that is sufficiently large for the mounting of the flexible circuit electrical components. The flat ribbon cable within the enclosed area is held flat and free from stress, even as the cable is handled. Thus, any components mounted within the enclosed area are not subjected to bending moments. The invention also can be incorporated into cable connectors, such as multi-pin connectors at the ends of cables, and can include support hooks and air cooling baffles.

Assembly for mounting components to flexible cables

This invention provides a means of using flexible (also often referred to as simply 'flex') circuit structures for external cabling in a small light package, particularly those utilized in portable computers. The external cabling is composed of a flex circuit that is strengthened by fiber strands, and a wrapped sheath of woven mesh netting. The cabling may be further encased in an overcoating for protection against abrasion and chemicals. The packaging scheme using this cable may include a storage device for the cable such that the cable is retractable.

Portable external flexible cable and package using same

An electrical connector for interconnecting first and second circuit members wherein the connector includes an insulative, e.g., plastic, housing having a cylindrical metallic conductor rod therein and at least one electrical contact positioned on or within the housing and having opposed conductive end portions. When the connector is in a non-contacting position relative to the circuit members, the contact assumes a first configuration, e.g., oval, and thereafter assumes (moves to) a second configuration, e.g., round, when contact occurs. In this second configuration, the conductive end portions of the contact are equidistant from the conductor rod, thereby assuring a predetermined level of impedance for the connector during operation thereof. An information handling system (computer) which uses such a connector is also disclosed.

Electrical connector

A socket for use within a circuit board's conductive opening, e.g., plated-thru-hole, to frictionally engage the opening's internal surface(s) and thereby retain the socket within the opening without the need for solder or the like material. The socket includes a first plurality, e.g., three, of resilient members to achieve said frictional engagement with the opening's surface(s) and a second plurality of resilient members to frictionally engage a conductive pin which is inserted within the socket to thereby become electrically connected thereto. The force exerted by the resilient members against the opening's internal surface(s) exceeds that exerted by the other resilient members against the conductive pin to thereby assure retention of the socket during pin insertion and withdrawal. A connector assembly using such a socket is also defined herein. The socket is preferably of tubular metallic material, e.g., beryllium-copper.

Growing community of inventors

Vestal, NY, United States of America

James D Herard