International Business Machines Corporation

John Lee Colbert

Arvind Kumar Sinha

Roger Duane Hamilton

Mark Kenneth Hoffmeyer

John Saunders Corbin, Jr

Danny E Massey

Jason R Eagle

Amanda Elisa Ennis Mikhail

William Louis Brodsky

Eric Alan Eckberg

Michael J Ellsworth, Jr

Levi A Campbell

Paul Marian Harvey

Neil A Anderson

Steven Dale Greseth

Daniel Mark Dreps

Roger Donell Weekly

Mark David Plucinski

Rohan U Mandrekar

Justin Christopher Rogers

William Michael Monson

Mark L Kyllo

Charles C Stratton

Brian Samuel Beaman

Don Alan Gilliland

Jon Alfred Casey

Eric James McKeever

Steven Paul Ostrander

Kenneth Charles Marston

Charles L Reynolds

Yuet-Ying Yu

Roger Scott Krabbenhoft

James Dorance Gerken

Christopher Lee Tuma

Mark Garrison Clark

Maurice Francis Holahan

Kevin J Przybylski

Amanda Elisa Mikhail

Michael Hans Fisher

Donald Wayne Dingfelder

Terry Leo Sobotta

Daniel A Wright

Terry Fredrick Banitt

Randall John Fuhrman

Rodney G Ratajczyk

John Allan Shurdalsvold

Kyle J Honadel

Cal W Johnson

Jason Rodney Eagle

John Saunders Corbin Jr

A mechanism is provided for packaging a multiple socket, one-hop symmetric multiprocessor topology. The mechanism connects each of a first plurality of processor modules to a first multiple-socket planar via a respective one of a first plurality of land grid array (LGA) connectors. The mechanism connects the first multiple-socket planar to a first side of a redistribution card via a second plurality of LGA connectors. The mechanism connects each of a second plurality of processor modules to a second multiple-socket planar via a respective one of a third plurality of LGA connectors. The mechanism connects the second multiple-socket planar to a second side of the redistribution card via a fourth plurality of LGA connectors.

Packaging for eight-socket one-hop SMP topology

A method and apparatus are provided for implementing enhanced heat sink loading for cooling an electronic module having one or more semiconductor chips. The apparatus includes an electronic module having one or more semiconductor chips; a heat sink; a heat sink load bearing member further comprising raised points; a load spring passing through the heat sink, the load spring having a latch arm at a first end and a load screw at a second end actuating the load spring, the load spring when actuated is configured to bear against the raised points to equalize pressure distribution over one or more semiconductor chips on the electronic module.

Implementing heat sink loading having multipoint loading with actuation outboard of heatsink footprint

Mechanisms for interconnecting and distributing signals and power between PCBs are provided. A first PCB having land grid arrays (LGAs) and a first wiring layer designed for interconnect components on the first PCB, and a second wiring layer for connecting the components to a second PCB, are provided. The second PCB has opposed parallel first and second surfaces, the first surface having a LGA. A wiring layer designed to interconnect components on the second PCB, and a layer for interconnecting the components on the second PCB with the components on the first PCB, are provided. A first interposer couples to a LGA of a first surface of the first PCB and connects a component to the first PCB. A second interposer is sandwiched between and couples to a LGA of a second surface of the first PCB and to the LGA of the first surface of the second PCB.

Motherboard assembly for interconnecting and distributing signals and power

A method and apparatus are provided for implementing electrical connection of two large circuit cards through multiple discrete land grid array (LGA) sites. Each of the circuit cards includes a plurality of LGA sites. A first circuit card includes a plurality of LGA interposers locally aligned at the respective LGA sites of the first circuit card. A board-to-board connection hardware assembly connecting a second circuit card to the first circuit card includes a elongated carrier defining a cavity receiving a plurality of load springs coupled to an associated bearing block for loading and maintaining flatness of the LGA sites.

Implementing connection of two large electronic boards utilizing LGA interconnect

A multi-chip module (MCM) includes chip sub-modules that are fabricated as self-contained testable entities. The chip sub-modules plug into respective sockets in a frame of the MCM. Each chip sub-module may be tested before being plugged into the MCM. A chip sub-module may include an IC chip, such as a processor, mounted to an sub-module organic substrate that provides interconnects to the chip. The frame into which each chip sub-module plugs sits on a mini-card organic substrate that interconnects the chip sub-modules together. The MCM may include a downstop between the mini-card organic substrate and a system board to limit or prevent solder creep of solder connections between the mini-card organic substrate and the system board.

Multi-chip module system with removable socketed modules

A system, method, and motherboard assembly are described for interconnecting and distributing signals and power between co-planar boards that function as a single motherboard. The motherboard assembly includes a multilayered first printed circuit board having opposed parallel first and second surfaces, each having at least one land grid array (LGA) disposed thereon. The assembly further includes at least one wiring layer (Y) designed to only electrically interconnect components on or within the first PCB, and at least one wiring layer (X) designed to only electrically connect the components on the first PCB to a multilayered second PCB. The multilayered second PCB has opposed parallel first and second surfaces, the first surface having at least one LGA disposed thereon. It further includes at least one wiring layer (V) designed to only electrically interconnect components on or within the second PCB, and at least one layer (X) designed to only electrically interconnect the components on the second PCB with the components on the first PCB. A first LGA interposer couples to the LGA disposed on the first surface of the first PCB, and electrically connects at least one component to the first PCB. A second LGA interposer is sandwiched between and couples to the LGA disposed on the second surface of the first PCB and to the LGA disposed on the first surface of the second PCB. It electrically connects the first PCB to components on the second PCB.

A method and apparatus are provided for implementing loading and heat removal for a hub module assembly. The hub module assembly includes a hub chip and a plurality of optical modules attached by land grid array (LGA) assembly disposed on a top surface metallurgy (TSM) LGA residing on a hub ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate is connected to a circuit board through a bottom surface metallurgy (BSM) LGA assembly. A base alignment ring includes a plurality of alignment features for engaging the circuit board and locating an LGA interposer of the BSM LGA assembly. Each of a pair of top alignment rings includes cooperating alignment features for engaging and locating a respective LGA interposer of respective LGA sites of the TSM LGA assembly. The two LGA interposers of the TSM LGA assembly align, retain, and make the electrical connection between the optical modules and the hub chip.

Implementing loading and heat removal for hub module assembly

An apparatus is disclosed for aligning socket housing segments for an area array device. Each socket housing segment includes at least a first surface and a second surface, with the second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface of each socket housing segment provides electrical connections for a portion of the area array device. Socket contact pads are disposed on the first surfaces of the plurality of socket housing segments. The socket contact pads correspond to substrate contact pads disposed on a substrate. One or more alignment structures are disposed at a space between the socket housing segments. Each alignment structure is coupled to at least two of the socket housing segments. The one or more alignment structures maintain a predetermined alignment of each socket housing segment so that the socket contact pads align with the substrate contact pads during a surface mount connection process.

Alignment structure having a frame structure and bridging connections to couple and align segments of a socket housing

A method and enhanced connector guide block structures implement robust connector assembly including robust Surface Mount Technology (SMT) connector assembly. A connector guide block includes a printed wiring board (PWB) mating face including at least one mounting screw hole provided within a mounting portion for receiving a mounting screw. The connector guide block is assembled with a printed wiring board (PWB) by inserting a respective non-bonding screw through an aligned opening in the PWB into guide block mounting hole and a gap is defined from an upper surface of the PWB below the guide block mounting portion. The gap is filled with an electrically nonconductive underfill material and cured. Another connector guide block structure includes an upper connector guide block portion and a lower connector guide block portion with a gap between the guide block portions filled with a selected electrically nonconductive underfill material and cured.

Implementing enhanced connector guide block structures for robust SMT assembly

A heat transfer apparatus comprises a load frame having load springs and an open region that exposes an electronic component. The load frame is mounted to a printed circuit board on which the electronic component is mounted. A heat sink assembly is disposed on the load frame and has a main body in thermal contact with the electronic component through a thermally conductive material. The heat sink assembly has load arms for engaging the load springs. A load plate extends between the load arms and has an actuation element operative to displace the main body relative to the load plate and thereby resiliently deform the load springs and produce a load force that compresses the thermally conductive material to achieve a desired thermal interface gap between the main body and the electronic component. Non-influencing fasteners secure the heat sink to the load frame and maintain the desired thermal interface gap.

Mounting a heat sink in thermal contact with an electronic component

A cold plate assembly includes a cold plate with at least two plumbing ports. The cold plate assembly further includes a spring plate assembly, which applies an actuation load to the cold plate. The spring plate assembly includes a spring plate and a spring pin moveable in a slot of the spring plate assembly to maintain the actuation load. The actuation load is configured to mechanically actuate the cold plate to a module.

Cold plate stability

An apparatus is provided having an integrated circuit device disposed on a printed circuit board and a heat dissipation device on the integrated circuit device. An actuation screw in a spring plate is urged against a portion of the heat dissipation device by tightening the actuation screw. The actuation screw may be prevented from being tightened beyond a mechanical constraint corresponding to a pre-set calibration for the specific compressive force, which may be greater than or equal to a minimum compressive force corresponding to the greater of a minimum thermal interface pressure and a minimum contact interface pressure. Additionally, a method is provided in which the actuation screw is tightened, but prevented from being tightened beyond the mechanical constraint.

Heatsink apparatus for applying a specified compressive force to an integrated circuit device

A method and apparatus for electrically connecting two substrates using resilient wire bundles captured in apertures of an interposer by a retention film. The interposer comprises an electrically non-conductive carrier having two surfaces and apertures extending from surface to surface. A resilient wire bundle is disposed in each aperture. An electrically non-conductive retention film is associated with one or both surfaces of the carrier and has an orifice overlying each aperture. The width of each orifice is smaller than that of the underlying aperture to thereby enhance retention of the resilient wire bundle within the aperture. Pin contacts of one or both of the substrates make electrical contact with the resilient wire bundles by extending through the orifices of the retention film and partially through the apertures. In one embodiment, the interposer is a land grid array (LGA) connector that connects an electronic module and a printed circuit board (PCB).

Electrically connecting two substrates using a resilient wire bundle captured in an aperture of an interposer by a retention member

Methods of configuring a cooling subassembly for an electronics system are provided, that is, for establishing a coolant-carrying tube layout for interconnecting multiple liquid-cooled cold plates in series-fluid communication for cooling multiple heat-generating electronic components of an electronics system. The electronic components are to be plugged in fixed relation into a preconfigured motherboard, and the tube layout includes at least one rigid coolant-carrying tube. Simplified analysis is initially performed to evaluate stress on the rigid tube(s) and determine if loss of actuation load on the electronic components exceeds an acceptable threshold, and if so, at least one tube having high stress is identified and reconfigured. Thereafter, analysis is performed to determine whether, with available actuation load on the cooling subassembly, electrical connection loading between the electronic components and the supporting motherboard is above an acceptable minimum level. If so, the coolant-carrying tube layout is chosen as a final design.

Methods for configuring tubing for interconnecting in-series multiple liquid-cooled cold plates

Growing community of inventors

Byron, MN, United States of America

John Lee Colbert