Motorola Corporation

Peter E Albertson

Henry F Liebman

Allen David Hertz

David A Tribbey

John A DeSantis

A pad arrangement (100) for aligning and attaching a surface mount component (402) with other circuitry includes a substrate (102) upon which opposing pads (108) are attached. Each of the pads occupies a substantially rectangular area (110) having four sides. In order to facilitate alignment of the surface mount component the substantially rectangular area has two opposing flat sides an outwardly extending arcuate area (112) along at least one of the other two sides.

Pad arrangement for surface mount components

A method and an apparatus align and attach a leadless surface mount component (402) including a termination at each end of the component (402). The termination has bottom (704) and end (702) portions for attaching to a corresponding pad on a substrate (102) by a reflow solder process (1200). A pad arrangement (100) is formed including two opposite pads (108), each pad (108) occupying a tri-oval-shaped area. The tri-oval-shaped area includes an elliptical area (110) substantially centered under the bottom portion (704) of the corresponding termination of the component (402) when the component (402) is aligned with the pad arrangement (100), and an arcuate area (112) contiguous with the elliptical area (110) and extending towards the opposite pad (108) in a central lengthwise direction. A solder paste (202) is applied to the elliptical area (110), and thereafter reflowed, whereby solder (302) in the solder paste (202) liquefies and flows onto the arcuate area (112), thereby facilitating alignment of the component (402) with the pad arrangement (100).

Method and apparatus for aligning and attaching a surface mount component

A circuit interconnect system comprises a circuit pattern (22) on a rigid insulating sheet (17), forming a first circuit carrying substrate (12). A portion of the circuit pattern wraps around an edge of the insulating sheet and continues onto a vertical wall (20) of the sheet to provide a contact surface (24). An electrically conductive portion (16) of a second member (14) is mated to the first circuit carrying substrate by aligning the contact surface to the electrically conductive portion. An electrically conductive resilient material such as a conductive elastomer (35) or metal spring (35) provides electrical interconnection between the circuit pattern and the electrically conductive portion.

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Cooper City, FL, United States of America

Peter E Albertson