International Business Machines Corporation

International Business Corporation

Robert L Weiss

David Clifford Long

Michael J Fisher

Thomas Weiss

James A Busby

Arthur J Higby

Gerald H Leino

William W Harkins

Christos T Kapogiannis

Michael T Peets

Ryan Elsasser

Donald Merte

Enrico A Romano

James Edward Tersigni

Mateusz Koziol

Paul Samaniego

Annam K Nguyen

Tristen Gaudette

Charles E Mellinger

John Richard Dangler

Charles Hampton Perry

Francis R Krug, Jr

Daniel P O'Connor

Zachary Thomas Dreiss

Robert Babuka

John R Lankard, Jr

Rorie Paul Reyes

Gerald G Advocate, Jr

Richard A Leavitt

Anthony E Peter

Frank A Shott

William D Emmons

Peter Yacko

Francis Krug

Norman D Curry

Glenn S Colton

Frederick W Bull

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for creating a secure volume. A method includes adhering a flexible circuit to a surface of an enclosure. A first portion of the flexible circuit extends outward from the perimeter of the enclosure. A second portion of the flexible circuit is adhered to the center portion of the enclosure. Pressure is applied to the flexible circuit to ensure that it is affixed to the enclosure. The flexible circuit and the enclosure are then subjected to an annealing temperature. The duration and temperature are based on the adhesive and flexible circuit material. The extended portion of the flexible circuit is coated with an adhesive and folded over the second portion of the flexible circuit. Pressure is applied to the folded flexible circuit. The folded flexible circuit is then subjected to an annealing temperature.

Creating a secure volume

A process for deforming a flex circuit using a fixture assembly including a base plate having a recess, a wrinkle reducer plate, a stiffening block and a punch. The process including heating the fixture assembly; applying a force to the punch deforming the flex circuit into the recess in the base plate; holding the punch in contact with the flex circuit while heating the fixture assembly; cooling the fixture assembly with the punch in contact with the flex circuit; subsequent to cooling the fixture assembly, removing the force of the punch; and removing the flex circuit from the fixture assembly. The flex circuit having a recessed portion resulting from deforming the flex circuit into the recess in the base plate and a flat portion surrounding the recessed portion.

3-D flex circuit forming

A fixture assembly for deforming a flex circuit that includes: a base plate having a recess; a wrinkle reducer plate having a first cut-out portion aligned with the recess; a stiffening block having a second cut-out portion aligned with the recess and the first cut-out portion; and a punch to slideably engage with the recess, the first cut-out portion and the second cut-out portion; wherein, in operation, a flex circuit is placed between the base plate and wrinkle reducer plate and the punch extends through the first cut-out portion and the second cut-out portion to engage the flex circuit and deform the flex circuit into the recess so that the flex circuit has a formed section in the shape of the recess and a flat section clamped by the wrinkle reducer plate and the base plate.

Assembly apparatuses and processes are provided which include a pressure cure fixture. The pressure cure fixture is sized to reside within a container, such as an electronic enclosure, and facilitate applying pressure to an adhesive disposed over an inner surface of the container. The pressure cure fixture is formed of a material with a higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than the container, and is sized to correspond, at least in part, to an inner space of the container while allowing for the adhesive and a surface-mount element to be disposed between the pressure cure fixture and the inner surface of the container. When heated, the pressure cure fixture expands greater than the container and imparts the pressure to the surface-mount element and the adhesive to facilitate securing the surface-mount element to the inner surface of the container.

Applying pressure to adhesive using CTE mismatch between components

Tamper-respondent assemblies, electronic packages and fabrication methods are provided which incorporate a vent structure. The tamper-respondent assembly includes an electronic enclosure to enclose, at least in part, an electronic component(s) to be protected. The electronic enclosure includes an inner surface, and an air vent. A tamper-respondent electronic circuit structure is provided which includes a tamper-respondent sensor disposed to cover, at least part, the inner surface of the electronic enclosure, and define, at least in part, a secure volume about the electronic component(s). The vent structure includes at least one air passage coupling in fluid communication the secure volume and the air vent of the electronic enclosure to allow air pressure within the secure volume to equalize with air pressure external to the tamper-respondent assembly.

Tamper-respondent assembly with vent structure

A quick-connect coupling tool includes a first member and a second member. The second member is slidably affixed to the first member. The quick-connect coupling tool further includes a first pair of prongs and a second pair of prongs, the first pair of prongs is affixed to the first member, oriented in a first direction, and orthogonal to the first member. The second pair of prongs is affixed to the first member, oriented in the first direction, and orthogonal to the second member. The quick-connect coupling tool includes a first urging means for urging the first pair of prongs and the second pair of prongs apart and a second urging means for urging the first pair of prongs and the second pair of prongs together. The first urging means and the second urging means are affixed to the first member and the second member.

Quick-connect coupling and decoupling tool

A cartridge block for screening a multilayer ceramic with a conductive paste includes a threaded paste cartridge attachment located at a top of the cartridge block, the threaded paste cartridge attachment being configured to receive a paste cartridge containing the conductive paste; a paste routing section, the paste routing section located underneath the threaded paste cartridge attachment, the paste routing section comprising a flared section located at a bottom of the cartridge block, the paste routing section being configured to receive the conductive paste from the threaded paste cartridge attachment and route the paste through the flared section.

Cartridge block for multilayer ceramic screening

An assembly for screening a multilayer ceramic with a conductive paste includes a paste cartridge containing the conductive paste; a cartridge block, a top of a cartridge block being configured to receive the paste cartridge, the cartridge block comprising a paste routing section, the paste routing section comprising a flared section located at a bottom of the cartridge block; a pneumatic fitting attached to the paste cartridge, the pneumatic fitting configured to pressurize the conductive paste in the paste cartridge such that the conductive paste is extruded from the paste cartridge into the cartridge block through the paste routing section of the cartridge block by the pressure from the pneumatic fitting; and a nozzle connected to the flared section of the cartridge block, the nozzle configured to receive the conductive paste from the flared section, and screen the conductive paste onto the multilayer ceramic through the nozzle.

A method of assembling an interconnect device assembly which consists of cylindrical resilient wire bundles captured within a carrier. In a step of the method, the interconnect device assembly is placed in a fixture and the ends of the resilient wire bundles are deformed by shaping dies in the fixture so that the resilient wire bundles now have a dog bone shape. The dog bone shape of the resilient wire bundles prevents the resilient wire bundles from being partially or totally dislodged during handling and transit.

Method of assembling an interconnect device assembly

A detailing tool for processing electronic component substrate includes a supporting frame, a substrate carrier movable on the supporting frame to receive and secure the substrate during processing by the tool, and a pair of cutter assembly attached to said supporting frame for removing tails on said substrate. The cutter assemblies self-align &ldquo;to&rdquo; the substrate during initial substrate loading in a processing area of the tool. Each cutter assembly includes a pair of spaced, translatable and opposed cutters that simultaneously move towards each another while removing the tails from the corners of the substrate that remains stationary. The pair of cutter assemblies are symmetrically attached to the supporting frame with respect to an axis for indexing the substrate. Thus, the invention provides a tool for cutting tails from opposite corners on the substrate edge automatically and simultaneously during processing.

Detailing tool for substrates having a self-alignment feature

A pluggable module actuation and retention device comprising a spring housing fastened to a printed circuit board and having openings which contain a matrix of contact springs extending from said board. A bail retaining latch is fastened to the spring housing and an actuator bail is pivotally mounted on the spring housing and has an opening which overlies the openings in the spring housing. A module to be actuated and retained has a matrix of pins corresponding to the matrix of contact springs and is provided with actuator tabs. Actuator tab mating means are provided on the spring housing for engaging the module actuator tabs when a module is inserted through the opening in the actuator bail to align the matrix of pins with the matrix of contact springs. Camming means on the actuator bail are effective when the bail is pivoted in one direction to engage the actuator tabs and slide the module to move the matrix of pins on the module into engagement with the matrix of contact springs. Arm portions on the bail are engaged by the bail retaining latch when the pins and contact springs are engaged.

Pluggable module actuation and retention device

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Apalachin, NY, United States of America

Robert L Weiss