US 4,906,194 AGranted

High density connector for an IC chip carrier

AssigneeAMP Incorporated

InventorDimitry G. Grabbe

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A high density connector assembly for an IC chip carrier (10) includes a stack of spacer plated (30) having apertures (32) which form chambers for holding planar contact members (22) therein. The stack of spacer plates (30) are sandwiched between a lower reference plate (34) and an upper reference plate (36) which have precisely located apertures (42, 44) communicating with the chambers for precisely positioning contact portions (26, 28) of the contact members (22) with respect to contact pads (14, 18) on the IC chip module (10) and a printed circuit board (12). The plates (30, 34, 36) are preferably formed of a dielectric coated metal material to provide a ground shield around the contact members (22) to prevent cross talk therebetween.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A connector assembly for electrically connecting contact pads (18) on a surface (20) of a first substrate (12) to respective contact pads (14) on a surface (16) of a second substrate (10), comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical contact members (22), each of said contact members including a body portion (24) and first (26) and second (28) contact portions disposed at opposite ends of said body portion (24);
means for positioning said contact members (22), said positioning means having a first major planar surface (38), a second major planar surface (40) and being so configured as to maintain the body portions (24) of said contact members (22) between said first (38) and second (40) major planar surfaces while exposing said first (26) and second (28) contact portions of said contact members (22) at first and second pluralities of predetermined precise locations on said first (38) and second (40) major planar surfaces, respectively;
and
means for holding said first (12) and second (10) substrates and said positioning means so that the contact pad bearing surface (20) of said first substrate (12) is adjacent said first major planar surface (38) with said first substrate contact pads (18) at said first plurality of predetermined precise locations contacting respective ones of said first contact portions (26) and the contact pad bearing surface (16) of said second substrate (10) is adjacent said second major planar surface (40) with said second substrate contact pads (14) at said second plurality of predetermined precise locations contacting respective ones of said second contact portions (28);
said connector assembly being characterized in that said positioning means includes:
at least one spacer plate (30) in a stack of a height substantially equal to the dimension (H) of said contact member body portion (24) between said first (26) and second (28) contact portions, each of said spacer plates (30) having a plurality of apertures (32) located on said spacer plates (30) so that when said spacer plates (30) are stacked in alignment there are formed by said stacked apertures (32) a plurality of chambers each for accommodating therein the body portion (24) of one of said contact members (22);
a lower reference plate (34) adjacent a first side of said stack of spacer plates (30), said lower reference plate (34) having a plurality of apertures (42) sized to allow said first contact portions (26) but not said body portions (24) of said contact members (22) to pass therethrough, said lower reference plate apertures (42) being positioned at said first plurality of predetermined precise locations and communicating with respective ones of said chambers, the thickness of said lower reference plate (34) being less than the dimension (L) of said first contact portion (26) extending away from said body portion (24);
and
an upper reference plate (36) adjacent a second side of said stack opposite said first side, said upper reference plate (36) having a plurality of apertures (44) sized to allow said second contact portions (28) but not said body portions (24) of said contact members (22) to pass therethrough, said upper reference plate apertures (44) being positioned at said second plurality of predetermined precise locations and communicating with respective ones of said chambers, the thickness of said upper reference plate (36) being less than the dimension (L) of said second contact portion (28) extending away from said body portion (24);
wherein each of said contact members (22) is generally planar and the width of each of said apertures is of sufficient dimension to accommodate the thickness of a contact member (22) with slight clearance;
whereby said contact member body portions (24) are positioned between said upper (36) and lower (34) reference plates within the chambers formed by the stacked apertures (32) of said spacer plates (30) with the first (26) and second (28) contact portions being exposed through said lower (34) and upper (36) reference plates at the first and second pluralities of predetermined precise locations, respectively.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

a plurality of substantially identical contact members (22), each of said contact members including a body portion (24) and first (26) and second (28) contact portions disposed at opposite ends of said body portion (24);
means for positioning said contact members (22), said positioning means having a first major planar surface (38), a second major planar surface (40) and being so configured as to maintain the body portions (24) of said contact members (22) between said first (38) and second (40) major planar surfaces while exposing said first (26) and second (28) contact portions of said contact members (22) at first and second pluralities of predetermined precise locations on said first (38) and second (40) major planar surfaces, respectively;
and
means for holding said first (12) and second (10) substrates and said positioning means so that the contact pad bearing surface (20) of said first substrate (12) is adjacent said first major planar surface (38) with said first substrate contact pads (18) at said first plurality of predetermined precise locations contacting respective ones of said first contact portions (26) and the contact pad bearing surface (16) of said second substrate (10) is adjacent said second major planar surface (40) with said second substrate contact pads (14) at said second plurality of predetermined precise locations contacting respective ones of said second contact portions (28);
said connector assembly being characterized in that said positioning means includes:
at least one spacer plate (30) in a stack of a height substantially equal to the dimension (H) of said contact member body portion (24) between said first (26) and second (28) contact portions, each of said spacer plates (30) having a plurality of apertures (32) located on said spacer plates (30) so that when said spacer plates (30) are stacked in alignment there are formed by said stacked apertures (32) a plurality of chambers each for accommodating therein the body portion (24) of one of said contact members (22);
a lower reference plate (34) adjacent a first side of said stack of spacer plates (30), said lower reference plate (34) having a plurality of apertures (42) sized to allow said first contact portions (26) but not said body portions (24) of said contact members (22) to pass therethrough, said lower reference plate apertures (42) being positioned at said first plurality of predetermined precise locations and communicating with respective ones of said chambers, the thickness of said lower reference plate (34) being less than the dimension (L) of said first contact portion (26) extending away from said body portion (24);
and
an upper reference plate (36) adjacent a second side of said stack opposite said first side, said upper reference plate (36) having a plurality of apertures (44) sized to allow said second contact portions (28) but not said body portions (24) of said contact members (22) to pass therethrough, said upper reference plate apertures (44) being positioned at said second plurality of predetermined precise locations and communicating with respective ones of said chambers, the thickness of said upper reference plate (36) being less than the dimension (L) of said second contact portion (28) extending away from said body portion (24);
wherein each of said contact members (22) is generally planar and the width of each of said apertures is of sufficient dimension to accommodate the thickness of a contact member (22) with slight clearance;
whereby said contact member body portions (24) are positioned between said upper (36) and lower (34) reference plates within the chambers formed by the stacked apertures (32) of said spacer plates (30) with the first (26) and second (28) contact portions being exposed through said lower (34) and upper (36) reference plates at the first and second pluralities of predetermined precise locations, respectively.

8 more elements