Solderless printed wiring board module and multi-module assembly

A solderless PWB module comprising:

• (a) a planar PWB having a first surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the first surface having a plurality of sets of electrically conductive interconnect pads with each set of pads occupying an area on the surface, situated in a predetermined location upon the PWB and arranged in a predetermined pad pattern to correspond with the contacts pads of a mating electronic component carrier,
• (b) a planar dielectric spacing member having a first surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the second surface adjacent to and contacting the PWB first surface and the spacing member having carrier apertures therethrough, each aperture aligned with the predetermined pad pattern for the contact pads of an associated mating electronic component carrier and each aperture having a shape and an area approximately equal to that of the mating electronic component carrier such that the contact pads of a component carrier when the carrier is inserted within the aperture will be aligned with the corresponding predetermined PWB pad pattern,
• (c) a planar heat conductive member having a first surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the second surface adjacent to and contacting the dielectric spacing member first surface and the conductive member having carrier apertures therethrough, each aperture aligned with the predetermined pad pattern for the contact pads of the associated mating electronic component carrier and having a shape and area approximately equal to the spacing member apertures such that a cavity is formed through each aperture for receiving the associated mating electronic component carrier, each cavity having walls through the spacing member and through the conductive member and having a cavity floor at the PWB first surface,
• (d) means for holding the PWB, the dielectric spacing member and the heat conductive member in a fixed position relative to one another,
• (e) securing means for holding an associated electronic component carrier within a cavity such that the pad pattern on the PWB electrically contacts the contact pads of the mating electronic component carrier and such that a heat transfer path exists from the electronic component carrier to the heat conductive member, wherein the securing means is comprised of a compressing cover of a thermally conductive material secured to the heat conductive member at the cavity opening and a component compliant solderless interface situated between the electronic component carrier and the PWB such that the cover acts to compress the component solderless interface between the PWB interconnect pads and the electronic component carrier contact pads for electrical contact and furthermore the cover acts to contact the component carrier and provide heat transfer through the cover to the heat conductive member, and the securing means is further comprised of a compliant thermally conductive interface between the cover and the electronic component carrier such that the cover further acts to compress the thermally conductive interface between and conform the interface to the cover and the electronic component carrier for heat transfer.

A solderless PWB module pair comprising:

• (a) a first and a second PWB module, each having
• (i) a planar PWB having a first surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the first surface having a plurality of sets of electrically conductive interconnect pads with each set of pads occupying an area on the surface, situated in a predetermined location upon the PWB and arranged in a predetermined pad pattern to correspond with the contacts pads of a mating electronic component carrier,
• (ii) a planar dielectric spacing member having a first surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the second surface adjacent to and contacting the PWB first surface and the spacing member having carrier apertures therethrough, each aperture aligned with the predetermined pad pattern for the contact pads of an associated mating electronic component carrier and each aperture having a shape and an area approximately equal to that of the mating electronic component carrier such that the contact pads of a component carrier when the carrier is inserted within the aperture will be aligned with the corresponding predetermined PWB pad pattern,
• (iii) a planar heat conductive member having a first surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the second surface adjacent to and contacting the dielectric spacing member first surface and the conductive member having carrier apertures therethrough, each aperture aligned with the predetermined pad pattern for the contact pads of the associated mating electronic component carrier and having a shape and area approximately equal to the spacing member apertures such that a cavity is formed through each aperture for receiving the associated mating electronic component carrier, each cavity having walls through the spacing member and through the conductive member and having a cavity floor at the PWB first surface,
• (iv) means for holding the PWB, the dielectric spacing member and the heat conductive member in a fixed position relative to one another and
• (v) securing means for holding an associated electronic component carrier within a cavity such that the pad pattern on the PWB electrically contacts the contact pads of the mating electronic component carrier and such that a heat transfer path exists from the electronic component carrier to the heat conductive member and
• (b) connecting means to secure the first PWB module to the second PWB module such that a planar surface of the first module is in contact with a planar surface of the second module.

A solderless PWB module group comprised of

• (a) a PWB module pair comprising a first and a second PWB module, each having
• (i) a planar PWB having a first surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the first surface having a plurality of sets of electrically conductive interconnect pads with each set of pads occupying an area on the surface, situated in a predetermined location upon the PWB and arranged in a predetermined pad pattern to correspond with the contacts pads of a mating electronic component carrier,
• (ii) a planar dielectric spacing member having a first-surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the second surface adjacent to and contacting the PWB first surface and the spacing member having carrier apertures therethrough, each aperture aligned with the predetermined pad pattern for the contact pads of an associated mating electronic component carrier and each aperture having a shape and an area approximately equal to that of the mating electronic component carrier such that the contact pads of a component carrier when the carrier is inserted within the aperture will be aligned with the corresponding predetermined PWB pad pattern,
• (iii) a planar heat conductive member having a first surface, a thickness and an opposite second surface, the second surface adjacent to and contacting the dielectric spacing member first surface and the conductive member having carrier apertures therethrough, each aperture aligned with the predetermined pad pattern for the contact pads of the associated mating electronic component carrier and having a shape and area approximately equal to the spacing member apertures such that a cavity is formed through each aperture for receiving the associated mating electronic component carrier, each cavity having walls through the spacing member and through the conductive member and having a cavity floor at the PWB first surface,
• (iv) means for holding the PWB, the dielectric spacing member and the heat conductive member in a fixed position relative to one another and
• (v) securing means for holding an associated electronic component carrier within a cavity such that the pad pattern on the PWB electrically contacts the contact pads of the mating electronic component carrier and such that a heat transfer path exists from the electronic component carrier to the heat conductive member and
• (b) connecting means to secure the first PWB module to the second PWB module such that a planar surface of the first module is in contact with a planar surface of the second module,
• (c) a third PWB module connected electrically and mechanically to the first PWB module and
• (d) a fourth PWB module connected electrically and mechanically to the second PWB module.