Leadless grid array socket

A leadless grid array interconnection device for connecting a plurality of integrated circuits with a printed circuit board, wherein each of said plurality of integrated circuits comprises an integrated circuit leadless grid array, and wherein each of said integrated circuit leadless grid arrays comprises a plurality of integrated circuit contact pads and said printed circuit board comprises a plurality of printed circuit board contact pads, said leadless grid array interconnection device comprising:

• a. a plurality of conductive element arrays corresponding in number to the number of said integrated circuits, wherein each of said plurality of conductive element arrays comprises a plurality of conductive elements connectable to said integrated circuit contact pads and said printed circuit board contact pads;
• and
• b. a plurality of removable insulative components corresponding in number to the number of said conductive element arrays, wherein each of said insulative components comprises a plurality of socket cavities, each of said socket cavities formed for fully surrounding one of said conductive elements, wherein at least one of said plurality of removable insulative components comprises a plurality of retention legs, wherein said plurality of retention legs removably affixes said plurality of removable insulative components to said printed circuit board in a manner such that a variable number of said integrated circuits, and said printed circuit board, may be stacked one on top of another and electrically connected, and wherein the pattern of said socket cavities corresponds to the pattern of said integrated circuit contact pads and said printed circuit board contact pads, each of said insulative components being removable from said printed circuit board while leaving said plurality of conductive element arrays connected to said printed circuit board contact pads or to said integrated circuit contact pads to enable inspection of said conductive elements.

A leadless grid array interconnection device for connecting an integrated circuit and a printed circuit board, wherein said integrated circuit comprises an integrated circuit leadless grid array, wherein said integrated circuit leadless grid array comprises a plurality of integrated circuit contact pads and said printed circuit board comprises a plurality of printed circuit board contact pads, and wherein the pattern of said printed circuit board contact pads corresponds to the pattern of said integrated circuit leadless grid array, said leadless grid array interconnection device comprising:

• a. a plurality of S-shaped conductive elements, each comprising a top conductor surface and a bottom conductor surface, wherein any one of said conductive elements is:
• i. connectable by said top conductor surface to any one of said plurality of integrated circuit contact pads;
• and
• ii. connectable by said bottom conductor surface to any one of said plurality of printed circuit board contact pads;
• b. a removable insulative component formed of a liquid-crystal polymer, said insulative component comprising a plurality of socket cavities, wherein said insulative component comprises a plurality of retention legs which removably affix said insulative component to said printed circuit board, and wherein the pattern of said socket cavities corresponds to the pattern of said printed circuit board contact pads;
• c. a flexible carrier for distributing said conductive elements among said socket cavities such that said conductive elements do not contact interior walls of said socket cavities, wherein said flexible carrier is detachably affixed to said top conductor surfaces of said plurality of conductive elements, wherein said flexible carrier is made of a high-temperature plastic, wherein said flexible carrier comprises an adhesive for retaining said conductive elements on said flexible carrier such that said conductive elements are spatially distributed with respect to one another in a manner corresponding to the pattern of said printed circuit board contact pads;
• and
• d. a compression lid placeable on said integrated circuit and detachably affixable to said printed circuit board, wherein said compression lid is designed to force said integrated circuit contact pads onto said plurality of conductive elements so as to provide electrical contact between said integrated circuit contact pads and said conductive elements.

An improved method of connecting an integrated circuit to a printed circuit board, wherein said integrated circuit comprises an integrated circuit leadless grid array, wherein said integrated circuit leadless grid array comprises a plurality of integrated circuit contact pads and said printed circuit board comprises a plurality of printed circuit board contact pads, and wherein the pattern of said printed circuit board contact pads corresponds to the pattern of said integrated circuit leadless grid array, comprising the steps of:

• a. affixing a removable insulative component to said printed circuit board, wherein said removable insulative component comprises a plurality of socket cavities, and wherein the pattern of said socket cavities corresponds to the pattern of said printed circuit board contact pads;
• b. distributing a plurality of conductive elements among said socket cavities of said affixed removable insulative component such that said conductive elements do not contact interior walls of said socket cavities, wherein each of said socket cavities is formed for fully surrounding one of said conductive element;
• c. affixing said conductive elements to said printed circuit board contact pads;
• and
• d. connecting said conductive elements to said integrated circuit contact pads, said insulative component being removable from said printed circuit board while leaving said conductive elements connected to said printed circuit board contact pads to enable inspection of said conductive elements.