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  Flexible land grid array connectorUSPTO Application #: 20060084288Title: Flexible land grid array connector Abstract: An LGA connector is used to interconnect an LGA package and a printed circuit board. The LGA connector includes an elastomeric body with a plurality of through-holes. Metal films are formed on inner walls of through-holes and splay out around the mouths of their upper and lower openings. The metal films are formed by vacuum metallization, sputtering, chemical plating, electrical plating or PVD. The through-holes have a funnel-like shape to absorb external stresses and redirect the stress to shrink the through-hole diameters. Moreover, the metal films' elastic deformation is larger than conventional metal conductive fillers so as to improve reliability. (end of abstract) Agent: Pro-techtor International - Saratoga, CA, US Inventors: Ping Chuang, Li-Sen Chen, Chien-Yu Hsu USPTO Applicaton #: 20060084288 - Class: 439066000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electrical Connectors, Preformed Panel Circuit Arrangement, E.g., Pcb, Icm, Dip, Chip, Wafer, Etc., With Provision To Conduct Electricity From Panel Circuit To Another Panel Circuit, Conductor Is Compressible And To Be Sandwiched Between Panel Circuits The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060084288. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] 1. Field of Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a flexible land grid array connector. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible connector between a land grid array connector and a printed circuit board. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] Integrated circuits are typically housed within a package, which is designed to protect the circuit from damage, provide adequate heat dissipation during operation, and provide electrical connection between the integrated circuits and the leads of a printed circuit board. Several conventional package types, such as land grid array (LGA), pin grid array (PGA), ball grid array (BGA) and column grid array (CGA), are designed to provide the above functions. [0005] The current trend for connector design in the computer field is to provide both high-density and high-reliability connections between various major circuit devices of a computer. High reliability for such connections is essential due to potential end product failure. As both module size and distance from which solder connections are located to the center of the module (i.e., the distance from neutral point, hereafter DNP) continue to increase, even CGA solder connections can become unreliable, especially due to thermal fatigue. These same concerns about broken interconnections also apply to PGA applications when the DNP is too large. Therefore, what is needed is an interconnection, which is relatively flexible and capable of accommodating the thermal mismatch over an expected temperature range that can closely match the electrical performance and density of a BGA or CGA array. [0006] One solution is to use an LGA connector. An array of interconnection elements, known as an interposer, is placed between two arrays to be connected, and provides the electrical connection between the contact pins or pads. Since the individual contact members of an interposer can be made resilient, they can accommodate a CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) mismatch between the module and system board. [0007] An LGA package is an integrated circuit package having a plurality of planar metallized areas, called lands, for interconnection between the leads of the integrated circuit and a printed circuit board. An LGA can be mounted to a printed circuit board with connectors, which have been developed to maintain a solderless connection between an integrated circuit package and a printed circuit board. As the number of lands is increased, the pitch between contacts decreases and manufacturing problems consequently increase. [0008] For example, the manufacturing method of placing individual wires into tightly packed through-holes requires tremendous technological developments. Another example is a metallized polymer interconnect (MPI) connector. The MPI connector includes a siloxane core with conductive fillers that is positioned between the LGA module and the substrate. However, extreme stress relaxation rates are needed in order to achieve a desired level of durability. SUMMARY [0009] It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a flexible LGA connector, so as to provide reliable electrical connection and enhance its durability. [0010] In accordance with the foregoing and other objectives of the present invention, an LGA connector is used to interconnect an LGA package and a printed circuit board. The LGA connector includes an elastomeric body with a plurality of through-holes. Metal films are formed on inner walls of the through-holes and splay out around the mouths of their upper and lower openings. The metal films are formed by vacuum metallization, sputtering, chemical plating, electrical plating or PVD (physical vapor deposition). The through-holes have a funnel-like shape to absorb external stresses by redirecting the stress to shrink the diameters of the through-holes. Moreover, the metal films' elastic deformation is larger than conventional metal conductive fillers so as to improve reliability. [0011] According to another preferred embodiment, a triple-layered elastomeric body is provided when corresponding contact electrodes of an LGA package and a printed circuit board are mismatched in position. An upper elastomeric layer and a lower elastomeric layer made of rubber exist, which have a plurality of funnel-like through-holes formed by etching. A metal layer is formed on an inner wall and around each upper and lower opening of each through-hole of each layer. An interconnection elastomeric layer made of rubber exists, which has a plurality of funnel-like through-holes formed by etching. A metal layer is formed on an inner wall and around each upper and lower opening of each through-hole so as to interconnect the metal layer of the upper and lower elastomeric layer. Thus, the LGA connector in this preferred embodiment can interconnect an LGA package and a printed circuit board even when corresponding contact electrodes are mismatched in position. [0012] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings, [0014] FIG. 1A illustrates a cross-sectional view of an LGA connector according to one preferred embodiment of this invention; [0015] FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view of an LGA connector according to another preferred embodiment of this invention; [0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of an LGA connector's elastomeric body according to one preferred embodiment of this invention; [0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an LGA connector according to yet another preferred embodiment of this invention; and [0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an LGA connector under upper and lower stress according to one preferred embodiment of this invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0019] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. [0020] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides an LGA connector for solderless connection between an LGA package and a printed circuit board. The LGA connector is an elastomeric body having a plurality of through-holes. There is a metal layer on an inner wall and around each upper and lower opening of each through-hole so as to interconnect an LGA package and a printed circuit board. Continue reading... Full patent description for Flexible land grid array connector Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Flexible land grid array connector patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Flexible land grid array connector or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Memory card with two standard sets of contacts and a contact covering mechanism Next Patent Application: Apparatus and method for shielding printed circuit boards Industry Class: Electrical connectors ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Flexible land grid array connector patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.15644 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Qualcomm , Schering-Plough , Schlumberger , Seagate , Siemens , Texas Instruments , |
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