Connector with included filtered power delivery

• US 20030162442A1
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Panella, Augusto P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,837,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/608
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0262 Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10325 Sockets, i.e. female type connectors comprising metallic connector elements integrated in, or bonded to a common dielectric support
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10545 Related components mounted on both sides of the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10704 Pin grid array [PGA]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10719 Land grid array [LGA]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10734 Ball grid array [BGA]; Bump grid array

Abstract

A substrate carries a voltage regulator module and a connector. By co-locating a voltage regulator to a processor or other circuit requiring a regulated power supply, distributed inductance associated with conventional circuit traces is reduced, thereby lessening demands on a voltage regulator and improving regulated voltage. A connector on the substrate can include internal filter capacitors to stabilize the output voltage from a voltage regulator. When the substrate is mounted to a circuit board, addition capacitors can be provided above and/or below the circuit board to which the substrate can be connected attached.

Claims

1. An assembly providing a regulated voltage to a integrated circuit package on a substrate comprising:

a substrate having first and second sides, said substrate further having a first and second electrical conductors that extend through said substrate from said first side to said second side and that carry electric current from a power supply;

a first integrated circuit connector having a base that faces the first side of the substrate, said first integrated circuit connector being mounted to the first side of said substrate and further having a first electrical contact that is electrically coupled to said first electrical conductor and further having a second electrical contact that is electrically coupled to said second electrical conductor, said connector further including a capacitor located within said first integrated circuit connector, operatively coupled between said first and second electrical contacts.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a voltage regulator module operatively attached to said substrate and having an output terminal coupled to said first electrical conductor of said substrate and having a reference potential terminal coupled to said second electrical conductor of said substrate.

3. The assembly of claim 2, further including an integrated circuit, operatively coupled to said voltage regulator module such that said voltage regulator module and said capacitor provide filtered power to said integrated circuit.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said integrated circuit is a processor.

5. An assembly for providing a regulated voltage to a integrated circuit package on a substrate comprising:

a substrate having first and second sides, said substrate further having a first and second electrical conductors that extend through said substrate from said first side to said second side and that carry electric current from a power supply;

a first integrated circuit connector having a base that faces the first side of the substrate, said first integrated circuit connector being mounted to the first side of said substrate and further having a first electrical contact that is electrically coupled to said first electrical conductor and further having a second electrical contact that is electrically coupled to said second electrical conductor;

first capacitor, located proximate to the first side of the substrate and electrically connected across said first and second conductors;

a second capacitor, located proximate to the second side of the substrate and electrically connected across said first and second conductors;

whereby said first and second capacitors are connected in parallel across said first and second conductors and filter electric power provided to an integrated circuit installed into said first integrated circuit connector.

6. The assembly of claim 5, further including a voltage regulator module operatively attached to said substrate and having an output terminal coupled to said first electrical conductor of said substrate and having a reference potential terminal coupled to said second electrical conductor of said substrate.

7. The assembly of claim 6, further including an integrated circuit, operatively coupled to said voltage regulator module such that said voltage regulator module and said capacitor provide filtered power to said integrated circuit.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said integrated circuit is a processor.

9. An assembly for providing a regulated voltage to a integrated circuit (“

IC”

) package, comprising;

a substrate having a body with first and second sides, the substrate further including first and second electrical conductors supported thereby, the first and second conductors extending through said substrate from said first side to said second side, said substrate further including a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on said second side for electrically coupling circuitry mounted on said substrate to circuitry on an opposing circuit board, said substrate still further a plurality of first contacts electrically coupled to said substrate first and second conductors;

a voltage regulator module (“

VRM”

) connected to said substrate first side and having at least one output terminal electrically coupled to said substrate first conductor and a reference potential terminal electrically coupled to said substrate second conductor, said first and second conductors carrying electric current from a power supply associated with the VRM to an IC package mounted on said substarte;

a first capacitor disposed along substrate second side and electrically coupled across said first and second electrical conductors for storing power and for filtering electrical current.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said means for connecting to an IC package includes an IC connector that is operatively coupled to said VRM and first capacitor such that said VRM and first capacitor provide filtered power to said integrated circuit package.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein said IC connector supports a processor.

12. The assembly of claim 9, further including a circuit board having first and second sides, the first side of which has a plurality of electrical contacts, each of which is operatively coupled to corresponding ones of the plurality of electrical contacts on said second side of said substrate, said circuit board including a first power conductor that extends completely through said circuit board and which is electrically coupled to said first electrical conductor of said substrate, said circuit board having a second power conductor that extends completely through said circuit board and is electrically coupled to said second electrical conductor of said substrate, a second capacitor, mounted to said second side of said circuit board and electrically coupled across said first and second power conductors, said first and second capacitors being charged by current from said VRM and discharging power to said IC package connector and an IC supported thereby.

13. The assembly of claim 12, further including a third capacitor located within said integrated circuit connector and which is electrically coupled across said first and second power capacitors.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said first and second power conductors include plated vias extending through said substrate

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said first and second power conductors include solid conductive terminals extending through said substrate.