Metallic RF or thermal shield for automatic vacuum placement

• US 5,530,202 A
• Filed: 01/09/1995
• Issued: 06/25/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nikmanesh, Khalil N., Dais, Jack L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Decker, Robert
• Application Number:
  US08/370,040
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 174/35 R, 174/35 GC, 361/816, 361/736
• US Class Current: 174/385
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0026 integrally formed from metal sheet

Abstract

A metallic RF or thermal shield (200, 200'"'"', 200") has a non-perforated area (202) around its center of mass, of a radius (203) sufficient for pick-up and placement of the shield by automatic vacuum pick-up equipment during automated surface-mount circuit assembly.

Claims

1. A shield for attenuating at least one of RF and thermal energy, the shield being metallic and having a center of mass, a perforated surface surrounding the center of mass, and a non-perforated area defined by the surface, the non-perforated area centered substantially on the center of mass and sized to permit pick-up and placement of the shield by an automatic vacuum pick-up and placement machine.

2. The shield of claim 1 wherein the non-perforated area is the largest non-perforated area defined by the surface.

3. The shield of claim 1 having a plurality of non-coplanar surfaces wherein all surfaces of the shield are perforated.

4. The shield of claim 2 having a plurality of non-coplanar surfaces wherein all surfaces of the shield are perforated and the non-perforated area is the largest non-perforated area defined by all said surfaces.

5. The shield of claim 1 wherein the non-perforated area has one of circular shape and rectangular shape.

6. The shield of claim 1 wherein both the surface and the non-perforated area are rectangular in shape and the non-perforated area is oriented at a 45°

angle relative to the surface.

7. The shield of claim 1 wherein the shield is an RF shield and each perforation is no larger than one-twentieth of a wavelength of RF which the RF shield is to block.

8. The shield of claim 1 wherein the shield is a re-usable thermal shield and the thermal shield defines at least one detent along a surface thereof that temporarily contacts a circuit board during assembly operations, for temporarily engaging a corresponding at least one opening in the circuit board during assembly operations and thereafter for disengaging the corresponding at least one opening.

9. The shield of claim 1 wherein a surface of the shield defines an opening through which a component shielded by the shield is able to interact with an entity external to the shield.

10. The shield of claim 1 wherein a surface of the shield defines an opening through which a solder joint of a component shielded by the shield is able to be inspected.

11. A surface-mount shield for attenuating at least one of RF and thermal energy, the shield being metallic and having a center of mass and a plurality of perforated surfaces including a first perforated surface surrounding the center of mass, the first perforated surface defining a non-perforated flat and smooth area centered substantially on the center of mass and sized to permit pick-up and placement of the shield by an automatic vacuum pick-up and placement machine, the non-perforated area being the largest non-perforated area defined by all said surfaces.

12. A shield for attenuating at least one of RF and thermal energy, the shield having a center of mass, a plurality of non-coplanar perforated surfaces one of which surfaces is located adjacent to the center of mass, and a non-perforated area defined by said one surface, the non-perforated area being centered substantially on the center of mass and being sized to permit pick-up and placement of the shield by an automatic vacuum pick-up and placement machine, said non-perforated area being the largest non-perforated area defined by all said surfaces.

13. The shield of claim 12 wherein the shield is metallic.

14. A surface-mount shield for attenuating at least one of RF and thermal energy, the shield having a center of mass and a plurality of non-coplanar perforated surfaces including a first perforated surface located adjacent to the center of mass, the first perforated surface defining a non-perforated flat and smooth area centered substantially on the center of mass and sized to permit pick-up and placement of the shield by an automatic vacuum pick-up and placement machine, the non-perforated area being the largest non-perforated area defined by all said surfaces.

15. The surface-mount shield of claim 14 wherein the shield is metallic.

16. The surface-mount shield of claim 15 wherein both the first surface and the non-perforated area are rectangular in shape and the non-perforated area is oriented at a 45°

angle relative to the surface.