Clustering adapter for spherical shaped devices

• US 5,877,943 A
• Filed: 03/26/1998
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ball Semiconductor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ball Semiconductor, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramamurthi, Ram
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vigushin, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/048,719
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 361/767, 361/785, 361/768, 361/736, 361/783, 361/807, 361/809, 361/777, 361/773, 257/99, 257/618, 257/619, 257/678, 257/684, 257/798, 257/730, 257/685, 257/686, 257/692, 257/693, 257/737, 257/738, 439/8, 439/71, 439/68, 439/55, 438/106, 438/109, 438/125, 438/613, 174/52.1
• US Class Current: 361/783
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0657 characterised by the shape of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10155 being other than a cuboid
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1017 being a sphere
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/301 by means of a mounting structure H05K3/325 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for connecting and interconnecting spherical ICs. The apparatus includes an enclosure which is used to hold and secure one or more spherical ICs or to connect to a device such as a printed circuit board. The enclosure includes two groups of electrical contact points. These contact points may be solder bumps, pads, leads, or any other type of connector. One group of contact points on the enclosure aligns and connects with a corresponding set of contact points on the first spherical shaped IC and the other group of contact points on the enclosure aligns and connects with a corresponding set of contact points on the other device. The two groups of enclosure contact points are interconnected with each other through a circuit located inside the enclosure. As a result, alignment is no longer required by the contact points on the spherical shaped IC and the other device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for electrically connecting a first spherical shaped integrated circuit (IC) to another device, the apparatus comprising:

an enclosure;

a first group of electrical contact points attached to the enclosure for connecting with a second group of electrical contact points on the spherical shaped IC;

a third group of electrical contact points attached to the enclosure for connecting with a fourth group of electrical contact points on the device, wherein the second group of electrical contact points are not aligned with the fourth group;

means for electrically connecting the first group of electrical contact points with the third group of electrical contact points.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the enclosure includes a retaining cup for holding and securing the spherical shaped IC.

3. An apparatus for electrically connecting a first spherical shaped integrated circuit (IC) to another device, the apparatus comprising:

an enclosure physically connected to the device;

a first group of electrical contact points attached to the enclosure for connecting with a second group of electrical contact points on the spherical shaped IC;

a third group of electrical contact points attached to the enclosure for connecting with a fourth group of electrical contact points on the device, wherein the second group of electrical contact points are not aligned with the fourth group;

means for electrically connecting the first group of electrical contact points with the third group of electrical contact points

wherein the device is either a second spherical shaped IC or a circuit board.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of the electrical connections between the attached electrical contact points utilize solder bumps.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for electrically connecting includes a plurality of conductors contained within the enclosure.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for electrically connecting includes a circuit board contained within the enclosure.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of traces and one or more electrical structures.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for electrically connecting includes a circuit board and a plurality of conductors, all contained within the enclosure.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the circuit board includes at least one electrical device.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the enclosure includes a retaining cup for holding and securing the spherical shaped IC.

11. A method for electrically connecting a first spherical shaped integrated circuit (IC) to another device, the method comprising:

supporting the first spherical shaped IC with an enclosure;

electrically contacting predetermined solder bumps on the first spherical shaped IC and the device with solder pads connected to the enclosure;

electrically connecting a first solder pad electrically contacting a first predetermined solder bump on the first spherical shaped IC with a second solder pad electrically contacting a first predetermined solder bump on the device;

electrically connecting a third solder pad electrically contacting a second predetermined solder bump on the first spherical shaped IC with a fourth solder pad electrically contacting a second predetermined solder bump on the device;

wherein the first predetermined solder bump on the first spherical shaped IC is physically aligned with the second predetermined solder bump on the device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

electrically connecting one or more electrical structures between the first and second solder pads.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the steps for electrically connecting utilize a circuit board and a plurality of conductors, all contained within the enclosure.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

thermally connecting the predetermined solder bumps on the first spherical shaped IC and the device with the electrically corresponding solder pads.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the device is a circuit board.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the device is a second spherical shaped IC.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the device is a chip.

18. An adapter for electrically connecting two spherical shaped integrated circuit (ICs) comprising:

an enclosure including two retaining cups for holding and securing the two spherical shaped ICs, respectively;

a first group of electrical contact points attached to the enclosure for connecting with electrical contact points on the first spherical shaped IC;

a second group of electrical contact points attached to the enclosure for connecting with electrical contact points on the second spherical shaped IC;

a circuit for electrically connecting the first group of electrical contact points with the second group of electrical contact points.

19. The adapter of claim 18 further connecting the two spherical shaped ICs to a circuit board contained within the enclosure.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of traces and one or more electrical structures.

21. The adapter of claim 18 wherein the second group of electrical contact points are not aligned with the first group.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the circuit for electrically connecting includes a plurality of conductors contained within the enclosure.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the circuit for electrically connecting includes a circuit board contained within the enclosure.