Low insertion force array connector for providing a removable high density electrical interconnect to a flexible circuit

• US 6,171,114 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2000
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mulligan, Robert J., Gillette, Joseph G., Potter, Scott G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zarroli, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US09/593,884
• Time in Patent Office: 209 Days
• Field of Search: 439/67, 439/55, 439/65, 439/91, 439/74, 439/77, 439/85, 439/495, 361/776, 361/784, 361/789, 361/826
• US Class Current: 439/67
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/82 connected with low or zero insertion force
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• 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 2201/049 PCB for one component, e.g. for mounting onto mother PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10734 Ball grid array [BGA]; Bump grid array
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/363 by soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/365 by abutting, i.e. without alloying process

Abstract

A high density electrical interconnect is achieved by incorporating a flexible circuit (140) that is removably connected to a low insertion force, ball grid array connector (100). The flexible circuit has a plurality of conductive runners (142), and each of the runners has a termination (144). The terminations are arranged in an array on the end of the flexible circuit. The low insertion force connector consists of a substrate (120) that has a pattern of pads (122) corresponding to the array on one side. The other side of the substrate has a corresponding array (124) that is electrically connected to the pads by conductive vias. An alignment feature (470) aligns the array on the flexible circuit to the pattern of pads on the substrate. Contact between the flexible circuit and the substrate is maintained by a compression means (150) that provides sufficient compressive force (310) to establish electrical connection between the array and the pads. The flexible circuit is removably connected to the low insertion force connector by insertion through the z-axis (149) of the substrate.

Claims

1. A low insertion force array connector for providing a removable electrical connection between a flexible circuit and an intermediate substrate and for providing a permanent connection between the intermediate substrate and a printed circuit board, comprising:

a rigid intermediate substrate having a first pattern of pads on one side, said pads arranged in an X by Y array to receive a corresponding array of pads on the flexible circuit, wherein X and Y are integers equal to or greater than 2;

the intermediate substrate having a second pattern of pads on an opposite side arranged to be permanently joined to a corresponding array of pads on the printed circuit board, the second pattern of pads electrically interconnected to the first pattern of pads;

means for aligning the array of pads on the flexible circuit to the first pattern of pads; and

compression means for providing sufficient force through a z-axis of the intermediate substrate to form a removable electrical connection between the array of pads on the flexible circuit and the first pattern of pads on the rigid intermediate substrate.

2. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the first pattern of pads is arranged in an irregular matrix.

3. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the first pattern of pads is an area array.

4. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the first pattern of pads is a perimeter array.

5. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the first pattern of pads comprises multiple rows of pads.

6. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the second pattern of pads is solder bumped.

7. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the second pattern of pads is electrically interconnected to the first pattern of pads by means of conductive vias.

8. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the second pattern of pads is a ball grid array.

9. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the compression means comprises a rigid cover.

10. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 9, wherein the rigid cover comprises a hinged door.

11. The low insertion force array connector as described in claim 1, wherein the array of pads on the flexible circuit is on an end portion of the flexible circuit.

12. A low insertion force array connector for providing a removable electrical connection between a flexible circuit and an intermediate substrate and for providing a permanent connection between the intermediate substrate and a printed circuit board, comprising:

a rigid intermediate substrate having a first pattern of pads on one side, said pads arranged in an X by Y matrix to receive a corresponding array of pads on the flexible circuit, wherein X and Y are integers equal to or greater than 2;

the intermediate substrate having a solder bumped ball grid array on an opposite side for soldering to a corresponding array of pads on the printed circuit board, the solder bumps electrically interconnected to the first pattern of pads;

means for aligning the array of pads on the flexible circuit to the first pattern of pads; and

compression means for providing sufficient force through a z-axis of the intermediate substrate to form a removable electrical connection between the array of pads on the flexible circuit and the first pattern of pads on the rigid intermediate substrate.