Packaged device adapter assembly with alignment structure and methods regarding same
First Claim
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1. An adapter apparatus for receiving a packaged device having a plurality of contact elements disposed on a surface thereof, wherein the packaged device further comprises one or more perimeter side surfaces defining an outer perimeter of the packaged device, the adapter apparatus comprising:
- a perimeter wall member comprising a length along an adapter axis between a first end region of the adapter apparatus and a second end region of the adapter apparatus;
a conductive element layer comprising a plurality of arranged conductive elements, wherein the conductive element layer is positioned at the first end region of the adapter apparatus orthogonal to the adapter axis, and further wherein the perimeter wall member and the conductive element layer define a socket cavity adapted to receive the packaged device with the plurality of contact elements thereof adjacent the conductive element layer; and
an alignment structure positioned at the first end region to align the packaged device within the socket cavity, wherein the alignment structure comprises an alignment plate positioned orthogonal to the adapter axis, wherein the alignment plate comprises at least one opening defined therein adapted to allow the contact elements of the packaged device to be in electrical contact with the arranged conductive elements of the conductive element layer, and further wherein the alignment plate comprises a plurality of movable elements configured to movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is positioned in the socket cavity adjacent the conductive element layer, wherein the plurality of movable elements comprise two pairs of movable elements configured in opposing relation to one another such that each pair of the two pairs of movable elements movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is received in the socket cavity, wherein each movable element of each pair of movable elements extends along an element axis, and further wherein the element axes of each pair of movable elements lie at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to one another.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A packaged device adapter assembly for use with high density integrated circuit packages, e.g., micro lead frame packages, micro lead chip carriers, quad flat no lead packages, and micro ball grid array packages, etc., includes an alignment structure for aligning a packaged device therein.
114 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An adapter apparatus for receiving a packaged device having a plurality of contact elements disposed on a surface thereof, wherein the packaged device further comprises one or more perimeter side surfaces defining an outer perimeter of the packaged device, the adapter apparatus comprising:
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a perimeter wall member comprising a length along an adapter axis between a first end region of the adapter apparatus and a second end region of the adapter apparatus;
a conductive element layer comprising a plurality of arranged conductive elements, wherein the conductive element layer is positioned at the first end region of the adapter apparatus orthogonal to the adapter axis, and further wherein the perimeter wall member and the conductive element layer define a socket cavity adapted to receive the packaged device with the plurality of contact elements thereof adjacent the conductive element layer; and
an alignment structure positioned at the first end region to align the packaged device within the socket cavity, wherein the alignment structure comprises an alignment plate positioned orthogonal to the adapter axis, wherein the alignment plate comprises at least one opening defined therein adapted to allow the contact elements of the packaged device to be in electrical contact with the arranged conductive elements of the conductive element layer, and further wherein the alignment plate comprises a plurality of movable elements configured to movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is positioned in the socket cavity adjacent the conductive element layer, wherein the plurality of movable elements comprise two pairs of movable elements configured in opposing relation to one another such that each pair of the two pairs of movable elements movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is received in the socket cavity, wherein each movable element of each pair of movable elements extends along an element axis, and further wherein the element axes of each pair of movable elements lie at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for use in an adapter configured to receive a packaged device having a plurality of contact elements disposed on a surface thereof, wherein the packaged device further comprises one or more perimeter side surfaces defining an outer perimeter of the packaged device, the apparatus comprising an alignment plate, wherein the alignment plaza comprises:
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a body portion comprising one or more fixed inner perimeter surfaces defining an opening about an axis orthogonal to the alignment plate, wherein the one or more fixed inner perimeter surfaces define a maximum outer perimeter of the packaged device; and
a plurality of movable elements extending from the body portion of the alignment plate, wherein the plurality of movable elements are configured to movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is positioned in the opening, wherein the plurality of movable elements comprise two pairs of movable elements configured in opposing relation to one another such that each pair of the two pairs of movable elements movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is received in the socket cavity, wherein each movable element of each pair of movable elements extends from the body portion along an element axis, and further wherein the element axes of each pair of movable elements lie at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of aligning a packaged device in an adapter apparatus, wherein the packaged device comprises a plurality of contact elements disposed on a surface thereof, wherein the packaged device further comprises one or more perimeter side surfaces defining an outer perimeter of the packaged device, wherein the method comprises:
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providing an adapter apparatus defining a socket cavity for receiving the packaged device, wherein the adapter apparatus comprises an alignment plate, wherein the alignment plate comprises a body portion comprising one or more fixed inner perimeter surfaces defining an opening about an axis orthogonal to the alignment plate, and further wherein the alignment plate comprises a plurality of movable elements extending from the body portion of the alignment plate, wherein the plurality of movable elements comprise two pairs of movable elements configured in opposing relation to one another such that each pair of the two pairs of movable elements movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is received in the socket cavity, wherein each movable element of each pair of movable elements extends along an element axis, and further wherein the element axes of each pair of movable elements lie at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to one another, wherein the plurality of movable elements are in a normal state when a packaged device has not been received in the opening; and
positioning the packaged device in the socket cavity such that the plurality of movable elements are moved to a flex state, wherein a position of one or more surfaces of the plurality of movable elements are at a distance further from the axis when the plurality of movable elements are in the flex state as compared to when the plurality of movable elements are in the normal state. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. An adapter apparatus for receiving a packaged device having a plurality of contact elements disposed on a surface thereof, wherein the packaged device further comprises one or more perimeter side surfaces defining an outer perimeter of the packaged device, the adapter apparatus comprising:
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a perimeter wall member comprising a length along an adapter axis between a first end region of the adapter apparatus and a second end region of the adapter apparatus;
a conductive element layer comprising a plurality of arranged conductive elements, wherein the conductive element layer is positioned at the first end region of the adapter apparatus orthogonal to the adapter axis, and further wherein the perimeter wall member and the conductive element layer define a socket cavity adapted to receive the packaged device with the plurality of contact elements thereof adjacent the conductive element layer; and
an alignment structure positioned at the first end region to align the packaged device within the socker cavity, wherein the alignment structure comprises an alignment plate positioned orthogonal to the adapter axis, wherein the alignment plate comprises at least one opening defined therein adapted to allow the contact elements of the packaged device to be in electrical contact with the arranged conductive elements of the conductive element layer, wherein the alignment plate comprises a plurality of movable elements configured to movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is positioned in the socket cavity adjacent the conductive element layer, wherein the alignment plate comprises a body portion comprising one or more fixed inner perimeter surfaces defining the at least one opening, wherein the one or more fixed inner perimeter surfaces define a maximum outer perimeter of the packaged device to be received in the socket cavity, wherein the body portion corresponds to and is positioned adjacent an end of the perimeter wall member at the first end region of the adapter apparatus, wherein the plurality of movable elements extend from the body portion of the alignment plate, and further wherein the alignment structure comprises a spacer structure that is adapted to define a free space adjacent the plurality of movable elements so as to allow the plurality of movable elements to move from a normal state when the packaged device has not been received in the socket cavity to a flex state when the packaged device is positioned in the socket cavity adjacent the conductive element layer. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An apparatus for use in an adapter configured to receive a packaged device having a plurality of contact elements disposed on a surface thereof, wherein the packaged device further comprises one or more perimeter side surfaces defining an outer perimeter of the packaged device, the apparatus comprising an alignment plate, wherein the alignment plate comprises:
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a body portion comprising one or more fixed inner perimeter surfaces defining an opening about an axis orthogonal to the alignment plate, wherein the one or more fixed inner perimeter surfaces define a maximum outer perimeter of the packaged device, and a plurality of movable elements extending from the body portion of the alignment plate, wherein the plurality of movable elements are configured to movably engage the one or more perimeter side surfaces of the packaged device when the packaged device is positioned in the opening; and
further wherein the apparatus comprises a spacer plate corresponding to the body portion of the alignment plate and positioned adjacent thereto, wherein the spacer plate when positioned adjacent the alignment plate is void of material in a space directly above the plurality of movable elements, wherein the spacer plate is adapted to define a free space adjacent the plurality of movable elements so as to allow the plurality of movable elements to move from a normal state when the packaged device has not been received in the socket cavity to a flex state when the packaged device is positioned in the socket cavity adjacent the conductive element layer. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of aligning a packaged device in an adapter apparatus, wherein the packaged device comprises a plurality of contact elements disposed on a surface thereof, wherein the packaged device further comprises one or more perimeter side surfaces defining an outer perimeter of the packaged device, wherein the method comprises:
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providing an adapter apparatus defining a socket cavity for receiving the packaged device, wherein the adapter apparatus comprises an alignment plate, wherein the alignment plate comprises a body portion comprising one or more fixed inner perimeter surfaces defining an opening about an axis orthogonal to the alignment plate, and further wherein the alignment plate comprises a plurality of movable elements extending from the body portion of the alignment plate, wherein the plurality of movable elements are in a normal state when a packaged device has not been received in the opening, wherein the adapter apparatus further comprises a spacer structure corresponding to the body portion of the alignment plate and positioned adjacent thereto, wherein the spacer structure when positioned adjacent the alignment plate is void of material in a space directly above the plurality of movable elements; and
positioning the packaged device in the socket cavity, wherein the spacer structure plate is adapted to define a free space adjacent the plurality of movable elements so as to allow the plurality of movable elements to move from the normal state to a flex state when the packaged device is positioned in the socket cavity adjacent the conductive element layer, wherein a position of one or more surfaces of the plurality of movable elements are at a distance further from the axis when the plurality of movable elements are in the flex state as compared to when the plurality of movable elements are in the normal state. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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Specification