Electrical interconnect IC device socket

• US 9,320,133 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HSIO Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: HSIO Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Rathburn, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Wagner, Jenny L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ervin, Jessey R
• Application Number:
  US13/880,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20130206468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 174/263
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/0256 for soldering or welding connectors to a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0228 Compensation of cross-talk by a mutually correlated lay-out of printed circuit traces, e.g. for compensation of cross-talk in mounted connectors balanced signal pairs H05K1/0245
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0296 Conductive pattern lay-out details not covered by sub groups H05K1/02 - H05K1/0295 H05K1/11 takes precedence; lay-out adapted to mounted component configuration H05K1/18
• 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 2201/10378 Interposers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/041 Solder preforms in the shape of solder balls soldering leadless components having an array of bottom contacts H05K3/3436
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3436 having an array of bottom contacts, e.g. pad grid array or ball grid array components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3485 Applying solder paste, slurry or powder thick film methods for applying conductive paste or ink patterns H05K3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/40 Forming printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4046 using auxiliary conductive elements, e.g. metallic spheres, eyelets, pieces of wire
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49147 Assembling terminal to base

Abstract

A surface mount electrical interconnect is disclosed that provides an interface between a PCB and solder balls of a BGA device. The electrical interconnect includes a socket substrate and a plurality of electrically conductive contact members. The socket substrate has a first layer with a plurality of openings configured to receive solder balls of the BGA device and has a second layer with a plurality of slots defined therethrough that correspond to the plurality of openings. The contact members may be disposed in the openings in the first layer and through the plurality of slots of the second layer of the socket substrate. The contact members can be configured to engage a top portion, a center diameter, and a lower portion of the solder ball of the BGA device. Each contact member electrically couples a solder ball on the BGA device to the PCB.

Claims

1. A surface mount electrical interconnect to provide an interface between a PCB and solder balls on a BGA device, the electrical interconnect comprising:

a socket substrate comprising a first layer having a plurality of openings configured to receive the solder balls on the BGA device and a second layer having a plurality of slots defined therethrough that correspond to the plurality of openings; and

a plurality of electrically conductive contact members disposed in the openings in the first layer and through the plurality of slots of the second layer of the socket substrate, each contact member configured to electrically couple a solder ball on the BGA device to the PCB, wherein each contact member comprises at least three interlocking contact plates that engage with each other in a single opening in the socket substrate and including a semicircular defining a notch with a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the solder balls that simultaneously engages at least a center diameter and a lower portion of the solder balls at a solder ball interface region, the notch configured to be positioned in the opening of the first layer and configured to receive a portion of the solder ball such that a solder ball positioned in the opening is nested within the notch in contact with the contact plate.

2. The electrical interconnect of claim 1, wherein an arc of the semicircular notch extends more than 180 degrees to engage atop portion of the solder ball to retain the solder ball of the BOA device without reflow of the solder ball, and wherein the solder ball of the BGA device is removable from the contact member without reflow of the solder ball.

3. The electrical interconnect of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of contact members comprises contact tips extending inward toward a middle of the respective opening to score the solder ball and remove oxides during insertion.

4. The electrical interconnect of claim 3, wherein the contact tips on each of the plurality of contact members electrically couple with atop portion of the solder ball when the solder ball is positioned in the respective opening.

5. The electrical interconnect of claim 1, wherein the notch of the contact plate simultaneously engages a top portion, a center diameter and a lower portion of the solder ball of the BGA device.

6. The electrical interconnect of claim 1, comprising at least one contact members comprise a plurality of contact plates with mating notches that engage with each other located in a single opening in the socket substrate.

7. The electrical interconnect of claim 1, wherein the socket substrate further comprises a third layer having a plurality of openings configured to receive solder balls on the PCB, wherein the contact plate includes a lower semicircular notch with a diameter corresponding to a diameter of a solder ball that simultaneously engages at least a center diameter and a lower portion of a solder ball of the PCB.

8. The electrical interconnect of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one dielectric layer printed on one of a first surface or a second surface of the socket substrate, the dielectric layer comprising a plurality of recesses; and

a conductive material deposited in at least a portion of the recesses comprising circuit geometry electrically coupling at least two of the plurality of contact members.

9. The electrical interconnect of claim 1, wherein the socket substrate comprises at least one additional circuitry plane selected from one of a ground plane, a power plane, an electrical connection to other circuit members, a dielectric layer, or a flexible circuit.

10. The electrical interconnect of claim 1, further comprising at least one printed electrical device located on the socket substrate and electrically coupled to at least a one of the contact members.

11. An electrical interconnect assembly comprising:

a housing that retains the electrical interconnect of claim 1;

a BGA device with solder balls located in the openings in the socket substrate and electrically coupled to the contact tips of the contact members; and

a PCB soldered to a lower portion of the contact members located at a lower surface of the socket substrate.

12. A surface mount electrical interconnect to provide an interface between a PCB and solder balls on a BGA device, the electrical interconnect comprising:

a socket substrate comprising a first layer having a plurality of openings configured to receive the solder balls on the BGA device and a second layer having a plurality of slots defined therethrough that correspond to the plurality of openings;

a plurality of electrically conductive contact members disposed in the openings in the first layer and through the plurality of slots of the second layer of the socket substrate, each contact member comprising at least three interlocking contact plates that engage with each other in a single opening in the socket substrate and include a semicircular notch with a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the solder ball that simultaneously engages at least a center diameter and a lower portion of the solder balls at a solder ball interface region such that a solder ball positioned in the opening is nested within the contact member and removable from the contact member and the opening without reflow, and wherein the contact member is configured to electrically couple the solder ball on the BGA device to the PCB.

13. The electrical interconnect of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of contact members comprises a contact plate including a semicircular notch with a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the solder balls that simultaneously engages at least, a center diameter and a lower portion of the solder balls at a solder ball interface region, the notch configured to be positioned in the opening of the first layer and configured to receive a portion of the solder ball such that the solder ball positioned in the opening is nested within the notch in contact with the contact plate.

14. The electrical interconnect of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of contact members comprises a pair of contact beams configured to deflect outward during insertion of the solder ball on the BGA device into the respective opening and retract inward to engage the solder ball, wherein the openings in the first layer are configured to permit outward deflection of the contact beams and limit over deflection of the contact beams.

15. A method of making a surface mount electrical interconnect to provide an interface between a PCB and solder balls on a BGA device, the method comprising:

forming a socket substrate with a first layer having a plurality of openings configured to receive the solder balls on the BGA device and a second layer having a plurality of slots defined therethrough that correspond to the plurality of openings;

inserting a plurality of electrically conductive contact members within the openings in the first layer and through the plurality of slots of the second layer of the socket substrate, each contact member comprises at least three interlocking contact plates that engage with each other in a single opening in the socket substrate and including a semicircular notch with a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the solder balls that simultaneously engages at least a center diameter and a lower portion of the solder balls, the notch configured to receive and retain a portion of a solder ball of the BOA device such that a solder ball positioned in the opening is nested within the contact member and removable from the contact member and the opening without reflow, and wherein the contact member is configured to electrically couple the solder ball on the BOA device to the PCB.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

forming each contact member of one or more contact plates each having a notch, at a solder ball interface region, the notch configured to be positioned in the opening of the first layer and configured to receive a portion of the solder ball such that the solder ball positioned in the opening is nested within the notch in contact with the contact plate.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

forming the contact members with a pair of opposing contact beams configured to deflect outward during insertion of the solder ball on the BGA device into the respective opening and to retract inward to engage the solder ball, wherein the openings in the first layer are configured to permit outward deflection of the contact beams and limit over deflection of the contact beams.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein inserting the plurality of contact members includes inserting contact beams of each contact member from a bottom surface of the socket substrate through slots in the second layer and into the openings, wherein a contact base of each contact member remains disposed outside the opening in abutment with the second layer.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising configuring the plurality of contact members to simultaneously engage a top portion, a center diameter and a lower portion of the solder balls on the BOA device.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

printing at least one dielectric layer on one of a first surface or a second surface of the socket substrate, including printing the dielectric layer to have a plurality of recesses; and

printing a conductive material in at least a portion of the recesses comprising circuit geometry electrically coupling at least two of the contact members.