Assembly aid for mounting packaged integrated circuit devices to printed circuit boards
First Claim
1. An assembly aid for mounting an integrated circuit device having connecting leads to a circuit board, comprising:
- a plurality of solidified solder elements, said elements being shaped to receive respective ones of said connecting leads; and
a mounting substrate communicating at least in part with said circuit board and having at least a first layer and second layer, said first layer having a plurality of first apertures substantially corresponding to the location of said connecting leads, said first apertures further receiving said solidified solder elements therein, and said second layer having a plurality of second apertures substantially corresponding to the location of said first apertures, said second apertures being sized so as to prevent said solder elements from passing through said second apertures.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for surface-mounting ball grid array integrated circuit (IC) devices to printed circuit boards. A thin single- or multi-layer sheet of nonconductive material having a plurality of apertures corresponding to the leads of the IC device to be mounted is interposed between the ball grid array and the circuit board prior to solder processing to facilitate solder application, device alignment, and solder retention. An assembly guide is located on the top surface of the aid to assist in the orientation and placement of the IC device during assembly. In a further aspect, the disclosed assembly aid helps compensate for non-planarity in the IC device array or circuit board, and maintains a minimum standoff distance between the IC package and the circuit board to preclude undue solder joint deformation. The assembly aid also allows for reworking of the surface mount by facilitating localized placement of the solder prior to reflow processing without masking or other additional processing steps.
176 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An assembly aid for mounting an integrated circuit device having connecting leads to a circuit board, comprising:
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a plurality of solidified solder elements, said elements being shaped to receive respective ones of said connecting leads; and a mounting substrate communicating at least in part with said circuit board and having at least a first layer and second layer, said first layer having a plurality of first apertures substantially corresponding to the location of said connecting leads, said first apertures further receiving said solidified solder elements therein, and said second layer having a plurality of second apertures substantially corresponding to the location of said first apertures, said second apertures being sized so as to prevent said solder elements from passing through said second apertures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An assembly aid for mounting an integrated circuit device having a plurality of leads to a circuit board, comprising:
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a plurality of solidified solder elements, said elements being shaped to receive respective ones of said leads; a mounting substrate having at least a first layer and a second layer; said first layer having a plurality of first apertures substantially corresponding to the location of said leads, said first apertures further being sized to receive said solidified solder elements therein, said second layer having a plurality of second apertures substantially corresponding to the location of said first apertures, said second apertures being sized so as to prevent said solder elements from passing through said second apertures; and an adhesive layer communicating with said first mounting substrate layer so as to retain said solder elements substantially within said first apertures.
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10. A circuit board having an integrated circuit device with connecting leads, assembled by a process comprising the steps of:
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providing a mounting substrate having a plurality of first and second apertures, the relative positions of both said first and second apertures corresponding to those of the connecting leads of the integrated circuit device, said second apertures having a smaller diameter than said first apertures and communicating therewith; locating solder material substantially upon said mounting substrate such that said solder material communicates with selected first apertures of said substrate, applying an adhesive layer to said mounting substrate such that said solder material is retained substantially within said first apertures; attaching said mounting substrate to said circuit board; positioning the integrated circuit device adjacent to said mounting substrate such that the connecting leads of the integrated circuit communicate with said first apertures and said solder material, so as to form an assembly; and heating said assembly so as to melt said solder material to form an electrical contact between said integrated circuit and said circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer system having a circuit board, said circuit board having an integrated circuit device with connecting leads and being assembled by a process comprising the steps of:
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providing a mounting substrate having a first and second layer in substantial communication with each other, said first layer having a plurality of first apertures whose relative positions on said substrate correspond to those of the connecting leads of said integrated circuit device, said second layer having a plurality of second apertures of smaller diameter than said first apertures and communicating substantially therewith; locating solidified solder elements substantially within said mounting substrate such that said solder elements communicate with respective first apertures of said first substrate layer; applying an adhesive layer to said mounting substrate such that said solder elements are retained substantially within said first apertures; attaching said mounting substrate to said circuit board; positioning the integrated circuit device adjacent to said mounting substrate such that the connecting leads of the integrated circuit communicate with said first apertures and said solder elements, so as to form an assembly; and heating said assembly so as to at least partially melt said solder elements to form an electrical contact between said integrated circuit and said circuit board.
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19. A circuit board having an integrated circuit device with connecting leads, prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
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providing a mounting substrate having a plurality of first and second apertures, the relative locations of both of said first and second apertures corresponding to that of the connecting leads of the integrated circuit device, said second apertures having a smaller diameter than said first apertures and communicating therewith; attaching said mounting substrate to said circuit board via a first adhesive layer; locating solder material substantially within said mounting substrate such that said solder material communicates with selected first apertures of said substrate, applying a second adhesive layer to said mounting substrate such that said solder material is retained substantially within said first apertures; positioning the integrated circuit device adjacent to said mounting substrate such that the connecting leads of the integrated circuit communicate with said first apertures and said solder material, so as to form an assembly; and heating said assembly so as to melt said solder material to form an electrical contact between said integrated circuit and said circuit board.
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Specification