U.S. patent number RE31,929 [Application Number 06/499,095] was granted by the patent office on 1985-06-25 for electronic package and accessory component assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Thomas & Betts Corporation. Invention is credited to Gordon D. Christensen, Charles J. Donaher.
United States Patent |
RE31,929 |
Donaher , et al. |
June 25, 1985 |
Electronic package and accessory component assembly
Abstract
Common printed circuit board area usage is provided for
electronic packages and accessory components by the provision of an
assembly including a receptacle stacking a package and accessory
component and having electrical contact elements with fixed
portions selectively connected to component contacts and other
portions for engaging package contacts. In a preferred embodiment,
the assembly includes one or more dual-in-line packages (DIP) and
the accessory component is a capacitive decoupling assembly.
Inventors: |
Donaher; Charles J. (Los Altos
Hills, CA), Christensen; Gordon D. (San Jose, CA) |
Assignee: |
Thomas & Betts Corporation
(Raritan, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
26865603 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/499,095 |
Filed: |
May 27, 1983 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
170014 |
Jul 18, 1980 |
04356532 |
Oct 26, 1982 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
361/734; 174/563;
361/329; 361/744; 439/70 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K
1/141 (20130101); H05K 7/1092 (20130101); H01R
31/08 (20130101); H05K 1/0216 (20130101); H05K
1/0231 (20130101); H05K 2201/10689 (20130101); H05K
3/368 (20130101); H05K 2201/10325 (20130101); H05K
2201/10515 (20130101); H05K 1/18 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H05K
7/10 (20060101); H05K 1/14 (20060101); H01R
31/08 (20060101); H01R 31/00 (20060101); H05K
3/36 (20060101); H05K 1/18 (20060101); H05K
1/02 (20060101); H05K 007/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;174/52FP
;339/17R,17C,17CF ;357/51,74
;361/380,392-396,400,401,403,405,412,417,419,420,429,301,306,308,309,328-330,425 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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680949 |
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Feb 1964 |
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CA |
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747010 |
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Nov 1966 |
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CA |
|
811889 |
|
Apr 1969 |
|
CA |
|
1188520 |
|
Apr 1970 |
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GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Tolin; G. P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rodrick; Robert M. Abbruzzese;
Salvatore J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electronic assembly comprising:
an electronic package having electrical contacts;
accessory component means for said package having electrical
contacts for connection with said package contacts, said component
means including a substrate and a component supported by said
substrate, said substrate defining said component means
contacts;
receptacle means having an upstanding housing defining a top
opening removably receiving said package, a bottom opening
removably receiving said component .[.means.]. and a channel
extending between such top and bottom openings providing for
residence of said package and said component .[.means.]. in
vertically spaced relation in said receptacle means, said substrate
being juxtaposed with a housing surface adjacent said bottom
opening;
a plurality of contact elements having first portions fixedly
supported in said housing, said first portions extending through
said bottom opening and exteriorly thereof for engagement
externally of said assembly and second portions vertically spaced
from said first portions and electrically engaging said package
contacts;
said substrate further including ear portions extending
horizontally outwardly thereof, said contact element first portions
including horizontally extending lands adjacent said housing
surface, said substrate ear portions and said lands being
electrically connected adjacent said housing surface.
2. The assembly claimed in claim 1 wherein said substrate includes
electrically conductive strips constituting said component means
contacts and connected to said component.
3. The assembly claimed in claim 1 wherein said contact elements
further include stem portions extending downwardly of said lands
for electrical connection of said package and said component means
to a printed circuit board.
4. The assembly claimed in claim 1 wherein said component means is
a capacitive decoupling means.
5. The assembly claimed in claim 4 wherein said capacitive
decoupling means includes at least one capacitor having a body and
terminals disposed in said housing in vertically spaced relation to
said electronic package.
6. The assembly claimed in claim 5 wherein said capacitive
decoupling means further includes said substrate bearing
electrically conductive strips connected separately to said
capacitor terminals and constituting said component means
contacts.
7. The assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein said capacitive
coupling means includes plural capacitors, each for providing
capacitive decoupling for an individual one of plural supply
voltages required by said package. .Iadd.
8. In an electrical assembly of the type including an electrical
package having a row of contacts, accessory component means in
electrical interconnection with said package contacts,
comprising:
a substrate of insulative material, a plurality of spaced
conductive strips on said substrate and an electrical component
supported by said substrate and electrically connected to selected
conductive strips; and
plural ear portions, each including a portion of one of said
selected conductive strips, projecting outwardly from one side edge
of said substrate at spaced locations and defining therebetween an
open region within which reside contacts of said package that are
not connected to said component means, said ear portions being
electrically connected to selected contacts in said row that are
not adjacent to each other. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The invention
claimed in claim 8 wherein said substrate includes spaced portions
projecting outwardly from said one side edge thereof, each
corresponding in location with and supporting a respective portion
of said selected conductive strips. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The
invention claimed in claim 8 further including plural ear portions
projecting outwardly from another side edge of said substrate
opposite said one side edge, said further plural ear portions each
including a portion of others of said plurality of conductive
strips on said substrate, said further ear portions being
electrically connected to other selected contacts of said package
that extend in another row spaced from and parallel to said row of
contacts..Iaddend.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to electrical assemblies and
pertains more particularly to assemblies for interconnecting
electronic packages and components with support substrates.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, the electronics industry has looked increasingly
to so-called "stacking" of chip carriers and the like to meet
information density requirements. Such practice, wherein plural
packages overlie common printed circuit board (PCB) real estate,
provides a doubling or more of information density, for example,
memory capability.
Known efforts in this area, preceding that set forth in copending
commonly-assigned application Ser. No. 85,767 filed on Oct. 17,
1979, had looked to the stacking of chip carriers and dual-in-line
packages (DIP) and had provided receptacles having contacts
insertable in PCB apertures for soldering thereto and extending
upwardly from the PCB to frictionally receive and engage contacts
of packages inserted into the receptacles.
Where it was desired to employ the stacked packages electrically
independently of one another, the art preceding the '767
application had looked to several measures for separately
addressing the packages. Typically, the contacts of the stacked
packages were vertically aligned and circuit paths to the PCB would
be redundant to the stacked packages for contacts thereof not
involved in package selection. Thus, a single receptacle contact
would engage vertically successive package contacts. On the other
hand, a unique circuit path is required from the PCB to each
package contact providing selection or activation of a package. In
one known prior approach, receptacle contacts were provided with
break-away portions, whereby one would interrupt continuity from
the PCB to an upper package contact or a lower package contact,
despite vertical alignment thereof. In another known prior
approach, package selection contacts were led from the receptacle
off-board and were thus not available at the PCB as were all other
package contacts. In still another prior approach, packages were
customized to provide for vertically unaligned select/address
contacts.
While stacking presents little user difficulty where the stacked
packages are used electrically dependently in parallel circuit
relation to the PCB, user difficulty is seen in the alternative
situation wherein vertical address/select differentiation is
required. In the first known prior approach discussed above,
bypassing of one of two vertically aligned package contacts
presented a problem in later accessing such bypassed contact from
the PCB. Thus, one needed to define another usable circuit path,
for example, from the bypassed package contact to an unused package
contact and thence to the PCB through a receptacle contact
servicing the unused package contact. In the second discussed prior
approach, the off-board disposition of address/select package
contacts precluded accessing from the PCB. The last noted prior
approach required the tailoring of package contact layout to the
receptacle contacts and accordingly did not lend itself to
standardization permitting commercial package substitution.
Finally, all of the known approaches prior to the '767 application
adopted frictional contact interfitting and did not meet zer
insertion force applications.
The above and related approaches are more specifically identified
in the statement filed herein pursuant to 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
In the '767 application, applicants herein set forth a receptacle
for supporting electronic packages in stacked relation and
providing electrical connection to package contacts without the
disadvantages of the prior approaches. Such receptacle has an
upstanding housing defining a channel and supports received
packages in vertically spaced relation in the channel. Contacts are
supported in the housing in vertically spaced relation and in
noninterfering disposition with respect to the channel. An actuator
is supported in the housing for displacing the contacts from such
noninterfering disposition with respect to the channel into
engagement with contacts of the packages. As is set forth in more
detail below, the '767 receptacle includes movable support means
for the upper stacked package and provides selective spacings of
contact sets to facilitate accessing of the packages.
The objective of using common PCB real estate for plural packages,
as noted above, is reached by the '767 receptacle with zero
insertion force and other benefit. The present invention addresses
a further enhancement in PCB real estate usage, namely, disposition
of electronic components which are accessory to electronic packages
stacked in receptacles. As an example of such an accessory
component, a decoupling capacitor typically is used for each
separate voltage level supplied to a DIP. Presently, such
capacitors are disposed on PCBs as sole consumers of PCB real
estate, adjacent the DIP which they serve and are connected to PCB
strips in turn electrically connected to package receptacle
contacts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide for enhanced PCB real
estate usage.
A more particular object of the invention is to provide for common
PCB real estate usage for electronic packages and components
accessory thereto.
A still more specific object of the invention is to provide
assemblies interconnecting one or more electronic packages to PCB
and like support substates and having capacitive decoupling
capability.
In attaining the foregoing and other objects, the invention
provides an assembly having a receptacle commonly housing both an
electronic package and a component accessory thereto, both
electrically connected to a common electrical contact extending
from the receptacle. In its preferred embodiment, the invention is
shown in usage of the '767 receptacle, expanding same to provide
integrally housed capacitive decoupling means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an interconnect assembly
in accordance with the present application shown above a PCB for
use with the assembly.
FIGS. 2(a)-2(f) are side and front elevations of diverse receptacle
contact configurations for the FIG. 1 receptacle.
FIGS. 3(a)-3(c) are side and front elevations of contact actuators
of the FIG. 1 receptacle.
FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the housing of the FIG. 1
receptacle.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the FIG. 4 housing.
FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the FIG. 4 housing.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view as seen from plane VII--VII of FIG.
5.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view as seen from plane VIII--VIII of FIG.
5.
FIGS. 9 and 10 are sectional views illustrating actuator-contact
relations for the lower contacts of the FIG. 1 receptacle and
omitting capactive decoupling assembly 100 of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 11 and 12 are sectional views illustrating actuator-contact
relations for the upper contacts of the FIG. 1 receptacle for
convenience.
FIG. 13 is an exploded view showing the positional registration of
receptacle contacts and a PCB strip of capacitive decoupling
assembly 100 of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, interconnect receptacle 10 includes housing 12
having elongate channel 14 extending between open ends of the
housing and bordered by housing interior sidewalls 16 and 18. The
channel is of top-open type to facilitate vertical insertion of
electronic packages or components to be stacked within housing 12.
Openings are formed in bottom surface 20 of housing 12 for
insertion of contacts 22 and 24 respectively into registry with
lower contact slots 26 and upper contact slots 28. For purposes
discussed in detail below, each upper contact slot has an expanded
portion 30 for receiving upper component support insert 32. Lower
component support is provided by interior base surfaces 34 and 36.
Chamfered guides 38 lead from surfaces 34 and 36 into lower contact
slots 26 to guide leads of the lower electronic component into
registry with lower contacts 22.
Housing top surface openings 40 and 42 are continuous respectively
with lower contact slots 26 and upper contact slots 28. Actuators
44 (lower contact) and 46 (upper contact) are supported in common
by plate 48 for respective entry into openings 40 and 42 and
vertical movement in slots 26 and 28.
Upper contact slots 28 are uniformly spaced on centers by distance
d.sub.1 longitudinally along channel 14. Like spacing d.sub.1 is
provided between centers of lower contact slots 26. A longitudinal
offset distance d.sub.2 exists between respective centers of each
lower slot 26 and each adjacent upper slot 28, spacing d.sub.2
being one-half of spacing d.sub.1. With spacing d.sub.1 also
applying between adjacent apertures 50 of printed circuit board 52,
the FIG. 1 arrangement provides vertical nonalignment of upper and
lower receptacle contacts, while permitting access to both such
contacts between successive PCB apertures. To this end, contact
configuration 54 supports lower contact 22 jointly with upper
contact 24 with center spacing d.sub.2 and stem 56 provides PCB
connection for both contacts. Contact configuration 58 supports
only a lower contact 22 and stem 60 provides PCB connection
therefor. Contact configuration 62 differs by supporting only an
upper contact 24 and has its stem 64 offset to the opposite side of
the contact, all such contact configurations being illustrated in
FIGS. 2(a)-2(f) in detail showing these similarities and
differences.
Contact configuration 54 is used throughout for collectively
bringing to the PCB those package contacts not involved in
address/select function. Contact configuration 58 is used to access
the lower component received in receptacle 10 and contact
configuration 62 is used to access the upper component received in
receptacle 10. PCB 52 is complemental to receptacle 10, and vice
versa, with quite slight departure from customary PCB geometry for
receiving a single DIP. Thus, board apertures 50 may run in two
parallel rows with uniform spacing. An additional aperture 66 is
formed in the PCB, at longitudinal spacing d.sub.2 from adjacent
apertures 50, for upper component accessing. In instances where one
may look to stacking dynamic components, e.g., where read/write
access strokes are needed for each package, a further aperture 68
may be formed outboard of apertures 50 and longitudinally staggered
with respect thereto, as in the case of aperture 66. As will be
seen, all of apertures 50, 66 and 68 are inboard of the perimeter
of receptacle 10 when the PCB and receptacle are assembled.
Capacitive decoupling assembly 100 is adapted for integral
containment by receptacle 10 and includes board or substrate 102
having projecting ears 104, 106, 108 and 110, electrically
conductive strips 112, 114, 116 and 118 and capacitors 120, 122 and
124. The capacitors have first terminals 126, 128 and 130 and
second terminals 132, 134 and 136. As indicated, conductive strip
112 is in registry with each of capacitor first terminals 126, 128
and 130. Strips 114, 116 and 118 are in separate registry with
capacitor second terminals 136, 132 and 134. In this exemplary
accessory component showing, it is assumed that three diverse d.c.
voltage levels are supplied to the packages in the receptacle, to
be decoupled individually by the three capacitors. As will be shown
below (FIG. 13), board 102 will be disposed flush with bottom
surface 20 of housing 12, with the capacitors received in openings
in surface 20 and recesses in housing 12.
Housing interior structural detail is seen in FIGS. 4-8. The
housing is upstanding from feet 70 and has transverse base ribs
72-78 extending between interior sidewalls 16 and 18,
openings/recesses 80-84 existing between the ribs for receipt of
accessory components therein, e.g., capacitors 120-124. FIG. 7
shows housing 12 sectionally through upper contact slots 28 and
illustrates openings 86 for insertion of contacts. FIG. 8 shows
housing 12 sectionally through lower contact slots 26. Openings 86
of FIG. 7 are also seen in FIG. 8, as such openings bridge slots 26
and 28 whereby a contact of configuration 54 of FIG. 2(a) may be
inserted with its contacts 22 and 24 seating in slots 26 and 28.
Openings 86 likewise permit insertion of contacts of configuration
58 of FIG. 2(c) in slots 26 and contacts of configuration 62 of
FIG. 2(3) in slots 28. Contact retainers 88 (FIG. 8) removably
secure the contacts in housing 12, the contacts being provided with
locking tangs (not shown) for frictional engagement with the
retainers and interior housing structure.
Referring to FIGS. 3(a)-3(c), lower contact actuator 44 has a
horizontal flange 44a for securement to plate 48 of FIG. 1, a
vertical run 44b, a knee 44c, an inclined run 44d and a further
vertical run 44e in spaced parallel relation to run 44b. Upper
contact actuator 46 has a horizontal flange 46a, a first vertical
run 46b, an upper knee 46c, an upper inclined run 46d, a second
vertical run 46e, a lower inclined run 46f, a lower knee 46g and a
third vertical run 46h. The operation of the actuators upon
respective lower and upper contacts will now be discussed in
conjunction with FIGS. 9-12.
In FIG. 9, lower component package 90 is shown inserted in channel
14 of housing 12 with package contact 92, in dependent leg form as
for a DIP, seated in guide 38. Vertical positioning and support for
the package is established by support surface 34. In the course of
package insertion, actuator 44 is moved vertically upward of its
FIG. 9 position, i.e., above and out of engagement with contact 22,
whereby the contact is self-biased leftwardly of its FIG. 9
position and insertion of package contact 92 is attained with zero
insertion force. In the position of actuator 44 in FIG. 9,
following package insertion, contact 22 is forced, by engagement
with actuator inclined run 44d, into electrical engagement with
package contact 92. In FIG. 10, actuator 44 is in fully inserted
position, as will be the case (discussed below) when an upper
component package is electrically engaged in the housing and all
actuators are fully inserted in the housing. In this FIG. 10
actuator position, contact 22 is engaged by actuator vertical run
44b which is forced rightwardly in slot 26 by reason of housing
restraint on spaced vertical run 44e. The inserted extent of
package contact 92 is captured against housing extent below surface
34 and guide 38 by contact 22 pressure thereon.
Following insertion of lower component package 90 into housing 12,
support inserts 32 (FIG. 11) are to be displaced outwardly of
expanded portions 30 of upper contact slots 28 to provide vertical
positioning and support for upper component package 94. This may be
done, prior to insertion of package 94, by downward movement of
actuator 46 from its position shown in FIG. 11. Such movement
forces actuator inclined run 46d into slot 28, urging contact 24
leftwardly against wall 32a of insert 32 and displacing the insert
outwardly. Insert wall 32b bears against actuator vertical run 46e
to precisely measure insert displacement into such position as to
underlie package 94 and sit leftwardly of package contact 96 on
package insertion. Actuator 46 is now elevated to slightly above
its FIG. 11 position whereby contact 24 returns, under self-bias,
to noninterfering relation to the zero force insertion path of
package contact 96. On package 94 insertion, actuator 46 is moved
downwardly through its FIG. 11 position, whereupon contact 24
electrically engages package contact 96, and into its FIG. 12
position. In such fully inserted position, actuator vertical runs
46h bears against the base of contact 24 and its vertical run 46e
bears against the rightward slot wall. This disposes actuator knee
46c against contact 24, compressing same against package contact
96.
Referring again to FIG. 1, in assembling receptacle 10, inserts 32
are first placed in expanded portions 30 of upper contact slots 28.
Contacts are next inserted through the receptacle bottom surface
and inserts 32, contact configuration being preselected in the
three diverse varieties in accordance with the nature of the
component packages to be received and PCB connections desired. On
insertion of the actuators, the receptacle is readied for package
insertion.
Based on the difference in configurations of actuators 44 and 46,
upper package removal and substitution may be made at any time
without interrupting electrical continuity between the lower
package and the PCB. As depicted in FIGS. 11 and 12, vertical
spacing is prescribed as between inserted packages 90 and 94,
channel 14 remaining fully open in such interpackage volume.
Connection to PCB is readily made without packages inserted, thus
isolating the packages from soldering heat and the like. As noted
above, desired zero insertion force is afforded by selective
actuator positioning.
The receptacle housing is preferably comprised of molded plastic.
The actuators and upper package support inserts may also be of
rigid synthetic matter, but are preferably metal. Contacts may be
noble metal-plated, based on zero insertion force.
Reference is now made to FIG. 13 to complete discussion of the
exemplary assembly herein. Capacitive decoupling assembly 100 is
shown in exploded fashion with receptacle 10, set downwardly
therebelow to show the intended registry of ear 104 of board 102
with receptacle end contact 54. As will be seen, as board 102 is
elevated into flush relationship with bottom surface 20 of housing
12, contact land 56a and strip 112 are placed in registry, to be
electrically interconnected, as by soldering or the like. In this
arrangement, as seen by reference again to FIG. 1, such end contact
56 is connected in common, through strip 112, to ground terminals
126, 128 and 130 of capacitors 120, 122 and 124. Ears 106, 108 and
110 of FIG. 1 are similarly disposed in registry with other
receptacle contacts and strips 114, 116 and 118 are electrically
connected thereto whereby capacitors 120, 122 and 124 are connected
individually between ground and such other receptacle contacts to
effect capacitive decoupling of d.c. voltages applied from the PCB
to such other receptacle contacts.
While the described assembly embodiment is inclusive of plural
electronic packages, a single received package may of course be
assembled with zero insertion force in a single level receptacle
also having an integrally packaged accessory component. In this
connection, receptacle 10 above will be seen as fixedly supporting
a first portion of contacts 56, i.e., lands 56a, for selective
connection to the accessory component. The remainder of contacts 56
may be considered as second portions vertically spaced from such
first portions and are supported by the receptacle for electrical
engagement with the package contacts. As will also be seen, the
assembly is highly ventilated as the receptacle ends and top are
fully and airflow between packages and accessory components is
permitted by the spacings provided therebetween.
Various modifications to the foregoing particularly set forth
embodiment of the invention will now be evident to those skilled in
the art. Accordingly, such preferred embodiment and the foregoing
discussion thereof are intended in an illustrative and not in a
limiting sense. The true spirit and scope of the invention is set
forth in the following claims.
* * * * *