The present invention relates generally to adapters for use with packaged devices or other adapter apparatus (e.g., male pin adapters).
Certain types of integrated circuit packages are becoming increasingly popular due to their occupancy area efficiency. In other words, they occupy less area on a target board on which they are mounted while providing a high density of contact terminals. For example, such high density package types may include a ball grid array, land grid array package, chip scale package, or wafer level package.
Generally, for example, ball grid array packages contain an integrated circuit having its die bond pads electrically connected to respective conductive solder spheres that are distributed on the bottom surface of the package in an array. A target printed circuit board typically has formed on its surface a corresponding array of conductive pads which align with the array of solder spheres for electrically mounting the ball grid array package on the target board.
The target board typically includes other conductive traces and elements which lead from the array of conductive pads used for mounting the ball grid array package to other circuitry on the board for connecting various components mounted thereon. Typically, to mount such a ball grid array package to a target board, the package is positioned with the array of solder spheres corresponding to the array of conductive pads on the target board. The resulting structure is then heated until the solder spheres are melted and fused to the conductive pads of the target board.
Such area efficient packaging (e.g., ball grid array packages) provide a high density of terminals at a very low cost. Also, this packaging provides for limited lead lengths. Limited lead lengths may reduce the risk of damage to such leads of the package, may provide for higher speed product, etc.
Circuit boards and/or components mounted thereon may be tested by designers as the circuit boards are being developed. For example, for a designer to test a circuit board and/or a ball grid array package mounted thereon, the designer must first electrically connect the solder spheres on the ball grid array package to the target circuit board. As described above, this generally includes mounting the ball grid array package on the target board and heating the solder spheres to fuse the solder spheres to the conductive pads of the target board. Therefore, the package may be prevented from being used again. It is desirable for various reasons to use package adapters for mounting the packages and reuse ball grid array packages after testing. For example, such ball grid array packages may be relatively expensive. Further, for example, once attached, the solder spheres are not accessible for testing. In addition, it is often difficult to rework the circuit board with packages soldered thereon.
Various adapters which have been described for electrically connecting high density packaged devices to a target printed circuit board are known. Various intercoupling components are used to provide such adapters. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,348 to Murphy, issued 28 Dec. 1999, entitled “Solder Sphere Terminal,” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,280 to Murphy, issued 4 Dec. 2001, entitled “Solder Sphere Terminal” describe several adapter apparatus for use in mounting ball grid array packages, as well as intercoupling components of other conventional adapter devices; in many instances such adapters have terminals (e.g., female socket pins) configured for receiving a mating terminal (e.g., female socket pins configured to receive male pins). For example, such female socket pins may be press-fit into openings formed in an insulative material so as to provide a contact for receiving a male pin. Further, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,874,880 to Fedde et al., issued 25 Jan. 2011, entitled “Adapter Apparatus with Sleeve Spring Contacts,” describes yet other alternative adapter apparatus for use in mounting ball grid array packages, as well as intercoupling components of other conventional adapter devices, such as for receiving a mating terminal (e.g., to receive male pins).
Conventional female pin contacts are generally constructed with use of a stamped clip which is formed in a circle with separate fingers which are pushed aside when a male pin is inserted. For example, such a clip is generally manufactured using a stamping or rolling process (e.g., with a material such as berylium copper alloy).
However, such clip manufacturing can be prohibitively costly due to the necessary tooling required when the sockets in which the female socket pins are used have a very small pitch (e.g., in the 0.5 millimeter range). Further, the tooling to form such female clips can be difficult to miniaturize because of the inherent inaccuracies of stamping very small parts.