text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Aug 14, 2007
|Filing date
|Sep 5, 2001
|Priority date
|Sep 8, 2000
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Gabe Cherian
|Original Assignee
|Gabe Cherian
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (16), Referenced by (28), Classifications (46), Legal Events (6)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a utility application claiming the priority and benefits of three provisional applications; 1) Ser. No. 60/231,387, filed Sep. 8, 2000, entitled Probers, and 2) Ser. No. 60/257,673, filed Dec. 22, 2000, entitled Probes and Sockets, and 3) Ser. No. 60/268,467, filed Feb. 12, 2001, entitled Probes, Sockets, Packages & Columns; all of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly relates to high-density electrical connectors used in test and burn-in done on miniaturized electrical components.
This invention is a technology platform that enables the interconnection between high-density electronic devices. It covers the springs and springs arrangements that represent the modular building block of devices to achieve high density interconnection.
2. Background Information
It is standard procedure to test chips or integrated circuits at different production stages to cull out the defective ones. Such tests are often done on printed circuit boards circuits, substrates and similar electronic devices as well. This is done to avoid putting extra time, money and effort into a defective component only to end up having to scrap the component at the end of the production process.
In addition, sockets and connectors are used to mount electronic packages and devices onto substrates, instead of soldering them directly onto those substrates. These connectors and sockets need to have their contact springs located on small center distance, which is usually referred to as pitch, so as to match the pitch of those devices, which are usually referred to as High-Density devices.
3. Prior Art
There exist a number of prior art devices of the type in consideration herein. I will explain in the following paragraphs how each of these prior art devices have addressed some of the problems, but left some other issues unanswered and unresolved. I will explain how my present invention addresses and solves these issues.
1. Force-Deflection Curve and Damage to the Device Contacted by the Springs.
A potential user of my devices complained that his present supplier provides him with test heads, which utilize contact springs similar to the IBM Buckling Beam contact springs. He stated to me that the springs apply such a high force that sometimes they damage the substrate that are tested. So, they start with potentially good substrates, test them and during the test process, the substrates get damaged and become defective. It is almost like testing matchsticks. After each one gets tested, you determine that it "was" a good one.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,514, the IBM "Multiple Mode Buckling Beam Probe Assembly", the contact springs are basically straight columns of wires, which get compressed by an external force to provide the contact pressure and contact force. There are basically two reasons why any electrical interconnection device needs springs and needs forces applied on to these springs. The first reason is to break through the layers of dirt and oxides that form on the contact surfaces and to reach the pure contact metal. In some cases the required force is only a few grams, in other cases it can be considerably higher. The second reason is to accommodate non-planarity of the contacts on the surface of the device to be contacted. For example, if the device has a non-planarity of say several thousands of an inch between any two adjacent contact pads, then one spring would have this much more deflection than the adjacent spring. The effect of this additional deflection is that the spring with more deflection will exert more force on the contact pad. This higher force could reach a level, where the contact spring would then damage the contact pad and render it defective.
So, in order to prevent any damages to the contact pads, the contact forces need to be kept within tight limits. For this reason, it is customary to select contact springs that are "soft" and have a shallow "force-deflection" curve, also called "spring index". With a soft spring, you start by applying a small force and gently, gradually increase the force until you reach the desired force level that is enough to break through the layers. Ideally you should stop there. If the device was perfectly flat and the non-planarity was zero, then all the springs should have the same deflection and thus the same contact force. But if one contact pad is lower than the others, then the spring touching this pad would not have been deflected as much as the other springs, consequently the force provided by this spring would be smaller than the force provided by the other springs. So, the force on that low pad would be below the desired level. In order to make this force higher and to make it reach the desired level, the spring working on this low pad needs to be deflected more.
But we cannot selectively deflect each individual spring on its own. All the springs have to be pushed down and deflected equally, by the same amount. So, we push down on all the springs, until the spring acting on the lowest pad reaches a deflection that would provide the desired force. But the springs acting on the higher pads, because of their larger deflection, are now providing a much higher force. The amount of this additional force can be calculated from the force-deflection curve, or the stiffness of the spring.
If the springs used are relatively stiff, this can have a detrimental effect. The excessive down-push on the springs can make the force of the high pads reach a level, where the pads can be damaged. A secondary bad effect of this situation is the total force required to be applied on the device. If we have a device that has a high number of contact pads, and the force per pad to reach a satisfactory electrical connection, the total mechanical force can damage the device physically. For all the above reasons, designers put a lot of effort in designing soft contact springs. The ideal spring would have a force-deflection curve that starts at zero force for zero deflection and then slopes upward gradually.
Now, if we look at the force-deflection curve of a column, unfortunately it has the opposite shape, or general slope, compared with the desirable/ideal springs. A column stays straight under an increasing force and when the force reaches a critical level, the column buckles and gives way very rapidly. If we study the force-deflection curve of a column, we will see that basically it has a shape and slope contrary to the ideal contact spring. At the beginning, when a force is applied to a column, we see no deflection. Even after increasing the force to a high level, there would still be no deflection. The force-deflection curve is practically a straight vertical line with zero deflection. After the force reaches the buckling level or limit, the column buckles and practically collapses down. The force-deflection curve drops down almost exponentially until it reaches a point where the structure converts to a beam mode under axial loading. The slope of the curve after the initial buckling usually becomes negative. Such a condition is not desirable, especially with any appreciable non-planarity. To reduce this undesirable effect, IBM has opted to provide several steps of buckling, to accommodate more non-planarity than is available with one level. But, in spite of that, the basic force-deflection curve is the same. The only difference is that with the multi-level buckling, we would get a curve that would look like a saw tooth. The force would increase to the buckling limit then collapse at the first buckling, then the force would increase again to a similar buckling level and then collapse at the second buckling and so on.
The contact springs according to the present invention provide the more desirable force-deflection curves as will be describes later. This means that they would not have the tendency of damaging the contact pads of the device under test.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,477, the CK Technology "Contactor with Elastomer Encapsulated Probes" has modified the design of the IBM Buckling Beam slightly. Instead of relying only on the applied force to buckle the beam, CKT has provided means to "nudge" the column to collapse more easily. However, the force-deflection curve is still basically that of a column and it would have a similar vertical spike, for one column segment, and if more than one segment, then the saw tooth shape, as described above. Hence, no drastic improvement.
As mentioned above, the contact springs according to the present invention provide the more desirable force-deflection curves as will be describes later. And again, this means that they would not have the tendency of damaging the contact pads of the device under test.
2. High-Density or Small Pitch.
All the patents listed below in this section have been invented by the present inventor, Gabe Cherian, either solely by him or together with other co-inventors. The reason for listing them is to show that each one of them has one or more features which make them not compatible with the present needs of the industry, from the point of view high density. This is the reason the inventor was motivated to update his old inventions and to address the present market needs.
G. B. Cherian, W. S. Scheingold and S. J. Kandybowski, "Electrical Interconnect Device", AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa., U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,986, Apr. 21, 1981. Shows a large footprint compared to the height (excluding the soldertail). Totally opposite of what is being achieved in this invention.
G. B. Cherian, W. S. Scheingold and L. D. Wulf, "Zero Insertion Force Connector", AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa., U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,032, Mar. 21, 1978. Only 2 rows of contacts, then we can use the space between the rows or outside the rows.
E. J. Bright, G. B. Cherian and W. S. Scheingold, "Ejection Device for a Electronic Package Connector", AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa., U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,310, Feb. 26, 1980. Same. Only 2 rows of contacts, then we can use the space between the rows or outside the rows.
G. B. Cherian, W. S. Scheingold and F. C. Youngfleish, "Active Device Substrate Connector", AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa., U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,433, Jul. 27, 1982. Perimeter. Almost like the 2 rows, except at the corners. 2 rows or perimeter: Worry about the center distance only in one direction, but have more room in the direction perpendicular to the former.
G. B. Cherian, W. S. Scheingold, "Connecting Element for Surface To Surface Connectors", AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa., U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,346, Jul. 17, 1979. Close but too difficult for real small pitch
G. B. Cherian, W. S. Scheingold and R. D. Zimmeran, "Electrical Interconnection Device", AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa., U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,209, Apr. 22, 1980. Close but too difficult for real small pitch
Cherian, Gabe, "Heat Recoverable Connecting Device", Raychem Corporation, Menlo Park, Calif., U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,465, Dec. 11, 1984 . . . . Close but too difficult for real small pitch.
The IBM "COBRA" has one advantage over the Buckling Beam, but it has a major drawback. It can not be parallel nested close enough to accommodate high-density in both the x- and the y-directions.
In the present invention, we present ways to decrease the center distances between springs, thus accommodating higher densities of contacts pads.
3. Impedance Control
In all the above prior art, the contact springs are bare, i.e. not covered by any insulation or the like. If the spring is long, then its length may affect the quality of the electrical transmission. In the present invention, we present ways to control the impedance of the contact springs and improve their electrical performance.
4. Wipe or Scrub
In all the above prior art, as well as in the Charles Everett "POGO" pins and all similar contact springs, the tips of the springs apply the force at one point of the contact pad. They do not provide "wipe" or "scrub". If a contact spring provides wipe or scrub, it help in removing the undesirable layers of dirt and/or oxides from the space under the spring and allows the spring to make metal contact under a smaller force, than when there is no wipe or scrub. So, all the prior art mentioned above, by not providing wipe or scrub, require a comparatively high force to make a good electrical connection, compared with a contact spring that does provide the desirable wipe or scrub. The present invention does provide means to have wipe or scrub as will be describes later.
5. TCE Matching
In all the above art and in most sockets or connectors, the springs are located in housings, usually made of plastic. Then the sockets or connectors are mounted on boards, which are usually made of FR4 or glass-filled epoxy material or the like. Then the device under test, for example, a BGA package is placed on top of the socket or connector, and the whole stack would be placed in a thermal cycling oven. The TCE (Thermal Coefficient of Expansion) of these material can vary dramatically. During thermal cycling, these different materials would expand and shrink at different rates. The effect of this can be detrimental, especially for large temperature variations, and for the materials in contact with each other. There would be a "relative motion" between the tips of the springs and the contact pads, both at the socket/board interface, as well as at the socket/package interface.
The present invention covers improvements to this undesirable condition as will be explained later.
6. Elastomer with Dispersed V Springs
U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,165, for the Shin-Etsu "Press-Contact Type Interconnectors" rely on the elastomer to provide some of the contact force. This is not what I am doing here in my invention. Wherever I use an elastomer, it is simply as a means to hold the springs together to facilitate the assembly process. As I have explained in the description, I can use a wax to hold the springs together and after the assembly is done, I can melt the wax away and the socket would work just as well without the wax or the elastomer.
Pogo pins and similar springs are used frequently to connect to and to test electronic packages and devices. However, Pogo pins usually have fairly large diameters compared to the small pitch of many new High-Density devices. If Pogo pins and springs are "miniaturized", so they would accommodate these High-Density devices, they become rather expensive. The purpose of the present invention is to use the rather less expensive large diameter Pogo pins and springs and yet still accommodate those High-Density packages and devices.
As the electronics industry has become more advanced, the chips and components have become smaller and smaller. A resulting problem is that sockets, probes and the like are too large, or have their contact elements too large, to work with many of the products which are now available. This results in increased cost to the manufacturers, who must test the devices through more expensive means.
The object of the invention is to utilize new systems to design and mount springs or needles to reduce the drawbacks that exist in present probes and sockets. This method can be used for probes, sockets, test heads and other interconnections. The basic goal is to provide contact springs that can be located on small, effective center distances to correspond to the center distances of contact pads on chips, wafers, packages, substrates or boards and similar devices. This should also cover a small area or footprint of the devices.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein I have shown and described only the preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best modes contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
For the purpose of the following invention description, I will use certain words or terms that may be peculiar to this application. They will be explained in the following definitions. For different spring elements and portions, please refer to the various figures in this Specification.
Pitch or Center Distance. Distance between the Center of a contact element, e.g. spring, and the Center of an adjacent contact element, usually in line, or in a row containing two or more such contact elements. This center distance is usually referred to also as "pitch".
Spring Tip or simply the Tip. The farthest point of a spring, which generally makes contact to a device, such an electronic chip or package or substrate or board. Most springs would have two active tips, while some springs could be fixed at one end, in which case they would have only one tip active, which is the tip that is not fixed.
Spring Body or simply the Body. It is the major part of the spring, between the two tips or between the one active tip and the fixed portion of the spring.
Spring Footprint or simply Footprint 36 in
Nesting. When we place two objects adjacent to each other, and one object encroaches on the "envelop space" or "footprint" of the adjacent object, we can say that the object is nested into the other one. If the objects are similar in shape and orientation and are parallel to each other, then we can further define such nesting as a "parallel nesting".
Envelope Space, or synonymously simply Envelope or simply Space. If we get a sheet of shrink Seran Wrap and wrap it over and around any object and shrink it, then it will define a space, which I would like to refer to as the "Envelop Space" of the object. For example, if we take a dish of plate or salad bowl and cover its top by a sheet of Seran Wrap to enclose the contents of that container, then the Seran Wrap sheet would define the top envelop space of that container. If we try to "nest" a second container in the above one, we will not be able to do so, unless the second container breaks through the Seran Wrap sheet. If this happens, then we would say that the second container has encroached on or into the envelope space of the first one.
Parallel Nesting. Plastic spoons and forks used for picnics and the like come packaged in cardboard boxes, stacked neatly one next to each other. They can be considered as elongated slender objects, which are "parallel nested". Plastic or paper cups stacked one inside the other, or dishes stacked one on top of the other, or some metal chairs stacked one on top of the other are examples of parallel nesting. All these and similar objects, which can be arranged such that one object "encroaches" on the space of the adjacent object, can be considered as being "parallel nested". The main purpose of parallel nesting in these cases is to use less space to contain such objects, compared with the space required if these objects were placed next to each other or on top of each other, whereby each one occupies its own space, without encroaching on the space of the adjacent object. So, for the purpose of this invention, we will define "parallel nesting" as placing objects adjacent and parallel to each other, in such a way that one object is encroaching into the "space" of the adjacent object, and such that the space utilized by any two adjacent objects is smaller than the total space that would have been used by the two objects if they were not encroaching on each other's space. The same would apply to objects encroaching on each other's "footprint". They would also be considered to be parallel nested. Parallel nested objects can be touching their adjacent neighbors, or they can be placed at some predetermined distance, and can still be considered parallel nested, if they encroach on the space or footprint of their respective adjacent object(s). The same applies to contact springs. They can be parallel nested and kept at a certain distance from each other. We may refer to that distance as the "center distance" between the springs or the "pitch".
Non-Parallel Nesting. Another way of nesting is shown in
Matrix. When we place a number of slabs next to each other, we could refer to them as a matrix.
While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
While I am describing the drawing in more details, I will at the same time explain the technology basis of the invention. I will also include a number of examples in this section, which should be considered as part of the embodiments for the purpose of this application as well. The embodiments in the section on "PREFERRED EMBODIMENT" are additional ones.
This description covers more than one invention. The inventions are based partly on the same technology platform, but then each of the inventions has some additional features of its own. Not being an expert in handling patents, I would like to leave it to the patent examiner to decide on the number of the inventions contained and how to split one invention from the other.
I will also cover in this application a number of embodiments for some of the described inventions. Some will relate to the springs arrangements, others will relate to the springs themselves, while others will relate to combs. Moreover I will cover embodiments of applications utilizing the said springs, their arrangements and the combs and then expand with additional features.
I will first describe the basic technology platform that is common to all the applications. I will use some socket embodiments to illustrate the technology. Then I will describe other socket embodiments on their own.
I will then describe each of the other applications separately.
Finally, I will describe some new features that are common to many applications.
Moreover, I will describe some additional features, related to some individual applications. These new features are not based on the common basic technology that I started with at the beginning.
(Section 1—Technology & Sockets)
A. "Staggered" and "Head-To-Toe" Springs Arrangement
Summary of the Concept
Frequently, contact springs have shapes where one part of the spring is large, while other parts are smaller.
For example, in
Conventional "In-Line" Arrangement, referred to as "CONVENTIONAL Shoulder-to-Shoulder" or as "CONVENTIONAL Head-to-Head".
The conventional arrangement is to place the springs side by side inside pockets of the housing. See top row 95A or bottom row 95B in
"Staggered" Springs Arrangement, or "Head-to-Toe"
The contact springs 82L and 82R are located inside a socket 91. The socket 91 includes the upper and lower "combs" 93A or 93B and the housing body 92. Depending on the application, the socket may also have a lid to push down
on the device under test (DUT), a latch to hold the lid down, and other peripheral components.
Let us also agree on the coordinate directions. If we look at the socket or the spring matrix from the top, then we will say that this is the x- and y-directions 101 and 102, as in
The 3-Dimensional view in
The springs in the socket, which is shown in
The top row 95A is offset sideways, in the x-direction 101, by a distance equal to half the CONVENTIONAL pitch with respect to the lower row 95B, and the pushers 86 or 88 of the contact springs 82L or 82R are extended to reach both the top and bottom surfaces of the socket 91, as shown in
Note that the top row 95A together with the bottom row 95B constitute a slab, as per Definition. In this case, it is slab 105.
Now Some More Details
There are, however, some limitations or disadvantages to this arrangement of pins or springs. First, the total height of the socket will be increased. For testing and burn-in, this should not be a serious problem. Additionally, springs could be made fatter and shorter reducing the overall height. Second, the total path for the electric signal will be longer. This creates additional electrical path length, and additional inductance and/or impedance. The electrical path can be shortened by plating the inside surfaces of the pockets 94A and 94B, thus reducing the effective electrical path length. Creating electrical paths that can be provided inside the barrier walls, between the pockets, and that do not touch the insides of the pockets may achieve additional improvements. This could then be electrically connected to ground, acting as an electrical barrier or shield against stray electrical signals or noise.
"Head-To-Toe" Spring Arrangement
The "head-to-toe" arrangement, according to the present invention is illustrated in
In some cases, the spring main body shape or "envelope" may look more like a triangle, as in
This arrangement would not only reduce the center distance between the springs, but will also reduce the total height of the whole arrangement.
1. B. "Parallel Nesting" Spring Arrangement
Summary of the Concept
An alternate approach is to use parallel nested springs. The parallel nesting arrangement utilizes springs that are formed such that they can be arranged side by side at close proximity and can be nested into each other, thus occupying less space than if they were not nested inside each other.
The concept of parallel nesting is really not new. What is new is applying the concept to contact springs in the context of this invention/application.
The concept is similar to the following very obvious examples. When we stack dishes in a cupboard, in essence we parallel nest them. When we have a stack of paper or plastic cups that are shaped to suit the purpose, we are parallel nesting them. When we stack metal chairs on top of each other, again, we parallel nest them. Plastic forks or spoons that are sold in small container would take a much larger space, if they were not parallel nested.
In all these examples, if we did not nest the objects "inside" each other, they would occupy a larger space. Looking at it in a different way, we can say that the (center) distance between any two adjacent objects is much smaller if they were parallel nested, than if the objects were placed side by side without nesting, or if they were simply thrown in next to each other at random.
The above, then, will be our definition of "parallel nesting". (See also the "DEFINITION" section. The concept of this invention is basically an extension of the idea of parallel nesting, applying it to springs that can be used to connect electrical devices. In addition, the invention introduces other features, as will be explained below.
Each spring constructed in accordance with the present invention is shaped such that it can be parallel nested, so as to occupy a smaller effective space, than if the springs could not be parallel nested.
An additional, optional, feature of a spring constructed in accordance with the present invention, is that the spring would be basically a slender column that has one or more portions of its length offset eccentrically away from the spring axis, to ensure that the deflection under external forces will occur in a gentle and predictable fashion.
The springs can be wire formed or stamped. The springs can be shaped like a "C" or a "Chevron" or a variety of shapes as will be shown later. They would have a "belly" that protrudes usually beyond their effective "pitch" and encroach on the footprint of the adjacent spring. However, since all the springs are parallel and nested in the same direction, they would not touch.
Please notice also that these are "discrete" springs, each one "addressing" a particular contact point on the DUT. This is in contrast to some "random" distribution of springs inside a carrying layer of elastomeric material or the like.
Illustration Example
Wipe or Scrub
Assuming that the device under test (DUT) to be contacted by these springs is "fixed" horizontally or "guided" with respect to the combs, then the compression of the springs creates a horizontal relative motion between the spring tips and the contact pads of the DUT. This relative motion creates a "wiping" or "scrubbing" action. This is very desirable. (See also the "DEFINITIONS" section).
The wipe or scrub is almost like "plowing" through dirt. It helps to remove or scrape off and to penetrate through the layers of oxides that form on the contact surfaces of DUTs, and to expose the base metal. This promotes good electrical contact. Wipe or scrub exposes the base metal and allows the contact spring to make good electrical contact to that base metal, using a smaller contact force than if we do not have such wipe or scrub.
We will talk more about wipe and scrub, when we describe the "probes".
The springs are shown in a "parallel nesting" arrangement, held in place with two combs. We also see a middle member.
The middle member in
The slider has a number of functions. First, it keeps the springs "organized". Second, it helps to prevent the springs from touching each other and "shorting. Third, it has another function, which will be described later in conjunction with the "retracting springs", which will be described later in connection with
In this
In a typical application the socket would be mounted on top of a load/test board, with the DUT on top of the socket, held in place with a top pressure means applying force on top of the package against the socket springs. The springs would compress as they contact the DUT and the test board.
Under compression, we notice two things. First, the belly of the springs protrudes to the side and the tips of the springs move sideways to create a desirable wiping action.
The enlarged view shows the tip of the spring and the effect of spring deflection on the movement of the tip. The spring is in its comb that controls the horizontal position of the spring. When the spring is compressed inwards under the increasing load, its tip moves sideways, horizontally to the right, at the same time. This creates a desirable "wiping" action.
Spring Curves & Behavior
When the springs are loaded, by applying an external compressive force on their tips, they would deflect. On one hand, they appear as if they were columns buckling under a compressive force, but in reality, because of the preformed shape of the springs, they operate more as bent or formed beams under axial loads. The belly portions can be stress analyzed as a beam, or as two cantilever beams attached together at the center of the spring.
The biggest benefit is that their force-deflection curves are usually gentler than in the case of pure columns. See "Background" for a detailed description of the behavior of a column, as compared to a Chevron spring that I will describe here.
The spring curve of a buckling beam in general is not desirable for electrical contacts. See explanation in the "BACKGROUND" section.
A typical example of the force/deflection curve of a Chevron shaped spring is shown in
In both these cases, the spring curve is desirable for electrical contact springs.
Design Verification
In conjunction with Point Technologies, Inc., a manufacturer of miniature springs and needles, we have made several springs of various shapes and sizes, and tested them for the sockets and probes applications.
The key points are:
Spring forces are available in a wide range.
Spring designs are able to obtain proper force deflection performance.
Wiping action is achievable and predictable.
Spring "Force-Deflection" Curves
I will describe the following two charts as typical examples of what can be obtained in practical applications.
According to this invention, sockets can be designed with springs that need with contact forces that can vary from as low as 20-30 grams to over 250 grams. Probes can be designed with springs with smaller forces down to single digit grams.
The non-linearity of the slope is very desirable. The curve has a steep slope at the beginning, and then its slope becomes shallower as the deflection increases. The spring provides a high force at the beginning of the application as it starts to make contact with the package or substrate. This helps in breaking through the oxide layers, etc. Then, the force stabilizes, (does not change much for relatively larger deflections), which compensates for any non-planarity of the package or substrate. This is very desirable, because it reduces the total force required to hold down the DUT in the socket.
A number of materials are available to make the springs. They include the following:
Beryllium-Copper (BeCu), which is used very frequently to make contact springs.
Phos-Bronze, which is low cost and suitable for relatively large springs
The Neyoro G, the Paliney 6 and the Paliney 7 materials, which are made by Ney Metal Co, and which are also good spring candidates.
However, for very thin springs, Tungsten is preferable, mainly to take advantage of its higher strength. In other applications, springs may be made of aluminum, copper, or they can be wire-bonded directly to the components.
All these springs still behave and have their force-deflection curves as a formed beam, not as a straight column. And also their shape obviously allows parallel nesting.
Spring Design Trade-Offs for Parallel Nesting
If we compare the springs in the previous figures, their shape in general and specifically the shape of their "bellies" can be optimized for pitch, spring compression and wiping action.
For clarity, the springs shown in
Nesting Angle [NA]
The "best geometry" of parallel nested springs is achieved when the springs have the desired spring force/deflection characteristics and at the same time, the smallest pitch and the proper allowance for non-planarity. It is a trade-off. In general, the nesting angle should be equal to or less than 60 degrees. An angle of 45 could be a good trade-off between spring characteristics and pitch. An angle of 30 degrees increases the stiffness of the springs, but reduces the pitch even more yet. The same conclusion applies to other shapes including the Chevron or the 3-Vees springs, etc.
In general, a smaller nesting angle would give us a smaller pitch, but would make the springs stiffer. We can compensate for that by making the spring longer or making the belly of the spring deeper, so as to make the spring softer and still keeping the small pitch.
Visual/Perceptual Interference
Highlighted are two springs "A" and "B". It is obvious that the bellies and bodies of the springs look as if they overlap and interfere with each other, but in reality, we do know now that they are parallel nested. Hence, no problem.
We can also notice that each row of springs is completely independent from the adjacent rows.
Reducing the Pitch by Approximately 30%
Please note that the pitch of 0.020″�0.020″ was selected simply to illustrate the method, by using a pitch size that is easy for the calculations. Similar results will occur if we select any other pitch. Also, the present invention is geared for small pitches, down to half or quarter the one used in this example, and even smaller yet.
Bundling or Encapsulation
For ease of manufacturing and assembly, the springs can be pre-assembled into a block as shown in
The material used to "bundle" the springs as shown can be a very soft elastomeric material, or a gel, or even very fluffy foam. It is simply a way to keep the springs together until they are installed in place into their socket housing. We do not rely on the encapsulant to provide or to apply any appreciable force, if any, during the operation of the socket.
Alternatively, we could use a "wax" as the encapsulating material. Then, after the springs are fully assembled inside the housing, we could melt the wax and remove it. This would be similar to the "lost wax" process used in certain operations in the industry, like in "investment casting".
We can retain the springs in the holding means by a number of methods. We can insert mold the springs in the holding means. We can do that for one slab at a time and then stack the slabs together, or insert mold them as one block in one shot. Similar to the encapsulation method.
We can also mold the holding means into individual slabs, with appropriate groves in each slab, and then snap the individual spring in its respective grove. This would also allow us to populate the slabs either fully or at specific spots, for a specific reason. Basically, it is so that the springs locations would match the locations of the contact pads of the DUT.
We could also insert the springs into slabs with groves or force the springs into blank slabs, almost like a flat sheet of plastic, by the use of ultrasonic means or the like. See
We could also make the slabs to have two layers of springs, one layer on each of the two faces, and then stack them next to each other, placing some spacers between them to ensure that the pitch between the springs is as needed.
Insert Molding
Encapsulation may not be needed to hold the springs together if we use the insert molding process.
In this case, the molded holding means is fixed to the housing and the springs on each side of the carrier act independently from each other. A slider can be used to retract the top portion of the springs, if desired.
Mounting of Socket to Substrates
Sockets may be soldered to the board by adding solder tails to the springs inserted in through holes in the printed circuit board or may be surface mounted.
In most of the above examples, the DUT would be placed in a nest, to hold it on top of the springs, and in registration with the springs tips.
The DUT can be a BGA, a substrate, a chip or the like. Most of these devices are controlled by Industry Standards. JEDEC for example have standards for BGAs.
To enhance the registration and to minimize the effect of tolerance build-up, it is recommended to use the fixed jaw of the nest as the "datum", and to place the BGA such that the datum of the BGA would coincide with that of the nest. According to JEDEC, this would orient the BGA to be positioned as shown in
Insulation, Shielding and Impedance Control
All the springs can be individually insulated by using a thin cover layer of plastic. It is possible to shield and ground the contacts by coating the springs with a conductive layer on top of the insulating layer. This would create an electrical conductor similar to a "coax cable".
The insulation can be achieved by a number of different ways. For example, the portions of the springs that need to be rendered non-conductive can be oxidized chemically or by any other means to make them non-conductive. Similarly, the conductive layer can be applied over the insulation by either Electroless nickel plating, or by vapor deposition, by plasma, or any other suitable method. Also this conductive layer could be selectively concentrated more along the mechanical neutral axis of the springs, where the deflection is minimal, to minimize cracking of the layer due to the bending and flexing of the springs.
Another alternative is to have an encapsulant surround a number of springs, or all of the springs, where the encapsulating material can be "conductive". The encapsulation can then be "grounded". This would provide "electrical shielding" from stray electrical signals and noise, and the springs would then behave as shielded "coax cables", and would have a "controlled impedance".
We can take advantage of the geometry of the springs and the way they are mounted in their housing, to improve their electrical performance. The springs are arranged in rows and are "in-line" and have a gap or space between each line and row of springs. We can provide a layer or sheet of conductive material, placed between the rows of springs. This can act as a shield or ground layer to electrically isolate each row. Effectively, we would have a situation almost similar to "micro-strips". If the individual springs are insulated, then the ground layer/sheet can be a simple thin sheet of metal, or a number of wires or a mesh, or even a layer of conductive plastic, connected to an appropriate ground point. If the individual springs were not insulated, then the ground plane would be insulated on any side that faces such springs.
If the application requires additional shielding, we can use some of the springs to act as a ground. In other words, we would have one spring for signal and the adjacent spring for ground, etc. This can duplicate the effect of the ground plane mentioned above. Furthermore, we can use this scheme together with the ground plane, to really surround the "live" spring with a tight cage of ground. A conductive encapsulant can do the same shielding.
Retractable Springs (or "Turtle Socket")
The test socket in this example uses a cam that retracts the tips of the spring inwards, inside the housing, when the lid is opened.
When the lid is at any position, roughly between positions A and C, (see
In a typical application, where test sockets are used in Automatic Test Equipment (ATE), there are alternate ways to protect the springs. For example, the connecting rod or the slider can be pushed directly by the ATE machine.
A spring-loaded comb that lifts up and protects the springs may also be used. In its rest condition, the comb is raised above the level of the springs' tips, so that the springs are hidden underneath.
All the above is to facilitate the manufacturing processes to make such sockets and connectors.
(Section 2—Probes)
Probes Applications
Now I will use many of the parts of this invention, that were discussed earlier, and apply them to yet another group of products that are referred to as "Probes".
Background for Probes
The majority of Probe Cards are built so that they can make contact and test one chip at a time. The reason is the construction style of the probes and the fact that the contact pads on chips nowadays are usually small and located at close proximity to each other and that many of the chips have quite a few contact pads that need to be probed. The contact springs or needles are usually mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), which is called the probe card. The needles fan out, from the chip as a center, to the outside, to create a sort of a radial array. The probe card PCB is usually parallel to the chip and the needles are usually in a general direction that is also parallel to the board or the chip. The needles act usually as cantilever beams. This general arrangement usually requires a considerably large amount of area (footprint) that is parallel to the board and to the chip, and it is the main reason that only a limited number of needles can be accommodated on the probe card.
Because of all that, most of the times, the probe card is mechanically positioned, so that the spring tips touch the contact pads on the chip and then the chip is tested electrically. After the chip is tested, the probe card is "indexed"; i.e. repositioned, mechanically, to contact the next chip and then the electrical test is repeated. Actually in many cases, the wafer is indexed while the probe card is held in place.
It is time consuming to test the chips this way, i.e. to test each chip individually, because the wafer has to be repositioned mechanically for each chip. It would be nicer if it were possible to contact more than one chip with one mechanical setting of the probe card. In such a case, the electrical test would be done on a first chip, then without any further mechanical repositioning, the second chip would be tested electrically, then the third, etc. until all the chips that are contacted by the probe card are tested electrically.
So, it is more desirable to test a number of chips with one mechanical setting. Better yet, it would be more economical, if a whole wafer could be contacted, with one mechanical setting. Recently, attempts have been made to test a whole wafer, or a large portion of same, i.e. more than one chip, at one time. "FormFactor, Inc., Livermore, Calif." has shown in their various patents, a number of ways to accomplish some of that. However, those methods have their advantages but also some limitations. The proposed approach could be fairly expensive. But the important thing that I notice particularly, is that it lacks a specific feature, namely the comb, which is part of this present invention here.
According to the designs in this invention, a whole group of chips or a whole wafer can be contacted at one time. This can be accomplished by using the Form Factor approach and combining it with my comb. Other methods will also be presented that use totally different approaches.
Furthermore, since many of these tests are frequently done at varying temperatures, the effects of TCE Mismatch can ruin such tests and/or damage the chips. The designs in this invention take care of this problem as well.
On a different front, packages and Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and substrates also get tested frequently. Packages can be tested using "Test Sockets", but PCBs and substrates are not amenable to this method of testing. So, PCBs and substrates could be tested using probes, if necessary. They could also be tested using the "Test Heads" mentioned earlier.
Another problem with most present types of probes is that the needles, being long extended cantilevers, are pretty delicate and prone to be bent out of shape and out of position, if they are not handled very carefully.
I will describe in this section the designs of the probes and probe cards, as per the present invention. They aim to solve all the above shortcoming of probes and probe cards presently on the market.
Details of the Proposed Solutions
I will describe the major steps required to build such a probe.
Application of the Concepts to "Probes"
Next, I will show one example of how to apply the above concepts to make a "PROBE", using the "Chevron" springs/needles. The same can be done with other shapes of springs or needles, like those I described earlier, or like those that will be shown later.
Also notice that the number of springs placed in any one row is optional and the number of rows or stacks or slabs is also optional.
Then, I will talk about other examples including one, where the product can be used as a test socket as well.
First Example of a Probe
I will first show a probe, with a 20 by 20 matrix of Chevron springs or needles. I will then show in the subsequent figures how we can put such a probe together and then later I will show some details of individual components of such a probe.
Please note that the parts shown in
Please notice that I have used 0.020″ pitch here just for illustration. It makes is easier to see the details. The same concepts and principles apply to smaller center distances. We are actually working right now on a model that will have a center distance of 50 micron, i.e. approx. 0.002″.
Notice also that the tips of the needles are located within holes of a "comb". This comb locates the needles accurately and in alignment, so that they match the location of corresponding contact pads on the chip or wafer under test, and at the same time, protects the needles from damage.
In addition, the comb can be made of a material that has a Thermal Coefficient of Expansion that matches that of the Device Under Test (DUT). This way, when the tests are done under varying temperatures, the spring tips will remain in their respective position relative to the DUT.
First, the needles are slightly different from the one shown earlier. Here each spring has three major portions. See also
Second, the top end of the spring will eventually be soldered to its respective contact pad on the support member, as in
Third, a certain length of the spring, between the tip and the solder end, can be insulated. This would prevent any "short circuit", if ever any two adjacent needles do touch.
Fourth, a certain length of that insulated portion of the spring can have a conductive material layer over the insulation, where the latter layer could be "grounded", so that the whole thing would act as a grounded coax cable, to improve the electrical performance of the probe.
Fifth, the support member can be a stiff board made like a PCB or a metal plate together with a "flex circuit on it, or any equivalent arrangement. The solder pads will be staggered and spread over a number of rows to accommodate the number of needles that will be on small center distances. This could be similar to present probe cards.
Frequently, the chip/DUT does not have a full matrix of contact pads. The pads may be on the perimeter; and even so, they may not be evenly distributed all on the same pitch; or some gaps may exist between some contact pads. In such cases, only the proper number of needles would be selectively mounted on the various slabs, so that after all the slabs are stacked together, the needles will be distributed in a pattern that matches the pattern of the contact pads of the DUT. This will create a sort of a "matched set".
Next, I will show some details of the major components of the probe stack.
Please note that if desired, the two combs could be mounted such that they may slide sideways with respect to each other, in which case we would get scrub. We can go one step further. By allowing the two combs to slide only a certain distance with respect to each other, we can control how much scrub we would get. So, we can decide on the amount of scrub, doing this kind of "gymnastics". This is another way to control the scrub, as compared to the methods mentioned earlier, when I proposed to use the shape of the spring and the amount of symmetry, etc. to control the amount of scrub. Another method is to have two combs, where one would have a hole and the other a slot.
Notice also that the comb can be made of several layers, where the holes in the different layers can have successively larger diameters, to simulate the hourglass shape. This can make the manufacturing process easier. However, these layers will still behave as if there is only one comb in the system, like a "glue-lam" beam, and we would still get the desired wipe/scrub.
Similarly, if the diameter of the hole is very small compared to its length, i.e. the thickness of the comb, then it would be very difficult and/or expensive to make such a hole. By using two or more layers to make the comb, the length of the hole in each individual layer will be shorter and the aspect ratio of the hole will be more favorable, thus easier and less expensive to make.
Other Examples of Probes
In all the previous
An alternate way is shown in
"Vertical" Needles with "Offset": Cantilever Needles
Needles #2 and #3 are variations of #1. Notice that all these three needles have their tips "in line" with their anchors, i.e. vertically underneath it. In other words, their axis is vertical. Notice also how a portion of their body lays outside the axis, making it easier for axial forces to bend the springs. Such needles could be used if we have a condition as shown in
Needles #4 through #6 are basically very similar to their counterparts #1 through #3, except for one special feature. The tips are "offset" sideways, away from the vertical line. One main advantage of this configuration is to accommodate the situation shown in
For our purposes here, we will consider the axis of these offset springs to be the line between the anchor point and the lower tip of the spring. See
Also, for ease of referencing, I will call most of these offset springs "CANTILEVER" springs.
Probe for a Row of Chips
Probe for a Cluster of Chips
"Connector Box" as a Probe
If we visualize that the springs or needles described above are enclosed in some "housing". They would basically become a "connector box" or a "socket", or a "test head" or a "test module".
Now, let us visualize that we would place a PCB on top of the connector and place all this, above the chip or the wafer. Place all this between two pressure plates, and bingo, we have a new way to probe wafers. The springs or needles inside the connector box can be arranged as a full matrix; or placed in only the desired locations, to create another "matched" set of prober and wafer, similar to what was mentioned earlier.
There are two potential problems with this kind of arrangement, although they are not insurmountable. First, the top PCB, which will contact the springs or needles at the top of the connector box, would need to have contact pads that are as small as those of the DUT and distributed on similar distances, etc. The other thing would be the "routing" of the signals out to the outside word. One solution that I can visualize would be to use a pretty thick "multi-layer" board, with all the fine features in it. A second solution is to have a "matching wafer" kind of device to act as the top PCB. A third solution is to tie the needles to the matching wafer, like by wire-bonding. This gets to look a lot like some of the devices developed by "FormFactor", References 2 and 3, but with some novel variations.
Needles, with Basically Perpendicular Axis to DUT
Please notice that all the above needles have their general shape and axis in a basically "perpendicular" direction to the surface of the DUT. This configuration allows us to pack more needles in comparatively the same area as the DUT. Some "test heads" or "test modules" have their springs axes perpendicular to the DUT. These will be in the category as our devices described earlier. I would like to refer to this whole category as "vertical needles" or "probes with vertical needles".
This is in contrast to most of the probe cards presently on the market
Since the DUT is usually held in a horizontal position, I have earlier referred to the above springs or needles as "vertical". I intended it to mean "perpendicular axis" to the DUT.
Needles, with Axis Basically Slanted to DUT, or Cantilever.
We can group these into two sub-groups: One where the springs anchors are horizontal and parallel to the DUT. We will call them "Cantilever Horizontal Probe Cards". The second sub-group will have the sprigs anchors vertical and we will call them "Cantilever Vertical Probe Cards".
We can use most of the concepts proposed here for most of the probe cards. We would still get a lot of the advantages and benefits obtained by the concepts proposed here.
Horizontal Cantilever Probe Cards
The needles in the present probe cards are essentially parallel to the DUT, "fanning out" from the DUT as a center, and spreading out to accommodate being soldered to the card solder pads. These needles have basically similar components as the ones shown in
Applying Our Concepts to Horizontal Cantilever Probe Cards
I propose at least two changes to these present probe cards. The first is to have the needles look more like the ones shown in
Notice the kink in the anchor portion of the spring. This is a special feature, which controls the orientation of the whole spring body in a certain plane. In this case, it is the horizontal plane and it is perpendicular to the plane of the flex portion of the spring. Their flex body would look more like one of the springs described earlier, i.e. with a belly, but with a more pronounced slope downwards. [Claim]
The second change is to use a comb to control the tip of the needles and to create and promote and control the "scrub", again as in
I have made a model of such needles. It is shown in the following
The same shape needles can be used with the "perpendicular" probe as well, especially like the one shown in
Visual Model of the "Scrub"
The views show the needle, with its anchor point at the top left corner. The needle "flex body" then stretches downwards and to the right. At the bottom right corner of the view, we can see two horizontal dark lines. The lower thicker one represents the chip or wafer or any DUT. The thinner line above it represents the comb. The tip of the needle passes through a hole in the comb and then protrudes downwards to meet the DUT.
I have included a background with a grid, to make it easier to observe the deflection of the needle.
We can see that the needle has been compressed down onto the DUT, the body of the needle has deflected slightly and the tip has tilted slightly and the contact point has moved a little bit to the right. This is what creates the desirable "scrub".
The following Figures through
The movement of the tip of the needle and of the contact point between the needle and the DUT is exactly the kind of "SCRUB" that we are looking for. The location of the comb and the whole geometry of the needle body and the needle tip control the amount of scrub and its extent on the surface of the DUT.
And we can design all that to suit the individual case and its requirements.
Actually the slots should best be in line of the body of the contact springs.
Controlling the Amount of Wipe or Scrub
The amount of wipe can be controlled by "guiding" or "pivoting" the spring tips, by the shape of the spring and by the use of "combs".
For example, the chevron style creates wipe, while the 3-Vees will create almost no wipe, depending on the geometry of the Vees. The chevron spring is asymmetric, while the 3-Vees spring is more symmetrical. Other shapes of springs can be parallel nested and provide wipe or scrub, as well.
The shape of the holes in the comb is also important and affects the amount of the wiping action of the pin. Generally, it should have an hourglass shape. The location of the "waist" or "pinch point" of the hourglass has an important effect, too.
If the pinch point is located very near to the end of the spring, i.e. the tip, then the tilting of the tail and the movement of the spring would be internal or inside between the two pinch points of the top and the bottom combs. In such a case, we see very little side motion outside the combs. Hence, hardly any wipe.
However, if the pinch point were more towards the inside of the combs, then the free tips of the spring would move more sideways. This is because the pinch point is farther away from the tip. This geometry promotes wipe.
If we need to increase the amount/length of the wipe, we can place the pinch point further away from the tip of the spring and more toward the center of the spring. This will in essence "multiply" the effect of the tilting or rotation of the spring tail and result in more wiping action. It is like the multiplying effect of any arm or lever pivoting about a fulcrum point. So, we can say that the pinch point is the fulcrum of rotation of the tails.
This way, we can control how far the tip of the spring moves sideways to insure that the spring stays within the area of its intended contact pad. We can also use the "sides" of the hourglass and/or the edges of the hole, to limit the side movement of the spring tip.
Limiting the Amount of Wipe or Scrub
Usually, we need to control the magnitude of the wipe or scrub. We don't want the tip of the spring to wander off the contact pad of the device being contacted. There are several ways to accomplish that.
We can control the length (magnitude) of the wipe by controlling two things: First is the tilting angle of the spring tail, and Second, the distance from the pinch point to the contact pad, i.e. the length of the "lever arm", which is the portion of the tail beyond the pinch point.
We can control the angle by several methods: 1) by the side walls of the aperture/hole in the comb, 2) by the aspect ratio of the hole, 3) by using combs with two layers and by the effective aspect ratio of the combined hole, or 4) by using a combination of a comb together with a "limiter".
Using the sidewalls of the apertures/holes of the comb. If the holes are hourglass shaped, then the tail of the spring would stop tilting any further once the tail portions touch the sloped surfaces of the hourglass or the edge of the hole.
If the holes have a straight cylindrical or trapezoidal shape, then when the tail would tilt far enough, the edges of the hole would stop any further tilting. One part of the tail would touch one edge of the hole and the other part of the tail would touch the opposite end of that same hole. Then the tail would not be able to tilt any farther.
The same applies if the comb is composed of two layers. The effective shape of the hole would act as a stop to limit the tilting angle of the tail.
The Limiter
We can also provide another member that looks almost like the comb and place it near the comb, to act as a "limiter". The limiter can be physically touching the comb, or can be placed at a certain distance from it.
The holes in the limiter can be similar in shape like the holes in the comb, or can have a different cross-section. And they can have the same size or different size.
In addition, the holes in either the comb and/or the limiter can be oblong, like slots, if we look at them from the top view. Again, the slots can be the same size or different in size for the comb as compared to the limiter. The direction of the slots can be such that the axis of the slots would be angled toward the geometric center of the package or DUT, or of the pattern of contact pads. Or, the slots axes could be angled to match the direction of deflection of the contact springs. This last choice would be preferred especially with Peripheral Probes
TCE and Avoiding Thermal Mismatch
To reduce the effects of thermal cycling, the comb is made of a material that has a Thermal Coefficient of Expansion (TCE) that closely matches the material next to it. For example, if we are testing a ceramic package, the comb next to the package can be made of a similar ceramic material, or out of a material that has a TCE that closely or exactly matches that of ceramic. Ideally also, the comb should have a "thermal mass", [CLAIM], as close to that of the device under test. This way, when the device under test heats up and expands, the comb would heat up at the same rate and temperature. Consequently, the spring tips will remain in their respective position relative to the DUT. There would be no relative motion or lateral translation or migration or fretting corrosion due to the thermal fluctuations.
Similarly, if the socket is mounted to a printed circuit board made of FR4, the comb next to the PCB could be made from a similar material matching the TCE.
This would be very desirable for test and burn-in applications.
Combs can be used in other applications as well to reduce the effects of temperature on any interconnection device that interfaces with components made of different materials.
This is a very important issue and we can talk about it at length. The main purpose of using springs or needles is to accommodate "Non-Planarity". I have put together a spreadsheet to study the allowable Non-Planarity, and how it correlates with the pitch and the geometry of the springs or needles.
This study can take some time to go through. If anyone is interested, I can send you a copy of the study. For now, I can give you the summary of the following example.
This is for the "chevron" needles shown in the first probe example, described above. The needles are made of 0.010″ (0.25 mm) diameter wire, and are approx. 0.900″ (22.86 mm) long. They were placed on a 0.020″ (0.5 mm) center distance. The study covers the deflections of the spring tips under the various loads of 10 grams, 20 grams, etc. up to 50 grams.
Basically, the study shows that if we have two adjacent contact pads that are not co-planar, the belly of the spring touching the higher pad would bulge more than the adjacent needles, which would be touching the lower pads. Based on the geometry of the needles and their location, the difference in height between the pads can be as much as approx. 0.0066″ (0.167 mm) before the needles would touch.
Please note that for different needle geometries, the amount of allowable non-planarity would be different. Please note also that we can "design" the needles in ways that could allow more or less Non-Planarity, as desired, within reason.
Vertical Cantilever Probe Cards
The number of segments is optional. Most of the electronic devices are either square or rectangular, so four segments seem to be a logical choice. But 6 or 8 segments, or any other number would work too.
Minimizing Production Difficulty
Now, if we use the same approach for the square pad pattern in Fig. A, we will need to push the needle out, so that their "contact" ends would fall on the square. The result would be that their "anchor" ends would be displaced from their circular contour, curve 1 in the figure. They will fall on a new contour, which is curve 2 in the figure. Now, curve 2 is not a circle anymore. It is some "flattened circle" curve. This one is most probably more difficult to accomplish than the real circular contour, curve 3. For comparison purposes, I have drawn both curves on both figures. It is easier to see the difference between the two curves. So curve 3 in fig B is identical to curve 1 in fig A. and curve 2 in fig. A is identical to curve 4 in fig. B. So, the question or choice would be to determine what is more economical. Choice 1 would be to make the needles identical and have a contour that is not a circular shape, hence more expensive. Choice 2 would be to make the contour circular and economical to manufacture and then we would need to form each needle individually to fit and to suit. My choice would be choice #1. Because there usually are so many needles, compared with one support member or four segments thereof. Such a profile can be programmed on a CNC machine readily and duplicated more economically than to form hundred of needles each one individually to a different shape.
Usually it is desirable to use soft contact springs for sockets and the like. But this requires that we deflect the springs a considerable amount to reach the desired contact force and pressure. One way to overcome this dilemma is to "preload" the springs.
The major advantages and benefits of the concepts described in this application are that:
We are helping the Electronics Industry in its efforts towards "miniaturization", by providing:
The comb is an important element in the whole concept, as you can see from all the above.
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|Mar 30, 2007
|Oct 2, 2008
|Lothar Kress
|Accurate alignment of semiconductor devices and sockets
|Aug 1, 2008
|Feb 19, 2009
|Gunsei Kimoto
|Contact with plural beams
|Mar 1, 2009
|Jul 16, 2009
|Gabe Cherian
|S&p3 cww2 connectors with wipe
|Apr 2, 2008
|Oct 8, 2009
|Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
|Socket with wire-shaped contacts
|Jun 8, 2010
|Oct 7, 2010
|Gabe Cherian
|Cww3 connectors with wipe
|Nov 6, 2009
|May 12, 2011
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Axiocentric scrubbing land grid array contacts and methods for fabrication
|Jul 11, 2012
|Jan 16, 2014
|Tyco Electronics Corporation
|Socket connectors and methods of assembling socket connectors
|Oct 22, 2013
|Apr 24, 2014
|Multitest Elektronische Systeme Gmbh
|Contact spring for a testing base for the high current testing of an electronic component
|Apr 10, 2013
|Oct 16, 2014
|Teradyne, Inc.
|Electronic assembly test system
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Mar 21, 2011
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Aug 13, 2011
|Surcharge for late payment
|Aug 13, 2011
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
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|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Aug 14, 2015
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|Oct 6, 2015
|Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee
Effective date: 20150814


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I am an extended BFing, baby-wearing, co-sleeping mom who nursed my first two for around 2 years (weaned themselves). I had hyperlactation with both. They were preemies and I was advised to pump and pump by lactation to ensure adequate milk. I did, but had problems with repeated engorgement and with #2, with mastitis/blocked ducts. BG #3 is 5 months old and has always been small (a 35 weeker, too). MD has been fine with her low weight/percentiles, but she has fallen off the chart in the last 6 weeks. She has plenty of wet diapers each day. Poops infrequently, which is strange compared to my other two but seems to be her own pattern. I did not pump much with her, due to lack of time and not wanting to have repeats of previous problems. Lots of stress in my world, as husband took and out-of-town job when baby was 4 weeks and we put our house on the market, not expecting it to sell quickly. It sold in 9 days and created a wild ride for me with childcare, packing, and finding a new place to live. The new place didn't work out and we had to move in with my parents who do not support any natural childcare practices, including BFing. I'd be lying if I said I get much sleep and I eat, but not as much as I should. I do drink lots of water. These are factors that I cannot change much right now. We will be moving in 3 weeks to our new home but I'm fearful it'll be too late to make a difference.
Going to get her weighed at BF support group tomorrow to see what her intake is but, honestly, I dread it. Now that I have stepped back and seen what is happening, I realize she isn't getting enough. I have tried some herbal supplementation, some homeopathic remedies, and am now pumping after EVERY FEED (which time-wise with 2 older is a complete challenge). I get nothing when I pump, which I kind of expected post-feeding, but also haven't seen a big jump in my supply during feeds. Lactation stated if this doesn't improve supply after 72 hours, I may have lost my milk. I am so devastated as my 72 hours is nearing and I have still had to supplement with frozen milk over the last few days.
I will continue supplementing with the small amount of milk I have frozen and try not to regret not pumping. If I do have to start formula, can anyone tell me what kind they use? I have no idea how this works and all my BF books are packed up! Any others had low supply that came back later after pumping etc? Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated--TIA. I need some encouragement here.
Wow, you have a lot going on!! One thing to try, is if you aren't getting much at the pump after feeds, you could hand express instead. There is a new theory that both colostrum and hindmilk are more viscous than the milk at the beginning of a feed, and may not come out as well for the pump. I'm also wondering, since you have two older children, how old your pump is? They are actually supposedly only designed to last for about a year, so they can still seem like they work, but be getting less efficient over time. You could see if you can rent a hospital grade one for a few weeks and see if that makes any difference.
Another idea is, if you can have your baby go back and forth between your breasts a few times each feeding...this can help stimulate your supply, if she is willing to do it, and is better than any pump anyway. You could also try adding compressions during feeding and pumping. http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8:breast-compression&catid=5:information&Itemid=17
And lastly, it sounds like you are going though a lot right now!! Please try to be gentle with yourself! You are a wonderful mother and all three of your children are lucky to have you working so hard to help them through this transition in your family's life!
Jessica, Wife to Owen (6/7/03), mom to Amina (9/20/06) : and Colm (5/30/09) :
Thanks for these ideas! I have worked for the compression and am switching multiple times between breasts at feedings as well. And just today I went and got a hospital-grade pump in case my old medela is tired from the extra milk the others had! Also went to the support group and weighed BG before and after a feed and she only took in 2 oz. I feel, sadly, that this might be accurate. Will continue to pump each day but now will also give her a bottle of froz breastmilk after feeds if she still seems hungry. Hard for me. Thanks for the encouragement!
I had a 35 weeker too and did the crazy pumping thing as well (including mastitis and all those issues). I understand your hesitation with pumping but think that is great you're working it in despite so much stress and change. One thing that helped me was waiting an hour after DS nursed, and then pumping. You may want to try that. Honestly it took me about a month to get my supply up. Has your DD been evaluated for tongue tie or anything? Another thing you may want to check out.
2 oz is not bad! I mean, yes, you want more, but at least it means you're making milk. How often are you offering the breast? Are you still taking herbs? Don't lose hope! Chances are good you can get your supply back up. I'm glad you got a hospital grade pump. Also, has your baby been checked for tongue tie to make sure that physically there are no impediments? Posterior tongue ties are very hard to diagnose so call around to the IBCLCs near you to find someone with expertise. Good luck.
2 oz isn't bad! and i have to disagree that you need more - if she could get 2 oz every time you nurse and you nursed every 2-3 hours why do you need more? my now 3 yr old never took more than 2 oz at one of those weight checks (even at 9-10 mnths) - usually more like 1-1.5 and he only nursed every 3 hours and he did drop off dramatically on his growth curve between 6-12 months (but he wouldn't take any more milk or food if we forced it on him.) plenty of wet diapers is a very good sign too - i wouldn't panic yet - and i also would not get totally discouraged by that 72 hour rule - if women can relactate from NOTHING, surely you can make more milk since you've had other children and had a full milk supply before, your body knows how to do this! i think the hospital grade pump is a great idea..
also, you could try putting out the pump for a 4-6 hour period and pumping for 5-10 mins every time you walk by/have time - at the end of the 4-6 hours, store the milk in the fridge and wash everything and start again - some moms find this easier and more effective than pumping after feedings. also you can try power pumping, or pumping between feedings instead of right after..
check out diana west's book "making more milk" if you get a chance. there are so many ideas in there it is hard to put it down..
- Staci, Mommy to Mollie (3/06), Jamie (5/08), Annie (9/10), Bently (2/13), Robin (11/15)... and SURPRISE! (3/18)
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I had a low supply that came back when I fixed my problem with anemia by taking iron supplements, power pumping, eating a handful of almonds every day, and taking Motherlove more milk special blend 3x a day. Best of luck to you! <3
Thanks for all the support! We have closed on a new house today and will hopefully move in the next 10 days. Maybe decreased stress then?? I have been pumping after every feed for a week now and power pumping for the last 3 days. Trying to increase caloric intake. Still minimal change in output, which has surprised me. Taking fenugreek supplements and wondering if figuring out how to get domperidone is a good idea. I do awaken in the morning with leaking breasts and somewhat engorged; that is when DD seems the most satiated. If it would just continue like that all day. She is fussing after a few feeds, wanting to eat more and I have given her a few bottles of breastmilk then. The lactation group leader offered me the scale for the weekend and DD was taking anywhere from one ounce to 3.5 ounces from me. She does not try very hard if the milk isn't spraying hard--throws her head back and fusses. However, when I pump, I get very little milk. She has gained weight since I've been supplementing with breastmilk bottles, closer to 3/4 ounce a day, which I would like her to gain. She is such a content little thing, but seems so happy when she can gulp the available milk from the bottle. It honestly makes me cry. As an experienced BF mom, I know in my head this is shooting myself in the foot, but certainly want to remember "feed the child" first and foremost. I struggle with knowing whether she really needs the supplements or not. I guess I think she does based on sometimes limited milk intake (she wants more, but I cannot extract more from the breast) and her limited weight gain in the last month. She likes to breastfeed, but mostly likes to feel full. Doesn't seem to nurse emotionally like my 2nd did. Still working on the pumping and hoping for change. Keep the ideas coming; they are great!! Many thanks!
A couple of quick things - I'd try to get a SNS so you can supplement at the breast, heading off problems with flow preference. The routine would be nurse both sides "bare" with breast compressions then supplement with the pumped milk from the previous feed in the SNS then pump. Domperidone might do the trick if you can get it. Also, has she been checked for tongue tie?
Hang in there, mama. I hope things settle down for you soon!
I am going through the exact same thing! Funny how whenever I need help there's always someone on here with the same problem.
We also just sold our house and just bought a new one, tonnes of stress associated with that! Sooo hard to always have to keep our house spotless. But then about a week ago I got really sick, couldn't eat anything and was having really painful (crampy) blood diarrhea (sorry, TMI). I ended up in the hospital over the weekend, finally got the issue diagnosed, and am back home now, feeling way better. Baby stayed with me in the hospital (actually, they made us go home overnight cuz nurses were worried about germs, but that's another story).
My supply is basically non-existant right now. I always had massive oversupply, so I never bothered to build up a freezer stash. DD2 gets some milk when she nurses, but she definitely seems to want more. She doesn't seem to be having as many wet diapers as normal, but I don't really know because DH has been doing a lot of the diaper changes that I normally do. She seems to be sleeping more than normal too.
So... I think I might need a good formula recommendation. My supply is not coming back quickly, and it needs to... it's been low for over a week now and seems to be dropping, even though I've been eating more and taking iron supplements. I really don't want to have to give her formula, but... baby needs to eat and I don't seem to have the milk. She's 3 months old, btw.
It's so weird to be having this problem, because I am so used to dealing with trying to reduce my milk supply.
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subset: commoncrawl


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What exactly is an overbite?
An overbite is a common orthodontic condition where the top row of teeth partially covers the bottom row. The amount of coverage is measured as a percentage. A 100% overbite means that the top row of teeth completely covers the bottom row. It is often relatively easy to fix.
Actually, most people have some percentage of an overbite. But it is usually not serious enough to need professional dental attention, so they just choose to live with it. New innovations in dental technology like the Invisalign teeth straightening process and clear braces have increased the number of people opting to get their overbites treated.
An overbite can cause several problems ranging from jaw function to the physical appearance of your teeth. Wearing of tooth enamel increases the chances of tooth decay and gum disease. Since the lower teeth undercut the upper ones, in some cases they cut into the upper gums and palate and cause major damage. A serious overbite can even change the physical appearance of your face and may even cause a person to appear less attractive than they otherwise would.
X-rays are used to evaluate your teeth and jaw alignment. If wearing, alignment or speech impeding problems are present, you may be referred to an orthodontist.
An orthodontist will treat a condition with straightening, braces or surgery, based on the percentage of overbite. Braces can take up to two and a half years to complete treatment.
Although an overbite can be corrected at any age, the best time to treat this condition is during childhood before the jaw has fully developed.
McIntosh Orthodontics takes a conservative approach and assures that we only do what's best for you as our patient. Our team and dedication to on-going education is our commitment to you and your family. Call Us Today for a Free Consultation at (407) 644-8786


text:
nice brief information video
This is a Group for all people who live in Europe.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
See the video on youtube here: Youtube.com
Channel Here: Youtube.com
If you like the video check the channel out.


text:
Kicking it in the MAC
Western Michigan kicker, Ferndale native, garners multiple honors
By Mark Vest
Posted November 20, 2013
Western Michigan University kicker Andrew Haldeman, who lived in Ferndale as a child, has been named the Mid-American Conference West Division Special Teams Player of the Week two times this season.
Haldeman, who is in his sophomore season with the Broncos, most recently earned the honor after a game against Eastern Michigan University in which he made a career-high six field goals. It is the second most field goals made in a game in Western Michigan history; Mike Prindle made seven against Marshall in 1984.
Haldeman's efforts also led to his being named the National Kicker of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards.
Haldeman's other Player of the Week honor came following a game against the University of Massachusetts earlier this season. At press time, Haldeman led the Broncos with 56 points on the season.
Haldeman has now earned the distinction three times in his career, as he was also named as a Player of the Week in his freshman season with Western.
The kind of honors Haldeman has received can go a long way toward adding to the experiences he has had as a Division I college football player.
"I've loved my experience here at Western," he said. "It's been great getting to know the guys and getting out there, and actually getting to play. I've loved it. It's been great. It's been really cool."
As impressive as his Players of the Week honors may be, Haldeman, who credited his parents for support they have given him, has even loftier goals as he moves forward in his career with Western.
"I would like to be an All-American kicker," he said. "That's a really high goal of mine. I'd like to go a whole season without missing a field goal. That would be a really high goal, as well."
Although Haldeman is majoring in mechanical engineering, it may be a degree he may want to put on hold for a while after his college football playing days are over, as he has not ruled out any potential opportunities to play professional football.
"That would be great," he said. "That's what I plan on doing — at least going out there and trying for it. It'd be awesome."
About the author
Mark Vest is on the sports beat at C&G Newspapers. He covers high school sports for the Fraser-Clinton Chronicle and Grosse Pointe Times. In the past couple years or so, he has also began to cover collegiate sports for schools such as the University of Detroit Mercy, Oakland University, Wayne State University, Macomb Community College and Oakland Community College. Vest has worked at C&G Newspapers since 2011 and attended Oakland University and Oakland Community College.
More from C & G Newspapers
2017 Football Preview: Walled Lake Western
Walled Lake
2017 Football Preview: Roseville High
2017 Football Preview: St. Clair Shores South Lake
St. Clair Shores
2017 Football Preview: Clinton Township Chippewa Valley
Clinton Township
2017 Football Preview: Farmington Hills Harrison
Farmington Hills


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Girlfriends Films Releases Netskirts 2.0
In Stores Now
"NetSkirts 2.0" Introduces More Stars with Girlfriends Films' Contract Performer
India Summer Alongside Dyanna Lauren, Heather Starlet, Jayden Cole, Ryan Keely, Brooke Lee Adams, Magdalene St. Michaels & Anita Dark!
On July 13, Girlfriends Films released
"NetSkirts 2.0" on DVD, the anticipated second volume of the new, hit series.
Featuring Girlfriends Films' contract performer India Summer, plus Dyanna Lauren,
Heather Starlet, Jayden Cole, Ryan Keely, Brooke Lee Adams, Magdalene St. Michaels
and Anita Dark, "NetSkirts 2.0" packs twice the star power and twice the passion of
the acclaimed first volume. Social networking site NetSkirts.com begins as a way for
female owned businesses in Thornhill to market their services directly to consumers.
However, the site quickly turns into the perfect online playground for horny cougars
to prey on innocent cubs. After screening the previous installment, AIPDaily.com
Editor-in-Chief Christina writes, "Romantic and sensual…This series has a lot of
potential…The sex shown in these films is pretty accurate to what [my girlfriend] and
I do so I find them very hot and sensual…I really enjoyed the opening movie in this
To view the "NetSkirts 2.0" trailer, cover and photo stills, visit
Equally impressed with "NetSkirts 1.0", XCritic.com reviewer Apache Warrior writes,
"Some memorable sexual spark…This series will be a very successful one like many of
[Girlfriends Films'] others…Sweet and genuine."
In "NetSkirts 2.0", the women of Thornhill begin to fully utilize the seductive
powers of social networking. Dyanna Lauren finds new college student Heather Starlet
on NetSkirts.com and offers her a place to stay. However, monthly rent includes
properly servicing the landlady. Anita Dark discovers the profile of sexually
confused Jayden Cole and befriends her. After becoming turned on from a lesbian adult
movie, Anita is the first person Jayden calls for some experimenting of her own.
Reprising their romance from the first volume, Brooke Lee Adams and Magdalene St.
Michaels are now a serious couple, making love in the most intimate of ways.
Meanwhile, horny India Summer cruises the Internet looking for easy prey. In order to
momentarily spare the innocent target of India's fixation, Ryan Keely offers to
distract India for a while up in the bedroom.
"Due to continued demand, we've already had to re-replicate 'NetSkirts 1.0′ on DVD,"
states Moose, Girlfriends Films' Vice President. "The successful positioning of the
series created a whirlwind of orders prior to the release, and I know retailers are
going to experience an even greater influx of consumers for each subsequent volume.
'NetSkirts 2.0′ begins to explore the motives behind online dating, from hot affairs
to passionate relationships. This provides a great array of sexual energy in the
scenes to entice all types of viewers."
Filmed in high definition with Sony XDCAM cameras, "NetSkirts 2.0" is a visual treat.
"NetSkirts 2.0" on DVD includes a XXX and glamour photo gallery, plus trailers to hit
Girlfriends Films movies. The DVD is presented in 16:9 widescreen format.
Media and distributors interested in obtaining access to Girlfriends Films' press
site in order to download the trailer and stills may request login access at
About Girlfriends Films:
Girlfriends Films was created to provide realistic lesbian-sex movies for discerning
viewers who demand the best. The studio's combination of gorgeous performers,
talented directors and aesthetic focus allows for Girlfriends Films to continuously
produce best-selling movies appealing to both men and women. Girlfriends Films
received AVN's Best All-Girl Series award the last three years running and remains
"The Most Downloaded Studio" year after year on Hot Movies. For more information,
visit http://www.GirlfriendsFilms.com and http://www.Twitter.com/GF_Films.


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Indianapolis woman dies following motorcycle accident
An Indianapolis woman died Sunday following a motorcycle accident in Johnson County.
Saturday evening Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to State Road 37 just south of Smith Valley Road.
The woman who died was a passenger on a motorcycle that was traveling north on State Road 37 in the fast lane. The motorcycle operator was trying to switch from the fast lane to the slow lane, moved over and collided with truck that was in the slow lane. The motorcycle then lost control and crashed ejecting the operator and the passenger from the bike.
Both were transported to Methodist Hospital, and the female left the scene in critical condition. The Sheriff's Office will not release the name of the rider or passenger until the family has been notified.
The driver of the pick up truck was taken for a standard breath test for a serious accident, although alcohol is not believed to be a factor on his part.


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This Blog Has Been Retired
Life goes on, but apparently this blog doesn't.
I realized the other day that I haven't written a single post in years. Because of this, I decided to retire my blog. I will leave all published content available as a resource.
It's been a grand seven years. Thank you!
Gartner Says Mobile Web Will Be Leading Part of B2Cs in 2012
Even though native mobile applications have more usability than the mobile websites at this time, this is what Gartner believes to happen in 2012:
In mature markets, the mobile Web, along with associated Web adaptation tools, will be a leading technology for B2C mobile applications through 2012, and should be part of every organization's B2C technology portfolio. (Gartner, 2010)
If you are interested in further reading, here is the direct link to their press release.
My Last Day at Verizon Wireless
Wow! I can't believe it has been 9 years at Verizon. I have had a wonderful time here, and fortunately learned so much from the ambitious and smart people that I worked with. But I have recently decided it is time for me to try out something new – so my last day at Verizon Wireless will be Friday, March 18th. When I started in 2002, it was MCI WorldCom. Verizon Communications acquired us in 2005, and the name became Verizon Business. In 2007, I transitioned to a new team at the "wireless" part of the company, Verizon Wireless. I have worked at four different locations during my time.
There is, of course, never an appropriate time to leave. I feel a great sense of accomplishment building several successful intranet, extranet and mobile products. The projects and platforms that I have been closely involved with have found amazingly good homes within the company. What I loved most about my tenure is the opportunity to collaborate with some of the smartest and most passionate engineers in the industry to develop some great products that our customers love.
Before starting my next endeavor, I will be taking a few days off to enjoy the nice spring weather in Atlanta.
I'd love to stay in touch via LinkedIn.
Agility – Doing More Work With Fewer People?
Here is why we should consider employing agile software development (in other words, agility) in order to ensure better ROIs for our customers:
Traditional practices did not stress the need for innovation, but business now runs very differently than it did in the past. Boundaries no longer exist, and we play on a global field, where unforeseen changes in the marketplace and the competitive climate can arise at any time. (Hoque, 2010)
It is not only because we enjoy the flexibility and the heightened responsiveness that agility provides, but also because agile practices empower the innovation with the customer-centric approach.
'No Time To Read' Is No Excuse
A recently published research paper that I read last week which was written by Dr. Gail Matthews of Dominican University demonstrates that writing your goals and making a public commitment about them significantly increase your accomplishment about those goals. So here I am, and I am writing and making a commitment to complete reading the following books by the end of next year, 2011:
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
- The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
- Death by Meeting: Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business by Patrick Lencioni
- Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days by Jessica Livingston
- Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley
I actually started reading the last two before and made both of them to almost halfway, so it will be about one book every three months. We'll see how it goes.
Getting Syntax Error in ASP.NET Routing Due to WebResource.axd
If you implement routing in an ASP.NET 4.0 web application and use the validation controls in it, it is good to keep in mind that you need to add an exception for the .axd files in your Global.asax file. Otherwise, you will keep getting a syntax error because the routing picks up the .axd files and not properly loads the JavaScript files needed for the validation controls.
If same issue occurs in an ASP.NET 3.5 SP1 application, you can use the StopRoutingHandler class which implements the IRouteHandler interface.
Check to See If Android Device is Connected to Internet by Using isReachable Method
If you need to check to see if the Android device is connected to the internet, an alternative (and simple but limited) way to using the ConnectivityManager class can be calling the isReachable method. Here is a sample function: