Patent Description:
In electronics, radio frequency (RF) connectors are often used to transmit one or more signals from one circuit board to another and can be provided in arrays of hundreds of connectors per square inch of circuit board area. This need for small-pitch RF connector configurations is only increasing and leads to large increases in costs of RF connector assemblies or to RF connector assemblies that cannot be easily disassembled for service and repair. <CIT> discloses an IC socket for surface-mounting semiconductor device. <CIT> discloses a printed wiring board terminal assembly.

There is provided a connectable assembly according to independent claim <NUM>.

There is also provided a method of assembling, disassembling and re-assembling a connector assembly according to independent claim <NUM>. Further embodiments of the invention are recited in the dependent claims.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with the advantages and the features, refer to the description and to the drawings.

As will be described below, a conductive or semi-conductive and compliant (CC) plug (as used herein the term "conductive" will be used to encompass both conductive and semi-conductive applications) is provided in a connectable assembly to receive a metal pin for the creation of an electrical connection. When the pin is inserted or stabbed into the CC plug, radial compression of the CC creates a reliable electrical connection while insertion depth of the pin can vary greatly without compromising the structural integrity of the CC plug and the electrical connection. This provides for a large range of axial compliance and permits electrical connections to be made over a large range of insertion depth variations. Using the CC plugs and pins provides for spacing of multiple CC plugs and pins that is as small as printed wiring board (PWB) or semi-conductor technology allows and means that insertion forces can be configured and will be substantially constant over a large range of insertion depths. Connectable assemblies employing the CC plugs and pins will be able to be assembled and dis-assembled simply by way of alignment and pressing actions with radial compliance of the CC plugs allowing for certain radial misalignments. Such resulting connectable assemblies may have radio frequency (RF), direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) signal connections as well as DC or AC power connections that are potentially all handled by same configurations thus permitting multi-mode connections.

With reference to <FIG>, a connectable assembly <NUM> is provided and includes a first body <NUM>, a second body <NUM>, a male conductive element that may be provided in certain embodiments as a pin connector <NUM> and a conductive and compliant (CC) plug <NUM>. The first body <NUM> may be provided as a first circuit board <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, or as a chip package <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. The second body <NUM> may be provided as a second circuit board <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, or potentially as a chip package.

In any case, the first body <NUM> may include first circuitry <NUM>, such as first surface trace elements <NUM> that extend along an outer surface of the first body <NUM>, first internal trace elements <NUM> that extend through a center of the first body <NUM> and first vias <NUM> by which the first surface trace elements <NUM> are electrically communicative with the first internal trace elements <NUM>. The second body <NUM> may be provided as a second circuit board <NUM> or as a chip package and, in any case, may include second circuitry <NUM>. This second circuitry <NUM> may include second surface trace elements <NUM> that extend along an outer surface of the second body <NUM>, second internal trace elements <NUM> that extend through a center of the second body <NUM> and second vias <NUM> by which the second surface trace elements <NUM> are electrically communicative with the second internal trace elements <NUM>.

The second body <NUM> is formed to define a recess <NUM> that extends into the second body <NUM> from the outer surface along which the second surface trace elements <NUM> extend. In accordance with embodiments, the recess <NUM> may have a substantially cylindrical or frusto-conical shape with an axial end wall that may be but is not required to be parallel with the outer surface of the second body <NUM> and sidewalls extending outwardly from the axial end wall to the outer surface.

The pin connector <NUM> may be affixed to the outer surface of the first body <NUM> along which the first surface trace elements <NUM> extend. In accordance with embodiments, the pin connector <NUM> may be entirely formed of electrically conductive materials and includes a base portion <NUM> and a pin <NUM> although it is to be understood that the base portion <NUM> need not be used and that the pin <NUM> could extend along an entire length of the pin connector <NUM>. Where it is used, the base portion <NUM> can be soldered to the first body <NUM> to form an electrical connection with the first surface trace elements <NUM> of the first circuitry <NUM>. The pin <NUM> may be integrally connected to an axial face of the base portion <NUM> and extends axially outwardly away from the axial face. A diameter or width of the base portion <NUM> may exceed that of the pin <NUM> whereas an axial length of the pin <NUM> may exceed an axial length of the base portion <NUM>. Where no base portion <NUM> is provided, the pin <NUM> can be attached, soldered or otherwise connected to the first body <NUM> directly.

The CC plug <NUM> is disposable within the recess <NUM> and includes a plug body <NUM> that is formed of one or more conductive compliant polymeric materials, conductive compliant foamed metallic materials and conductive compliant foamed plastic materials. The conductive compliant materials may be compliant up to a certain degree beyond which they are subject to compressive failure. In any case, with the CC plug <NUM> disposed within the recess <NUM>, the CC plug <NUM> is disposed in electrical connection with either or both of the second surface trace elements <NUM> and the second internal trace elements <NUM> of the second circuitry <NUM>.

In accordance with embodiments, the CC plug <NUM> may have, but is not required to have, a similar shape as the recess <NUM>. Thus, if the recess <NUM> is substantially cylindrical, the CC plug <NUM> may also be substantially cylindrical. In such cases, however, the CC plug <NUM> may have a diameter or width in an uncompressed state that exceeds the diameter or width of the recess <NUM>. Therefore, when the CC plug <NUM> is disposed in the recess <NUM>, the electrical connection between the CC plug <NUM> and the second circuitry <NUM> can be reliably established due to radial compressive effects applied to the CC plug <NUM>. Also, the radial compression of the CC plug <NUM> helps to retain the CC plug <NUM> in the recess <NUM> by frictional engagement with the sidewalls of the recess <NUM> and improves the reliability of the electrical connection between the pin connector <NUM> and the CC plug <NUM> to be described below.

Alternatively, disposition of the CC plug <NUM> into the recess <NUM> may be achieved by liquid dispensation of the CC plug material into the recess <NUM> and subsequent in situ curing of the CC plug material. In these or other cases, the resulting CC plug <NUM> may be at least partially secured within the recess <NUM> by surface adhesion.

The pin connector <NUM> and the recess <NUM> may be disposed in positional correspondence with one another. Thus, when the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> are brought together as will be described below, the pin <NUM> is inserted into the plug body <NUM> of the CC plug <NUM> (i.e., into a pre-existing pin hole in the CC plug <NUM> or into the plug body <NUM> whereupon the pin <NUM> forms its own pin-hole) to generate and form a radially compliant, axially free running electrical connection between the pin connector <NUM> and the CC plug <NUM>.

Whether the pin <NUM> is inserted into a pre-existing pin-hole or not, the pin <NUM> pushes radially outwardly against the conductive compliant material of the CC plug <NUM>. Even where the CC plug <NUM> is radially compressed by the recess <NUM> in an inward radial direction, the radial outward pushing by the pin <NUM> does not compress the conductive compliant material of the CC plug <NUM> enough to cause the CC plug <NUM> to compressively fail in the radial direction DR (see <FIG> and <FIG>). The radial compression is sufficient, however, to encourage the reliable formation of the electrical connection between the pin <NUM> and the CC plug <NUM> such that an electrical pathway can be formed from the first circuitry <NUM> to the pin connector <NUM>, from the pin connector <NUM> to the CC plug <NUM> and from the CC plug <NUM> to the second circuitry <NUM>.

The pin <NUM> can be repeatedly inserted into, removed or withdrawn from and the re-inserted into the CC plug <NUM> without risking failure of the CC plug <NUM>.

Since the insertion depth of the pin <NUM> can be controlled to a high degree of accuracy, compressive failure of the CC plug <NUM> in the axial direction can be prevented. That is, although some compressive forces are applied to the CC plug <NUM> in the axial direction DA (see <FIG> and <FIG>) during initial penetration of the pin <NUM>, those axially compressive forces are virtually maximized once the pin <NUM> completes the initial penetration of the CC plug <NUM> (aside from negligible compressive forces arising from frictional engagement of the pin <NUM> and the CC plug <NUM> during continued insertion) and would not markedly increase unless and until the base portion <NUM> comes into contact with the CC plug <NUM> or the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> come into contact with each other or a spacer (to be discussed below). In fact, such contact between the base portion <NUM> and the CC plug <NUM> is entirely preventable as will be discussed below.

With reference to <FIG>, the second body <NUM> may be formed to define multiple recesses <NUM> in an array <NUM> of recesses <NUM>. In such cases, the pin connector <NUM> and the CC plug <NUM> may each be provided as a plurality of pin connectors <NUM> and a plurality of CC plugs <NUM>, respectively. Such pluralities of pin connectors <NUM> and CC plugs <NUM> may be disposed in numerical and positional correspondence with the multiple recesses <NUM> such that the pin connectors <NUM> are provided in an array <NUM> of pin connectors <NUM>, which corresponds to the array <NUM> of recesses <NUM>, and such that the CC plugs <NUM> are provided in an array <NUM> of CC plugs <NUM>, which corresponds to the array <NUM> of recesses. The pitch of the respective arrays <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> may be as small as permitted by PWB or semi-conductor technology and as small as needed for specific applications (e.g., <NUM> or more connections per square inch).

Where the recesses <NUM>, the pin connectors <NUM> and the CC plugs <NUM> are provided in the respective arrays <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, assembly of the connectable assembly <NUM> involves the penetration of the plurality of the CC plug <NUM> by the pins <NUM> of each of the pin connectors <NUM>. Such penetration may take place simultaneously such that the total force required to complete the penetration is a multiple of the force required to complete the penetration of a single CC plug <NUM> by a single pin <NUM>. In accordance with embodiments, the CC plugs <NUM> can be configured such that this total force is limited to a predefined level.

In accordance with particular embodiments in which at least one of the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> is provided as the chip package <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, the respective arrays <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> of the recesses <NUM>, the pin connectors <NUM> and the CC plugs <NUM> may be provided in place of a land grid array (LGA) or a ball grid array (BGA). For example, the pin connectors <NUM> may be soldered to an underside of a chip element <NUM> (taking the place of the first body <NUM> described herein) with their respective pins <NUM> penetrating into corresponding CC plugs <NUM> of a circuit board <NUM> (taking the place of the second body <NUM> described herein). Assembly of such a chip package <NUM> could therefore be completed without need for soldering or associated thermal cycling.

With reference to <FIG>, the connectable assembly <NUM> may include mounting hardware <NUM> that is configured to secure the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> together and spacers <NUM>, which are spatially interposed between the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> to insure that the CC plugs <NUM> are not axially compressed along the axial direction DA (see <FIG> and <FIG>) as a result of the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> being brought together along the axial direction DA by an excessive distance. As shown in <FIG>, the mounting hardware <NUM> may be provided as screw elements <NUM> and the spacers <NUM> may be provided as spacer elements <NUM> where the screw elements <NUM> are rotatably drivable into the spacer elements <NUM> in order to draw the first body <NUM> toward the second body <NUM> in a tightening direction. The thickness of the spacer elements <NUM> may thus be provided such that the pins <NUM> of each of the pin connectors <NUM> penetrates into the CC plugs <NUM> by a given depth, which is less than the depth of the CC plugs <NUM> and the recesses <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the pin <NUM> of each pin connector <NUM> may have a substantially uniform diameter or thickness along a longitudinal axis thereof as measured from the base portion <NUM> (or the first body <NUM>). In such cases, the CC plug <NUM> can be formed as a solid body <NUM> without a pre-existing pin-hole or with a pre-existing pin-hole <NUM> defined in the plug body <NUM>. In the former case, a first penetration of the pin <NUM> into the CC plug <NUM> serves to form and define a first pin-hole around the pin <NUM>. Then, if the pin <NUM> is withdrawn from the CC plug <NUM>, re-insertion of the pin <NUM> into the CC plug <NUM> can be provided such that the pin <NUM> re-enters the first pin-hole made during the first penetration or such that the pin <NUM> penetrates into the CC plug <NUM> at a new location whereupon the pin <NUM> forms and defines a second pin-hole around the pin <NUM>. In the latter case, the pre-existing pin-hole <NUM> may be generally formed through a central portion of the plug body <NUM> and extends along a longitudinal axis of the plug body <NUM>. The pin <NUM> may have a diameter or thickness that slightly exceeds the corresponding dimension of the pre-existing pin-hole <NUM> such that the plug body <NUM> is radially outwardly compressed by the pin <NUM> as the pin <NUM> penetrates through the CC plug <NUM> along the pin-hole <NUM>.

The pin <NUM> may further include chamfered corners <NUM> at its distal end even where the pin <NUM> otherwise has a substantially uniform diameter or thickness. Such chamfered corners <NUM> will facilitate insertion of the pin <NUM> into the corresponding CC plug <NUM> and may provide centering assistance to such insertion processing.

As shown in <FIG>, the pin <NUM> of each pin connector <NUM> may be tapered radially inwardly along a longitudinal axis thereof with increasing distance from the base portion <NUM> (or the first body <NUM>). In such cases, the CC plug <NUM> can be formed as a solid body <NUM> without a pre-existing pin-hole or with a pre-existing pin-hole. In the former case, a first penetration of the pin <NUM> into the CC plug <NUM> serves to form and define a first pin-hole around the pin <NUM>. Then, if the pin <NUM> is withdrawn from the CC plug <NUM>, re-insertion of the pin <NUM> into the CC plug <NUM> can be provided such that the pin <NUM> re-enters the first pin-hole made during the first penetration or such that the pin <NUM> penetrates into the CC plug <NUM> at a new location whereupon the pin <NUM> forms and defines a second pin-hole around the pin <NUM>. In any case, the penetration of the pin <NUM> into the CC plug <NUM> may form or result in compressively deformed wing sections <NUM> of the plug body <NUM> that extend along sides of the pin <NUM>. The compressively deformed wing sections <NUM> exhibit increasing surface contact with the pin <NUM> owing to compressive deformation of the material of the CC plugs <NUM>.

With the construction and configurations described above, a method of assembling, disassembling and re-assembling of the connectable assembly <NUM> is provided. The method includes inserting the pin <NUM> of a pin connector <NUM> into the plug body <NUM> of a CC plug <NUM> to establish a radially compliant, axially free running electrical connection, withdrawing the pin <NUM> of the pin connector <NUM> from the plug body <NUM> of the CC plug <NUM> and re-inserting the pin <NUM> of the pin connector <NUM> into the plug body <NUM> of the CC plug <NUM> to re-establish the radially compliant, axially free running electrical connection. The method may further include providing mounting hardware <NUM> by which the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> can be secured together and interposing a spacer <NUM> between the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> to maintain a predefined distance between the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM>.

Thus, while conventional connectable assemblies cannot be easily assembled, disassembled and re-assembled or, if they are easily assembled, disassembled and re-assembled, they are too large, expensive and ill-suited for RF communications or a combination of RF and other signal communications, the methods described above can be repeated multiple times as needed for particular applications. It is expected that the CC plugs <NUM> will be sufficiently compliant to permit such repetitions and, to the extent that individual CC plugs <NUM> fail, those failed CC plugs <NUM> can be easily identified and replaced.

With reference to <FIG>, a connectable assembly <NUM> is provided and includes some features which are similar to those described above and thus need not be described in detail further below.

The connectable assembly <NUM> includes a first body <NUM>, a second body <NUM>, an intermediate carrier <NUM> and first and second CC plugs <NUM>. As above, the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> may be provided as circuit boards or as chip package elements. The first body <NUM> includes first circuitry and is formed to define first recesses <NUM> in which the first CC plugs <NUM> are disposable. The second body <NUM> includes second circuitry and is formed to define second recesses (not shown in <FIG> but essentially opposite from the first recesses <NUM>) in which the second CC plugs are disposable. The intermediate carrier <NUM> is a planar body that is interposable between the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM>. The intermediate carrier <NUM> includes first and second sides and male conductive elements that in these embodiments may be provided as first and second pin connectors <NUM> which are affixed to the first and second sides, respectively. The first and second CC plugs <NUM> are disposed within the first recesses <NUM> of the first body <NUM> and the second recesses of the second body <NUM> such that they are disposed in electrical connection with the first and second circuitry, respectively. The first and second CC plugs <NUM> are therefore configured for establishing radially compliant, axially free running electrical connections with the first and second pin connectors <NUM>, respectively.

With reference to <FIG>, a connectable assembly <NUM> is provided for a male conductive element, such as a coaxial cable <NUM> having an inner conductor <NUM> or simply the inner conductor <NUM>, an outer conductor <NUM> and dielectric material disposed between the inner conductor <NUM> and the outer conductor <NUM>. The connectable assembly <NUM> includes a first body <NUM>, a second body <NUM>, an interposer element <NUM> and a CC plug <NUM>. The first body <NUM> includes first circuitry <NUM> (e.g., internal circuit trace elements and vias) and second circuitry <NUM> (e.g., internal circuit trace elements, surface trace elements and vias) and is formed to define a recess <NUM> that is similar to the recess <NUM> described above. The second body <NUM> includes electrically conductive elements, such as a coaxial cable mounting element <NUM> and a compliant conductor <NUM>. The compliant conductor <NUM> is electrically connected to the coaxial cable mounting element <NUM> and both the coaxial cable mounting element <NUM> and the compliant conductor <NUM> are formed of conductive materials. In accordance with embodiments, at least the compliant conductor <NUM> may be formed of conductive polymer, conductive metal or conductive plastic. In any case, the second body <NUM> is formed to define a first through-hole <NUM>. The first through-hole <NUM> is receptive of the coaxial cable <NUM> such that the compliant conductor <NUM> electrically connects with the outer conductor <NUM>.

The interposer element <NUM> may be provided as an RF gasket that is formed of electrically conductive material and is axially interposable between the first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> (in the embodiment of <FIG>, the illustration of the interposer element <NUM> shows an interior sidewall or surface of the interposer element <NUM> but it is to be understood that this interior sidewall or surface is not in contact with the inner conductor <NUM>). The interposer element <NUM> thus forms an electrically conductive pathway from the coaxial cable mounting element <NUM> to surface trace elements of the second circuitry <NUM>. The CC plug <NUM> is disposable within the recess <NUM> to electrically connect with the first circuitry <NUM> and is configured for establishing a radially compliant, axially free running electrical connection with the inner conductor <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A connectable assembly (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>), comprising:
a body (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) defining a recess (<NUM>; <NUM>);
a male conductive element supportively disposed proximate to the body (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) and comprising a pin connector (<NUM>); and
a conductive and compliant plug (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) disposed within the recess (<NUM>; <NUM>),
wherein the pin connector (<NUM>) comprises a pin (<NUM>) configured for insertion into the conductive and compliant plug (<NUM>); and
wherein the pin (<NUM>) of the male conductive element is insertible into the conductive and compliant plug to a controlled insertion depth such that the conductive and compliant plug is radially compressed and compressive failure of the conductive and compliant plug in the axial direction is prevented by the axially compressive forces applied to the conductive and compliant plug being maximized upon initial penetration of the conductive and compliant plug by the pin (<NUM>) of the male conductive element, thereby causing the conductive and compliant plug to establish a radially compliant, axially free running electrical connection with the pin (<NUM>) of the male conductive element.