Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Housing or package – With provision for cooling the housing or its contents
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-20
2004-04-20
Williams, Alexander Oscar (Department: 2826)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Housing or package
With provision for cooling the housing or its contents
C257S726000, C257S727000, C257S712000, C257S737000, C257S738000, C257S778000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06724081
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a replaceable integrated circuit (IC) device. Especially, the present invention relates to a replaceable integrated circuit device which enables an electronic board and an integrated circuit package to connect each other without pin on the integrated circuit package and any socket between the integrated circuit package and the circuit board, but still keep good electrical conduction and mechanical stability.
(b) Description of the Prior Arts
For long time in prior art, there are two basic methods to place integrated circuit package (IC package) on circuit board (or main board). One is to solder firmly the integrated circuit package on the circuit board but the integrated circuit package is not replaceable. The other method is that the integrated circuit package is replaceable by using a socket or a connector, so, the integrated circuit package can be replaced when necessary. Most of time, replaceable integrated circuit package is used when the circuit board need to be upgraded, the integrated circuit package itself need to be replaced or in some cases that need expensive integrated circuit package device. The replaceable integrated circuit package device is used when one of the devices on circuit board is broken or need to be replaced but the rest of the components on the board still in good condition, the computer's CPU (Central Processing Unit) is a best example.
Please refer to FIG.
1
and
FIG. 2
, which showing a conventional replaceable integrated circuit device
10
in prior art. In prior art, an integrated circuit device
11
has pins
111
, and the circuit board
12
has a socket
13
with many pin holes
131
in order to connect each other in better electrical condition. There are two basic methods to seal down the integrated circuit device
11
, one is called lead frame and the other is ball grid array (BGA). In recent years, another method called flip chip BGA packaging is used more often in sealing high-numbered pins integrated circuit package.
FIG. 1
shows the basic components which comprising a integrated circuit chip
112
placed on one side of the substrate
113
by flip chip method. Several solders
114
are placed on the other side of the substrate
113
, which connecting the integrated circuit chip
112
and the substrate
113
. The other side of the integrated circuit chip
112
has a heat sink
115
. For the pins
111
is not hard enough, and it is easy to be broken during swap. And for the pins
111
is not easy to connect the solder
114
firmly, so, before being soldered to the solder
114
, it has to be placed on a interposer
116
with modeling technology. Doing so only enlarge the thickness of the integrated circuit device
11
, which against the trend of small-thin style in modern electronic industry.
In order to provide the function, the pins
111
of the integrated circuit device
11
will be placed. The socket
13
in prior art comprises a socket base
132
with a plurality of holes
131
soldered on the circuit board
12
, a sliding board
133
placed on the top of the socket base
132
which can slide linearly and a long levering bar
134
placed aside the socket base
132
to be used to move the sliding board
133
in a micro manner. Every hole
131
in the socket base
132
has metal clip slice for electrical conduction. In the bottom of the holes
131
, there are tiny tin balls for soldering purpose, which also providing the function of electrical conduction to the circuit board
12
. A bigger hole is placed on the corresponding location of sliding board
133
to the holes
131
, and by pushing down the long levering bar
134
rotating along with the axle
136
till reaching as horizontal level as the socket base
132
will move the sliding board in a small manner and make the pins
111
of the integrated circuit device
11
be held tightly in the holes
131
. When removing the integrated circuit device
11
, the long levering bar
134
will be move until reach the vertically position with the socket base
132
. However, the way of swap the integrated circuit device in prior art has many disadvantages as follows:
(1) Not easy to swap. The pins
111
are plural and tiny, and it is so easy to be damaged during swap.
(2) The pins
111
are easy to be bended and broken, when the pins
111
bended, the integrated circuit device
11
will not be used any more.
(3) The cost is relatively higher; the extra interposer
116
and the pins
111
should be placed on the integrated circuit device
11
and the complex socket
13
should be placed on the circuit board
12
; and that need more cost.
(4) The integrated circuit device
11
is thicker and heavier. Placing the extra interposer
116
and the pins
111
on the integrated circuit device
11
and the complex socket
13
on the circuit board
12
will increase the thickness and weight of the integrated circuit device
11
.
(5) The space occupied is bigger. The socket
13
needs extra space to hold the long levering bar
134
and the axle
136
.
(6) The electric capacity effect is higher. The pins
111
and the holes
131
placed between the integrated circuit chip
112
and the circuit board
12
, which increasing the so-called electric capacity effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a replaceable integrated circuit device. Especially, the present invention relates to a replaceable integrated circuit device which enable a electronic board and a integrated circuit package to connect each other without pin and socket, but still keep good electrical conduction and mechanical stability.
In one aspect of the present invention is that said invention provides a replaceable integrated circuit device which is not easy to be broken when swap, with relatively lower cost, thinner and lighter, less space occupied and better electrical effect.
In another aspect of the present invention is that said invention provides a replaceable integrated circuit device which replace the connecting socket, the interposer and the pins in prior art with plural solder balls on the bottom of the integrated circuit package connecting the corresponding pad on the circuit board to conduct electricity.
The third aspect of the present invention is that said invention provides a replaceable integrated circuit device which replace the sliding board, the long levering bar and the axel in prior art with a new buckle apparatus to connect the integrated circuit package and the circuit board.
In order to achieve the above purpose, the present invention is that said invention provides a replaceable integrated circuit device which replacing the connecting socket, the interposer and the pins in prior art with plural solder balls on the bottom of the integrated circuit package connecting the corresponding contact pad on the circuit board to conduct electricity. The contacting surface of the solder balls and the corresponding contact pad can be made as plane or as curve as possible to increase the contacting area to provide good electrical conduction and mechanical stability. More over, there are many buckling apparatus placed on the circuit board to buckle the integrated circuit package and the circuit board firmly and to provide the extra downward force to make the solder balls and the corresponding contact pad contact each other tightly. When removing the integrated circuit package from the circuit board, just release the buckling apparatus. With present invention, there are many advantages as follows, the integrated circuit package is easy to swap but not easy to be damaged for it has no pins with it, the manufacturing cost is lower, the thickness and the weight is relatively less and lower.
The appended drawings will provide further illustration of the present invention, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6507104 (2003-01-01), Ho et al.
patent: 2002/0046856 (2002-04-01), Alcoe
patent: 2003/0000739 (2003-01-01), Frutschy et al.
patent: 2003/0045028 (2003-
Ho Kwun-Yao
Moriss Kung
Tung Lin-Chou
Via Technologies Inc.
Williams Alexander Oscar
LandOfFree
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