A method of making a micromodular package

Claim 1

The method of making a micromodular package having a housing enclosing a space containing a plurality of electrical components, said method including the steps of: forming a base with a side wall extending therearound to at least partially define a space, providing a metal rim on said side wall so as to surround said space, placing said electrical components in said space, placing a cover having a metal frame on said side walls so that the metal frame will rest on the metal rim, providing solder and soldering said frame to said rim by heating said frame to between 200*C and 400*C, and maintaining the temperature of said base below a predetermined level during the interval said frame is soldered to said rim so as to maintain the temperature of said components below a predetermined temperature.

Claim 2

The method of making a micromodular package having a housing enclosing a space containing a plurality of electrical components, said method including the steps of: forming a base with a side wall extending therearound to at least partially define a space, providing a metal rim on said side wall so as to surround said space, placing said electrical components in said space, placing a cover having a metal frame on said side walls so that the metal frame will rest on the metal rim, providing solder and soldering said frame to said rim by heating said frame to between 200*C and 400*C, and maintaining the temperature of said base below a predetermined level during the interval said frame is soldered to said rim so as to maintain the temperature of said components below a predetermined temperature.

Claim 3

The method of making a micromodular package having a housing enclosing a space containing a plurality of electrical components, said method including the steps of: forming a base with a side wall extending therearound to at least partially define a space, providing a metal rim on said side wall so as to surround said space, placing said electrical components in said space, placing a solder preform on said rim, placing a cover having a metal frame on said side walls so that the metal frame will rest on the solder preform, soldering said frame to said rim by heating said frame to a temperature between 200*C and 400*C until said solder melts and flows between the rim and frame, and maintaining the temperature of said base and the center of said cover below a predetermined level while said solder is being melted to thereby maintain the temperature of said components below said critical temperature.

Claim 4

The method of making a micromodular package having a housing enclosing a space containing a plurality of electrical components, said method including the steps of: forming a base with a side wall extending therearound to at least partially define a space, providing a metal rim on said side wall so as to surround said space, placing said electrical components in said space, placing a solder preform on said rim, placing a cover having a metal frame on said side walls so that the metal frame will rest on the solder preform, soldering said frame to said rim by heating said frame to a temperature between 200*C and 400*C until said solder melts and flows between the rim and frame, and maintaining the temperature of said base and the center of said cover below a predetermined level while said solder is being melted to thereby maintain the temperature of said components below said critical temperature.

Claim 5

The method of making a micromodular package having a housing enclosing a space containing a plurality of electrical components, said method including the steps of: forming a first portion of the housing having a base and an integral side wall extending therearound so as to at least partially define said space, providing a metal rim on said side wall, providing a plurality of electrical leads through the side walls with the inner ends of the leads being disposed in said space, forming a second portion of the housing including a cover having a transparent center pane and a metal frame extending around the periphery of the pane, positioning an electrical circuit in the space and interconnecting the circuit with the inner ends of said leads, preheating the first and second portions to an intermediate temperature that will drive gases therefrom, placing said cover on the first portion with said frame resting on said metal rim and said transparent pAne being disposed over said space, providing solder and applying heat to said frame so as to raise the temperature of said frame and the portion of the side wall adjacent the frame to between 200*C and 400*C to cause the solder to flow and to hermetically bond said frame to said side walls.

Claim 6

The method of making a micromodular package having a housing enclosing a space containing a plurality of electrical components, said method including the steps of: forming a first portion of the housing having a base and an integral side wall extending therearound so as to at least partially define said space, providing a metal rim on said side wall, providing a plurality of electrical leads through the side walls with the inner ends of the leads being disposed in said space, forming a second portion of the housing including a cover having a transparent center pane and a metal frame extending around the periphery of the pane, positioning an electrical circuit in the space and interconnecting the circuit with the inner ends of said leads, preheating the first and second portions to an intermediate temperature that will drive gases therefrom, placing said cover on the first portion with said frame resting on said metal rim and said transparent pAne being disposed over said space, providing solder and applying heat to said frame so as to raise the temperature of said frame and the portion of the side wall adjacent the frame to between 200*C and 400*C to cause the solder to flow and to hermetically bond said frame to said side walls.

Claim 7

The method of making a micromodular package having a housing enclosing a space containing a plurality of electrical components, said method including the steps of: forming a first portion of the housing having a base and an integral side wall extending therearound so as to at least partially define said space, providing a metal rim around said side wall so as to surround said space, providing a plurality of electrical leads through the side walls with the inner ends of the leads being disposed in said space, forming a second portion of the housing including a cover having a transparent center pane and a metal frame extending around the periphery of the pane, positioning an electrical circuit in the space and interconnecting the circuit with the inner ends of said leads, placing a solder preform on said rim, placing said cover on said side walls with said frame resting on said solder preform with the transparent pane being disposed over said space and aligned with said circuit, applying heat to said fame so as to raise the temperature of said frame, rim and the solder preform to a temperature between 200*C and 400*C wherein until the solder melts and flows between the frame and rim so as to solder the frame to the rim, and visually inspecting the circuit sealed in said space by viewing through the transparent pane.

Claim 8

The method of making a micromodular package having a housing enclosing a space containing a plurality of electrical components, said method including the steps of: forming a first portion of the housing having a base and an integral side wall extending therearound so as to at least partially define said space, providing a metal rim around said side wall so as to surround said space, providing a plurality of electrical leads through the side walls with the inner ends of the leads being disposed in said space, forming a second portion of the housing including a cover having a transparent center pane and a metal frame extending around the periphery of the pane, positioning an electrical circuit in the space and interconnecting the circuit with the inner ends of said leads, placing a solder preform on said rim, placing said cover on said side walls with said frame resting on said solder preform with the transparent pane being disposed over said space and aligned with said circuit, applying heat to said fame so as to raise the temperature of said frame, rim and the solder preform to a temperature between 200*C and 400*C wherein until the solder melts and flows between the frame and rim so as to solder the frame to the rim, and visually inspecting the circuit sealed in said space by viewing through the transparent pane.

Claim 9

The method of making a micromodular semiconductor package containing a plurality of semiconductive devices interconnected in an electrical circuitry, said method including the steps of: 1 forming a first integral structure having a substantially plane base and a side wall that extends around the periphery of said base and at least partially defining a space, providing a plurality of electrical leads through the side walls with the inner ends of the leads being disposed in said space, providing a substantially planar metal rim on said side that surrounds the space, positioning an electrical circuit in the space and interconnecting the circuit with the inner ends of said leads, providing a metal frame having an opening in the center thereof and a shape substantially identical to the shape of said rim, fusing a transparent pane into said center opening to form an hermetic seal therebetween, placing said frame on said side wall with said transparent pane registering with said space and exposing said circuit to view, preheating the first structure, frame and pane to an intermediate temperature, providing solder and applying heat only to said frame so as to raise the temperature of the frame and side walls to between 200*C and 400*C to solder the frame to the side walls, and maintaining the temperature of the base below a predetermined level while the heat is being applied to the frame so as to maintain the temperatures of said components below a predetermined level.

Claim 10

The method of making a micromodular semiconductor package containing a plurality of semiconductive devices interconnected in an electrical circuitry, said method including the steps of: 1 forming a first integral structure having a substantially plane base and a side wall that extends around the periphery of said base and at least partially defining a space, providing a plurality of electrical leads through the side walls with the inner ends of the leads being disposed in said space, providing a substantially planar metal rim on said side that surrounds the space, positioning an electrical circuit in the space and interconnecting the circuit with the inner ends of said leads, providing a metal frame having an opening in the center thereof and a shape substantially identical to the shape of said rim, fusing a transparent pane into said center opening to form an hermetic seal therebetween, placing said frame on said side wall with said transparent pane registering with said space and exposing said circuit to view, preheating the first structure, frame and pane to an intermediate temperature, providing solder and applying heat only to said frame so as to raise the temperature of the frame and side walls to between 200*C and 400*C to solder the frame to the side walls, and maintaining the temperature of the base below a predetermined level while the heat is being applied to the frame so as to maintain the temperatures of said components below a predetermined level.