US4903889A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Connection to a component for use in an electronics assembly
Assignee: Raychem Corp
•
Filing: 1989-07-19
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Granted: 1990-02-27
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Expires: 2009-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A connection to a contact on an electronic component is made by means of a solder preform in the form of a columm, which comprises a solder body at least partially enclosed within a tubular support. The preform is positioned such that its longitudinal axis is approximately parallel to the plane of the contacts at the point at which it is connected thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 Leo G. Svendsen
- 👤 Rebecca A. Leary
- 👤 Gary I. Geschwind
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 10:47
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/341; H05K3/3431; H05K3/3436; B; B23; B23K; B23K35/00; B23K35/02; B23K35/0222; H10; H10W; H10W90/00; H10W90/401; H10W90/701; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/10; H05K2201/10227; H05K2201/10242; H05K2201/10424; H05K2201/10613; H05K2201/10621; H05K2201/10727; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/04; H05K2203/0415; H05K2203/043; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A component for use in an electronics assembly, comprising: (a) a contact; and (b) a solder preform in the form of a column, which comprises: (i) a solder body, and (ii) a tubular support, longitudinally and/or radially spaced apart portions of the wall or walls of the support that extend parallel to its longitudinal axis having apertures therein communicating between the interior and the exterior of the support, the solder of the body being enclosed at least partially within the support, the apertures being so arranged that when the solder within the support is molten, it is capable of remaining substantially within the support by virtue of its surface tension; the preform being connected to the contact by means of a solder connection such that the longitudinal axis of the preform is approximately parallel to the plane of the contact at the point at which the connection between the contact and the preform is made.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
A component for use in an electronics assembly, comprising: (a) a contact; and (b) a solder preform in the form of a column, which comprises: (i) a solder body, and (ii) a tubular support, longitudinally and/or radially spaced apart portions of the wall or walls of the support that extend parallel to its longitudinal axis having apertures therein communicating between the interior and the exterior of the support, the solder of the body being enclosed at least partially within the support, the apertures being so arranged that when the solder within the support is molten, it is capable of remaining substantially within the support by virtue of its surface tension; the preform being connected to the contact by means of a solder connection such that the longitudinal axis of the preform is approximately parallel to the plane of the contact at the point at which the connection between the contact and the preform is made.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A component as claimed in claim 1, in which the tubular support comprises a helically wound element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A component as claimed in claim 2, in which the element has a non-round cross-section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A component as claimed in claim 2, in which the element has a flattened cross-section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A component as claimed in claim 4, in which the element is a tape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A component as claimed in claim 1, in which the solder preform has a flattened cross-section so that it has a short transverse axis and a long transverse axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A component as claimed in claim 6, in which the preform is mounted on the contact so that its long transverse axis is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the contact at the point at which the connection between the contact and the preform is made.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A component as claimed in claim 6, in which the preform is mounted on the contact so that its long transverse axis is substantially parallel to the plane of the contact at the point at which the connection between the contact and the preform is made.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A component as claimed in claim 1, in which the length of the preform is less than about 7500 micrometers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A component as claimed in claim 9, in which the length of the preform is in the range of from about 250 micrometers to about 1250 micrometers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A component as claimed in claim 1, in which the transverse dimensions of the preform are less than about 700 micrometers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A component as claimed in claim 6, in which the shorter transverse dimension of the preform is in the range of from about 175 micrometers to about 300 micrometers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A component as claimed in claim 1, which is electrically and mechanically connected to another component of an electronics assembly by means of the solder of the solder preform.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
200 words
A method of making a connection to a component for use in an electronics assembly, comprising: (a) providing a first electronic component having a contact to which a connection is to be made, the contact bearing a layer of solder; (b) positioning on the contact a solder preform in the form of a column which comprises: (i) a solder body, and (ii) a tubular support, longitudinally and/or radially spaced apart portions of the wall or walls of the support that extend parallel to its longitudinal axis having apertures therein communicating between the interior and the exterior of the support, the solder of the body being enclosed at least partially within the support, the apertures being so arranged that when the solder within the support is molten, it is capable of remaining substantially within the support by virtue of its surface tension; the preform being positioned such that its longitudinal axis is approximately parallel to the plane of the contact at the point at which the connection between the contact and the preform is made; (c) applying heat to cause the layer of solder on the contact to melt and to wet the preform; and (d) allowing the solder to solidify.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
200 words
A method of making a connection to a component for use in an electronics assembly, comprising: (a) providing a first electronic component having a contact to which a connection is to be made, the contact bearing a layer of solder; (b) positioning on the contact a solder preform in the form of a column which comprises: (i) a solder body, and (ii) a tubular support, longitudinally and/or radially spaced apart portions of the wall or walls of the support that extend parallel to its longitudinal axis having apertures therein communicating between the interior and the exterior of the support, the solder of the body being enclosed at least partially within the support, the apertures being so arranged that when the solder within the support is molten, it is capable of remaining substantially within the support by virtue of its surface tension; the preform being positioned such that its longitudinal axis is approximately parallel to the plane of the contact at the point at which the connection between the contact and the preform is made; (c) applying heat to cause the layer of solder on the contact to melt and to wet the preform; and (d) allowing the solder to solidify.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 14, in which the tubular support comprises a helically wound element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 15, in which the element is a tape.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 14, in which the solder preform has a flattened cross-section.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method as claimed in claim 14, which includes the steps of: (a) providing a second electronic component having a contact to which a connection is to be made, the contact bearing a layer of solder; (b) positioning the second component so that its contact is in contact with the preform; (c) applying heat to cause the layer of solder to on the contact to melt and to wet the preform; and (d) allowing the solder to solidify.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 18, in which the connection between the preform and the first component is made before the connection between the preform and the second component.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of making a solder preform in the form of a column, which comprises: (a) at least partially enclosing a solder body within a tubular support, longitudinally and radially spaced apart portions of the wall or walls of the support that extend parallel to its longitudinal axis having apertures therein communicating between the interior and the exterior of the support, arranged so that when the solder within the support is molten, it is capable of remaining within the support by virtue of its surface tension; (b) flattening the preform transversely.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of making a solder preform in the form of a column, which comprises: (a) at least partially enclosing a solder body within a tubular support, longitudinally and radially spaced apart portions of the wall or walls of the support that extend parallel to its longitudinal axis having apertures therein communicating between the interior and the exterior of the support, arranged so that when the solder within the support is molten, it is capable of remaining within the support by virtue of its surface tension; (b) flattening the preform transversely.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 20, in which the preform is flattened by the application of pressure transversely thereto.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 20, in which the support comprises a helically wound element.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 22, which includes the step of forming the support by helically winding the element.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 23, in which the element is helically wound around the solder body.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 22, in which the element is a tape.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 20, in which the enclosing and flattening steps produce a long solder preform precursor, the method including the step of severing the precursor to form individual preforms.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 20, which includes the step of applying a layer of solder to the external surface of the support.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 20, which includes the step of heating the preform to cause the solder of the solder body to melt.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
140 words
A substantially planar array of solder preforms, each of at least some of which being in the form of a column, and comprising: (i) a solder body, and (ii) a tubular support, longitudinally and/or radially spaced apart portions of the wall or walls of the support that extend parallel to its longitudinal axis having apertures therein communicating between the interior and the exterior of the support, the solder body being enclosed at least partially within the support, and the apertures being so arranged that when the solder within the support is molten, it is capable of remaining substantially within the support by virtue of its surface tension; and in which the longitudinal axis of each of at least some of the preforms being approximately parallel to the plane of the array at the point at which it is mounted therein.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
140 words
A substantially planar array of solder preforms, each of at least some of which being in the form of a column, and comprising: (i) a solder body, and (ii) a tubular support, longitudinally and/or radially spaced apart portions of the wall or walls of the support that extend parallel to its longitudinal axis having apertures therein communicating between the interior and the exterior of the support, the solder body being enclosed at least partially within the support, and the apertures being so arranged that when the solder within the support is molten, it is capable of remaining substantially within the support by virtue of its surface tension; and in which the longitudinal axis of each of at least some of the preforms being approximately parallel to the plane of the array at the point at which it is mounted therein.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
An array as claimed in claim 29, in which the preforms are mounted in or on a holder.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
An array as claimed in claim 30, in which the preforms are mounted releasably in or on the holder.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
An array as claimed in claim 30, in which the preforms are retained in or on the holder by means of an adhesive.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
An array as claimed in claim 30, in which the preforms are retained in the holder by being a friction fit therein.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
An array as claimed in claim 29, in which the preforms are mounted on respective contacts on the surface of an electronic component.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
An array as claimed in claim 29, in which at least some of the preforms have a short transverse axis and a long transverse axis.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
46 words
An array as claimed in claim 35, in which each of at least some of the preforms is mounted in the array so that its long transverse axis is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the array at the point at which it is mounted therein.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
46 words
An array as claimed in claim 35, in which each of at least some of the preforms is mounted in the array so that its long transverse axis is substantially parallel to the plane of the array at the point at which it is mounted therein.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
An array as claimed in claim 29, in which the tubular support comprises a helically wound element.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
An array as claimed in claim 38, in which the element has a flattened cross-section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-02-26 | 1993-08-28 | 1994-02-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-02-26 | 1997-08-28 | 1998-02-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-02-26 | 2001-08-28 | 2002-02-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |