US5017738A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Connecting apparatus
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1990-02-22
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Granted: 1991-05-21
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Expires: 2010-02-22
Abstract
Abstract A connecting apparatus wherein a porous silver plating layers are provided on surface pads of a printed circuit board and on a surface of a contact provided on the pads of a mother board. The plating layers are respectively impregnated with tin-zinc alloy and gallium. The electrical connection is established between the pads of the printed circuit board and the pads of the mother board through a liquid alloy by placing the plating layers in contact with each other. For the first printed circuit board having the pads and spacer, the gallium particles are adhered to the pads, while solder is temporarily adhered to the spacer. For the second printed circuit board having the pads and the connecting pads, tin or indium layer is provided on the surface of the pads, then the spacer of the first printed circuit board is positioned and fixed to the connecting pad of the second printed circuit board. Thus, electrical connection can be formed by way of the contact of gallium-tin or gallium-indium liquid alloy between the pads of both the printed circuit boards.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroki Tsuji
- 👤 Kyoichiro Kawano
- 👤 Teruo Murase
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:43
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/22; H05K3/24; H05K3/244; H01; H01R; H01R4/00; H01R4/02; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/346; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/01; H05K2201/0104; H05K2201/0116; H05K2201/03; H05K2201/0332; H05K2201/0364; H05K2201/0373; H05K2201/20; H05K2201/2036; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/07; H05K2203/0703; H05K2203/0723; H05K3/341; H05K3/3431; H05K3/36; H05K3/40; H05K3/4007; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12493; Y10T428/12681
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A connecting apparatus for electrically connecting a first object and a second object, said first object and second object being opposed to each other, said connecting apparatus, comprising: a first metal having a first melting point provided on said first object; a second metal having a second melting point provided on said second object, wherein said second metal, when in contact with said first metal, generates an alloy having a third melting point solely at contact points of said first and second metals, and wherein said third melting point is lower than said first and second melting points; a first porous metal layer impregnated with said first metal; and a second porous metal layer, opposed to said first porous metal layer, impregnated with said second metal, wherein said first and second metal layers are selected from the group consisting of silver, nickel and palladium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
A connecting apparatus for electrically connecting a first object and a second object, said first object and second object being opposed to each other, said connecting apparatus, comprising: a first metal having a first melting point provided on said first object; a second metal having a second melting point provided on said second object, wherein said second metal, when in contact with said first metal, generates an alloy having a third melting point solely at contact points of said first and second metals, and wherein said third melting point is lower than said first and second melting points; a first porous metal layer impregnated with said first metal; and a second porous metal layer, opposed to said first porous metal layer, impregnated with said second metal, wherein said first and second metal layers are selected from the group consisting of silver, nickel and palladium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The connecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of first pads provided on said first object for mounting said first metal on said first pads; and a plurality of second pads provided on said second object corresponding to said first pads for mounting said second metal on said second pads, an electrical connection being established between corresponding first and second pads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The connecting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a spring means provided on said second pads for causing said second metal to be in contact with said first metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The connecting apparatus according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said second metal impregnated into said second porous metal layer is selected from the group, being of low melting point metals, consisting of gallium, gallium-indium alloy, gallium-indium-tin, and wherein said first metal impregnated into said first porous metal layer is tin-zinc alloy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The connecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second metals are in the solid state at room temperature, and wherein said alloy generated when said second metal is placed in contact with said first metal is in the liquid state at room temperature.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The connecting apparatus according to claims 2 or 5, wherein said first metal provided on said first pads is gallium, and wherein said second metal provided on said second pads is selected from the group consisting of indium and tin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The connecting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a connecting pad provided at a predetermined position on said second object; and a spacer provided at a predetermined position on said first object, said spaoer being positioned and fixed on said conneoting pad when said first object and said second object become connected.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3622944A
Cited
US4538876A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-05-20 | 1994-11-19 | 1995-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-20 | 1998-11-19 | 1999-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-20 | 2002-11-19 | 2003-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |