US6153929A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Low profile multi-IC package connector
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1998-08-21
•
Granted: 2000-11-28
•
Expires: 2018-08-21
Abstract
Abstract A low profile multi-IC chip package for high speed application comprises a connector for electrically connecting the equivalent outer leads of a set of stacked primary semiconductor packages. In one embodiment, the connector comprises a two-part sheet of flexible insulative polymer with buses formed on one side. In another embodiment, the connector comprises multiple buses formed from conductive polymer. In further embodiments, the primary packages are stacked within a cage and have their outer leads in unattached contact with buses within the cage, or, alternatively, are directly fixed to leads or pads on the host circuit board.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter L. Moden
- 👤 Jerrold L. King
- 👤 Jerry M. Brooks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:54
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/18; H05K1/181; H10; H10W; H10W90/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/14; H05K1/145; H05K1/147; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/04; H05K2201/049; H05K2201/10; H05K2201/10431; H05K2201/10507; H05K2201/10515; H05K2201/10613; H05K2201/10621; H05K2201/10689; H10W70/00; H10W70/40; H10W70/60; H10W72/00; H10W72/801; H10W90/20; H10W90/288; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49126; Y10T29/4913; Y10T29/49169
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 68
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A multi-IC chip package, comprising: a substrate having at least one circuit thereon; a stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices, each device having opposed major surfaces with lateral edges therebetween and a plurality of outer leads extending from at least one lateral edge thereof; a case for partially enclosing and retaining said plurality of devices in a stack, said cage having at least one wall located adjacent an integrated circuit device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices, said cage including: a flexible member generally perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces of said integrated circuit devices of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices, said flexible member comprising a layer of material on an inner surface of a portion of said cage, a flexible member overlying said layer of material attached thereto, and at least one node on an interior of the at least one cage wall adjacent an integrated circuit device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices to retain at least one device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices in said cage, said at least one node comprising a removable polymeric adhesive fixing an integrated circuit device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices to said cage; and a conductive bus line formed on said flexible member, said bus line generally substantially perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices for electrical contact with an equivalent lead of each device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices and connected to said at least one circuit of said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A multi-IC chip package, comprising: a substrate having at least one circuit thereon; a stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices, each device having opposed major surfaces with lateral edges therebetween and a plurality of outer leads extending from at least one lateral edge thereof; a case for partially enclosing and retaining said plurality of devices in a stack, said cage having at least one wall located adjacent an integrated circuit device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices, said cage including: a flexible member generally perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces of said integrated circuit devices of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices, said flexible member comprising a layer of material on an inner surface of a portion of said cage, a flexible member overlying said layer of material attached thereto, and at least one node on an interior of the at least one cage wall adjacent an integrated circuit device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices to retain at least one device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices in said cage, said at least one node comprising a removable polymeric adhesive fixing an integrated circuit device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices to said cage; and a conductive bus line formed on said flexible member, said bus line generally substantially perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices for electrical contact with an equivalent lead of each device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices and connected to said at least one circuit of said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said conductive bus line includes a bus for operation at clock speeds of at least 400 MHZ.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said conductive bus line includes a bus for operation at clock speeds of at least 800 MHZ.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of adhesive layers joining adjacent opposed major surfaces of said plurality of devices to each other, and one of said major surfaces of said plurality of devices to said substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 4, wherein said devices are joined to each other and to said substrate by one of electrically non-conductive tape and adhesive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein at least one lead of the plurality of leads of an encapsulated integrated circuit device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices is soldered to said conductive bus line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein at least one lead of the plurality of leads of an encapsulated integrated circuit device of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit devices is conductively secured to said conductive bus line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a circuit board having at least one electrical lead formed thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said flexible member comprises a non-conductive polymer formed as a generally planar sheet with said conductive bus line joined to said generally planar sheet, said conductive bus line connected to said outer leads and having a portion thereof connectable to said substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 9, wherein said conductive bus line comprises a metal wire having a cross-section which is one of round, semi-round, and rectangular.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 9, wherein said conductive bus line comprises a metal wire having a cross-section including a projection for lockable attachment to said generally planar sheet with adhesive.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 9, wherein said conductive bus line comprises a metal wire having a projection configured for locking insertion into said generally planar sheet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 9, wherein said conductive bus line is joined to one planar surface of said generally planar sheet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 9, wherein said conductive bus terminal is joined to an electrical lead of said substrate by one of solder and conductive polymer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 9, wherein said non-conductive polymer of said generally planar sheet comprises polyimide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 9, wherein said generally planar sheet is formed as a semicontinuous tape comprising a flexible polymeric layer with a plurality of parallel conductive transverse buses formed on one side thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 9, wherein said conductive bus comprises conductive wire adhesively joined to said generally planar sheet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 4, wherein said plurality of devices comprises at least four devices.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said flexible member comprises said conductive bus line formed of conductive polymer on said plurality of devices to adhesively join said equivalent outer leads to each other and to said substrate for electrical contact therewith.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 19, wherein said conductive polymer comprises a metal-filled polymer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 19, wherein said conductive polymer comprises epoxy filled with silver particles.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 19, wherein said flexible conductive polymer comprises a doped organic polymer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 22, wherein said conductive polymer comprises one of doped polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene and polyaniline.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said cage comprises panels substantially perpendicular to a surface of said substrate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 24, wherein said panels include two coplanar panels separated by a gap, said coplanar panels contacting said stacked plurality of devices in compression.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said cage is configured to retain a stack of devices, each device having a plurality of leads extending from one of said lateral edges.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
54 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said plurality of leads of each device of said plurality of devices are bent to form compressible lead ends, whereby insertion of each device into said cage compresses said lead ends against said bus line to retain each device within the cage by compression and friction.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said cage is formed of one of metal, polymer, and ceramic.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, further comprising: at least one node on an interior cage wall adjacent a device of said plurality of devices to retain said plurality of devices in said cage.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said at least one node is a rib parallel to a major surface of a device of said plurality of devices.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said stacked plurality of devices comprised at least two devices.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said stacked plurality of devices comprises at least four devices.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 1, wherein said stacked plurality of devices comprises at least eight devices.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
233 words
A high-speed multi-IC chip package, comprising: a substrate having a plurality of circuits thereon; a stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages, each package having opposed major surfaces with lateral edges therebetween and a plurality of outer leads extending from at least one lateral edge thereof; a cage of connected members for partially enclosing and retaining said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages in a stack, said cage including: a layer of material on an inner surface of one of said connected members, a thin, flexible member overlying said layer of material and attached thereto, and at least one node on an interior of a connected member adjacent an integrated circuit package of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages to retain said package in said cage, said at least one node comprising a rib substantially parallel to a major surface of an integrated circuit package of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages, said rib comprising a removable polymeric adhesive fixing a package to said cage; and a conductive bus line formed on said thin, flexible member, said bus line generally perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages for electrical contact with said plurality of outer leads of each of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages and connectable to a circuit of said plurality of circuits of said substrate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
233 words
A high-speed multi-IC chip package, comprising: a substrate having a plurality of circuits thereon; a stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages, each package having opposed major surfaces with lateral edges therebetween and a plurality of outer leads extending from at least one lateral edge thereof; a cage of connected members for partially enclosing and retaining said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages in a stack, said cage including: a layer of material on an inner surface of one of said connected members, a thin, flexible member overlying said layer of material and attached thereto, and at least one node on an interior of a connected member adjacent an integrated circuit package of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages to retain said package in said cage, said at least one node comprising a rib substantially parallel to a major surface of an integrated circuit package of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages, said rib comprising a removable polymeric adhesive fixing a package to said cage; and a conductive bus line formed on said thin, flexible member, said bus line generally perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages for electrical contact with said plurality of outer leads of each of said stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages and connectable to a circuit of said plurality of circuits of said substrate.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
26 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said conductive bus line includes a bus for operation at clock speeds of at least 400 MHz.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said conductive bus line includes a bus for operation at clock speeds of at least 800 MHz.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
37 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, further comprising: a plurality of adhesive layers joining adjacent opposed major surfaces of said plurality of packages to each other, and one of said major surfaces to said substrate.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 37, wherein said plurality of packages are joined to each other and to the substrate by one of electrically non-conductive tape and adhesive.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
23 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said substrate comprises a circuit board having a plurality of electrical leads formed thereon.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
53 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said thin, flexible member comprises a non-conductive polymer formed as a generally planar sheet with said conductive bus line joined to said generally planar sheet, said conductive bus line joined to said plurality of outer leads and having a terminal joinable to said substrate.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
28 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 39, wherein said conductive bus line comprises a metal wire having a cross-section which is one of round, semi-round and rectangular.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
33 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 40, wherein said conductive bus line comprises a metal wire having a cross-section including a projection for lockable attachment to said generally planar sheet with adhesive.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
33 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 40, wherein said conductive bus line comprises a metal wire having a projection configured for locking insertion at an elevated temperature into said generally planar sheet.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
24 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 40, wherein said conductive bus line is joined to one planar surface of said generally planar sheet.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
36 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 40, wherein said conductive bus terminal is joined to at least one lead of said plurality of outer leads of said substrate by one of solder and conductive polymer.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
19 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 40, wherein said generally non-conductive polymer of said planar sheet comprises polyimide.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
38 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 40, wherein said generally planar sheet is formed as a semicontinuous tape comprising a flexible polymeric layer with a plurality of parallel, conductive, substantially transverse buses formed on one side thereof.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
22 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 40, wherein said conductive bus comprises conductive wire adhesively joined to said generally planar sheet.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
18 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 37, wherein said plurality of packages comprises at least four packages.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
51 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said thin, flexible member comprises said conductive bus line formed of conductive polymer on said plurality of packages to adhesively join said plurality of outer leads to each other and to said plurality of circuits of said substrate for electrical contact therewith.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
16 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 50, wherein said conductive polymer comprises a metal-filled polymer.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
18 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 50, wherein said conductive polymer comprises epoxy filled with silver particles.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
17 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 50, wherein said conductive polymer comprises a doped organic polymer.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
21 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 50, wherein said conductive polymer comprises one of doped polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene and polyaniline.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
21 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said cage comprises panels substantially perpendicular to a surface of said substrate.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
35 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said thin, flexible members forming said cage include two coplanar panels separated by a gap, said coplanar panels contacting said stacked plurality of packages in compression.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
34 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said cage is configured to retain a stack of said plurality of packages having outer leads extending from at least one of said lateral edges.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
49 words
The multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said outer leads of said plurality of packages are bent to form compressible lead ends, whereby insertion of each package into said cage compresses said lead ends against said bus line to retain each package within the cage by engagement therewith.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
20 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said cage is formed of one of metal, polymer, and ceramic.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
19 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said stacked plurality of packages comprises at least two packages.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
19 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said stacked plurality of packages comprises at least four packages.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
19 words
The high-speed multi-IC chip package of claim 34, wherein said stacked plurality of packages comprises at least eight packages.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
216 words
A high-speed multi-IC chip package, comprising: a substrate having a plurality of circuit thereon; a stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages, each package having opposed major surfaces with lateral edges therebetween and a plurality of outer leads extending from at least one lateral edge thereof; a cage of connected members for partially enclosing and retaining said plurality of packages in a stack; a flexible member generally perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces, said flexible member comprising a layer of material on an inner surface of one of said thin, flexible members and a thin, flexible member overlying said layer of material and attached thereto; a conductive bus line formed on said thin, flexible member, said bus line generally perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces of said plurality of packages for electrical contact with said plurality of outer leads of each of said plurality of packages and connectable to a circuit of said plurality of circuits of said substrate; and at least one node on an interior wall of said cage adjacent a package of said plurality of packages to retain said package in said cage, said at least one node comprising a rib substantially parallel to a major surface of said package, said rib comprising a removeable polymeric adhesive fixing said package to said cage.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
216 words
A high-speed multi-IC chip package, comprising: a substrate having a plurality of circuit thereon; a stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages, each package having opposed major surfaces with lateral edges therebetween and a plurality of outer leads extending from at least one lateral edge thereof; a cage of connected members for partially enclosing and retaining said plurality of packages in a stack; a flexible member generally perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces, said flexible member comprising a layer of material on an inner surface of one of said thin, flexible members and a thin, flexible member overlying said layer of material and attached thereto; a conductive bus line formed on said thin, flexible member, said bus line generally perpendicular to said opposed major surfaces of said plurality of packages for electrical contact with said plurality of outer leads of each of said plurality of packages and connectable to a circuit of said plurality of circuits of said substrate; and at least one node on an interior wall of said cage adjacent a package of said plurality of packages to retain said package in said cage, said at least one node comprising a rib substantially parallel to a major surface of said package, said rib comprising a removeable polymeric adhesive fixing said package to said cage.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
211 words
A high-speed multi-IC chip package, comprising: a substrate having a plurality of circuits thereon; a stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages, each package having opposed major surfaces with lateral edges therebetween and a plurality of outer leads extending from at least one lateral edge thereof; a cage of connected members for partially enclosing and retaining said plurality of packages in a stack; a flexible member generally perpendicular to said major surfaces, said flexible member comprising a layer of material on an inner surface of one of said members and a thin flexible member overlying said layer of material and attached thereto; a conductive bus line formed on said flexible member, said bus line generally perpendicular to said major surfaces of said plurality of packages for electrical contact with said plurality of outer leads of each of said plurality of packages and connectable to a circuit of said plurality of circuits of said substrate; and at least one node on an interior wall of said cage adjacent a package of said plurality of packages to retain said package in said cage, said at least one node comprising a rib substantially parallel to a major surface of said package, said rib comprising a removable polymeric adhesive fixing said package to said cage.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
211 words
A high-speed multi-IC chip package, comprising: a substrate having a plurality of circuits thereon; a stacked plurality of encapsulated integrated circuit packages, each package having opposed major surfaces with lateral edges therebetween and a plurality of outer leads extending from at least one lateral edge thereof; a cage of connected members for partially enclosing and retaining said plurality of packages in a stack; a flexible member generally perpendicular to said major surfaces, said flexible member comprising a layer of material on an inner surface of one of said members and a thin flexible member overlying said layer of material and attached thereto; a conductive bus line formed on said flexible member, said bus line generally perpendicular to said major surfaces of said plurality of packages for electrical contact with said plurality of outer leads of each of said plurality of packages and connectable to a circuit of said plurality of circuits of said substrate; and at least one node on an interior wall of said cage adjacent a package of said plurality of packages to retain said package in said cage, said at least one node comprising a rib substantially parallel to a major surface of said package, said rib comprising a removable polymeric adhesive fixing said package to said cage.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-28 | 2004-05-29 | 2004-11-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-28 | 2008-05-29 | 2008-11-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-28 | 2012-05-29 | 2012-11-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |