Pressurized electrical contact system

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus and associated method to establish and maintain an electrical connection between electrical contacts.

2. Related Art

Establishing and maintaining an electrical connection between electrical contacts typically requires a complicated mechanical system of levers and springs. Such complicated systems may result in electrical connections that are unreliable. Thus there is a need for a simplified apparatus and method to establish and maintain a reliable electrical connection between electrical contacts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus, comprising:

a fixture; and

a bladder held within the fixture, wherein the bladder is adapted to be pressurized such that the pressurized bladder applies a force that establishes and maintains an electrical connection between a first contact pad and a second contact pad.

The present invention provides a method for creating an electrical connection, comprising:

providing a fixture; and

pressurizing a bladder held within the fixture, wherein the pressurized bladder applies a force that establishes and maintains an electrical connection between a first contact pad and a second contact pad.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

depicts an exploded view of an apparatus using a pressurizing device to pressurize a bladder that will apply a force to a plurality of contacts, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2

depicts an exploded view of an apparatus using a mechanical device to pressurize a bladder that will apply a force to a plurality of contacts, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3

depicts a cross sectional view of a bladder that will apply a force to a contact button that is integral with the bladder, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention

FIG. 4

depicts a cross sectional view of a bladder that will apply a force to a contact button, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5

depicts a cross sectional view of a bladder that will apply a force to a contact button that is integral with the bladder and uses a retainer plate to hold the contact button in place, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6

depicts a cross sectional view of a bladder that will apply a force to a contact button and uses a retainer plate to hold the contact button in place, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7

depicts a cross sectional view of a bladder that will apply a force to a substrate, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1

illustrates an exploded view of an apparatus

26

using an external pressurizing device

56

to pressurize a bladder

2

that will apply a force to a plurality of contact buttons

50

, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The bladder

2

may be enclosed within a fixture

1

. The bladder

2

is pressurized with a fluid (e.g., a pneumatic substance or hydraulic substance) such that the bladder

2

exerts a force in a direction

25

on a contact button

14

or on a plurality of contact buttons

50

. The contact button

14

will establish and maintain an electrical connection between a first contact pad

8

and a second contact pad

10

(i.e., shown in FIG.

5

). The plurality of contact buttons

50

will establish and maintain electrical connections between a plurality of electrical contacts. The bladder

2

may establish and maintain an electrical connection between a first contact pad

8

and a second contact pad

10

without the use of the contact button

14

(i.e., shown in FIG.

7

). The first contact pad

8

may be placed on a first substrate

5

and the second contact pad

10

may placed on a second substrate

15

(shown in

FIG. 5

) or the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

may be placed on a same substrate. The contact button

14

may be used in an electrical conductor between the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

(i.e., shown in FIG.

3

). The first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

each comprise a mating surface. A mating surface is described herein as a surface on a contact pad (e.g., the first contact pad

8

) that makes an electrical connection to another contact pad (e.g., the second contact pad

10

) or a contact button (e.g., the contact button

14

). The mating surface of the first contact pad

8

may be planer. The mating surface of the second contact pad

10

may be planer. The contact button

14

may activate a switch that is electrically coupled between the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

. The first contact pad

8

may be coupled to a first electrical component (e.g., a semiconductor chip) and the second contact pad

10

may be coupled to a second electrical component (e.g., an electrical resistor). The plurality of contact buttons

50

may be at different levels within a range of about loss than or equal to 6 mils, with respect to the direction

25

. The contact button

14

may be integral with the bladder

2

(i.e., shown in

FIG. 2

) or the contact button

14

may be held in place by a retainer plate

38

with a via

48

that will allow the contact button

14

to move in the direction

25

and opposite to the direction

25

. The place

38

may be the first substrate

5

(shown in FIG.

4

). The first substrate

5

and the second substrate

15

may each include, inter alia, a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit. An external pressurizing device

56

may be used to pressurize the bladder

2

. The external pressurizing device

56

may be a pneumatic device that uses a pneumatic substance such as, inter alia, air or other gas. The pneumatic substance will enter the bladder

2

through a port

40

and may exit through a port

41

so that a constant flow is established. The pneumatic substance may be thermally conductive, thereby providing a heat sink for the electrical connections. The external pressurizing device

56

may alternatively be a hydraulic device

57

that uses a hydraulic substance such as, inter alia, water or oil. The hydraulic substance will enter the bladder

2

through a port

40

and may exit through a port

41

so that a constant flow is established. The hydraulic substance may be thermally conductive, thereby providing a heat sink for the electrical connections. The bladder

2

is not limited to any specific shape and may include a variety of geometrical shapes (e.g., circle, square, rectangle etc.). A substrate

60

is used as a stiffener that may be placed below the second substrate

15

to provide support for the apparatus

26

. The substrate

60

may comprise, inter alia, metal or plastic.

FIG. 2

illustrates an exploded view of a variant of the apparatus

26

of

FIG. 1

using a mechanical device to pressurize a bladder

2

that will apply a force to a plurality of contact buttons

14

, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. A pressure bar

12

, which embodies the mechanical device, is placed on a side

19

of the bladder

2

and a fixture

1

is placed over the pressure bar

12

and the bladder

2

. The bladder

2

contains a liquid or gas substance such that the bladder

2

is less than fully pressurized. The bladder

2

is fully pressurized by turning a drive mechanism

35

into a threaded opening in the fixture

1

, wherein the pressure bar

12

is forced down (i.e. in a direction

25

) on to the bladder

2

. The bladder

2

exerts a force in the direction

25

on a contact button

14

or on a plurality of contact buttons

50

. The contact button

14

will establish and maintain an electrical connection between a first contact pad

8

and a second contact pad

10

(i.e., shown in FIG.

5

). The plurality of contact buttons

50

will establish and maintain electrical connections between a plurality of electrical contacts. The bladder

2

may establish and maintain an electrical connection between a first contact pad

8

and a second contact pad

10

without the use of the contact button

14

(i.e., shown in FIG.

7

). The first contact pad

8

may be placed on a first substrate

5

and the second contact pad

10

may placed on a second substrate

15

(shown in

FIG. 5

) or the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

may be placed on a same substrate. The contact button

14

may be used as an electrical conductor between the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

(i.e., shown in FIG.

3

). The contact button

14

may activate a switch that is electrically coupled between the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

. The first contact pad

8

may be coupled to a first electrical component (e.g., a semiconductor chip) and the second contact pad

10

may be coupled to a second electrical component (e.g., an electrical resistor). The plurality of contact buttons

50

may be at different levels within a range of about less than or equal to 6 mils, with respect to the direction

25

. The contact button

14

may be integral with the bladder

2

as shown or the contact button

14

may be held in place by a retainer plate

38

with a via

48

(see

FIG. 1

) that will allow the contact button

14

to move in the direction

25

and opposite to the direction

25

. The plate

38

may be the first substrate

5

(i.e., as shown in FIG.

4

). The first substrate

5

and the second substrate

15

may each include, inter alia, a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit. The bladder

2

is not limited to any specific shape and may include a variety of geometrical shapes (e.g., circle, square, rectangle etc.). A substrate

60

is used as a stiffener that may be placed below the second substrate

15

to provide support for the apparatus

26

. The substrate

60

may comprise, inter alia, metal or plastic.

FIG. 3

illustrates a cross sectional view of a bladder

2

that will apply a force to a contact button

14

that is integral with the bladder

2

, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The bladder

2

may be pressurized by using a mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic device. The bladder

2

is pressurized, exerting a force in a direction

25

on a contact button

14

or on a plurality of contact buttons. A membrane

7

that is integral with the bladder

2

may be used between the bladder

2

and the contact button

14

. The contact button

14

will establish and maintain an electrical connection between a first contact pad

8

and a second contact pad

10

. Similarly, the plurality of contact buttons

50

(see

FIG. 1

) will establish and maintain electrical connections between a plurality of electrical contacts. The first contact pad

8

may be placed on a first substrate

5

that is integral with the membrane

7

and the bladder

2

and therefore the first substrate

5

will hold the contact button

14

in place. The second contact pad

10

may placed on a second substrate

15

. Alternatively the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

may be placed on a same substrate. The contact button

14

may be used as an electrical conductor between the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

. The contact button

14

may activate a switch that is electrically coupled between the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

. The first contact pad

8

may be coupled to a first electrical component (e.g., a semiconductor chip) and the second contact pad

10

may be coupled to a second electrical component (e.g., an electrical resistor). The plurality of contact buttons may be at different levels within a range of about less than or equal to 6 mils, with respect to the direction

25

. The mating surface of the contact pad

8

and the contact pad

10

may comprise a dendritic interface

22

(i.e., as shown in FIG.

7

). The first substrate

5

and the second substrate

15

may each include, inter alia, a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit. The bladder

2

is not limited to any specific shape and may include a variety of geometrical shapes (e.g., circle, square, rectangle etc.). A substrate

60

is used as a stiffener that may be placed below the second substrate

15

to provide support for the apparatus

26

. The substrate

60

may comprise, inter alia, metal or plastic.

FIG. 4

illustrates a variation of

FIG. 3

showing a cross sectional view of a bladder

2

that will apply a force to a contact button

14

, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In contrast with

FIG. 3

the contact button

14

and a first substrate

5

are not integral with the bladder

2

. A membrane

7

that is integral with the bladder

2

may be used between the bladder

2

and the contact button

14

but in contrast with

FIG. 3

, the membrane

7

is not integral with the first substrate

5

.

FIG. 5

illustrates a variation of

FIG. 3

showing a cross sectional view of a bladder

2

that will apply a force to a contact button

14

that is integral with the bladder

2

, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. A first side

18

of the contact button

14

may have an area that is greater than an area on a second side

19

of the contact button

14

. The bladder

2

will apply a pressure to the first side

18

of the contact button

14

. The pressure applied to the first side

18

of the contact button

14

will be transferred to the second side

19

of the contact button as a concentrated load on the smaller area on the second side

19

of the contact button

14

, thereby creating a larger pressure on the second side

19

of the contact button

14

than is applied to the front side

18

of the contact button

14

. A similar increase in pressure applies likewise to the contact button

14

in each of the

FIGS. 1-7

, as discussed infra. In contrast with

FIG. 3

, a first substrate

5

is not integral with the bladder

2

making the first substrate

5

an individual component. A membrane

7

that is integral with the bladder

2

may be used between the bladder

2

and the contact button

14

but in contrast with

FIG. 3

, a retainer plate

38

that is integral with the membrane

7

is used to hold the contact button

14

in place.

FIG. 6

illustrates a variation of

FIG. 3

showing a cross sectional view of a bladder

2

that will apply a force to a contact button

14

, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In contrast with

FIG. 3

, the contact button

14

and a first substrate

5

are not integral with the bladder

2

and an individual retainer plate

38

is used. A membrane

7

that is integral with the bladder

2

may be used between the bladder

2

and the contact button

14

but in contrast to

FIG. 3

the membrane

7

is not integral with the first substrate

5

.

FIG. 7

illustrates a cross sectional view of a bladder

2

that will apply a force to a first substrate

5

, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The bladder

2

may be pressurized by using a mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic device. The bladder

2

is pressurized, exerting a force in a direction

25

upon the first substrate

5

. The first substrate

5

applies a force in the direction

25

upon a first contact pad

8

and thus the substrate

5

will establish and maintain an electrical connection between the first contact pad

8

and a second contact pad

10

. The substrate

5

may be used to establish and maintain electrical connections between a plurality of electrical contacts. The first contact pad

8

may be placed on the first substrate

5

and the second contact pad

10

may placed on a second substrate

15

, or the first contact pad

8

and the second contact pad

10

may be placed on a same substrate. The mating surface of the contact pad

8

and the contact pad

10

may comprise a dendritic interface

22

. The first contact pad

8

may be coupled to a first electrical component (e.g., a semiconductor chip) and the second contact pad

10

may be coupled to a second electrical component (e.g., an electrical resistor). A plurality of first contact pads

8

may be at different levels within a range of about less than or equal to 6 mils, with respect to the direction

25

. A membrane

7

may be used between the bladder

2

and the substrate

5

. The first substrate

5

and the second substrate

15

may include, inter alia, a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit. The bladder

2

is not limited to any specific shape and may include a variety of geometrical shapes (e.g., circle, square, rectangle etc.). A substrate

60

may be used as a stiffener that may be placed in contact with the second substrate

15

to provide support for the apparatus

26

. The substrate

60

may comprise, inter alia, metal or plastic.

While embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.