Importance

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Abstract

A wedge connector for integrated circuits comprises tapered fingers of conductive metal separated by an insulator. The tapered fingers are wedge-shaped, in that they are thinnest at their tips, so that they may more easily enter the space between adjacent legs of an integrated circuit (IC). A row of wedges is assembled, and spaced apart to interdigitate with the legs of the IC. The IC legs have sides that face each other along the direction of the row, and that are separated by the amount of the inter-leg spacing. The tapered fingers or wedges penetrate into the inter-leg space and contact the facing sides of the IC legs. Thus, the left-hand side of a wedge entering a particular inter-leg space will come into electrical contact with the right-hand side of the IC leg on the left of that inter-leg space, and the right-hand side of that wedge will come into electrical contact with left-hand side of the IC leg on the right of that inter-leg space. As the depth of penetration is increased the thicker parts of the wedge enter the inter-wedge space, filling it completely and causing good wiping action and firm contact pressure between the sides of the IC legs and the sides of the wedges. Within the row of wedges, the left-hand side of each wedge is electrically connected to the right-hand side of its neighboring wedge on the right, which, by implication means that the right-hand side of each wedge is also electrically connected to the left-hand side of its neighboring wedge to the right. To increase wedge compliance air gaps are provided between those portions of wedge internal layers of material that correspond to the tapered portions of the wedge. Correct initial interdigitation is improved by beveling the ends of the conductive surfaces at the tips of the wedges. Bridging of the conductive surfaces by solder debris accumulation at the tip of the wedge is eliminated by a center piece of insulating material at the central core of the wedge extending beyond the tapered end of the wedge by a small amount. The beveling also assists by reducing the amount of solder accumulated to begin with.

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First Claim