Method and Apparatus for Electrically Connecting Two Substrates Using a Resilient Wire Bundle Captured in an Aperture of an Interposer by a Retention Member

Abstract

A method and apparatus for electrically connecting two substrates using resilient wire bundles captured in apertures of an interposer by a retention film. The interposer comprises an electrically non-conductive carrier having two surfaces and apertures extending from surface to surface. A resilient wire bundle is disposed in each aperture. An electrically non-conductive retention film is associated with one or both surfaces of the carrier and has an orifice overlying each aperture. The width of each orifice is smaller than that of the underlying aperture to thereby enhance retention of the resilient wire bundle within the aperture. Pin contacts of one or both of the substrates make electrical contact with the resilient wire bundles by extending through the orifices of the retention film and partially through the apertures. In one embodiment, the interposer is a land grid array (LGA) connector that connects an electronic module and a printed circuit board (PCB).

1 . A method for mounting and interconnecting an electronic module to a printed circuit board, comprising the steps of: 
 providing an electronic module having a plurality of pin contacts on a surface thereof;    providing a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of contacts on a surface thereof;    providing an interposer, wherein the interposer includes 
 an electrically non-conductive carrier having a first surface and a second surface, and a plurality of apertures extending from the first surface to the second surface,  
 an electrically non-conductive retention film associated with the first surface of the carrier and having a plurality of orifices each overlying one of the apertures of the carrier, wherein each orifice of the retention film has a width smaller than that of the underlying aperture of the carrier, and  
 a plurality of resilient wire bundles each disposed in one of the apertures of the carrier;  
   providing a clamping mechanism;    aligning the electronic module, interposer and PCB so that the apertures of the carrier are positioned above the contacts of the PCB and below the pin contacts of the electronic module;    actuating the clamping mechanism to apply a force that urges the electronic module and the PCB toward each other with the interposer aligned therebetween so that the pin contacts of the electronic module make electrical contact with the resilient wire bundles by extending through the orifices of the retention film and partially through the apertures of the carrier and so that the contacts of the PCB make electrical contact with the resilient wire bundles.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the interposer comprises the steps of: 
 inserting the resilient wire bundles in the apertures of the carrier;    aligning the carrier and the retention film so that the apertures of the carrier are positioned below the orifices of the retention film;    attaching the retention film to the first surface of the carrier.    
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the retention film comprises a polyimide film.  
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pin contacts of the electronic module and the orifices of the retention film are dimensioned for a slight interference fit so that upon withdrawal of the pin contacts from the apertures of the carrier during disassembly, the retention film acts to scrape snagged strands of the resilient wire bundles off the pin contacts.  
   
   
       5 . A method for assembling an interposer, comprising the steps of: 
 providing an electrically non-conductive carrier having a first surface and a second surface, and a plurality of apertures extending from the first surface to the second surface;    providing an electrically non-conductive first retention member having a plurality of orifices each positioned for registration with a corresponding one of the apertures of the carrier, wherein each orifice of the first retention member has a width smaller than that of the corresponding aperture of the carrier;    aligning the first retention member over the first surface of the carrier so that the orifices of the first retention member are positioned above the apertures of the carrier;    attaching the first retention member to the first surface of the carrier after the step of aligning the first retention member over the first surface of the carrier;    inserting resilient wire bundles into the apertures of the carrier.    
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the first retention member comprises a thin polymer film.  
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the first retention member comprises a polyimide film.  
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing an electrically non-conductive second retention member having a plurality of orifices each positioned for registration with a corresponding one of the apertures of the carrier, wherein each orifice of the second retention member has a width smaller than that of the corresponding aperture of the carrier;    aligning the second retention member over the second surface of the carrier so that the orifices of the second retention member are positioned above the apertures of the carrier, wherein the step of aligning the second retention member over second surface of the carrier occurs after the step of inserting resilient wire bundles into the apertures of the carrier;    attaching the second retention member to the second surface of the carrier after the step of aligning the second retention member over the second surface of the carrier.    
   
   
       9 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the carrier includes a stop member projecting from the first surface thereof and wherein the step of aligning the first retention member over the first surface of the carrier includes the step of inserting the stop member of the carrier through a hole in the first retention member.  
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of contacts each positioned for registration with a corresponding one of the apertures of the carrier;    positioning the PCB under the second surface of the carrier and aligning the PCB and the carrier so that the contacts of the PCB are position below the apertures of the carrier and so that the contacts of the PCB make electrical contact with the resilient wire bundles.    
   
   
       11 . A method for assembling an interposer, comprising the steps of: 
 providing an electrically non-conductive carrier having a first surface and a second surface, and a plurality of apertures extending from the first surface to the second surface;    providing an electrically non-conductive first retention member comprising a thin polymer film having a plurality of orifices each positioned for registration with a corresponding one of the apertures of the carrier, wherein each orifice of the first retention member has a width smaller than that of the corresponding aperture of the carrier;    aligning the first retention member over the first surface of the carrier so that the orifices of the first retention member are positioned above the apertures of the carrier;    attaching the first retention member to the first surface of the carrier after the step of aligning the first retention member over the first surface of the carrier;    inserting resilient wire bundles into the apertures of the carrier.    
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first retention member comprises a polyimide film.  
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing an electrically non-conductive second retention member comprising a thin polymer film having a plurality of orifices each positioned for registration with a corresponding one of the apertures of the carrier, wherein each orifice of the second retention member has a width smaller than that of the corresponding aperture of the carrier;    aligning the second retention member over the second surface of the carrier so that the orifices of the second retention member are positioned above the apertures of the carrier, wherein the step of aligning the second retention member over the second surface of the carrier occurs after the step of inserting resilient wire bundles into the apertures of the carrier;    attaching the second retention member to the second surface of the carrier after the step of aligning the second retention member over the second surface of the carrier.    
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the carrier includes a stop member projecting from the first surface thereof and wherein the step of aligning the first retention member over the first surface of the carrier includes the step of inserting the stop member of the carrier through a hole in the first retention member.  
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of contacts each positioned for registration with a corresponding one of the apertures of the carrier;    positioning the PCB under the second surface of the carrier and aligning the PCB and the carrier so that the contacts of the PCB are position below the apertures of the carrier and so that the contacts of the PCB make electrical contact with the resilient wire bundles.