Cap for an electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical assembly that may include a weighted cap. The weighted cap may provide counterbalancing to a non-proportional ball-grid array connector integrated circuit package for connection with a substrate. The weighted cap provides compensation for variations in the imbalance of the electronic connector package against the substrate.

1 . A method for mounting an electrical connector to a substrate comprising: 
 placing the electrical connector onto the substrate so that a connector fusible element substantially aligns with a contact pad on the substrate;    providing a cap for the electrical connector, wherein the cap has a geometric center offset from a center of gravity of the electrical connector;    placing the cap onto the electrical connector to counterbalance the electrical connector; and    heating the electrical connector and the substrate to create at least one electrical connection there between.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is a ball-grid array connector.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising placing the cap onto the electrical connector with a vacuum head.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising releasing the cap from the vacuum head onto the electrical connector before heating.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a recess and the placing step further comprises mating the cap recess with the electrical connector.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein placing the cap onto the electrical connector causes the electrical connector to balance in equilibrium across the fusible element.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the cap from the electrical connector with the a vacuum head after heating.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said heating is performed by comprises a solder reflow process.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a center of gravity that is offset from an electrical connector center of gravity.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cap center of gravity differs from the cap geometric center.  
   
   
       11 . A method for mounting an electrical connector to a substrate comprising: 
 aligning the electrical connector with the substrate so that a connector fusible element substantially aligns with a contact pad on the substrate;    providing a cap for the electrical connector, wherein the cap has a center of gravity that is offset from a center of gravity of the electrical connector;    placing the cap onto the electrical connector to counterbalance the electrical connector; and    heating the electrical connector and the substrate to create at least one electrical connection there between.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cap has a geometric center that differs from the cap center of gravity.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of placing comprises using suction to move the cap and place the cap onto the electrical connector.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cap comprises a recess and the placing step further comprises mating the cap recess with the electrical connector.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of heating comprises flowing solder.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the connector comprises a plurality of fusible elements, and the substrate comprises a plurality of pads, and the step of aligning further comprises aligning each of the fusible elements with one of the pads.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of heating comprises heating all of the fusible elements to create an electrical connection between each fusible element and one of the pads.  
   
   
       18 . A method for mounting an electrical connector to a substrate comprising: 
 aligning the electrical connector with the substrate so that a connector fusible element substantially aligns with a contact pad on the substrate;    providing a cap for the electrical connector, wherein the cap comprises a cap geometric center and a cap center of gravity, the cap center of gravity differing from the cap geometric center and being offset from a center of gravity of the electrical connector;    using suction to mate the cap onto the electrical connector by mating a cap recess with the electrical connector; and    heating the electrical connector fusible element to cause the fusible element to flow and thereby create at least one electrical connection between the fusible element and the pad.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the connector comprises a plurality of fusible elements, and the substrate comprises a plurality of pads, and the step of aligning further comprises aligning each of the fusible elements with one of the pads.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of heating comprises heating all of the fusible elements to create an electrical connection between each fusible element and one of the pads.