Flexible spring compression type installer

Abstract

A flexible spring compression installer is disclosed. A disclosed example flexible spring for an electronic package includes a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion having a first locking interface and the second end portion having a second locking interface to at least partially constrain the first end portion and the second end portion, respectively, relative to a support; a bent portion; and an inner side portion having a third locking interface to secure the inner side portion relative to the support, where the inner side portion is secured relative to the support such that the curved portion contacts and presses against the electronic package.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to connectors, and more particularly to deflection spring compression mountings. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, compression mount technology (CMT) connectors have been implemented for random access memory (RAM) devices / modules. Some recent implementations include compression attached memory modules (CAMMs) that are placed on a printed circuit board (PCB) for communication therewith. Memory modules implementing CAMM technology can provide significant upgrade and / or repair options for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or end users.

[0003] For some memory modules, a connection and / or coupling is defined between the connector pins of the memory module and a PCB (e.g., a mainboard, a board module, etc.). The reliability and performance of the connection and / or electrical coupling between the memory module and the PCB may depend on the pressure applied to the individual connector pins. In general, a relatively uniform pressure distribution on the connector pins may ensure proper electrical and mechanical contact between the memory module and the PCB in terms of resistance, as well as an acceptable level of signal integrity. However, PCB warping (which may be caused by heat and / or movement) may cause the electrical and mechanical contact associated with the connector pins to degrade and / or decrease over time. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a flexible spring for an electronic package is provided, the flexible spring comprising: a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion having a first locking interface and the second end portion having a second locking interface, so as to at least partially constrain the first end portion and the second end portion relative to a support, respectively; a bent portion; and an inner portion, having a third locking interface, so as to fix the inner portion relative to the support, wherein fixing the inner portion relative to the support causes the bent portion to contact the electronic package and press against the electronic package.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic component is provided, comprising: an electronic package; a support frame for supporting the electronic package on a first side of the electronic package; a lock; and a flexible spring, wherein the flexible spring is at least partially constrained to the support frame on a second side of the electronic package opposite to the first side, the flexible spring comprising: an inner portion located between distal ends of the flexible spring, the inner portion being convex relative to the distal ends, the inner portion being coupled to the lock by pushing or bending the inner portion to engage with the lock; and a bent portion extending between the inner portion and the distal end, the bent portion being pressed against a surface of the electronic package.

[0006] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device, comprising: a limiting module; a contacting module for contacting an electronic package; and a flexing module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is an exploded view of a known memory device.

[0008] Figure 2 is an isometric view of an exemplary flexural spring constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 An exploded view of an exemplary flexural spring.

[0010] Figure 4 is an exploded view of another exemplary flexural spring constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Detailed cross-sectional view of a portion of an exemplary flexural spring.

[0012] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D Shows the assembly Figure 4 and Figure 5 Example aspects of an exemplary flexural spring are shown in .

[0013] 7A to 7C Shows the disassembly Figures 4 to 6D Example aspects of an exemplary flexural spring are shown in .

[0014] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C Shows the disassembly Figures 4 to 7C Example stages of an exemplary flexural spring are shown in FIG.

[0015] 9A to 9D Shows the disassembly Figures 4 to 8C Example stages of an exemplary flexural spring are shown in FIG.

[0016] Fig.10is a flowchart representing an exemplary method for producing and / or assembling the examples disclosed herein.

[0017] In general, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the accompanying written description to refer to the same or similar parts. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, the thickness of the layers or regions in the drawings may be exaggerated. Although the layers and regions shown in the drawings have clear lines and boundaries, some or all of these lines and / or boundaries may be idealized. In reality, the boundaries and / or lines may not be observed, blended, and / or irregular. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] A flexible spring compression mounter and a connector involving the flexible spring compression mounter are disclosed. To ensure proper connection between a memory module, such as a compression attached memory module (CAMM) and a printed circuit board (PCB) (e.g., a motherboard, module, etc. of a PC), a connector interface is employed between them. Specifically, the memory module may have connector pins that fit into a PCB socket, and vice versa. However, movement, vibration, and / or warping due to heat or temperature cycling may cause the connection to degrade.

[0019] The examples disclosed herein achieve a consistent and highly reliable compression connection by uniformly applying a uniformly distributed force on at least one component associated with a connector interface. Specifically, the examples disclosed herein can improve signal integrity and / or reliability by applying relatively uniform pressure and / or force to a component (such as a circuit board or a memory module / package / chip of a CAMM memory module).

[0020] Examples disclosed herein utilize flexure springs, for example, electronic packages (e.g., semiconductor packages, board modules, PCBs, memory boards, memory modules, etc.) associated with electronic devices (e.g., personal computers (PCs), servers, desktops, mobile phones, etc.). According to examples disclosed herein, a first end portion and a second end portion (e.g., an outer end portion, a distal end portion, etc.) include respective locking interfaces for at least partially constraining (e.g., fully constraining, rigidly constraining, etc.) the first end portion and the second end portion to at least one support (e.g., a support frame, a backplane, a chassis, etc.). Furthermore, an inner portion of the flexure spring includes a third locking interface, such that pressing the inner portion to engage the third locking feature with the at least one support causes the curved portion of the flexure spring to contact and press against, for example, a surface of the electronic package. Specifically, the inner portion is tilted / convex and / or raised relative to the outer end portion, such that pushing the inner portion downward causes an overall deflection of the flexure spring, thereby causing the curved portion to shift. In some examples, a surface of the electronic package is pushed against a compression connector of another (eg, second) electronic package or PCB by the aforementioned bent portion.

[0021] In some examples, the curved portion extends between the inner portion and at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion. In some examples, the third locking interface engages with a lever spring of at least one support. In some such examples, the third locking interface may include a slotted hole to retain at least a portion of the lever spring (e.g., a distal portion of the lever spring). In some examples, the first locking interface and the second locking interface each include a hole for accommodating a fastener, which is coupled to a corresponding spacer extending from a support frame (e.g., a backplane) of at least one support. In some examples, the curved portion includes a convex shape (e.g., a protrusion) for contacting a surface of the electronic package in or near the electronic package (e.g., a PCB).

[0022] Figure 11 is an exploded view of a known electronic assembly 100. The electronic assembly 100 is a memory module assembly based on CAMM technology, which has a shield 102 covering and / or contacting an electronic package 101, which in turn includes a memory chip 103 placed on and / or assembled to a PCB 104. The PCB 104 includes contacts (e.g., connector pins, connector pads, etc.) that are pressed and / or pressed against corresponding sockets of another PCB (e.g., a motherboard) (not shown). Specifically, the PCB 104 is pressed against a compression connector 106 positioned on a support (e.g., a support frame, a chassis, etc.) 108, which is implemented as a backplane (e.g., a board-mounted backplane). In this known embodiment, fasteners 110 (implemented as screws) are screwed into the back plate 108 to press the shield 102 against the PCB 104 and in turn push the PCB 104 against the compression connector 106 to define electrical contact between the PCB 104 and the compression connector 106 .

[0023] In such known devices, using fasteners 110 to press shield 102 against PCB 104 may result in uneven compression of PCB 104 against compression connector 106. Specifically, inconsistent torque of fasteners 110, part tolerances, fastener variations, hole layout variations, and / or component variations may result in uneven compression of PCB 104 against compression connector 106. In contrast, the examples disclosed herein enable relatively uniform compression force distribution of the connector interface, thereby improving signal integrity and reliability. In addition, Figure 1 Known implementations in may result in relatively significant heights (eg, z-stack heights).

[0024] Figure 2 2 is an isometric view of an exemplary electronic assembly 200 having an exemplary flexure spring 202 according to the teachings of the present disclosure. The exemplary flexure spring 202 includes an inner portion (e.g., a module for flexing) 204 having a curved portion (e.g., a module for contacting an electronic package) 205, a middle portion 206 with a corresponding hole 207, and an end portion (e.g., a distal end portion, an outer end portion, etc.) 208. Figure 2 In the illustrated view, the exemplary electronic assembly 200 is implemented as a memory module assembly 200 and also includes the above-mentioned Figure 1The electronic package 101 (wherein the PCB 104 supports the memory chip 103), the compression connector 106, and the back plate 108 are described. In this example, the aforementioned hole 207 is implemented as an opening for mounting the memory chip 103 to the PCB 104 of the electronic package 101. In addition, an exemplary fastener (e.g., a module for locking) 210 (implemented as a flush-mounted shoulder screw, which has a tapered shape at its respective head) is implemented to assemble, position and hold the flexure spring 202, the PCB 104, the compression connector 106, and the back plate 108 together. The exemplary flexure spring 202 can be at least partially composed of metal (e.g., sheet metal, steel, aluminum, stainless steel, steel, nickel, nickel steel, titanium, copper, etc.) or plastic and / or elastomer. However, any other suitable material can be used.

[0025] As will be combined below Figure 3 Described in more detail, the flexible spring 202 is at least partially constrained to the back plate 108 at the end portion 208 via two fasteners 210, and the fasteners 210 are engaged with the back plate 108 at the inner portion 204, so that the inner portion 204 is flexed toward the PCB 104, thereby pressing and / or pushing the bent portion 205 against the PCB 104, so that the PCB 104 is engaged with the compression connector 106 with a relatively uniform force distribution over its span and / or surface area.

[0026] Figure 3 is an exploded view of an exemplary memory module assembly 200, which depicts a flexure spring 202, a PCB 104, a compression connector 106, a backplane 108, and a fastener 210. According to the examples disclosed herein, the fastener 210 is attached to (e.g., screwed into) a support (e.g., a lock, a locking support, a fastener socket, etc.) 302, which in this example is implemented as a standoff and mounted to the backplane 108. Specifically, the fastener 210 passes through a locking interface (e.g., a locking feature, a retaining feature, a module for limiting, a module for limiting an end portion, etc.) 308 of the flexure spring 202, which in this example is implemented as a hole. In addition, the exemplary fastener 210 also passes through the hole 310 of the PCB 104 and the hole 312 of the compression connector 106. However, any other suitable fasteners, fastening devices (e.g., chemical fasteners, snap-fit ​​interfaces, etc.), and / or fastening methods may also be used. In some examples, pins 314 are implemented to facilitate alignment of the compression connector 106 to the PCB 104 .

[0027] In order to provide relatively uniform pressure to press the PCB 104 against the compression connector 106, the exemplary flexure spring 202 exhibits a relatively convex and / or curved overall shape, such that the inner portion 204 is convex relative to the middle portion 206 and the end portion 208 (at Figure 3 ). In other words, according to the examples disclosed herein, the inner portion 204 is tilted and / or raised relative to the end portion 208, wherein the middle portion 206 serves as a transition between the inner portion 204 and the end portion 208. Thus, the fasteners 210 corresponding to the inner portion 204 are coupled and / or fastened to the corresponding standoffs 302 of the backplane 108, while the fasteners 210 at the end portion 208 at least partially constrain (e.g., laterally constrain) the flexure springs 202 at the end portion 208, thereby causing the inner portion 204 to flex and / or bend toward the PCB 104. In turn, the exemplary curved portion 205, which is generally convex toward the PCB 104, is pushed and / or displaced, distributing the force to at least one surface of the PCB 104 in a relatively uniform manner. Specifically, due to the pressing of the curved portion 205 against the surface(s) of the PCB 104, the pins and / or connectors of the PCB 104 are pressed against the sockets of the compression connector 106 in a relatively uniform manner. According to examples disclosed herein, the presence of aperture 207 may facilitate flexing and / or bending of curved portion 205 by reducing the cross-sectional profile area of ​​intermediate portion 206 .

[0028] In this example, the inner portion 204 is substantially flat. However, in other examples, the inner portion 204 can be curved and / or present a plurality of raised areas or portions (e.g., raised ridges). For example, the inner portion 204 can include a generally curved portion and / or shape relative to the PCB 104 such that the curved portion and / or shape can be pressed against the PCB 104 when the fastener 210 is engaged with and / or screwed into the support 302. Furthermore, while three fasteners 210 are shown in this example, any other suitable number of fasteners 210 (e.g., two, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twenty, etc.) can also be used. In some examples, the compression connector 106 is integral with, part of, and / or extends from a printed circuit board (e.g., a main board, a module board, etc.).

[0029] Figure 4 is an exploded view of an exemplary memory module assembly 400 having an alternative exemplary flexure spring 402 in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure. The flexure spring 402 of the illustrated example is similar to Figure 2 and Figure 3, but instead employs a screwless design that can be assembled by hand (without tools) in a relatively quick manner. The exemplary flexure spring 402 includes an inner portion (e.g., a module for flexure) 404, a middle portion 406 defining a hole 407 of a flexure portion 405, and an end portion 408. The exemplary inner portion 404 includes a slotted hole 409, while the exemplary end portion 408 includes a corresponding hole (e.g., a keyhole-shaped hole) 411. In this example, a standoff (e.g., a shoulder standoff) 416 is mounted to the backplane 108 and extends through the hole 312 of the compression connector 106 and the hole 310 of the PCB 104 when the memory module assembly 400 is assembled.

[0030] exist Figure 4 In the example shown, the back plate 108 includes a lever spring (e.g., a lock, a releasable lock, a lever spring lock, a module for locking) 410 coupled thereto. The exemplary lever spring 410 includes a base 412 and an arm 414 attached to and extending from the base 412. In this example, the arm 414 is at least partially composed of metal (e.g., sheet metal, steel aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, copper, etc.) or plastic. However, any other suitable material may also be used.

[0031] To compress the PCB 104 against the compression connector 106, the exemplary standoff 416 extending through the holes 310 and 312 is placed in the hole 411 of the flexure spring 402, while the distal end or portion of the arm 414 of the lever spring 410 is inserted into the hole 409 of the flexure spring 402. Figure 4 In the example shown, engagement of the distal end or portion of the arm 414 of the lever spring 410 with the hole 409 causes the inner portion 404 to shift downward (in Figure 4 4). Thus, the bent portion 405 pushes against the PCB 104, causing the PCB 104 to be pressed against the compression connector 106 in a relatively uniform manner. In this example, the overall deflection of the flexure spring 402 caused by pushing the inner portion 404 downward causes the standoff 416 to engage with the narrower portion of the hole 411 to constrain the end portion 408. Thus, the exemplary memory module assembly 400 can be assembled without the use of tools while also being able to relatively uniformly press the PCB 104 against the compression connector 106.

[0032] In some examples, the standoff 416 is screwed into a standoff, such as the standoff 302. Additionally or alternatively, the lever spring 410 is screwed into the standoff 302. Although a single lever spring 410 is depicted in this example, in other examples, multiple lever springs 410 may be implemented.

[0033] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Detailed cross-sectional view of a portion of an exemplary memory module 400 including a flexure spring 402 and a lever spring 410 (wherein the PCB 104 and compression connector 106 are removed for clarity). In this example, a base 412 and arm 414 of the lever spring 410 described above are depicted. According to examples disclosed herein, an angled portion 501 of the arm 414 extends at least partially beyond an outer surface 502 of an inner portion 404 of the flexure spring 402. In this example, the hole 409 includes a taper (e.g., a tapered edge, a tapered surface, a tapered profile, etc.) 506 to facilitate contact between a surface 504 of the angled portion 501 and the tapered portion 506 of the inner portion 404. When the inner portion 404 flexes downward (in Figure 5 ), the interaction between the surface 504 and the tapered portion 506 causes the inner portion 404 to be held by the arm 414, and the inner portion 404 is held downward (in Figure 5 ). Figures 2 to 5 The exemplary lever spring geometries and interactions of parts / components depicted in (and other aspects disclosed herein) are examples only, and any other suitable shapes, geometries, interface systems, and / or interactions of components may alternatively be implemented.

[0034] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D Shows the assembly Figure 4 and Figure 5 Example aspects of the exemplary flexure spring 402 shown in FIG. Fig. 6A , which depicts a cross-sectional view of the flexure spring 402 placed on the back plate 108 via the standoff 416 (where the PCB 104 and compression connector are removed for clarity). Specifically, the arm 414 of the lever spring 410 extends at least partially through the hole 409, but does not extend beyond or significantly beyond the inner portion 404 of the flexure spring 402. Therefore, a force is applied to the inner portion 404, as generally indicated by arrow 602.

[0035] Figure 6B 4 is a cross-sectional view depicting the inner portion 404 being pushed downwardly toward the backing plate 108 (e.g., by an operator or technician). Figure 6B In the view shown, the arm 414 of the lever spring 410 is urged in the direction generally indicated by arrow 604, so that the arm 414 extends beyond the inner portion 404 of the flexure spring 402, which is consistent with the reference Fig. 6A The views depicted are in contrast.

[0036] Go to Figure 6C, showing an exemplary arm 414 in a locked position relative to the flexure spring 402. In this example, the flexure spring 402 has been pushed downward (in Figure 6C ), so that the lever spring 410 is moved in the vertical direction (in Figure 6C The flexure spring 402 is held in the view of FIG. 4 and the flexure spring 402 is bent (e.g., elastically bent, elastically deformed) at the same time. According to the examples disclosed herein, the inflection 606 (e.g., kink, middle bend, etc.) in the arm 414 can be implemented to constrain / lock the inner portion 404 and prevent the inner portion 404 from extending further downward ( Figure 6C in the view).

[0037] Fig.6D 4 is a top view depicting pressure / force regions on an exemplary memory module assembly 400. Fig.6D As can be seen in the example shown, exemplary region 612 is an area on PCB 104 that is compressed based on the installation and / or coupling of flexure spring 402. Specifically, exemplary region 612 corresponds to an area where flexure spring 402 presses / pushes PCB 104 downwardly against compression connector 106 (not shown in this view) with a relatively uniform force distribution.

[0038] 7A to 7C Shows the disassembly combination Figures 4 to 6D Example aspects of an example compliant spring 402 of a memory module assembly 400 are shown. Fig. 7A , the end portion 408 of the exemplary flexure spring 402 includes the above-mentioned hole 411, for example, the hole 411 is generally keyhole-shaped. Specifically, the exemplary hole 411 has a first opening 702 and a second opening 704, wherein the first opening 702 is relatively larger than the second opening 704, and the second opening 704 is farther from the distal end 705 of the flexure spring 402 than the first opening 702. In other words, the opening 704 is inset with the opening 702. In addition, an exemplary support 416 with a shoulder 706 is also shown, wherein the shoulder 706 is initially aligned with the first opening 702.

[0039] Figure 7B The shoulder 706 is depicted inserted into the first opening 702 and displaced relative to the second opening 704. In this example, arrow 710 generally indicates the direction of displacement and / or movement of the end portion 408 due to pressing / pushing the flexure spring 402 downward when the flexure spring 402 is at least partially assembled (e.g., fully pressed onto) the memory module assembly 400.

[0040] Figure 7CThe fully assembled configuration of the exemplary flexure spring 402 relative to the memory module assembly 400 is depicted. In this example, compression and / or bending of the flexure spring 402 causes the shoulder 706 to be positioned (e.g., inserted into, moved toward, etc.) in the opening 704 instead of in the opening 702. As a result of positioning the shoulder 706 in the smaller opening 704, the shoulder 706 may constrain the PCB 104 due to the relatively wider portion being positioned above and / or adjacent to the opening 704. As a result, the vertical movement and, in particular, the lateral movement of the PCB 104 may be limited ( Figure 7C ).

[0041] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C Shows the disassembly Figures 4 to 7C 0046] An example step of an example compliant spring 402 is shown in FIG. Fig. 8A The portion of arm 414 extending through hole 409 is depicted. Fig. 8A In the view shown, the flexure spring 402 is still assembled. To release the flexure spring 402 from the arm 414, a force is applied in the direction generally indicated by arrow 802.

[0042] Figure 8B The arm 414 is depicted moving relative to the hole 409 (with Fig. 8A 804) to enable the flexure spring 402 to be moved away from the PCB 104 (not shown in this view). In this example, the flexure spring 402 moves in the direction generally indicated by arrow 804.

[0043] Figure 8C The flexure spring 402 is depicted as being completely separated from the memory module assembly 400 and / or the PCB 104. Figure 8C In the view shown, arm 414 no longer extends through aperture 409 .

[0044] 9A to 9D Exemplary cooling implementations that may be implemented in and / or in conjunction with the examples disclosed herein are shown. Fig. 9A , showing the Figure 2 and Figure 3 2. An exemplary vaper chamber 902 is used in conjunction with the memory module assembly 200 shown in FIG. In this example, the vaper chamber 902 is placed on the flexure spring 202. In some examples, a spacer 904 is positioned between the flexure spring 202 and the vaper chamber 902.

[0045] Fig. 9BThe above-described exemplary vapor chamber 902 is depicted coupled to the memory module assembly 200 with a spacer 904 positioned therebetween. According to examples disclosed herein, the spacer 904 can accommodate deformation and / or bending of the flexure spring 202 and / or facilitate thermal conduction from components mounted to the PCB 104. In some examples, the vapor chamber 902 includes a hole 906 for receiving the fastener 210.

[0046] exist Fig. 9C In the example shown, the heat pipe 910 is placed on and / or across the flexure spring 202 of the memory module assembly 200. Fig. 9C In the example of FIG. 9 , two heat pipes 910 are shown, but any other suitable number (eg, one, three, four, five, ten, twenty, etc.) of heat pipes 910 may be used instead. In some examples, a spacer 904 is utilized.

[0047] Fig.9D A memory module assembly 200 is depicted having an exemplary curved heat pipe 920 spanning at least a portion of the width of the memory module assembly 200. According to examples disclosed herein, a spacer 904 may be implemented to at least partially support and / or align the curved heat pipe 920. In other examples, multiple heat pipes 920 are implemented.

[0048] Fig.10 is a flow chart representing an example method 1000 of producing and / or assembling the examples disclosed herein. Fig.10 In the example shown, the memory module assembly is manufactured and / or assembled. Specifically, the memory module PCB (e.g., PCB 104) is coupled to a compression connector (e.g., compression connector 106) mounted on a motherboard (e.g., PC motherboard, mobile device motherboard, etc.).

[0049] At block 1002 , a flexure spring (eg, flexure spring 202 , flexure spring 402 ) is placed and / or applied to an electronic package (eg, electronic package 101 ), which in this example includes the above-mentioned PCB (eg, PCB 104 ).

[0050] At block 1006, an end portion (e.g., distal portion) of the flexure spring is at least partially constrained (e.g., fully constrained) by a support frame and / or chassis (e.g., back plate 108). In some examples, a fastener and / or alignment component interfaces with the end portion of the flexure spring to constrain the end portion. Specifically, the fastener and / or alignment component can rigidly constrain and / or limit movement of the end portion.

[0051] At block 1008, a load and / or pressure is applied to an inner portion positioned between the end portions. In this example, the inner portion is raised and / or elevated relative to the end portions (e.g., the inner portion is further away from the PCB than the end portions). Fig.10 In the example shown, the inner portion is pushed toward and / or displaced toward the PCB. In this example, due to the load and / or pressure applied to the inner portion, at least a portion of the flexure spring presses downward on the circuit board, and the connector of the circuit board is then pressed into a compression connector (e.g., on another circuit board).

[0052] At block 1010, the inner / center portion is locked. For example, at least one fastener is received by a locking interface of the inner portion. In turn, the at least one fastener is coupled to (e.g., screwed into) the support frame and / or chassis described above to displace the locking interface and the inner portion and to move at least a portion (e.g., the curved portion) of the flexure spring toward the PCB to contact and press down on the PCB. Additionally or alternatively, the inner portion is locked to a lever spring and other retaining device associated with the support frame and / or chassis (e.g., without the use of fasteners and associated hardware).

[0053] In block 1014, in some examples, a cooler and / or cooling device is applied to the flexure spring and / or circuit board. The cooler and / or cooling device may include, but is not limited to, a vapor chamber, a heat pipe, a thermoelectric cooler, a heat sink array, etc. In some examples, a spacer is positioned between the cooler and the cantilever spring.

[0054] At block 1016, a determination is made whether to repeat the process. If the process is to be repeated (block 1016), process control returns to block 1002. Otherwise, the process ends. This determination may be made based on whether additional flexure springs are to be assembled and / or whether additional assemblies and / or modules are to be produced.

[0055] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "above" refers to the relationship of two parts relative to the earth. A first part is above a second part if the second part has at least a portion between the earth and the first part. Likewise, as used herein, a first part is "below" a second part when the first part is closer to the earth than the second part. As described above, the first part can be above or below the second part and have one or more of the following conditions: there are other parts in between, there are no other parts in between, the first part is in contact with the second part, or the first part and the second part are not in direct contact with each other.

[0056] As used in this patent, the statement that any part (e.g., a layer, film, zone, region or plate) is located on another part in any way (e.g., positioned on another part, located on another part, set or formed on another part, etc.) indicates that the mentioned part is in contact with the other part, or that the mentioned part is located above the other part with one or more intermediate parts in between.

[0057] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, connection references (e.g., attachment, coupling, connection, and engagement) may include intermediate members between the elements to which the connection reference refers and / or relative movement between such elements. Thus, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and / or fixed to each other. As used herein, the statement that any part "contacts" another part is defined to mean that there are no intermediate parts between the two parts.

[0058] Unless otherwise specifically stated, descriptors used herein, such as "first", "second", "third", etc., do not imply or otherwise indicate any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and / or ordering in any manner, but are merely used as labels and / or arbitrary names to distinguish elements to facilitate understanding of the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in a specific embodiment, while in the claims, the same element may be referred to by different descriptors (such as "second" or "third"). In such cases, it should be understood that such descriptors are only used to clearly identify these elements in the context of the discussion (e.g., in the claims), while in other cases, these elements may, for example, share the same name.

[0059] As used herein, "approximately" and "about" modify the subject / value thereof to recognize possible variations that occur in real-world applications. For example, "approximately" and "approximately" may modify dimensions that may not be accurate due to manufacturing tolerances and / or other real-world imperfections that can be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. For example, unless otherwise specified in the following description, "approximately" and "approximately" may indicate that such dimensions may be within a tolerance range of + / -10%.

[0060] As used herein, the phrase "connectivity" (including variations thereof) encompasses direct connectivity and / or indirect connectivity through one or more intermediate components, and does not require direct physical (e.g., wired) communication and / or continuous communication, but instead includes selective communication at regular intervals, scheduled intervals, non-regular intervals, and / or one-time events.

[0061] As used herein, integrated circuit / circuitry is defined to refer to one or more semiconductor packages containing one or more circuit elements, such as transistors, capacitors, inductors, resistors, current paths, diodes, etc. For example, the integrated circuit may be implemented as one or more of an ASIC, an FPGA, a chip, a microchip, a programmable circuitry, a semiconductor substrate coupling multiple circuit elements, a system on a chip (SoC), etc.

[0062] As used herein, the term "electronic package" refers to any semiconductor package, device package, electronic device package, electronic package, circuit board assembly, circuit board module, etc. As used herein, the term "locking interface" refers to a physical feature used to at least partially constrain a component. Thus, the term "locking interface" may refer to a hole, a detent, a mating feature, a fastener socket, a snap-fit ​​component, etc.

[0063] As used herein, "include" and "comprising" (and all forms and tenses thereof) are open-ended terms. Thus, whenever a claim employs any form of "includes" or "comprising" (e.g., comprises, includes, comprising, including, having, etc.) as a preamble or in any type of claim recitation, it should be understood that additional elements, items, etc. may be present without exceeding the scope of the corresponding claim or recitation. As used herein, when the phrase "at least" is used as a transitional term, for example, in a preamble to a claim, it is open-ended, just as the terms "comprising" and "including" are open-ended. For example, when the term "and / or" is used in the form of A, B, and / or C, etc., it refers to any combination or subset of A, B, and C, such as, (1) only A, (2) only B, (3) only C, (4) A and B, (5) A and C, (6) B and C, or (7) A, B, and C. The phrase "at least one of A and B" as used herein when describing structures, components, articles, objects and / or things is intended to include embodiments including any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Likewise, the phrase "at least one of A or B" as used herein when describing structures, components, articles, objects and / or things is intended to include embodiments including any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. The phrase "at least one of A and B" as used herein when describing the execution or performance of processes, instructions, actions, activities and / or steps is intended to include embodiments including any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Likewise, the phrase "at least one of A or B" as used herein when describing the execution or performance of processes, instructions, actions, activities and / or steps is intended to include embodiments including any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0064] As used herein, singular references (e.g., "a," "an," "first," "second," etc.) do not exclude a plurality. As used herein, the term "a" or "an" object refers to one or more of that object. The terms "a" (or "an"), "one or more," and "at least one" may be used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, although listed separately, multiple devices, elements, or actions may be implemented by, for example, the same entity or object. Furthermore, although individual features may be included in different examples or claims, these features may also be combined together, and inclusion in different examples or claims does not mean that a combination of features is not feasible and / or not advantageous.

[0065] The example methods, apparatuses, systems, and articles disclosed herein enable effective and relatively uniform pressure to be applied to electronic packages. Additional examples and combinations thereof include:

[0066] Example 1 includes a flexible spring for an electronic package, the flexible spring comprising: a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion having a first locking interface and the second end portion having a second locking interface to at least partially constrain the first end portion and the second end portion respectively relative to a support member; a bent portion; and an inner portion having a third locking interface to fix the inner portion relative to the support member, wherein fixing the inner portion relative to the support member causes the bent portion to contact the electronic package and press against the electronic package.

[0067] Example 2 includes the flexure spring defined in Example 1, wherein the third locking interface engages when the inner portion is pushed toward the support.

[0068] Example 3 includes the flexure spring defined in Example 2, wherein the third locking interface includes a slotted hole to constrain at least a portion of the lever spring.

[0069] Example 4 includes the flexure spring defined in Example 3, wherein the third locking interface includes a taper to guide the lever spring to retain the inner portion.

[0070] Example 5 includes the flexure spring defined in Example 1, wherein the first locking interface and the second locking interface each include a hole for receiving a fastener coupled to a corresponding spacer extending from at least one support member.

[0071] Example 6 includes the flexure spring defined in Example 5, wherein the aperture is shaped as overlapping circles of different sizes to define an hourglass shape of the aperture.

[0072] Example 7 includes the flexible spring defined in Example 1, wherein the curved portion is convex.

[0073] Example 8 includes the flexible spring defined in Example 1, wherein the inner portion includes a flat surface and the curved portion includes: (i) a first protrusion extending between the flat surface and the first end portion, and (ii) a second protrusion extending between the flat surface and the second end portion.

[0074] Example 9 includes the flexure spring defined in Example 1, wherein the flexure includes a hole that enables an electronic component of the electronic package to at least partially extend therethrough.

[0075] Example 10 includes an electronic component, which includes: an electronic package; a support frame for supporting the electronic package on a first side of the electronic package; a lock; and a flexible spring, which is at least partially constrained to the support frame on a second side of the electronic package opposite to the first side, and the flexible spring includes: an inner portion located between the distal ends of the flexible spring, the inner portion is convex relative to the distal ends, and the inner portion is coupled to the lock by pushing or bending the inner portion to engage with the lock; and a bent portion extending between the inner portion and the distal end, the bent portion pressing against a surface of the electronic package.

[0076] Example 11 includes the electronic assembly defined in Example 10, wherein the support frame includes a backplane for supporting a first connector of a mainboard, the first connector being used to receive a second connector of the electronic package, the first connector and the second connector defining a compression connector interface.

[0077] Example 12 includes the electronic assembly defined in Example 11, further comprising a standoff extending between the electronic package and the mainboard.

[0078] Example 13 includes the electronic assembly defined in Example 12, wherein the support includes a hole for receiving a fastener to secure at least one of the distal ends to the support.

[0079] Example 14 includes the electronic assembly defined in Example 10, wherein the lock includes a lever spring extending from the support frame, at least a portion of the lever spring being received and retained by the aperture of the inner portion when the inner portion is pushed toward the electronic package.

[0080] Example 15 includes the electronic assembly defined in Example 10, wherein at least one of the curved portions of the spring includes at least one opening corresponding to an exposed portion of an electronic component supported by the electronic package.

[0081] Example 16 includes the electronic assembly defined in Example 15, further comprising at least one of a heat pipe or a vapor chamber coupled to the exposed portion.

[0082] Example 17 includes the electronic assembly defined in Example 10, wherein the inner portion is flat.

[0083] Example 18 includes the electronic assembly defined in Example 10, wherein the electronic package comprises a memory module.

[0084] Example 19 includes a method comprising: placing a flexible spring onto an electronic package supported by a frame, at least partially constraining an end portion of the flexible spring relative to the frame, and pushing an inner portion of the flexible spring so that it engages with a lock and causes a bent portion of the flexible spring to press against at least one of the electronic package or an electronic component mounted thereon.

[0085] Example 20 includes the method defined in Example 19, wherein at least partially restraining the end portion includes inserting a shoulder extending from the frame into an hourglass-shaped hole in the end portion, and causing the end portion to shift from the inner portion when the inner portion is pushed.

[0086] Example 21 includes an apparatus including a confinement module, a contact module for contacting an electronic package, and a flexing module.

[0087] Example 22 includes the apparatus defined in Example 19, further comprising a module for locking the flexing module.

[0088] From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that the disclosed example systems, apparatus, articles, and methods enable a connection interface to apply a consistent and evenly distributed crimp load relative to, for example, an electronic package and / or electronic device. The examples disclosed herein can improve signal integrity and / or quality by ensuring the consistency of the coupling interface against the effects of temperature cycling, movement, and / or shock / vibration.

[0089] The attached claims are incorporated by reference into the detailed description. Although certain example systems, devices, articles, and methods are disclosed herein, the coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all systems, devices, articles, and methods that fully fall within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

1. A flexible spring for electronic packaging, the flexible spring comprising: a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion having a first locking interface and the second end portion having a second locking interface to at least partially constrain the first end portion and the second end portion, respectively, relative to a support; Bending part; as well as The inner part has a third locking interface to fix the inner part relative to the support, wherein fixing the inner part relative to the support causes the bent portion to contact and press against the electronic package.

2. The flexure spring according to claim 1, wherein: When the inner portion is pushed toward the support, the third locking interface is engaged.

3. The flexure spring according to claim 2, wherein: The third locking interface includes a slotted hole to constrain at least a portion of the lever spring.

4. The flexure spring according to claim 3, wherein: The third locking interface includes a tapered portion to guide the lever spring to retain the inner portion.

5. The flexural spring according to claim 1, wherein: The first locking interface and the second locking interface each include a hole for receiving a fastener coupled to a corresponding spacer extending from the support member.

6. The flexure spring according to claim 5, wherein: The aperture is shaped as overlapping circles of different sizes to define an hourglass shape for the aperture.

7. The flexural spring according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The curved portion is convex in shape.

8. The flexural spring according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The inner portion includes a flat surface, and the curved portion includes: (i) a first protrusion extending between the flat surface and the first end portion, and (ii) a second protrusion extending between the flat surface and the second end portion.

9. The flexural spring according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The bent portion includes an aperture that enables an electronic component of the electronic package to extend at least partially therethrough.

10. An electronic component comprising: Electronic packaging; a support frame for supporting the electronic package on a first side of the electronic package; Lock; as well as a flexure spring, at a second side of the electronic package opposite the first side, the flexure spring being at least partially constrained to the support frame, the flexure spring comprising: an inner portion located between the distal ends of the flexure springs, the inner portion being convex relative to the distal ends, the inner portion being coupled to the lock by pushing or bending the inner portion to engage with the lock; as well as A bent portion extends between the inner portion and the distal end, the bent portion being pressed against a surface of the electronic package.

11. The electronic component according to claim 10, wherein: The support frame includes a backplane for supporting a first connector of a motherboard, the first connector for receiving a second connector of the electronic package, the first connector and the second connector defining a compression connector interface.

12. The electronic assembly of claim 11, further comprising a standoff extending between the electronic package and the mainboard.

13. The electronic component according to claim 12, wherein: The mount includes a hole for receiving a fastener to secure at least one of the distal ends to the mount.

14. The electronic component according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein: The lock includes a lever spring extending from the support frame, at least a portion of which is received and retained by the aperture of the inner portion when the inner portion is pushed toward the electronic package.

15. The electronic component according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein: At least one of the curved portions of the spring includes at least one opening corresponding to an exposed portion of an electronic component supported by the electronic package. 16 . The electronic assembly of claim 15 , further comprising at least one of a heat pipe or a vapor chamber coupled to the exposed portion.

17. The electronic component according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein: The inner portion is flat.

18. The electronic component according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein: The electronic package includes a memory module.

19. An apparatus comprising: Restriction module; A contact module for contacting the electronic package; as well as Twist module.

20. The device according to claim 19, further comprising a module for locking the flexing module.

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