Flexible Grounding Terminal for Thermal Expansion Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors for chip modules to circuit boards face solder cracking issues due to differential expansion of materials during temperature changes, causing displacement and disconnection of solder balls.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector features a grounding terminal made of flexible conductive material with a soldering portion suspended in a reserved slot, allowing for bending deformation to compensate for thermal expansion, preventing solder ball displacement and cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the grounding sheet is placed in the recessed portion with full contact to the inner wall to prevent falling off, then the grounding sheet stability is improved, but the solder ball displacement and solder cracking occur due to differential thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding terminal is segmented into a base portion (fixed in the retaining slot) and a soldering portion (suspended in the reserved slot). This segmentation allows the soldering portion to independently deform and compensate for thermal expansion differences between the insulating body and circuit board, preventing solder ball displacement while maintaining grounding sheet stability through the fixed base portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding terminal is made of flexible conductive material instead of rigid material. This parameter change in material flexibility enables the soldering portion to undergo bending deformation to compensate for relative displacement caused by differential thermal expansion, thereby preventing solder cracking while maintaining electrical conductivity and grounding function.
2Reliability
If the grounding terminal is made of flexible material with suspended soldering portion, then the solder cracking is prevented through deformation compensation, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding terminal is divided into a base portion fixed in the retaining slot and a soldering portion suspended in the reserved slot. This segmentation provides functional independence: the base ensures stable mounting and electrical connection, while the suspended soldering portion can deform to compensate for thermal expansion, preventing solder cracking without requiring complex additional structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding terminal is constructed from flexible conductive material that can undergo bending deformation. This flexibility allows the soldering portion to adapt to thermal expansion differences between materials, compensating for displacement and preventing solder ball detachment, while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design ensures reliable solder connections by accommodating thermal expansion, reducing the likelihood of solder cracking and maintaining contact integrity under varying temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
As the material of the insulating body and the material of the circuit board have different expansion coefficients, the insulating body and the circuit board undergo different degrees of expansion
Implementation Method 2
the first soldering portion may undergo large bending deformation to compensate the displacement of the grounding terminal slot relative to the circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector for electrically connecting to a circuit board. In one embodiment, the electrical connector includes: an insulating body, having at least one grounding terminal slot and a plurality of signal terminal slots, at least one grounding terminal, made of a flexible conductive material and accommodated in the grounding terminal slot, and including a first base and a first soldering portion accommodated in the grounding terminal slot in a suspended manner, a plurality of signal terminals, and a plurality of solder balls, at least one of which is disposed on the first soldering portion.