Socket With Thermal Expansion Compensating Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
The differences in coefficients of thermal expansion between dual in-line memory module socket housing materials and printed circuit boards lead to warping and stress on solder joints during the soldering reflow process, resulting in broken electrical connections and memory bus failures.
Innovation Solution
A socket design featuring an elongated housing with surface-mounted contacts and compensating plates attached to its external edges, where the plates' coefficient of thermal expansion matches that of the printed circuit board, ensuring both components expand at similar rates, reducing warping and stress on solder joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the socket housing material is changed to match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the circuit board, then warping is reduced, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the entire housing material, the patent applies local quality by incorporating compliant features only in specific areas of the housing where thermal stress concentration occurs. This allows the majority of the housing to maintain its original material properties while targeted regions provide the necessary flexibility to accommodate thermal expansion differences
Solution Approach 2:
The patent effectively creates a composite structure by combining the primary housing material with compliant features that have different mechanical properties. This composite approach allows the housing to exhibit both rigidity for structural support and localized flexibility for thermal accommodation, avoiding the need to change the entire material composition
2Reliability
If mechanical fixtures and thermal management techniques are applied during solder reflow, then warping is controlled, but manufacturing time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-designing the housing with compliant features before the soldering process. These features are built into the housing structure in advance, eliminating the need for external mechanical fixtures or complex thermal management techniques during the solder reflow process, thereby maintaining manufacturing efficiency
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 effectively reduces warping of the printed circuit board, decreases solder joint stress, and prevents broken electrical connections and memory bus failures by matching the thermal expansion rates, enhancing the reliability of the socket-circuit board connection.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one plate has a coefficient of thermal expansion selected to compensate for a difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between the socket and a printed circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
The illustrative embodiments provide a socket, a method for manufacturing the socket, a device, and a method for compensating for a difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion between a socket and a printed circuit board. The socket includes surface mounted contacts and an elongated housing. The elongated housing comprises an aperture, wherein the surface mounted contacts extend from the aperture. At least one plate connects to the elongated housing, wherein the at least one plate has a coefficient of thermal expansion selected to compensate for a difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between the socket and a printed circuit board.