In-place clamping of pin-grid array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10103463-B1
Application number	US-201715825600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

An atomtronic (e.g., ultra-cold-matter physics or ion-trap) system includes a vacuum-cell structure, an integrated-circuit package with a pin-grid array, and a socket for interfacing the integrated-circuit package with external control and monitoring systems. After pins of the pin-grid array are inserted into holes of plates in the socket, the plates are moved in opposite directions so that contacts within the holes clamp in place the pins, providing electrical connections. The in-place clamping avoids stress at the seal between the integrated circuit package and the vacuum cell structure; thus, stress that could otherwise compromise the vacuum seal is avoided so as to yield a more reliable vacuum.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a frame;
a first plate coupled to the frame so as to permit motion of the first plate relative to the frame, the first plate including a first array of contact holes, the first plate having a first camshaft hole, the first camshaft hole having a non-circular cross section;
a second plate coupled to the frame so as to permit motion of the second plate relative to the frame, the second plate including a second array of contact holes, the second plate having a second camshaft hole, the second camshaft hole having a non-circular cross section;
contacts mechanically coupled to the frame and extending through respective contact holes of the first array and through respective contact holes of the second array, each of the contacts being electrically conductive; and
a camshaft coupled to the frame so as to permit rotational movement of the camshaft relative to the frame, the camshaft extending through the first camshaft hole of the first plate and through the second camshaft hole of the second plate, the camshaft having a first cam and a second cam, the first cam and the second cam being respectively coupled to the first plate and the second plate so that, when the camshaft is rotated, the first plate and the second plate move in opposite directions relative to the frame.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the contacts includes a first element and a second element, the camshaft having a clamp orientation and a release orientation such that rotating the camshaft from its release orientation toward its clamp orientation causes the first element and the second element to move in opposite directions so as to approach each other.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein, while pins of a pin-grid array remain inserted into the contact holes of the first array:
rotating the camshaft from the release orientation to the clamp orientation causes the first and the second elements of each contact to clamp-in-place a respective pin; and
rotating the camshaft from the clamp orientation to the release orientation causes the first and second elements of each contact to release the respective pin.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the first plate has four sides, for each of the sides, there being at least one contact hole between that side and the first camshaft hole.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the first cam has a first major radius that extends from an axis of rotation for the camshaft in a first radius direction opposite to a second radius direction in which a second major radius of the second cam extends from the axis of rotation.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the frame includes a cover and a base, the first plate being disposed between the cover and the second plate, the second plate being disposed between the first plate and the base, the cover including a third array of holes such that pins of the pin grid array are inserted through the holes of the third array before they are inserted into the holes of the first array, the camshaft being rotationally coupled to the base and to the cover.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the frame includes a guide mechanism rigidly coupled to the cover and to the base and extending through the first plate and the second plate so as to confine movement of the first and second plates to the opposite directions.

8. The system of claim 6 further including an atomtronic package including a pin-grid array (PGA) of electrically conductive pins, the pins being inserted into respective contact holes of the first, second, and third arrays of holes.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the PGA has a footprint, the camshaft being disposed entirely in the footprint.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising a vacuum-chamber, the atomtronic package being hermetically sealed with the vacuum chamber to define a vacuum boundary between a vacuum interior and a vacuum exterior, the atomtronic package including an atomtronic device with a surface exposed to the vacuum interior, the pins of the PGA being in the vacuum exterior, the vacuum chamber being rigidly coupled to the frame.

Assignees

• Coldquanta Inc

Inventors

• Hughes Steven Michael

Classifications

• H01R12/7011

  Locking or fixing a connector to a PCB · CPC title

• H05K7/1007

  with means for increasing contact pressure at the end of engagement of coupling parts · CPC title

• H01R12/89

  acting manually by moving connector housing parts linearly, e.g. slider · CPC title

• H01R12/7076 Primary

  for connection between PCB and component, e.g. display · CPC title

• G21K1/00

  Arrangements for handling particles or ionising radiation, e.g. focusing or moderating · CPC title