Superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11380461-B2
Application number	US-201916460705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2019
Priority date	Jul 2, 2019
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

A superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector for supercomputing systems is provided. The cable connector includes a base with a recessed area defined therein to receive superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and superconducting connecting chips to electrically connect the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables to each other. A cover is provided to cover the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and the superconducting connecting chips when the cover is in a closed position. A compression device compresses the superconducting connecting chips together to secure the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and the superconducting connecting chips inside the recessed area of the base when the cover is in the closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector comprising:
a base having a recessed area defined therein to receive superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and superconducting connecting chips to electrically connect the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables to each other;
a cover to cover the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and the superconducting connecting chips when the cover is in a closed position; and
a compression device to compress the superconducting connecting chips together to secure the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and the superconducting connecting chips inside the recessed area of the base when the cover is in the closed position.

2. The superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector of claim 1 , wherein the recessed area includes a main recess to receive the superconducting connecting chips and channels to receive the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables.

3. The superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector of claim 2 , wherein the channels extend in a longitudinal direction from each side of the main recess to each longitudinal side of the base.

4. The superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector of claim 3 , wherein the compression device includes a compression portion that aligns with and extends into the main recess when the cover is in a closed position.

5. The superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector of claim 4 , wherein the compression portion applies pressure to the superconducting connecting chips to ensure electrical continuity between metal traces in the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and metal traces in the superconducting connecting chips.

6. The superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector of claim 1 , wherein the base further includes a latch receiving recess, wherein the compression device further includes a latching mechanism, and wherein the latching mechanism aligns with and snaps into the latch receiving recess when the cover is in the closed position.

7. The superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector of claim 1 , wherein the cover is pivotally attached to the base via a pivot pin.

8. A superconducting computing system comprising:
superconducting multi-chip module assemblies in a stacked arrangement;
superconducting flexible interconnecting cables electrically communicatively linking the superconducting multi-chip assemblies to each other;
superconducting connecting chips electrically communicatively linking ends of the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables together; and
superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connectors including a base having a recessed area to receive the superconducting connecting chips and the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables to ensure electrical continuity between metal traces in the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and metal traces in the superconducting connecting chips.

9. The superconducting computing system of claim 8 , wherein the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector further includes a cover to cover the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and the superconducting connecting chips when the cover is in a closed position.

10. The superconducting computing system of claim 9 , wherein the cover is pivotally attached to the base via a pivot pin.

11. The superconducting computing system of claim 9 , wherein the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connectors include a compression device having a compression portion that aligns with and extends into a main recess of the recessed area when the cover is in a closed position.

12. The superconducting computing system of claim 11 , wherein the compression portion contacts and applies pressure to the superconducting connecting chips to secure the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables and the superconducting connecting chips inside the recessed area of the base when the cover is in the closed position.

13. The superconducting computing system of claim 12 , wherein the base further includes a latch receiving recess, wherein the compression device further includes a latching mechanism, and wherein the latching mechanism aligns with and snaps into the latch receiving recess when the cover is in a closed position.

14. The superconducting computing system of claim 8 , wherein the recessed area includes a main recess to receive the superconducting connecting chips and channels to receive the superconducting flexible interconnecting cables.

15. The superconducting computing system of claim 14 , wherein the channels extend in a longitudinal direction from each side of the main recess to each longitudinal side of a base of the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector.

16. The superconducting computing system of claim 8 , wherein the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connectors are comprised of a non-magnetic metal.

17. A method of connecting a superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector for a superconducting computing system comprising:
bonding a ground side of a first superconducting interconnecting cable from a first multi-chip module assembly to a first superconducting connecting chip, wherein the first superconducting connecting chip is coated with a ground plane;
bonding a metal trace side of a second superconducting interconnecting cable from a second multi-chip module assembly to metal traces on a second superconducting connecting chip;
inserting the first superconducting connecting chip and the first superconducting interconnecting cable into a main recess and into a channel respectively of a base of the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector;
inserting the second superconducting connecting chip and the second superconducting interconnecting cable into the main recess and another channel respectively of the base of the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector over the first superconducting connecting chip; and
securing a cover of the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector onto the base.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein when securing the cover of the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector onto the base, a compression portion of a compression device attached to an inside surface of the cover extends into the main recess and applies a pressure to the first superconducting connecting chip and to the second superconducting connecting chip to ensure electrical continuity between the first superconducting interconnecting cable and the second superconducting interconnecting cable.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein when the first superconducting connecting chip and the second superconducting connecting chip are placed in the main recess, an end of the first superconducting interconnecting cable and an end of the second superconducting interconnecting cable butt up against each other.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein when securing the cover of the superconducting flexible interconnecting cable connector onto the base a latching mechanism of the compression device latches into a latching mechanism recess to secure the cover to the base.

Assignees

• Van Dyke Jonathan Francis
• Northrop Grumman Systems Corp

Inventors

• Van Dyke Jonathan Francis

Classifications

• H10W40/305

  the fluid being a liquefied gas, e.g. liquid nitrogen · CPC title

• H01B12/02 Primary

  characterised by their form · CPC title

• H01R4/68

  Connections to or between superconductive connectors · CPC title

• G06F1/183 Primary

  Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for supporting printed circuit boards · CPC title

• H01R12/78

  connecting to other flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures · CPC title