Methods of manufacture of multi-diameter female contacts with a circuit board
A method is for making a circuit board to be coupled to a connector including a connector body and outwardly extending conductive pins. The method may include forming passageways in a dielectric layer, forming a first conductive layer within the passageways, and forming a core within the passageways to define conductive tubular vias. The method may also include removing an uppermost portion of the conductive tubular vias to define corresponding enlarged passageways, and forming a second conductive layer within the enlarged passageways to provide female contacts with each including a conductive cup having a continuous bottom abutting a respective conductive tubular via, and an upper end defining a recess to receive a corresponding conductive pin of the connector.
1 . A method of making a circuit board to be coupled to a connector comprising a connector body and a plurality of conductive pins extending outwardly from the connector body, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of passageways in a dielectric layer from a topside of the dielectric layer to a backside opposite the topside;
plating a first conductive layer within the plurality of passageways;
forming a core within the plurality of passageways to define a plurality of conductive tubular vias;
removing an uppermost portion of the plurality of conductive tubular vias to define a corresponding plurality of enlarged passageways above the plurality of conductive tubular vias; and
plating a second conductive layer within the plurality of enlarged passageways to provide a corresponding plurality of spaced apart female contacts, each of the plurality of spaced apart female contacts comprising a conductive cup having a continuous bottom abutting and directly joined to a respective conductive tubular via and an upper end defining a recess to receive a corresponding conductive pin of the connector body, the conductive cup having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the respective conductive tubular via.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the removing of the uppermost portion of the plurality of conductive tubular vias comprises removing by drilling.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive cup comprises an uppermost flange coupled to the upper end.
4 . The method of claim 1 comprising depositing solder within the recess of each conductive cup to surround the corresponding conductive pin.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive tubular via has a constant outer diameter.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the outer diameter of the conductive cup is within a range of 1.5 to 2.5 times the outer diameter of the conductive tubular via.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive cup has a height within a range of 0.1 to 0.5 times a height of the conductive tubular via.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the outer diameter of the conductive cup is within a range of 500-700 microns.
9 . The method of claim 1 comprising forming at least one additional passageway in the dielectric layer extending toward the backside of the dielectric layer, and forming at least one partial female contact associated with the at least one additional passageway.
10 . A method of making a circuit board to be coupled to a connector comprising a connector body and a plurality of conductive pins extending outwardly from the connector body, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of passageways in a dielectric layer from a topside of the dielectric layer to a backside opposite the topside;
forming a first conductive layer within the plurality of passageways;
forming a core within the plurality of passageways to define a plurality of conductive tubular vias;
removing an uppermost portion of the plurality of conductive tubular vias to define a corresponding plurality of enlarged passageways above the plurality of conductive tubular vias;
forming a second conductive layer within the plurality of enlarged passageways to provide a corresponding plurality of spaced apart female contacts, each of the plurality of spaced apart female contacts comprising a conductive cup having a lower end abutting and directly joined to a respective conductive tubular via and an upper end defining a recess to receive a corresponding conductive pin of the connector body, the conductive cup having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the respective conductive tubular via;
forming at least one additional passageway in the dielectric layer extending toward the backside of the dielectric layer;
forming at least one partial female contact associated with the at least one additional passageway; and
forming a cylindrical dielectric body aligned with the at least one additional passageway and extending to the backside of the dielectric layer.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the forming of the first conductive layer and the forming of the second conductive layer each comprises a plating.
12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the removing of the uppermost portion of the plurality of conductive tubular vias comprises removing by drilling.
13 . The method of claim 10 wherein the conductive cup comprises an uppermost flange coupled to the upper end.
14 . The method of claim 10 comprising depositing solder within the recess of each conductive cup to surround the corresponding conductive pin.
15 . The method of claim 10 wherein the conductive tubular via has a constant outer diameter.
16 . The method of claim 10 wherein the outer diameter of the conductive cup is within a range of 1.5 to 2.5 times the outer diameter of the conductive tubular via.
17 . The method of claim 10 wherein the conductive cup has a height within a range of 0.1 to 0.5 times a height of the conductive tubular via.
18 . The method of claim 10 wherein the outer diameter of the conductive cup is within a range of 500-700 microns.
19 . A method of making a circuit board to be coupled to a connector comprising a connector body and a plurality of conductive pins extending outwardly from the connector body, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of passageways in a dielectric layer from a topside of the dielectric layer to a backside opposite the topside;
forming a first conductive layer within the plurality of passageways;
forming a core within the plurality of passageways to define a plurality of conductive tubular vias;
removing an uppermost portion of the plurality of conductive tubular vias to define a corresponding plurality of enlarged passageways above the plurality of conductive tubular vias;
forming a second conductive layer within the plurality of enlarged passageways to provide a corresponding plurality of spaced apart female contacts, each of the plurality of spaced apart female contacts comprising a conductive cup having a continuous bottom abutting and directly joined to a respective conductive tubular via and an upper end defining a recess to receive a corresponding conductive pin of the connector body, the conductive cup having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the respective conductive tubular via; and
depositing solder within the recess of each conductive cup to surround the corresponding conductive pin.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the removing of the uppermost portion of the plurality of conductive tubular vias comprises removing by drilling.
21 . The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive cup comprises an uppermost flange coupled to the upper end.
22 . The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive tubular via has a constant outer diameter.
23 . The method of claim 19 wherein the outer diameter of the conductive cup is within a range of 1.5 to 2.5 times the outer diameter of the conductive tubular via.
24 . The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive cup has a height within a range of 0.1 to 0.5 times a height of the conductive tubular via.
25 . The method of claim 19 wherein the outer diameter of the conductive cup is within a range of 500-700 microns.