WO1994028697A1 - Intercoupling component for installing integrated circuit packages on circuit boards - Google Patents

Abstract

An intercoupling component (e.g. adapter or socket) (10) for interconnecting an integrated circuit (IC) package (22) to a printed circuit board (12) includes a molded polymer member (18) having alignment member (e.g. ribs) (26) extending between adjacent connection regions of the component. The molded ribs (26) assure accurate alignment of each connection lead (24) of the IC package (22) to connection regions (16) of the printed circuit board (12). The intercoupling component further includes resilient members (50), each member (50) associated with a connection lead (24) of the IC package (22) for assuring that reliable contact is maintained between each connection lead (24) and connection region (16) of the circuit board (12).

Description

INTERCOUPLING COMPONENT FOR INSTALLING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PACKAGES ON CIRCUIT BOARDS Background of the Invention This invention relates to intercoupling components, such as adapters and sockets for intercoupling integrated circuit (IC) packages to circuit boards.

Adapters and sockets are described in Advanced Interconnections Catalog No. 11 (available from 5 Energy Way, West Warwick, RI 02893) . In general, they consist of a glass epoxy frame having pins which are used to electrically connect a PC board with an IC or other electrical component. They can be used as high density sockets, single-in line or dual-in line sockets, decoupling capacitor sockets, hybrid socket and board connectors, pin grid array sockets, and as J-lead, gull wing and leadless adapters and sockets.

In general, the adapters and sockets are manufactured as small printed circuit boards using printed circuit (PC) fabrication methods, producing what is known as a PC-fab board. Briefly, a glass epoxy laminate having copper on both sides is drilled to produce holes for pins, and then photo-etched to produce the desired circuitry. Copper is then plated through the holes to provide electrical connection for the pins. Metal, such as tin or gold, is then plated on top of the etched copper to enhance its soldering properties. A single adapter is then routed from the laminate and pins mechanically positioned in the holes.

Other approaches are used for making adapters and sockets (e.g., inserting individual metal contacts in molded polymer bodies) , but PC fabrication offers a cost advantage over other techniques, particularly at low part volumes. Summary of the Invention The invention features an intercoupling component (e.g., adapter or socket) for coupling the leads of an integrated circuit (IC) package to connection regions of a printed circuit board. The component may include a polymer member with a plurality of alignment members (e.g., ribs) in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of connection leads of the IC package and an electrically conductive resilient member for assuring a reliable electrical connection between the connector leads and associated connection regions of the circuit board.

This invention provides for increased accuracy in the positioning of integrated circuit packages onto the connection regions of adapters or sockets made using printed circuit boards. It is not uncommon for the contact regions (feet) of IC package connector leads to be misaligned. The tiny feet may become twisted or bent so that the spacing between adjacent feet is not equal. The feet may be misaligned at the time of delivery from the production plant or become misaligned during handling. Misalignment is particularly a problem with IC packages having a fine pitch between connector leads. Further, the contact surfaces of the feet typically do not lie along a common plane. Similarly, the top and bottom surfaces of the elastomeric members, as well as the contact surfaces of the press down ribs may not be coplanar. The ribs molded within the component align and prevent shorting between adjacent leads. Simultaneously, the resiliency of the elastomeric elements assures that a solderless (non-permanent) contact is maintained between each foot of the connector lead and contact region of the circuit board.

In a first aspect, the invention features an intercoupling component having a molded ribbed polymer member including a plurality of molded alignment ribs located on an upper surface of the ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of the connection leads, and an electrically conductive resilient member configured to provide an electrical connection between the connection lead and an associated connection region, the resilient member comprising an elastomeric member and having a first contact portion positioned along the upper surface of the ribbed polymer member to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package and a second contact portion positioned along an opposite lower surface of the ribbed polymer member to mate with connection regions of the circuit board.

In a second aspect, the invention features an intercoupling component having a molded ribbed polymer member including a plurality of molded alignment ribs located on an upper surface of the ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of the connection leads, and a plurality of springy metallic members configured to provide a reliable electrical connection between the connection lead and an associated connection region, each having a first contact portion positioned along the upper surface of the ribbed polymer member to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package and a second contact portion positioned along an opposite lower surface of the ribbed polymer member to mate with a connection region of the circuit board, with a majority of the connection leads being separated from an adjacent connection lead by a molded alignment rib. In a third aspect, the invention features an intercoupling component having a molded ribbed polymer member including a plurality of molded alignment ribs located on an upper surface of the ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of the connection leads, a cover member having on a bottom surface, a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of molded alignment ribs of the ribbed member, and at least one electrically conductive resilient member configured to provide electrical connections between the connection leads and associated connection regions, the resilient member having a first contact portion positioned along the upper surface of the ribbed polymer member to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package and a second contact portion positioned along an opposite lower surface of the ribbed polymer member to mate with connection regions of the circuit board, wherein each of the elements applies a downward force on each of the connection leads to compress the electrically conductive resilient member between corresponding connection leads and connection regions of the printed circuit board. In a fourth aspect, the invention features an intercoupling component having a molded ribbed polymer member having a peripheral portion extending around the periphery of and outside of the area in which the connection regions are located, leaving a central opening into which the integrated circuit package is received,a plurality of molded alignment ribs extending inwardly from the peripheral portion of the molded ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of the connection leads, and a plurality of resilient finger elements, one associated with each connection lead of the integrated circuit package, each resilient finger configured to press downwardly on an upper surface of one of the integrated circuit package connection leads when the connection leads are in electrical contact with the connection regions of the printed circuit board.

In a fifth aspect, the invention features an intercoupling component having a plurality of springy metallic members configured to provide electrical connections between the connection leads and associated connection regions, each having a first contact portion to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package, a second contact portion positioned to mate with a connection region of the circuit board, and a central portion joining the first and second contact portions, each springy metallic member being cut from the same lead frame and being positioned in the component in the same position relative to the other springy metallic members as in the lead frame, and insulative polymer molded around the central portions of the springy metallic members to form a molded polymer body supporting the springy metallic members.

In a sixth aspect, the invention features an intercoupling component having a plurality of metallic members configured to provide electrical connections between the connection leads and associated connection regions, each metallic member being cut from the same lead frame and being positioned in the component in the same position relative to the other metallic members as in the lead frame, insulative polymer molded around portions of the metallic members to form a molded polymer body supporting the metallic members, a cover member disposed over the integrated circuit package, and retention members cut from a lead frame and configured to engage the cover member to secure the integrated circuit package onto the intercoupling component.

In a seventh aspect, the invention features an intercoupling component having a molded polymer body supporting at least one electrically conductive resilient member configured to provide electrical connections between the connection leads and associated connection regions, the resilient member having a first contact portion positioned along an upper surface of the polymer member to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package and a second contact portion positioned along an opposite lower surface of the polymer member to mate with connection regions of the circuit board, and a molded polymer cover member having on a bottom surface a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element sized and positioned to be disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of connection leads of the integrated circuit package when the cover is installed on the molded polymer body, wherein the downwardly-extending elements provide alignment of the connections leads with the electrically conductive resilient member.

In preferred embodiments, the invention may include one or more of the following features.

An alignment member may be provided and sized and positioned to mate with a mating alignment member in the circuit board to align the second contact portion of the electrically conductive resilient member with the connection regions.

The resilient member may be positioned in an aperture extending through the polymer member from the upper surface to the lower surface, and the alignment ribs include portions bridging across the aperture thereby providing alignment of the connection leads in the immediate vicinity of the associated connection regions. A cover member may be provided for applying a downward force on each of the connection leads to compress the electrically conductive resilient member between corresponding connection leads and connection regions of the printed circuit board. The cover member may include on a bottom surface, a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of molded alignment ribs of the ribbed member.

The resilient member may comprise a plurality of conductive traces extending from the first contact portion of the resilient member associated with the integrated circuit package connection leads to the second contact portion of the resilient member associated with the connection region of the circuit board, wherein the conductive traces provide the electrical connections between the integrated circuit package connection leads and the connection regions on the circuit board. The plurality of conductive traces may be associated with each of the integrated circuit package connection leads. The resilient member may further comprise an elastomeric core and a polymer film surrounding the core, with a plurality of conductive traces disposed on the polymer film, or the plurality of conductive traces may be conductive carbon particles embedded within the core. The alignment ribs may include portions extending across the first contact portions of the connection leads, thereby providing alignment of the connection leads in the immediate vicinity of the associated connection regions. The intercoupling component may further comprise a molded polymer finger-supporting member supporting the resilient fingers and including an element configured to fasten the finger-supporting member to the peripheral portion of the molded ribbed polymer member. The metallic springy member may be formed from a pair of tines that are cut from the same lead frame and that adjacently branch from a metal base of the central portion. Alternatively, the metallic springy member may be formed from a pair of tines that are overlaid and welded together at the central portion and extend so that first and second portions are aligned over each other and welded together. In a further alternative, the metallic springy member may be formed from a pair of tines that extend from a common loop at the central portion and extend so that first and second portions are aligned over each other.

The cover member may provide the alignment members in the form of a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element disposed between adjacent ones of the first contact portions of the springy metallic members.

The retention member may be cut from the same lead frame as the metallic members providing electrical connections.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments and from the claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is an exploded, somewhat diagrammatic, isometric view of an intercoupling component for a gull- wing package.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the socket of Fig. 1 at lines 2-2. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the socket of Fig. 1 at lines 3-3.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the alignment member of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the alignment member of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an exploded, somewhat diagrammatic, isometric view of another embodiment of the invention, a socket for a QFP gull-wing package.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a portion of the socket of Fig. 6 at lines 7-7.

Fig. 8A is an exploded, side view of a socket for an SOP gull-wing package.

Fig. 8B is an exploded, end view of the socket of Fig. 8A. Fig. 9A is a cross-sectional end view of the socket cover taken along 9A-9A in Fig. 8A.

Fig. 9B is a cross-sectional end view of the socket body taken along 9B-9B in Fig. 8A. Fig. 10A is a top view of a lead frame of the alignment member of Fig. 8A and 8B prior to cutting. Fig. 10B is a top view of a lead frame of the alignment member of Fig. 8A and 8B after cutting and molding of polymer. Fig. 11 is a side view of a molded polymer body with springs for an SOP package.

Figs. 12A-12C are alternate embodiments of springs used in the socket of Figs. 8A-8B.

Fig. 13 is an exploded, somewhat diagrammatic, isometric view of another embodiment of the invention, a socket for a gull-wing package.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of a portion of the socket of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a somewhat diagrammatic, isometric view of a portion of an alternate embodiment of the socket of Fig. 6.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figs. 1-3, a socket 10 is positioned over a printed circuit board 12 having conductive traces 14 leading to contact pads 16. Socket 10 includes a ribbed polymer (plastic) member 18 molded from an electrically insulative polymer, which may typically be PPS, or epoxy, and includes an aperture 20 for receiving a gull-wing packaged chip 22 having gull wing connector leads 24. Ribbed polymer member 18 includes equally spaced alignment ribs or walls 26 positioned along its outer periphery which extend upwardly from a top surface 28 of the polymer member. Alignment ribs 26 are sized, positioned and spaced to ensure that connector leads 24 of chip 22, which may be slightly bent or twisted, are aligned with corresponding contact pads 16 of PC board 12 when chip 22 is disposed in aperture 20. Thus, ribs 26 effectively prevent shorting between adjacent connector leads 24 of chip 22. It is appreciated that to insure proper alignment of the connector leads 24, it is generally necessary that ribs 26 be positioned between substantially all of the leads 24. Registration of connector leads 24 and contact pads 16 is facilitated using bosses 30 (Fig. 2) positionally located around the periphery of the bottom surface of ribbed member 18.

Bosses 30 are seated within registration thru holes 32 of board 12.

A cover plate 34 includes, from its bottom surface, rigid rib members 36 spaced along the periphery of the plate and interdigitally aligned with connector leads 24 of the packaged chip. A screw 38 (Fig. 2) is passed through holes 40, 42, 32 of the cover plate, ribbed member, and circuit board, respectively, and secured to printed circuit board 12 with nut 46. Cover plate 34 includes an aperture 44 to allow visual inspection of gull wing chip 22 when locked in place or to provide access for attaching a heat sink to the chip.

Referring to Figs. 2-5, thru-slots 48 are positioned around the periphery of ribbed member 18, each thru-slot supporting a resilient conductive member 50, such as an Amplifex resilient connector, a product of AMP Inc., Harrisburg PA. As shown in Fig. 4, each resilient conductive member includes a thin sheet 52 of a polymeric film, such as Kapton™, having a number of narrowly spaced conductive traces 54 running transverse to the length of the member. Note that Figs. 4 and 5 are not to scale and is not intended to indicate a particular number or spacing of the conductive traces 54. The thin sheet of polymeric film is wrapped around an elastomeric core 56 so that a top portion 58 of the sheet is aligned with connector leads 24 of chip 22 and a bottom portion 60 is aligned with contact pads 16 providing an electrically continuous path via traces 54 therebetween. Resilient conductive member 50 has a thickness, in its uncompressed state, slightly greater than that of ribbed member 18 so that top and bottom portions 58, 60 of the member extend just beyond top and bottom surfaces of the ribbed member. Referring to Fig. 5, alignment ribs 26 are bridged across the length of thru-slots 48 on the top surface of the ribbed member 18 providing individual windows 62 between adjacent ribs. Within each window 62, several of the closely spaced conductive traces 54 of sheet 52 are exposed. The close spacing of the fine traces permits broad use with sockets for connecting packaged chips having different pitches between connector leads.

When cover plate 34 is secured over chip 22, rigid rib members 36 exert a sufficient downward pressure directly onto contact feet portions of connector leads 24 to assure reliable electrical contact between the connector leads and contact pads. The rigid members 36 assure that the contact foot portion of each connector lead 24, which may be bent upward or lie in a plane above the exposed top surface of its associated contact pad hole 16, is reliably connected. Simultaneously, each resilient conductive member 50 has a sufficient resiliency for yielding to the downward pressure applied by the rigid rib members. Thus, although the contact surfaces of each connector lead 24 may not be perfectly coplanar when placed in socket 10, a reliable mechanical and electrical contact between each lead and corresponding contact pad is provided without risk of damage to the lead.

In a similar arrangement, shown in Fig. 6, reed¬ like springs 88 are molded within a socket 80 for connecting a gull-wing quad-flat package chip (QFP) 84 to a PC board 86. Each spring provides the electrical connection and resiliency characteristics provided by the resilient conductive members 50 of Figs. 1-5 and includes a pair of tines 92, 94 for connecting a corresponding connector lead 96 of package chip 84 to an electrical contact 97 of PC board 86. A cover 98, for securing chip 84 within socket 80, includes on its bottom surface 100, is molded with rigid alignment members 102 spaced along the periphery of the cover by grooves 103 aligned with connector leads 96 of the packaged chip. As shown in Fig. 7, rigid alignment members 102 have a shape and dimension which allow them to extend between adjacent connector leads 96 of the packaged chip to ensure proper alignment of the leads with tines 92 of springs 88 when cover 98 is properly secured over chip 84.

Concomitantly, each groove 103 between alignment members 102 has a shape conforming with the shape of leads 96 so that the grooves exert the necessary downward pressure directly to contact feet portions of connector leads 96 thereby ensuring a reliable electrical connection to springs 88. Alignment guides 104 are positioned at the corners of the insulative polymer body 90 to facilitate registration of package chip 84 within the socket. Locking tabs 106, are similarly molded within the corner portions of polymer body 90 to engage corresponding projection ears 108 molded within the corner portions of cover 98 thereby securing chip 84 within the socket.

Similar sockets using horseshoe springs can be fabricated for other adapter and socket configurations. For example, sockets for connecting surface mounted packages (e.g., small outline packages (SOP) or thin small outline packages (TSOP) to PC boards may be constructed. Referring to Figs. 8A and 8B, a socket 110 for connecting an SOP package 112 to a PC circuit board (not shown) includes horseshoe springs 114 molded within an insulative polymer body 116. Each spring 114 is comprised of offset tines 118, 120, one (118) bent upward to contact a connector lead 122 of the package and the other (120) bent downward for connection (by solder) to a contact region of the PC circuit board. A molded polymer plate 117 is attached to polymer body 116 and includes molded in alignment ribs 124 sized and positioned to ensure that connector leads 122 (Fig. 8A) , which may be slightly bent or twisted, are aligned with corresponding tines 118 of springs 114. Polymer plate 117 also includes molded in alignment guides 126 for registering the SOP chip within the socket and molded in standoffs 128 to prevent application of excessive downward force onto the socket which might damage the solder connections of tines 120 to the circuit board. The molded polymer plate 117 is attached to polymer body 116 with small projections (not shown) which engage cloverleaf holes 119 (Fig. 10B) of the polymer body 116.

Cover 130 includes on its bottom surface 132, rigid members 134 spaced along side edges of the cover and aligned with connector leads 122 of the SOP chip (Fig 9A) . The rigid rib members 134 exert downward pressure directly to contact feet portions of connector leads 122 assuring a reliable electrical connection to springs 118. Locking tabs 136 are molded within end portions of polymer body 116 to engage corresponding projection members 138 molded on outer portions of cover 130 to secure chip 112.

Horseshoe springs 114 and locking tabs 136 may be provided in the form of a lead frame to reduce cost and increase the reliability of manufacture of such sockets. Referring to Figs. 10A and 10B, horseshoe springs 114 and locking tabs 136 are shown provided in the form of a lead frame 140 stamped or etched from a sheet of beryllium copper of thickness about .008 inches. Insulative polymer body 141 is molded around lead frame 140, in its uncut condition (Fig. 10A) , using conventional molding techniques. Note that in this example, alignment ribs, guides and standoffs are not shown molded in the insulative polymer body in order to simplify the understanding of the method of providing the springs and tabs in lead frame form. Excess metal is trimmed from the lead frame and the outer periphery 142 of lead frame 140 is cut away leaving springs 114 and locking tabs extending from polymer body 141, as shown in Fig. 10B. As is shown in Fig. 11, the longer tines 144 are bent downward and the shorter tines 146 bent upwards to provide a spacing of about 0.070 inches between the contact regions of the tines. Locking tabs 136 are likewise bent upward to be essentially perpendicular to polymer body 141.

Horseshoe springs 114 of the above embodiment included offset tines spaced about 0.010 inches from each other (Fig.l2A). In applications where the pitch between adjacent connector leads of a chip package is less than the width of the tines, it is generally necessary that the tines overlap. In such applications, the tines of the springs may be welded together at hinged region 146 (Fig. 12B) or provided as a single looped hinged region 148 (Fig. 12C) .

Another embodiment is shown in Figs. 13 and 14. A socket 150 is positioned over a printed circuit board 152 having conductive traces 154. Socket 150 further includes a molded ribbed member 156 having alignment ribs 158 for aligning connector leads 160 of a gull-wing packaged chip 162. Chip 162 is received within a central opening 164 of the ribbed member so that each connector lead 160 contacts the electrical contacts 166 traces on printed circuit board 152. Unlike the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-8, alignment ribs 158 are molded along the inner walls defining the central opening and extend inwardly into opening 164.

Positioned over ribbed member 156 is a spring plate 170 fabricated from an electrically insulative material such as PPS or epoxy and having an aperture 172 centered over chip 162 and aperture 164 of ribbed member 156. Electrically conductive copper fingers 174 extend from the outer perimeter of spring plate 170 to the inner perimeter of aperture 172 and are provided within the plate as a lead frame, in the manner described in U.S. Patent 5,168,432, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. Upon removal of the outer frame (not shown) of the lead frame, each finger 174 is electrically isolated from other fingers. Each finger 174 has a cantilevered end portion 176 extending into aperture 172 having a downwardly curved shape. Thus, when spring plate 170 is properly positioned over both ribbed member 156 and gull-wing chip 162 and a downward force is applied to the spring plate, each end portion 176 exerts a downward force on a corresponding connector lead 160 of the chip to provide the mechanically secure and electrically reliable contact. Unlike the embodiment of Figs. 1-8, where the resiliency was provided by a member below the contact feet of the connector lead, here the resiliency is provided by the fingers positioned above the connector leads. Spring plate 170 includes holes 178 which mate with alignment pins 180 of ribbed member 156 to align spring plate 170 with ribbed member 156. A locking cover 182 placed over spring plate 170 is used to provide the necessary downward pressure to fingers 174. Cover 182 includes L-shaped legs 184 positioned along the outer perimeter and from the bottom surface of cover 182 which extend downward to engage mating slots 186 disposed along the outer edge of ribbed member 156. Slots 186 are L-shaped such that legs 184 are positioned within the slots and then slid forward to firmly secure chip 162 between ribbed member 156 and cover 182. Cover 182 includes an aperture 188 to allow visual inspection of gull-wing chip 162 when locked in place.

Ribbed member 156 further includes holes 190 aligned with holes 198 of circuit board 152. As shown in Fig. 14, each hole 190 includes a molded-in nut 194 for receiving a screw 196 which passes through holes 198 and 190 to secure socket 150 to circuit board 152. In addition, ribbed member 156 includes bosses 200 seated within holes 198 of the printed circuit board 152 to facilitate registration of the connector leads 160 and electrical contacts 166.

Other embodiments are within the following claims. For example, an alternate approach for the retention members (different from the locking tabs 106 and 136 of Figs. 6 and 8A) is shown in Fig. 15, where a locking tab 170 formed as part of a lead frame molded within polymer body 90 extends from a side portion of the socket rather than from corner portions (Fig. 6) . Locking tab 170 engages projection members 172 molded in side portions of a polymer cover 174 (Note that only a single locking tab is shown) . The retention members, or locking tabs, may also be formed from a separate lead frame and then fastened to the socket body. In addition, resilient conductive member 50 of Figs. 2-5 may include a rubber core having particles of carbon embedded in a pattern forming conductive traces. Such resilient connectors are manufactured under the product names, MATRIX MOE, Dedicated MOE and STAX by Elastomeric Technologies, Inc., PA.

Claims

Claims 1. An intercoupling component of the type used to couple the connection leads of an integrated circuit package to a printed circuit board having connection regions, comprising a molded ribbed polymer member including a plurality of molded alignment ribs located on an upper surface of the ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of said connection leads, and an electrically conductive resilient member configured to provide an electrical connection between said connection lead and an associated connection region, said resilient member comprising an elastomeric member and having a first contact portion positioned along said upper surface of said ribbed polymer member to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package and a second contact portion positioned along an opposite lower surface of said ribbed polymer member to mate with connection regions of the circuit board.

2. The component of claim 1 further comprising at least one alignment member sized and positioned to mate with a mating alignment member in the circuit board to align said second contact portion of said electrically conductive resilient member with said connection regions.

3. The component of claim 1 wherein the resilient member is positioned in an aperture extending through the polymer member from the upper surface to the lower surface, and the alignment ribs include portions bridging across the aperture thereby providing alignment of the connection leads in the immediate vicinity of the associated connection regions.

4. The component of claim 1 further comprising a cover member for applying a downward force on each of said connection leads to compress said electrically conductive resilient member between corresponding connection leads and connection regions of said printed circuit board.

5. The component of claim 4 wherein said cover member comprises on a bottom surface, a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element disposed between adjacent ones of said plurality of molded alignment ribs of said ribbed member.

6. The component of claim 1 wherein the resilient member comprises a plurality of conductive traces extending from said first contact portion of the resilient member associated with said integrated circuit package connection leads to said second contact portion of the resilient member associated with said connection region of said circuit board, wherein the conductive traces provide the electrical connections between the integrated circuit package connection leads and the connection regions on the circuit board.

7. The component of claim 6 wherein a plurality of conductive traces are associated with each of said integrated circuit package connection leads.

8. The component of claim 6 wherein the resilient member further comprises an elastomeric core and a polymer film surrounding said core, said plurality of conductive traces disposed on said polymer film.

9. The component of claim 6 wherein the resilient member further comprises an elastomeric core and said plurality of conductive traces comprise conductive carbon particles embedded within said core.

10. An intercoupling component of the type used to couple the connection leads of an integrated circuit package to a printed circuit board having connection regions, comprising a molded ribbed polymer member including a plurality of molded alignment ribs located on an upper surface of the ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of said connection leads, and a plurality of springy metallic members configured to provide a reliable electrical connection between said connection lead and an associated connection region, each having a first contact portion positioned along said upper surface of said ribbed polymer member to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package and a second contact portion positioned along an opposite lower surface of said ribbed polymer member to mate with a connection region of the circuit board, with a majority of said connection leads being separated from an adjacent connection lead by a molded alignment rib.

11. The component of claim 10 further comprising at least one alignment member sized and positioned to mate with a mating alignment member in the circuit board to align the second contact portion of said spring metallic members with said connection regions.

12. The component of claim 1 wherein the alignment ribs include portions extending across the first contact portions of the connection leads, thereby providing alignment of the connection leads in the immediate vicinity of the associated connection regions.

13. The component of claim 12 further comprising a cover member for applying a downward force on each of said connection leads to compress each of said springy metallic members between corresponding connection leads and connection regions of said printed circuit board.

14. The component of claim 13 wherein said cover member comprises on a bottom surface, a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element disposed between adjacent ones of said plurality of molded alignment ribs of said ribbed member.

15. An intercoupling component of the type used to couple the connection leads of an integrated circuit package to a printed circuit board having connection regions, comprising a molded ribbed polymer member including a plurality of molded alignment ribs located on an upper surface of the ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of said connection leads, a cover member having on a bottom surface, a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element disposed between adjacent ones of said plurality of molded alignment ribs of said ribbed member, and at least one electrically conductive resilient member configured to provide electrical connections between said connection leads and associated connection regions, said resilient member having a first contact portion positioned along said upper surface of said ribbed polymer member to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package and a second contact portion positioned along an opposite lower surface of said ribbed polymer member to mate with connection regions of the circuit board, wherein each of said elements applies a downward force on each of said connection leads to compress said electrically conductive resilient member between corresponding connection leads and connection regions of said printed circuit board.

16. The component of claim 15 wherein said conductive resilient member comprises an elastomeric member.

17. The component of claim 15 wherein there are a plurality of said conductive resilient members, each comprising a springy metallic member.

18. The component of claim 16 wherein the resilient member is positioned in an aperture extending through the polymer member from the upper surface to the lower surface, and the alignment ribs include portions bridging across the aperture thereby providing alignment of the connection leads in the immediate vicinity of the associated connection regions.

19. An intercoupling component of the type used to couple the connection leads of an integrated circuit package to a printed circuit board having connection regions, comprising a molded ribbed polymer member having a peripheral portion extending around the periphery of and outside of the area in which the connection regions are located, leaving a central opening into which the integrated circuit package is received, a plurality of molded alignment ribs extending inwardly from the peripheral portion of the molded ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of said connection leads, and a plurality of resilient finger elements, one associated with each connection lead of the integrated circuit package, each resilient finger configured to press downwardly on an upper surface of one of the integrated circuit package connection leads when the connection leads are in electrical contact with the connection regions of the printed circuit board.

20. The component of claim 19 further comprising at least one alignment member sized and positioned to mate with a mating alignment member in the circuit board to align said second contact portion of said electrically conductive resilient member with said connection regions.

21. The component of claim 19 further comprising a molded polymer finger-supporting member supporting the resilient fingers and including an element configured to fasten the finger-supporting member to the peripheral portion of the molded ribbed polymer member.

22. An intercoupling component of the type used to couple the connection leads of an integrated circuit package to a printed circuit board having connection regions, comprising a plurality of springy metallic members configured to provide electrical connections between said connection leads and associated connection regions, each having a first contact portion to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package, a second contact portion positioned to mate with a connection region of the circuit board, and a central portion joining said first and second contact portions, each springy metallic member being cut from the same lead frame and being positioned in the component in the same position relative to the other springy metallic members as in the lead frame, and - 23 - insulative polymer molded around said central portions of said springy metallic members to form a molded polymer body supporting said springy metallic members.

23. The component of claim 22 wherein said molded polymer body has a shape providing a plurality of molded alignment ribs located on an upper surface of the ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of said connection leads.

24. The component of claim 22 wherein said metallic springy member is formed from a pair of tines that adjacently branch from a metal base of said central portion.

25. The component of claim 22 wherein said metallic springy member is formed from a pair of tines that are overlaid and welded together at said central portion and extend so that first and second portions are aligned over each other.

26. The component of claim 22 wherein said metallic springy member is formed from a pair of tines that extend from a common loop at said central portion and extend so that first and second portions are aligned over each other.

27. An intercoupling component of the type used to couple the connection leads of an integrated circuit package to a printed circuit board having connection regions, comprising a plurality of metallic members configured to provide electrical connections between said connection leads and associated connection regions, each metallic member being cut from the same lead frame and being positioned in the component in the same position relative to the other metallic members as in the lead frame, insulative polymer molded around portions of said metallic members to form a molded polymer body supporting said metallic members, a cover member disposed over said integrated circuit package, and retention members cut from a lead frame and configured to engage said cover member to secure said integrated circuit package onto said intercoupling component.

28. The component of claim 27 wherein at least some of the metallic members are springy metallic member having a first contact portion for mating with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package, a second contact portion positioned for mating with a connection region of the circuit board, and a central portion joining said first and second contact portions, and the central portions are the portions around which the polymer is molded.

29. The component of claim 28 further comprising at least one alignment member sized and positioned to mate with a mating alignment member in the circuit board to align said second contact portion of said electrically conductive resilient member with said connection regions.

30. The component of claim 28 wherein the cover member comprises a portion configured to apply a downward force on said springy metallic members between corresponding connection leads and connection regions of said printed circuit board.

31. The component of claim 30 wherein said cover member comprises on a bottom surface, a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element disposed between adjacent ones of said first contact portions of said springy metallic members.

32. The component of claim 30 further comprising a molded ribbed polymer member including a plurality of molded alignment ribs located on an upper surface of the ribbed polymer member in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of said connection leads.

33. The component of claim 32 wherein said cover member comprises on a bottom surface, a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element disposed between adjacent ones of said alignment ribs.

34. An intercoupling component of the type used to couple the connection leads of an integrated circuit package to a printed circuit board having connection regions, comprising a molded polymer body supporting at least one electrically conductive resilient member configured to provide electrical connections between said connection leads and associated connection regions, said resilient member having a first contact portion positioned along an upper surface of said polymer member to mate with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package and a second contact portion positioned along an opposite lower surface of said polymer member to mate with connection regions of the circuit board, a molded polymer cover member having on a bottom surface a plurality of downwardly-extending elements, each element sized and positioned to be disposed between adjacent ones of said plurality of connection leads of the integrated circuit package when the cover is installed on the molded polymer body, wherein said downwardly-extending elements provide alignment of said connections leads with said electrically conductive resilient member.

35. The component of claim 34 wherein said resilient member is an electrically-conductive polymer member.

36. The component of claim 34 wherein at least some of the metallic members are springy metallic members having a first contact portion for mating with a connection lead of the integrated circuit package, a second contact portion positioned for mating with a connection region of the circuit board, and a central portion joining said first and second contact portions, and the central portions are the portions around which the polymer is molded, and wherein the downwardly-extending elements of the cover extend between the first contact portions when the cover is installed on the polymer body.

37. The component of claim 36 wherein each springy metallic member has been cut from the same lead frame and is positioned in the component in the same position relative to the other metallic members as in the lead frame, and insulative polymer is molded around the central portions of said metallic members to form a molded polymer body supporting said metallic members.

38. The component of claim 27 wherein the retention members are cut from the same lead frame as the plurality of metallic members.