Front edge chamfer feature for fully-molded memory cards

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/956,190 entitled LEAD-FRAME METHOD AND ASSEMBLY FOR INTERCONNECTING CIRCUITS WITHIN A CIRCUIT MODULE filed Sep. 19, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,527, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to memory cards and, more particularly, to a memory card (e.g., a multi-media card (MMC)) which is configured such that the host socket connector pins travel only over the metallic contacts of the memory card and not any mold compound thereof, thus substantially enhancing the durability of the host socket connector pins.

As is well known in the electronics industry, memory cards are being used in increasing numbers to provide memory storage and other electronic functions for devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, cellular phones, and personal digital assistants. In this regard, memory cards are provided in various formats, including multi-media cards and secure digital cards.

Typically, memory cards comprise multiple integrated circuit devices or semiconductor dies. The dies are interconnected using a circuit board substrate which adds to the weight, thickness, stiffness and complexity of the card. Memory cards also include electrical contacts for providing an external interface to an insertion point or socket. These electrical contacts are typically disposed on the back side of the circuit board substrate, with the electrical connection to the dies being provided by vias which extend through the circuit board substrate.

In an effort to simplify the process steps needed to fabricate the memory card, there has been developed by Applicant a memory card wherein a leadframe assembly is used as an alternative to the circuit board substrate, as described in Applicant's co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/956,190 entitled LEAD-FRAME METHOD AND ASSEMBLY FOR INTERCONNECTING CIRCUITS WITHIN A CIRCUIT MODULE filed Sep. 19, 2001, of which the present application is a continuation-in-part. As is described in Ser. No. 09/956,190, the leadframe and semiconductor die of the memory card are covered with an encapsulant which hardens into a cover or body of the memory card. The body is sized and configured to meet or achieve a “form factor” for the memory card. In the completed memory card, the contacts of the leadframe are exposed within a common surface of the body, with a die pad of the leadframe and the semiconductor die mounted thereto being disposed within or covered by the body.

Applicant has previously determined that the molding or encapsulation process used to form the body of the card sometimes gives rise to structural deficiencies or problems within the resultant memory card. These problems include portions of the die pad of the leadframe being exposed in the body of the memory card, flash being disposed on the contacts of the leadframe, chipping in a peripheral flange area of the body, and mold gate pull-out wherein a portion of the mold or encapsulating compound is pulled out from within the body, leaving a small recess or void therein. To address these particular problems, Applicant has previously developed a memory card having a “die down” configuration attributable to the structural attributes of the leadframe included therein, and an associated molding methodology employed in the fabrication of such memory card. This die-down memory card is disclosed in Applicant's co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/266,329 entitled DIE DOWN MULTI-MEDIA CARD AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME filed Oct. 8, 2002, the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference.

Memory cards, such as multi-media cards, are used by advancing the same into a host socket which includes a plurality of connector pins. Many host sockets include nine connector pins to accommodate the seven contacts included in many memory card formats such as multi-media cards, and the nine contacts included in the secure digital card memory card format. In current memory cards, the bottom surfaces of the contacts are exposed in and substantially flush with the bottom surface of the body of the memory card. A relatively narrow rail or segment of the body extends between and thus separates the contacts from the lateral side of the body which is advanced into the host socket. As a result, the connector pins of the host socket must travel over this rail or segment of the mold compound of the body prior to engaging the exposed bottom surfaces of the contacts of the memory card. The travel or rubbing of the connector pins on the mold compound tends to rapidly wear out the connector pins, especially when the mold compound contains high levels of filler material. As a result, the host socket connector pins are unable to survive the typical mating insertion requirement of ten thousand insertion cycles.

The present invention addresses and overcomes the above-described deficiencies of currently known memory cards by providing a memory card which is specifically configured to eliminate the travel of the host socket connector pins over the mold compound of the body of the memory card. More particularly, the memory card of the present invention includes a leadframe which has an external signal contact (ESC) feature which is placed to prevent damage to the host socket connector pins or contacts during memory card insertion into the host socket. These and other attributes of the present invention will be described in more detail below.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a memory card which is configured in a manner such that the host socket connector pins of a host socket do not travel over the mold compound of the body of the memory card as a result of an insertion cycle of the memory card into the host socket. More particularly, in accordance with the present invention, the seven contacts or connector pins of a memory card (i.e., a multi-media card) or the nine contacts or connector pins of a secure digital card are extended to the adjacent lateral side of the card body and provided with an external signal contact (ESC) feature so that the host socket connector pins slide or travel only over the contacts of the memory card. This ESC feature comprises an external chamfer on the leading edge of the card which allows the host socket connector pins to hit only the metal of the card contacts, and not the abrasive, fully molded card body.

The present invention is best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These, as well as other features of the present invention, will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a memory card constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the memory card shown in FIG. 1.

Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and not for purposes of limiting the same, FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a memory card 10 which is constructed in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the memory card 10 has a form factor particularly suited for use in a multi-media card memory application. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the memory card 10 may have alternative memory card formats, including those of secure digital cards (SDC), compact flash (CF), memory stick, and other small form factor memory cards.

The memory card 10 includes a leadframe 12 having a die attach area or die pad 14 and a plurality of contacts 16. The die pad 14 defines opposed, generally planar top and bottom surfaces. Integrally connected to and extending from each of the contacts 16 is a conductive trace 18. The traces 18 terminate in close proximity to the die pad 14.

In the memory card 10, attached to the top surface of the die pad 14 are multiple semiconductor dies 20 and a passive device 22. Such attachment is preferably facilitated through the use of an epoxy or adhesive. Subsequent to such attachment, the pads or terminals of the semiconductor dies 20 and passive device 22 are electrically connected to each other and to one or more of the traces 18, contacts 16, and/or die pad 14 through the use of conductive wires 24 or equivalent standard interconnect technology (e.g., flip chip, solder attach, etc).

The contacts 16 of the leadframe 10 each include a base portion 26 and a chamfer portion 28 which is integral with and extends angularly relative to the base portion 26. The base portion 26 defines a generally planar bottom surface 30, with the chamfer portion 28 itself defining a generally planar outer chamfer surface 32. The chamfer surface 32 extends at an angle in the range of from about thirty degrees to about sixty degrees, and preferably about 45 degrees, relative to the bottom surface 30 of the base portion 26. The functionality of the chamfer portion 28 of each contact 16 will be discussed in more detail below.

The leadframe 12 is preferably fabricated from a conductive metal material (e.g., copper) through either a chemical etching or mechanical stamping process. The leadframe 12 may be formed to include any number of contacts 16 depending on the desired application for the memory card 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the memory card 10 includes seven contacts 16 which is the typical number included for a multi-media card application. The leadframe 12 of the memory card 10 may further be configured to define more than one die pad 14 for accommodating one or more semiconductor dies 20 alone or in combination with other devices such as the passive device 22. Further, though multiple semiconductor dies 20 and the passive device 22 are shown as being attached to the top surface of the single die pad 14 in FIG. 1, one semiconductor die 20 alone or in combination with one or more other devices can be attached to the single die pad 14, or to respective ones of multiple die pads. Moreover, one or more semiconductor dies 20 alone or in combination with one or more passive devices 22 may be attached to a common interposer or laminate substrate, which is in turn attached to a die pad 14 of the leadframe 12. One or more passive devices 22 may also be attached to a common interposer disposed on a separate die pad 14, or on the same die pad 14 to which one or more semiconductor dies 20 is/are mounted. The pattern of the conductive traces 18 may also be varied depending upon the number and arrangement of die pads and the number of semiconductor dies and/or other passive devices included in the memory card 10. Thus, the configuration of the leadframe 12 of the memory card 10 is variable, in that the number and arrangement of die pads, contacts, and conductive traces may be varied as needed to satisfy the requirements of a particular application. Along these lines, the number and arrangement of the semiconductor dies 20 and passive device 22 shown in FIG. 1 is exemplary only, in that such number and arrangement may also be varied based on specific application requirements. Typically, at least the bottom surfaces 30 of the base portions 26 of each of the contacts 16 will be coated with a conductive material.

In fabricating the memory card 10, an encapsulant material or molding compound is applied to the leadframe 12, the semiconductor die(s) 20, and any conductive wires 24 used to electrically connect the semiconductor die(s) 20 to the die pad(s)14, traces 18, and/or contacts 16. The molding compound is preferably a plastic (e.g., thermoset, thermoplastic) which, upon hardening, forms a body 34 of the memory card 10. The completely formed body 34 defines a generally planar top surface 36, an opposed, generally planar bottom surface 38, an opposed pair of longitudinal edges or sides 40, and an opposed pair of lateral edges or sides 42. The body 34 may also define a fifth angled side which extends between one of the longitudinal sides 40 and one of the lateral sides 42. The body 34 is formed such that the bottom surfaces 30 of the base portions 26 of the contacts 16 are exposed in and substantially flush with the bottom surface 38 of the body 34.

As best seen in FIG. 1, in the memory card 10, the distal end of the peripheral portion 28 of each contact 16 extends to and is substantially flush with the lateral side 42 of the body 34 which is disposed closest to the contacts 16. The extension of the contacts 16, and in particular the chamfer portions 28 thereof, to such lateral side 42 represents a substantial departure from existing memory cards wherein a continuous, relatively narrow rail or segment of the body extends between the contacts and the lateral side of the body disposed closest thereto. As indicated above, the travel or rubbing of the connector pins of the host socket over such rail segment of the body substantially accelerates the wear of the connector pins, thus resulting in the inability of existing memory cards to meet or exceed the typical requirement of ten thousand insertion cycles without failure.

In the memory card 10, it is contemplated that the body 34 will be formed to include a generally planar sloped surface 44 which extends angularly between the bottom surface 38 and the lateral side 42 to which the distal ends of the chamfer portions 28 of the contacts 16 extend. In this regard, the outer surface 32 of the chamfer portion 28 of each of the contacts 16 is preferably substantially flush with the sloped surface 44 of the body 34. Thus, the outer surfaces 32 of the chamfer portions 28 of the contacts 16 and sloped surface 44 of the body 34 collectively create an external chamfer on the leading edge of the memory card 10 which ensures metal-to-metal contact between the exposed surfaces of the contacts 16 and the connector pins of the host socket connector. In this regard, such chamfer on the leading edge of the memory card 10 allows the connector pins of the host socket to hit only metal, as opposed to the abrasive, fully-molded body 34 of the memory card 10.

To achieve the above-described orientations between the contacts 16 and the body 34 in the memory card 10, it is contemplated that the body 34 will be molded in a manner achieving a desired form factor which, in the case of the memory card 10, is a multi-media card form factor as indicated above. The molding techniques which may be employed to facilitate the formation of the body 34 with a prescribed form factor are described with particularity in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/266,329 which, as indicated above, is incorporated herein by reference. In this regard, the memory card fabrication methodology wherein a “skin” is mated to a circuit module as also described in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/266,329 is not well suited for the memory card 10 since such skin would typically define the undesirable rail or segment of material between the contacts 16 and the lateral side 42 of the memory card 10 which is disposed closest to the contacts 16, such lateral side being defined by the skin itself. Additionally, in the memory card 10, it is contemplated that the semiconductor die(s) 20 alone or in combination with the passive device(s) 22 may be attached to the bottom surface of the die pad(s) 14 in a “die down” configuration as described in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/266,329. Further, it is contemplated that the above-described chamfer feature may be used in a secure digital card application wherein the card includes nine contacts rather than the seven contacts 16 included in the memory card 10.

This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturing process may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.