1. A method of assembling an axle module by coupling an axle member and a pair of leaf springs, comprising:
a first step of disposing the axle member and the pair of leaf springs on a work stand in the same vertical relationship as in the actual state of use,
a second step of placing U-bolts over the pair of leaf springs from above and slipping the tips of the U-bolts all the way through to the rear side of the axle member, and
a third step of tightening nuts onto the tips of the U-bolts from below the axle member.
2. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 1, wherein the pair of leaf springs is provided with a plurality of mounting holes used for mounting to a vehicle body frame and at least one pin passing through at least a pair of corresponding mounting holes in the pair of leaf springs is inserted in order to maintain the positional relationship of the pair of leaf springs prior to the third step.
3. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of pins are inserted such that they pass through the corresponding mounting holes in the leaf springs.
4. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 3, wherein a work stand having a construction supporting the pins or leaf springs such that the plurality of pins remain parallel during the tightening of the U-bolts is used as the work stand.
5. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 1, wherein a period of time is provided which allows the axle member to move in the horizontal direction on the work stand while maintaining its position in the vertical direction.
6. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 5, wherein the period of time, during which movement in the horizontal direction is possible, is a period of time that includes a period of time for carrying out the first step.
7. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 5, wherein the period of time, during which movement in the horizontal direction is possible, is a period of time including a period of time for carrying out the second step.
8. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 5, wherein the period of time, during which movement in the horizontal direction is possible, is a period of time including a period of time for carrying out the third step.
9. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 1, wherein in the third step, tightening tools disposed on a carriage are moved to a position underneath the tips of the U-bolts, after which sockets installed in the tightening tools are raised and rotated to tighten the nuts using a preset torque.
10. The method of assembling an axle module according to claim 9, wherein a pair of U-bolts are provided for each leaf spring and the tightening of the plurality of nuts respectively pre-tightened on their tips is carried out in a concurrent manner.
11. An unfinished axle module product comprising an axle member, a pair of leaf springs arranged perpendicular to the axial direction of the axle member, and a plurality of U-bolts fastening the pair of leaf springs to the axle member,
wherein pins passing through the corresponding holes among the mounting holes provided in the pair of leaf springs for mounting to a vehicle body are inserted prior to mounting the axle module to a vehicle body.
12. An axle module assembly device comprising a work stand, an axle member table provided on the work stand, and leaf spring supports provided on the work stand and supporting a pair of leaf springs above the axle member disposed on the axle member table such that their longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the axial direction of the axle member,
wherein the axle member table includes means enabling movement in the horizontal direction relative to the work stand.
13. The axle module assembly device according to claim 12, wherein
the movable means includes two plates horizontally arranged and multiple ball bearings sandwiched between the two plates.
14. The axle module assembly device according to claim 12, comprising means for temporarily inhibiting the operation of the movable means and putting the axle member table in the standard position (X=0, Y=0).
15. An axle module assembly device comprising a carriage, a plurality of tightening tools disposed on the carriage with the respective sockets facing upwards and concurrently rotatably driven by power actuation, and movable means installed between the tightening tools and the carriage and used for adjusting the misalignment of the tips of the tightening tools.
16. The axle module assembly device according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of tightening tools are mounted as a single unit.
17. The axle module assembly device according to claim 16, wherein the unit comprises adjustment means for setting the relative position of the plurality of tightening tools in accordance with a plurality of specifications.
18. The axle module assembly device according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of tightening tools are mounted as a single unit, and
the axle module assembly device includes, as the movable means, means for enabling the unit to move in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction.
19. The axle module assembly device according to claim 18, wherein
the movement enabling means includes bearing floating means enabling the unit to move in the horizontal direction.
20. The module assembly device according to claim 19, wherein
the movement enabling means include hoisting means enabling the bearing floating means to move in the vertical direction relative to the carriage.
21. The module assembly device according to claim 19, comprising a support structure supporting the unit at two points in a pivotable manner relative to the bearing-floating means.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A method for connecting at least one solid conductive solder bump of an array of solid conductive solder bumps on a semiconductor device and at least one conductive contact site of a plurality of conductive contact sites of a first member, comprising: providing a semiconductor device having an array of solid conductive solder bumps; providing a first member having a plurality of conductive contact sites heating said at least one solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps to a softening temperature Ts below a melting temperature of said at least one solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps; and contacting at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites by at least one solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps of said semiconductor device using a pressure less than substantially 22 grams-force for the at least one solid conductive solder bump and another solid conductive solder bump said array of solid conductive solder bumps.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said melting temperature of said array of solid conductive solder bumps is T degrees Centigrade higher than an ambient temperature To, and wherein the softening temperature Ts is in the range of about 0.5T to 0.95T above the ambient temperature To.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one solid conductive solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps contacts said at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites at a pressure not substantially exceeding about 10 grams-force.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one solid conductive solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps contacts said plurality of conductive contact sites at a pressure of in the range of about 2 to 10 grams-force.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor device having said array of solid conductive solder bumps is directly heated by one of hot air convection and infrared radiation.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first member having said plurality of conductive contact sites is directly heated by said one of hot air convection, conduction from a heated object, and said infrared radiation.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor device and said first member are placed in a temperature controlled oven for heating to the softening temperature Ts.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor device is held in a chuck, said chuck being heated.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first member is held in a chuck, said chuck being heated.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one solid conductive solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps of said semiconductor device contacts said at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites of said first member being heated under compressive force to soften said at least one solid conductive solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps for connection to said at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first member having said plurality of conductive contact sites is heated by electrical resistance wires.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first member and a substrate are mounted on a mounting board having an integral heater, said integral heater controlled to heat said first member to said softening temperature Ts.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said array of solid conductive solder bumps comprise Sn-Pb solder having a lead content in the range of about 40 to about 98 percent, and said softening temperature Ts comprises a range of about 140 to 180 degrees C.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating comprises predetermining a heating time X to heat said at least one solid conductive solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps to said softening temperature Ts, and heating for said time X.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating comprises initiating said heating, measuring a temperature of one of an insert, a die, and a substrate being heated, and stopping said heating to limit the temperature of said at least one solid conductive solder bump of said array of solid conductive solder bumps to no more than said softening temperature Ts.
16. A temporary method to attach at least one conductive solder bump of an array of conductive solder bumps on a semiconductor device to at least one conductive contact site of a plurality of conductive contact sites of a first member, comprising:
providing a semiconductor device having an array of conductive solder bumps;
providing a first member having a plurality of conductive contact sites;
heating said at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps to a softening temperature Ts below a melting temperature of said at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps; and
compressing at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps on said semiconductor device to at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites at a pressure less than substantially 22 grams-force and another conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said melting temperature of said at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps is T degrees Centigrade higher than an ambient temperature To, and wherein said at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps is heated to said softening temperature Ts is in the range of about 0.5T to 0.95T above the ambient temperature To.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps is compressed to said at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites at a pressure not exceeding about 10 grams-force.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps is compressed to said at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites at a pressure in the range of about 2 to 10 grams-force.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein said semiconductor device having said array of conductive solder bumps is directly heated by one of hot air convection and infrared radiation.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein said first member having said plurality of conductive contact sites is directly heated by one of hot air convection, conduction from a heated object, and infrared radiation.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein said semiconductor device and said first member are placed in a temperature controlled oven for heating to the softening temperature Ts.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein said semiconductor device is held and heated for transfer to said semiconductor device.
24. The method of claim 16, wherein said first member is held and heated for heat transfer to said first member to heat said at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites.
25. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps of said semiconductor device is compressed to said at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites of said first member being heated under compressive force to soften said at least one conductive solder bump of said array of conductive solder bumps for connection to said at least one conductive contact site of said plurality of conductive contact sites.
26. The method of claim 16, wherein said first member having said plurality of conductive contact sites is heated by electrical resistance wires.
27. The method of claim 16, wherein said first member and a substrate are mounted on a mounting board having an integral heater, and said integral heater is controlled to heat said first member to said softening temperature Ts.
28. The method of claim 16, wherein said array of conductive solder bumps comprise Sn-Pb solder having a lead content in the range of about 40 to about 98 percent, and said softening temperature Ts comprises a range of about 140 to 180 degrees Centigrade.
29. The method of claim 16, wherein said heating comprises predetermining a heating time X to heat said array of conductive solder bumps to said softening temperature Ts, and heating for said time X.
30. The method of claim 16, wherein said heating comprises measuring a temperature of one of an insert, a die, and a substrate being heated, and stopping said heating to limit a temperature of said array of conductive solder balls to said softening temperature Ts.
31. An apparatus for temporarily connecting at least one solder ball of at least one conductive contact site, said apparatus comprising:
a first member having at least one solder ball thereon;
a second member having at least one conductive contact site; apparatus for moving said first member against said second member for contact of said at least one solder ball to said at least one conductive contact site, said first member contacting said second member at a pressure less than substantially 22 grams-force for said at least one solder ball; and
heating apparatus for heating said at least one solder ball and said at least one conductive contact site to a submelting solder softening temperature Ts.
32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one conductive contact site comprises a substantially flat surface.
33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one conductive contact site comprises a recess for receiving a portion of a solder ball.
34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one conductive contact site comprises a recess having at least one projection therein for deforming a solder ball inserted therein.
35. A testing apparatus for a semiconductor package having a ball grid array of solder balls on a surface thereof, said apparatus comprising:
an insert formed of generally noncompliant material, said insert having a first surface including an array of conductive contact sites for contacting said ball grid array of solder balls, and having a second surface;
a substrate having a first surface, having a second surface, said second surface of said insert secured to said first surface of said substrate, and having a pattern of conductive leads on said substrate for connecting to contact leads in a socket;
electrical leads connecting said array of conductive contact sites of said insert with said pattern of conductive leads of said substrate;
a test board having said socket with said contact leads to a testing circuit, said substrate and said insert insertable into said socket for contact of said pattern of conductive leads of said substrate with said contact leads of said socket; and
heating apparatus associated with at least one of said substrate, said insert and said socket.
36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising: power supply leads providing electrical power to said heating apparatus.
37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said heating apparatus comprises resistance conductors.
38. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising a switch apparatus for turning said heating apparatus on and off.
39. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising temperature sensing apparatus attached to one of said substrate, said insert, and said semiconductor package.
40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a temperature controller for controlling said heating apparatus.
41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said temperature sensing apparatus comprises a thermocouple junction.
42. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said heating apparatus includes a conductive layer of metal deposited on one of said first and second surfaces of said substrate.
43. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said heating apparatus, said power supply leads and conductive leads are formed on said substrate.
44. An temporary connection apparatus for at least one solder ball on a first member to a corresponding contact site on a second member, said second member connected to a third member, said apparatus comprising:
a board having a socket thereon for accepting said first member, said second member, and said third member, said board having at least two through-holes extending therethrough;
an heating conductor mounted on a side of said third member;
at least two spring-loaded pogo pins mounted to project a pin portion upwardly through each of said at least two through-holes for contacting said third member; and
power leads connecting each pogo pin of said at least two spring-loaded pogo pins to a power supply for heating at least one of said first member, said second member, and said third member including said at least one solder ball and said at least one contact site.
45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising a temperature sensor mounted within said first member, said second member, and said third member connected to a temperature measuring circuit.
46. A heating apparatus for at least one solder ball under a compression force at a conductive contact site for an electrical connection, said apparatus comprising:
a first member having a surface having at least one solder ball thereon;
a second member having a surface having an array of conductive contact sites;
apparatus for compressing said first member against said second member for contacting said at least one solder ball said at least one conductive contact site, said first member compressed against said second member at a pressure less than substantially 22 grams-force per solder ball; and
heating apparatus for heating at least one of said at least one solder ball and said at least one conductive contact site to a submelting solder softening temperature Ts.
47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein each of said plurality of conductive contact sites comprises a substantially flat surface.
48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein each of said plurality of conductive contact sites comprises an indentation for receiving a portion of said at least one solder ball of said ball grid array of solder balls.
49. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein each of said plurality of conductive contact sites comprises an indentation having at least one projection extending thereinto.
50. A testing apparatus for a semiconductor assembly having a ball grid array of solder balls on a surface thereof, said apparatus comprising:
an insert formed of generally noncompliant material, said insert having a first surface including an array of conductive contact sites for contact with at least one solder ball of said ball grid array of solder balls and having a second surface;
a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said second surface of said insert attached to said first surface of said substrate, a pattern of leads on said substrate for connection to contact leads in a socket;
electrical leads connecting said array of conductive contact sites of said insert having said pattern of leads of said substrate;
a test board having said socket and having said contact leads to a testing circuit, said substrate and said insert for insertion into said socket for electrical contact of said pattern of leads of said substrate with said contact leads of said socket;
heating apparatus associated with at least one of said substrate, said insert and said socket; and at least one power supply lead providing electrical power to said heating apparatus.
51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said heating apparatus comprises at least one resistance conductor.
52. The apparatus of claim 50, further comprising a switch apparatus connected to said heating apparatus for turning said heating apparatus on and off.
53. The apparatus of claim 50, further comprising temperature sensing apparatus attached to one of said substrate, said insert, and said semiconductor package.
54. The apparatus of claim 53, further comprising a temperature controller for controlling said heating apparatus.
55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said temperature sensing apparatus comprises a thermocouple junction.
56. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said heating apparatus includes a conductive layer of metal deposited on one of said first and second surfaces of said substrate.
57. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said heating apparatus, said at least one power supply lead and said pattern of leads are formed on said substrate.
58. A temporary connection apparatus for at least one solder ball on a first member to at least one corresponding contact site on a second member, said second member connected to a third member, said apparatus comprising:
a board having a socket for accepting said first member, said second member, and said third member, said board having at least two through-holes extending therethrough and having first and second through-hole axes generally perpendicular to said board;
at least one heating conductor mounted on an underside of said third member, said at least one heating conductor having junctions positioned intercepting said at least two through-hole axes of said first through-hole and said second through-hole extending through said board;
at least one spring-loaded pogo pin mounted to project a pin portion upwardly through each of said at least two through-holes of said board to contact said third member; and
at least one power lead for connecting said at least one spring-loaded pogo pin to a power supply for heating said first member, said second member, and said third member including at least one of said at least one solder ball and said at least one corresponding contact site.
59. The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising a temperature sensor mounted within said first, second and third members connected to a temperature measuring circuit.