1. A latch comprising:
a bushing, said bushing having a bushing bore therethrough forming an inner bushing circumferential surface;
an actuator comprising a cap portion and a cap subassembly, said cap subassembly having a stud with radial stud projections projecting therefrom and said stud having a top surface, said cap portion having a head and a pin extending therefrom wherein said pin penetrates said top surface and engages said stud , such that said head is capable of rotating on said top surface independently from said cap subassembly, and said stud and said cap portion extend into said bushing bore;
a cam sleeve having a cam slot;
a support base having an aperture at one end, said support base housing said actuator and said cam sleeve, wherein said cam sleeve is located between said aperture and said actuator and said cap subassembly engages said cam sleeve;
a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a radial cross-pin between said proximal and said distal end, wherein said proximal end is adjacent to said stud of said cap subassembly, said shaft extends through said cam sleeve and said aperture in said support base, and said radial cross-pin is in contact with said cam slot of said cam sleeve; and
a pawl affixed to said shaft;
whereby rotation of said cap subassembly rotates said cam sleeve and said cam slot acts upon said radial cross-pin causing axial and angular movement of said shaft and consequently said pawl between latched and unlatched positions of said pawl.
2. The latch of claim 1 in combination with a binary-coded key, said binary-coded key comprising:
a tubular stem forming an internal bore, said stem having radial recesses in an inner circumferential wall of said stem of a preselected number and at preselected locations, the size and location of said radial recesses corresponding to said stud projections of said stud to permit said stud to be received within the bore of said tubular stem of said key;
wherein the surface of the inner circumferential wall of said tubular stem is considered to be divided circumferentially into a predetermined number of equal divisions, each division corresponding to a \u201c0\u201d or a \u201c1\u201d in the binary code according to whether said division is recessed or non-recessed; and
wherein the number and locations of the recesses in the key stem are fixed in accordance with said binary code.
3. The latch of claim 1, wherein said inner bushing circumferential surface has at least one radial bushing projection projecting therefrom.
4. The latch of claim 3 in combination with a binary-coded key, said binary-coded key comprising:
a tubular stem forming an internal bore, said stem having radial recesses in an inner circumferential wall of said stem of a preselected number and at preselected locations and said tubular stem having at least one outer key recess on an outer circumferential wall of said stem, the size and location of said radial recesses corresponding to said stud projections of said stud and the size and location of said outer key recess corresponding to said radial bushing projection of said inner bushing circumferential surface to permit said stud to be received within the bore of said tubular stem of said key;
wherein the surface of the inner circumferential wall of said tubular stem is considered to be divided circumferentially into a predetermined number of equal divisions, each division corresponding to a \u201c0\u201d or a \u201c1\u201d in the binary code according to whether said division is recessed or non-recessed; and
wherein the number and locations of the recesses in the key stem are fixed in accordance with said binary code.
5. The latch of claim 1, wherein
said head is a cap ring having an aperture generally through the center of said cap ring; and
said pin is a shoulder rivet, wherein said shoulder rivet is inserted through said aperture of said cap ring and into said stud of said cap subassembly.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A semiconductor die package comprising:
a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
a plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein each semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies is attached to a die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads; and
a housing comprising an exterior surface and at least partially covering the plurality of semiconductor dies,
wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead, and
wherein each die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads serves as a drain connection for a different semiconductor die.
2. A semiconductor die package comprising:
a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
a plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein each semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies is attached to a die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads; and
a housing comprising an exterior surface and at least partially covering the plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead,
wherein the plurality of die attach pads comprises a first die attach pad, a second die attach pad, a third die attach pad, and a fourth die attach pad,
wherein the plurality of semiconductor dies comprises a first semiconductor die attached to the first die attach pad, a second semiconductor die attached the second die attach pad, a third semiconductor die attached to the third die attach pad, and a fourth semiconductor die attached to the fourth die attach pad, and
wherein the first semiconductor die comprises a first drain region proximate to the first die attach pad and a first source region distal to the first die attach pad, the second semiconductor die comprises a second drain region proximate to the second die attach pad and a second source region distal to the second die attach pad, the semiconductor die package further comprising:
a first conductive structure providing a connection between the first source region in the first semiconductor die and the third die attach pad; and
a second conductive structure providing a connection between the second source region in the second semiconductor die and the second die attach pad.
3. A semiconductor die package comprising:
a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
a plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein each semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies is attached to a die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads; and
a housing comprising an exterior surface and at least partially covering the plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead,
wherein the plurality of die attach pads comprises a first die attach pad, a second die attach pad, a third die attach pad, and a fourth die attach pad,
wherein the plurality of semiconductor dies comprises a first semiconductor die attached to the first die attach pad, a second semiconductor die attached the second die attach pad, a third semiconductor die attached to the third die attach pad, and a fourth semiconductor die attached to the fourth die attach pad, and
wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first source lead electrically connected to a source region of the third semiconductor die, and at least a second source lead electrically connected to a source region of the fourth semiconductor die,
wherein the first source lead is on the same side of the semiconductor die package as the first control lead and the third control lead, and
wherein the second source lead is on the same side of the semiconductor die package as the second control lead and the fourth control lead.
4. A semiconductor die package comprising:
a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
a plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein each semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies is attached to a die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads; and
a housing comprising an exterior surface and at least partially covering the plurality of semiconductor dies,
wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead, and
wherein the plurality of semiconductor dies comprises a low side semiconductor die having a source region and a high side semiconductor die having a source region, wherein the source region of the low side semiconductor die is oriented perpendicular to the source region of the high side semiconductor die.
5. The semiconductor die package of claim 4, wherein the plurality of semiconductor dies comprises two low side semiconductor dies, each having a source region, and two high side semiconductor dies, each having a source region, wherein the source regions of the low side semiconductor dies are oriented perpendicular to the source regions of the high side semiconductor dies.
6. A semiconductor die package comprising:
a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
a plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein each semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies is attached to a die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads; and
a housing comprising an exterior surface and at least partially covering the plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead, and
wherein each semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies comprises a vertical power MOSFET.
7. A semiconductor die package comprising:
a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
a plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein each semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies is attached to a die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads; and
a housing comprising an exterior surface and at least partially covering the plurality of semiconductor dies, wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead, and
wherein the plurality of semiconductor dies comprises four semiconductor dies that form at least a part of a buck converter circuit.
8. The semiconductor die package of claim 7, wherein the buck converter circuit comprises a dual output buck converter circuit.
9. A method for making a semiconductor die package, the method comprising:
obtaining a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
obtaining a plurality of semiconductor dies;
attaching each die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads to a semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies;
providing a housing comprising an exterior surface at least partially covering each semiconductor die, wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead;
attaching a first conductive structure to a first source region in the first semiconductor die and to the third die attach pad; and
attaching a second conductive structure to a second source region in the second semiconductor die and to the fourth die attach pad.
10. A method for making a semiconductor die package, the method comprising:
obtaining a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
obtaining a plurality of semiconductor dies;
attaching each die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads to a semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies; and
providing a housing comprising an exterior surface at least partially covering each semiconductor die, wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead, and wherein each die attach pad comprises a drain pad.
11. A method for making a semiconductor die package, the method comprising:
obtaining a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
obtaining a plurality of semiconductor dies;
attaching each die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads to a semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies; and
providing a housing comprising an exterior surface at least partially covering each semiconductor die,
wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead, and
wherein the providing a housing comprises molding a molding material around the leadframe structure and the plurality of semiconductor dies to form the semiconductor die package, wherein the molding material leaves exposed portions of the leadframe structure and
wherein the plurality of semiconductor dies comprises a low side semiconductor die having a source region and a high side semiconductor die having a source region, wherein the source region of the low side semiconductor die is oriented perpendicular to the source region of the high side semiconductor die.
12. A synchronous buck converter comprising a semiconductor die package formed by a method comprising:
obtaining a leadframe structure having a plurality of die attach pads and a plurality of leads extending from the plurality of die attach pads, wherein the plurality of leads comprises at least a first control lead, a second control lead, a third control lead, and a fourth control lead;
obtaining a plurality of semiconductor dies;
attaching each die attach pad in the plurality of die attach pads to a semiconductor die in the plurality of semiconductor dies; and
providing a housing comprising an exterior surface at least partially covering each semiconductor die,
wherein the first control lead and the third control lead are at opposite sides of the semiconductor die package from the second control lead and the fourth control lead.