Compliant pin with multiple engagement sections

An electrical contact for insertion into a hole of a substrate, the electrical contact comprising:

• a connector engaging portion and a free end portion, a compliant portion extending between the connector engaging portion and the free end portion;
• the compliant portion having a first resilient contact arm and a second resilient contact arm, the first resilient contact arm is spaced from the second resilient contact arm by an opening;
• the first contact arm has a first engagement section and a second engagement section, the first engagement section and the second engagement section are spaced apart and extend into the opening of the compliant portion, a first resilient contact section extends from the connector engaging portion to the first engagement section, a second resilient contact section extends from the first engagement section to the second engagement section, a third resilient contact section extends from the second engagement section to the free end portion;
• wherein upon insertion of the compliant portion into the hole of the substrate, the first engagement section and the second engagement section of the first contact arm engage the second contact arm to prevent further movement of the first engagement section and the second engagement section, causing the first resilient contact section, the second resilient contact section and the third resilient contact section to move independently of each other and independently of the first engagement section and the second engagement section;
• wherein the total retention force of the compliant portion is generated by the total of the forces generated by the first engagement section, the second engagement section, the first resilient contact section, the second resilient contact section and the third resilient contact section.

A method of generating retention force from an electrical contact inserted into an opening of a substrate, the method comprising:

• inserting a compliant portion of the electrical contact into the opening of the substrate;
• forcing a first contact arm and a second contact arm of the compliant portion toward each other;
• engaging a first engagement section of the first contact arm with the second contact arm to prevent further movement of the first engagement section;
• engaging a second engagement section of the first contact arm with the second contact arm to prevent further movement of the second engagement section;
• moving a first resilient contact section of the first contact arm, a second resilient contact section of the first contact arm and a third resilient contact section of the first contact arm of the compliant portion to move independently of each other and independently of the first engagement section of the first contact arm and the second engagement section of the first contact arm;
• generating a total retention force of the compliant portion by combining the forces generated by the first engagement section of the first contact arm, the second engagement section of the first contact arm, the first resilient contact section of the first contact arm, the second resilient contact section of the first contact arm and the third resilient contact section of the first contact arm.