US 2004/0200633 A1Published application

Compliant electrical contact assembly

AssigneeArdent Concepts, Inc.

InventorGordon A. Vinther

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A compliant electrical contact assembly for temporarily interfacing two electrical devices. The assembly includes a contact with a closed coil with opposed contact points and an axis that is angled from the direction of the compression force holding the assembly sandwiched between the electrical devices. The electrically shorted loops of the coil slide on the surfaces of one another as the compression force is applied, providing compliance. The contact can be made extremely small such that pitches in the micrometer range can be achieved with very low inductance values. The contact is installed in a through aperture in a dielectric panel. The coil fits into a center section of the aperture. The contact points extend from opposed openings of the aperture. Optionally, the aperture is filled with a compliant, conductive elastomer.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A compliant electrical contact assembly adapted to provide a temporary electrical connection between a conduction point of a first electrical device and a conduction point of a second electrical device, said electrical devices being compressed together by a compression force in a direction of compression with said assembly therebetween, said assembly comprising:

(a) at least one compliant electrical contact, said contact including a length of wire composed of an electrically conductive, inherently elastic material, said wire being formed into a coil having at least slightly more than one loop and a coil axis, said coil axis being at an angle from said direction of compression, and said contact having generally opposed contact points for electrical connection with said conduction points;
and
(b) a dielectric panel having a through aperture with an axis for each of said at least one electrical contact, said contact being captured in said aperture, said aperture having opposed openings through which said contact points extend, and said aperture being sized to permit said coil to compress and expand as said compression force is applied and removed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/834,727Filed 29 Apr 2004
Priority: 17 Jan 2002
Published: 14 Oct 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H01R 13/2421
Characterized by the resilient means: using coil springs
G01R 1/06716
Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins: elastic
G01R 1/06733
Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins: geometry aspects
H05K 7/1069
Co-operating by abutting: with spring contact pieces

Family

Application60/349,850Us provisional application · filed 17 Jan 2002
Application60/349,852Us provisional application · filed 17 Jan 2002
Application10/341,723Continuation in part · filed 14 Jan 2003
Application10/834,727Continuation in part · filed 29 Apr 2004
US 2003/0132020 A1Published application
US 6,787,709 B2Related patent
US 6,909,056 B2Related patent
US 2004/0200633 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.