Cross-connect system

An interconnection matrix system comprising:

• a first circuit board having a first surface with a first array of multiple electrical conductors thereon, said first circuit board having multiple matrix holes defined therethrough and through said electrical conductors at predetermined locations along said conductors in said first array;
• a second circuit board having a first surface with a second array of multiple electrical conductors thereon, said second circuit board having multiple matrix holes defined therethrough and through said electrical conductors in said second array at predetermined locations along said conductors in said second array, wherein the matrix holes in said first circuit board are concentrically aligned with corresponding matrix holes in said second circuit board;
• and
• a plurality of circuit jumper pins each having an elongated body made from electrically non-conductive material and having a first electrically conductive sleeve disposed about a portion of said pin body, each pin configured to be inserted through and received by aligned receiving matrix holes on said first and second boards with said sleeve in electrical contact with and extending between the receiving matrix holes to provide an electrical connection between one electrical conductor on said first circuit board and one electrical conductor on said second circuit board;
• wherein each of said matrix holes has a respective electrically conductive female contact secured therein in electrical contact with the electrical conductor through which said matrix hole is defined, said female contact being sized and configured to positively contact and radially compress a contact sleeve on one of said circuit jumper pins extending through said each matrix hole;
• and
• wherein each of said first and second circuit boards has a second surface opposite its first surface, the second surface of each board having an additional array of electrical conductors thereon substantially identically to and juxtaposed with the array on said first surface of each board, wherein said matrix holes extend through the electrical conductors on the additional arrays, and wherein each of said female contacts contact respective electrical conductors on the first and second surfaces of each board.

A method for selective interconnection between selected first and second electrical conductors comprising the steps of:

• (a) disposing first and second arrays of conductors on respective first and second spaced parallel surfaces of a first structure to define a matrix such that each conductor in said first array perpendicularly intersects a plurality of longitudinal axes extending perpendicular to and intersecting respective conductors in said second array at respective matrix interconnection locations;
• (b) defining along each of said axes a respective access channel extending through said surfaces and through holes in said conductors;
• (c) storing a plurality of elongate jumper pins at plural storage locations on said first structure;
• (d) in response to a connection command identifying a first conductor in said first array and originating at a location remote from said structure, automatically selecting one of said storage locations from which to remove one of said jumper pins;
• (e) automatically moving a carriage in a transverse plane parallel to and spaced from said first surface to a location opposite the storage location selected in step (d);
• (f) in response to said carriage attaining said opposite location in step (e), automatically projecting a pin picker from said carriage toward said first structure and positively engaging the jumper pin at said selected storage location;
• (g) in response to completion of step (f), sensing whether or not a jumper pin is engaged by said pin picker;
• (h) in response to sensing that the jumper pin is engaged in step (g), retracting said pin picker toward said carriage to remove the engaged jumper pin from the selected storage location, and then moving the carriage in said transverse plane to an insertion location wherein the engaged jumper pin is aligned with one of said access channels intersecting said first conductor;
• and
• (i) in response to said carriage attaining said insertion location, projecting said pin picker from said carriage to insert said jumper pin into said one access channel to establish an electrical connection between said first and second conductors.

A method for permitting selective interconnection between conductors on first and second circuit boards sandwiching an insulative board therebetween, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining multiple holes through all of said boards in a matrix of columns and rows to define access channels;
• (b) disposing a first array of conductors on said first circuit board such that each conductor comprises a pair of juxtaposed conductive traces on opposite surfaces of said first circuit board, and interconnecting the juxtaposed traces in said first array through said access channels, each pair of juxtaposed traces in said first array extending along a respective row of said holes to thereby be intersected by multiple access channels;
• (c) disposing a second array of conductors on said second circuit board such that each conductor in said second array comprises a pair of juxtaposed conductive traces on opposite surfaces of said second circuit board, and interconnecting the juxtaposed traces in said second array through said access channels, each pair of juxtaposed traces in said second array extending along a respective column of said holes to thereby be intersected by multiple access channels;
• and
• (d) selectively interconnecting an individual conductor in said first array to an individual conductor in said second array by inserting a jumper pin through an access channel intersecting the traces constituting said individual conductors.

An interconnection matrix system comprising:

• a first circuit board having a first surface with a first array of multiple electrical conductors thereon, said first circuit board having multiple matrix holes defined therethrough and through said electrical conductors at predetermined locations along said conductors in said first array;
• a second circuit board having a first surface with a second array of multiple electrical conductors thereon, said second circuit board having multiple matrix holes defined therethrough and through said electrical conductors in said second array at predetermined locations along said conductors in said second array, wherein the matrix holes in said first circuit board are concentrically aligned with corresponding matrix holes in said second circuit board;
• wherein each of said arrays is sub-divided into at least first and second electrically unconnected sub-arrays in which the conductors in said first sub-array are co-planar, wherein each conductor in the first sub-array is electrically isolated from but co-linearly aligned with a respective conductor in the second sub-array, wherein the first sub-array on the first circuit board is aligned in juxtaposition with the first sub-array on the second circuit board, wherein the second sub-array on said first circuit board is aligned in juxtaposition with the second sub-array on the second circuit board, and wherein the aligned first sub-arrays and aligned second sub-arrays define respective first and second electrically isolated sub-matrices;
• wherein said first and second sub-matrices are separated along a plane extending perpendicular to both of said arrays of and diagonally to said conductors.