# US 5,683,256 A · Integral thru-hole contacts

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- Number: US 5,683,256 A
- Document ID: US5683256A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/353,122
- Filed: 1994-12-09
- Granted: 1997-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 1994-12-09
- Assignees: Methode Electronics, Inc.
- Inventors: William E. Werther
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5683256A

## CPC

- H01R 13/6625: {with capacitive component}
- H05K 3/326: {the printed circuit having integral resilient or deformable parts, e.g. tabs or parts of flexible circuits (H05K3/365 takes precedence)}
- H05K 7/1084: {pin grid array package carriers}
- H05K 7/1092: {with built-in components, e.g. intelligent sockets}
- H01R 12/523: {by an interconnection through aligned holes in the boards or multilayer board}
- H05K 3/306: with lead-in-hole components (H05K3/32 takes precedence)
- H05K 3/4092: {Integral conductive tabs, i.e. conductive parts partly detached from the substrate}
- H05K 2201/0397: Tab
- H05K 2201/09309: Core having two or more power planes; Capacitive laminate of two power planes
- H05K 2201/1059: Connections made by press-fit insertion
- H05K 2201/10689: Leaded Integrated Circuit [IC] package, e.g. dual-in-line [DIL]
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

An integral thru-hole contact is provided for solderless connection of a pin inserted therein. The integral contact provides for an interconnect board of extremely low profile for interconnection with an IC package or sockets or pin grid array sockets and may provide for power/ground decoupling or voltage conversion and upgrading of microprocessors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrical connector comprising:
an interconnect board having an array of thru-holes, the interconnect board including a first non-plated thru-hole having a ground plane forming a first integral contact protruding from and generally perpendicular to a first side of said first thru-hole and a power plane separated from said ground plane by a dielectric layer, the power plane forming a second integral contact protruding from and generally perpendicular to a second non-plated thru-hole wherein upon insertion of pins in the first and second thru-holes, the first and second contacts will flex and provide a compression fit to the contact pin.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said contacts are formed of beryllium copper.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein a plurality of said thru-hole contacts are oriented in an array on an interconnect board.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said interconnect board includes components for upgrading a microprocessor from 5 to 3 volts.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein an intermediate layer of high dielectric material is formed in said interconnect board.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said interconnect board has an overall thickness of less than 0.010 inches.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said interconnect board provides a power-ground decoupling circuit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein the interconnect board includes 169 hole locations.

### Claim 9

An interconnect board comprising a ground plane, a power plane separated from the ground plane by a dielectric layer and an array of thru-holes located in said interconnect board, said at least one non-plated thru-hole having a contact integrally formed with the ground plane and mounted and generally perpendicular to said non-plated thru-hole wherein a solderless electrical interconnect is achieved.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The interconnect board of claim 9 wherein a second contact is formed of a power plane.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The interconnect board of claim 9 wherein the power plane and the ground plane are formed within said interconnect board.