# US 5,704,795 A · Electrical connectors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,795 A - Document ID: US5704795A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/659,051 - Filed: 1996-06-03 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1991-01-30 - Assignees: Labinal Components and Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Richard J. Lindeman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704795A ## CPC - H01R 13/2407: {characterized by the resilient means} - H01R 12/52: connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures - H01R 13/6585: Shielding material individually surrounding or interposed between mutually spaced contacts - H01R 12/714: {with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit} - H01R 13/24: resilient; resiliently-mounted - H05K 1/0237: {High frequency adaptations (H05K1/0216 takes precedence)} - H05K 3/325: by abutting or pinching; Mechanical auxiliary parts therefor - H05K 3/368: {parallel to each other (H05K3/361 takes precedence)} - 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 Connectors are provided for propagation of electrical signals in a plurality of closely spaced propagation paths, such as between circuits connected to conductive pads of circuit boards, each circuit presenting a certain characteristic impedance at a pad connected thereto. For example, each connector includes a plurality of resilient and electrically conductive signal-propagating interconnect means having opposite ends engageable with conductive pads on a pair of the circuit boards. The interconnect means are supported by insulating means of a support structure which also provides conductive ground means in adjacent relation to the conductive interconnect means. The conductive ground means are arranged for connection to grounding elements of the circuit boards. The configuration and characteristics of the ground conductor means and the insulating means in relation to each signal-propagating interconnect means are such as to obtain a certain characteristic impedance for matching the characteristic impedances of circuits interconnected by each signal-propagating interconnect means. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical connector for propagation of electrical signals in a plurality of propagation paths between circuit connections and ground conductors of a pair of circuit components, each circuit presenting a certain characteristic impedance at an interconnect thereof, said connector comprising: support means having openings therethrough and electrically conductive signal-propagating interconnect means arranged in said openings of said support means for engagement with interconnects of said components adjacent said support means, ground conductor means included in said support means and having portions in adjacent relation to said signal-propagating interconnect means, ground connection means for connecting said ground conductor means to ground conductors of interconnected circuit components, and insulating means of dielectric material included in said support means for supporting said signal-propagating interconnect means within said openings and in electrically insulated relation to adjacent portions of said ground conductor means, the configuration and characteristics of said ground conductor means and said insulating means in relation to each signal-propagating interconnect means being such as to obtain a certain characteristic impedance for matching the characteristic impedances of circuits interconnected by each signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the configuration and characteristics of said ground conductor means and said insulating means in relation to substantially all of said signal-propagating interconnect means are the same to obtain the same characteristic impedance for substantially all of said signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The connector as in claim 1 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The invention as in claim 1 wherein the spacing between each of said signal-propagating interconnect means and an adjacent portion of said ground conductor means is less than the spacing between each said signal-propagating interconnect means and any other of said signal-propagating interconnect means adjacent thereto to minimize signal coupling between each signal-propagating interconnect means and any other signal-propagating interconnect means adjacent thereto. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The invention as in claim 1 wherein said adjacent portions of said ground conductor means extend in generally surrounding relation to each of said signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The connector as in claim 5 wherein each of said adjacent portions of said ground conductor means provides an annular surface of conductive material around each of said signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The connector as in claim 6 wherein said ground conductor means includes a member of electrically conductive material having a plurality of spaced openings to receive said signal-propagating interconnect means therethrough and each providing an internal surface to define said annular surface of conductive material around the respective said signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The connector as in claim 7 wherein said insulating means includes an insulating insert positioned in each said opening in said conductive material around each of said signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The connector as in claim 8 wherein each said insulating insert is a plastic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The connector as in claim 8 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a wadded conductor contact element disposed in the respective insulating insert. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The connector as in claim 10 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means further includes at least one solid conductor element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The connector as in claim 8 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a solid conductor element and a resilient contact element disposed in the respective insulating insert in abutting relation to one another, said solid conductor element being reciprocally movable relative to said insulating insert by said resilient contact element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The invention as in claim 7 wherein said openings are arranged in an array in said conductive material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The connector as in claim 7 wherein said ground connection means includes a conductive insert positioned in at least one of said openings in said conductive material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The connector as in claim 7 wherein said ground connection means includes means whereby at least one of said plurality of spaced openings is a ground opening arranged to receive and support resilient and electrically conductive means for effecting a connection between ground conductors of interconnected circuit components and said ground conductor means. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The connector as in claim 7 wherein said openings are arranged in an array in said conductive material and in which said signal-propagating interconnect means are disposed for selectively obtaining a desired pattern of propagating paths between said circuit components, and said ground connection means includes means whereby at least one of said openings is a ground opening arranged to receive and support resilient and electrical conductive means for effecting a connection between ground conductors of interconnected circuit components and said ground conductor means. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The connector as in claim 16 wherein said insulating means is positioned in said openings in said conductive material to insulate said signal-propagating interconnect means from said conductive material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The connector as in claim 17 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The connector as in claim 1 wherein said openings are arranged in a multi-directional array of openings into which said signal-propagating interconnect means are disposed for selectively obtaining a desired pattern of propagation paths between said circuit components. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The invention as in claim 19 wherein said insulating means includes a member of insulating material having said multi-directional array of openings therethrough which receive said signal-propagating interconnect means, said ground conductor means being supported by said member of insulating material and including said portions which are in adjacent relation to said signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The connector as in claim 20 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The connector as in claim 1 wherein said ground connection means includes means whereby at least one of said openings is a ground opening arranged to receive and support resilient and electrical conductive means for effecting a connection between ground conductors of said interconnected circuit components and said ground conductor means. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The connector as in claim 22 wherein said ground connection means includes a wadded conductor contact element in said ground opening. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The connector as in claim 22 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The invention as in claim 1 wherein said ground conductor means includes a wall portion of conductive material in parallel relation to said signal-propagating interconnect means to provide a ground plane in parallel relation to said signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The invention as in claim 25 wherein said wall portion is a first wall portion and said connector further comprising a second wall portion of conductive material. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The connector as in claim 25 including a plurality of signal-propagating interconnect means spaced from one another and wherein said wall portion is an intermediate wall portion between said signal-propagating interconnect means. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The connector as in claim 27, wherein said wall portion comprises a plurality of intermediate wall portions of conductive material disposed in end-to-end relation and insulated from one another and together defining a ground plane of said connector. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The invention as in claim 25 wherein said wall portion is on the exterior of said connector. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The connector as in claim 25 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means is compressibly resilient. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The connector as in claim 25 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) The connector as in claim 1 wherein each of said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a solid conductor element. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The connector as in claim 32 wherein each of said solid conductor elements is supported in a relatively fixed position within said insulating means. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The connector as in claim 1 wherein each of said signal-propagating interconnect means includes a solid conductor element and a resilient conductor contact element in generally coaxial alignment with one another in the respective opening in said support means, said resilient conductive contact element being in abutting contact with said solid conductor element. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The connector as in claim 34 wherein said resilient conductor contact element is a wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The connector as in claim 35 wherein said solid conductor element is reciprocally movable relative to said insulating means by said wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 37 (depends on 1) The connector as in claim 1 wherein each of said signal-propagating interconnect means includes at least two solid conductor elements and a resilient wadded conductor contact element in generally coaxial alignment with one another in the respective opening in said support means, said resilient wadded conductive contact element being in abutting contact with at least one of said solid conductor elements, at least one of said solid conductor elements being reciprocally movable relative to said insulating means by said resilient wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 38 (depends on 1) The connector as in claim 1 wherein each said signal-propagating interconnect means includes two solid conductor elements and a resilient wadded conductor contact element disposed in generally coaxial alignment with one another in the respective opening in said support means, said resilient wadded conductive contact element being between and in abutting relation with said solid conductor elements, and each of said abutting solid conductor elements being reciprocally movable relative to said insulating means by said resilient wadded conductor contact element. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The connector as in claim 38 wherein each of said solid conductor elements includes an end remote from said wadded resilient conductor contact element therebetween, each of said remote ends being exposed through the respective end of the respective opening through said support means. ### Claim 40 A method of providing connections between conductors of a plurality of circuit devices to provide paths for signal propagation between circuits thereof having a certain characteristic impedance, the steps of providing for installation between such devices a connector including support means arranged to receive and support electrically conductive signal-propagating interconnect means for engagement of opposite ends of the signal-propagating interconnect means with conductive terminals of the circuit devices, providing such signal-propagating interconnect means in openings through said support means, providing ground conductor means in the support means having portions in adjacent relation to the signal-propagating interconnecting means, providing ground connection means for connecting the ground conductor means to ground conductors of interconnected circuit device circuits, providing insulating means of dielectric material included in the support means for supporting the signal-propagating interconnect means within the openings therein and in electrically insulated relation to adjacent portions of the ground conductor means, and providing configuration and characteristics of the ground conductor means and the insulating means in relation to each signal-propagating interconnect means such as to obtain a certain characteristic impedance which matches the characteristic impedances of the circuits of the circuit devices interconnected by each signal-propagating interconnect means.