US 6,669,490 B1 · Conductive elastomeric contact system with anti-overstress columns

Abstract

A connector for board-to-board and board to device interconnect applications includes a plurality of conductive elastomeric columnar contacts surrounded by respective insulative support columns. The elastomeric columnar contacts extend through holes in an insulative subtrate. The insulative support columns have opposing end surfaces disposed on opposite sides of a substrate and end surfaces of the columnar contacts are located at a distance from the substrate slightly greater than the distance between the substrate and the support column end surfaces. Insulative intermediate columns serve a mechanical stops that resist further compression of the elastomeric contacts and the support columns when the connector is subjected to excessive axial compressive forces. The intermediate columns have opposing end surfaces on opposing sides of the substrate that are spaced from the substrate a distance less than the support column end surfaces.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An electrical connector for conductively coupling electrical contacts on a printed circuit board to electrical contacts on a device, said connector comprising:

an insulating member made of a first material having respective opposite sides and having first and second pluralities of holes therethrough arranged in first and second array patterns;
a plurality of conductive elastomeric members extending through respective ones of said first plurality of holes, each of said conductive elastomeric members having opposite end surfaces disposed beyond said opposite sides of said insulating member;
and
a plurality of insulative support columns made of a second material that is different than said first material each of said insulative support columns surrounding a respective one of said conductive elastomeric members, each of said insulative support columns having opposite end surfaces disposed in respective planes beyond said opposite sides of said insulating member, but not beyond said conductive elastomeric member end surfaces.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Conductive elastomeric contact system with anti-overstress columns

Life of this patent

Conductive elastomeric contact system with anti-overstress columns

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13