Coaxial elastomeric connector system

A board-to-board connector system comprising:

• a plurality of housing shells each including at least one contact receptacle guide and assembled so as to form a contact housing;
• and
• a plurality of contacts each arranged in one of said at least one contact receptacle guides so as to form an array of mateable contact ends that project outwardly from at least two surfaces of said contact housing;
• wherein each of said plurality of contacts includes:
• a resilient body having a first end and a second end and including;
• a first conductor comprising at least one wire formed in a spiral around a central resiliently compressible insulating core extending continuously through said resilient body from said first end to said second end, said at least one wire including electrically accessible first and second ends wherein said first conductor is electrically connected to at least one of said plurality of signal conductor traces;
• and
• a second conductor comprising at least one second wire formed in a spiral around a resiliently compressible insulating shell surrounding said first conductor and extending continuously in substantially coextensive relation to said central resiliently compressible insulating core to thereby form said resilient body, said second conductor having electrically accessible first and second ends, and wherein said second conductor is electrically connected to at least one of said plurality of ground path conductors.

A board-to-board interconnection system comprising:

• a plurality of resilient contacts arranged between a first and a second printed wiring board so as to form an array of mateable contact ends that engage a plurality of contact pads that are arranged in a corresponding array, wherein each of said plurality of contacts includes:
• a resilient body having a first end and a second end and including;
• a first conductor comprising at least one wire formed in a spiral around a central resiliently compressible insulating core extending continuously through said resilient body from said first end to said second end, said at least one wire including electrically accessible first and second ends wherein said first conductor is electrically connected to at least one of said plurality of signal conductor traces;
• and
• a second conductor comprising at least one second wire formed in a spiral around a resiliently compressible insulating shell surrounding said first conductor and extending continuously in substantially coextensive relation to said central resiliently compressible insulating core to thereby form said resilient body, said second conductor having electrically accessible first and second ends.

An interposer for providing conduction between a first and a second array of contact pads at a predetermined contact force, the interposer comprising:

• a dielectric grid having an array of holes therethrough;
• and
• a plurality of contacts each including:
• a resilient body having a first end and a second end and including;
• a first conductor comprising at least one wire formed in a spiral around a central resiliently compressible insulating core extending continuously through said resilient body from said first end to said second end, said at least one wire including electrically accessible first and second ends wherein said first conductor is electrically connected to at least one of said plurality of signal conductor traces;
• and
• a second conductor comprising at least one second wire formed in a spiral around a resiliently compressible insulating shell surrounding said first conductor and extending continuously in substantially coextensive relation to said central resiliently compressible insulating core to thereby form said resilient body, said second conductor having electrically accessible first and second ends, wherein;
• said plurality of contacts are arranged in said array of holes in said dielectric grid such that when said interposer is placed between said first and second array of contact pads, the said first end of said contacts engages one contact pad in said first array of contact pads, and said second end engages a second contact pad in said second array of contact pads.