Compliant electrical contact
AssigneeArdent Concepts, Inc.
InventorGordon A. Vinther
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compliant electrical contact having a closed coil with opposed, paraxial leads extending therefrom at an angle from the axis of the coil. The electrically shorted loops of the coil slide on the surfaces of one another as axial force is applied to the ends of the leads, providing compliance. The contact can be made extremely small such that pitches in the micrometer range can be achieved with very low inductance values. The contact is a component of an assembly where it is installed in a through aperture in a dielectric sheet. The coil fits into a larger center section of the aperture. The leads extend from opposed openings of the aperture. Optionally, the aperture is filled with a compliant, conductive elastomer.
Claims15
A compliant electrical contact assembly comprising:
- (a) at least one compliant electrical contact, said contact including a length of wire having extremities and being composed of an electrically conductive, inherently elastic material, said wire being formed into a coil having at least slightly more than one loop and an axis, said extremities extending from said coil as leads in approximately opposite directions, and said coil axis being angled from said leads;
- and
- (b) a dielectric panel having a through aperture for each of said at least one electrical contact, said through aperture having a center section in which said coil is captured and opposed openings through which said leads extend, said center section being sized to permit said coil to compress and expand as axially pressure is applied to and removed from said leads.
A compliant electrical contact comprising:
- (a) a length of wire having extremities and being composed of an electrically conductive, inherently elastic material;
- (b) said wire being formed into a coil having at least slightly more than one loop and an axis;
- (c) each of said extremities forming a lead separated from said coil by a bend in said wire, said leads extending in approximately opposite directions;
- and
- (d) said coil axis being angled from said leads.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.