Importance

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Abstract

An electrical connector (10) for interconnecting a component (50) and a circuit (58) having pads (54, 60) on closely spaced centers for high density packaging includes a thin, dielectric member (12) carrying contacts (20) on centers compatible with the centers of the component and circuit pads; the contacts having spring arms (28, 32, 36, 40) extending from a central mounting portion (22) in a star-like configuration to provide an outward wiping engagement with component and contact pads as the contact is compressed by displacement of the component toward the circuit. The contact arms are of a geometry and have characteristics to provide a balanced force precluding rotary or twisting loads on the dielectric member and are tapered to further provide a desired deflection and sufficient normal force to define a stable, low-resistance electrical interface. The component and circuit pads, (54, 60) have lengths appropriate to the length of contact arms to provide an optimum spring deflection and wiping of pad surfaces and a width less than the length to provide closer center-to-center spacings between the pads. The pads of the component are oriented lengthwise transversely to the pads of the circuit to further facilitate close spacing and the pads of both component and circuit are preferably tapered to facilitate close spacing with the ends available for connecting to traces (62) on the same or common surface of a board for enhancing density of packaging.

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First Claim