Connector having contact modules for a substrate such as an IC chip carrier

Claim 2

A connector (2) for a substrate (6) having electronic device means thereon, the substrate (6) comprising a body of insulating material having oppositely facing substrate major surfaces (14, 16) and outwardly facing peripheral substrate side surfaces (18), a plurality of contact pads (4) at spaced-apart locations on the substrate (6), the connector (2) comprising a connector housing assembly (24) having a substrate receiving zone (34) thereon and a plurality of metallic contact members (66) in the housing assembly (24) in surrounding relationship to the receiving zone (34) for contacting the contact pads (4), the connector being characterized in that: the housing assembly (24) comprises a housing frame (26) and a plurality of contact modules (48) on the frame (26), each contact module (48) having a group of contact members (66) therein, the housing frame (24) has oppositely facing first and second housing major surfaces (28, 30) and outwardly facing peripheral housing side surfaces (32), the substrate receiving zone (34) being located on the first housing major surface (28), a plurality of module receiving sites (36) are provided on the first housing major surface (28), the sites (36) surrounding the substrate receiving zone (34), the modules (48) being in the sites (36), the contact members (66) are located in the housing assembly (24) in predetermined positions and within predetermined dimensional tolerances, the housing frame (26) and each of the individual modules (48) having individual module locating means (47, 57) for locating each of the individual modules (48) in positions which locate the individual contact members (66) in the modules (48) in the predetermined positions in the housing assembly (24), the housing frame (26) and the substrate (6) having substrate locating means (22, 44, 46) for locating the substrate (6) in the receiving zone (34) with the contact pads (4) in registry with the precisely predetermined positions, each individual module locating means (47. 57) being located with direct reference to the substrate locating means (22, 44, 46) whereby, the contact members (66) in each group are located in their predetermined positions in the housing assembly (24) within cumulative dimensional tolerances which are limited to the respective groups.

Claim 3

A connector (2) as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that each module receiving site (36) has therein a plurality of individual modules (48) in stacked end-to-end relationship.

Claim 4

A connector (2) as set forth in claim 2 characterized in that each of the individual module locating means (47, 57) comprises module locating key means (57) and module locating keyway means (47), the substrate locating means, (22, 44, 46) comprising a substrate locating key means (46) and a substrate locating keyway means (22, 44).

Claim 5

A connector (2) as set forth in claim 3 characterized in that each module receiving site (36) has ends between which the modules (48) are stacked, the substrate locating means (22, 44, 46) comprising substrate key (46) and a substrate keyway means (22, 44) positioned between the ends, each module locating means (47, 57) comprising module key and keyway means (57, 47), each of the module key and module keyway means (57, 47) being between one of the ends of its respective site (36) and the substrate key (46) and substrate keyway means (22, 44).

Claim 6

A connector (2) as set forth in claim 3 characterized in that the substrate receiving zone (34) is rectangular and four module receiving sites (36) are provided, each module receiving site (36) extending along one of the four sides of the substrate receiving zone (34).

Claim 7

A connector (2) as set forth in claim 5 characterized in that the substrate locating key means (46) and substrate locating keyway means (22, 44) comprises four substrate locating keys (46) and four substrate locating keyways, each of the four sides of the substrate receiving zone (34) having one substrate key and substrate keyway means associated therewith.

Claim 8

An electrical contact (66) having substantially all of its parts lying in a single plane, the electrical contact (66) being characterized in that; a first spring contact means (68, 72, 74, 76, 78) is provided proximate a second spring contact means (68, 72, 74, 76, 78); a bight portion (70) has a first end integral with the first spring contact means and, a second end integral with the second spring contact means; the first spring contact means has a spring portion (72), a contact portion (76), and a leg portion (78), the spring portion (72) having a first end (68) which is integral with the bight portion (70) and a second end (74) which is attached to the contact portion (76), the spring portion (72) is configured in such a manner as to provide the spring characteristics required to ensure proper operation of the electrical contact (66), the contact portion (76) extends from the spring portion (72) such that the contact portion (76) is positioned to affect electrical engagement with contact pads (4) of a substrate or the like, the leg portion (78) extends from the contact portion (76) such that a free end (80) of the leg portion (78) is positioned proximate the bight portion (70); the second spring contact means has a spring portion (72), a contact portion (76), and a leg portion (78), the spring portion (72) having a first end (68) which is integral with the bight portion (70) and a second end (74) which is attached to the contact portion (76), the spring portion (72) is configured in such a manner as to provide the spring characteristics required to ensure proper operation of the electrical contact (66), the contact portion (76) extends from the spring portion (72) such that the contact portion (76) is positioned to affect electrical engagement with contact pads (8) of a substrate or the like, the leg portion (78) extends from the contact portion (76) such that a free end (80) of the leg portion (78) is positioned proximate the bight portion (70); the free end (80) of the leg portion (78) of the first spring contact means and a first section of the bight portion (70) are in overlapping relationship, as are the free end (80) of the leg portion (78) of the second spring contact means and a second section of the bight portion (70), whereby as the contact portions (76) of the first and second spring contact means are brought into engagement with respective electrical components (4, 8), the spring portions (72) are resiliently depressed, causing the free ends (80) of the leg portions (78) to engage the corresponding sections of the bight portion (70), this motion results in a wiping action between the respective free ends (80) of the leg portions (78) and the bight portion (70), resulting in current flowing in a path from the first electrical component (4) through the contact portion (76) of the first spring contact means, the leg portion (78) of the first spring contact means, the bight portion (70), the leg portion (78) of the second spring contact means, the contact portion (76) of the second spring contact means, and to the second electrical component (8).

Claim 9

An electrical contact (66) having substantially all of its parts lying in a single plane, the electrical contact (66) being characterized in that; a first spring contact means (68, 72, 74, 76, 78) is provided proximate a second spring contact means (68, 72, 74, 76, 78); a bight portion (70) has a first end integral with the first spring contact means and, a second end integral with the second spring contact means; the first spring contact means has a spring portion (72), a contact portion (76), and a leg portion (78), the spring portion (72) having a first end (68) which is integral with the bight portion (70) and a second end (74) which is attached to the contact portion (76), the spring portion (72) is configured in such a manner as to provide the spring characteristics required to ensure proper operation of the electrical contact (66), the contact portion (76) extends from the spring portion (72) such that the contact portion (76) is positioned to affect electrical engagement with contact pads (4) of a substrate or the like, the leg portion (78) extends from the contact portion (76) such that a free end (80) of the leg portion (78) is positioned proximate the bight portion (70); the second spring contact means has a spring portion (72), a contact portion (76), and a leg portion (78), the spring portion (72) having a first end (68) which is integral with the bight portion (70) and a second end (74) which is attached to the contact portion (76), the spring portion (72) is configured in such a manner as to provide the spring characteristics required to ensure proper operation of the electrical contact (66), the contact portion (76) extends from the spring portion (72) such that the contact portion (76) is positioned to affect electrical engagement with contact pads (8) of a substrate or the like, the leg portion (78) extends from the contact portion (76) such that a free end (80) of the leg portion (78) is positioned proximate the bight portion (70); the free end (80) of the leg portion (78) of the first spring contact means and a first section of the bight portion (70) are in overlapping relationship, as are the free end (80) of the leg portion (78) of the second spring contact means and a second section of the bight portion (70), whereby as the contact portions (76) of the first and second spring contact means are brought into engagement with respective electrical components (4, 8), the spring portions (72) are resiliently depressed, causing the free ends (80) of the leg portions (78) to engage the corresponding sections of the bight portion (70), this motion results in a wiping action between the respective free ends (80) of the leg portions (78) and the bight portion (70), resulting in current flowing in a path from the first electrical component (4) through the contact portion (76) of the first spring contact means, the leg portion (78) of the first spring contact means, the bight portion (70), the leg portion (78) of the second spring contact means, the contact portion (76) of the second spring contact means, and to the second electrical component (8).

Claim 10

An electrical contact (66) as recited in claim 7 characterized in that the spring portions (72) of the first spring contact means and the second spring contact means are of a generally U-shaped configuration.

Claim 11

An electrical contact (66) as recited in claim 7 characterized in that the free ends (80) of the leg portions (78) of the first spring contact means and the second spring contact means have an arcuate configuration.

Claim 12

An electrical contact (66) as recited in claim 7 characterized in that the first spring contact means is essentially a mirror image of the second spring contact means.