Electrical interconnection system and device

Claim 1

An electrical interconnection system comprising: a socket (16) comprising a socket housing having two or more adjacent socket housing walls (1a) extending in a first direction from a side (1) of said socket housing and including first and second socket housing walls (1a), each of said socket housing walls (1a) having first and second sides, and three or more rows of socket (16) electrical contacts (12,13) including a first row of socket electrical contacts disposed on said first side of said first socket housing wall (1a), a second row of socket electrical contacts (12,13) being disposed on said second side of said first socket housing wall (1a), and a third row of socket electrical contacts (12,13) disposed on one of said first or second sides of said second socket housing wall (1a), and a mating plug (26) comprising a plug housing having two or more adjacent plug housing walls (2a) extending in a fourth direction from a side (2) of said plug housing and including first and second plug housing walls (2), each of said plug housing walls (2a) having first and second sides, and three or more rows of plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) oriented to make electrical contact with said three or more rows- of socket (16) electrical contacts (12,13) when said plug (26) and socket (16) are mated, said three or more rows of plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) including a first row of plug electrical contacts (12,13) disposed on said first side of said first plug housing wall (2a), a second row of plug electrical contacts (12,13) being disposed on said second side of said first plug housing wall (2a) and a third row of plug electrical contacts (12,13) disposed on one of said first or second sides of said second plug housing wall (2a), characterized in that each of said socket (116) electrical contacts (12,13) is electrically coupled to a respective solder tail portion (21) exiting from said socket housing, said solder tail portions (21) coupled to said second row of socket electrical contacts (12,13) exiting from said socket housing in a first plane and said solder tail portions (21) coupled to said third row of socket contacts (12,13) exiting from said socket housing in a second plane, said first and second planes being positioned at a varying distance from said socket housing, said solder tail portions (21) coupled to said second and third rows of socket (16) electrical contacts (12,13) exit from said socket housing in a second direction and wherein said solder tail portions (21) coupled to said first row of socket electrical contacts (12,13) exit from said socket housing in a third direction, said second direction being substantially opposite to said third direction, and said second and third directions being substantially perpendicular to said first direction, each of said plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) is electrically coupled to a respective solder tail portion (21) exiting from said plug housing, said solder tail portions (21) coupled to said first row of plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) exiting from said plug housing in a third plane and said solder tail portions (21) coupled to said second row of plug (26) contacts (12,13) exiting from said plug housing in a fourth plane, said third and fourth planes being positioned at a varying distance from said plug housing, and said solder tail portions (21) coupled to said first and second rows of plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) exit from said' plug housing in a fifth direction and wherein said solder tail portions (21) coupled to said third row of plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) exit from said plug housing in a sixth direction, said fifth direction being substantially opposite to said sixth direction, and said fifth and sixth directions being substantially perpendicular to said fourth direction.

Claim 4

The system of any one of claims 1 to3, wherein said first and second planes are substantially parallel and wherein said third and fourth planes are substantially parallel.

Claim 5

The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said solder tail portions (21) comprise necked down sections.

Claim 6

The system of any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising positioning notches (84) configured to align or retain at least a portion of said solder tail portions (21).

Claim 9

The system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said solder tail portions (21) are configured to be received in plated through holes.

Claim 10

The system of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said individual socket (16) and plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) have individual socket and plug solder tail portions (21) ending in contact points (89), and wherein said socket and plug solder tail portions (21) exit respective socket (16) and plug (26) housings to form multiple rows of contact points (89) configured in staggered relationship.

Claim 11

The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a base portion (13f) of each of said socket (16) electrical contacts (12,13) is supported in said socket housing and a base portion (13f) of each of said plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) is supported in said plug housing, and wherein said base portion (13f) of each said socket and plug electrical contact (12,13) includes contact retention features (330,332) disposed in contact with said respective socket (16) and plug (26)housings, said contact retention features (330,332) of each said electrical contact (12,13) being positioned such that they are not aligned with said contact retention features (330,332) of immediately adjacent electrical contacts (12,13).

Claim 12

The system of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein individual socket (16) and plug (26) electrical contacts (12,13) are coupled to individual socket and plug solder tail portions (21), and wherein individual solder tail portions (21) coupled to electrical contacts (12,13) of at least one row of socket or plug electrical contacts exit a respective socket (16) or plug (26) housing in adjacent offsetting relationship with individual solder tail portions (21) coupled to electrical contacts (12,13) of another row of socket or plug electrical contacts exiting said respective socket (16) or plug (26) housing.