Programmed socket

Claim 1

An electrical connection device, comprising a support, first plural electrical contact means mounted in a prescribed pattern with respect to said support on one side thereof for electrically coupling with respective first members engaging therewith, second plural electrical contact means mounted in a prescribed pattern with respect to said support on another side thereof for electrically connecting with respective second members engaging therewith, at least some of said first contact means being electrically isolated from at least some of said second contact means, electrically conductive means positioned with respect to said support for electrically coupling respective first contact means with respective second contact means, further comprising and electrically non-conductive encapsulating body molded directly to and about at least substantially all of said support, said electrically conductive means, and at least part of each of said electrical contact means to form an integral structure therewith, said support comprising an electrically non-conductive substantially planar printed circuit board, said electrically conductive means comprising printed circuit traces on both sides of said printed circuit board and plated through holes for electrically connecting respective traces on opposite sides of said printed circuit board, said printed circuit traces including terminal pads for connection to respective electrical contact means forming electrical junctures therewith, said encapsulating means including means for encapsulating said junctures, said electrical contact means comprising a contact portion extending generally in a first direction and a base portion extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, said junctures comprising a soldered connection between respective electrical contact means base portions and respective terminal pads of printed circuit traces, and said encapsulating body comprising means for encapsulating at least substantially all of said base portion of said electrical contact means, thereby providing a substantially hermetic seal of said junctures and mechanical retention of said electrical contact means with respect to said terminal pads, wherein said first plural electrical contact means comprises a plurality of female type electrical contacts, and further comprising cover means for covering said female contacts, said cover means including opening means therein for guiding respective male contacts into electrically conductive engagement with respective female contacts.

Claim 11

A method of enabling usage of a substitute integrated circuit package with an electrical circuit component designed for plug-in connection at terminal connectors thereof with terminal members of another integrated circuit package where such substitute and another integrated circuit packages have functionally related terminal members located at different positions in respective terminal patterns, comprising the steps of effecting plug-in connection between the terminal members of the substitute integrated circuit package and respective first electrical contacts of a programmed socket device further including second electrical contacts electrically connected to respective first electrical contacts to adapt the terminal pattern of the substitute integrated circuit package to that of the another integrated circuit package, and also effecting plug-in connection between the second electrical contacts of the programmed socket device and respective terminal connectors of the electrical circuit component, whereby the terminal members of the substitute integrated circuit package device will be operably coupled to functionally related but differently located terminal connectors of the electrical circuit component.

Claim 12

A method of enabling usage of a substitute integrated circuit package with an electrical circuit component designed for plug-in connection at terminal connectors thereof with terminal members of another integrated circuit package where such substitute and another integrated circuit packages have functionally related terminal members located at different positions in respective terminal patterns, comprising the steps of effecting plug-in connection between the terminal members of the substitute integrated circuit package and respective first electrical contacts of a programmed socket device further including second electrical contacts electrically connected to respective first electrical contacts to adapt the terminal pattern of the substitute integrated circuit package to that of the another integrated circuit package, and also effecting plug-in connection between the second electrical contacts of the programmed socket device and respective terminal connectors of the electrical circuit component, whereby the terminal members of the substitute integrated circuit package device will be operably coupled to functionally related but differently located terminal connectors of the electrical circuit component.