High density electrical lead

Claim 1

A clip-on type electrical lead for use in conjunction with a planar substrate of predetermined thickness, said electrical lead comprising: an elongated shaft suitable for electrical connection; a front spring finger extending from one end of said elongated shaft, operative in substantially the same plane as said elongated shaft; a substantially flat rear bracing member, positioned parallel to but displaced behind the operative plane of said front spring finger, said rear bracing member having two legs joined by a top connection and having an aperture interior to said legs and said top connection, whereby the top connection increases the structural strength of the legs permitting the legs to be narrower than they would be without the top connection, thereby conserving substrate real estate when the lead is attached to the substrate, whereby the top connection increases the pull strength of the lead when the lead is soldered to the substrate, and whereby the substantially flat rear bracing member minimizes the protrusion of the lead from the rear surface of the substrate when the lead is attached to the substrate; and support means for supporting said rear bracing member to said elongated shaft, said support means being appropriately dimensioned to fix the displacement of said rear bracing member from the operative plane of said front spring finger to permit insertion of said substrate between said front spring finger and said rear bracing member so that said electrical lead and said substrate are held in engagement by spring force from said front spring finger, and said support means has a downward detent at its junction with said rear bracing member, thereby permitting the substrate to seat against the support means when the lead is attached to the substrate.