High density connector with contact wipe

Claim 1

An electrical connector for interconnecting contact traces of first and second component boards each carrying surface-mounted contacts and said second board having a drive surface, said connector including mounting means affixed to the first board adapted to receive and hold the second board to align the contacts of each board in a spaced relationship, an interconnection means including a flexible circuit having contacts of the first and second boards and with the circuit contacts interconnected by circuit tyraces, the interconnection means further including a rod means mounting and joining said flexible circuit and operable to support said circuit structurally and drive said circuit in movement to effect an interconnection of the contacts of the second board to the contacts of the first board through the circuit contacts and circuit traces, said mounting means including interior surfaces carrying the ends of the said rod means and cam means fitted in said mounting means and rotatably operable to effect a displacement of said rod means to drive the said circuit contacts in movement against the contacts of the first and second boards, said cam means including cam surfaces shaped to drive said drive surfaces in first and second displacements to effect wipe and backwipe of the contacts of the second board by said circuit contacts to provide a resulting low-resistance, stable electrical interface between said contacts.