Precision receptacle alignment system

Claim 2

In a connector assembly, a header of insulating material having at least one receptacle located therein, said header comprising upper and lower surfaces in substantially parallel relationship, said surfaces having sidewall portions therebetween, a plurality of apertures connecting said surfaces, said apertures having a rectangular cross-sectional configuration throughout a portion of their axial length with two intersecting wall portions each being positioned relative to a master reference point, said apertures having located therein a receptacle of electrically conductive material, said receptacle comprising a body member having body wall portions, upstanding resilient contact means integral with one end of said body member and being adapted to receive a plug member, depending terminal means integral with an extending from the opposite end of said body member, and plural resilient spring means integral with two of said body wall portions of said body member, the sum of the forces of said plural resilient spring means being such as to bias said receptacle toward the intersection of said two intersecting wall portions.

Claim 3

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said header includes latching means extending outwardly from at least one of said sidewall portions and upwardly away from said upper surface, said latching means adapted to mechanically latch to an integrated circuit member containing said plug member.

Claim 4

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said latching means comprises two leg members and a transverse member, said leg members each being attached at one end thereof to said one side wall portion, and being joined at the other ends thereof by said transverse member, said transverse member having located thereon a lip portion for engaging a like portion on said integrated circuit member.

Claim 5

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said body member is generally rectangular in cross section and wherein said plural resilient spring means are located in adjacent wall portions.

Claim 6

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said upstanding resilient contact means comprise at least two fingers, each finger being an extension of one of said sidewall portions and in opposing relationship, each finger being bent toward the opposing finger through an angle more than 90* and less than 180*, the free end portion of each said finger being further bent toward the sidewall portion from which said finger extends.

Claim 7

A connector assemblY as set forth in claim 5 wherein said receptacle is formed from a one-piece blank and wherein the end portions of each end of said blank form a first of said body wall portions and wherein one of said plural resilient spring means comprises each end portion as a loaded cantilever with adjacent edges of said end portions abutting a first adjacent wall portion of said aperture and biasing said receptacle against one of said intersecting wall portions of said aperture.

Claim 8

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein a portion struck from a second of said body wall portions adjacent to said one body wall portion comprises a second of said plural resilient spring means with said portion abutting against a second adjacent wall portion of said aperture and biasing said receptacle against the other of said two intersecting wall portions of said aperture.

Claim 9

A receptacle of electrically conductive material adapted to be received in a header body, said receptacle comprising body wall portions, upstanding resilient contact means adapted to receive a plug member, said means comprising at least two fingers, each finger being an upward extension of one of said sidewall portions and in opposing relationship, each finger being bent toward the opposing finger through an angle more than 90* and less than 180*, the free end portion of each said finger being further bent toward the sidewall portion from which said finger extends, depending terminal means, said terminal means being a downward extension of one of said sidewall portions, and plural resilient spring means integral with adjacent body wall portions of said body member, said body member being generally rectangular in cross section and formed from a one-piece blank having end portions, said end portions, after forming of said body member, lie in intersecting planes and form a first of said body wall portions and comprise one of said plural resilient spring means, each said end portion and respective adjacent body wall portions having an included interior angle greater than 90*, a second of said plural resilient spring means comprises a portion struck from a second of said body wall portions, and wherein said terminal means is offset from the plane of the sidewall from which it extends, said terminal means and sidewall having located in their outside surface a continuous channel terminating in said sidewall short of the upper end thereof.

Claim 10

A receptacle of electrically conductive material adapted to be received in a header body, said receptacle comprising body wall portions, upstanding resilient contact means adapted to receive a plug member, said means comprising at least two fingers, each finger being an upward extension of one of said sidewall portions and in opposing relationship, each finger being bent toward the opposing finger through an angle more than 90* and less than 180*, the free end portion of each said finger being further bent toward the sidewall portion from which said finger extends, depending terminal means, said terminal means being a downward extension of one of said sidewall portions, and plural resilient spring means integral with adjacent body wall portions of said body member, said body member being generally rectangular in cross section and formed from a one-piece blank having end portions, said end portions, after forming of said body member, lie in intersecting planes and form a first of said body wall portions and comprise one of said plural resilient spring means, each said end portion and respective adjacent body wall portions having an included interior angle greater than 90*, a second of said plural resilient spring means comprises a portion struck from a second of said body wall portions, and wherein said terminal means is offset from the plane of the sidewall from which it extends, said terminal means and sidewall having located in their outside surface a continuous channel terminating in said sidewall short of the upper end thereof.