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US5163837A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ordered area array connector

Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
•
Filing: 1991-06-26
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Granted: 1992-11-17
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Expires: 2011-06-26
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Abstract

Abstract A connector assembly (10) and a method of manufacture include a connector sheet (30) formed of a fine web of insulating strands (32, 34) woven together to define a mesh of cavities (35) containing discrete contacts (36, 40) held by an adhesive (38) to define an ordered anisotropic area of discrete contact points useful in interconnecting contact pads (24) of a component (20) to contact pads (18) of a circuit (12). A connector housing (60) is provided to clamp the component (20) to the circuit (12) with the connector sheet (30) therebetween.

Inventors

  • 👤 John R. Rowlette, Sr.

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 23:18
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/02; H05K7/10; H05K7/1053; H05K7/1061; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/714; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49204; Y10T29/49208; Y10T29/49222

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 93 words
In a method of manufacture of an electrical connector of a type used to interconnect conductive paths to circuit paths, the steps comprising: a. providing a sheet of flexible insulating material including an ordered mesh extending thereover, b. coating said sheet with adhesive to deposit adhesive in the said mesh, c. applying discrete contacts of a size to fit and fill the said mesh of the said sheet, d. curing said adhesive to hold said contacts within the said mesh of said sheet to form an ordered array of contacts in said sheet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 93 words
In a method of manufacture of an electrical connector of a type used to interconnect conductive paths to circuit paths, the steps comprising: a. providing a sheet of flexible insulating material including an ordered mesh extending thereover, b. coating said sheet with adhesive to deposit adhesive in the said mesh, c. applying discrete contacts of a size to fit and fill the said mesh of the said sheet, d. curing said adhesive to hold said contacts within the said mesh of said sheet to form an ordered array of contacts in said sheet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 59 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying the discrete contacts includes the application step of flooding the sheet with contacts and vibrating said web to locate discrete contacts proximate to said mesh and there is included the further step of forcing said contacts into said mesh while removing the excess of said contacts from said sheet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein there is an additional step of cutting the said sheet into discrete areas related to areas to be interconnected following the curing step.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 134 words
An electrical connector assembly for intermating the conductive pads of a component to the conductive pads of a circuit including housing means operable to drive the component toward the said circuit, a sheet connector comprised of a web of flexible insulating material formed of insulating strands joined together to define a mesh coextensive with the pads of the component and circuit, said mesh defining a plurality of cavities, each of an area substantially less than the area of the pads of the component and circuit, conductive contacts disposed in the cavities of the mesh of a thickness relative to the thickness of the web to engage and interconnect the pads of a component to the pads of a circuit responsive to the component and circuit being driven relatively together by the said connecting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 134 words
An electrical connector assembly for intermating the conductive pads of a component to the conductive pads of a circuit including housing means operable to drive the component toward the said circuit, a sheet connector comprised of a web of flexible insulating material formed of insulating strands joined together to define a mesh coextensive with the pads of the component and circuit, said mesh defining a plurality of cavities, each of an area substantially less than the area of the pads of the component and circuit, conductive contacts disposed in the cavities of the mesh of a thickness relative to the thickness of the web to engage and interconnect the pads of a component to the pads of a circuit responsive to the component and circuit being driven relatively together by the said connecting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 135 words
An electrical connector assembly for intermating the conductive pads of a component to the conductive pads of a circuit, including housing means operable to drive the component toward the said circuit, a sheet connector comprised of a web of flexible insulating material formed of strands woven into a woof and weave defining a mesh coextensive with the pads of the component and circuit, said mesh defining a plurality of cavities each of an area substantially less than the area of the pads of component and circuit, conductive contacts disposed in the cavities of the mesh of a thickness relative to the thickness of the web to engage and interconnect the pads of a component to the pads of a circuit responsive to the component and circuit being driven relatively together by the said housing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 135 words
An electrical connector assembly for intermating the conductive pads of a component to the conductive pads of a circuit, including housing means operable to drive the component toward the said circuit, a sheet connector comprised of a web of flexible insulating material formed of strands woven into a woof and weave defining a mesh coextensive with the pads of the component and circuit, said mesh defining a plurality of cavities each of an area substantially less than the area of the pads of component and circuit, conductive contacts disposed in the cavities of the mesh of a thickness relative to the thickness of the web to engage and interconnect the pads of a component to the pads of a circuit responsive to the component and circuit being driven relatively together by the said housing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 111 words
An electrical connector of a type adapted to be positioned between the conductive surfaces of at least two elements to electrically interconnect such surfaces, said elements including a sheet of flexible insulating material comprised of a web of insulating strands joined together having a mesh of cavities disposed over the area thereof with the said cavities on substantially constant center line spacings to define a multiplicity of cavities for each contact area of the said elements, a contact disposed in each mesh cavity of a thickness to engage and interconnect the said areas upon said elements being driven together against said sheet whereby a plurality of contacts engage the said areas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 111 words
An electrical connector of a type adapted to be positioned between the conductive surfaces of at least two elements to electrically interconnect such surfaces, said elements including a sheet of flexible insulating material comprised of a web of insulating strands joined together having a mesh of cavities disposed over the area thereof with the said cavities on substantially constant center line spacings to define a multiplicity of cavities for each contact area of the said elements, a contact disposed in each mesh cavity of a thickness to engage and interconnect the said areas upon said elements being driven together against said sheet whereby a plurality of contacts engage the said areas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 117 words
An electrical connector of a type adapted to be positioned between the conductive surfaces of at least two elements to electrically interconnect such surfaces including a sheet of flexible insulating material having a web of insulating strands joined together formed of the woof and weave of said strands to define and mesh of cavities disposed over the area thereof with the said cavities on substantially constant center line spacings to define a multiplicity of cavities for each contact of the said elements, a contact disposed in each mesh cavity of a thickness to engage and interconnect the said areas upon said elements being driven together against said sheet whereby a plurality of contacts engage the said areas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 117 words
An electrical connector of a type adapted to be positioned between the conductive surfaces of at least two elements to electrically interconnect such surfaces including a sheet of flexible insulating material having a web of insulating strands joined together formed of the woof and weave of said strands to define and mesh of cavities disposed over the area thereof with the said cavities on substantially constant center line spacings to define a multiplicity of cavities for each contact of the said elements, a contact disposed in each mesh cavity of a thickness to engage and interconnect the said areas upon said elements being driven together against said sheet whereby a plurality of contacts engage the said areas.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3541222A Cited
US3880486A Cited
US4050756A Cited
US4729809A Cited
US4991290A Cited
US4922376A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-11-17 1996-05-18 1996-11-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-11-17 2000-05-18 2000-11-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-11-17 2004-05-18 2004-11-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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