Patent ID: 6217342
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: H01R,H05K

Abstract:
An assembly adapted to be interposed between pairs of spaced metallic pads for forming electrical connections between the pads, said assembly comprising:a plate formed of a single piece of insulating material and having a top and a bottom, a plurality of spaced passages extending through the thickness of said plate from said top to said bottom thereof, said passages each including opposed interior walls,a projection in each passage, each prokection extending outwardly from one of said interior walls toward an opposed interior wall and obstructing said passage mediate said top and bottom of the plate, said projection including an end spaced from said opposed interior wall, a first surface facing said plate top and a second surface facing said plate bottom, each surface extending from said end to said one interior wall, the distance between said surfaces at said one interior wall being greater than the distance between said surfaces at said end of the projection, one of such surfaces including a first camming surface; anda metallic contact inserted in each of said passages, each said contact comprising a central portion locateda projection and an opposed interior wall, a pair of flexible spring members each having an inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end of each spring member joining said central portion, a contact nose located at the outboard end of each of said spring members, the distance between said contact noses being greater than the thickness of the plate at the passage when the contact is not stressed, and a leg extending inwardly from each of said noses to a leg end, one leg including a cam follower facing away from a first camming surface, said leg ends each located adjacent one of said opposed interior walls;each contact confined loosely in a passage for float movement along the passage with the leg ends of the contact located on opposite sides of the projection in the passage and the distance between the leg ends being freater than the height of the projection at the leg ends;wherein during insertion of said contacts into said passages said cam followers engage said first camming surfaces and said retention legs are cammed past the projections and snap back beyond the projections.