Patent ID: 7045889

Claim:
A device for establishing electrical contact with a lead element extending from an IC device, comprising: a one-piece substrate bounded by a first surface and an opposing, second surface and having at least one conductive trace, wherein the first surface is configured for mounting a plurality of IC packages thereto; a spring contact including a generally uncoiled serpentine base portion and a contact portion longitudinally adjacent thereto, the contact portion comprising a resiliently compressible coil spring comprising a plurality of coils configured to bias against and electrically contact a lead element of an IC package of the plurality of IC packages, and the generally uncoiled serpentine base portion extending generally longitudinally away from the contact portion and transversely to the coils of the coil spring; and an aperture including a seat portion providing an opening onto the first surface of the one-piece substrate and a retaining portion having a substantially uniform diameter and a first end connected to an opposing end of the seat portion and a second end extending at least partially into the one-piece substrate, wherein an area of the retaining portion having the substantially uniform diameter is smaller than an area of the opening of the seat portion at the first surface of the one-piece substrate, the seat portion of the aperture sized and configured to at least partially contain the contact portion of the spring contact and longitudinally support the coils of the coil spring during compression thereof, and the retaining portion of the aperture configured to receive and electrically connect the generally uncoiled serpentine base portion of the spring contact to the at least one conductive trace.