Patent ID: 6869291

Claim:
A high-density electrical connector comprising: a rigid member having an array of electrical contact pads arranged in at least three rows with several electrical contact pads in each row, a clamp housing attached to the rigid member, a flexible printed circuit having a back surface, a front surface and a contact portion having an array of electrical contacts protruding outwardly of the front surface of the flexible printed circuit, the contact portion being disposed between the clamp housing and the rigid member, the array of protruding electrical contacts matching the array of electrical contact pads, and an elastomer contact pressure pad disposed between the clamp housing and the flexible printed circuit pressing each of the electrical contacts into one of the electrical contact pads, the elastomeric pad having an arcuate surface on one side engaging the back surface of the flexible printed circuit and at least three longitudinal ribs on an opposite side engaging the clamp housing, and the flexible printed circuit having a greater number of longitudinal rows of contacts than the number of longitudinal ribs.