Interposer assembly and method

摘要

The application discloses an improved interposer assembly with a molded plastic plate and stamp-formed metal contacts inserted in through passages in the plate. The contacts have redundant separate metal circuit paths extending between opposed contact points to reduce inductance and contact resistance.

主权项

1. An interposer plate assembly for forming two-path electrical connections between contact pads on opposed substrates, the interposer plate assembly comprising: a molded plastic plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a uniform thickness between the surfaces, and a plurality of like contact passages extending through the thickness of the plate, each like contact passage comprising opposed first and second end walls, the first end wall perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces of the molded plastic plate and the second end wall forming a protrusion facing the first end wall; and a plurality of metal contacts, each metal contacts positioned in a like contact passage when not compressed, the metal contacts formed from an elongate strip of uniform-thickness metal stock, each strip bent to form a loop with continuous inner and outer circumferential surfaces perpendicular to a transverse plane, contact ends on the elongate strip, a gap separating the contact ends when the contact is not compressed, a rigid spine in the elongate strip across from the contact ends, opposed contact points at the top and the bottom of the contact, and a support bend between each contact point and a contact end, each contact point between the spine and a contact end, the contact points spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of the molded plastic plate when the contact is not compressed; each contact having a maximum width at locations above and below the protrusion when not compressed greater than the minimum width of the like contact passage at the protrusion so that the contact is confined in the like contact passage but is movable vertically in the like contact passage when not compressed; the metal contacts each having a compressed position in the like contact passage with the contact points engaging pads on substrates above and below the molded plastic plate top and bottom surfaces, the gap is closed, the elongate strip ends engage each other in the like contact passage to form an electrical connection, and the support bends are spaced inwardly from the second end wall; whereby compressed connectors each form redundant circuit paths between the contact points, one circuit path extending through the spine and the other circuit path extending through the support bends, the contact ends and the electrical connection.