Programmable integrated input/output connector module and spring clip connector mechanism

摘要

A programmable integrated input/output connector module has a molded plastic base through which five bus wires extend. The molded base is equipped with channeled grooves into which five spring clips are housed and which make contact with a corresponding bus wire at the bottom of the molded base. One of the bus wires is a grounded bus wire to which a programmable packet is connected. A chip carrier having conductive traces is placed atop the spring clips so as to place the clips in compression while placing each conductive trace of the chip carrier in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the bus wires. An IC chip is fitted atop and electrically connected to the chip carrier. The programmable packet has six fingers which can be bent away from or left in contact with the chip carrier to selectively program the IC chip to a desired address and configuration. The programmable packet permits each chip carrier to be identical. Further, the spring clips are placed in compression by the chip carrier so that the spring clips urge the chip carrier out of the base upon disassembly of the module.