Contact sheet and socket including same

• US 6,926,536 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Original Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Inventors: Ochiai, Toshimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyeon, Hae Moon
• Application Number:
  US10/732,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20040127073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 439/66, 439/91, 439/591
• US Class Current: 439/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2492 multiple contact points
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/28 Terminal boards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4921 with bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49222 forming array of contacts or terminals

Abstract

A contact sheet is provided including two insulative base sheets having a plurality of through-holes formed therethrough in an array pattern and a plurality of conductive contacts interposed between the insulative base sheets. Each contact includes a fixed part bonded to an end of a respective through-hole and an integral moving part contiguous with the fixed part. The moving part includes a contact portion formed as an elastic cantilever. Part of the moving part protrudes from one side of the base sheet inside the through-hole and the contact portion elastically extends from the other side of the base sheet. The total area of the through-hole and the fixed part of the contact is greater than a unit grid area formed by an arrangement of the terminals of an electronic device, and the length of the moving part, including the contact portion, substantially corresponds to the overall length of the through-hole.

Claims

1. A contact sheet, comprising:

a first insulating base sheet having a plurality of through-holes formed therein in an array pattern;

a second insulating base sheet having a plurality of through-holes formed therein in an array pattern that is laminated to said first insulating base sheet, wherein a first surface of said contact sheet is defined by one of said first and said second insulating base sheets and an opposed second surface of said contact sheet is defined by the other of said first and said second insulating base sheets; and

a plurality of conductive contacts arranged between said first base sheet and said second base sheet, each said conductive contact comprising a first portion disposed and fixed between said first and said second base sheets in a position proximate an edge portion of a respective one of said through-holes such that each said first portion of each said conductive contact is substantially coplanar, an integral second portion extending a distance from said first portion in a length direction of said through-hole and protruding from said first surface of said contact sheet, and an integral third portion extending from said second portion and protruding from said second surface of said contact sheet such that each said third portion of each said conductive contact comprises an elastic cantilever contact portion;

wherein a total area of said first portion of said conductive contact and a respective one of said through-holes is greater than a unit grid area formed by an arrangement of terminals of an electronic device; and

wherein a total length of said second portion and said third portion of each said conductive contact substantially corresponds to a length of said through-holes;

whereby the terminals of a plurality of electronic devices are connected via said conductive contacts of said contact sheet when said contact sheet is interposed therebetween.

2. The contact sheet of claim 1, wherein said total area of said first portion of said conductive contact and said through-hole is an integral multiple of said unit grid area.

3. The contact sheet of claim 1, wherein at least two of said conductive contacts are disposed in a single one of said through-holes.

4. A bonded contact sheet comprising first and second contact sheets according to claim 1, wherein said first surface of said first contact sheet and said first surface of said second contact sheet are bonded to each other.

5. A socket comprising:

a frame; and

a contact sheet according to claim 1 disposed within a boundary defined by said frame.

6. A socket comprising:

a frame; and

a contact sheet according to claim 4 disposed within a boundary defined by said frame.

7. A contact sheet, comprising:

a first insulating base sheet having a plurality of through-holes formed therein in an array pattern, said first base sheet having a first surface and an opposed second surface;

a first group of conductive contacts bonded to said second surface of said first base sheet, wherein each said conductive contact of said first group comprises a first portion disposed and fixed on said second surface of said first base sheet in a position proximate an edge portion of a respective one of said through-holes of said first base sheet such that each said first portion of each said conductive contact is substantially coplanar, an integral second portion extending a distance from said first portion in a length direction of said through-hole and having at least a portion protruding from said second surface of said first base sheet, and an integral third portion extending from said second portion and protruding from said first surface of said first base sheet such that each said third portion of each said conductive contact comprises an elastic cantilever contact portion;

a second insulating base sheet having a plurality of through-holes formed therein in an array pattern, said second base sheet having a first surface and an opposed second surface; and

a second group of conductive contacts bonded to said second surface of said second base sheet, wherein each said conductive contact of said second group comprises a first portion disposed and fixed on said second surface of said second base sheet in a position proximate an edge portion of a respective one of said through-holes of said second base sheet such that each said first portion of each said conductive contact is substantially coplanar, an integral second portion extending a distance from said first portion in a length direction of said through-hole and having at least a portion protruding from said first surface of said second base sheet, and an integral third portion extending from said second portion and protruding from said second surface of said second base sheet such that each said third portion of each said conductive contact comprises an elastic cantilever contact portion;

wherein said second surface of said first insulating base sheet is joined to said second surface of said second insulating base sheet such that said array patterns of said first and said second base sheets are arranged and spaced in a staggered manner at a predetermined pitch with respect to one another to form said contact sheet having a first surface defined by said first surface of said first insulating base sheet and an opposed second surface defined by said first surface of said second insulating base sheet;

wherein at least a portion of said first portion of each said contact of said first and said second groups is interposed between said second surfaces of said first and said second base sheets, such that each said first portion of said contacts of said first group is substantially coplanar with each said first portion of said contacts of said second group;

wherein at least a portion of said second portion of each said contact of said first and said second groups protrudes from said second surface of said contact sheet; and

wherein each said third portion of each said contact of said second group passes through a respective through-hole in said first insulating base sheet, protrudes from said first surface of said contact sheet and is interposed between adjacent third portions of said contacts of said first group protruding from said first surface of said contact sheet.