Cray Research, Inc.

Arthur O Kunstmann

Nicholas J Krajewski

David J Johnson

Z-axis connectors for interconnecting stacked printed circuit boards are formed from resilient material and have contact sections larger than cooperating through-plated holes formed in the boards. The connectors are drawn through the through-plated holes in the stacked circuit board, causing the contact section of the connector to frictionally engage the through-plated holes on at least two boards.

Z-axis connectors for stacked printed circuit board assemblies

Z-axis pin connectors for interconnecting stacked printed circuit boards are formed from resilient material and have contact sections larger than cooperating through-plated holes formed in the boards. The pin connectors are drawn through the through-plated holes in the stacked circuit board, causing the contact section of the pin connector to frictionally engage the through-plated holes on at least two boards.

Z-axis pin connectors for stacked printed circuit board assemblies

Z-axis pin connectors for interconnecting stacked printed circuit boards are formed from resilient material and have contact sections larger than cooperating through-plated holes formed in the boards. The pin connectors are drawn through the through-plated holes in the stacked circuit board, causing the contact section of the pin connector to frictionally engage the through-plated holes on at least two boards. Formation of pin connectors from a resilient thermoplastic material coated with a conductive layer is also disclosed.

Z-Axis pin connectors for stacked printed circuit board assemblies

A method and apparatus for interconnecting circuit board assemblies using memory metal wires mechanically inserted into through-plated holes. The invention has its application in the interconnection of stacked circuit board assemblies where kinked memory metal wires are stretched so the wires are substantially straight; inserted into axially aligned through-plated holes of circuit boards; and released so that the memory metal wires reform their original kinked shaped within the through-plated holes, forming an electrical connection between the circuit boards. Memory metal alloys are used in the construction of the kinked memory metal wires to take advantage of the pseudoelastic behavior of the alloys in the austenitic phase below the forming temperature range.

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Weyerhauser, WI, United States of America

Arthur O Kunstmann