The Whitaker Corporation

John W Jones

Robert M Renn

Robert D Irlbeck

Douglas M Walburn

Morgan J Bradley

An interface for connecting co-planar printed circuit ('PC') boards (10,20) using a compressible circuit (50) for bridging the PC boards (10,20), a base (80) underlying the second PC board and integrally attached thereto, and a support housing (30) which sandwiches the compressible circuit (50) against the two PC boards (10,20). The compressible circuit (50) is insertable into the underside of the support housing (30) and may be electro-optically aligned therewith. The compressible circuit (50) is then staked to the support housing (30), and the support housing is mounted on the two PC boards (10,20). In order to mount the support housing (30) on the PC boards (10,20) with the requisite precision, the support housing (30) is provided with alignment means including resilient finger (39) on the underside, and the second PC board (20) is provided with cooperating guide tabs (25). The electro-optic alignment and attachment of the compressible circuit (50) with the support housing (30) together with the precise alignment of the support housing (30)over the two PC boards (10,20) insures a precision high-density interface.

Growing community of inventors

New Cumberland, PA, United States of America

John W Jones