Fluid pressure actuated electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical connector wherein fluid pressure (pneumatics or hydraulics) is used to actuate an expandable bladder located within the housing of the connector to exert force against two flexible circuit members also located substantially within the connector's housing to cause these members to move toward each other and for highly dense arrays of electrical contacts thereon to engage each other in a predetermined manner. A first alignment means (e.g., pin and corresponding aperture) is used to provide initial alignment of the two flexible circuit members perior to contact being made. Once such contact occurs, and the expandable bladder is expanded further, the bladder is able to provide additional alignment for the engaged contacts so as to prevent movement thereof relative to each other. Such precise alignment is critical in highly dense arrays of large numbers of small contacts as required in many of today's information handling systems (computers). In another embodiment of the invention, the two flexible circuit members are actuated to contact arrays of contacts located on the surfaces of a circuit board located within the connector housing between the two flexible circuits. Once connection is initially made, and expansion of the expandable bladders continues, movement of the engaged flexible circuit electrical contacts is substantially prevented, thus assuring precisioned alignment between these contacts in the overall connector assembly. To prevent abrasion of the expandable bladder during actuation thereof, an interface member (e.g., a thin layer of polyimide) is used between the bladder and flexible circuit members, the interface having a smooth, abrasion resistant surface for this purpose.