Pad and cable geometries for spring clip mounting and electrically connecting flat flexible multiconductor printed circuit cables to switching chips on spaced-parallel planar modules

Abstract

Dense physical and electrical connection of (i) flat flexible multiconductor cables of the printed circuit or ribbon types, to (ii) to spaced-parallel planar modules, particularly to switching modules containing switching chips, is realized by (1) a particular connection geometry in combination with (2) a spring clip connector. Flat flexible multiconductor cables routed through free space either in (i) “X” and, optionally also, “Z” planes, or else in (ii) “Y” planes exclusively, have their conductors' ends stripped and bent 90° so as to lie upon conductive pads, arrayed along lines angled 45° to both the “X” and “Y” planes, located on the substrates of switching modules that are within “Z” planes. A substantially square, substantially planar, spring clip mounts and re-mounts to the substrate by, preferably, two tabs fitting in a corresponding two holes in the substrate, so as to hold exposed conductor ends of each cable bent 90° compressively against a portion of the arrayed conductive pads, making electrical connections.