The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 28, 2004
Filed:
Jul. 18, 2001
Edward Joseph Pupkiewicz, Norristown, PA (US);
Bohdan Petro Wozniak, Warrington, PA (US);
Tyco Electronics Corporation, Middletown, PA (US);
Abstract
A connector assembly is provided that includes a rigid circuit board, a connector base, an elastomeric member, a flex circuit and a cover. The connector assembly is compressively sandwiched together. The cover of the assembly provides the compressive force to ensure that a conductive path is established between conductive pads on the rigid circuit board and conductive pads on the flex circuit. The connector assembly may be manufactured entirely through a Z-axis assembly process. That is, each component of the system may be positioned on top of an adjacent component. A method of manufacturing a connector assembly is provided comprising the step of orienting a first circuit having conductive pads at a connector assembly position within a first plane. The method also includes the steps of conveying a connector base along a mounting axis perpendicular to the first plane to a surface mounted position on a first side of the first circuit and conveying an elastomeric member along the mounting axis to a cavity formed in the base in order that a first conductive interface of the elastomeric member electrically engages the first circuit. The method also includes the step of securing a second circuit to the connector base such that the second circuit is in electrical contact with a second conductive interface of the elastomeric member.