Releasable, repeatable electrical connection employing compression

Abstract

An electrical connection of a transfer station releasably, repeatably electrically couples with respect to a matching connection of a portable cartridge. A substrate in the portable cartridge has electrical contacts on a facing surface. In the transfer station, a matching circuitized flexible substrate has electrical contacts on a facing surface thereof, which are arranged to match the portable cartridge electrical contacts when in a face-to-face relationship. An elastomeric compression element, at the rear of the matching substrate, has individual protruding compression members contacting the rear surface and registered with corresponding individual electrical contacts. Elongated electrical contacts are registered with two adjacent individual compression members. A loader engages the portable cartridge, registering the cartridge substrate contacts in face-to-face relation with the matching flexible substrate electrical contacts, and exerting a normal force to the cartridge to compress the compression element and create non-wiping contact between the facing electrical contacts.