Backplane system having high-density electrical connectors
View Patent ↗A computer system architecture in which functionally compatible electronic components are located on modular printed circuit boards. Thus, a type of processor used by the system can be changed by replacing the printed circuit board incorporating the processor. Similarly a type of peripheral bus used can be changed simply by replacing the printed circuit board containing the peripheral controller. High-density connectors connect the circuit boards. Some embodiments of the invention use a single backplane. Other embodiments place peripheral slots on a second, passive backplane.
1. A backplane system, comprising:
a first backplane;
a second backplane; and
a connector between the first and second backplanes, the connector including a plurality of contact components, individual of the contact components having:
an insulative buttress having a plurality of sides; and
a plurality of conductive posts extending from the sides of the insulative buttress, individual of the conductive posts including a conductive contact portion.
2. The backplane system of claim 1 , wherein the insulative buttress also has:
an elongated portion having a rectangular cross-section; and
a tip portion located adjacent to the elongated portion.
3. The backplane system of claim 1 , wherein the connector further includes a plurality of receiving contact components, individual of the receiving contact components having:
a plurality of beams, individual of the beams having:
an interface portion extending in a first direction; and
a lead-in portion extending in a second direction that is different than the first direction.
4. The backplane system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of beams of individual of the receiving contact component is four beams, and wherein the interface portions of two of the four beams is longer than the interface portions of another two of the four beams.
5. The backplane system of claim 1 , wherein individual of the conductive posts are formed of at least one of beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, brass, a copper alloy, tin, gold, or palladium.
6. The backplane system of claim 1 , wherein individual of the conductive posts are formed of at least one of beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, brass, or a copper alloy, and wherein individual of the conductive posts are plated with at least one of tin, gold, palladium, nickel, or a combination thereof.
7. The backplane system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive contact portion of individual of the conductive posts is plated and a second surface portion of individual of the conductive posts is unplated.
8. The backplane system of claim 1 , wherein the insulative buttress is formed of a liquid crystal polymer.
9. The backplane system of claim 1 , wherein the connector provides a signal density of at least 300 contacts per linear inch between the first and second backplanes.
10. An electrical interconnect system, comprising:
a connector configured to enable interconnection of first and second circuits, the connector including a plurality of contact components, individual of the contact components having:
an insulative buttress having a plurality of sides; and
a plurality of conductive posts extending from the sides of the insulative buttress, individual of the conductive posts including a conductive contact portion.
11. The electrical interconnect system of claim 10 , wherein the insulative buttress also has:
an elongated portion having a rectangular cross-section; and
a tip portion adjacent to the elongated portion and configured to spread apart portions of a corresponding receiving contact component.
12. The electrical interconnect system of claim 10 , wherein the connector further includes a plurality of receiving contact components, individual of the receiving contact components having:
a plurality of beams, individual of the beams configured to mate with a corresponding conductive post of a corresponding contact component, individual of the beams having:
a interface portion configured to electrically couple to a corresponding conductive post of a corresponding projecting component; and
a lead-in portion having a sloped surface configured to initiate separation of the plurality of beams during mating with the corresponding projecting component.
13. The electrical interconnect system of claim 12 , wherein individual of the receiving contact components are female contact components, and wherein individual of the contact components are male contact components.
14. The electrical interconnect system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first or second circuits is on either a backplane or other printed circuit board.
15. The electrical interconnect system of claim 10 , wherein the contact components are configured in an interleaved array that includes at least 300 contacts per linear inch.
16. The electrical interconnect system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of conductive posts is four conductive posts.
17. The electrical interconnect system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of beams of each individual receiving contact component is four beams, and wherein the interface portions of two of the four beams is longer than the interface portions of another two of the four beams.
18. An connector system, comprising:
a plurality of projecting contact components, each projecting contact including:
four conductive contact portions;
first means for electrically isolating each of the conductive contact portions from each of the other conductive contact portions and for aligning the projecting contact component to a receiving contact component; and
means for extending each of the conductive contact portions from the first means.
19. The connector system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a plurality of receiving contact components, each individual receiving contact component including:
means for electrically coupling to each corresponding conductive contact portion of a corresponding projecting contact component.
20. The connector system of claim 19 , wherein each individual receiving contact component further includes:
means for aligning the individual receiving contact component to the corresponding projecting contact component.