Interconnection device and system

Abstract

A connector system including first housing having a first header, the first header including one or more conductive pads that are in electrical communication with a conductor. A second housing that is mateable with the first housing and includes a second header positioned on a mating face. The second header includes one or more conductive pad that are electrically engaged with a conductor and positioned in confronting relation with the one or more conductive pads of the first header. An interposer located between the first header and the second header, with a woven contact that extends continuously through the interposer toward conductive pads on the first and second headers. The interposer is movable between a first position where the woven contact is spaced away from the at least one of the conductive pads, and a second position where woven contact electrically engages one of the conductive pads.

1 .- 24 . (canceled)  
   
   
       25 . A connector system comprising: 
 a first housing having a first header positioned on a mating face, said first header including at least one conductive pad that is in electrical communication with a conductor;    a second housing that is mateable with said first housing and including a second header positioned on a mating face, said second header including at least one conductive pad that is electrically engaged with a conductor and is positioned in confronting relation with said at least one conductive pad of said first header; and    an interposer located between said first header and said second header, with at least one woven contact comprising an open-ended substantially cylindrical spring comprising a plurality of conductors having a longitudinal axis, wherein said conductors comprise an absence of either elastic or plastic deformations such that longitudinal deflection of said spring results in substantially only elastic deformation of said plurality of conductors that extends continuously through said interposer so as to have a first portion projecting outwardly toward said at least one conductive pad of said first header and a second portion projecting outwardly toward said at least one conductive pad of said second header, wherein said interposer is movable between (i) a first position wherein said first and second portions of said at least one woven contact are spaced away from said at least one conductive pad, and (ii) a second position wherein said first and second portions of said at least one woven contact electrically engage said at least one conductive pad.    
   
   
       26 . A connector system according to  claim 25  wherein said first and second housings include a conductor receiving passageway extending through a base wall and surrounded by an annular wall that together define an interior recess into which wire-receiving passageway opens.  
   
   
       27 . A connector system according to  claim 25  wherein each of said first and second headers includes a first face comprising at least one opening leading into at least one blind hole and a second face on which is located said at least one conductive pad.  
   
   
       28 . A connector system according to  claim 27  wherein said at least one blind hole is defined by a surface within said header including a layer of conductive metal and said at least one conductive pad is in electrical communication with said layer of conductive metal.  
   
   
       29 . A connector system according to  claim 25  wherein each of said first and second headers includes a first face comprising a plurality of openings each leading into a blind hole and a second face on which is located a plurality of conductive pads.  
   
   
       30 . A connector system according to  claim 29  wherein each of said plurality of blind holes is defined by a surface within said header including a layer of conductive metal, and further wherein one of each of said plurality of conductive pads is in electrical communication with said layer of conductive metal in one of said plurality of blind holes.  
   
   
       31 . A connector system according to  claim 30  wherein each of said plurality of conductive pads hermetically seals said blind bore from the ambient environment, and provides an electrically conductive pathway.  
   
   
       32 . A connector system according to  claim 25  comprising an o-ring fixedly positioned on a face of one of said first and second headers so as to be in surrounding relation to said at least one conductive pad.  
   
   
       33 . A connector system according to  claim 29  comprising an o-ring fixedly positioned on a face of one of said first and second headers so as to be in surrounding relation to said plurality of conductive pads.  
   
   
       34 . A connector system according to  claim 25  wherein said interposer includes at least one through-bore in which said woven contact is positioned so as to be located between said at least one conductive pad located on said first and said at least one conductive pad located on second headers.  
   
   
       35 . A connector system according to  claim 25  comprising at least one pilot pin projecting outwardly from at least one of said first and second headers.  
   
   
       36 . A connector system according to  claim 35  wherein said interposer includes at least one pilot hole positioned so that each slidingly receives and guides one of said at least one pilot pin.  
   
   
       37 . A connector system according to  claim 25  comprising three pilot pins projecting outwardly from at least one of said first and second headers.  
   
   
       38 . A connector system according to  claim 37  wherein said interposer includes three pilot holes positioned so that each slidingly receives and guides one of said three pilot pins.  
   
   
       39 . A connector system according to  claim 25  wherein said interposer includes woven contacts that are lodged within through-bores and fixed in place such that a first engagement portion of each of said woven contacts projects outwardly from a first side surface of said interposer and a second engagement portion of each of said woven contacts projects outwardly from a second side surface of said interposer.  
   
   
       40 . A connector system according to  claim 25  further comprising a guide-cradle is located on an interior surface of at least one of said first and second housings, said guide-cradle defining a wire-receiving passageway extending through a mating face that is surrounded by an annular wall which together define an interior recess into which said wire-receiving passageway opens.  
   
   
       41 . A connector system according to  claim 40  wherein said guide-cradle provides support and organization for conductors entering said first and second housing.  
   
   
       42 . A connector system according to  claim 40  wherein at least one of said first header and said second header is positioned within said interior recess of said at least one guide-cradle, wherein each of said first and second headers includes a first face comprising a plurality of openings each (i) leading into a blind hole and, (ii) confronting said wire-receiving passageway, and a second face on which is located a plurality of conductive pads.  
   
   
       43 . A connector system according to  claim 42  wherein each of said plurality of blind holes is defined by a surface within said header including a layer of conductive metal, and further wherein one of each of said plurality of conductive pads is in electrical communication with said layer of conductive metal in one of said plurality of blind holes.  
   
   
       44 . A connector system comprising: 
 a first housing having a first header positioned on a mating face, said first header including at least one conductive pad that is in electrical communication with a conductor;    a second housing that is mateable with said first housing and including a second header positioned on a mating face, said second header including at least one conductive pad that is electrically engaged with a conductor and is positioned in confronting relation with said at least one conductive pad of said first header; and    an interposer located between said first header and said second header, with at least one woven contact formed by a process comprising (i) interlacing a plurality of conductors so as to form a continuous cylinder wherein said interlaced conductors elastically engage one another so as to be substantially only elastically deformed, (ii) annealing said continuous cylinder so as to substantially eliminate said elastic engagement of said conductors; and (iii) cutting said continuous cylinder so as to form at least one open-ended cylindrical woven contact extending continuously through said interposer so as to have a first portion projecting outwardly toward said at least one conductive pad of said first header and a second portion projecting outwardly toward said at least one conductive pad of said second header, wherein said interposer is movable between (i) a first position wherein said first and second portions of said at least one woven contact are spaced away from said at least one conductive pad, and (ii) a second position wherein said first and second portions of said at least one woven contact electrically engage said at least one conductive pad.    
   
   
       45 . A connector system according to  claim 44  wherein said first and second housings include a conductor receiving passageway extending through a base wall and surrounded by an annular wall that together define an interior recess into which wire-receiving passageway opens.  
   
   
       46 . A connector system according to  claim 44  wherein each of said first and second headers includes a first face comprising at least one opening leading into at least one blind hole and a second face on which is located said at least one conductive pad.  
   
   
       47 . A connector system according to  claim 46  wherein said at least one blind hole is defined by a surface within said header including a layer of conductive metal and said at least one conductive pad is in electrical communication with said layer of conductive metal.  
   
   
       48 . A connector system according to  claim 44  wherein each of said first and second headers includes a first face comprising a plurality of openings each leading into a blind hole and a second face on which is located a plurality of conductive pads.  
   
   
       49 . A connector system according to  claim 48  wherein each of said plurality of blind holes is defined by a surface within said header including a layer of conductive metal, and further wherein one of each of said plurality of conductive pads is in electrical communication with said layer of conductive metal in one of said plurality of blind holes.  
   
   
       50 . A connector system according to  claim 49  wherein each of said plurality of conductive pads hermetically seals said blind bore from the ambient environment, and provides an electrically conductive pathway.  
   
   
       51 . A connector system according to  claim 44  comprising an o-ring fixedly positioned on a face of one of said first and second headers so as to be in surrounding relation to said at least one conductive pad.  
   
   
       52 . A connector system according to  claim 48  comprising an o-ring fixedly positioned on a face of one of said first and second headers so as to be in surrounding relation to said plurality of conductive pads.  
   
   
       53 . A connector system according to  claim 44  wherein said interposer includes at least one through-bore in which said woven contact is positioned so as to be located between said at least one conductive pad located on said first and said at least one conductive pad located on second headers.  
   
   
       54 . A connector system according to  claim 44  comprising at least one pilot pin projecting outwardly from at least one of said first and second headers.  
   
   
       55 . A connector system according to  claim 54  wherein said interposer includes at least one pilot hole positioned so that each slidingly receives and guides one of said at least one pilot pin.  
   
   
       56 . A connector system according to  claim 44  comprising three pilot pins projecting outwardly from at least one of said first and second headers.  
   
   
       57 . A connector system according to  claim 56  wherein said interposer includes three pilot holes positioned so that each slidingly receives and guides one of said three pilot pins.  
   
   
       58 . A connector system according to  claim 44  wherein said interposer includes woven contacts that are lodged within through-bores and fixed in place such that a first engagement portion of each of said woven contacts projects outwardly from a first side surface of said interposer and a second engagement portion of each of said woven contacts projects outwardly from a second side surface of said interposer.  
   
   
       59 . A connector system according to  claim 44  further comprising a guide-cradle is located on an interior surface of at least one of said first and second housings, said guide-cradle defining a wire-receiving passageway extending through a mating face that is surrounded by an annular wall which together define an interior recess into which said wire-receiving passageway opens.  
   
   
       60 . A connector system according to  claim 59  wherein said guide-cradle provides support and organization for conductors entering said first and second housing.  
   
   
       61 . A connector system according to  claim 59  wherein at least one of said first header and said second header is positioned within said interior recess of said at least one guide-cradle, wherein each of said first and second headers includes a first face comprising a plurality of openings each (i) leading into a blind hole and, (ii) confronting said wire-receiving passageway, and a second face on which is located a plurality of conductive pads.  
   
   
       62 . A connector system according to  claim 61  wherein each of said plurality of blind holes is defined by a surface within said header including a layer of conductive metal, and further wherein one of each of said plurality of conductive pads is in electrical communication with said layer of conductive metal in one of said plurality of blind holes.