A novel, low profile connector element is disclosed for the purpose of electrically and mechanically interconnecting circuit elements in electronic devices, said circuit elements including but not limited to printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuits, rigid flex circuits, semiconductors,
semiconductor package substrates, ground shields, and batteries, whereby the connector includes
electrical contacts which have a unitary structure consisting of at least a distal end, a proximal end, and a middle section between the distal and proximal ends. The contacts of the present invention exhibit a contact diametric true position with respect to one another in an array of less than 0.2 millimeters. The
electrical contacts are created in batch form from a
high conductivity sheet of spring material such as a
copper alloy. At least one end of the contact is elastic and emanates from one surface of the connector housing to enable formation of a separable,
low resistance and reliable
electrical connection to a terminal on a
mating circuit element. A second end of the contact may also be elastic, or may be designed to permanently
mount on a terminal on a second
mating circuit element using attachment means such as solder. Contacts can be made by batch
stamping and forming in reel to reel
processing, and may remain integral to the contact strip or sheet during all connector fabrication processes including contact
stamping, contact forming, contact plating, integration into the connector housing such as by over-molding, and through all other
processing until singulation of the individual contacts and the whole of the connector′ from the contact sheet, and, as needed to provide proper connector function, from one another.