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An interposer assembly for forming electrical connections between contact pads on opposed substrates includes a top plate, a bottom plate, a lateral shift interface between the plates and a plurality of electrical circuit paths extending between contact surfaces at the top of the top plate and at th

An interposer assembly for forming electrical connections between contact pads on opposed substrates includes a top plate, a bottom plate, a lateral shift interface between the plates and a plurality of electrical circuit paths extending between contact surfaces at the top of the top plate and at the bottom of the bottom plate. The circuit paths maintain electrical connections between opposed pairs of pads on the substrates despite misalignment of the substrates or lateral shifting of the plates at the interface because of forces exerted on the substrates. The plates are secured together to permit limited lateral movement at the interface. The assembly may have a circuit board plate between the top and bottom plates and two lateral shift interfaces. The contacts may have very small and high contact pressure shear-formed contact tips.

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The invention claimed is: 1. An interposer assembly for establishing electrical connections between pads on two opposed substrates, the assembly comprising first and second stacked plates to be positioned between the substrates; each plate formed from a dielectric material and comprising a first si

The invention claimed is: 1. An interposer assembly for establishing electrical connections between pads on two opposed substrates, the assembly comprising first and second stacked plates to be positioned between the substrates; each plate formed from a dielectric material and comprising a first side facing one substrate and a second side facing the other plate; a first lateral shift interface between the second sides of the plates; and a plurality of continuous electrical circuit paths, each circuit path comprising a first contact surface on the first side of the first plate for engaging a pad on one substrate, a second contact surface on the first side of the second plate for engaging a pad on the other substrate, and a conductor joining the contact surfaces, the conductor extending through the plates and across the lateral shift interface, wherein when the assembly is positioned between the substrates the assembly maintains electrical connections between substrate pads over a range of lateral shifting of the plates at the interface. 2. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein each circuit path comprises a single conductive member extending between said contact surfaces. 3. The assembly as in claim 1, wherein said lateral shift interface comprises a sliding lateral shift interface. 4. The assembly as in claim 1, comprising an alignment collar for each plate, said collars adapted for mounting the plates on the substrates. 5. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein the second sides of the plates define the lateral shift interface. 6. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein said lateral shift interface permits movement of said plates in any direction along the interface. 7. The assembly as in claim 1 comprising a third plate positioned between the first and second plates; said circuit paths extending through said third plate. 8. The assembly as in claim 7, comprising a second lateral shift interface. 9. The assembly as in claim 1, wherein said lateral shift interface comprises an open lateral shift interface. 10. The assembly as in claim 9, comprising a spacer separating the plates. 11. The assembly as in claim 1, wherein each circuit path comprises a first end portion including a first bent up tab having shear formed edges intersecting at a first double curvature tip. 12. The assembly as in claim 11, wherein the tip is located at or adjacent the longitudinal axis of the circuit path. 13. The assembly as in claim 11, wherein each circuit path comprises a second end portion including a second bent up tab having shear formed edges intersecting at a second double curvature tip. 14. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein each circuit path comprises a plurality of conductive members and a pressure connection between two adjacent members. 15. The assembly as in claim 14, wherein in each circuit path said pressure connection is located at said lateral shift interface. 16. The assembly as in claim 15, wherein said pad-engaging contacts comprise contact noses. 17. The assembly as in claim 1, wherein said conductors comprise metal strips. 18. The assembly as in claim 17, wherein each contact surface comprises a bent up tab. 19. The assembly as in claim 18, wherein each tab is located on or adjacent the longitudinal axis of a strip. 20. The assembly as in claim 19, wherein each contact surface comprises a double curvature tip at the intersection of two shear-formed edge corners. 21. The assembly as in claim 1, comprising a first opening in the first plate, a second opening in the second plate and an alignment member in said openings, one opening larger than the member to permit movement of the plates along the lateral shift interface. 22. The assembly as in claim 21, wherein said alignment member comprises a pin and said openings comprise holes. 23. The assembly as in claim 22, comprising a collar extending inwardly from each hole, said pin extending through the collars. 24. The assembly as in claim 22, comprising projections extending outwardly from said pin for retaining the pin in the holes. 25. The assembly as in claim 24, wherein said pin has ends located within said plates. 26. The assembly as in claim 24, wherein said pin has ends extending outwardly of said plates. 27. The method of forming conductive paths between pads on opposed substrates comprising the steps of: a) positioning an interposer assembly between the opposed substrates to locate first contacts on one side of the interposer assembly adjacent pads on one substrate and to locate second contacts on another side of the interposer assembly adjacent pads on the other substrate, the interposer assembly having circuit paths extending between first and second contacts; b) laterally shifting the first and second sides of the interposer assembly along a lateral shift interface located between said sides to align the first contacts with the pads on one substrate and to align the second contacts with the pads on the other substrate; and c) forming first electrical connections between the first contacts and the pads on said one substrate and forming second electrical connections between the second contacts and the pads on the other substrate to establish the conductive paths. 28. The method of claim 27, including the step of: d) laterally shifting the first and second contacts along a second lateral shift interface. 29. The method of claim 27, including the step of: d) shifting the first and second sides of the interposer assembly in any direction along the lateral shift interface. 30. The method of claim 27, including the step of: d) maintaining a pressure connection in each circuit path at the interface during lateral shifting of the sides of the interposer assembly. 31. The method of claim 27, wherein the interposer assembly includes continuous metal circuit paths extending between the first and second contacts, including the step of: d) flexing the metal circuit paths during lateral shifting of the sides of the interposer assembly. 32. An interposer assembly for forming electrical connections between pads on upper and lower members, the assembly comprising a top insulating body, a bottom insulating body, a first lateral shift interface between the bodies, and a plurality of continuous electrical circuit paths, each path extending through the top body, across the lateral shift interface and through the bottom body, each path including a contact surface on the top body and a contact surface on the bottom body, wherein the contact surfaces on the top body make electrical connections with pads on an upper member and the contact surfaces on the bottom body make electrical connections with pads on a lower member independent of alignment of the members and the assembly maintains the continuous electrical circuit paths between the contact surfaces over a range of lateral shifting of the bodies at the interface. 33. The interposer assembly as in claim 32, wherein each continuous electrical circuit path comprises a strip metal contact. 34. The interposer assembly as in claim 33, wherein each strip metal contact extends across the lateral shift interface. 35. The interposer assembly as in claim 32, including a shear-formed double curvature contact tip at an edge of one contact surface. 36. The interposer assembly as in claim 32, wherein said lateral shift interface is a sliding interface. 37. The interposer assembly as in claim 32, wherein the lateral shift interface is an open interface, and a spacer in the interface. 38. The interposer assembly as in claim 32, comprising a first alignment collar surrounding said top body, a second alignment collar surrounding said bottom body, a first spring clip between said top plate and said first alignment collar, and a second spring clip between said bottom plate and said bottom alignment collar, each spring clip biasing a body against a collar. 39. The assembly as in claim 32 wherein said lateral shift interface permits movement of said members in any direction along the interface. 40. The interposer assembly as in claim 32, wherein each continuous electrical circuit path includes a pressure electrical connection. 41. The interposer assembly as in claim 40, wherein said pressure electrical connections are located at said lateral shift interface. 42. The interposer assembly as in claim 32, including a shift limiting member mounted on said bodies and extending across the interface, said shift limiting member moveable relative to at least one body to limit lateral shift of the bodies at the interface. 43. The interposer assembly as in claim 42, wherein said shift limiting member comprises a pin extending across the interface, and a recess in each body, said pin extending into said recesses. 44. The interposer assembly as in claim 43, wherein the pin is rotatable in said recesses. 45. The interposer assembly as in claim 43, wherein said pin is fixedly mounted in one body and moveable relative to the other body. 46. The interposer assembly as in claim 32, wherein said insulating bodies comprise a top plate and a bottom plate, and a central plate located between said top plate and said bottom plate, said first lateral shift interface between said top plate and said central plate, and a second lateral shift interface between said central plate and said bottom plate. 47. The interposer assembly as in claim 46, wherein each electrical circuit path comprises a resilient strip contact in each of the top and bottom plates, and each strip contact comprises a first contact surface engaging a pad on one member and a second contact surface engaging a pad on the central plate. 48. The interposer assembly as in claim 46, wherein each electrical circuit path extends across said second lateral shift interface and a pressure electrical connection at each lateral shift interface. 49. The interposer assembly as in claim 48, wherein said central plate comprises a plurality of pads at each interface and electrical connections between opposed pairs of said such pads. 50. The method of maintaining electrical connections between pads on opposed substrates comprising the steps of: a) providing an interposer assembly having first contacts on a first side, second contacts on a second side, continuous electrical circuit paths between contacts on the first and second sides, and a lateral shift interface between the sides; b) mounting the interposer assembly on opposed substrates with the first contacts engaging pads on one substrate and the second contacts engaging pads on the other substrate to form continuous electrical circuit paths between the pads; c) applying a lateral force to the substrates; d) laterally shifting each substrate and its associated side of the interposer assembly about the lateral shift interface between the sides of the interposer assembly while maintaining the continuous electrical circuit paths. 51. The method of claim 50 including the step of: e) moving the first and second sides of the interposer assembly along a closed lateral shift interface. 52. The method of claim 50 including the step of: e) moving the sides of the interposer assembly along an open lateral shift interface while maintaining the height of the assembly.