Electrical connector having terminals with reliable...

Details Electrical connector having terminals with reliable... Electrical connector having terminals with reliable...

2003-02-25

2004-11-23

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With insulation other than conductor sheath

Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation

C439S071000, C439S066000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06821163

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting an electronic package such as a land grid array (LGA) chip with a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB), and particularly to an electrical connector with terminals each having a plurality of retention protrusions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Land grid array (LGA) connectors are widely used in personal computer (PC) systems to electrically connect LGA chips with PCBs. An LGA connector comprises a multiplicity of terminals arranged in a rectangular array. Each terminal has a first contact portion soldered to a PCB, and a second contact portion depressed by and engaging with a corresponding contact pad of an LGA chip. Thus the chip and the PCB are electrically connected by the connector.
China Pats. Nos. ZL95223360.6 and ZL0221158.3, and U.S. Pats. Nos. 6,296,495 and 5,984,693 each disclose a conventional terminal of an LGA electrical connector. Referring to
FIG. 8
, U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,495 discloses a terminal
5
of an LGA electrical connector. The terminal
5
is stamped from a resilient metal strip. The terminal
5
comprises a horizontal soldering base
50
, for soldering the terminal
5
to a circuit pad of a PCB (not shown) and thereby electrically connecting the terminal
5
with the PCB. The soldering base
50
has a rear end
501
and a front end
503
. An upper spring arm
52
extends upwardly and forwardly from a rear end
501
of the soldering base
50
. The spring arm
52
has a curved top contact portion
521
for engaging with a plate-like contact pad of an LGA chip (not shown) when the LGA chip is pressed against the LGA electrical connector. Thus, the terminal
5
electrically connects the LGA chip with the PCB. A lower beam
54
upwardly and forwardly extends from a front end
503
of the soldering base
50
. A vertically oriented junction portion
56
extends from a front end of the lower beam
54
. An upper section of the junction portion
56
is bifurcated, and forms a pair of retention arms
561
. The lower contact beam
54
and the junction portion
56
are integrally joined between the retention arms
561
. A multiplicity of barbs
562
is respectively formed on opposite vertical side edges of the junction portion
56
, for interferentially fixing the terminal
5
in an insulative housing (not shown).
However, the barbs
562
are so thin that the terminal
5
is liable to sustain deformation in assembly of the LGA electrical connector. In addition, the horns of the barbs
562
are prone to scrape inner surfaces of a corresponding passageway of a housing (not shown) of the LGA electrical connector, resulting in the terminal
5
not being securely fastened in the passageway. These contingencies can lead to failure of electrical connection between the LGA chip and PCB.
A new LGA electrical connector which overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having terminals securely fixed in a housing thereof.
In order to achieve the above object, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of terminals. The housing defines a plurality of passageways receiving the terminals therein. Each passageway comprises a retention space that is bounded by a forward wall, a pair of side walls and a pair of rearward walls. Each terminal comprises a vertical retention portion, and a connection beam extending from the retention portion. The connection beam has a first contact portion for soldering the terminal to a circuit substrate. A spring arm extends upwardly from the first contact portion. The spring arm defines a curved second contact portion. The retention portion comprises a first main face, a second main face, and a pair of side faces. A retention protrusion extends outwardly from each of opposite sides of the retention portion, and then bends perpendicularly.
In a first preferred embodiment of present invention, the protrusions protrude beyond both the side faces and the second main face of the retention portion. Each protrusion comprises a first interference portion parallel to the respective side face, and a second interference portion parallel to the second main face. The first interference portions of the protrusions interferentially engage with the respective side walls of the corresponding passageway, and the second interference portions of the protrusions interferentially engage with the forward wall of the passageway. The protrusions each have a reinforced structure, and the terminal is securely and reliably retained in the passageway. Second and third preferred embodiments of the present invention are also shown and described.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:


REFERENCES:
patent: 5641314 (1997-06-01), Broschard et al.
patent: 5984693 (1999-11-01), McHugh et al.
patent: 6139373 (2000-10-01), Ward et al.
patent: 6165027 (2000-12-01), Huang et al.
patent: 6206719 (2001-03-01), Tsunezawa et al.
patent: 6296495 (2001-10-01), Wang et al.
patent: 6454615 (2002-09-01), Yu

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