Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Including compound movement of coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-25
2003-12-23
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Including compound movement of coupling part
C439S331000, C439S266000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06666703
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for detachably mounting an integrated circuit such as a CPU or the like on a circuit board, and an assembly of a heat radiator for radiating the heat of an integrated circuit and a connector for detachably mounting the integrated circuit on a circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known connectors for detachably mounting integrated circuits such as CPUs or the like on circuit boards.
FIG. 15
of the accompanying drawings shows one such connector
61
which is surface-mounted on a circuit board
3
and receives a CPU
2
mounted thereon. The connector
61
has an inner case
62
fixed to the circuit board
3
with terminals (not shown) connected thereto by reflow soldering, an outer case
63
covering the inner case
62
and slidable back and forth on the surface of the inner case
62
, a crank rod
64
interposed between the outer case
63
and the inner case
62
, and a lever
65
for turning the crank rod
64
to slide the outer case
63
over the inner case
62
.
While the lever
65
is in an upright position, pins
2
c
of the CPU
2
are inserted into respective through holes
66
which are defined in the outer case
63
and the inner case
62
. Then, the lever
65
is tilted forward to turn the crank rod
64
, sliding the outer case
63
forward. The pins
2
c
of the CPU
2
are now connected to an electric circuit (not shown) on the circuit board
3
.
The CPU
2
comprises a circuit panel
2
a
with a built-in electronic circuit and a terminal panel
2
b
with the pins
2
c
to which signals from the circuit panel
2
a
are transmitted. When the CPU
2
is energized, the circuit panel
2
a
generates heat and reaches a high temperature. Therefore, a heat radiator (not shown) such as a heat pipe or the like is mounted on the circuit panel
2
a
for cooling the CPU
2
. The heat radiator is attached to the surface of the circuit panel
2
a
by a substance of high heat conductivity such as silicone grease or the like.
When attempts are made to remove the heat radiator from the CPU
2
for the purpose of replacing the CPU
2
or the like, the CPU
2
tend to be lifted due to the bonding capability of the silicone grease or the like. If the CPU
2
as it is installed on the connector
61
is lifted, then the pins
2
c
of the CPU
2
and the terminals in the connector
61
are possibly damaged, making it impossible to reuse the CPU
2
and the circuit board
3
.
It has been customary to cover the CPU
2
and the heat radiator with a metal box in order to prevent electromagnetic waves generated when the CPU
2
is in operation from being radiated out of the CPU
2
. However, the metal box which houses the CPU
2
and the heat radiator tends to present an obstacle to recent efforts which are being made to reduce the size of the housing of personal computers or the like which incorporate the CPU
2
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved connector for an integrated circuit and an improved assembly for use on an integrated circuit.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector for mounting an integrated circuit having a heat radiator, the connector allowing the heat radiator to be removed without causing damage to the integrated circuit, and an assembly for use on such an integrated circuit.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a connector for an integrated circuit, which is capable of blocking electromagnetic waves from the integrated circuit and which can be reduced in size, and an assembly for use on such an integrated circuit.
To achieve the above objects, there is provided according to a first aspect of the present invention a connector for detachably connecting an integrated circuit to a circuit board, the integrated circuit having a rectangular terminal panel and a circuit panel mounted on and projecting upwardly from a surface of the terminal panel, with a heat radiator mounted on the circuit panel, the heat radiator being wider than the circuit panel, electrically conductive, and grounded, the connector comprising an inner case for being fixed to the circuit board, an outer case mounted on the inner case for sliding movement back and forth over the inner case, and a control member pivotally supported by a rear portion of the inner case and angularly movable to slide the outer case back and forth over the inner case, the arrangement being such that the control member is erected, the outer case is slid rearward, and the integrated circuit is placed in the outer case and the inner case, after which the control member is turned down and the outer case is slid forward to connect the integrated circuit and the circuit board to each other, that the control member is brought into abutment against the surface of the terminal panel when the control member is turned down against the integrated circuit, and that the control member is disposed between the heat radiator and the terminal panel when the heat radiator is installed on the circuit panel.
With the connector according to the first aspect, the control member is held in abutment against the surface of the terminal panel, and when the heat radiator is installed, the control member is disposed between the heat radiator and the terminal panel. Therefore, the integrated circuit can be removed from the connector while the control member is being held in abutment against the terminal panel. By removing the heat radiator while holding the control member, the force applied to the integrated circuit when the heat radiator is detached is reduced by the control member. The heat radiator can thus be removed without causing damage to the integrated circuit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a connector for detachably connecting an integrated circuit to a circuit board, the integrated circuit having a rectangular terminal panel and a circuit panel mounted on and projecting upwardly from a surface of the terminal panel, the connector comprising an inner case for being fixed to the circuit board, an outer case mounted on the inner case for sliding movement back and forth over the inner case, and a control member pivotally supported by a rear portion of the inner case and angularly movable to slide the outer case back and forth over the inner case, the arrangement being such that the control member is erected, the outer case is slid rearward, and the integrated circuit is placed in the outer case and the inner case, after which the control member is turned down and the outer case is slid forward to connect the integrated circuit and the circuit board to each other, and that the control member is brought into abutment against the surface of the terminal panel and locked by the outer case or the inner case against upward movement when the control member is turned down.
With the connector according to the second aspect, when the control member is turned down, the control member is brought into abutment against the surface of the circuit panel. The control member has its rear portion pivotally supported by the inner case and its front portion locked by the inner case or the outer case. Since the integrated circuit is held in the outer case and the inner case by the control member, the heat radiator can be detached from the integrated circuit without causing damage to the integrated circuit.
In the connectors according to the first and second aspects, the control member may be superposed on the integrated circuit while the integrated circuit is placed in the outer case and the inner case, the control member may have an opening through which the circuit panel is exposed, and the control member may cover the surface of the terminal panel in its substantial entirety, a front edge of the integrated circuit, and lateral side edges of the integrated circuit.
In the connectors according to the first and second aspects, the control member may be superposed on the integrated circuit while the integrat
Bradley P. Austin
Guss Paul A.
Hammond Briggitte R.
Moldec Co., Ltd.
LandOfFree
Connector for integrated circuits, and assembly for use on... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Connector for integrated circuits, and assembly for use on..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Connector for integrated circuits, and assembly for use on... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3150885