Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-23
2001-08-21
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S715000, C361S719000, C361S755000, C174S016300, C174S252000, C165S080300, C165S185000, C439S485000, C439S630000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278610
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention belongs to a technical field of connector for module (hereinafter it may be simply referred to as connector) that is used for a module wherein semiconductor chips are mounted on a rectangular board and conductive pads are provided on a front side of the board (hereinafter simply referred to as module). In particular, the present invention relates to countermeasures against heat, electromagnetic waves, etc. to which a connector for module is exposed.
2. Related Art
Modules of this kind include those in which semiconductor chips such as semiconductor memories are mounted. A module connector is used extensively, which connects a module of this kind to a printed circuit board such as a mother board in a position wherein the board surface of the module is approximately parallel to the printed circuit board. This connector has an approximately U-shaped form to correspond to the front side, left side and right side of the module, respectively. A receiving part of the connector corresponding to this front side is provided with a groove that will receive the front side of the module. The groove is provided with contacts that will contact conductive pads while allowing the conductive pads to move in a direction of insertion/withdrawal when the module is in an insertion/withdrawal position in which the rear side thereof is lifted more in comparison with its level in the connection position. Two arms of the connector corresponding to the left side and the right side of the module are arranged so that their top ends can undergo elastic deformation leftward and rightward, respectively, and each arm is provided with a engaging claw on the inner side of the top end thereof. The connector is mounted on the printed circuit board by soldering the solder tails of the contacts onto the printed circuit board. When the module is to be fitted into the connector, first, the module is set in the insertion/withdrawal position and the front side of the module is inserted between the contacts. Next, the rear side of the module is pushed downward. As a result, the conductive pads and contacts are made to contact with each other. When the left side and the right side are pressed against the arms, the top ends of the arms will undergo elastic deformation outward and the engaging claws will fit into the left side and the right side of the module. As a result, the module will be retained in the connection position. When the fitted module is to be disconnected from the connector, the top ends of the arms are made by fingers to undergo elastic deformation outward to release the engaging claws from the module. The rear side of the module will be lifted by the elastic recovering forces of the contacts and the module will be shifted from the connection position into the insertion/withdrawal position. Thus the module can be withdrawn from the space between the contacts.
Semiconductor memories show a tendency to increase their heat generation significantly. It is due to, for example, quickening of their operating speed that is a result of the speed-up of the CPU. This thermal load may cause deformation of the arms of the connector, which in turn may result in loss of the engaging function of the engaging members. Outward elastic deformation of the top ends of the arms by fingers may cause plastic deformation of the arms. The loss of the engaging function and the deformation may cause defective connection and/or disconnection of the module. Heat generation also poses a problem that it may make the operation of the semiconductor memories unstable. Moreover, if the connector is exposed to the effects of ambient electromagnetic waves or the like, the operation of the circuits may become unstable. The above-mentioned problems are not limited to the connectors for modules having semiconductor memories. They are common to connectors for modules having general semiconductor chips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One objective of the present invention is to prevent defective connection and disconnection of the module due to thermal load on the connector body and its elastic deformation by reinforcing the connector body with a metallic cover, to reduce effects of electromagnetic waves or the like on the connector for module and keep the operation of the circuit stable by covering and shielding the connector with the metallic cover, and to cool the semiconductor chip and keep the operation of the semiconductor chip stable by using the metallic cover and making a heat sink have surface-to-surface contact with the semiconductor chip.
The connector for module according to the present invention is a connector for module that connects a module, which has a semiconductor chip mounted on a rectangular board and has a conductive pad on the front side of the board, to a printed circuit board in a position wherein the board plane is approximately parallel to the printed circuit board, and this connector for module, comprises:
a connector body having a receiving part that extends along the front side of a module being in the connection position, having a contact that is provided in the receiving part and contacts the conductive pad while allowing the pad to shift in the direction of insertion/withdrawal, and having a supporting part that extends rearward from the receiving part to carry the module being in the connection position and limits shifting of the module in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction;
a metallic cover that is put over and is engaged to the connector body to sandwich the module between itself and the supporting part and keep the module in the connection position, having a window for exposing the semiconductor chip of the module being in the connection position; and
a heat sink that is arranged to contact the semiconductor chip in the window and is connected to the metallic cover by a supporting structure that enables variation of the angle of fitting to the metallic cover.
This connector for module is mounted on a printed circuit board by, for example, soldering the solder tails of the contact onto the printed circuit board and, when necessary, fixing the supporting part onto the printed circuit board. When a module is to be fitted into the connector, first, the front side of the module is inserted towards the contact to make the conductive pad come into contact with the contact, and the metallic cover is put, from above the module, over the connector body, and the metallic cover is engaged to the connector body. As a result, the module will be sandwiched between the supporting member and the metallic cover and held in the connection position. To disconnect the module from the connector, engagement of the metallic cover to the connector body is released. Then the module can be withdrawn from the connector body.
In this case, even if the connector is subjected to thermal load from the semiconductor chip, as the connector body is reinforced by the metallic cover and as the thermal load to the connector body is reduced by the heat-dissipating effect of the metallic cover, the connector body will be hardly deformed. Furthermore, as the retaining structure is designed to sandwich the module between the metallic cover and the supporting part, even if the connector is subjected to thermal loads, the retaining force for the module will be hardly affected. Thus the connector can retain the module reliably. Moreover, as the connector body has no parts that are subjected to elastic deformation by manipulation, the connector body will not be damaged. Thus the module can be retained in the connection position reliably. Accordingly, even if the heat generation of semiconductor chip of the module increases significantly, defective connection and disconnection of the module can be prevented reliably. As the metallic cover covers the conductive parts, etc. of the connector body and the module, the cover exhibits its shielding function. Accordingly, the effects of electromagnetic waves or the like on the connector for module will be reduced, and stable
Hosaka Tai ji
Miyazawa Masaaki
Yasufuku Kaori
Chervinsky Boris L.
J.S.T. Mfg. Co. Ltd.
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Picard Leo P.
Studebaker Donald R.
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