Electrical connector

Details Electrical connector Electrical connector

1999-09-20

2001-02-13

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...

Including compound movement of coupling part

C439S083000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06186816

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting a chip module to a mating circuit board, and particularly to an electrical connector having a positioning member for receiving and positioning solder balls therein and for preventing molten solder from flowing into a housing of the connector.
As technology rapidly develops, electronic components which are constructed with a high degree of precision and stricter requirements are placed upon electrical connectors used with such electronic components. A connector is designed not only to fulfil functional requirements but also to facilitate manufacture thereof. Pertinent conventional connectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,725 and Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 81214806, 85209165 and 86102563.
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional electrical connector for electrically connecting a chip module to a mating circuit board comprises a dielectric base
1
′, a plurality of contacts
3
′ (amplified in
FIG. 1
) and a dielectric cover (not labeled). The base
1
′ comprises a mounting surface
11
′, a joining surface
10
′ opposite the mounting surface
11
′, and a plurality of contact receiving passageways
12
′ for receiving the corresponding contacts
3
′ therein. Each contact
3
′ comprises a contacting portion
33
′, an engaging portion
31
′, a resilient portion
32
′ and a joining portion
30
′. The engaging portions
31
′ are interferentially engaged within the corresponding contact receiving passageways
12
′. The resilient portions
32
′ and the contacting portions
33
′ are laterally deflected and the contacting portions
33
′ electrically contact with corresponding terminals of a mating connector. However, since the contacts
3
′ are inserted into the corresponding passageways
12
′ from the joining surface
10
′ of the base
1
′, gaps are defined between inner side walls of the passageways
12
and the contacts
3
′. The gaps allow solder to flow into the passageways
12
′ thereby decreasing the quality of signal transmission between the connector and the mating circuit board.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a positioning member receiving and positioning solder balls therein and preventing molten solder from flowing into a dielectric housing of the connector thereby ensuring a high quality of signal transmission between the connector and a mating circuit board.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a positioning member attached to a dielectric base, for precisely positioning solder balls attached on the positioning member and contacts of the connector thereby achieving proper connections with a mating circuit board.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided for electrically connecting a chip module to a circuit substrate. The electrical connector comprises a dielectric base, a plurality of contacts received in the base and a positioning member in the form of a positioning board. The base comprises a mating surface for supporting a chip module, a joining surface for mating with the positioning board and a plurality of engaging slots defined between the mating surface and the joining surface for receiving the corresponding contacts therein. The positioning board is mounted to the joining surface of the base and comprises a guiding means. The guiding member can be a plurality of guiding holes for guiding distal portions of the corresponding contacts extending therethrough. A bottom surface of the positioning board forms a receiving means in compliance with configurations of solder balls disposed therein. The receiving means can be a plurality of recesses joined with the corresponding guiding holes. The guiding holes cooperate with the receiving recesses to prevent molten solder from flowing into the engaging slots of the base. Thus, the connector provides an excellent quality of signal transmission between the chip module and the mating circuit board.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5046957 (1991-09-01), Millhimes
patent: 5685725 (1997-11-01), Uratsuji
patent: 5947778 (1999-09-01), Lai et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Electrical connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Electrical connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrical connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2614923