Electrical connector with lever retainer

Details Electrical connector with lever retainer Electrical connector with lever retainer

2003-04-17

2004-04-20

Gushi, Ross (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

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

For dual inline package

C439S073000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06722909

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 board such as a printed circuit board (PCB), and particularly to an LGA electrical connector with an operational lever and a lever retainer.
2. Description of Prior Art
Land grid array (LGA) electrical connectors are widely used in personal computer (PC) systems to electrically connect land grid array (LGA) chips with printed circuit boards (PCBs). An LGA electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a multiplicity of terminals received in the housing in a rectangular array, a fastening frame surrounding the housing, a metal clip attached to the fastening frame, and an operational lever. U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,140 discloses this kind of conventional LGA electrical connector.
FIG. 6
shows a conventional LGA electrical connector
8
comprising an insulative housing
81
, a multiplicity of conductive terminals
85
received in the housing
81
, a fastening frame
82
surrounding the housing
81
, a metal clip
84
attached to the fastening frame
82
, and an operational lever
83
attached to the fastening frame
82
. The clip
84
comprises two opposite pressing side plates
841
, a first end plate
842
, and a second end plate
843
opposite from the first end plate
842
. A hook portion
8420
extends outwardly from a center of the first end plate
842
. The second end plate
843
comprises a pair of pivot portions
8430
formed in opposite sides thereof. The lever
83
comprises an operational arm
830
, a pair of pivot axles
831
perpendicularly extending from one end of the operational arm
830
, and an offset pressing portion
832
between the two pivot axles
831
. The housing
81
has a rectangular main body
810
. The main body
810
defines a multiplicity of passageways
8101
arranged in a rectangular array, for receiving the corresponding terminals
85
. A pair of opposite ends
812
extends from two diagonally opposite comers of the portion
810
. A pair of mounting holes
8120
is defined in the ends
812
respectively, for fixing the housing
81
on a PCB (not shown).
The fastening frame
82
comprises a rectangular space
820
defined in a middle thereof, for accommodating an LGA chip
86
. The space
820
is bounded by a first end portion
822
, a second end portion
824
opposite from the first end portion
822
, a first sidewall
823
interconnecting both the first end portion
822
and the second end portion
824
, and a second sidewall
825
opposite from the first sidewall
823
. A pair of first stepped holes
8220
is defined in opposite sides of the first end portion
822
. A first arch-shaped projection
8222
protrudes from a junction of the first end portion
822
and the second sidewall
825
. An arch-shaped slot
8226
is defined in the first projection
8222
. A second arch-shaped projection
8224
protrudes from a junction of the first sidewall
823
and the first end portion
822
. An arch-shaped guiding groove
8228
is defined in a bottom of the second projections
8224
, in communication with the space
820
. The slot
8226
and the groove
8228
are used for receiving the two pivot axles
831
of the lever
83
when the lever
83
is engaged with the fastening frame
82
. A pair of second stepped holes
8240
is defined in the second end portion
824
. The first and the second stepped holes
8220
,
8240
are used for cooperatively fixing the fastening frame
82
on the PCB. A pair of arched pivot protrusions
8242
protrudes from opposite sides of the second end portion
824
, for receiving the pivot portions
8430
of the clip
84
. A cutout
8246
is defined in a middle of an inner side of the second end portion
824
. A first resilient arm
8244
extends from the second end portion
824
adjacent the cutout
8246
to a point proximate to the second sidewall
825
. The second sidewall
825
has a second resilient arm
8250
formed in an inner side thereof, proximate to the first resilient arm
8244
. The first and the second resilient arms
8244
,
8250
are used for fastening and releasing the LGA chip
86
.
Referring to
FIGS. 7 and 8
, in use, the clip
84
is firstly oriented perpendicular to the fastening frame
82
in a first position. The lever
83
is oriented at a first position, with the pressing portion
832
being perpendicular to the fastening frame
82
and at a highest point. This enables the LGA chip
86
to be put into the fastening frame
82
for subsequent attachment to the housing
81
of the electrical connector
8
. Then, the clip
84
is rotated to a horizontal second position, with the pressing side plates
841
abutting against the LGA chip
86
. The operational arm
830
of the lever
83
is rotated to a second position, and the pressing portion
832
is retained in the hook portion
842
of the clip
84
. Thus, the LGA chip
86
is stably fastened in the electrical connector
8
. The LGA chip
86
is electrically connected with the terminals
85
received in the housing
81
, and accordingly is electrically connected with the PCB.
In the electrical connector
8
, the groove
8228
is in communication with the space
820
and a bottom of the fastening frame
82
. Thus, the corresponding pivot axle
831
of the lever
83
can freely move in the groove
8228
of the frame
82
in directions both parallel to and perpendicular to the second projection
8224
. In addition, there is no supplementary fixing structure between the fastening frame
82
and the lever
83
. Accordingly, the lever
83
is easily disconnected from the fastening frame
82
in use of the electrical connector
8
. This can result in failure of stable retention of the LGA chip
86
in the housing
81
. This can further lead to disruption or failure of electrical connection between the LGA chip
86
and the PCB.
A new electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an LGA electrical connector having a fastening frame with a retainer that facilitates stable and reliable connection of a lever to the fastening frame.
In order to achieve the above object, an LGA connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a multiplicity of terminals received in the housing, a fastening frame surrounding the housing, a metal clip pivotally mounted to the fastening frame, and a lever engaged with the fastening frame. The fastening frame comprises a base and a retainer formed separately from the base. The base includes a projection protruding from a junction of a first end portion and a first sidewall. The projection defines a guiding groove in a bottom thereof. A pair of receiving slots is defined in the projection at centers of two opposite inner sidewalls bounding the groove. The retainer comprises a first portion and a second portion perpendicular to the first portion. The second portion comprises a fastening slot adapted for receiving the lever in a top thereof, and a pair of protrusions protruding from central parts of two opposite sidewalls thereof. Each protrusion has an interference block protruding from an outer top side thereof. Each protrusion of the retainer is interferentially received in the corresponding slots of the base, for stably and firmly positioning the lever in the fastening frame.


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patent: 6485313 (2002-11-01), Lu et al.
patent: 6485320 (2002-11-01), Ma

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