Electrical connector with stiffener

Details Electrical connector with stiffener Electrical connector with stiffener

2003-05-20

2004-02-03

Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

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

Including compound movement of coupling part

C439S331000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06685494

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 a stiffener and a housing.
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 metal load plate pivotally mounted to the housing, and a load lever attached to the housing. This kind of LGA electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,105. In use, the load plate exerts great force on the housing. However, the housing is made from insulative material, and is prone to deformation and damage.
The co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/418434 shows another kind of LGA electrical connector. Referring to
FIGS. 5 and 6
, the LGA electrical connector
7
comprises an insulative rectangular housing
71
, a multiplicity of conductive terminals
75
received in the housing
71
, a stiffener
72
mounted on the housing
71
, a metal load plate
74
mounted to the housing
71
, and a load lever
73
attached to the housing
71
. The load plate
74
comprises a pair of curved pivot latches
742
extending from a rear end thereof, and a hook portion
741
extending from an opposite front end thereof. The load lever
73
comprises a handle
734
, an operational arm
733
extending perpendicularly from one end of the handle
734
, a pair of pivot axles
731
extending perpendicularly from a distal end of the operational arm
733
, and an offset pressing portion
732
between the two pivot axles
731
. The stiffener
72
stamped from a sheet of metallic material and comprises a planar portion
721
defining an opening
722
in a middle thereof, and two opposite elongated plates
723
depending from outer side edges of the planar portion
721
. A pair of spaced latch slots
724
is defined on each elongated plate
123
. A pair of locating latches
725
extends downwardly from inner side edges of the planar portion
721
.
The housing
71
comprises a rectangular main body
711
in a middle thereof, and two opposite sidewalls
712
. The main body
711
defines a plurality of passageways
718
for receiving the corresponding terminals
75
. The housing
71
defines a pair of spaced pivot holes
713
in a rear end thereof for engaging with the pivot latches
742
of the load plate
74
to pivotally mount the load plate
74
to the housing
71
. The housing
71
defines a generally trapezoidal receiving recess
714
and an elongated receiving groove
715
, in an opposite front end thereof. A pair of latch portions
716
protrudes outwardly from each sidewall
712
, corresponding to the latch slots
724
of the stiffener
72
. A pair of locating holes
717
is defined on inner sides of the opposite sidewalls
712
, corresponding to the locating latches
725
of the stiffener
72
.
Referring to
FIG. 7
, in assembly, the latch slots
724
of the stiffener
72
engage respectively with the latch portions
716
of the housing
71
, and the locating latches
725
of the stiffener
72
respectively plug into the locating holes
717
of the housing
71
. Thus, the stiffener
72
is mounted on the housing
71
. The pivot latches
742
of the load plate
74
are received in the corresponding pivot holes
713
of the housing
71
, and accordingly the load plate
74
is pivotally mounted to the housing
71
. The pivot axles
731
of the lever
13
are received in the groove
715
, and the pressing portion
732
is movably retained in the T-shaped recess
714
.
However, the latch portions
716
of the housing
71
are made from insulative material, which has limited flexibility. In addition, there are no complementary structures to enhance what flexibility there is of the latch portions
716
. Accordingly, assembly of the stiffener
72
to the housing
71
is unduly difficult. In addition, because the stiffener
72
is made of metallic material, it has high strength compared with the housing
71
. Thus, in assembly, the housing
71
is liable to distort and be damaged.
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 electrical connector having a housing with resilient arms that facilitate ready engagement of a stiffener onto the housing.
In order to achieve the above object, an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of terminals received in the housing, a stiffener mounted on the housing, a metal load plate, and a load lever. The housing comprises two opposite sidewalls, a first end portion and a second end portion. The load plate is pivotally attached to the second end portion of the housing, and the load lever is mounted to the first end portion of the housing. Each of the sidewalls comprises a pair of spaced latch portions, and defines a pair of channels in a bottom thereof at respective latch portions thereby forming two resilient arms. The stiffener comprises two elongated first plates having two latch slots for engaging with the corresponding latch portions of the housing. Thus, flexibility of the latch portions of the housing is enhanced thereby facilitating easy attachment of the stiffener onto the housing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4504105 (1985-03-01), Barkus et al.
patent: 5057031 (1991-10-01), Sinclair
patent: 5616044 (1997-04-01), Tsai
patent: 6086402 (2000-07-01), Huang
patent: 6264489 (2001-07-01), McHugh et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

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

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3283576