Electrical connector with terminal insertion guide mechanisms

Details Electrical connector with terminal insertion guide mechanisms Electrical connector with terminal insertion guide mechanisms

2002-11-01

2004-03-02

Nasri, Javaid H. (Department: 2830)

Electrical connectors

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

Including compound movement of coupling part

C439S733100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06699055

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically interconnecting an electrical package such as a central processing unit (CPU) with a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB), and particularly to an electrical connector with terminal guide mechanisms that facilitate assembly of the electrical connector.
2. Description of Related Art
Socket connectors are widely used in personal computers (PCs) to electrically interconnect CPUs with PCBs. A conventional socket connector is disclosed in “PGA SOCKETS” (Connector Specifier Magazine, February 2000) and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,132,222, 6,116,923 and 5,609,495. The socket connector comprises an insulative base, a cover slidably attached on the base, an actuating device assembled with the base and the cover, and a multiplicity of conductive terminals retained in the base. The base comprises a multiplicity of passageways extending from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof, for receiving the terminals. Each terminal comprises a contact portion located adjacent the top surface of the base and adapted to electrically engage with leads of the CPU, and a soldering portion located adjacent the bottom surface of the base and adapted to be soldered to the PCB. Typically, each passageway has a relatively large opening at the bottom surface of the base. When the terminal is received in the passageway, the soldering portion of the terminal occupies the opening. However, a gap still remains between the soldering portion and the bottom surface of the base. When the soldering portion is soldered to the PCB, solder is prone to enter the gap and wick from the soldering portion to the contact portion of the terminal. Such “soldering wicking” can seriously degrade the electrical connection between the CPU leads and the contact portion of the terminal, and can even result in failure of the electrical connection between the CPU and the PCB.
China Pat. No. ZL99239496.1 discloses a socket connector having a base defining a multiplicity of passageways receiving a multiplicity of electrical terminals. Each passageway comprises a fastening recess to guide insertion of the corresponding terminal into the passageway. A width of the fastening recess is about the same as a width of the terminal. However, the terminals cannot always be accurately inserted into the passageways. For example, a terminal may inserted at an oblique angle relative to the fastening recess. A distal end of the terminal may strike a wall of the base at the passageway. This can result in deformation of the terminal and damage to the base.
In view of the above, a new electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a guide mechanisms that protect the terminals and a base of the connector from damage when the terminals are inserted into passageways of the connector.
In order to achieve the above object, an electrical connector of the present invention is for electrically connecting a CPU and a PCB. The electrical connector comprises: an insulative base having a top surface and a bottom surface, and defining a multiplicity of passageways; a cover slidably mounted on the top surface; a multiplicity of terminals received in the passageways; and an actuating device assembled with the cover and base. Each passageway is bounded by two opposite first walls, two opposite second walls interconnecting the first walls, and a bottom wall adjacent the PCB. Each first wall defines a through slot, and one of the second walls forms a slanted guiding portion spanning from the top surface to adjacent the bottom wall. The bottom wall forms a chamfer portion at the passageway adjacent said one of the second walls. The guiding portion and the chamfer portion cooperate to ensure that when each terminal is inserting into a corresponding passageway, the terminal does not unduly rub the second walls or the bottom wall. This protects both the terminal and the base from damage.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4726777 (1988-02-01), Billman et al.
patent: 5466169 (1995-11-01), Lai
patent: 5609495 (1997-03-01), McHugh
patent: 6328587 (2001-12-01), Hsu

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