Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-22
2001-12-11
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
C439S074000, C439S931000, C029S843000, C029S884000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328577
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a high density electric connector, called as a BGA connector, connected to a board through solder balls arranged in a grid array.
With a recent tendency of an electronic apparatus, such as a computer, toward a high density and miniaturization, a surface-mounting type high density connector called as a BGA connector has been developed in which a connection to a board is formed with solder balls such that the solder balls are arranged as a grid array on a housing. The BGA connector is positioned on contact pads arranged on a board surface. Then a resultant unit is heated to allow at least a portion of each terminal which is formed with the solder ball to be partially melted. By doing so, the solder ball is fused to the associated contact pad on the board. A distance between the adjoining solder ball terminals is very close and it is possible to provide a large number of connection portions on the board at a restricted area.
In the case of a very compact, high-density connector for an IC package such as a CPU, it is very difficult to align each terminal relative to a large number of small electrodes arranged in a grid array. Thus a cumbersome operation is involved. Further, it is also difficult to align each terminal with respective terminals of a separately formed mating connector.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide very simple, inexpensive electrical connectors which can highly accurately align respective terminals of a pair of male and female connectors.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electric connector set comprising: a pair of insulating housings having a plurality of openings arranged in an equal array and opened at a top surface, a plurality of projections extending from a bottom wall into the openings, and a plurality of slots extending through the bottom wall at those positions adjacent to the respective projections and allowing the bottom surface to communicate with the respective opening; female metal terminals detachably attached to the respective projections and each having a pair of arm sections and a base section connecting these arm sections to each other with a solder ball attached thereto, these female terminals being soldered by solder ball to one of an IC package and printed circuit board; male terminals having a contact section including a plated conductive layer formed on a peripheral portion of such projection of the other housing and engageable with the female terminal and a lead section including a plated conductive layer formed at those portions of the projection corresponding to the slot and housing bottom surface and electrically connected to the contact section; and the solder balls connected to the plated conductive layers of the housing bottom surface and soldered to the other of the IC package and printed circuit board.
According to the electric connector set, the female terminals are soldered to one of the IC package and printed circuit board in a manner to be attached to the projections of one of the paired housing. When the housing is detached, the female terminals are exposed in a state to be protected from said one of the IC package and printed circuit board. Since, on the other hand, the male terminals are projected in the associated openings equal in array to the openings of the housing with the female terminals attached thereto, the male terminals and female terminals are positively located in their mutually aligned positions.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a male connector comprising: an insulating housing having a plurality of openings arranged in an equal array to an array of terminals of an associated female connector and opened at a top surface, a plurality of projections extending from a bottom wall into the corresponding opening, and a plurality of slots extending through the bottom wall at those positions adjacent to the projection and allowing the bottom surface to communicate with the opening; male terminals including a contact section having a plated conductive layer formed on a peripheral portion of the projection of the housing and engageable with the female terminal and a lead section including a plated conductive section formed at those portions of the projection corresponding to the slot and housing bottom surface and electrically connected to the contact section; and solder balls connected to the plated conductive layer on the housing bottom surface and soldered to the other of an IC package and printed circuit board. It is preferable that the contact section of the male terminal further have a plated contact layer on the conductive layer directly plated to the housing, the conductive layer containing gold.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a female connector forming set comprising: an insulating housing having a plurality of openings arranged in an equal array to terminals of a male connector and a plurality of projections extending form a bottom wall into the openings; female metal terminals detachably mounted on the projections and each having a pair of arm sections and a base section connecting these arm sections to each others; and solder balls attached to the base section of the respective female terminal and projected from a top surface of the housing, wherein, through these solder balls, respective female terminals are solderable to one of an IC package and printed circuit board.
Since the female connector forming set has its female terminals detachably attached to the projections of the housing, it is soldered by the solder balls to the IC package or printed circuit board. When, thereafter, the housing is detached, the female connector is formed integral with the IC package or the printed circuit board.
A method for manufacturing an electric connector, comprising the steps of: forming, at a pair of insulating housings, a plurality of openings arranged in an equal array and opened at a top surface, a plurality of projections extending from a bottom wall into the openings and a plurality of slots extending through a bottom wall at those positions adjacent to the respective projections and allowing the bottom surface to communicate with the respective opening; detachably attaching, to the respective projections of one of these housings, female metal terminals each having a pair of arm sections and a base section connecting together these arm sections with a solder ball attached on the base section; forming a continuous plated conductive layer on a peripheral portion of each projection of the other housing and on these portions of the projection corresponding to the slot and housing bottom surface and, by doing so, forming male terminals; connecting the solder ball to a plated conductive layer of the male terminal which is formed at the housing bottom surface; soldering the paired housings by the solder balls to an IC package and printed circuit, respectively, using a reflow soldering method; and detaching the one housing with the respective female terminals attached thereto from one of the IC package and printed circuit board and, by doing so, connecting together the IC package and printed circuit board.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5593322 (1997-01-01), Swamy et al.
patent: 5730606 (1998-03-01), Sinclair
patent: 5746608 (1998-05-01), Taylor
patent: 5772451 (1998-06-01), Dozier, II et al.
patent: 6164983 (2000-12-01), Lemke et al.
patent: 2 325 354 A (1898-11-01), None
Abrams Neil
Berg Technology Inc.
Nasri Javaid
Perman & Green LLP
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