Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Including compound movement of coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-02
2001-09-11
Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Including compound movement of coupling part
C439S910000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287137
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to an electrical connector for connecting a pin grid array (“PGA”) package, to a printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical PGA includes a silicon chip, a package including conductive and nonconductive components and a plurality of pins depending downward from a bottom surface of the package. Conventionally, electrical connectors for PGA's include a base housing having an array of terminal receiving cavities, a plurality of terminals mounted in the terminal receiving cavities and a cover slidably mounted on the base housing. The cover has through holes therein adapted for insertion of the pins of the PGA therethrough. In operation, the cover is initially positioned in a first or pin receiving position. The pins of the PGA are then inserted through the holes in the cover. Some type of actuator is then typically actuated in order to slide the cover and the PGA with its associated pins linearly so that the pins engage the terminals contained within the base housing. An example of a connector of this type is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2689325.
The typical terminal of the connector of this type has a solder tail for soldering within a hole in a printed circuit board and of a contact piece for engaging a pin of the PGA. An engaging or retention portion is positioned between the solder tail and the contact piece for engaging the base housing in order to retain the terminal in the base housing.
With the typical electrical connector for the PGA package, each terminal is formed into the configuration in which the contact piece, the engaging portion and the solder tail are linear as set forth above. Therefore, the terminal length is generally long, and the thickness of the base housing is generally similar to the length of the contact piece and the engaging portion. As a result, a reduction in the height of the overall electrical connector is generally difficult without also shrinking the height of the terminal.
In addition, it is very difficult to inspect the solder joints associated with each of the terminals of this type of electrical connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to solve the problems set forth above. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector for a PGA package having a structure adapted for inspection of the solder joints between the connector and the circuit member to which it is mounted.
A zero insertion force electrical connector for mounting on a circuit member and receiving a device having an array of conductive pin terminals has a base housing having a generally planar lower surface and a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities corresponding to the array of pin terminals. A cover is slidably mounted on the base housing with the cover being movable between a first insertion position and a second engagement position. The cover also has a plurality of through holes therein arranged in an array corresponding to the array of pin terminals for receiving the pin terminals in the through holes. A plurality of stamped and formed conductive terminals are provided with one of the terminals being mounted in each of the cavities. Each terminal includes a generally planar base with the base being positioned generally adjacent the lower surface of the base housing and being oriented generally parallel to the plane of the lower surface. A mounting portion of the terminal is provided for securing the terminal in the base housing and a tail section is provided for contacting a conductive portion of the circuit member and includes a surface mount portion of the tail section positioned beneath the base. A contact structure is configured for engaging a portion of a respective one of the pin terminals the base includes a hole therein aligned with the surface mount portion of the tail section to permit visual inspection of the surface mount portion after the surface mount portion is solder to a surface of the circuit member. An actuating structure may be provided to slide the cover along the base housing between the first insertion position at which the pin terminals inserted into the through holes in the cover are spaced from the terminals and the second engagement position at which the pin terminals inserted into the through holes in the cover engage the contact structures of the terminals to effect electrical connection between the pin terminals and the circuit member.
If desired, the base housing may be generally planar and made of plastic and the plane of the base housing oriented generally parallel to the plane of the lower surface of the base housing. The mounting portion of each terminal may extend generally perpendicularly to the base of the terminal. In addition, the mounting portion of each terminal may be positioned within a recess in the lower surface of the base housing. The tail section may extend from the base of the terminal. The tail section may also include a first arcuate section extending from the base and a second generally linear section extending from the first arcuate section generally away from the lower surface of the base housing at an oblique angle relative to the plane thereof to the surface mount portion. The contact structure may include a pair of spring arms extending generally perpendicularly from the base towards the cover. In some instances, the hole in the base may be round, and in other instances it may be oval.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4221446 (1980-09-01), Niles et al.
patent: 4498725 (1985-02-01), Bright et al.
patent: 4519660 (1985-05-01), Ichimura et al.
patent: 5270492 (1993-12-01), Fukui
patent: 5503570 (1996-04-01), Okada
patent: 5535513 (1996-07-01), Frantz
patent: 5762505 (1998-06-01), Lin
Mizumura Akinori
Noda Atsuhito
Cohen Charles S.
Molex Incorporated
Vu Hien
Yesukevich Robert A.
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