Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – For dual inline package
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-02
2004-04-06
Gushi, Ross (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
For dual inline package
C439S073000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06716050
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to land grid array (LGA) connector assemblies, and particularly to an LGA connector assembly adapted for receiving an LGA central processing unit (CPU) therein and electrically connecting the CPU with a printed circuit board (PCB).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to
FIG. 3
, a conventional LGA connector assembly
9
is adapted for electrically connecting an LGA CPU (not shown) having a multiplicity of metallic contact pads with a PCB (not shown). The LGA connector assembly
9
comprises an insulative base
91
receiving a plurality of electrical contacts (not shown), and a lever
92
and a metal clip
93
pivotally mounted to two opposite ends of the base
91
respectively.
The lever
92
comprises a pair of locating portions
922
, an offset securing portion
921
between the locating portions
922
, and a handle portion
923
extending perpendicularly from an end of one of the locating portions
922
. The clip
93
comprises a lip
931
at an end thereof, and a pair of spaced mounting portions
932
extending arcuately from an opposite end thereof.
The base
91
defines a rectangular cavity
911
in a middle thereof, a pair of spaced slots
912
at one end thereof, and a trapezoidal recess
913
at an opposite end thereof. The base has a forewall
914
. The cavity
911
is adapted for receiving the CPU therein. A multiplicity of passageways (not shown) is defined in a portion of the base
91
under the cavity
911
, the passageways receiving a corresponding number of the contacts therein, respectively. Also referring to
FIG. 4
, the mounting portions
932
of the clip
93
are received in the corresponding slots
912
, to pivotably mount the clip
93
to the base
91
. The base
91
comprises two spaced upper ears
917
extending from an upper section of the forewall
914
, two spaced lower ears
918
extending from a lower section of the forewall
914
, and a pair of blocks
915
each mounted to a respective one of the lower ears
918
. The upper and lower ears
917
,
918
cooperatively define a channel
916
therebetween, the channel
916
being in communication with the recess
913
. The locating portions
922
of the lever
92
are received in the channel
916
, and the securing portion
921
of the lever
92
is received in the recess
913
. The blocks
915
are mounted to the corresponding lower ears
917
to retain the locating portions
922
within the channel
916
.
In use, the base
91
is mounted to and electrically connected with the PCB. The clip
93
and the handle portion
923
of the lever
92
are oriented perpendicular to the base
91
, with the securing portion
921
disposed above the locating portions
922
. The CPU is mounted in the cavity
911
, with the metallic contact pads of the CPU loosely attached on the corresponding contacts of the base
9
. The clip
93
is rotated down to loosely contact the CPU. The handle portion
923
is rotated downwardly, thus rotating the securing portion
921
downwardly. The securing portion
921
contacts the lip
931
of the clip
93
and presses the lip
931
downwardly. When the handle portion
923
has reached a horizontal position, the securing portion
921
is tightly engaged with the lip
931
, and the metallic contact pads of the CPU are firmly attached on the contacts of the base
91
. The LGA connector assembly
9
thus electrically connects the CPU with the PCB.
With the prevailing trend toward miniaturization of computers, the sizes of LGA connector assemblies used in computers are steadily becoming smaller. In contrast, the number of contacts used in LGA connectors is increasing to meet the need for more signal transmission. These considerations bear on the conventional LGA connector assembly
9
as follows. During the rotation of the lever
92
to force the metallic contact pads of the CPU on the contacts of the base
91
, the metal clip
93
and the lever
92
exert forces on the base
91
. The forces acting on portions of the base
91
near the slots
912
and at the channel
916
are greater than those acting on other portions of the base
91
. Therefore the base
91
is liable to deform and warp. When deformation or warpage occurs, some contacts cannot firmly contact the metallic contact pads of the CPU, which disrupts the electrical connection between the CPU and the PCB.
In addition, the upper and lower ears
917
,
918
are thinner than other portions of the base
91
, and are typically made of non-rigid insulative material such as plastic. When the lever
92
is rotated downwardly to press the lip
931
downwardly, the upper ears
917
and/or the lower ears
918
are liable to deform and warp due to compression from the locating portions
922
of the lever
92
. When deformation or warpage occurs, the lever
92
is liable to break out from the channel
916
.
A new LGA connector assembly that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a land grid array (LGA) connector assembly for electrically connecting an electronic package such as an LGA central processing unit (CPU) with a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the LGA connector assembly has a base that resists deformation and warpage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an LGA connector assembly which has a lever mechanism configured to minimize the risk of the lever breaking out from the LGA connector assembly in use.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, an LGA connector assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulative base, a stiffener mounted to the base, a lever pivotally mounted to one end of the base, and a metal clip pivotally mounted to an opposite end of the base for engaging with the lever. The base defines a rectangular cavity in a middle thereof and a plurality of rectangular holes in two opposite lateral sides thereof. The base has a forewall at an end thereof. The stiffener comprises a pair of metal reinforcing members covering the opposite lateral sides of the base. Each reinforcing member comprises a top portion, a flange depending perpendicularly from an outside edge of the top portion, and three projecting portion depending perpendicularly from an opposite inner edge of the top portion for engaging with the holes of the base. When the reinforcing members are mounted to the base, the ends of the flanges and the forewall of the base cooperatively define a channel. Each of the flanges defines a pivot bore at an end of the channel. The lever is received in the channel with pivoting in the pivot bores of the reinforcing members. Thus, when the lever and the clip are rotated to tightly attach a CPU in the LGA connector assembly, the base is able to withstand forces from the clip without any deformation and warpage, and the lever is reliably retained in the channel with minimal risk of breaking out from the channel.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
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Ma Hao-Yun
S{overscore (z)}u Ming-Lun
Chung Wei Te
Gushi Ross
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
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