Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-23
2001-10-02
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
C439S066000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296495
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a Land Grid Package (LGP) electrical connector designed to reduce the bending moment acting on each soldered connection between each contact of the LGP and a printed circuit board.
Ball Grid Array (BGA) chips were introduced having ball-like solders on a bottom face thereof, whereby each BGA chip is secured to a printed circuit board. However BGA chips have several disadvantages, including a complicated manufacture and high cost. Land Grid Package (LGP) chips were later introduced having plate-type electrodes on a bottom face thereof. LGP chips are easier to manufacture and much lower in cost than BGA chips.
LGP chips electrically connect to a printed circuit board via an LGP electrical connector. The LGP electrical connector comprises a plurality of metal contacts each of which has a base soldered to a printed circuit board, and an upper contact portion depressed by and engaging with a corresponding electrode of an LGP chip, whereby the chip and the printed circuit board are electrically connected together by the connector.
A contact
16
of an LGP electrical connector from U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,192 is shown in FIG.
10
. The contact
16
has a U-shaped configuration and comprises a spring contact beam
26
and a lower portion
27
extending in a same direction. A soldering base
28
extends from a distal end of the lower portion
27
for soldering to a first circuit pad
15
of a printed circuit board (not shown). The spring contact beam
26
is depressed by and engages with a second circuit pad
20
of an integrated circuit module
17
. The depressing force of the chip on the contact induces a bending moment in the soldering base
28
, which causes the soldering base
28
to have a tendency to disengage from its soldering. Therefore, an improved LGP connector is needed which can effectively reduce the induced bending moment acting on the soldering bases of the contacts of the connector when an LGP chip is mounted on the connector.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide an LGP electrical connector designed to reduce the bending moment acting on each soldered connection between each contact of the LGP electrical connector and a printed circuit board when an LGP chip is mounted to the connector.
An LGP electrical connector according to the present invention comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts received in the housing. Each contact comprises a soldering base for soldering the contact to a circuit pad on a printed circuit board, thereby electrically connecting the contact with the printed circuit board. An upper contact beam upwardly and forwardly extends from a distal end of the soldering base. The upper contact beam has a curved top portion for engaging with a plate-like electrode on a bottom face of an LGP chip when the chip is pressed against the LGP electrical connector, thereby electrically connecting the printed circuit board with the chip. A pair of anti-rotation tabs rearwardly extend from the distal end of the soldering base, parallel to each other. A lower beam connects a proximal end of the soldering base to vertically-oriented junction portion, which forms the forward end of the contact. The housing comprises a plurality of passageway sections for receiving the contacts therein. Each passageway section defines an anti-rotation cavity at a bottom edge of a first side wall thereof for retaining the anti-rotation tab of a corresponding contact. A pair of recesses are defined in opposite sides of each passageway section adjacent to a second side wall for anchoring the junction portion of the corresponding contact.
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.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4553192 (1985-11-01), Babuka et al.
patent: 5378160 (1995-01-01), Yumibe et al.
patent: 5653598 (1997-08-01), Grabbe
patent: 5984693 (1999-11-01), McHugh et al.
Lin Nick
Wang Jwomin
Yu Justin
Chung We Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Paumen Gary F.
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