Patent Application
20120202361
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector incorporated with circuit board featured with an array of conductive pads to facilitate interconnection with an electronic package seated therein. The electrical connector further features an interface interlinked with motherboard through golden fingers distributed along edges.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional electrical connector for electrically connecting an electronic package with a circuit substrate disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,693 issued to Polnyi on Oct. 26, 2010 includes an insulative housing and a plurality of terminals received in the insulative housing. The terminals are formed from metal and, extend between the electronic package and the circuit substrate to electrically connect them. Each terminal must have proper height dimensioned to ensure enough resilience to apply fine connection, thereby it is difficult to decrease the height of the electrical connector. In addition, the electrical connector further has a retaining machine including a stiffener surrounding the insulative housing and a clip mounted to the stiffener for retaining the electronic package, so height of the electrical connector is comparably bulky. Overall, the electrical connector can not meet trend of lower profile and miniaturization.
In view of the above, an improved electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with flat circuit board applying electrical connection.
To fulfill the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector comprising a frame including a supporting base and a circuit board disposed on the supporting base. The circuit board includes an array of conductive pads and at least an interface deployed along an edge thereof. An electrical connector assembly comprises the electrical connector and an electronic package assembled to the electrical connector.
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.
Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the present invention in detail.
Referring to
The frame 11 has a flat supporting base 111 with two opposite longitudinal sides 1110 and two opposite transversal sides 1112 adjacent to the longitudinal sides 1110 and four retaining members 112 symmetrically formed at the longitudinal sides 1110 of the supporting base 111 for retaining the electronic package 2. The supporting base 111 defines a trough 1113 in a central position thereof with the rubber backer 12 embedded therein. Each retaining member 112 defines a holding emboss 1121 with a top edge 1123 protruding inwardly and a spring arm 1122 extending along the longitudinal side 1110 of the supporting base 111. The spring arms 1122 extend inwardly from the transversal sides 1112 of the supporting base 111.
The rubber backer 12 is sandwiched between the circuit board 13 and the supporting base 111 and embedded in the trough 1113 of the supporting base 111. The rubber backer 12 defines an array of bumps 121 projecting toward the flat circuit board 13.
The circuit board 13 is laid on the supporting base 111 and fixed to the frame 11 by welding or other method. The circuit board 13 has an array of conductive pads 131 raised on an upper surface 130 thereof for electrically connecting with the electronic package 2 and a plurality of golden fingers 133 aligned in a row on two ends thereof respectively. The ends of the circuit board 13 are beyond the transversal sides 1112 of the supporting base 111, so the golden fingers 133 are exposed from the transversal sides 1112 of the supporting base 111 to electrically connect with an board-side connector (not shown), such as an card edge type connector and so on. The bumps 121 of the rubber backer 12 is arranged corresponding to and supporting the conductive pads 131, thus the rubber backer 12 can apply opposing force and offer compliance to prevent warpage of the electronic package 2. The circuit board 13 has a lower profile than conventional terminals, thereby the electrical connector 1 has lower height.
In an assembly process, the electronic package 2 is slid into the electrical connector 1 from one transversal side 1112 of the supporting base 111 so as to electrically connects with the conductive pads 131. The electronic package 2 is located below the protruding top edge 1123 of the holding emboss 1121 and has cutouts 21 on edges thereof in each of which a distal of each spring arm 1122 held, thereby the package 2 is retained and positioned at predetermined position. The electronic package 2 electrically connects to an external component (not shown) via conductive pads 131 and the golden fingers 133. After the electronic package 2 being assembled in the electrical connector 1, the electrical connector assembly 100 is placed on a circuit substrate (not shown) without welding.
While preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
