Patent Application
20080160814
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a land grid (LGA) connector assembly which comprises an LGA connector and a pick up cap, the pick up cap being mounted to the connector for providing a flat top surface to be engaged by a vacuum suction device, whereby the LGA connector assembly can be moved onto a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the connector is to be mounted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Using vacuum suction to support and transfer an electrical connector is well known in the electronics field. Such an LGA connector typically comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of electrical contacts received in the housing, a metal clip pivotably mounted to an end of the housing, and a lever pivotably mounted to opposite end of the housing for engaging with the clip. The clip has a generally rectangular window in a middle thereof. Each contact has a first contact portion protruding outwardly from a top portion of the housing, for electrically connecting with a multiplicity of metal contact pads of an LGA central processing unit (CPU) respectively. Thus, a pick up cap has to be pre-attached on the top portion of the housing. The pick up cap typically has a plurality of latches snapping corresponding sidewalls of the housing, thereby mounting the pick up cap onto the LGA connector. The pick up cap has a smooth flat top surface exposing from the window. The vacuum suction device is then able to engage on the flat top surface of the pick up cap, in order to reliably move and accurately position the LGA connector onto the PCB.
However, a problem exerts with this kind of the pick up cap. During attaching of the pick up cap onto the LGA connector or detaching the pick up cap from the LGA connector, the latches of the pick up cap are liable to hit the first contact portions of some of the contacts, which transfer the contacts from desired positions of the contacts. Thus, the contacts being hit cannot electrically contact the corresponding metal contact pads of the CPU, and the electrical connection between the CPU with the PCB cannot be established.
Therefore, a new pick up cap that overcome above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is provision of a land grid array (LGA) connector assembly which has an LGA connector and a pick up cap mounted on the connector, wherein the pick up cap has minimal risk of damaging contacts of the connector during attaching the pick up cap onto the connector or detaching the pick up cap from the connector.
To fulfill the above-mentioned objects, an LGA electrical connector assembly accordance with a preferred embodiment comprises an LGA connector and a pick up cap. The connector includes a stiffener, an insulative housing arranged in the stiffener, a plurality of contacts received in the housing, and a retention structure having a metal clip and a substantially rectangular lever. The housing defines a cavity for receiving an LGA central processing unit (CPU) therein. The metal clip and the lever are pivotably respectively received in opposite ends of the stiffener. The pick up cap is generally rectangular, and has at least one clasp at each side thereof. The clasp engages with the lever of the connector to securely mount the pick up cap onto the connector. The pick up cap has a flat top surface to be engaged by a vacuum suction device, The LGA connector assembly thus can be moved to a desire location on a printed circuit board (PCB).
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present 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.
The connector 2 comprises a generally rectangular insulative housing 21, a plurality of electrical contacts 22 received in the housing 21, a metal stiffener 23 containing the housing 21 to enforce the housing 21, a retention structure 4 having a substantially rectangular lever 24 and a metal clip 25. The lever 24 is pivotably received in an end of the stiffener 23, and the metal clip 25 is pivotably mounted to an opposite end of the stiffener 23 for engaging with the lever 24.
The housing 21 defines a generally rectangular cavity 210 in a middle thereof. The cavity 210 is used for receiving an electronic package such as an LGA central processing unit (CPU) (not shown) therein. A multiplicity of passageways 212 is defined in a portion of the housing 21 under the cavity 210, the passageways 212 receiving a corresponding number of the contacts 22 therein respectively. Each contact 22 has a first contact portion (not labeled) protruding outwardly from a top face of the housing 21, for resiliently electrically contacting the CPU.
The stiffener 23 comprises a head portion 232, a rear portion 233 and a middle portion 231 defining a rectangular cavity 2310 and connecting the head portion 232 and the rear portion 233. The head portion 232 comprises a pair of U-shaped resistant arm 2321 formed at a front end and each resistant arm 2321 defining a chamber 2324 thereunder, a pair of L-shaped resilience tab 2322 formed at both opposite sides thereof, and a rectangular slot 2320 defined between the resistant arms 2323. The middle portion 231 forms a pair of L-shaped metal ears 2314 at both sides thereof. The rear portion 233 comprises a rear wall 235 defining a pair of spaced slots 2350 thereof. A pair of retaining arm 234 is formed at a rear end of the rear portion 233 and each retaining arm 234 has a base portion 2341 extending beyond the rear wall 235 and a connecting portion 2342 extending upwardly and obliquely from the base portion 2341. A retaining key 2343 is formed at a top end of the connecting portion 2342 of the retaining arm 234.
The lever 24 comprises a pair of locating portion 241 pivotably received in the chamber 2324 of the resistant arm 2321 of the stiffener 23, an actuating portion 242 between the locating portions 240, and a pair of L-shaped operating portions 244 each having an abutting portion 2441 extending rearwardly from an end of the locating portions 241 and a pressing portion 2442 perpendicular to the abutting portion 2441. The operating portion 244 is disposed at an outside of the stiffener 23 and engages with the retaining arm 234 when the lever 24 is at a closing position.
The metal clip 25 comprises an engaging portion 250 extending arcuately from an end thereof, a pair of spaced securing portions 252 extending arcuately from an opposite end thereof corresponding to the slots 2350 of the stiffener 23, and a tail 254 between the securing portions 252. The securing portions 252 are pivotably received in the slots 2350 of the stiffener 23. When the clip 25 is oriented at a horizontal position parallel to the top face of the housing 21, the engaging portion 250 of the clip 25 engages with the actuating portion 242 of the lever 24 for pressing the CPU on the contacts 22. When the clip 25 is oriented at a position perpendicular to the top face of the housing 21, the tail 254 abuts against the stiffener 23 to prevent the clip 25 from being over-rotated.
The pick up cap 3 has a generally rectangular planar body 30. The planar body 30 comprises a smooth flat top surface 300 and a bottom surface 301 opposite to the top surface 300. A pair of clasps 302 is formed at each side of the pick up cap 3 for securing the pick up cap 3 and LGA connector assembly 1.
Referring to
As appreciable from the foregoing description, the pick up cap 3 of the LGA connector assembly 1 snaps the abutting portion 2441 of the lever 24 of the connector 2, but not snaps sidewalls of the housing 21. Thus, during attaching the pick up cap 3 onto the connector 2 or detaching the pick up cap 3 onto the connector 2, the clasps 302 of the pick up cap are unlikely to hit the first contact portions of the contacts 22.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various alterations and modifications can be made to the embodiment without in any way departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as defined in the appended claims
