Electric connector

An electric connector includes an insulation base, a cover which is slidably connected to the base and an eccentric driving cam which is connected to the insulation base and the cover. The insulation base has a first limit surface. The cover has a second limit surface. The eccentric driving cam includes a first stop surface and a second stop surface. The first stop surface is stopped by the first limit surface and the second stop surface is stopped by the second limit surface, providing a dual-stop effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electric connector to connect a central processing unit and a motherboard, and more particularly to an electric connector driving by a cam.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A conventional electric connector to connect a central processing unit and a motherboard comprises an insulation base and a cover. The cover has a plurality of upper receiving holes, and the insulation base has a plurality of lower receiving holes corresponding to the upper receiving holes. Each lower receiving hole is provided with a socket terminal. A driving device is connected to the cover and the insulation base and used to open or close the electric connector. When the electric connector is in a disconnection state, the pins of the CPU chip module are not contact with the corresponding socket terminals. After that, the driving device is operated to move the cover toward one side of the insulation base for the pins of the central processing unit to electrically contact with the socket terminals in the lower receiving holes. At this time, the central processing unit is in a closed state. When the driving device is operated to move the cover toward the other side of the insulation base, the pins of the central processing unit disconnect from the socket terminals in the lower receiving holes. The central processing unit is in a disconnection state.

The driving device of the conventional electric connector is an eccentric driving cam. The eccentric driving cam includes a first post, a second post, a third post and a forth post from top to bottom. The radius of each post is reduced in turn. The first and second posts are coaxial, and the third and fourth posts are coaxial. The two axles are interlaced a certain distance to form the eccentric cam, so that the insulation base is driven to move relative to the cover. One side of the first post is integrally formed with a stop portion. The stop portion has two stop surfaces at two sides thereof. The stop surfaces are parallel to the sliding direction of the cover. The cover has a limit recess thereon corresponding to the stop portion. The limit recess has two limit surfaces at two sides thereof. During use, the stop portion of the eccentric driving cam mates with the limit recess. When the eccentric driving cam is turned to be an open state or a closed state, the limit surfaces are used to stop the stop portion in order to stop the eccentric driving cam.

The eccentric driving cam of this electric connector can be used to connect the CPU chip model and the electric connector or disconnect the CPU chip module and the electric connector. However, the limit surfaces of the cover bear all the driving force. When the force is applied too much, the cover may be broken off. This is not beneficial to the life span of the product.

Besides, the stop surfaces are parallel to the sliding direction of the cover. When the eccentric driving cam is turned to be open or closed, the direction of the applied force and the sliding direction of the cover are not the same. It needs much torsion force to connect the electric connector and the CPU chip module. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an electric connector to solve the problems of the prior art. The electric connector can disperse the driving force of the eccentric driving cam to the cover and the insulation base, proving a dual-stop effect and preventing the cover from bearing the applied force alone.

Another object of the present invention is that the direction of the applied force of the eccentric driving cam is the same as the sliding direction of the cover to effectively decrease the driving force of the eccentric driving cam. Only little torsion force is required to drive the electric connector.

In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the electric connector of the present invention comprises an insulation base, a cover which is slidably connected to the base and an eccentric driving cam which is connected to the insulation base and the cover.

The insulation base has a plurality of lower receiving holes thereon, an axle hole which is disposed at a portion not having the lower receiving holes and a limit recess which surrounds the axle hole. The limit recess has two first limit surfaces at two ends thereof.

The cover has a plurality of upper receiving holes thereon corresponding to the lower receiving holes, a through hole which is disposed at a portion not having the upper receiving holes and corresponds in position to the axle hole, and a limit block at one side of the through hole. The limit block has two second limit surfaces at two sides thereof.

The eccentric driving cam comprises a driving portion and a rotation axle. The driving portion has two second stop surfaces at two ends thereof. The rotation axle has a stop portion thereon. The stop portion extends into the limit recess. The stop portion has two first stop surfaces at two ends thereof.

Wherein the eccentric driving cam drives the cover to slide relative to the insulation base by a torsion action, when sliding to a predetermined position, the first stop surfaces are stopped by the first limit surfaces and the second stop surfaces are stopped by the second limit surfaces.

The present invention has the following effects.

Through the limit recess surrounding the axle hole of the insulation base, the eccentric driving cam can be stopped by the cover and the insulation base to disperse the driving force and to provide a dual-stop effect, preventing the cover from breaking off.

Through a metallic spacer received in an accommodation chamber of a cover platform of the cover, the metallic spacer has an opening and a protruding block which is located at a side of the opening. The protruding block corresponds to the limit block. The protruding block has two third limit surfaces at two sides thereof. When the eccentric driving cam is turned by a torsion force, the first stop surfaces of the eccentric action portion are against the third limit surfaces. When the eccentric driving cam is turned to a predetermined position, the eccentric driving cam is stopped by the third limit surfaces, the second limit surfaces and the first limit surfaces to disperse the driving force to the metallic spacer and to enhance the stop effect of the eccentric driving cam. Because the metal has a high hardness and doesn't deform and split easily, so the limit block made of a metallic material won't be broken off.

The first limit surfaces are perpendicular to the sliding direction of the cover and the direction of the applied force of the eccentric action portion is the same as the sliding direction of the cover, so that only little torsion force is required to drive the electric connector and the coupled central processing unit module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown inFIG. 1throughFIG. 10, the electric connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulation base10, a cover20which is slidably connected to the base10, and an eccentric driving cam30which is connected to the insulation base10and the cover20.

In this embodiment, the front, rear, left, right directions described hereinafter are based onFIG. 1. The detailed structure of the electric connector is as follows.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 7, the insulation base10is in a square flat shape and used to connect a circuit board. The insulation base10has a plurality of lower receiving holes11thereon to receive socket terminals. The insulation base10comprises a plurality of engaging blocks13at two sides thereof. The insulation base10comprises a base platform14extending from a front side thereof. The base platform14has an axle hole15defined in a central portion of the base platform14. The base platform14further has a limit recess16which surrounds the right side of the axle hole15and communicates with the axle hole15. The limit recess16has a fan-shaped shape. The limit recess16and the axle hole15are coaxial, and the diameter of the limit recess16is larger than that of the axle hole15. The fan-shaped limit recess16has two first limit surfaces17defined at two ends thereof.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 6, the cover20is also in a square flat shape and used to receive a chip module of a central processing unit. Two sides of the cover20are bent downward to form two flanges22. The flanges22are provided with engaging hooks inner sides thereof, not shown in the drawings, to connect the engaging blocks13at the two sides of the insulation base10. The cover20has a plurality of upper receiving holes23thereon. The upper receiving holes23mate with the lower receiving holes11. The cover20comprises a cover platform24extending from a front side thereof. The cover platform24is substantially in a trapezoid plate shape. The cover platform24has a-shaped accommodation chamber25at a central portion thereof and an oval-like through hole26disposed in the accommodation chamber25. The through hole26corresponds in position to the axle hole15. The through hole26has a limit block27therein. The limit block27protrudes from an inner wall of the through hole26in a direction perpendicular to a sliding direction of the cover20. The limit block27has two second limit surfaces28at two side walls thereof. The two second limit surfaces28are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the sliding direction of the cover20. In this embodiment, the limit block27is located in the through hole26, but is not limited. The limit block27may be disposed in the axle hole15of the insulation base10.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 4, the eccentric driving cam30comprises a driving portion31and a rotation axle32. The driving portion31comprises an operation head311and an eccentric action portion312. The operation head311has a notch313on an upper surface thereof. The notch313has two top walls at two ends thereof. The eccentric action portion312has two second stop surfaces315at two ends thereof. The rotation axle32has a stop portion321at an upper end thereof. The stop portion321is a fan-shaped block which extends from a bottom of the eccentric action portion312and is integrally formed with the eccentric action portion312. The stop portion321has two first stop surfaces323at two ends thereof. The depth of the stop portion321is the same as that of the fan-shaped limit recess16, so that the stop portion321can extend into the fan-shaped limit recess16exactly. As shown inFIG. 8, during driving, the eccentric driving cam30drives the cover20to slide on the insulation base10by the torsion action. When the sliding reaches the predetermined position, the first stop surfaces323are stopped by the first limit surfaces17and the second stop surfaces315are stopped by the second limit surfaces28. Furthermore, the rotation axle32has a reduced rivet portion33which extending from a bottom thereof. The rivet portion33is used to connect a rivet piece34.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 5, the accommodation chamber25of the cover20is provided with a metallic spacer40. The metallic spacer40is a-shaped flat plate. The metallic spacer40is received in the accommodation chamber25and fitted out of the eccentric action portion312of the eccentric driving cam30. The metallic spacer40has an opening41corresponding in position, size and shape to the through hole26of the cover20. The metallic spacer40has a protruding block42which is located at the left side of the opening41. The protruding block42corresponds in size and shape to the limit block27. The protruding block42has two third limit surfaces43at two sides thereof. The thickness of the limit block27and the protruding block42is the same as that of the eccentric action portion312. When the cover is slid to the predetermined position relative to the insulation base10, the second stop surfaces315are stopped by the third limit surfaces43.

To assemble the present invention, the cover20is slidably connected to the insulation base10top-down, and then the cover20and the insulation base10are pressed with both hands so that the engaging blocks13at the two sides of the insulation base10are engaged with the engaging hooks at the two flanges22of the cover20, not shown in the drawings. After that, the through hole26of the cover platform24is aligned with the opening41of the metallic spacer40and the limit block27faces the protruding block42. The eccentric driving cam30is inserted in the opening41of the metallic spacer40, the through hole26of the cover20, and the axle hole15of the insulation base10in sequence. The operation head311of the eccentric driving cam30is engaged out of the metallic spacer40. The eccentric action portion312is located in the opening41and the through hole26. The limit portion321is located in the limit recess16of the insulation base10. Finally, the rivet plate34is fitted on the rivet portion33, and the rivet portion33is struck to be enlarged so that the rivet plate34is coupled to the eccentric driving cam30and won't disengage from the rivet portion33.

As shown inFIG. 8toFIG. 10, when in use, in order to disengage the electric connector from the coupled central processing unit, an external force is applied to the notch313of the operation head31to turn the eccentric driving cam30counterclockwise, such that the eccentric driving cam30drives the cover20to move rearward relative to the insulation base10. When the eccentric driving cam30is turned to a certain degree, the cover20is stopped and cannot be further moved. The eccentric action portion312of the eccentric driving cam30is stopped by the second limit surfaces28and the third limit surfaces43, and the stop portion321is stopped by the first limit surfaces17of the fan-shaped limit recess16of the insulation base10, providing a multi-stop effect to the eccentric driving cam30. At this time, the pins of the central processing unit disengage from the socket terminals in the lower receiving holes11of the insulation base10, so the conductive state is changed to a disconnection state.

In order to conduct the electric connector and the coupled central processing unit, an external force is applied to the notch313of the operation head31in the reverse direction.

FIGS. 11 to 19show a second embodiment of the present invention, which is substantially similar to the first embodiment with the exceptions described hereinafter. In the second embodiment, the limit recess16is in an arc shape and separate from the axle hole15. A distance is defined between the limit recess16and the axle hole15to provide a slide rack to the stop portion321. The stop portion321is a cylindrical post extending from the bottom of the eccentric action portion312. The height of the stop portion321is smaller than the depth of the limit recess16. The first surfaces17are the two ends of the cylindrical post. The through hole26is in a D shape having an arc surface and an upright surface. The limit block27is a protrusion protruding from the inner wall of the through hole26. The protruding direction of the limit block27is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the cover20. The limit block27has two second limit surfaces28at two adjacent side walls thereof. The two second limit surfaces28are perpendicular to each other. One of the two second limit surfaces28is parallel to the sliding direction of the cover20, and the other of the two second limit surfaces28is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the cover20. The driving portion31comprises an operation head311and an eccentric action portion312. The eccentric action portion312has two second stop surfaces315at two ends thereof. The two stop surfaces315are perpendicular to each other. The opening hole41of the metallic spacer40corresponds in shape to the through hole26, having a D shape. The protruding block42in the opening41corresponds in position to the limit block27. The protruding block42is located at the upper left side of the opening41. The protruding block42has two third limit surfaces43at two adjacent side walls thereof and perpendicular to each other.