Land grid array connector

A land grid array connector includes a housing having a plurality of passageways therethrough and a conductive contact provided in each passageway. A recess is formed in each passageway. Each contact has a deformable portion having a tip provided at an end thereof. The deformable portion is capable being in an undeformed position and in a deformed position. When a lateral force is placed on the deformable portion of each contact, at least a portion of the tip is maintained within the recess. The recess is sized and configured to limit lateral deflection of the tip upon deformation of the deformable portion in a lateral direction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a land grid array connector having a conductive contact and a housing with a recess therein for protecting a tip of the conductive contact.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Land grid array connectors are commonly used with integrated circuits. Conventional land grid array connectors include an insulative housing which defines a plurality of passageways therethrough, and a plurality of conductive contacts received in the passageways. The land grid array connector is connected to an integrated circuit which has a plurality of flat contact pads formed on a bottom surface thereof to which the contacts are electrically mated.

A mating component, such as a printed circuit board, a plate having a contact pad thereon, or an integrated circuit package, is typically mated with the land grid array connector by lowering the mating component onto the land grid array connector such that the conductive contacts are compressed within the housing.

Problems can occur, however, when the mating component is mated with the land grid array connector. For instance, if the mating component contacts the conductive contacts without an equal force across the entire land grid array connector, lateral forces can be placed on some or all of the conductive contacts such that the conductive contacts can plastically deform. Such a situation could damage the land grid array connector such that replacement of the connector would be necessary. Such a situation could further affect the desired signal transmission.

Thus, there is a need for a land grid array connector which overcomes the disadvantages of prior art land grid array connectors. The present invention provides such a land grid array connector. Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the attached specification, in combination with a study of the drawings.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a land grid array connector which protects a conductive contact mounted therein from plastically deforming upon the application of a lateral force to the conductive contact.

An object of the present invention is to provide a land grid array connector which has a contact having a shape that minimizes translation when a force is placed on the contact.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a land grid array connector which has an enlarged portion on the tip which serves as a guide and provides for a more robust contact than prior art contacts.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a high-density connector.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a land grid array connector which can be economically manufactured.

Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention provides a land grid array connector. The land grid array connector includes a housing having a plurality of passageways therethrough and a conductive contact provided in each passageway. A recess is formed in each passageway. Each contact has a deformable portion having a tip provided at an end thereof. The deformable portion is capable being in an undeformed position and in a deformed position. When a lateral force is placed on the deformable portion of each contact, at least a portion of the tip is maintained within the recess. The recess is sized and configured to limit lateral deflection of the tip upon deformation of the deformable portion in a lateral direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

While this invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail, a specific embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated.

The present invention provides a land grid array connector20. The land grid array connector20is formed from an insulative housing22which has a plurality of passageways24provided therethrough and a conductive contact26mounted in respective passageways24. The contacts26are mounted in the housing22such that a high-density configuration is provided. The contacts26are protected by the housing22from damage when a lateral force is applied to the contact26.

The structure of one of the contacts26is described herein with the understanding that the other contacts26are identically formed. The contact26is formed from a conductive material, such as metal, and can be formed by stamping and forming. As such, the contact26can be economically manufactured. The contact26is formed in generally an “S” shape as shown inFIG. 4. The contact26includes a first or upper portion28, a second or middle portion30and a third or lower portion32. The upper portion28can be deformed relative to the middle and lower portions30,32such that the upper portion28can move vertically or laterally relative to the middle and lower portions30,32. The “S” shape of the contact26minimizes translation of the contact26when a vertical or lateral force is placed thereon.

The lower portion32is formed from a contact pad34which is flat and has an enlarged area for contacting a mating component35, such as a solder ball. As shown, the contact pad34is circular, however, it is to be understood that the contact pad34can take any desired shape and need not be flat. The lower portion32is provided at approximately the midpoint of the width of the middle portion30.

The middle portion30is generally perpendicular to the lower portion32and is connected thereto by a curved portion36. The middle portion30is flat and is generally rectangular in shape such that a lower edge38, an upper edge40, a first side edge42and a second side edge44is provided. The middle portion30has a predetermined height and width. A notch46is provided in the upper edge40of the middle portion30which separates the upper end of the middle portion30into a first section48and a second section50along the width of the middle portion30. The second section50of the middle portion30is connected to the upper portion28.

The upper portion28of the contact is formed by a first part52which extends from the first section50, a second part54which extends from the first part52, a third part56which extends from the second part54, a fourth part58which extends from the third part56, a fifth part60which extends from the fourth part58, and a sixth part62which extends from the fifth part60. The first part52curves upwardly from the first section50and extends in the same direction as the lower portion32of the contact26. The second part54extends upwardly from the first part52and is angled relative to the horizontal as shown inFIG. 4. In addition, the second part54angles relative to the vertical toward the first side42of the middle portion as is most clearly shown inFIG. 5. The third part56is generally U-shaped. The fourth part58extends upwardly from the third part56and is angled relative to the horizontal as shown inFIG. 4. In addition, the fourth part58angles relative to the vertical toward the second side44of the middle portion30as is most clearly shown inFIG. 5. The fifth part60is generally L-shaped. The sixth part62extends downwardly from the fifth part60toward the top edge40of the middle portion30. When the contact26is not deformed as shown inFIGS. 2–5and8, the sixth part62is generally parallel to the middle portion30, but in a plane offset from the plane containing the middle, or fixed portion, of the contact26. As is best illustrated inFIG. 2, the width of the first, second and third parts52,54,56is consistent along their lengths; the width of the fourth part58along its length tapers downwardly from the third part56to the fifth part60; and the width of the fifth part60is consistent along its length. The sixth part62has a width that is wider than the fifth part60such that an enlarged tip is formed relative to the fifth part60. The fifth part60is the portion of the contact26which will be in contact with the mating component, such as a contact pad on a printed circuit board63. The upper portion28of the contact26can be deformed relative to the middle and lower portions30,32by applying a downward force to the fifth part60of the upper portion28.

The housing22is formed of an insulative material, such as a plastic, and can be formed by molding. As such, the housing22can be economically manufactured. The housing22has a top or first surface64and a bottom or second surface66. The passageways24extend from the top surface64to the bottom surface66of the housing22. The structure of one of the passageways24is described herein with the understanding that the other passageways24are identically formed. The passageway24is formed from a first or upper portion68which extends downwardly from the top surface64of the housing22and a second or lower portion70which extends from the upper portion68to the bottom surface66of the housing22.

As shown inFIG. 2, the contact26is mounted in the passageway24such that the lower and middle portions30,32of the contact26are in the lower portion70of the passageway24and the upper portion28of the contact26is in the upper portion68of the passageway24. The contact pad34is preferably flush with the bottom surface66of the housing22. In the undeformed position as shown inFIGS. 2 and 8, the fourth and fifth parts58,60and a portion of the tip62of the contact26extend upwardly from the top surface64of the housing22; and the remainder of the tip62is provided within the passageway24.

The upper portion68of the passageway24has a predetermined height, width and depth. The height, width and depth of the upper portion68is such that it accommodates the upper portion28of the contact26therein when the upper portion28is deformed such that the fifth portion60is flush with the top surface64of the housing22as shown inFIG. 9. The width and depth of the upper portion28is dimensioned such that it accommodates the first through fifth parts52,54,56,58,60,62. A recess72is provided in the upper portion68of the passageway24in which the sixth part or tip62is provided. The recess72has a first wall74which is generally parallel to the tip62when the contact26is in an undeformed position, and second and third walls76,78which are perpendicular to the first wall74and connected to the first wall74at opposite ends thereof. The recess72opens into the remainder of the upper portion68. The recess72is dimensioned such that width is slightly larger than the width of the tip62as is best illustrated inFIG. 1. The provision of the enlarged tip62allows the housing22to be more economically manufactured because the enlarged area of the recess72allow for easier molding of the passageways24.

The lower portion70of the passageway24has a first section80and a second section82. The first section80has a height and depth that are dimensioned to generally correspond to the height and width of the second section50of the middle portion30of the contact26such that the second section50is captured and held within the first section80of the passageway24. The second section82is dimensioned such that it has a height which generally corresponds to the height of the vertical leg of the curved portion36and the middle portion30and is dimensioned such that it has a depth which generally corresponds to the length of the lower portion32of the contact26. Suitable means for securing the contact26and the housing22are provided.

As discussed, when the contact26is in the undeformed position as shown inFIG. 2-5and8, the fourth and fifth parts58,60and a portion of tip62of the contact26extend upwardly from the top surface64of the housing22; and the remainder of the tip62is provided within the recess72. When a downward force is placed on the contact26by a mating component63contacting the fifth part60of the contact26, the upper portion28deforms relative to the middle and lower portions30,32as is shown inFIG. 9. The upper portion28will deform until the fifth part60is flush with the upper surface64of the housing22. If the force on the fifth part60is directly downward, the upper portion28of the contact26only moves vertically and does not move laterally. If, however, the force on the fifth part60is not directly downward and is slightly angled relative to the vertical, the upper portion28of the contact26will move laterally. In this situation, the recess72prevents the plastic deformation of the contact26while allowing for elastic deformation of the contact26. When a force that is angled relative to the vertical is placed on the contact26, the tip62will move laterally within the recess72until the tip62contacts one of the side walls76,78of the recess72. Thus, the tip62acts as a guide. The contact of the tip62with the wall76,78prevents the tip62will from moving laterally further. As a result of this construction, the upper portion28can move laterally a predetermined amount, but is prevented from moving laterally to the extent that plastic deformation of the contact26would occur. In addition, because the tip62is enlarged relative to the fourth part60which is the portion that contacts the mating component63, a more robust contact is provided because the tip62can more readily absorb the impact with the walls76,78of the recess72without deformation.

It is to be understood that the structure of the contact26described herein is illustrative of one of many types of contacts that could be provided.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the foregoing description and the appended claims.