Electrical connector

The electrical connector (1) includes a base having a number of terminals (12) thereon and a load plate (40) pivotally attached to a side of the base and locked in an opposite side of the base. The load plate (40) is stamped from a sheet of metal to form at least one pressing protrusion (43) to engagingly press an IC (60) in order to hold the IC (60) on the base. At least one pressing protrusion (43) has an outer edge (431) adjacent the IC (60) when the IC (60) is held on the base. The outer edge (431) is coined, thereby weeding out burrs formed on said outer edge (431) after the load plate (40) is stamped. As a result, the shape of the coined outer edge (431) of the pressing protrusion (43) can avoid scraping an IHS conglutinated on the IC (60) when the load plate (40) presses the IC (60), thereby to safely interconnect the IC (60) with the PCB.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the art of electrical connectors, and especially to an electrical connector for electrically interconnecting an integrated circuit (IC) with a printed circuit board (PCB).

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventionally, an integrated heat spreader(IHS) is conglutinated on a bottom surface of an IC to avoid scraping the IC when a heat spreader is fixed on the IC and to prevent the destroy of the IC without a heat spreader. In use, the heat generated from the IC is transmitted to the IHS.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, a typical electrical connector8for electrically interconnecting an IC100with a PCB comprises an dielectric housing82, a plurality of terminals81received in the housing82, a stiffener83surrounding the housing82, a load plate84mounted on a side of the stiffener83and a load lever85mounted on an opposite side of the stiffener83. Top ends of the terminals81are exposed above a top surface of the housing82, for electrically connecting corresponding conductive members of the IC100.

In assembly, the load plate84of the electrical connector8moves downwardly to press the IC100until the conductive members of the IC100elastically connect the terminals81. The load plate84is made of metal. Because sharp burrs are formed on the edges of the load plate84during stamping the load plate84from a sheet of metal, it is prone to scrape the surface of the IHS when load plate84presses the IC100.FIGS. 6shows the destroyed surface of the IHS.

Accordingly, a new electrical connector that solves the above problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that can avoid scraping the IC, thereby safely interconnecting an IC with a PCB.

To fulfill the above object, an electrical connector is applied according to the present invention. The electrical connector comprises a base having a number of terminals thereon and a load plate pivotally attached to a side of the base and locked in an opposite side of the base. The load plate is stamped from a sheet of metal to form at least one pressing protrusion to engagingly press an IC in order to hold the IC on the base. At least one pressing protrusion has an outer edge adjacent the IC when the IC is held on the base. The outer edge is coined, thereby weeding out burrs formed on said outer edge after the load plate is stamped. As a result, the shape of the coined outer edge of the pressing protrusion can avoid scraping the IHS when the load plate presses the IC, thereby to safely interconnect the IC with the PCB.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made to the drawings to describe the invention in detail.

Referring toFIGS. 1,2,3and4, the electrical connector1applied according to the present invention is mainly used for electrically interconnecting an IC60with an electrical substrate such as a PCB (not shown). The electrical connector1comprises a base (not labeled), a load lever30mounted on one side of the base and a load plate40mounted on an opposite side of the base. The base comprises a dielectric housing10with a plurality of terminals12received thereof, and a stiffener20surrounding the housing10.

The housing10has a flat board configuration with a rectangular conductive region14in the middle thereof. A contacting surface15is formed on the conductive region14, for electrically supporting the IC60. The conductive region14has a plurality of passageways16for receiving corresponding terminals12. Contacting ends (not labeled) of the terminals12extend out of the contact surface15to resiliently contact corresponding conductive member (not shown) of the IC60. The bottom surface of the housing10forms several positioning protrusions18thereof. The electrical connector1is electrically connected to the PCB and the IC60together, thereby the PCB and the IC60are electrically connected.

The load lever30is formed of a spindling metallic lever with several bent portions. The load lever30comprises an operational arm32and a pivot portion34extends perpendicularly from one end of the operational arm32. The other end of the operational arm32has a handlebar33which generally parallel to the operational arm32for driving the load lever30. The pivot portion34comprises a pair of pivot axels (not labeled) and a pressing portion35extending crookedly between the two pivot axels.

The load plate40is a rectangular frame with a space (not labeled) in the middle of it. The load plate40comprises a first sidewall41and a second sidewall42which opposite to each other. The sidewall perpendicular to the first sidewall41and the second sidewall42is two third sidewalls (not labeled). The third sidewall has a first plate432perpendicular to the stiffener20and a second plate433perpendicular to the first plate432. A protruding portion411extends from the middle of the fist sidewall41. A pair of C-shaped pivot latches421extends crookedly from the second sidewall42. An operation bar422is formed on the second sidewall42between the two pivot latches421. The middles of each second plates433of the third sidewalls protrude to the housing21to form a pressing protrusions43, respectively. The pressing protrusion43comprises a bottom surface434facing to the IC60and a top surface435parallel to the bottom surface434. A third surface436perpendicular to the bottom surface434is formed, the third surface436facing to the space of the load plate40. The load plate40is stamped from a sheet of metal, such as steel. Several burrs are formed on the edges of the load plate40during stamping. The burrs will scrape an IHS conglutinated on the IC60when the IC60is mounted to the electrical connector1. So after stamping, outer edges431of the pressing protrusions43are coined to weed out the burrs formed during stamping, and edges431with smooth surfaces and smooth edges are formed on the edges of the bottom surfaces434matching with the third surface436of the pressing protrusions43. The edges431partly surround the IHS in assembly. In use, the bottom surface434of the pressing protrusions43of the load plate40touch the IC60and the edges431slide on the IHS until the pressing protrusions43is horizontal. Simultaneously, the pressing portion35of the load lever30presses the load plate40to achieve a sturdy connection between the conductive members of the IC60and the terminals12of the electrical connector1.

The stiffener20which is a rectangular metallic frame. The stiffener20comprises a planar portion (not labeled) and four elongated sides (not labeled) perpendicularly and upwardly extending from outer side edges of the planar portion. The planar portion comprises a first side22abutting against the second sidewall42of the load plate40in assembly, a second side24opposite to the first side22, and two third sides (not labeled) perpendicular to the first side22and the second side24. The first side22defines a pair of pivot slots221corresponding to the pivot latches421of the load plate40, facilitating the load plate40pivotally engaging with the stiffener20. The second side24forms a pair of curve receiving groove241. One of the receiving grooves241has a lock piece242for working cooperatively with the receiving groove241and ends of the two third sides to hold the load lever30in the second side24of the stiffener20. One of the third sides has a protrusion243for locking the load lever30. The planar portion from which the first side22and the second side24extend defines several positioning holes26corresponding to the positioning protrusions18of the housing10.

In assembly, the load plate40is retained in the first side22of the stiffener20, and the load lever30is received in the receiving groove241of the second side24. Then the housing10is put into the stiffener20. The positioning protrusions18on the bottom surface of the housing10is received in the corresponding positioning holes26of the stiffener to fix the housing10in the stiffener20which surrounds the housing10.

In use, the load lever30pivots to the state perpendicular to the housing10, and the pressing portion35of the load lever30is detached from the protruding portion411of the load plate40. During assembly of the IC60, the IC60is first received in the housing10, the conductive members of the IC60corresponding to the terminals12received in the housing10. The load plate40pivots downwardly to be horizontal, and the bottom surface434of the pressing protrusions43of the load plate40touch the IC60and the edges431slide on the IHS until the pressing protrusions43is horizontal. Simultaneously, the pressing portion35of the load lever30is forced by a outside force acting on the handlebar33to pivot to be horizontal and presses the protruding portion411of the load plate40. The pressing protrusions43of the load plate40press the IC60to obtain a sturdy and reliable electrical connection of the conductive member of the IC60and the terminals12of the electrical connector1. The operational arm32of the load lever30is retained under the protrusion243of the stiffener20to ensure the sturdy connection of the IC60on the electrical connector1.

The smooth edges431on the bottom surface434of the pressing protrusions43edges weed out the burrs formed during stamping the load plate40scraping the IHS. Consequently, the edges431could protect the IHS and ensure a safe assembly process of the IC60and the electrical connector1.