A connector (10) comprises a base (20), a cover (30), a protecting mechanism (35) and an actuator (40). The base defines a plurality of through holes (21) therein for receiving a plurality of contacts. The cover movably mounted on the base defines a plurality of passages in alignment with the through holes of the base. The protecting mechanism in the cover defines a hole extending therethrough, two stop members (341,342) are formed in inner surface of the hole. The actuator that can actuate the cover slide on the base, is rotatably assembled with the base and the protecting mechanism. The actuator has a protrusion thereon abuttable against either of the stop members during operation of the actuator, and is departed completely from the cover by the protecting mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a zero-insertion-force (hereafter ZIF) connector.

2. Description of Related Art

Central processing unit (CPU) sockets are widely used in personal computer (PC) systems to electrically connect integrated circuit (IC) chips with printed circuit boards (PCBs), pins in the IC chips increase accordingly. To mount a CPU socket with so many pins to a connector needs a very large inserting force. Such a large inserting force will cause a difficulty to mount/dismount the CPU socket or contacts of the CPU sockets if there is a deviation of positional precision of the pins or the contacts. Thus, a ZIF connector is developed, when it is at an open position the pins of the IC chip can be freely inserted into the CPU socket without engagement with the contacts, when it is at an closed position the pins of the IC chip can engage with the contacts so that an electrical connection is achieved between the IC chip and the PCB. The ZIF connector is motivated by an actuator thereof to a closed position thereby moving the pins to engage with the contacts.

The conventional ZIF connector comprises a plastic base, a plastic cover slidably mounted onto the base, a plurality of electrical contacts received in the base, and a metallic actuator. The plastic cover is actuated to slide on the plastic base by rotating of the metallic actuator, thereby causing pins of integrated circuit chip mounted on the cover to engage/disengage with the contacts in the plastic base. The plastic cover defines a circular-shaped recess in one side thereof. Two stop walls are formed in the inner surface of the circular-shaped recess. The metallic actuator comprises a lateral protruding protrusion. The protrusion of the actuator is rotatable in the circular-shaped recess. Rotation of the actuator causes the plastic cover to slide on the plastic base, mating or unmating the pins of the integrated circuit chip on the cover with the contacts of the plastic base.

However, when the protrusion of the actuator rotates between two limit positions defined by the stop walls and abuts against one of the stop walls, the large force exerted by the protrusion may tend to damage the stop walls during operation because the metallic material has a higher strength than the plastic material, thereby causing malfunction of the ZIF connector. Further, the plastic cover tends to be worn out by the rotation of the metallic actuator therein, resulting in a shortened life thereof, and in turn a shortened life of the connector. The disadvantages as above of this type of connector is existed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,178, which can not escape from the risk of damaging the plastic cover of the connector.

Hence, an improved ZIF connector is desired to overcome the disadvantages and problems of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved ZIF connector having a protecting mechanism which can prevent the connector from being damaged.

To achieve the above object, a ZIF electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a base, a cover, a protecting mechanism and an actuator. The base defines a plurality of through holes therein for receiving a plurality of contacts. The cover movably mounted on the base defines a plurality of passages in alignment with the through holes of the base. The protecting mechanism in the cover defines a hole extending therethrough, two stop members are formed in inner surface of the hole. The actuator that can actuate the cover slide on the base is rotatably assembled with the base and the protecting mechanism. The actuator has a protrusion thereon abuttable against either of the stop members during operation of the actuator, and is departed completely from the cover by the protecting mechanism. The one of the stop members when the protrusion is abutting against can endure a large force exerted by the protrusion, therefore, the over rotation of the actuator is prevented. Furthermore, the protecting mechanism is made of high strength material such as metallic material can give a long life of the protecting mechanism, and in turn give a long life for the connector.

In the present invention, said protecting mechanism can comprise an upper part insert molded in the cover and a lower part insert molded in the base, the actuator is assembled with the protecting mechanism, thereby, actuating the cover slide on the base. The actuator is departed completely from the cover and the base by the protecting mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

In an embodiment, please referring toFIGS. 1–2, a ZIF electrical connector10, for connecting an integrated circuit (IC) chip (not shown) to a printed circuit board (PCB) (not shown) in accordance with the present invention, comprises a base20, a cover30slidably mounted on the base20, a protecting mechanism35insert molded in the cover30, and an actuator (in this embodiment it is a cam actuator, hereafter cam actuator)40.

The base10is made of a material with low strength such as a plastic material. The base10has a plurality of through holes21therein for receiving plurality of contacts (not shown) connected to the circuit board, is generally square in shape. The base10defines an elongated square aperture23extending therethrough in one end thereof, a square opening14in the middle thereof.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 5, the cover30slidablely mounted on the base10between open and closed positions is made of a material with low strength such as plastic material. The cover30has a square shape corresponding to that of the base20, defines an opening13in the middle thereof corresponding to the opening14of the base10, and a plurality of passages31in alignment with the through holes21of the base20. The IC chip is mounted on the cover30and pins (not shown) of the IC chip is received in the passages31and can electrically connect with contacts of the base20.

Referring toFIG. 4, the protecting mechanism35insert molded in the cover30is made of a material with a high strength such as metallic material. The protecting mechanism35defines a hole (not labeled) extending therethrough, the hole is divided into an actuation hole33and a receiving hole34. The actuation hole33in a shape of circular is at a lower position of the protecting mechanism35near the base20and corresponding to the position of the aperture23of the base20. The receiving hole34is communicated with the actuator hole33and at an upper position of the protecting mechanism35that is far from the base20. The receiving hole34is formed from two coaxial semicircle-shaped holes of different diameters, a pair of opposite stop members341,342are formed at the junction of an inner surface of the two semicircle-shaped holes. The protecting mechanism35has a tail portion351in one end thereof, a circular through hole352is formed in the middle of the tail portion351for orientation of the protecting mechanism35when it is insert molded in the cover30.

Referring toFIGS. 2–3, the cam actuator40is made of a high strength material such as metallic material. The cam actuator40comprises an upper portion41and a cam block412. The upper portion41is composed of an upper disk410and a lower disk411coaxial with the upper disk410. The upper disk410has a diameter larger than that of the lower disk411and substantially equal to that of the semicircle-shaped hole with a smaller diameter. The upper disk410defines an elongated groove4101recessed from the upper surface thereof and a lateral protrusion4100protruding from the axis a lateral side (not labeled) thereof. The elongated groove4101is closed with a pair of walls (not labeled) on the opposite longitudinal ends thereof to confine an external tool (not shown) fitted therein and prevent the tool slide beyond the periphery of the upper surface of the upper disk410. The cam block412is formed under the upper portion41and comprises a riveting end413. The axis of the cam block412is parallel to but offset from the axis of the upper portion41.

Referring toFIG. 1toFIG. 6, in assembly, the cover30is slidable mounted on the base20, the cam actuator40is inserted into the protecting mechanism35, the protecting mechanism35completely departs the cam actuator40from the cover30. The upper disk410, the lower disk411, the cam block412of the cam40are received in the receiving hole34, the actuation hole33, the aperture23, and the riveting end413is riveted by a washer42on a lower face of the base20. The washer42is made of a metallic or other suitable material.

In operation, after the integrated circuit chip is loaded on the cover30, the external tool (not shown) is fitted into the groove4101to rotate the cam actuator40until the lateral protrusion4100engages with either of the stop members341,342of the protecting mechanism35. Since the axis of the cam block412is offset from the upper portion41, the rotation of the cam actuator40forces the cover30to slide along the base20in a diagonal direction, thereby making the pins of the integrated circuit chip engage with the contacts in the through holes21. To open the ZIF connector contact connection, the cam actuator40is rotated in an opposite direction from one of the two stop members341,342, to the other stop members341,342, thereby disengaging the pins of the IC chip from the contacts of the ZIF connector10and allowing the IC chip to be removed from the cover30.

the protecting mechanism35is insert molded in the cover30, so that the connection between the protecting mechanism35and the cover30is reliable. The stop members341,342engage with the lateral protrusion4100of the cam actuator40to stop rotation of the cam actuator40, thereby avoiding over-rotation of the cam actuator40and safeguarding the contacts of the ZIF connector10and the pins of the integrated circuit chip from being damaged. The protrusion4101can rotate between the two stop members341,342and abut against the stop members341,342, the one which the protrusion4101is abutting against will endure a large force exerted by the protrusion4101, thereby preventing the over rotation of the cam actuator40and protecting the cover30. Furthermore, since the protecting mechanism35made of high strength material, it can give a longer life than the prior art of the plastic cover, and in turn give the ZIF connector10a longer life.

In another embodiment, please referring to theFIG. 7andFIG. 8, a ZIF connector10′ comprises a base20′ defining a plurality of through holes21′ and an opening14′ in the middle thereof, a cover30′ slidably mounted on the base20′, a protecting mechanism (not labeled), and an actuator40′ for moving the cover30′ relative to the base20′. The cover30′ defines a plurality of passages31′ in alignment with the through hole21′ of the base20′ and an opening13′ in the middle thereof corresponding to the opening14′ of the base20′. The protecting mechanism is composed of an upper part35′ insert molded in the cover30′ and a lower part36′ insert molded in the base20′. The upper part35′ defines a through hole33′, two stop members341′,342′ are formed in the inner surface34′ of the hole33′. The lower part36′ defines an elongated square aperture23′ in the middle thereof. The actuator40′ is assemble with the upper part35′ and the lower part36′. The actuator40′ has an upper portion41′ and a lower portion (not labeled), the upper portion41′ and the lower portion are respectively received in the hole33′ of the upper part35′, the aperture23′ of the lower part36′, and then riveted by a washer42′. The actuator40′ has a protrusion (not labeled) can engage with the two stop members (341′,342′) in order to prevent the over rotation of the actuator40′. The actuator40′ is departed completely from the cover30′ and the base20′ by the protecting mechanism, therefore, the force exerted by the actuator40′ is completely endured by the protecting mechanism, furthermore, the base20′ and the cover30′ are protected.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. Such as the actuator can be composed of a shaft rotatably engaged between the base and the cover, and a handle. The protecting mechanism insert molded in the base defines a transverse channel at on end thereof, the channel receiving the shaft therein.