Abstract:
An electrical connector assembly ( 100 ) includes an electrical connector, a CPU ( 5 ) assembled to the electrical connector and a pair of cable connector assembles ( 7 ) assembled to two opposite sides of the CPU ( 5 ), each of the cable connector assembly ( 7 ) includes a cable connector ( 71 ) assembled to the CPU ( 5 ) and a cable ( 72 ) assembled to the cable connector ( 71 ), the electrical connector includes a first load lever ( 4 ) with a first press portion ( 420 ) pressing one of the cables ( 72 ) and a second load lever ( 3 ) with a second press portion ( 320 ) pressing the other of the cables ( 72 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly and the electrical connector thereof, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly incorporated with an independent loading mechanism facilitating simultaneously at least two independent interconnections between a CPU with respect to a cable which being seated on the CPU and between the CPU with respect to an electrical connector that the CPU being seated on. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     U.S. publication No. 20090023330 published to stoner on Jan. 22, 2009 discloses a conventional electrical connector assembly to use a cable to establish a connection path between two CPUs. The cable is assembled to a cable connector, and the cable connector is assembled to the CPUs. The CPU comprises a plurality of conductive pads on an upper surface thereof. The cable connector comprises a plurality of contacts electrically connecting with the conductive pads of the CPU. 
     The cable connector comprises a plurality of posts, and the CPU comprises a plurality of holes corresponding to the posts. When the cable connector is assembled to the CPU, the posts are received in the holes to position the cable connector on the CPU. The posts received in the holes can only position the cable connector on the CPU, because there is no loading force on the upper surface of the cable connector, when there is a force exert on the cable connector, the contacts of the cable connector and the conductive pads of the CPU is easy to be disconnected from each other. Thus, the electrical connection between the cable connector and the CPU is instability. 
     Hence, it is desirable to provide an improved electrical connector assembly with a loading mechanism to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly and an electrical connector thereof with a loading mechanism for pressing a cable against a CPU to simultaneously achieve electrical connection between the cable and the CPU and electrical connection between the CPU and a electrical connector that the CPU seats on. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector assembly comprises an electrical connector, a CPU assembled to the electrical connector and a pair of cable connector assembles assembled to the two opposite sides of the CPU, each of the cable connector assembly comprises a cable connector assembled to the CPU and a cable assembled to the cable connector, the electrical connector comprises a first load lever with a first press portion pressing one of the cables and a second load lever with a second press portion pressing the other of the cables. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a preferred embodiment of an electrical connector assembly, showing a cable connecting with two CPUs seating on two electrical connector; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the load plate of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 2 , shown both of the load plate and the first load lever are in an open position; 
         FIG. 5  is an assembled view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 2 , shown the load plate in a closed poison and the first load lever in an open position; and 
         FIG. 6  is an assembled view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 2 , shown both of the load plate and the first load lever are in a closed position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the present invention in detail. 
       FIGS. 1 to 2  illustrate an electrical connector assembly  100  in accordance to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the electrical connector assembly  100  is used for electrically connecting a central processing unit (CPU)  5  with a printed circuit board (PCB)  8  and achieves high-speed signal transmissions between two CPUs  5  through cable  72 . The electrical connector assembly  100  comprises an electrical connector (not labeled), a CPU  5  assembled to the electrical connector and a cable connector assembly  7  assembled to the CPU  5 . 
     The electrical connector comprises a housing assembly  9 , a first load lever  4  and a second load lever  3  locating on two opposite sides of the housing assembly  9  and a cover  6  assembled to the first load lever  4  and the second load lever  3 . The housing assembly  9  comprises an insulative housing  1  with a plurality of contacts  12  received therein, a stiffener  2  surrounding the insulative housing  1 . The first load lever  4  and the second load lever  3  are assembled to two ends of the stiffener  2 . The insulative housing  1  defines a cavity  10  for receiving the CPU  5 . 
     The stiffener  2  comprises a first end  21 , a second end  22  and a pair of third ends  23  connecting the first end  21  and the second end  22 . The first end  21  comprises a pair of first holding portions  210  extending upwardly and curvedly from the first end  21  and a first connecting portion  211  connecting the pair of first holding portions  220 . The first connecting portion  211  is used to strength the pair of first holding portions  210 . The second end  22  comprises a pair of second holding portions  220  extending upwardly and curvedly from the second end  21  and a second connecting portion  221  connecting the pair of second holding portions  220 . The second connecting portion  221  is used to strength the pair of second holding portions  220 . The third end  23  comprises a pair of positioning portions  232  extending outwardly from the third end  23 , a pair of interlock portions  233  extending upwardly and curvedly from the third end  23  and a third connecting portion  234  connecting the pair of interlock portions  233 . Each of the positioning portions  232  defines a hole  2320 . The third connecting portion  234  is used to strength the pair of interlock portions  233 . The electrical connector is positioned to the PCB  8  by a positioning member (not shown) going through the hole  2320 . 
     The first load lever  4  comprises a first operation portion  41 , a first locating portion  42  connecting with the first operation portion  41  and a first stop portion  422  at the end of the first locating portion  42 . The first locating portion  42  comprises a first press portion  420  in the middle thereof and a pair of first retention portions  421  at the two sides of the first press portion  420 . When the first load lever  4  is assembled to the stiffener  2  and in a closed position, the pair of first retention portions  42  interlocks with the pair of first holding portions  210  of the stiffener  2 , the first stop portion  422  is thicker than the first retention portion  421  to prevent the horizontal movement of the first load lever  4 . Thus, the first load lever  4  is securely positioned on the stiffener  2 . 
     The second load lever  3  has a same structure with the first load lever  4  and comprises a second operation portion  31 , a second locating portion  32  connecting with the second operation portion  31  and a second stop portion  322  at the end of the second locating portion  32 . The second locating portion  32  comprises a second press portion  320  in the middle thereof and a pair of second retention portions  321  at the two sides of the second press portion  320 . When the second load lever  3  is assembled to the stiffener  2  and in a closed position, the pair of second retention portions  32  interlocks with the pair of second holding portions  220 , the second stop portion  322  is thicker than the second retention portion  321  to prevent the horizontal movement of the second load lever  3 . Thus, the second load lever  3  is securely positioned on the stiffener  2 . 
     The cover  6  comprises a front end  61 , a rear end  62  and a pair of side portions  63  connecting the front end  61  and the rear end  62 . The front end  61 , the rear end  62  and the side portions  63  form a space  64  to permit the CPU  5  going through. Both of the front end  61  and the rear end  62  define a pair of engage portions  640  extending into the space  64  for pressing on the CPU  5  and a restrict portion  613  extending outwardly. The restrict portions  613  locates on the outside of the insulative housing  1  to guide the cover  6  being assembled to the insulative housing  1 . The front end  61  comprises a pair of retention portions  611  extending from the two ends of the front end  61 . Each of the retention portions  611  defines a through hole  612 . The second operation portion  31  of the second load lever  3  goes through the through holes  612  to position the cover  6  on the second load lever  3 . The rear end  62  comprises a pair of tongue portions  621  extending outwardly to be pressed by the first operation portion  41  of the first load lever  4 . 
     The CPU  5  comprises a body portion  50 , a first step portion  51  extending upwardly from the body portion  50 , a second step portion  52  extending upwardly from the first step portion  51  and a plurality of conductive contacts  53  locating on the two sides of the first step portion  51 . The cable connector assembly  7  comprises a cable connector  71  assembled to the CPU  5  and a cable  72  assembled to the cable connector  71 . The electrical path between the cable  72  and the CPU  5  is established by the cable connector  71 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , when the electrical connector  100  is assembled, the stiffener  2  surrounds the insulative housing  1 , the first load lever  4  is assembled to the first end  21  of the stiffener  2 , the second load lever  3  is assembled to the second end  22 , the cover  6  is assembled to the second load lever  3 . Now introduce the operation step to assemble the CPU  5  to the electrical connector. First, assemble the cable connector assembly  7  to the CPU  5  and the CPU  5  is assembled to the electrical connector; second, rotate the second load lever  3  to make the second operation portion  31  interlock with the interlock portions  233  of the stiffener  2 , the second press portion  320  presses on the cable  72 ; third, rotate the cover  6  to make it press on the CPU  5 ; third, rotate the first load lever  4  to make the first operation portion  41  interlock with the interlock portions  233  and the hook portions  621 , make the cover  6  press on the CPU  5  tightly. 
     The first press portion  420  of the first load lever  4  and the second press portion  320  of the second load lever  3  press on the cable  72  to make a robust electrical connection between the cable  72  and the CPU  5 . The side portions  63  of the cover  6  press on the body portion  51  of the CPU  5  and the engage portions  640  of the cover  6  press on the second step portion  52  of the CPU  5  to make a robust electrical connection between the CPU  5  and the contacts  10  received in the insulative housing  1 . The first operation portion  41  of the first load lever  4  presses on the tongue portions  621  of the cover  6  to make the cover  6  press the CPU  5  tightly. The interlock portion  233  locates in the middle of the pair of retention portions  611  to make the side portions  63  of the cover  6  being assembled between the cable  72  and the first step  51  of the CPU  5  accurately. 
     While the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.