Abstract:
An electrical connector for electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board is provided, which includes an insulative housing including a main body for supporting the IC package and four straight peripheral sidewalls surrounding the main body; a stiffener having a base separably disposed around the insulative housing. The base defines an opening for receiving the insulative housing. And the stiffener further includes four elastic latches extending upwardly from inner sides of the opening for engaging with the insulative housing, and the insulative housing corresponding defines four slots on outside surfaces of the sidewalls for being resisting against the elastic latches.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors, and more particularly, to an electrical connector having a stiffener with elastic latches to removeably retain an electrical connector therein and provide a good electrical connection between an IC package and an electrical substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). 
         [0003]    2. Background of the Invention 
         [0004]    Electrical connectors for mounting the IC package to the printed circuit board are widely used in electrical equipments. The conventional electrical connector such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,877,990 and 7,059,885, issued to Liao on Apr. 12, 2005, and Szu on Jun. 13, 2006, respectively, typically comprises an insulative housing, a stiffener partially surrounding the insulative housing, a load plate pivotally engaged with one end of the stiffener, and a lever engaged with the other end of the stiffener for fastening the load plate onto the insulative housing. The IC package is sandwiched between the load plate and the insulative housing. The insulative housing usually defines an opening adapted for receiving the IC package. The insulative housing has some ribs at lateral sidewalls to engage with inner edge of the stiffener when the electrical connector is disposed therein. 
         [0005]    Referring to FIG. 1, Chinese Utility Pat. No. 201041842 issued to Yu on Mar. 26, 2008, discloses a conventional electrical connector 1′. The electrical connector 1′ comprises an insulative housing 2′, a plurality of contacts 6′ received in the insulative housing 2′, a stiffener 3′ surrounding the insulative housing 2′, a load plate 4′ pivotally engaged with one end of the stiffener 3′, and a lever 5′ engaged with the other end of the stiffener 3′ for fastening the load plate 4′ onto the insulative housing 2′. The insulative housing 2′ has some ribs 23′ extending from lateral sidewalls thereof. The hollow stiffener 3′ is provided with a large central rectangular through-hole 31, which is adapted for receiving the insulative housing 2′ therein. In assembly of the electrical connector 1′, the ribs 23′ engage with inner sidewalls 32′ of the hollow stiffener 3′ so as to assemble the insulative housing 2′ in the stiffener 3′. Then an IC package (not shown) is seated on the insulative housing 2′ and the load plate 4′ is rotated to a horizontal close position and locked by the lever. Thus it can realize an electrical connection between the IC package (not shown) and a printed circuit board (not shown) via the electrical connector 1′. 
         [0006]    However, in the above-mentioned electrical connector 1′, the stiffener 3′ usually is stamped from a metal sheet and so the inner sidewalls 32′ are edgy. When the ribs 23′ of the insulative housing 2′ engage with the inner sidewalls 23′, the insulative housing 2′ is easily scraped or even damaged in worst case. If this happens, it will reduce an interferential force between the insulative housing 2′ and the stiffener 3′, and so the insulative housing 2′ will rock with respect to the stiffener. Thus it would affect the normal electrical connection of the electrical connector 1′. 
         [0007]    In view of the above, a new electrical connector which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector having a stiffener with elastic latches for engaging with an insualtive housing so as to firmly hold the insulative housing on the stiffener. 
         [0009]    In accordance with the present invention, an electrical connector for electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board is provided, which includes an insulative housing including a main body for supporting the IC package and four straight peripheral sidewalls surrounding the main body; a stiffener having a base separably disposed around the insulative housing. The base defines an opening for receiving the insulative housing. And the stiffener further includes four elastic latches extending upwardly from inner side of the opening for engaging with the insulative housing, and the insulative housing corresponding defines four slots on outside surface of the sidewall for resisting against the elastic latches. 
         [0010]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description of preferred embodiment, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  depicts an exploded isometric view of a conventional electrical connector; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  depicts an assembled, isometric view of an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  depicts an exploded, isometric view of an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  depicts an enlarged view of a circled part shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  depicts an partially assembled, isometric view of the electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  depicts an enlarged view of a circled part shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    Reference will now be made to describe the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 6 , an electrical connector  1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is used to establish electrical connection between an IC package (not shown) and an electrical substrate, such as a PCB (not shown). The electrical connector  1  includes an insulative housing  2  assembled with a plurality of terminals (not shown), a stiffener  3  surrounding the insulative housing  2 , a load plate  4  pivotally mounted on one end of the stiffener  3 , and a load lever  5  pivotally supported on an opposite end of the stiffener  3 . 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the insulative housing  2  is made of insulative material. The insulative housing  2  includes a main body  20  for receiving the terminals (not shown) and four straight peripheral sidewalls  21  surrounding the main body  20 . A first pair of opposite parallel sidewalls  21  each defines cutouts  23  at middle position for conveniently taking out the IC package (not shown). Another pair of opposite parallel sidewalls  22  each defines slots  24  at exterior surface thereof. The slots  24  are symmetrically located on two ends of the sidewall  22 . Each slot  24  is formed in a curved structure. 
         [0020]    The stiffener  3  is stamped from a metal sheet into a rectangular plate. The stiffener  3  comprises a base  30 , a front sidewall  34  extending upwardly from one end of the base  30  for attaching the load plate  4 , a back sidewall  38  extending upwardly from an opposite end of the base  30  for attaching the load level  5  and a pair of parallel lateral sides  33  connecting the front sidewall  34  and the back sidewall  38 . The base  30  defines an opening  31  in the middle thereof for receiving the insulative housing  2  and a receiving recess  32  adjacent to the back sidewall  38  for receiving a part of the load plate  4  therein. The front sidewall  34  defines a pair of separate retaining grooves  310  for connecting the load plate  4 . The back sidewall  38  includes a pair of U-shaped cross-sections  35  extending toward the receiving recess  32 . Each lateral side  33  defines a substantially L-shaped stopper wall  39  extending toward the back sidewall  38 . One of the lateral sides  33  defines a locking hook  37  for engaging with load lever  5 . 
         [0021]    In additional, the base  30  defines four circular through holes  311  at the corner of the stiffener  3  for fasteners (not shown) passing through. The through holes  311  are situated at outside of the load plate  3  when the load plate  3  is positioned in a closed position. The stiffener  3  further includes four elastic latches  36  extending upwardly from the inner side of the opening  31  of the base  30 . The elastic latches  36  are symmetrically located on two ends of each lateral side  33  corresponding to the slots  24  of the insulative housing  2 . Each elastic latch  36  includes a guiding slant surface  361  at a top end thereof so that the elastic latch  36  can readily slide into the slot  24  to hold the insulative housing  2  firmly in the stiffener  3 . 
         [0022]    The load plate  4  is also stamped from a metal sheet and configured into a generally rectangular hollow frame. The load plate  4  includes a main portion  41 . The main portion  41  defines a window  42  at middle thereof. A pair of pressing portions  43  extend downwardly from inner sides of the window  42 . The main portion  41  includes a pair of lateral sides  44  extending downwardly from outsides thereof. A pair of bearing tongues  45  are formed on one end of the main portion  41  corresponding to the retaining grooves  310  of the stiffener  3  for connecting the load plate  4  on the stiffener  3 . The bearing tongues  45  are curved downward and spaced apart from one another. An interlocking portion  46  for engaging with the load lever  5  is formed at a middle section of another end of the main portion  41 . The interlocking portion  46  projects downwardly and extends in an outward direction. 
         [0023]    The load lever  5  is substantially L-shape and is rotatably coupled to the stiffener  3 . The load level  5  includes a driving portion  52  and a shaft portions  51  perpendicularly extending from one end of the driving portion  52 . The driving portion  52  defines an operating handle  53  extending outwardly at the other end thereof. The load level  5  includes a latching section  53  that is positioned between the pair of shaft portions  51 . A ring  6  is assembled on a free end of the shaft portion  51  for limiting the excessively movement of the load level  5 . 
         [0024]    Assembling the electrical connector  1 , the load plate  4  and the load level  5  are respectively pivotally assembled on the front sidewall  34  and the back sidewall  38  of the stiffener  3 . Then make the load plate  4  and the load level  5  in an opened position and put the insulative housing  2  in the central opening  31  of the stiffener  3 . And the elastic latches  36  push against the slots  24  of the insulative housing  2 , so the insulative housing  2  is fastened in the stiffener  3 . 
         [0025]    The electrical connector  1  can be fastened on the printed circuit board (not shown) by the fastener (not shown), such as screw. When the driving portion  52  of the load lever  5  is released so that the latching section  53  is disengaged from the interlocking portion  46  of the load plate  4 , and the load plate  4  is positioned in the opened position. Put the IC package (not shown) on the insulative housing  2 . The load plate  4  is then pivoted to the closed position and is locked by the latching section  53  of the load lever  5 . The driving portion  52  is driven to be lower than the latching section  53 , which presses downwardly on the load plate  4 . When the load plate  4  is in the closed position, the conductive pads (not shown) of the IC package are brought into contact with terminals (not shown) embedded in the insulative housing  2 . 
         [0026]    The stiffener  3  of the electrical connector  1  includes four elastic latches  36  engaging with the slots  24  of the insulative housing  2  and thus it can reach a good assembling of the insulative housing  2  in the opening  31  of the stiffener  3 . Additionally, it can avoid the stiffener  3  to scrape the insulative housing  2 , and burrs of the insulative housing  2  will not produce. Thus it can realize a good electrical connection of the electrical connector  1 . 
         [0027]    It should be noted that the number of the elastic latches  36  of the stiffener  3  and the number of the slots  24  of the insulative housing  2  can be changed. And the elastic latches  36  can extend upwardly from any position of the inner side of the opening  31  of the stiffener  3  and the position of the slots  24  of the insulative housing  2  can change correspondingly. 
         [0028]    While the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, the description of the invention is illustrative and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various of modifications to the present invention can be made to the preferred embodiment by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.