Abstract:
An electrical connector is adapted for electrically connecting an electronic package ( 3 ) to a circuit board. The electrical connector includes an insulative housing ( 10 ) for receiving an electronic package, a stiffener ( 30 ) supporting the insulative housing, a pair of latching members ( 50 ) mounted on the stiffener and pivotable about a respective first axis therethrough, and a lever ( 70 ) mounted on the stiffener and pivotable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the lever being operable to pivot the latching members to a closed position for pressing against the electronic package.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a land grid array socket connector having latching members maneuvered by lever operated between a first position, in which the latching members are opened to receive an IC therein, and a second position, in which the latches are depressed to press down the IC toward the electrical connector. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,179,092 issued to Ma on Feb. 20, 2007 discloses an electrical connector. The electrical connector comprises a housing, a stiffener surrounding the housing and formed with an engaging portion, a cover rotatably mounted on the housing and having a tongue portion, and a lever engaging with the tongue portion of the cover. When an IC package is received by the housing, the cover is rotated from an open position to a closed position to fasten the IC package at the closed position via engagement between the lever and the engaging portion of the stiffener. The stiffener has a first end and an opposite second end. The cover is mounted at the first end and extends all the way to the second end to facilitate its function of pressing the IC package against the housing. 
         [0005]    The IC package is thus depressed by the cover and is fixed at the closed position. It would require a substantial piece of material to produce such a cover. 
         [0006]    Hence, an electrical connector having improved latching members is required to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the related art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector using less material. 
         [0008]    To achieve the aforementioned objects, an electrical connector is adapted for electrically connecting an electronic package to a circuit board. The electrical connector includes an insulative housing for receiving an electronic package, a stiffener supporting the insulative housing, a pair of latching members mounted on the stiffener and pivotable about a respective first axis therethrough, and a lever mounted on the stiffener and pivotable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the lever being operable to pivot the latching members to a closed position for pressing against the electronic package. The latching member is floatingly mounted to the stiffener at a position adjacent to a position at which the lever is mounted on the stiffener. 
         [0009]    The latching members perform a function of depressing or releasing the electronic package. The latching member has a small dimension and does not extend from one side end of the stiffener to the opposite side end of the stiffener. Thus, it would cost less material to manufacture such latching members. 
         [0010]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view showing an electrical connector connecting with an IC package in accordance with the present invention, when the latching members are disposed in an opened position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector and the electronic package, taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector and the electronic package as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an assembled perspective view of the electrical connector and the electronic package as shown in  FIG. 1 , when the latching members are disposed in a closed position; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector and the electronic package, taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , an electrical connector in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulative housing  10  electrically connecting an IC package  3  to a circuit board (not shown), a stiffener  30  strengthening the insulative housing  10 , a pair of latching members  50  and a lever or actuator  70  mounted on the insulative housing  10 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the insulative housing  10  comprises a base portion  11 , a plurality of side walls  13  rising from the base portion  11 , and a receiving cavity  12  defined therebetween. Each side wall  13  defines thereon a cutout  131 . 
         [0018]    The stiffener  30  comprises a base plate  31  having a pair of opposite first plate portions  311  and a pair of opposite second plate portions  312 . The stiffener  30  is formed with a pair of supporting portions  32  rising from the pair of first plate portions  311  of the base plate  31  and a hook portion  33  formed at the second plate portion  312 . The stiffener  30  has a receiving space  34  defined between the pair of supporting portions  32 . Each stiffener  30  defines thereon a securing hole  36  extending from the first plate portion  311  to the supporting portion  32 . Each supporting portion  32  defines thereon a mounting hole  35  adjacent to the securing hole  36 . 
         [0019]    The latching member  50  comprises a body portion  51 , a latching portion or head  53  and a bent portion  52  disposed between the body portion  51  and the latching portion  53 . The body portion  51  comprises a resisting portion  55  substantially parallel to the latching portion  53 , and a tail portion  56  substantially parallel to the bent portion  52 . The resisting portion  55  has a pair of indentations  511  defined at opposite edges of the resisting portion  55 , and a connecting portion  512  disposed between the pair of indentations  511  and connected with the tail portion  56 . The tail portion  56  has a pair of opposite ends  561  adjacent to the indentations  511  respectively. 
         [0020]    The lever  70  comprises a handle  72  and a pair of depressing beams  71  extending downwardly from opposite ends of the handle  72 . The handle  72  has a locking portion  73  formed at a middle portion thereof. Each depressing beam  71  has a mounting portion  711  formed at a free end thereof. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , in assembly of the electrical connector, the opposite ends  561  of the tail portion  56  of the latching member  50  are moveably inserted into the securing hole  36  in sequence. The securing hole  36  extending from the first plate portion  311  to the supporting portion  32  is capable of providing an adequate space for insertion and movement of opposite ends  561  of the tail portion  56 . When the tail portion  56  of the latching member  50  is inserted through the securing hole  36  of the stiffener  30 , the indentations  511  of the latching members  50  cross over a corresponding securing hole  36 . At this position, the tail portion  56  of each latching member  50  is located outside an outer surface of the supporting portion  32 . The resisting portion  55  together with the latching portion  53  of the latching member  50  is pivotable about the connecting portion  512  from an opened position toward a closed position. 
         [0022]    The lever  70  is assembled to the stiffener  30 , with the mounting portions  711  inserted in the mounting holes  35 , respectively. The lever  70  is operable to pivot about the mounting portions  711 . The insulative housing  10  is received in the receiving space  34  of the stiffener  30 . A first axis about which the latching member  50  pivots is perpendicular to a second axis about which the lever  70  pivots. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the lever  70  is not depressed by the hook portion  33 , i.e., at it open position, the latching members  50  are disposed at the open position. The IC package  3  can be positioned in the receiving cavity  12  of the insulative housing  10 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , when the latching members  50  are actuated to the closed position by pivoting the lever  70  to a position adjacent to the latching portion  33 , with the depressing beams  71  of the lever  70  depressing against the resisting portions  55  of the latching members  50 , the IC package  3  is held firmly by the latching portions  53  of the latching members  50 . A resilient force provided by the latching members  50  are exerted onto the IC package  3  within a region adjacent to the securing holes  36 . When the IC package  3  is retained at the closed position, the locking portion  73  of the lever  70  is locked with the hook portion  33 . 
         [0025]    When the IC package  3  is to be removed from the electrical connector, the locking portion  73  is separated and disengaged from the hook portion  33  and the lever  70  is pivoted away from its unlocked position. The depressing beams  71  of the lever  70  are now disengaged from the resisting portions  55  of the latching members  50  to loosen the latching members  50 . The IC package  3  could be removed from the electrical connector easily. 
         [0026]    The IC package  3  can be firmly fastened to the closed position due to the engagement between the lever  70  and the latching members  50 , and can be removed from the electrical connector when the latching members  50  are loosened. The latching member  50  has a small dimension and depresses an outer edge of the IC package  3 . A resilient force provided by the latching member  50  is exerted to the IC package  30  within a region adjacent to corresponding securing hole  36  in which the latching member  50  is mounted to realize desired mechanical advantage between load and effort. It would also cost less material to manufacture such latching members  50 . 
         [0027]    The electrical connector could form only one latching member  50  to fasten the IC package  3 . Optionally, the latching members  50  could be formed at the second plate portion  312  on which the hook portion  33  is formed. 
         [0028]    However, the disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention.