Abstract:
An integrated circuit connector for LGA package is used to fix a support assembly and a back assembly to circuit board. An integrated circuit is mounted in the support assembly and corresponding to the circuit board. The support assembly comprises protection board and contact stage and the contact stage comprises contact holes for containing contacts. The protection board includes a plurality of through holes corresponding to the contact holes such that the contacts are movable in the through holes. The protection board includes spring elements on both sides thereof and between the protection board and the contact stage such that the protection board is movable to protect the contact. The contact will not be deformed when the circuit board is manufactured and conveyed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an integrated circuit connector for LGA package, especially to an integrated circuit connector for LGA package, which has enhanced resistance for horizontal pressure and can prevent contact deform during manufacture and convey of contacts. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   Integrated circuits (IC) are heart of computer. It is cumbersome for replacing or updating IC when IC is soldered on circuit board for use. Therefore, IC is generally mounted on a socket for providing electrical connection to underlying circuit board. The IC can be easily replaced or updated without the risk of damaging circuit board. Alternatively, a PGA package can be used, wherein the IC comprises a plurality of male contacts on bottom thereof and the IC socket comprises a plurality of U-shaped female contact for mating the male contacts. 
     FIG. 1  shows a conventional LGA (Land Grid Array) package socket. The LGA socket  10  comprises contacts  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  electrically connected to IC  50  and circuit board  40 . The contacts  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  are soldered with tin paste on tail thereof to solder the contacts  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  to the circuit board  40 . The LGA socket  10  is placed in a clamping frame  30 . The clamping frame  30  comprises locking holes  31 ,  32  on a first side  301  thereof and used for locking a clip  37 . The clamping frame  30  further comprises a handle  34  with a crank  33  on a second side  302  thereof, and the clip  37  comprises a tongue  36  corresponding to the crank  33 . The clamping frame  30  further comprises a hook  35  corresponding to the handle  34  on a third side thereof. After the IC  50  is placed on the LGA socket  10 , the clip  37  is placed upon the IC  50  to initially retain the IC  50 . Afterward, the handle  34  is pressed against the hook  35  and the crank  33  is engaged with the tongue  36 . Therefore the IC  50  is pressed down firmly such that the contacts thereof are forced to touch the LGA socket  10 . However, the above-mentioned socket has following drawbacks. 
   1. The contacts are tiny and exposed; therefore the contacts have risk of damaging during assembling. 
   2. The circuit board is subject to single-direction force and not supported on backside thereof. The circuit board tends to deformation to cause poor contact between contacts and circuit board. 
   3. The operation of clip and handle needs both hands of user; this is cumbersome. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is to provide an integrated circuit connector for LGA package. A protection board is assembled to a contact stage and the protection board comprises a plurality of through holes. The protection board is movably arranged on the contact stage and the contact stage comprises a plurality of contact holes. Each contact hole contains a contact therein such that the contact is guided by the through hole when the contact extends out of the contact hole. A plurality of spring elements is provided between the protection board and the contact stage. When the IC is not assembled, the contact is not exposed and not deformed. The contact can be protected by the protection board during assembling and conveying. 
   Preferably, the integrated circuit connector according to the present invention comprises a support assembly and a back assembly to fix the support assembly on the circuit board. The support assembly comprises a clamping frame, at least one protection board and a contact stage. The protection board and the contact stage can be mounted in the clamping frame. The back assembly comprises a reinforce board. The support assembly and the back assembly are fixed to circuit board by screw. Alternatively, the back assembly is soldered to the back face of the circuit board, or the support assembly is directly soldered to the front face of the circuit board. 
   In one aspect of the present invention, the reinforce board comprises a plurality of tongues to provide a back side pressure for the circuit board and counter act the forward pressure of the IC on the circuit board. The circuit board can be prevented from concave deformation and stable contact can be preserved. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, the handle thereof can be operated by single hand to link the pressing cap. The IC, protection board and contact stage can be clamped and the contact can be pressed with suitable pressure. Moreover, the handle can be operated by single hand to detach from hook, the IC, protection board and contact stage can be removed easily. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, during the operation of the handle, the head and tail of the contact will remove dirt and oxide on IC or circuit board by swing over them. 
   In still another aspect of the present invention, the head and tail of the contact have good contact with the IC or circuit board to save the step of soldering. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING  
     The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself however may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, which describes certain exemplary embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a prior art LGA (Land Grid Array) package socket. 
       FIG. 2  shows the perspective view of the LGA connector according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  shows the exploded view of the LGA connector according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  shows the top view of the LGA connector according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  shows a partially enlarged view along line V in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a partially enlarged view of area A in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a partially enlarged view of area B in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 8  shows the sectional view of the LGA connector in opening state according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  shows the sectional view of the LGA connector in closing state according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  shows the back view of the LGA connector before pressing according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  shows the sectional view of the LGA connector before pressing according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 12  shows the sectional view of the LGA connector after closing state according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 13  shows a partially enlarged view of area B in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 14  shows a partially enlarged view of area C in  FIG. 12 . 
       FIG. 15  shows another partially enlarged view of area B in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 16  shows another partially enlarged view of area C in  FIG. 12 . 
       FIG. 17  shows the exploded view of the protection board and the contact stage of the LGA connector according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 18  shows the schematic view of the protection board of the LGA connector according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 19  shows the schematic view of the protection board and the contact stage of the LGA connector according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 20  shows the exploded view of the LGA connector according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the LGA connector according to the present invention comprises a support assembly  100  and a back assembly  200  which can fix the support assembly  100  to a circuit board  300 . The support assembly  100  comprises a locking frame  110 , at least one protective board  120 ,  140  and a contact stage  130 . The protective board  120 ,  140  and the contact stage  130  are mounted in the locking frame  110  after assembling. The back assembly  200  comprises a reinforce board  210  and uses screws  220 ,  221 ,  222  and  223  to fix the support assembly  100  to the circuit board  300 , wherein an IC  101  is mounted in the support assembly  100 . 
   The locking frame  110  comprises a first side  1101 , a second side  1102  and a third side  1103 . A handle  111  and a pressing cap  112  are pivotally provided on the first side  1101 . The locking frame  110  contains the contact stage  130  therein such that the pressing cap  112  presses against the contact stage  130 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the contact stage  130  comprises a first wall  1301  and a second wall  1302  vertical to each other. The first wall  1301  comprises a clamping groove  130 C and a spring plate  110 A on the second side  1102  is engaged into the clamping groove  130 C to floatingly clamp the contact stage  130  into the locking frame  110 . To eject the contact stage  130 , the spring plate  110 A is pulled out to detach the clamping groove  130 C from the spring plate  110 A, thus ejecting the contact stage  130 . 
   The reinforce board  210  comprises a plurality of pre-load tongues  214  around the peripheral thereof. The locking frame  110  comprises mouths  110 F corresponding to the pre-load tongues  214 . When the locking frame  110  and the reinforce board  210  are locked into the circuit board  300 , the pre-load tongues  214  pass through holes  304  on the circuit board  300  and are then locked to the mouths  110 F. Therefore, the locking frame  110  and the reinforce board  210  are initially locked to the circuit board  300  and then fixed by screws. The locking frame  110  comprises a plurality of locking holes  1104  for the locking of the screws  220 ,  221 ,  222  and  223 . Moreover, the locking hole  1104  comprises a downward flange with thread therein; the downward flange penetrates into hole  305  of the motherboard. 
     FIG. 7  shows a partially enlarged view of the LGA connector according to the present invention. The protective boards  120 ,  140  comprises locking male hooks  120 A,  140 A and the first wall  1301  and the second wall  1302  of the contact stage  130  comprises a pair of female walls  130 A,  130 B corresponding to the male hooks  120 A,  140 A. The protective boards  120 ,  140  have floating stroke in the contact stage  130  when the male hooks  120 A,  140 A are engage with the female walls  130 A,  130 B. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 11 ,  12  and  13 , the contacts  131 ,  132  in the contact holes  134 ,  135  of the contact stage  130  are in contact with the IC  101 . The heads  131 A,  132 A and tails  131 B,  132 B of the contacts  131 ,  132  extends out of the contact holes  134 ,  135  of the contact stage  130  to penetrate the through holes  120 B,  120 C,  140 B,  140 C of the protective boards  120 ,  140 . When the protective boards  120 ,  140  are subject to pressure, the heads  131 A,  132 A and tails  131 B,  132 B of the contacts  131 ,  132  extends out of the through holes  120 B,  120 C,  140 B,  140 C of the protective boards  120 ,  140  and are in contact with the IC  101 . When the handle  111  is pulled, the heads  131 A,  132 A and tails  131 B,  132 B of the contacts  131 ,  132  will scratch the circuit board  300  or IC  101  to remove dirt or oxide layer thereon. Moreover, the heads  131 A,  132 A and tails  131 B,  132 B of the contacts  131 ,  132  provide dual contact for contacting the circuit board  300  or IC  101 . Therefore, soldering is not necessary and the contacts  131 ,  132  can be removed for repeated use. 
     FIG. 5  shows a partially enlarged view of the floating section, wherein a plurality of spring elements  121 ,  122 ,  141 ,  142  are employed to provide spring movement between the protective boards  120 ,  140  and the contact stage  130 . With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 12 , the surface of the protective board  120  is higher than the heads  131 A,  132 A and tails  131 B,  132 B of the contacts  131 ,  132 . With reference to  FIGS. 9 and 12 , when the IC  101  is pressed and the protective boards  120 ,  140  are moved toward the contact stage  130 , the contacts  131 ,  132  projects out of the through holes  120 B,  120 C,  140 B,  140 C of the protective boards  120 ,  140 . Therefore, the heads  131 A,  132 A and tails  13   1 B,  132 B of the contacts  131 ,  132  have swinging contact with respect to the circuit board  300  or IC  101  and can scratch the circuit board  300  or IC  101  to remove dirt or oxide layer thereon. 
     FIG. 8  shows a sectional view for opening the LGA connector according to the present invention. The pressing cap  112  of the locking frame  110  is linked with the handle  111 . The handle  111  can be operated to press downward the pressing cap  112  of the locking frame  110  and to clamp the IC  101 . 
     FIGS. 12 and 14  are sectional view for closing the LGA connector according to the present invention. After the IC  101  is clamped, the handle  111  is operated download to lock the IC  101 . At this time, the LGA connector is back to the situation as shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  8  and  13 , the IC  101  can be easily mounted or removed.  FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of the present invention, a plurality of tongues  211 ,  212 ,  213  are provided on bottom of the reinforce board  210  to reduce pressure of the support assembly  100  acting against the circuit board  300  and to prevent concave deform of the circuit board  300 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 10 ,  11 , and  13  the linking of the pressing cap  112  of the locking frame  110  with the handle  111  is shown in more detail. A crank  111 B is formed at center of the handle  111  and a pivotal pipe  112 C on one side of the pressing cap  112  of the locking frame  110  is pivotally locked to the crank  111 B. A rotation axis is provided on each side of the crank  111 B for pivotally connecting to the locking frame  110 . The first side  1101  of the locking frame  110  comprises pressing tab  110 D for pressing against the rotation axis. The crank  111 B comprises an auxiliary bump  111 A and the locking frame  110  comprises a baffle  110 C near the handle  111 . When the handle  111  is pulled upward and the pressing cap  112  is rotated, the crank  111 B is abutted against an abutting block  110 E of the locking frame  110 . The tail wall  112 E of the pressing cap  112  is also abutted against the baffle  110 C such that the pressing cap  112  and the handle  111  are kept to an opening angle. The handle  111  and the pressing cap  112  will not loosen. The pressing cap  112  of the locking frame  110  comprises an opening  112 H for facilitating the assembling of the IC  101 , wherein the IC  101  can be directly assembled through the opening  112 H. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 14 , the pressing cap  112  of the locking frame  110  is rotated when the handle  111  is rotated. The pressing cap  112  of the locking frame  110  has a force-acing point  112 G against the IC  101  and the crank  111 B is moved forward and downward such that the arms  112 A and  112 B of the pressing cap  112  extend to bottom side of a locking board  110 B on both sidewalls of the locking frame  110 . The crank  111 B is further pushed downward and the force-acing point  112 G is moved further to press against the IC  101 . The protective boards  120  and  140 , the contact stage  130  and the circuit board are moved to clamping point for locking. Moreover, a chamfer for insertion of the arms  112 A,  112 B is formed on front end of the locking board  110 B. 
   To open the support assembly  100  and to remove the IC  101 , the handle  111  is pulled to release pressure on the force-acing point  112 G. The handle  111  is rotated further to release the arms  112 A and  112 B from the locking board  110 B, and the pressing cap  112  of the locking frame  110  is also linked to rotate and the state shown in  FIG. 8  is restored. The protective boards  120  and  140  are floated by the spring elements  121 ,  122 ,  141 ,  142  to protect the contacts  131  and  132  during opening state. During usage, the locking frame  110  and the reinforce board  210  are fixed to the circuit board  300  by screws  220   221 ,  222  and  223 , thus finishing the assembling. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , the contact stage  130  comprises a protective board  120  on top side thereof and does not comprise protective board on bottom side thereof. The solder ball  301 ,  302  or  303  at tail of the contact is heated to melt on the circuit board  300 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 17 and 18 , the contact stage  130  comprises a protective board  120  on topside thereof and a plurality of spring elements  121 ,  122  are provided between the contact stage  130  and the protective board  120  such that the protective board  120  floats on the contact stage  130 . The protective board  120  prevents the contacts  131 ,  132  from deforming. The protective board  120  further comprises a plurality of through holes  120 B and  120 C and the contact stage  130  comprises a plurality of contact holes  134  and  135 . Each of the contact holes  134  and  135  comprises a contact  131 ,  132  such that the contact  131 ,  132  can be protected in the through holes  120 B and  120 C when the contact  131 ,  132  extend out of the contact holes  134  and  135 . As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 17 , both ends of the protective board  120  comprise a pair of lips  120 A; the first wall  1301  and the second wall  1302  of the contact stage  130  comprise a pair of female locking walls  130 A corresponding to the lips  120 A. The protective board  120  floats on the contact stage  130  when the lips  120 A are engaged with the female locking walls  130 A. 
   With reference to  FIG. 18 , the protective board  120  comprises four trenches  123  located at four ears  124  of the protective board  120 . One end of the spring elements  121 ,  122  is located in one end of the trench  123  and another end of the spring elements  121 ,  122  is dangled. When the protective board  120  is pressed by the IC  101  and approaches the contact stage  130 , the dangled end of the spring elements  121 ,  122  is pressed by the contact stage  130  and fit into the trench. When the IC  101  is removed and the protective board  120  is not subject to pressure, the dangled end of the spring elements  121 ,  122  will leave the trench  123  due to pressure and be away from the contact stage  130  due to a counter action force of the contact stage  130 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 19 , the contact stage  130  is provided with protective boards  120  and  140  on top side and bottom side thereof, respectively. In other word, the contact stage  130  is provided with protective boards  120  and  140  on top side or bottom side or both top and bottom sides thereof. The protective boards  120  and  140  comprises a plurality of through holes  120 B,  120 C,  140 B,  140 C and the protective boards  120  and  140  are movably arranged atop the contact stage  130 . The contact stage  130  comprises a plurality of contact holes  134  and  135  with contacts  131  and  132  therein, respectively. The contacts  131  and  132  can be protected in the through holes  120 B,  120 C,  140 B,  140 C when the contacts  131  and  132  extend out of the contact holes  134  and  135 . Moreover, a plurality of spring elements  121 ,  122 ,  141 ,  142  are provided between protective boards  120  and  140  such that the protective boards  120  and  140  have to-and-fro elastic movement on the contact stage  130 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 20 , the support assembly  100  is arranged on the circuit board  300  and screw  216  is used to fix the back assembly  200  and the locking frame  110  to the circuit board  300 . The back assembly  200  is an apertured panel  230  with a plurality of extended arms  231  extruding on peripheral of the apertured panel  230 . Each of the extended arms  231  comprises a threaded hole such that heat-dissipating fins can be fixed atop the IC  101  by bolts. The panel  230  enhances pressure resisting ability of the circuit board  300  with respect to the IC  101  and prevents the concave deform of the circuit board  300 , thus keeping stable contact and structure integrity. The panel  230  comprises a plurality of holes  232  through which screws  220 ,  221 ,  222 ,  223  pass for locking with a fixing hole  1104 . As can be seen from above preferred embodiment, the back assembly  200  and the locking frame  110  can be fixed by screwing or soldering. Alternatively, the back assembly  200  is fixed by screwing and the frame  110  is fixed by soldering, and vice versa. 
   The protective boards  120  and  140  are arranged on top side or bottom side of the contact stage  130  and floatingly arranged on the contact stage  130  with the help of the spring elements  121 ,  122 ,  141  and  142 . The protective boards  120  and  140  and the contact stage  130  are mounted in the locking frame  110  after assembling. When the IC  101  is mounted into the locking frame  110  and the handle  111  is pressed to press the IC  101  with the pressing cap  112 , the protective boards  120  and  140  can approach the contact stage  130  by pressure. To remove the IC  101 , the handle  111  is pulled to release the pressing cap  112  from the IC  101  and the protective boards  120  and  140  departs from the contact stage  130  due to the elastic force of the spring elements  121 ,  122 ,  141  and  142 . Therefore, the contacts can be protected by the protective boards  120  and  140  during mounting and replacing. 
   To sum up, the LGA connector according to the present invention employs protective boards to protect head and tail of the contact extending out of the contact stage and prevents the deformation of contacts during manufacture and convey. The circuit board is strengthened by reinforcement board to prevent deformation of circuit board. The IC can be assembled and removed by single hand. The head and tail of contact can remove dirt and oxide on IC or circuit board by swinging thereof, and eliminate soldering need, thus preventing contamination. 
   Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.