Abstract:
An LGA socket includes an insulative housing with a number of terminals. A stiffener and a load plate are coupled to each other. The insulative housing is disposed between the load plate and the stiffener. A lever includes an actuating portion and a retaining portion rotatably mounted to the stiffener. The retaining portion has a neck portion and a stop portion at a free end thereof to prevent the lever taking side moving relative to the stiffener.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an Land Grid Array (LGA) socket, and more particularly to an LGA socket with an improved lever which is assembled to a stiffener and the lever is prevented from coming of the stiffener after the lever assembled thereto by means of a neck limited by a stopper from the stiffener. 
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
       [0002]    LGA sockets are more and more popular in the area of computer and are used for connecting a CPU to a PCB. 
         [0003]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , which depicts a conventional LGA socket. The LGA socket comprises an insulative housing  91  and a number of terminals (not labeled) received in the insulative housing  91 . A stiffener  92  is positioned around a periphery wall of the insulative housing  91 . A load plate  93  is pivotally mounted on one end of the stiffener  92  and a lever  94  is pivotally mounted on the other end of the stiffener  92 . A clasp  95  is displaced at a free end of the lever  94  against the stiffener  92  for preventing the lever  94  moving from a side of the stiffener  92 . The stiffener  92 , the load plate  93  and the lever  94  are used for securing the CPU in the insulative housing  91  which electrically connects the CPU with the PCB. 
         [0004]    The metal stiffener  92  is in form of rectangular shape and has a central opening (not labeled) for attaching the insulative housing  91 . The stiffener  92  includes a first end  921 , a second end  922  opposite to the first end  921  and a pair of sidewalls  923  connecting the first end  921  and the second end  922 . 
         [0005]    The lever  94  is bent from a metal bar. The lever  94  includes a retaining portion  940  and an actuating portion  941  perpendicularly bent from a distal end of the retaining potion  940 . The retaining portion  940  has a locking portion  942  in the middle thereof adapt to locking the load plate  93  to the stiffener  92 . An outwardly curved section is formed at a distal end of the actuating portion  941  for convenient operation. 
         [0006]    However, this type of LGA socket needs a clasp  95  to secure the lever  94 , which complicates the manufacturing process. Thus, there is a need to provide a new LGA socket that overcomes the above-mentioned problem. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According, an object of the present invention is to provide an LGA socket with an improved lever for well establishing an electrical connection between an LGA socket and a PCB. 
         [0008]    In order to achieve the object set forth, an LGA socket comprises a metallic stiffener defining an opening and providing a first support at a first end, and a second support at the second end. An insulative housing defines a substantially rectangular cavity in a middle thereof and is supported within the opening of the stiffener. A metal cover is pivotally assembled to the first support and a lever is rotationally assembled to the second support. The lever includes an actuating and a retaining portion, a neck provided adjacent to a free end of the retaining portion and limited by a stopper of the second support once the lever is assembled to the stiffener. 
         [0009]    In order to further achieve the object set forth, an land grid array (LGA) socket comprises an insulative housing and a stiffener mounted on the insulative housing. The stiffener has a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall. A load plate is pivotally mounted on a first end of the stiffener. A lever is supported by a second end of the stiffener and has a first retaining portion and a second retaining portion. The first retaining portion of the lever has a neck portion and a stop portion disposed at a free end thereof wherein the stop portion against the first sidewall of the stiffener to limit the lever taking side motion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an Land Grid Array (LGA) socket in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a lever assembled to a stiffener of the LGA socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the LGA socket of  FIG. 1 , wherein the lever is at an open position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is another assembled view of the LGA socket of  FIG. 1 , wherein the lever is locking a load plate to the stiffener; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view of the circle V of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a conventional LGA socket. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an LGA socket  1  has an insulative housing  10  with a plurality of contacts (not shown), a stiffener  30  attached to the insulative housing  10 , a load plate  40  pivotally mounted to one end of the stiffener  30  being rotary between an opened position and a closed position, and a lever  50  pivotally supported at the other end of the stiffener  30  adapted to lock the load plate  40  to the stiffener  30 . 
         [0018]    The insulative housing  10  has a rectangular shape with a top surface  103  and a bottom surface  104 . The top surface  103  is provided with a plurality of periphery walls  102  which form an electrical region  101  adapt for receiving an LGA package (not labeled). The electrical region  101  has a plurality of passageways (not labeled) displaced as matrix extending from the top surface  103  to the bottom surface  104  to receiving the contacts. 
         [0019]    The stiffener  30  is formed to a rectangular frame with a bottom surface  301 . The bottom surface  301  includes a front wall  302  bent upwardly therefrom with the load plated  40  mounted thereon. A rear wall  303  bends upwardly from the bottom surface  301  with the lever  50  pivotally supported thereon. A pair of sidewalls  304 ,  305  integral connect with the front wall  302  and the rear wall  303 , respectively. A U-shaped notch  3041  is provided at a rear end of the side wall  304  for pivotally supporting the lever  50 . An interlocking element  3051  is formed integrally with a front end of the sidewall  305  at an upper edge. The bottom surface  301  provides an opening  306  for receiving the insulative housing  10  and an aperture  307  near the rear wall  303 . The front wall  302  has a pair of latching slots  308 . The rear wall  303  has a plurality of retaining elements  309  bending toward the opening  306 . 
         [0020]    The load plate  40  is a metal frame. The load plate  40  includes a retaining side  401  adapt for attaching to the stiffener  30  and a pressing side  402  opposite to the retaining side  401 . The retaining side  401  provides a pair of bearing tongues  404  curved downwardly. The bearing tongues  404  are attached to the latching slots  308  of the stiffener  30  and rotate between an open position and a close position. A holding element  403  is formed between the bearing tongues  404  to prevent the load plate  40  over rotation. The holding element  403  extends outwardly from the retaining side  401  and is at the same height as the load plate  40 . The pressing side  402  has a curve tongue  405  extending downwardly for engaging with the lever  50 . 
         [0021]    The lever  50  is bent from a metal bar and is formed as a L-shaped. The lever  50  is pivotally mounted on the retaining elements  309  which includes a first retaining portion  501 , a second retaining portion  502  and a locking portion  503  formed between the first retaining portion  501  and the second retaining portion  502 . A free end of the second retaining portion  502  has an actuating portion  506  for rotating the lever  50  relative to the stiffener  30 . A neck portion  504  and a stop portion  505  are formed on a free end of the first retaining portion  501 . The neck portion  504  has a half-cylinder shape which is provided with a curved surface and a planar surface. The stop portion  505  also has a half-cylinder shape which has a common planar surface with the neck portion  504 . The diameter of the stop portion  505  is bigger than the diameter of the neck portion  504 . 
         [0022]    In assembly the LGA socket  1 , reference to  FIG. 2 , the lever  50  is assembled to the retaining elements  309  and the sidewall  304  of the stiffener  30  by the actuating portion  506  rotary downwardly below the stiffener  30 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the locking portion  503  could rotate in the aperture  307  and without interference with the stiffener  30 . By rotation the actuating portion  506  above the stiffener  30 , put the insulative housing  10  in the opening  306  of the stiffener  30 . Then, the bearing tongues  404  of the load plate  40  are pivotally mounted on the latching slots  308  of the stiffener  30 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the lever  50  is disposed in an open position, the curved surface of the neck portion  504  is against to the notch  3041  of the sidewall  304  and the stop portion  505  is used to prevent the lever  50  away from the sidewall  304  of the stiffener  30 . 
         [0023]    Reference to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , when the LGA socket  1  is in a close position, the locking portion  503  of the lever  50  presses the tongue  405  of the load plate  40  and the actuating portion  506  is locked by the interlocking element  3051 . At the closed position, the common planar surface of the neck portion  504  and stop portion  505  is generally faced upwardly. 
         [0024]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various alterations and modifications can be made to the embodiments without in any way departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.