Patent Publication Number: US-2007111571-A1

Title: Assembled method of an electrical connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention is related to an assembled method of an electrical connector, and particularly to an assembled method used for installing an electrical connector for connecting a chip module to a printed circuit board.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Electrical connectors are widely used for electrically connecting electronic packages such as integrated circuits (ICs) with printed circuit boards. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a typical electrical connector  100 ′ comprises an insulative housing  6 ′, a number of electrical contacts  5 ′ (not shown) received in the housing  6 ′, a cover  7 ′ mounted on the housing  6 ′, a cam  8 ′ for actuating the cover  7 ′ moving relative to the housing  6 ′, a washer  9 ′ and a riveting plate  10 ′ for engaging with the cam  8 ′. The cam  8 ′ engages with washer  9 ′ by a rivet technology, in this case, the cam  8 ′ can actuate the cover  7 ′ moving relative to the housing  6 ′ between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is a position that leads of the chip module inserted into corresponding passageways of the housing  6 ′ and not abutting against the terminals  5 ′, the second position is a position that leads of the chip module inserted into the corresponding passageways of the housing  6 ′ and abutting against the terminals  5 ′.  
      The housing  6 ′ and the cover  7 ′ each define a receptacle hole  610 ′,  710 ′ respectively for receiving a corresponding portions of cam  8 ′.  
      The cam  8 ′ comprises a plurality of column with a decreasing diameter in an upper to lower direction. The riveting plate  10 ′ defines a receiving section  101 ′ for engaging with a corresponding portion of the cam  8 ′.  
      During assembly of the electrical connector  100 ′, the cam  8 ′ passes through the receptacle hole  710 ′ of the cover  7 ′, the washer  9 ′, the hole  610 ′ of the housing  6 ′ and protrudes outwardly. And then the portion protruding from the housing  6 ′ rivets with riveting plate  10 ′, hence the cover  7 ′, the washer  9 ′, the housing  6 ′ and the riveting plate  10 ′ are assembled together.  
      However, when using a pressing header rivets an end of the cam with the rivet plate together, the cam  8 ′ is easily not in alignment to the center of the riveting plate  10 ′, hence the engagement between the cam  8 ′ and the riveting plate  10 ′ is not reliable and stable. As a result, the riveting plate  8 ′ is prone to shed off, thus the connector operation can not go on.  
      In view of the above, a new electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention is to provide an assemble method about an electrical connector which can ensure a reliable electrical and mechanical connection.  
      To fulfill the above objects, an assembled method about an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided. The assembled method comprises the following steps: A. providing a housing received a plurality of terminals and defined a housing hole; B. providing a cover defined a cover hole thereof; C. mounting the cover on the housing and making the housing hole in alignment with the cover hole; D. providing a cam defined a end surface and a riveting plate for riveting the cam; E. inserting the cam into the cover hole, the housing hole and riveting hole in turn; F. using the pressing header riveting the end surface of the cam; in addition, the assemble method further comprises the step G: defining a recess with the shape similar to the shape of the pressing header.  
      as a improvement of the invention, the assembled method further comprises a washer disposed between the cam and the housing.  
      Relative to the conventional technology, the assembled method in according with the invention can avoid the problem that the pressing header is not prone to aim at the center of the cam by the recess disposed on the end surface of the cam, hence ensuring a stable slide about the cover relative to the housing. In addition, the washer added can improve a force character applied on the cover, which can enhance the slide stability of the cover relative to the housing.  
      Other objects, feature novels and advantages 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  illustrates an exemplary perspective, exploded view of a conventional electrical connector;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary, enlarged perspective, assembled view of the cam of  FIG. 1 , in another perspective;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates an isometric view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates an isometric view of an electrical connector shown in  FIG. 3 , in another perspective.  
       FIG. 5  illustrates an isometric, enlarged view of the cam shown in  FIG. 4 , in another perspective. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION  
      Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the invention in detail.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , an electrical connector  100  assembled by the assembled method in accordance with the present invention comprises a dielectric housing  6 , a cover  7  slidably mounted on the housing  6 , and a multiplicity of terminals  5  received in corresponding passageways defined through the housing  6  for electrically connecting pins of a central processing unit (CPU) (not shown) with a mother board (not shown), a metallic cam  8  engaged between the housing  6  and the cover  7 , and a riveting plate  10  defined a riveting hole therein and a washer  9  for engaging with the cam  8 .  
      The housing  6  is generally in the shape of a square and comprises an insulative base portion  61  and a extending portion  62  extending from an end of the base portion  61 . The extending portion  62  defines a through housing hole  620  for receiving the cam  8 , and a receptacle hole  630  for receiving a washer  9  on a bottom thereof.  
      The cover  7  has a shape corresponding to that of the housing  6  and comprises an insulative body  71  and a ledge  72  defined at one end thereof. A multiplicity of passages extends through the body  61  in alignment with the passageways  13  of the housing  10 . The ledge  72  defines a receiving section  720  for receiving the washer therein. In addition, the ledge  72  further defines a first stop wall  721  and a second stop wall  722  for engaging with cam  8 . The receiving section  720  defines a cover hole  730  corresponding to the position of the housing hole  630  for receiving the corresponding section of the cam  8 .  
      The cam  8  comprises an upper disk  81 , a lower disk  82  and a lower cam block  83 . The upper disk  81  is coaxial with the lower disk  82  and has a diameter larger than the lower disk  82 . The upper disk  81  defines an elongated groove recessed in an upper surface thereof and comprises an outwardly protruding protrusion. The groove has two closed opposing longitudinal ends. Thus, a tool can be confinedly fitted into the groove to exert a rotation force on the cam  8 , without the possibility that the tool may slid along the groove beyond the periphery of the upper disk  81 . The cam block  83  is formed beneath the lower disk  82  and comprises a riveting end  44  coaxial with the cam block  83  at a lower end thereof. A rotational axis of the cam block  84  is offset from a rotational axis of the lower disk  82 . The riveting end  84  defines a concave  840  in the center thereof according to the shape of a pressing header for riveting the riveting plate  10  onto the cam  8 . When the riveting plate  10  engages with the cam  8 , the pressing header is in alignment with the concave  840  of the cam  8 , hence the riveting end  84  of the cam  8  is full with the riveting hole of the riveting plate  10 , which makes the force of the engagement between the cam  8  and the riveting plate  10  more tightly and reliably.  
      The washer  9  is configured as a irregular shape and comprises a stop portion  91 , an offset portion  92  and a receiving hole  93 . During the cover  7  sliding relative to the housing  6 , the stop portion  91  engages with the first stop wall  721  and the second wall  722  for preventing the cover  7  from excessively sliding relative to the housing  6 . The offset portion  92  is used for pressing the cover  7  sliding on the housing  6 .  
      Referring to FIGS.  3  to  6 , in assembly, first, the terminals  5  are received in the passageways of the housing  10 . Second, the cover  7  is assembled onto the housing  6 . Successively, the cam  8  is mounted into the ZIF socket  1  from the top via the top cover holes  730  and then through the through housing holes  620 . The cam block  84  of the cam  8  extends outwardly from the riveting plate  10 . When using a pressing header rivets an end of the cam with the rivet plate together, the cam  9 ′ is easy to aim to the center of the riveting plate  10 , due to the existence of the concave  840  , hence the riveting end  84  of the cam  8  is full with the riveting hole of the riveting plate  10  and the engagement between the cam  8  and the riveting plate  10  is reliable and stable.  
      From the foregoing it will be recognized that the principles of the invention may be employed in various arrangements to obtain the features, advantages and benefits described above. It is to be understood, therefore, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention have been set forth together with details of the structure and function of the invention, this disclosure is to be considered illustrative only. Various changes and modifications may be made in detail, especially in matters of size, shape and arrangements of parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.