Patent Publication Number: US-7717760-B2

Title: Electrical connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector, and more particularly relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting a plug assembly to a PCB. 
   2. Background of the Invention 
   Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) electrical connectors are widely used for electrically connecting two electrical interfaces such as an electrical substrate, e.g. a PCB, and plug assembly, e.g. a central processing unit (CPU). 
   Typical conventional ZIP connectors are disclosed in Chinese Patent Nos. 2501204, 2588065 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,340,309, 6,431,900. Each of these connectors generally comprises a base connected to a PCB, a movable cover mounted on the base and a driving mechanism. The base includes a plurality of passageways and a plurality of conductive contacts received therein. The cover includes a plurality of through holes corresponding to the passageways in the base. The driving mechanism is used to drive the cover to move from an open position to a closed position. While the cover is at the open position, pins of the plug assembly are inserted into the through holes of the cover and the passageways of the base. At this time, the pins do not contact with any conductive contacts. While the cover is at the closed position, the plug assembly is electrically connected with the PCB by the pins contacting with the conductive contacts. However, in conventional electrical connector, the base is usually molded by an injected art and the conductive contacts are usually sealed in the passageways of the base, while the plug assembly is mated with the base. The heat exerted by the conductive contacts, when the connector is in using, is hardly to be distributed. 
   As electronic systems become more sophisticated, the systems require an increasing number of conductive contacts. Thus, as electronic systems become more advanced, the quantity of contacts with the electrical connector increase. The above-mentioned problem becomes more obvious and serious. 
   In view of the foregoing, a new and improved electrical connector is desired to solve above-mentioned problems. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an electrical connector for electrically connecting a plug assembly to a PCB. The electrical connector includes a base mounted to the PCB, which has an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, a plurality of conductive contacts received in the base with partly extending above the upper surface, and a cover mounted on the upper surface of the base and having peripheral walls, a first and second surface corresponding to the upper surface of the base. The base defines a plurality of incontinuous standoffs extending from the upper surface of the base. 
   While the cover is mounted on the upper surface of the base, certain distance is defined by the standoffs between the second surface of the cover and the upper surface of the base, and certain clearance is defined between the incontinuous standoff. As each conductive contacts extends with partly above the upper surface of the base, thus while the electrical connector is in use, heat exerted by the conductive contacts is distributed to the air via the clearance between the incontinuous standoffs. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of an electrical connector of the first preferred embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an assembly view of an electrical connector mating with a plug assembly of the first embodiment in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an electrical connector of the second embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is an assembly view of an electrical connector of the second embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the conductive contact of the electrical connector in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
   Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the electrical connector  1  accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The electrical connector  1  is used for establishing an electrical connection between a plug assembly (not shown), e.g. a central processing unit (CPU) and an electrical substrate, e.g. a PCB (not shown). The electrical connector  1  includes a base  10  connected to the PCB, a movable cover  11  mounted on the base  10  and a plurality of conductive contacts  12  received in the base  10 . 
   The base  10  has an upper surface  100  and a lower surface  101  opposite to the upper surface  100 . A plurality of passageways (not labeled) extends through both said upper and lower surface  100 ,  101  and is arranged in a matrix. The conductive contacts  12  receive in said passageways, respectively, with partly extending above the upper surface  100  of the base  10 . A plurality of incontinuous standoffs  103  extends from the upper surface  100  of the base  10 . The incontinuous standoff  103  have a common height. 
   The cover  11  is mounted on the upper surface  100  of the base  10  and has peripheral walls  112 , a first surface  110  for carrying the plug assembly, and a second surface  111  opposite to the first surface  110  and corresponding to the upper surface  100  of the base  10 . The peripheral walls  112  have a plurality of grooves  114  corresponding to the clearance between said standoffs  103 . The grooves  114  each extends through both said first and second surface  110 , 111 . A plurality of through  116  holes, which enables the pins of the plug assembly to be inserted into, extends through both said first and second surface  110 ,  111  and is corresponding to the passageways of the base  10 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , while the cover  11  is mounted on the upper surface  100  of the base  10 , a certain distance is defined by the standoffs  103  between the second surface  111  of the cover  11  and the upper surface  10  of the base  10 , and certain clearance is defined between the standoffs  103  because they are incontinuous. Because each conductive contacts extends with partly above the upper surface  100  of the base, thus while the electrical connector  1  is in use, heat exerted by the conductive contacts  12  is distributed to the air via said clearance between incontinuous the standoffs  103 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the electrical connector  1  in accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and includes a base  10  connected to the PCB, a movable cover  21  mounted on the base  10  and a plurality of conductive contacts  12  received in the base  10 . 
   The base  10  has an upper surface  100  and a lower surface  101  opposite to the upper surface  100 . A plurality of passageways (not labeled) extends through both said upper and lower surface  100 , 101  and is arranged in a matrix. The conductive contacts  12  receive in said passageways, respectively, with partly extending above the upper surface  100  of the base  10 . A plurality of incontinuous standoffs  103  extends from the upper surface  100  of the base  10 . The incontinuous standoff  103  have a common height. 
   The cover  21  is mounted on the upper surface  100  of the base  10  and has peripheral walls  214 , a first surface  210  for carrying the plug assembly, and a second surface  211  opposite to the first surface  210  and corresponding to the upper surface  100  of the base  10 . A plurality of incontinuous projections  213  is corresponding to the standoffs  103  of the base  10  and extends from the second surface  211 . The projections  213  may be arranged in a common height or/and in a same configuration. Also, the projections  213  of the cover  21  and the standoff  103  may have a common height. A plurality of through holes  212 , which enables the pins of the plug assembly to be inserted into, extends through both said first and second surface  210 ,  211  and is corresponding to the passageways of the base  10 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , while the cover  21  is mounted on the upper surface  100  of the base  10 , a certain distance is defined by the standoffs  103  and the projections  213  between the second surface  111  of the cover  11  and the upper surface  10  of the base  10 . Certain clearance or cutout is defined between the incontinuous standoff  103  and certain clearance or through aperture is defined between the incontinuous projections  213 . Because each conductive contacts  12  extends with partly above the upper surface  100  of the base  10 , thus while the electrical connector  1  is in use, heat exerted by the conductive contacts  12  is distributed to the air via the clearance between the incontinuous standoffs  103  and the clearance between the incontinuous projections  213 . 
     FIG. 5  illustrates a isometric view of a conductive contact  12  of the electrical connector  1  in accordance with the present invention. The conductive contact  12  is used in the electrical connector  1  in accordance with both the first the and second embodiment of the present invention. Each conductive contact  12  includes a body  120 , a solder portion  121  extending from the body  120  and a pair of arms  122  extending from the body  120 . The body  120  is generally of a platelike configuration, defining at least one retaining portion  1200 , which is used for positioning the conductive contact  12  in the passageways. The solder portion  121  and the two arms  122  extend along a direction of and in same side of the body  120 . The solder portion  121  extends from the bottom end of the body  120  and the two contacting arms extend from the two opposite sides of the body  120 , respectively. Each arm  122  defines a contacting portion  1223 , which is formed in end of the aim  122 . A channel is defined by two contacting  1223 , which is provided a space to allow the pin (not shown) of the plug assembly to be inserted into, while the plug assembly is mated with the electrical connector  1 . While the pin of the plug assembly contacts with the conductive contact  12  of the electrical connector  1 , an electrical connection between the electrical connector  1  and the plug assembly is established. 
   Furthermore, although the present invention has been described with the preferred embodiment referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , it is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various alterations and modifications can be made to embodiment without in any way departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as defined in appended claims.