Patent Publication Number: US-6908327-B2

Title: Electrical connector with safety load lever

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting an electronic package such as a land grid array (LGA) chip with a circuit board such as a printed circuit board (PCB), and particularly to an LGA electrical connector with a load lever and a connector body. This application is related to other two contemporaneously filed applications having the same title, the same applicant and the same assignee with the instant invention, and also relates to the copending application Ser. No. 10/443,611 with one same applicant and the same assignee. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Land grid array (LGA) electrical connectors are widely used in personal computer (PC) systems to electrically connect LGA chips with printed circuit boards (PCBs). A typical LGA electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a multiplicity of terminals received in the housing in a rectangular array, a metal load plate pivotally mounted to the housing, and a load lever attached to the housing. This kind of LGA electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,280,222 and 6,485,320. 
       FIG. 5  shows a conventional LGA connector  7 . The connector  7  comprises an insulative housing  71  fixed on a PCB (not shown), an operational lever  73  engaged with the housing  71 , and a metal clip  72  mounted to the housing  71 . The housing  71  defines a plurality of passageways (not shown) receiving a plurality of terminals (not shown) therein, and comprises a curved projection  712  extending from a side portion (not labeled) thereof. The clip  72  comprises a hook portion  721  protruding from one end thereof. The lever  73  comprises a pair of axles  731  having a pressing portion  732  therebetween, and an operational arm  733  extending perpendicularly from an end of one of the axles  731 . In use, the connector  7  is firstly oriented to be in an open state, with the clip  72  perpendicular to the housing  71  and the pressing portion  732  of the lever  73  at a highest position. An LGA chip  74  is then put into the housing  71 . Then, the connector  7  is adjusted to be in a closed state, with: the clip  72  abutting the LGA chip  74 ; the pressing portion  732  of the lever  73  pressing the hook portion  721  of the clip  72 ; and the projection  712  of the housing  71  hooking the operational arm  733  of the lever  73 . Thus, the LGA chip  74  is stably received in the connector  7 , and accordingly is connected with the PCB. 
     During adjustment of the connector  7  from the open state to the closed state, an operator (not shown) must manually operate the operational arm  733  of the lever  73 . A distance between the housing  71  and the PCB is a constant. When the operational arm  733  has reached a horizontal position in the closed state, so that a distance between the operational arm  733  and the PCB is a constant. This latter constant is so small that the operator frequently bumps or interferes with the PCB and/or the connector  7 . There are no means to increase the distance between operational arm  733  and the PCB. Thus, during the operation of the operational arm  733 , the operator&#39;s hand is prone to be abraded or hurt. 
     A new electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a load lever with a handle that helps prevent an operator&#39;s hand from being abraded or hurt. 
     In order to achieve the above object, an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a connector body fixed on a circuit substrate, a metal clip pivotally mounted to the connector body, and a load lever attached to the connector body. The connector body defines a plurality of passageways receiving a plurality of terminals therein. The load lever comprises an operational arm, a pair of pivot axles having a pressing portion therebetween and extending from one end of the operational arm, and an operational portion. The operational portion comprises a bending portion bending from an opposite end of the operational arm, and a handle extending from a distal end of the bending portion and being parallel to the operational arm. When the connector is in a closed state, a distant between the handle and the circuit substrate is greater than a distant between the operational arm and the circuit substrate. This configuration prevents an operator&#39;s hand from being abraded or hurt. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present 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  is a simplified, exploded isometric view of an electrical connector in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 ; and showing the electrical connector mounted on a PCB, an LGA chip received in the electrical connector, and a cover and a lever of the electrical connector in respective first positions; 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing the cover and the lever in respective second positions; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified, exploded isometric view of a conventional electrical connector, and showing an LGA chip received in the electrical connector. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the present invention in detail. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an LGA electrical connector  1  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted for electrically connecting an electronic package such as a land grid array (LGA) chip  5  with a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB)  6 . The LGA connector  1  comprises a connector body  2 , a metal clip  3  pivotally mounted to the connector body  2 , and a load lever  4  engaged with the connector body  2 . 
     The connector body  2  comprises an insulative main portion  23  defining an opening (not labeled) in a middle thereof. A metallic frame attached to the main portion  23 , includes a first end portion  21 , a second end portion  22  opposite to the first end portion  21 , and a side portion  24  interconnecting the first end portion  21  and the second end portion  22 . The main portion  23  defines a plurality of passageways  230  arranged in a rectangular array, for receiving a plurality of conductive terminals (not shown) therein. The first end portion  21  defines a pair of spaced pivot apertures  210 . The second end portion  22  defines a receiving groove  220 . A curved projection  240  protrudes from the side portion  24  adjacent the first end portion  21 , for hooking the load lever  4 . 
     The clip  3  is pivotally mounted to the first end portion  21  of the connector body  2 , and comprises a main body  34  defining an opening (not labeled) in a middle thereof. A pair of spaced, curved pivot latches  31  extends from a rear end of the main body  34 , corresponding to the pivot apertures  210  of the first end portion  21 . A hook portion  32  extends from an opposite front end of the main body  34 . A pair of opposite side plates  33  depends from opposite sides of the main body  34  respectively, for pressing the LGA chip  5  on the connector body  2 . 
     Referring also  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the load lever  4  comprises a pair of pivot axles  41  having an offset pressing portion  42  therebetween, an operational arm  43  extending from an end of one of the pivot axles  41 , and an operational portion  44 . The operational portion  44  comprises a U-shaped bending portion  441  bending from a distal end of the operational arm  43 , and a handle  442  extending from a distal end of the bending portion  441  and being parallel to the operational arm  43 . Thus, when the connector  1  is in a closed state, a distance between the handle  442  and the PCB  6  is greater than a distance between the operational arm  43  and the PCB  6 . The pivot axles  41  are pivotably received in receiving groove  220  of the second end portion  22  of the connector body  2 . The pressing portion  42  can fix or release the hook portion  32  of the clip  3  by means of an operator (not shown) manually operating the handle  442  of the load lever  4 . The clip  3  can thereby fasten the LGA chip  5  on the connector body  2 , or release the LGA chip  5  from the connector body  2 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in use, the LGA connector  1  is firstly arranged to be in an open state. The clip  3  is oriented perpendicular to the connector body  2  in a first position. The lever  4  is oriented in a first position, with the pressing portion  42  thereof at a highest location. Then the LGA chip  5  is put into the connector body  2  so that it rests on the terminals in the connector body  2 . Then, the LGA connector  1  is adjusted to be in a closed state. The clip  3  is rotated down to a horizontal second position, with the side plates  33  abutting against the LGA chip  5 . The lever  4  is rotated to a second position, with the pressing portion  42  thereof being engagingly retained in the hook portion  32  of the clip  3  and the operational arm  43  being hooked by the projection  240  of the connector body  2 . Thus, the LGA chip  5  is stably and securely fastened in the LGA connector  1 . The LGA chip  5  is electrically connected with the terminals of the connector body  2 , and is accordingly electrically connected with the PCB  6 . 
     Because the distance between the handle  442  and the PCB  6  is greater than that between the operational arm  43  and the PCB  6 , an operation space for operating the handle  442  of the lever  4  is increased. Thus, during operation of the LGA connector  1  from the open state to the closed state, the operator can conveniently operate the handle  442  of the lever  4  without interfering with the PCB  6  or the connector body  2 . This configuration prevents the operator&#39;s hand from being abraded or hurt. 
     While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.