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  Electrical connector having protecting protrusionsUSPTO Application #: 20060040518Title: Electrical connector having protecting protrusions Abstract: A land grid array connector (10) for electrically connecting a CPU package to a printed circuit board includes a housing (30) having a top surface (320) and a number of terminals received in passageways (31) of the housing. Each of the terminals has a retention portion (52), a spring arm (54) extending from the retention portion beyond the top surface. A contacting portion (58) is formed on a topmost part of the spring arm for electrically mating with a corresponding pad formed on a bottom of the CPU package. A plurality of protrusions (324) is formed on the top surface for protect the terminals from being accidental damaged, A common supporting surface (326) is formed cooperatively by the protrusions, above the contacting portion in a direction perpendicular to the top surface. This can protect the contacting portion of the terminal from being collided. As a result reliable electrical connection between the package and contacts of the land grid array connector is secured. (end of abstract) Agent: Wei Te Chung Foxconn International, Inc. - Santa Clara, CA, US Inventors: Hao-Yun Ma, Ming-Lun Szu USPTO Applicaton #: 20060040518 - Class: 439066000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electrical Connectors, Preformed Panel Circuit Arrangement, E.g., Pcb, Icm, Dip, Chip, Wafer, Etc., With Provision To Conduct Electricity From Panel Circuit To Another Panel Circuit, Conductor Is Compressible And To Be Sandwiched Between Panel Circuits The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060040518. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the invention [0002] The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to a land grid array (LGA) connector for electrically connecting an electronic package such as a CPU chip, to a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB). [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0004] Land grid array (LGA) electrical connectors are widely used in the connector industry for electrically connecting CPU chips to PCBs. A conventional LGA electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,624. The electrical connector generally comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of electrical terminals received in the housing. Each terminal has a relatively long spring arm extending beyond outside the housing, for electrically mating with a corresponding pad on a CPU chip. However, the connector has a shortcoming that there is no protecting means for the terminals. When the connector is collided by an exterior object, the spring arm is prone to be accidental damaged because of undue force generated during the colliding. The terminal being damaged is difficult to effectively mating with the pad on the CPU chip. This can thereby affect reliable electrical connecting between the connector and the CPU chip. [0005] Therefore, a new land grid array electrical connector, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, is desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a new LGA connector with terminals, whereby the connector can protect the terminals from being accidental damaged. [0007] To achieve the aforementioned object, an LGA connector 1 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided. The connector comprises an insulative housing having a top surface and a plurality of passageways received in the housing. The terminals each have a retention portion secured in the housing and a spring arm extending from the retention portion. A contacting portion is formed at a topmost part of the spring arm, exposing above the top surface a distance in a direction perpendicular to the top surface. A plurality of protrusions is formed on the top surface. Said protrusions project beyond the top surface, for protecting the terminals from collided damage. A common supporting surface is formed on a top of said protrusions, the supporting surface being higher than the contacting portion in the direction perpendicular to the top surface. [0008] 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 [0009] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an LGA connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing terminals received in passageways defined in a housing of the connector respectively; [0010] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, isometric view of one terminal of FIG. 1 [0011] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a circled portion m of FIG. 1; [0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 1, together with a CPU chip and a PCB, and showing the CPU being ready to be pressed down; [0013] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a circled portion V-V of FIG. 4; [0014] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing the CPU being pressed down; and [0015] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a circled portion VII-VII of FIG. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION [0016] Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the present invention in detail. [0017] Referring to FIG. 1, an LGA connector 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided for electrically connecting a CPU chip 80 to a PCB 90 (best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6). The LGA connector 10 may, of course, be applied in other environments such as for electrically interconnecting two PCBs and so on. The connector 10 comprises a rectangular insulative housing 30 and a plurality of terminals 50 received in the housing 30. [0018] The housing 30 is configured with a bottom wall 32 and four side walls 34 extending upwardly from peripheries of the bottom wall 32. A receiving cavity 31 is defined between the bottom wall 32 and the side walls 34, for accommodating the CPU chip 3 therein. Guiding slant surfaces 340 are formed on the side walls 34 around a top mouth of the cavity 31, for facilitating insertion of the CPU package 90 into the cavity 31. [0019] Referring also to FIG. 2, a top surface 320 is formed on a top of the bottom wall 32, for supporting the CPU chip 80 thereon. A bottom surface 322 is formed on a bottom of the bottom wall 32, for being mounted on the PCB 90. A plurality of passageways 321 arranged in array is defined in the bottom wall 32. The passageways 321 extend from the top surface 320 to the bottom surface 322, for receiving the terminals 50 respectively therein. Each passageway 321 has a general T-shaped configuration, and includes a large receiving section 323 and a narrow securing section 325 perpendicular to and in communication with the receiving section 323. [0020] Referring best to FIGS. 2 and 4 to 7, a plurality of parallelepiped protrusions 324 is formed on the housing 30, projecting integrally and upwardly from the top surface 320 of bottom wall 32. The protrusions 324 have a common top-supporting surface 326 for engaging sustaining the CPU chip 80 thereon when the CPU chip 80 is secured in the cavity 31 of the housing 30. In addition, the protrusions 324 each have a uniform vertical height relative to the top surface 322, in a thickness direction of the bottom wall 32. Thereby, the CPU chip 80 can steadily sit on the protrusions 324. The protrusion 324 is located around a corresponding passageway 321 at one side near the receiving section 323 of the passageway 321 and opposing to the securing section 325. Continue reading... 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