JP2001043940A - Electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a zero-insertion force type electric connector which allows a mating pin terminal to be fitted with a small movement distance and for which force hardly acts on its solder ball. SOLUTION: A contact 50 received in a housing 12 is provided with a base part fixed to the bottom wall 12b of the housing 12 with a solder ball 48 mounted to its tip part, a plate-like support part 54 extended from the base part and supporting a mating pin terminal (p) to be fitted, and a pair of spring arm parts 56 extended from both side edge parts of the support part 54. The spring arm parts 56 each have a hold part 58 fixed to the support part 54, an introduction part 60 formed at the tip of the hold part 58 and allowing the mating pin terminal (p) to be freely inserted and extracted at a position separated from the support part 54, and a pressing part 62 extended from the introduction part 60 toward the support part 54 and energizing the mating pin terminal (p) to the support part 54, so that the contact abuts on the mating pin terminal (p) at three positions separated from one another in its circumferential direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a zero insertion force type electrical connector, and more particularly, to a plurality of contacts held in an insulating housing, and solder balls attached to one end of each contact are gridded on one surface of the housing. Arranged in a shape,
The present invention relates to a zero insertion force type electrical connector which is attached to a substrate via these solder balls.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a zero insertion force (zero) for removably mounting an IC on a printed circuit board.
An insertion forcr (ZIF) type IC socket is known. Such a ZIF type electrical connector is
A slide mechanism is provided on the connector housing to attach and detach the package to and from the printed circuit board without exerting excessive force on the package. With this slide mechanism, the pin terminals protruding from the IC are directly driven to make contact with the contacts in the connector housing. It moves between a fitting position where it fits and a non-fitting position. With the slide mechanism in the non-mated position, the pin terminals protruding from the IC do not contact the contacts in the housing, and therefore, the IC can be connected to the electrical connector without damaging the IC package or the pin terminals. Can be freely inserted and removed.
When moved to the mating position, each pin terminal is electrically and mechanically coupled to the corresponding contact and holds the IC.

On the other hand, electronic components such as ICs have been further miniaturized and densified, and IC packages have become thinner and the number of terminals has tended to increase further. Further, in order to reduce the size and weight of the electronic device, a BGA (ball grid arra) that increases the mounting density on a printed circuit board or the like is used.
y) Electrical connectors with very high density terminal arrangements, called connectors, have been developed. Such a BGA
By using the connector, an extremely high-density and thin electronic component can be mounted on a printed circuit board at a high density.

In such a BGA connector, each contact is fixed to a housing, and solder balls connecting these contacts to solder pads on a printed circuit board are arranged in a grid on one surface of the housing. The space between these adjacent solder balls, and therefore the space between adjacent contacts, is extremely small, and the housing of the connector itself is generally formed with a small wall thickness in order to have a low-profile structure. It is a target. Therefore, when such a BGA connector is formed as a zero insertion force type, the movement distance between the non-fitting position and the fitting position is short, and a large force does not act on the solder ball from each contact. Is needed.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above,
An object of the present invention is to provide a zero insertion force type electrical connector in which a mating contact is surely fitted with a short moving distance and little force acts on a solder ball.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of contacts are held in a housing made of an insulating material, and solder balls attached to one end of each contact are arranged in a grid on one surface of the housing. And a zero-insertion-type electrical connector attached to the board via these solder balls, wherein the contacts are fixed to the bottom wall of the housing and the solder balls are attached to the distal ends thereof. A plate-shaped support portion extending from the base portion and supporting the mating contact, and a pair of spring arms extending from both side edges of the support portion are provided. A holding portion fixed to the holding portion, an introduction portion provided at the tip of the holding portion and allowing a mating contact to be freely inserted into and removed from the connector at a position separated from the support portion; And a pressing portion extending toward the supporting portion from the contact portion and biasing the mating contact against the supporting portion. The pressing portion and the supporting portion are circumferentially separated from each other at a circumferential portion of the mating contact. Abut in one position,
An electrical connector is provided.

It is preferable that the pressing portion forms a space gradually expanding toward the support portion therebetween, and the introduction portion forms a space gradually narrowing toward the support portion therebetween. In the contact, a leg may be extended between the base and the support, and the leg may be disposed between the spring arm and the bottom wall of the housing. Further, an electrical connector according to the present invention is provided with a slide cover slidably mounted on an opening surface formed in a housing for receiving a mating contact and having a large number of through holes for inserting the mating contact, respectively, May be provided, and a handle may be provided to move each of the mating contacts between a position arranged between the introduction portions and a position arranged between the pressing portions. This handle is desirably formed in a U-shape having a pair of beam portions respectively supported on opposing side surfaces of the housing and an operation portion connecting these beam portions. The beam section has a short axis supported by the housing and a cam formed around the short axis. The cam slides when the handle is rotated about the short axis. Preferably, the cover is biased.

[0008]

1 to 5 show a zero insertion force type BGA electrical connector 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The electrical connector 10 of the present embodiment is formed as a socket connector, and an electronic component assembly A in which an IC package c is mounted on a board b on which a large number of pin terminals p are arranged in a grid pattern is mounted on a printed circuit board. Can be used for Although FIG. 1 shows an electrical connector corresponding to 16 pin terminals,
This is merely an example for the sake of clarity, and it is clear that the connector can be formed as a connector for a plug having, for example, hundreds of pins or more.

The electrical connector 10 of the present embodiment is provided with a housing 12 made of an insulating material, a slide cover 14 slidably mounted on the housing 12 in the direction of arrow X, and rotatably mounted on the housing 12. And a U-shaped handle 16 for moving the slide cover 14. The housing 12 has a large number of contact housing recesses 18 for housing contacts to be described later. These housing recesses 18 are opened at an opening surface 12a arranged on the upper side of the housing 12, and receive the above-mentioned pin terminal p, that is, the mating contact from these openings. These housing recesses 18 are formed to be long along the sliding direction X of the slide cover 14, and the pin terminals p can move inside the housing recesses 18.

The slide cover 14 has a large number of through holes 20 corresponding to the respective accommodation recesses 18.
Is formed. These through holes 20 are provided in the housing 1.
The side close to the second opening surface 12a is formed to have a diameter substantially corresponding to the above-mentioned pin terminal p, that is, the counterpart contact, and is gradually expanded upward. For this reason,
The pin terminal p can be smoothly inserted into the through hole 20 while guiding the pin terminal p.

In the present embodiment, the pin terminals p inserted into the through holes 20 are inserted into the housing recesses 18 of the housing 12.
In order to move inside the housing 12, a pair of guide grooves 24 is formed in each side wall 22 of the slide cover 14, and the side surface 2 of the housing 12 is formed.
6 are housed. These stoppers 28 have a generally wedge-like shape in which the length along the X direction is shorter than the guide groove 24, and protrude from the side surface 26 as the distance from the opening surface 12a increases. For this reason, when the slide cover 14 is pressed onto the housing 12 from the opening surface 12a side, the stopper 28 is accommodated in the guide groove 24 after the side wall 22 climbs over the inclined surface of the stopper 28, and the lower surface 28a of the stopper 28
Contacts the lower surface 24a of the guide groove 24.

Note that, contrary to the present embodiment, it is apparent that a guide groove may be formed in the housing 12 and a stopper fitted to the guide groove may be provided in the slide cover 14. Reference numerals 13 and 15 denote protrusions and grooves that indicate the mounting direction of the slide cover 14 with respect to the housing 12.

The handle 1 for moving the slide cover 14
6 has a pair of beam parts 30 and an operation part 32 for connecting these beam parts 30, and is formed in a U-shape as a whole. Each of the beam portions 30 has a short axis 34 protruding in a direction opposite to each other from a respective front end portion, and is inserted into a mounting hole 36 formed in the side surface 26 of the housing 12 so that the beam portion 30 It is pivotally supported. Further, a cam 40 surrounding the peripheral portion of the short axis 34 is formed at a base end of each short axis 34, that is, at a portion close to the beam section 30, and the cam 40 is formed on the side wall 22 of the slide cover 14. It can be engaged with the cam groove 38 formed substantially at the center.

Therefore, when the slide cover 14 is mounted on the housing 12 and the handle 16 is pivotally supported on the side surface 26 via the short shaft 34 and the mounting hole 36, the cam 4
0 is disposed in the cam groove 38. When the handle 16 is rotated about the short axis 34 with the operation unit 32 as a center, the cam 40 presses one side surface of the cam groove 38 according to the rotation direction, and the slide cover 14 is moved in the direction of arrow X.
Slide. At this time, the electronic component assembly A is placed on the slide cover 14 and the pin terminal p is
When the pin terminal p is inserted into the housing 0, the slide cover 14 directly drives the pin terminals p while resisting the resistance of a contact, which will be described later, disposed in the housing recess 18 of the housing 12. Therefore, the corresponding contact and the mating contact can be engaged with almost no force acting on the portion of the IC package c.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one contact 50 is accommodated in each accommodation recess 18. Each contact 50 is attached to the bottom wall 12b of the accommodation recess 18 and is fixed to the bottom wall 12b by a solder ball 48. The electric connector 10 is mounted on the printed circuit board B (FIG. 5) through these solder balls 48.
The contact 50 can be formed from a suitable plate-like contact material such as beryllium copper or phosphor bronze.

The contact 50 in the present embodiment is inserted into the housing recess 18 from the opening surface 12a side of the housing 12, and is provided with a fixing hole (not shown) formed in the bottom wall 12b.
After fixing the base portion 52 therein, a solder ball 48 is attached to the tip of the base portion 52 protruding from the bottom wall 12b. From the base portion 52, a plate-like support portion 54 disposed in the accommodation recess 18 extends, and as shown in FIG. 3C, the support portion 54 supports the pin terminal p together with a pressing portion described later. The support portion 54 is formed wider than the base portion 52, so that the base portion 52 is prevented from being pulled out of the bottom wall 12b by the solder ball 48 and the support portion 54.

A pair of spring arms 56 extend from both side edges of the support portion 54 in substantially the same direction. These spring arms 56 are, as shown in FIG.
4, an introduction portion 60 provided at the tip of the holding portion 58, and a support portion 5 from the introduction portion 60.
A substantially U-shape is formed by the pressing portion 62 extending toward the fourth portion. The introduction portion 60 of each spring arm portion 56 is
A space for accommodating the pin terminal p so as to be able to be inserted and removed is formed at a position separated from the support terminal 4, and this space gradually narrows toward the support portion 54. On the other hand, the pressing portion 62 is
A space that gradually expands from the narrowest portion toward the support portion 54 is formed therebetween, and the pin terminals p arranged in this space are urged toward the support portion 54. Therefore, the pin terminal p comes into contact with the support portion 54 and the pressing portion 62 at three positions on the periphery thereof that are separated from each other in the circumferential direction. Reference numeral 64 indicates a foot portion hanging down from the introduction portion 60,
When the spring arm 56 moves, the spring arm 56 slides on the bottom wall 12b and can function as a guide for smoothly moving the spring arm 56.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a non-fitting position where the slide cover 14 is slid to place the pin terminal p in the space between the introduction portions 62 and a fitting position where the pin terminal p is placed in the space between the pressing portions. 3 shows the operating state of each member when moving between the members. As is apparent, the pin terminal p does not come into contact with the contact 50 at the non-fitting position, and the pin terminal p and the contact 50 are electrically and mechanically coupled when placed at the fitting position. FIG. 5A shows a state in which the through hole 20 of the slide cover 14 is arranged above the space between the introduction portions 62 as shown in FIG. In this state, the pin terminal p does not receive any force from the contact 50, so that the electronic component assembly A can be freely inserted into and removed from the electric connector. At this time, no force acts on the IC package c. And the slide cover 14
The electronic component assembly A is mounted thereon, and the pin terminals p are
When the pin terminal p is inserted into the insertion recess 18 through the through hole 20 as shown in FIG.
Placed in the space between them. Thereafter, when the handle 16 is rotated about the short axis 34 (FIG. 1) as shown in FIGS. 5B to 5E via the operation unit 32, the cam 40 is turned to the side surface of the cam groove 38. Press the slide cover 1
4 in the X1 direction. Since the cams 40 provided on the pair of beams 30 press the slide cover 14 from both sides, the handle 16 applies a uniform force to the entire slide cover 14 and simultaneously moves the pin terminals p smoothly. Can be.

The movement of the slide cover 14 moves the pin terminal p from the space between the introduction portions 60 toward the support portion 54. When the pin terminal p passes through the narrowest part between the spring arms 56, the spring arm 56
It is moved in a direction away from each other while sliding along 2b. When the pin terminal p passes through the narrowest portion, it enters the space between the pressing portions 62. This pressing part 6
Since the space between the two is widened toward the support portion 54, the pin terminal p is immediately urged toward the support portion 54, and the support portion 54 and the two pressing portions 62 cause the peripheral portion 3 The part is pressed. At this time, the handle 16 is further rotated from the position shown in FIG. 5E, and is disposed at a position substantially parallel to the printed circuit board B. This position is shown in FIG.
(A), so that the handle 16 is approximately 18 degrees between the mated position and the non-mated position.
Rotate over 0 °.

The electronic component assembly A is connected to the electrical connector 10.
To remove the slide cover 1 from the slide cover 1 in the direction of X2 opposite to X1, as shown in FIG.
Move 4 Thus, the pin terminal p is moved in the opposite direction to the above, and moves from the fitting position shown in FIG. 3C to the non-fitting position shown in FIG. For example, the handle 16
When the index such as the notched portion 42 or the colored portion is provided, it is possible to immediately know whether the slide cover 14 and the pin terminal p are arranged at the fitting position or the non-fitting position.

According to the electrical connector 10 of this embodiment, since the space between the opposing pressing portions 62 is gradually widened from the introduction portion 60 side to the support portion 54, the contact 50 has a pin terminal. As soon as p is moved into the space between the pressing parts 62, these pressing parts 6
2 to the support portion 54. Since the pressing portion 62 is arranged at the position farthest from the support portion 54 and has a long spring arm length and high elasticity, a large force is not required for moving the pin terminal p.

Further, since the pin terminal p is urged toward the supporting portion 54 in the space between the pressing portions 62,
Even if the length of these pressing portions 62 in the X direction is short, the introduction portion 6
It is securely held without being pushed back into the space between 0, and the distance between the fitting position and the non-fitting position can be shortened. Further, since the spring arm 56 has a symmetrical structure extending from both side edges of the support portion 54, most of the force received from the pin terminal p is balanced between the support portion 54 and the pressing portion 62. Since a large force does not act on the base portion 52, the wall thickness of the housing 12 can be reduced.

FIG. 6 shows a contact 5 according to another embodiment.
0a is indicated. The contact 50a according to this embodiment includes:
Basically, it is the same as the contact 50 in the above-described embodiment.

The contact 50a according to this embodiment includes:
The spring arm 56 does not have the foot in the above-described embodiment that can slide on the bottom wall 12b. On the other hand, a leg 66 is disposed between the support and the base 52. The leg 66 is disposed between the bottom wall 12b and the spring arm 56 in the housing recess 18 of the housing 12. Therefore, the leg 66 absorbs the force acting on the support 54 and prevents the formation of stress on the base 52 and the solder ball 48.

[0025]

As apparent from the above, according to the present invention,
A contact in the housing has a pair of spring arms extending from both side edges of a plate-like support portion supporting the counterpart contact, and the spring arm can be freely inserted and removed with respect to the connector. With a very simple structure provided with a pressing part that urges the mating contact against the supporting part, the mating contact can be securely fitted with the mating contact with a short moving distance, and a zero insertion force type that hardly acts on the solder ball An electrical connector can be provided.

Further, the slide cover for moving the other contact is moved by a U-shaped handle having a pair of beam portions respectively supported on opposite side surfaces of the housing and an operation portion for connecting these beam portions. In this case, a uniform force can be applied to the slide cover.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an electrical connector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary perspective view showing an arrangement state of contacts in a housing of the electrical connector shown in FIG. 1;

3A and 3B are diagrams showing the structure of the contact shown in FIG. 2, wherein FIG. 3A is a front view, FIG. 3B is a side view, FIG. 3C is a plan view, and FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship among a contact in a housing, a slide cover, and a mating contact in the electrical connector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the operation when the electronic component assembly is inserted into and removed from the electric contact shown in FIG. 1 in order.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of a contact according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Electric connector, 12 ... Housing, 12a ... Opening surface, 12b ... Bottom wall, 14 ... Slide cover, 16 ... Handle, 18 ... Accommodation recessed part, 20 ... Through hole, 22 ... Side wall, 2
4 Guide groove, 26 Side, 28 Stopper, 30 Beam part, 32 Operation part, 34 Short axis, 36 Mounting hole, 3
8 cam groove, 40 cam, 42 notch, 50 contact, 52 base, 54 support, 56 spring arm, 58 holding part, 60 introduction part, 62 pressing part, 64
... foot, 66 ... leg, A ... electronic component assembly, c ... I
C package, b, B ... board, p ... pin terminals.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5E023 AA04 AA16 AA22 BB17 BB22 CC02 CC22 CC26 DD03 DD06 DD13 DD18 DD28 EE13 FF01 GG02 GG09 HH06 HH08 HH18

Claims (5)

[Claims] A plurality of contacts are held in a housing made of an insulating material, and solder balls attached to one end of each contact are arranged in a grid on one surface of the housing. An electrical connector of an insertion force type, wherein the contact is fixed to a bottom wall of a housing and a solder ball is attached to a tip end thereof, and a plate-shaped support extending from the base and supporting a mating contact. And a pair of spring arms extending from both side edges of the support portion. The spring arms are provided at a holding portion fixed to the support portion and at a tip of the holding portion. And an introduction portion that allows a mating contact to be freely inserted into and removed from the connector at a position separated from the support portion, and extends from the introduction portion toward the support portion, and the mating contact is supported by the support portion. Parts and a pressing portion for urging the, and these pressing portions and the support portion, abuts at three positions spaced from each other in the circumferential direction on the peripheral portion of the mating contact, the electrical connector. 2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion forms a space that gradually widens toward the support portion therebetween, and the introduction portion forms a space that gradually narrows toward the support portion therebetween. . 3. The contact according to claim 1, wherein the contact has a leg extending between the base and the support, and the leg is disposed between the spring arm and a bottom wall of the housing. Item 3. The electrical connector according to item 1 or 2. 4. A slide cover slidably mounted on an opening surface formed in the housing for receiving a mating contact, and having a plurality of through holes through which the mating contact is inserted, and sliding the slide cover. A handle for moving each of the mating contacts between a position disposed between the introduction portions and a position disposed between the pressing portions, the handles being pivotally supported on opposing side surfaces of the housing, respectively. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrical connector is formed in a U-shape having a pair of beam portions and an operation portion connecting the beam portions. 5. The beam section has a short axis supported by a housing, and a cam formed around the short axis.
The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the cam biases the slide cover when the handle is rotated about a short axis.