US6544046B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector with strain relief
Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
•
Filing: 2000-10-19
•
Granted: 2003-04-08
•
Expires: 2020-10-19
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector mountable to a substrate. The electrical connector comprises a housing, and a surface mount contact and hold down both secured to the housing. The hold down may be a surface mount hold down. A ball grid array connector comprising a housing, a plurality of contacts secured to the housing, a plurality of fusible elements secured to the contacts for mounting the connector to a substrate, and a hold down secured to the housing. The hold down may be a surface mount hold down. A method of mounting an electrical connector to a substrate. The method comprises providing a substrate and an electrical connector having a contact and a hold down, and securing the contact and the hold down to the substrate. The contact may be secured to a surface of the substrate. A method of securing an electrical connector to a substrate. The method comprises providing a substrate and an electrical connector having a contact and a hold down, and mounting the contact to the substrate. The method further comprises balancing the electrical connector on the substrate such that the electrical connector remains substantially parallel to the substrate during the forming of the first and second solder joints.
Inventors
- 👤 Marlyn E. Hahn
- 👤 Stanley A. Kline
- 👤 Joseph B. Shuey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:49
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/303; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/7005; H01R12/7011; H01R12/7052; H01R13/00; H01R13/58; H01R43/00; H01R43/02; H01R43/0256; H01R12/50; H01R12/51; H01R12/55; H01R12/57; H01R12/707; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/716; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6581; H01R13/6585; H01R4/00; H01R4/02; H01R4/028; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/10; H05K2201/10431; H05K2201/10568; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/15; H05K2203/159; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/341; H05K3/3421; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
An electrical connector constructed such that it remains substantially parallel when mounted to a substrate, comprising: a housing; a plurality of surface mount contacts located on said housing and secured to said substrate during a first reflow process; and a plurality of surface mount hold downs located on said housing on a perimeter around said surface mount contacts and soldered to said substrate during a second reflow process subsequent said first reflow process, wherein said hold down provides strain relief between said housing and said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
An electrical connector constructed such that it remains substantially parallel when mounted to a substrate, comprising: a housing; a plurality of surface mount contacts located on said housing and secured to said substrate during a first reflow process; and a plurality of surface mount hold downs located on said housing on a perimeter around said surface mount contacts and soldered to said substrate during a second reflow process subsequent said first reflow process, wherein said hold down provides strain relief between said housing and said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein said hold down is a surface mount hold down.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a shield generally surrounding said housing, wherein said hold down is part of said shield.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said surface mount contacts form a matrix array.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein said second reflow process permits a self-centering of said surface mount contacts on said substrate during said first reflow process.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein said surface mount contact includes a fusible element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 4 , wherein said fusible element is a solder ball.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a standoff secured to said housing, wherein said standoff is adapted to retain said housing a distance from a surface of said substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 8 , wherein said standoff is a part of said shield.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
A ball grid array connector, comprising: a housing; a plurality of contacts secured to said housing; a plurality of fusible elements secured to said contacts for mounting said connector to a substrate during a first reflow process; a plurality of surface mount hold downs located on said housing on a perimeter around said surface mount contacts and soldered to said substrate during a second reflow process subsequent said first reflow process, wherein said hold down provides strain relief between said housing and said substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
A ball grid array connector, comprising: a housing; a plurality of contacts secured to said housing; a plurality of fusible elements secured to said contacts for mounting said connector to a substrate during a first reflow process; a plurality of surface mount hold downs located on said housing on a perimeter around said surface mount contacts and soldered to said substrate during a second reflow process subsequent said first reflow process, wherein said hold down provides strain relief between said housing and said substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ball grid array connector as recited in claim 10 , wherein said hold down is a surface mount hold down.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The ball grid array connector as recited in claim 10 , further comprising a shield generally surrounding said housing, wherein said hold down is part of said shield.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The ball grid array connector as recited in claim 10 , wherein said fusible elements are solder balls.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ball grid array connector as recited in claim 10 , wherein said ball grid array connector is constructed such that it remains substantially parallel when mounted to said substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electrical connector of claim 10 , wherein said second reflow process permits a self-centering of said fusible elements on said substrate during said first reflow process.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The ball grid array connector as recited in claim 10 , further comprising a standoff extending from said housing and adapted to retain said housing a distance from a surface of said substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ball grid array connector as recited in claim 16 , wherein said standoff is a part of said shield.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
An electrical connector, mountable to a substrate and comprising: a housing; a plurality of surface mount contacts located on said housing and secured to said substrate during a first reflow process; and a plurality of surface mount hold downs unitary with said housing on a perimeter around said surface mount contacts and soldered to said substrate during a second reflow process subsequent said first reflow process, wherein said hold down provides strain relief between said housing and said substrate, and wherein said electrical connector is constructed such that it remains substantially parallel when mounted to said substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
97 words
An electrical connector, mountable to a substrate and comprising: a housing; a plurality of surface mount contacts located on said housing and secured to said substrate during a first reflow process; and a plurality of surface mount hold downs unitary with said housing on a perimeter around said surface mount contacts and soldered to said substrate during a second reflow process subsequent said first reflow process, wherein said hold down provides strain relief between said housing and said substrate, and wherein said electrical connector is constructed such that it remains substantially parallel when mounted to said substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ball grid array connector of claim 18 , wherein said second reflow process permits a self-centering of said surface mount contacts on said substrate during said first reflow process.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electrical connector, mountable to a substrate and comprising: a housing; a plurality of surface mount contacts located on said housing and secured to said substrate during a first reflow process; and a shield having at a rear wall and two side walls that extend along said housing, wherein said shield has a first tab extending perpendicular to a first one of said walls, and wherein said first tab mounts to said substrate during a second reflow process subsequent said first reflow process such that said connector remains substantially parallel when mounted to said substrate, and wherein said first tab provides strain relief between said housing and said substrate.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electrical connector, mountable to a substrate and comprising: a housing; a plurality of surface mount contacts located on said housing and secured to said substrate during a first reflow process; and a shield having at a rear wall and two side walls that extend along said housing, wherein said shield has a first tab extending perpendicular to a first one of said walls, and wherein said first tab mounts to said substrate during a second reflow process subsequent said first reflow process such that said connector remains substantially parallel when mounted to said substrate, and wherein said first tab provides strain relief between said housing and said substrate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electrical connector of claim 20 , wherein said second reflow process permits a self-centering of said surface mount contacts on said substrate during said first reflow process.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connector of claim 20 , wherein said shield has a second tab extending perpendicular to a second one of said walls.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The electrical connector of claim 22 , wherein said first tab is coplanar and perpendicular to said second tab.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4536955A
Cited
US4878611A
Cited
US4767344A
Cited
US5214308A
Cited
US5772451A
Cited
US5490040A
Cited
JPH08125379A
Cited
US5637008A
Cited
US5831825A
Cited
US5691041A
Cited
WO1997043885A1
Cited
WO1997044859A1
Cited
US5984726A
Cited
US5755595A
Cited
US6012948A
Cited
WO1998015991A1
Cited
WO1998015989A1
Cited
US5978229A
Cited
US6183301B1
Cited
US5742484A
Cited
US5883782A
Cited
US5919050A
Cited
US5874776A
Cited
US5938451A
Cited
US6220895B1
Cited
US5876219A
Cited
US5955888A
Cited
US6089878A
Cited
US5888884A
Cited
US6037044A
Cited
US6196871B1
Cited
US6152756A
Cited
US6174198B1
Cited
US6116926A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-04-07 | 2006-10-07 | 2007-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-04-07 | 2010-10-07 | 2011-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-04-07 | 2014-10-07 | 2015-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |