The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for providing electrical continuity between two objects, and more particularly to an array of solderless connectors for use with a land grid array integrated circuit package.
Land grid array (LGA) connector assemblies are commonly used with integrated circuit (IC) packages, such as in applications which do not require soldering of the pins of the LGA connector assembly to either the IC package or a corresponding circuit board. As one example, an LGA connector assembly can be used to temporarily place an LGA package in electrical communication with a circuit card during test, emulation, and debug procedures. As another example, the LGA socket assembly can be used for upgrades and replacements of LGA packages onto circuit boards.
The present invention incorporates a variety of novel and unobvious features which are improvements over currently existing LGA socket assemblies.
One aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus for providing electrical continuity between two objects. The apparatus includes a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body defining a plurality of pin receptacles, each receptacle including a guiding slot within the body between the top and bottom surfaces. The apparatus includes a plurality of pins, each one of the pins being located within a different one of the plurality of receptacles, each pin including a centerbody with two edges, a first member extending from the centerbody, a first cantilever beam extending from the centerbody, and a second cantilever beam extending from the centerbody. The first member of each one of the plurality of pins cooperates with the guiding slot of the corresponding receptacle to guide the pin within the receptacle, each pin being freely moveable within the corresponding receptacle.
Another aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus for providing electrical continuity between two objects. The apparatus includes a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body defining a plurality of pin receptacles, each receptacle including an aperture. The apparatus includes a plurality of pins, each one of the pins being loose within a different one of the plurality of receptacles, each pin including a centerbody, a first cantilever beam extending from of the centerbody at an acute angle relative to the centerbody, and a second cantilever beam extending from the centerbody at an acute angle relative to the centerbody. The first cantilever beam includes a free end that extends over an adjacent one of the pins.
Another aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus for providing electrical continuity between two objects. The apparatus includes a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body defining a plurality of pin receptacles, each receptacle including an aperture and a guiding slot within the body. The apparatus includes a plurality of pins located within the plurality of receptacles, each pin including a planar centerbody, a first member extending from the centerbody and cooperating with the guiding slot to loosely locate each pin within a corresponding receptacle, and a first cantilever beam extending from the centerbody. The centerbody includes a projection extending from a surface of the centerbody, the projection cooperating with the receptacle to limit sliding motion of said pin within the receptacle.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the claims, drawings, and the description of the preferred embodiment to follow.