Ball Grid Array Connector

Abstract

An electrical connector having an electrical contact with a terminal portion and a contact receiving wafer is disclosed. The connector may also include a contact receiving wafer having a face that at least partially defines an aperture that extends therethrough. A terminal portion of the contact may extend at least partially into the aperture. The faces that define the aperture allow the terminal portion of the contact to move in each of a plurality of directions, while also containing the terminal portion of the contact in each direction. The terminal portion of the contact may have connected a solder ball. The solder ball may define a diameter that is larger than the width of the aperture restricting movement of the wafer along a length of the contact.

1 . An electrical connector comprising: 
 an electrical contact having a terminal portion;    a leadframe housing through which the contact at least partially extends; and    a contact receiving wafer having a face that at least partially defines an aperture that extends through the wafer, wherein the wafer abuts the leadframe housing and is adapted to remain part of the connector when the electrical contact is electrically connected to an electrical device, and wherein the terminal portion of the contact extends at least partially into the aperture, the aperture allows the terminal portion of the contact to move in a first direction without abutting the face, and the face contains the terminal portion of the contact in the first direction.    
   
   
       2 . The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture allows the terminal portion of the contact to move in a second direction, and the wafer has a second face that at least partially defines the aperture and contains the terminal portion of the contact in the second direction.  
   
   
       3 . The electrical connector of  claim 2 , wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.  
   
   
       4 . The electrical connector of  claim 1 , further comprising a solder ball connected to the terminal portion of the contact.  
   
   
       5 . The electrical connector of  claim 4 , wherein the solder ball restricts movement of the wafer along a length of the contact.  
   
   
       6 . The electrical connector of  claim 4 , wherein the solder ball restricts movement of the contact into the aperture.  
   
   
       7 . The electrical connector of  claim 4 , wherein the wafer is contained between the solder ball and the lead frame.  
   
   
       8 . The electrical connector of  claim 4 , wherein the aperture has a width and the solder ball has a diameter that is larger than the width of the aperture.  
   
   
       9 . A contact receiving wafer for an electrical connector, the electrical connector comprising a leadframe housing through which an electrical contact at least partially extends, the contact receiving wafer comprising: 
 a substrate having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, wherein each said aperture is at least partially defined by a respective face and is adapted to receive in a first direction a respective terminal portion of the respective electrical contact, and wherein each said aperture allows the respective terminal portion of the respective electrical contact to move in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction without abutting the face that defines the aperture after the electrical connector is attached to a second electrical connector, and wherein each face contains the terminal portion of the respective electrical contact received therein in the second direction, wherein the substrate is configured to abut the leadframe housing.    
   
   
       10 . An electrical connector comprising: 
 an electrical contact having a terminal portion;    a leadframe housing through which the contact at least partially extends;    a contact receiving wafer having a face that at least partially defines an aperture that extends through the wafer, wherein the contact receiving wafer abuts the leadframe; and    a solder ball connected to the terminal portion of the contact,    wherein the terminal portion of the contact extends at least partially into the aperture, the aperture allows the terminal portion of the contact to move in a first direction without abutting the face, and the face contains the terminal portion of the contact in the first direction.    
   
   
       11 . The electrical connector of  claim 10 , wherein the aperture allows the terminal portion of the contact to move in a second direction, and the contact receiving wafer has a second face that at least partially defines the aperture and the second face contains the terminal portion of the contact in the second direction.  
   
   
       12 . The electrical connector of  claim 11 , wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.  
   
   
       13 . The electrical connector of  claim 10 , wherein the solder ball restricts movement of the wafer along a length of the contact.  
   
   
       14 . The electrical connector of  claim 10 , wherein the solder ball restricts movement of the contact into the aperture.  
   
   
       15 . The electrical connector of  claim 10 , wherein the wafer is contained between the solder ball and the lead frame.  
   
   
       16 . The electrical connector of  claim 10 , wherein the aperture has a width and the solder ball has a diameter that is larger than the width of the aperture.  
   
   
       17 . The contact receiving wafer of  claim 9  wherein each said aperture is square.  
   
   
       18 . The contact receiving wafer of  claim 11  wherein each said aperture has the dimensions of about 0.6 mm by 0.6 mm.  
   
   
       19 . The electrical connector of  claim 12 , further comprising a connector housing, the connector housing having a post adapted to be received in an orifice defined by a circuit board.  
   
   
       20 . The electrical connector of  claim 19 , wherein the post comprises a solderable surface.