Separable connector assembly for an IC Chip Carrier

Claim 1

A connector assembly for providing separable electrical connections between contact pads (28) on a surface of a first substrate (26) and respective contact pads (14) on a surface of a second substrate (12), comprising: a frame (32) mounted on said surface of said first substrate (26), said frame (32) including a central opening (38) exposing said first substrate contact pads (28); a connector housing assembly (40) supported on said first substrate (26) surface in said frame central opening (38), said connector housing assembly (40) including a plurality of contact members (42), each of said plurality of contact members having a first contact portion in contact with a respective one of said first substrate contact pads (28) and a second contact portion exposed through a planar surface of said connector housing assembly (40), said connector housing assembly (40) planar surface being parallel to said first substrate (26) surface and being spaced therefrom; means (16, 18) for supporting said second substrate in said frame central opening above said connector housing assembly with said second substrate pads (14) in contact with respective ones of said exposed second contact portions of said plurality of contact members; a lid member (44) hingedly mounted (46) to said frame (32) for movement between a closed position parallel to said first substrate (26) surface and an open position transverse to said first substrate surface; means (64) mounted on said lid member (44) for applying a force to said second substrate (12) within said frame central opening (38) when said lid member (44) is in said closed position, said force being sufficient to establish electrical contact between said first substrate contact pads (28) and said second substrate contact pads (14) through said contact members (42); means (58, 62) for locking said lid member (44) in said closed position; and a handle member (54) hingedly mounted to said lid member (44), the hinged mounting (56) of the handle member (54) to the lid member (44) being parallel to and on the opposite end of the lid member (44) from the hinged mounting (46) of the lid member (44) to the frame (32); said locking means including a hook member (62) on said frame at the end opposite where the lid member (44) is hingedly mounted and a latch member (58) hingedly mounted on said handle member (54) in the general vicinity of the hinged mounting (56) to the lid member (44), the latch member (58) cooperating with the hook member (62) to retain the lid member (44) in said closed position when the handle member (54) is moved to a position parallel relative the lid member (44).