Zero insertion force connector

An electrical connector comprising:

• an insulative housing, comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, a pair of standing walls vertically extending from opposite ends of the bottom wall, the top wall and the bottom wall together defining a space therebetween, a plurality of upper passageways defined in a lower surface of the top wall and a plurality of lower passageways defined in an upper surface of the bottom wall;
• a plurality of terminals each comprising an upper portion received in the corresponding upper passageway and a lower portion received in the corresponding lower passageway;
• an insulative cover plate curvedly slidably mounted on the housing comprising a main body and a pressing plate projecting from the main body into the space between the upper portions and the lower portions of the terminals for urging a flexible printed circuit inserted into the space against the lower portions of the terminals;
• and
• means for curvedly slidably connecting the cover plate to the housing, comprising a pair of channels defined in the two standing walls and a pair of corresponding ribs formed on the main body of the cover plate and slidingly moving in the channels when the cover plate is curvedly slidably moved relative to the housing;
• wherein the channels are arcuate and the ribs are also arcuate;
• wherein projections are formed at an end of the ribs for being stopped at both upper ends of the arcuate channels of the cover plate to prevent the cover plate from disconnecting from the housing;
• wherein a pair of arms is formed at opposite ends of the main body and the ribs are formed on the arms;
• wherein the housing further comprises a pair of side walls, the space is defined together by the top wall, bottom wall and the side walls, and the standing walls are spaced a distance apart from the corresponding side walls;
• wherein the connector further comprises a first locking mechanism and'the first locking mechanism comprises a pair of trapeziform portions at both front ends of the main body and a pair of corresponding stops at opposite front ends of the standing walls, the trapeziform portions locking under the stops when the cover plate is secured in a closed position;
• wherein the connector further comprises a second locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism comprises a pair of protrusions formed at a bottom of the arms and a pair of apertures defined in the bottom wall, and the protrusions are securely inserted into the apertures when the cover plate is secured in a closed position;
• wherein the connector further comprises a pair of metal hold-downs, each metal hold-down comprising a vertical portion and a horizontal portion for soldering to a printed circuit board, the side walls of the housing defining a pair of vertical slots, the vertical portions of the metal hold-downs being inserted and secured in the slots.