Electrical connector with strain relief

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.

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.

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.