US Patent 7364435 Electrical connector housing having stylized guide box

An electrical connector includes an insulative housing (10) adapted to engage conductive terminals, and having an IC package mating surface (101) and an opposite substrate mounting surface (103). A rigid strip (12), in a substantially wavy, is attached to and configured to surround peripheral walls of the insulative housing. The rigid strip includes a first series of spaced protrusion portions (120) extending above the IC package mating surface so as to define a receiving cavity therebetween for receiving an IC package, and a second series of spaced protrusion portions (122) extending below the substrate mounting surface with at least four spaced protrusion portions around four corners of the insulative housing disposed in a substantially coplanar manner to function as standoffs. Such a configuration and shape of the rigid strip will have the function of reinforcing the insulative housing while not taking up much more “real estate” of the substrate.