Abstract:
A burn-in socket for burn-in test is disclosed to include a body holding a set of terminals, and a shell detachably fastened to the body with locating pins that are detachably mounted in respective mounting through holes in the shell and inserted into respective mounting holes in the body for holding a test sample (electronic element) in contact with the terminals.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a burn-in socket for burn-in test and more particularly, to such a burn-in socket, which has a shell detachably fastened to the body thereof for holding the test sample to test. The user can replace the shell subject to the size of the sample to test.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Following fast development of high technology, electronic devices are designed in the trend of light, think, short and small styles. After fabrication, electronic elements may have to receive burn-in test, examining their life cycle under an environment of high temperature, high voltage and high current. Inferior electronic elements that do not pass the test are swept out.  
         [0005]     During burn-in test, a burn-in socket is used to hold the test sample and to electrically connect the test sample to a test apparatus for test. However, because different test samples (memory devices, logic products, sockets) have different contact pin patterns, different burn-in sockets shall be prepared for holding different test samples, thereby resulting in high test cost. The terminals of conventional burn-in sockets are made of resilient metal material or have a respective spring member fixedly connected thereto for positive connection to respective contacts at an adapter board that is used to connect the burn-in socket to a test apparatus. Therefore, changing a burn-in socket subject to the type of the test samples to test is complicated. Further, following the trend of micromization, nanotechnology has been employed to the fabrication of IC chips, and related burn-in sockets are micromized. When connecting the terminals of a micromized burn-in sockets to a test apparatus, the terminals may be deformed or inserted into wrong contact holes accidentally, and a short circuit may occur when turned on the test apparatus, thereby causing the test sample to be burned out.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the burn-in socket comprises a body holding a set of terminals, and a shell detachably fastened to the body with locating pins that are detachably mounted in respective mounting through holes in the shell and inserted into respective mounting holes in the body for holding a test sample (electronic element) in a receiving hole thereof in contact with the terminals. Therefore, the user can change the shell subject to the type of the test sample (electronic element) to test. According to another aspect of the present invention, a cover is pivotally coupled to the shell for closing the test sample (electronic element) in the receiving hole of the shell. The cover has a spring-supported hook provided at the free end for hooking on a part of the shell to hold the cover in the close position. According to another aspect of the present invention, an adapter board may be used with the burn-in socket to electrically connect the terminals to a test apparatus, preventing deformation of the terminals during installation of the burn-in socket in the test apparatus. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a burn-in socket according to the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an elevational view of the burn-in socket according to the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side view in section of the burn-in socket according to the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing of the present invention after removal of the cover from the shell, showing the positioning of a test sample in the burn-in socket.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates the burn-in socket used with an adapter board according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a sectional side view in an enlarged scale of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]     Referring to FIGS.  1 ˜ 3 , a burn-in socket in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a body  1 , a shell  2 , and a cover  3 .  
         [0014]     The body  1  comprises a base  11 , a locating block  12  provided at the top of the base  11 , a plurality of terminal slots  14  vertically extended through the locating block  12  and the base  11 , and a plurality of mounting holes  15  formed in the locating block  12 . Further a plurality of terminals  13  is respectively mounted in the terminal slots  14 , each having a contact portion  131  at one end and a mounting portion  132  at the other end. The terminals  13  are preferably made of resilient metal material. Alternatively, the mounting portions  132  of the terminals  13  can be formed of metal spring members.  
         [0015]     The shell  2  accommodates the body  1 , comprising a receiving hole  21  adapted to receive a test sample (electronic element)  5 , a fixed hook  22  provided at one side, a pivot axle  23  transversely provided at the other side opposite to the fixed hook  22 , and a plurality of mounting through holes  24  respectively connected to the mounting holes  15  of the body  1  with locating pins  25 .  
         [0016]     The cover  3  comprises a knuckle  32  transversely provided at one end and pivotally coupled to the pivot axle  23  of the shell  2 , and a spring-supported hook  31  pivotally provided at the other end remote from the knuckle  32  for hooking the fixed hook  22  of the shell  2 . When closed the cover  3  on the body  2 , the spring-supported hook  31  is hooked up with the fixed hook  22  of the shell  2  to hold the cover  3  in the close position. When disengaging the spring-supported hook  31  from the fixed hook  22  of the shell  2 , the cover  3  can be tuned about the pivot axle  23  from the close position to an open position. After insertion of the test sample (electronic element)  5  into the receiving hole  21  of the shell  2 , the cover  3  is closed to hold the test sample (electronic element)  5  in position, keeping the respective contacts of the test sample  5  in contact with the contact portions  131  of the terminals  13  for burn-in test.  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the shell  2  is covered on the body  1  over the locating block  12 , and the locating pins  25  are respectively mounted in the mounting through holes  24  of the shell  2  and the mounting holes  15  of the body  1  to secure the shell  2  to the body  1 . The shell  2  can be detached from the body  1  for a replacement after removal of the locating pins  25  from the mounting through holes  24  of the shell  2  and the mounting holes  15  of the body  1 . Therefore, a different shell  2  can be used with the body  1  to fit a different test sample (electronic element)  5 .  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , after installation of the terminals  13  in the terminal slots  14  of the body  1 , the contact portions  131  and mounting portions  132  of the terminals  13  respectively protrude over the top side of the locating block  12  and the bottom side of the base  11 . The mounting portions  132  of the terminals  13  can be fastened to respective contacts (contact holes) of an adapter board  4 , which has a plurality of bottom contact pins  41  for connection to a test apparatus (not shown). By means of the adapter board  4 , the terminals  13  connect the test sample (electronic element)  5  to the test apparatus for test. Because the terminals  13  are not inserted in and out of the test apparatus, connecting the burn-in socket to the test apparatus does not cause the terminals  13  to deform.  
         [0019]     A prototype of burn-in socket has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  1 ˜ 6 . The burn-in socket functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.  
         [0020]     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.