Abstract:
An electrical contact and electrical connector are provided for use in connecting a circuit board with an electrical module. The connector includes a socket and contact assembly that are solderably secured to the circuit board. A retention clip is removable snapped on the socket to retain an electrical module within the socket and in electrical communication contact with the contacts, thereby interconnecting the electrical module with the circuit board. The retention clip is removable to permit replacement of the module. The electrical contact includes a solder member mounted to a shorting member to permit the contact to be solderably connected to the printed circuit board, while permitting a non-soldered connection between the module and the socket. The contact includes an upper interface that is biased in a manner to form a shorted electrical path between the module and circuit board when the module is biased downward onto the contact.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS (IF APPLICABLE)  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH &amp; DEVELOPMENT (IF APPLICABLE)  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention generally relate to electrical contacts and connectors for use with electronic packages or modules having leads arranged in a ball grid array (BGA) or a land grid array (LGA).  
           [0002]    Electronic packages or modules with leads arranged in BGA or LGA configurations have been proposed in the past having relatively low vertical profiles to conserve space within an electronic assembly. Conventional packages and modules have been surface mounted directly to a circuit board in a soldering process wherein the leads are solder bonded to a corresponding array of circuit pads on the board. However, directly soldering electronic packages and modules to a circuit board has the drawback that the package is not easily removable for replacement or upgrade.  
           [0003]    Connectors have been proposed in the past for removably mounting an electronic package or module on a circuit board. At least one conventional connector configuration comprises a flat dielectric housing which resides between the electronic package and the circuit board. The dielectric housing has an array of cavities in which are disposed electrical contacts arranged in correspondence with the array of leads of the electronic package. The contacts in the connection have ends projecting beyond the surfaces of the connector housing. When the electronic package or module is mounted on the connector, each contact has one end engaging the electronic package, while the other end engages a circuit pad on the circuit board. Compression forces are applied to the electronic package to assure firm engagement with the ends of the contacts. By way of example, the compression forces may be applied through pressure plates fastened together to sandwich the package, connector and circuit board therebetween.  
           [0004]    Modem electronic components are designed with strict emphasis on their horizontal and vertical profiles. In certain applications, such as in laptop computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants, palm pilots and the like, a significant effort is made to minimize the vertical profile. Thus, it is desirable to maximize the working range within the height of a connector.  
           [0005]    Conventional connectors for electronic packages are typically mounted to a printed circuit board via through holes. The sockets are located above plated round holes extending through the board, through which solder is inserted to mount the socket to the printed circuit board. In the more recent past, it has become desirable to surface mount connectors to printed circuit boards. Surface mounted sockets are not secured via through holes to the printed circuit board, but instead may be secured via bolts or other latching mechanisms to the board. As circuit designs become smaller, the vertical height of the connector becomes a greater concern. Conventional connectors have presented overall heights that are taller than desired for certain applications. The overall height of existing connectors is partially determined by the configuration of the contacts used therein.  
           [0006]    In addition, exiting connectors present a longitudinal and lateral envelope slightly larger than the size of the electronic package or module included within the connector. As circuit designs become smaller, it becomes more desirable that the longitudinal and lateral envelope of the connector not unduly exceed similar dimensions of the electronic module or package.  
           [0007]    Conventional connectors include a socket and a cover mounted thereon to enclose the electronic module or package. Conventional covers are secured to the socket by a mechanism requiring a screwdriver to unscrew or pop the cover loose. Conventional latching mechanisms securing the cover to the socket add to the envelope of the connector, either in the vertical profile and/or in the longitudinal and/or lateral directions. It is desirable to minimize the increase in the connector envelope due to the cover latch.  
           [0008]    Further, modem electrical equipment operates at very high switching frequencies, thereby giving rise to significant self inductance effects which may interfere with proper equipment operation. Self inductance may be reduced by reducing the length of a circuit path through a contact. However, it is also desirable to provide adequate length to a contact to permit deflection of the contact without deformation thereof and without degrading the biasing characteristics of the contact. In order to address the above-noted problems, contacts have been proposed with spring arms for deflection compliance and with shorting arms which interconnect free ends of the spring arms to provide a shortened current path through the contact. An example of one such contact is in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,598. The contact configuration described in the &#39;598 patent constitutes a compression mount, whereby the contacts are not soldered to the circuit board or to the electrical package. Thus, the contact configuration of the &#39;598 patent forms a separable interface through the use of non-soldered interconnections. The contacts of the &#39;598 patent utilize gold plating on the circuit board and on the electrical package to achieve adequate electrical connection characteristics therebetween.  
           [0009]    However, in certain circumstances, it may be desirable to avoid or limit the use of gold plating on the circuit board and on the electronic package since gold may be overly expensive for certain applications. Therefore, an improved contact configuration is desirable which reduces the usage of gold to achieve satisfactory electrical connection characteristics, while enabling electronic packages to be easily removed without unsoldering such packages.  
           [0010]    A need remains for all improved contact configuration that satisfies the above-discussed needs and that addresses other considerations that will be apparent from the following description and drawings.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    An electrical connector is provided in connection with at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention for electrically engaging an electronic module with a circuit board. The connector includes a socket having a base adapted to receive the module. The socket includes a plurality of board locking members mounting the socket to the circuit board. The socket also includes a plurality of contact cavities. Contact are securely fixed in the contact cavities with each contact having a first engaging surface for electronically engaging the module and having a second engaging surface for electronically engaging the circuit board. A retention clip is removably secured to the socket and is configured to sandwich the module between the clip and socket with a predetermined amount of force. The socket may include end and side walls and a configuration of support ribs interconnecting the end and side walls. The socket and retention clip have a locking assembly interconnecting the retention clip and socket. The retention clip includes at least one biasing member abutting against and biasing the electronic module downward against the socket when the retention clip is secured to the socket. The biasing member provides sufficient force to bias the contacts until the first and second engaging surfaces are interconnected along a shortened circuit path.  
           [0012]    According to at least one preferred embodiment, the biasing member includes a plurality of fingers mounted to the retention clip. The fingers project downward toward the socket with a predetermined amount of force. The fingers press against the module when the retention clip is secured to the socket. In an alternative embodiment, the biasing member includes fingers integrally formed with a top surface of the retention clip. The fingers bend downward into a cavity defined between the retention clip and socket, wherein the cavity receives the module. In accordance with an alternative embodiment, the biasing member includes fingers integrally formed with the side and end walls. The fingers are bent inward to project toward and forcibly engage the module. The biasing members maintain the engaging surfaces on the contacts in electrical communication with the module.  
           [0013]    In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, the clip/socket locking assembly includes locking protrusions mounted on opposite ends of the retention clips and opening in opposite ends of the retention clip. The locking protrusions are snappingly secured into the openings to secure the retention clip to the socket. The locking assembly includes opposed clips mounted on the socket. The clips snappingly engage opposed walls of the retention clip. The retention clip includes end walls integrally formed with the support ribs. The support ribs bias the end walls inward toward one another to snapably engage the socket. The end walls are bent outward to release the socket.  
           [0014]    In accordance with one embodiment, the socket includes standoffs mounted on a bottom surface of the socket. The standoffs have predetermined lengths that maintain a minimum distance between the socket and the circuit board to prevent the contacts from being crushed when the socket is mounted on the circuit board.  
           [0015]    In accordance with one embodiment, the board locking members include a plurality of barb locks projecting downward from the socket. The board locks include retention barbs on a periphery thereof forming an interference fit with corresponding openings in the circuit board. The socket has board lock housings extending outward from opposite sides of the socket. The board lock housings frictionally retain the board locking members. The locking assembly may include a slot between the socket and retention clip to receive a tool to release the retention clip from the socket. The socket may include end and side walls to laterally and longitudinally locate the module in a desired position relative to the contacts. The socket may also include keys shaped to mate with corresponding cutouts in the module. The keys insure proper orientation and positioning of the module.  
           [0016]    In accordance with yet another alternative embodiment, and electrical contact is provided for use in a connection between a circuit board, a socket and a module retained in the socket. The contact includes a base shorting member having side walls and front and rear ends. The shorting member is adapted to be securely mounted in the socket. The contact further includes an upper interface having a spring arm connected to, and biased upward from, the base shorting member. The upper interface has an upper end adapted to electronically engage the module. A solder member is mounted to, and extends downward from, the base shorting member. The solder member is adapted to be soldered to the circuit board.  
           [0017]    In accordance with at least one embodiment, the base shorting member, upper interface and solder member are aligned in a common plane. The base shorting member, upper interface and solder member may be formed integrally with one another and may be aligned to form a general planar contact body.  
           [0018]    In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, the front end of the base shorting member has a first lobe and the upper end of the upper interface has a second lobe. The first and second lobes may be aligned to engage one another to form a shorted electrical path therebetween when the upper interface is deflected toward the base shorting member. The front end of the base shorting member and the upper end of the upper interface may have chamfered edges aligned with one another to form a shorting electrical connection therebetween when the upper interface and base shorting member are bent toward one another. The upper interface may be formed to angularly diverge from the base shorting member as they extend away from one another when in an unbiased state.  
           [0019]    In accordance with one embodiment, the solder member may include a J-shaped lead having outer and inner ended portions interconnected through an intermediate portion. The inner end is electrically connected to the shorting base member at an intermediate point along a length of the shorting base member. The outer end of the solder member may be adapted to be received within a volume of solder connecting the solder member to the circuit board. The solder wicks upward, during a solder reflow operation, along the outer end portion of the solder member. The solder member, and in particular the outer end portion, may have a length determined, in part, by the volume of solder used to prevent excess wicking along the solder member. The solder member, and in particular the intermediate portion, may have a length that is determined, in part, based on a difference between coefficients of thermal expansion of the circuit board and the socket. The intermediate portion and more generally the solder member as a whole preferably has sufficient length to permit relative movement between the socket and circuit board due to different coefficients of thermal expansion of the socket and circuit board. The intermediate portion flexes as the socket and circuit board expand and contract without cracking the solder.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an electrical connector corresponding to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a socket formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 illustrates a top plan view of a socket formed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom plan view of a socket formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a board lock formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of a socket formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary module used with an electrical connector formed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of a channel cut in a socket in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a contact taken along lines  10 - 10  in FIG. 4 formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 11 illustrates a top plan view of an electrical connector and module formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 12 illustrates; a perspective view of a retention clip formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 13 illustrates top plan view of a retention clip formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 14 illustrates a side view of a retention clip formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 15 illustrates a perspective view of a locking mechanism used in connection with a preferred embodiment if the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0036]    [0036]FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical connector  10  including a retention clip  12  that is snappingly secured to a socket  14  to compressibly enclose an electrical package or module  16  therebetween. The socket  14  is securely mounted to a circuit board  18 . The electrical connector  10  electronically connects the module  16  to the circuit board  18  in a manner that permits the module  16  to be replaced periodically without unsoldering any soldered connections, while limiting an amount of gold plating used in non-soldered connections.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1 of the electrical connector  10 . As shown in FIG. 2, the retention clip  12  and socket  14  define a cavity therebetween to receive the module  16  in a secure manner at a known position and orientation relative to the socket  14  and therefore relative to the circuit board  18 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the socket  14 . The socket  14  includes a base  20  shaped in a substantially rectangular configuration. Optimally, the base  20  may be shaped in any manner dependent upon the shape of the module  16  to be retained thereon. The socket  14  includes side flanges  22 - 25  formed on opposite sides of the base  20  and projecting upward therefrom. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the side flanges  22 - 25  are located opposed from one another and proximate opposite ends of the base  20 . Optionally, the number of side flanges  22 - 25  and the position of the side flanges  22 - 25  may be varied. The side flanges  22 - 25  in the example of FIG. 3 are formed integral with the base  20 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIGS. 4, 5, and  7  illustrate the flanges  22 - 25  in more detail. Each side flange  22 - 25  includes a cutout center section  26  between side surfaces  27  and  28 . The side surfaces  27  and  28  abut against the sides of the module  16  to locate the module  16  laterally at a desired position. A base portion of each flange  22 - 25  includes a notch  30 . The cutouts  26  and notches  30  receive board locks  32 .  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 6 illustrates the board locks  32  in more detail. Each board lock  32  is formed in a substantially T-shaped configuration with upper arms  34  shaped to be slidably and securely received within the cutouts  26  and the flanges  22 - 25 . The board locks  32  include a series of upper and lower retention barbs  36  on either side thereof. Notched openings  38  are located between the retention barbs  36  and upper arms  34 . When assembled, the board locks  32  are inserted downward into the cutouts  26  until the upper and lower retention barbs  36  pass through the notches  30  and the flanges  22 - 25 . The notches  30  are dimensioned such that base portions of the flanges  22 - 25  are snuggly received within the upper set of notches  38  immediately below the upper arms  34  of the board locks  32 , thereby retaining the board locks  32  within the socket  14 .  
         [0041]    The printed circuit board  18  upon which the socket  14  is to be mounted similarly is provided with a set of notches (not shown) to align with the board locks  32 . The notches in the circuit board  18  are also dimensioned to snuggly fit within the lower set of notches  38  defined between the pairs of retention barbs  36 , in order to retain the socket  14  upon the circuit board  18 . The board locks  32  and notches in the circuit board  18  are dimensioned with relatively close tolerances in order to align contacts (described in more detail below) in the socket  14  with electrical circuit paths provided in the circuit board  18 .  
         [0042]    Turning to FIG. 7, a side view is illustrated of the socket  14  separate and apart from the retention clip  12  and module  16 . The socket  14  includes end walls  40  extending upward substantially along the entire width of the ends of the base  20 . The end walls  40  have inner faces  42  and outer edges  44 . At least one of the inner faces  42  includes keying projections  46  thereon extending inward into the chamber defined to receive the module  16 . The keying protrusions  46  may be formed integral with the end walls  40  which in turn may be formed integral with the base  20 . The keying protrusions  46  are configured to align with and fit into keying slots  48  (FIG. 8) formed in opposite ends of the module  16 . The end walls  40  further include latches  50  centered thereon and extending upward therefrom. The latches  50  snappingly engage, and retain, the retention clip  12 . The latches  50  include protrusions  52  extending outward from the base  20  in opposite directions beyond the outer edges  44  of the end walls  40 . The protrusions  52  are formed with beveled outer, upper edges  54  that permit easy assembly of the, retention clip  12 . In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the latches  50  include notches  56  (FIGS. 4 and 5) therein extending along an outer side of the latches  50  and in a vertical direction. The notches  56  facilitate removal of the retention clip when it is desirable to replace or gain access to the module  16 .  
         [0043]    As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the bottom surface  21  of the base  20  includes a plurality of standoffs  58  distributed thereover. The standoffs  58  are formed with a predetermined height sufficient to maintain a desired minimum distance between the bottom surface  21  of the base  20  and the upper surface of the circuit board  18 . The standoffs  58  insure that the contacts  60  mounted in the base  20  are not crushed when the socket  14  is mounted on the circuit board  18 .  
         [0044]    In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the overall height of the base  20  relative to the top surface of the printed circuit board is preferably minimized, such as to one millimeter and the like from the top surface of the printed circuit board to the top surface  19  of the base  20 . The distance from the top of the circuit board to the top surface  19  is minimized in connection with at least one preferred embodiment by utilizing a contact  60  having a very low vertical profile. The vertical profile of the contact  60  may be minimized by constructing the features of the contact  60  to extend in the horizontal direction (as illustrated in FIG. 10), while minimizing the feature set of the contact  60  extending in the vertical direction.  
         [0045]    As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base  20  includes a plurality of channels  62  formed therein and extending therethrough. The channels  62  are formed in a rectangular shape and aligned (in one embodiment) at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base  20 . The channels  62  are grouped in rows  64 , with each row  64  aligned in an offset and overlapping manner with respect to the adjacent rows  64  of channels  62 . Each channel  62  receives a contact  60  that is forcibly inserted into the channel  62  and retained therein in a frictionally fit.  
         [0046]    As shown in FIG. 9, each channel  62  may be formed with a tapered width to be narrower proximate one end  63  and wider proximate the other end  65 . The contacts  60  have an even thickness, thereby easily sliding into the wide end  65  and frictionally engaging the narrow end  63 . Optionally, the contract  60  may gauge into the interior sides of the channel  62  proximate the narrow end  63 .  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 10 illustrates a sectional view taken along line  10 - 10  in FIG. 4 of a contact  60  mounted in a channel  62 . The contact  60  includes an intermediate shorting member  70  formed integrally with an upper interface  72  and a solder member  74 . In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the upper interface  72  includes a spring arm  76  having a lobe  78  formed on the outer end thereof. The upper edge of the lobe  78  forms a module engaging face  80 . The intermediate shorting member  70  includes a lobe  82  on the outer end thereof. The lobes  78  and  82  include shorting faces aligned with one another and that may be formed at angled chamfered edges, such as 45°. The spring arm  76  and shorting member  70  are interconnected via a flexible arcuate resilient bridge  86 . The solder member  74  joins the shorting member  70  at an intermediate point along the length of the shorting member  70 . The solder member  74  is shaped as a J-lead with an outer end portion  86  shaped to be soldered to an electrical path on the circuit board  18 , an inner end portion  87  joining the shorting member  70  and an intermediate portion  88 .  
         [0048]    Optionally, the solder member  74  may very in length and shape. The outer end portion  86  of the solder member  74  may have a length adapted to be soldered to the circuit board  18 . The solder is melted during a “reflow” operation permitting the outer end portion  86  to be embedded within the solder. During the reflow operation, the solder may wick upward along the outer end portion  86  of the solder member  74  a distance dependent upon the volume of solder used. The length of the outer end portion  86  is determined to be sufficient to prevent excess wicking of the solder. Thus, the length of the outer end portion  86  and the solder member  74  is dependent in part upon the amount of solder used to connect each contact  60  to the circuit board  18 .  
         [0049]    The shorting member  70  also includes an intermediate portion  88  having a length sufficient to permit movement between the socket  14  and circuit board  18 . It may be desirable to permit relative movement between the socket  14  and the circuit board  18  as these components typically exhibit different coefficients of thermal expansion. As temperatures vary, the socket  14  expands and contracts by an amount dependent upon the size of the socket and the materials from which the socket  14  are formed. Similarly, as temperatures fluctuate, the circuit board  18  expands and contracts. However, as the socket  14  and circuit board  18  are of different size and formed from different materials, they expand and contract by different amounts. The amount of expansion and contraction may be characterized by their coefficients of thermal expansion. The solder member  74  is provided with sufficient length to be bent during relative movement between the socket  14  and circuit board  18  without cracking the solder connection between the circuit board  18  and the outer end  86  of the contact  60 . The intermediate portion  88  of the solder member  74  may flex in order to prevent cracking of the solder connection. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) becomes more important as components become bigger. The CTE is of less importance in conventional socket configurations that simply maintain an abutting relation between the contacts and electrical paths on the circuit board without soldering such members to one another.  
         [0050]    Optionally, the solder member  74  may be mounted to the contact  60  at a different position. For instance, the solder member  74  may be secured to the contact  60  at a point closer to or further from the arcuate portion  85  of the contact  60 .  
         [0051]    Turning to FIGS. 11 and 12, the retention clip  12  is now discussed in more detail. The retention clip  12  includes side walls  100  and end walls  102 . The side walls  100  and end walls  102  are interconnected through a supporting rib configuration  104 . The rib configuration  104  includes opposed outer longitudinal ribs  106  extending along a length of the retention clip  12 . The longitudinal ribs  106  include a plurality of retention beams  108  formed thereon and extending inward and downward from the rib configuration  104 . The retention beams  108  are directed to abut against the module  16  to press the module  16  downward onto the contacts  60  mounted in the base  20  of the socket  14 . While the retention beams  108  are flexible, the retention beams  108  exhibit sufficient resiliency to apply a desired amount of force against the module  16 . The end walls  102  also include a plurality of retention fingers  110  formed therewith and bent inward and downward from the rib configuration  104 . The fingers  110  function in the same manner as retention beams  108  to bias the module  16  against the socket  14 . Optionally, the number of fingers may be modified. Optionally, the size of the fingers and locations thereof may similarly be varied, including mounting the retention beams  108  and  110  upon various portions of the rib configuration  104 , end walls  102  and side walls  100 .  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary module  17  comprised of an electronic component within a protective shell  130 . The shell  130  includes a plurality of openings  132  on an upper surface  134 . The shell  130  includes a plurality of exposure notches  120  cut into the shell  130  and arranged along either side of the shell  130 . Within the notices  120 , fingers  136  are formed integral with the shell  130  and bent to project downward. The fingers  136  are soldered to the electronic component enclosed in the shell  130 .  
         [0053]    Opposite ends  138 ,  139  of the shell  130  include outer flanges  140  bent downward to contact the ends of the electronic component. The flanges  140  may be formed integral with the shell  130 , and may be soldered to the electronic component. The flanges  140  and fingers  136  may be stamped from the shell  130  and bent accordingly. Once the flanges  140  and fingers  136  are bent, exposure notches  120  and  142  are formed. The retention beams  108  and  110  are arranged shaped to fit the exposure notches  120  and  142 .  
         [0054]    The overall longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the retention clip  12  are minimized by aligning the retention beams  108  and  110  with the exposure notches  120  and  142 .  
         [0055]    The end walls  102  include openings  112  centered therein and located opposed to one another. The openings  112  are configured to align with the latches  50 . Each end wall  102  includes a retention edge  114  in the opening  112  which is secured under the protrusions  52  on the latches  50  once the retention clip  12  is snapped over the socket  14  and module  16 .  
         [0056]    As illustrated in FIG. 15, the notch  56  in the latch  50  forms an opening behind the retention edge  114 , thereby permitting a tool to be inserted behind the end wall  102  in order to pry the end wall  102  outward and over the protrusions  52  on the latch  50 . To remove the retention clip  12 , a small tool is inserted into the notch  56  behind the end wall  102  and a slight pressure is applied downward on the retention clip  12 , while the tool is rotated inward towards the socket  14 . This action deflects the end wall  102  out and over the latch  50 . Once the module  16  is replaced, the retention clip  12  may be replaced by pressing the end walls  102  downward against the beveled edges  54  until the end walls  102  flex outward and over the clips  50 .  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary module  16  including notched side sections  120  that receive the retention beams  108 .  
         [0058]    The end walls  102  and side walls  100  are thin and conform closely against the exterior of the socket  14 . The retention clip  12  provides a longitudinal and lateral envelope that is only slightly longer than the dimensions of the module  16 .  
         [0059]    Optionally, the retention clip  12  may be modified to omit the rib support structure  104 , and merely include the retention beams  108  and  110  formed directly on the side walls  100  and end walls  102 , respectively.  
         [0060]    While particular elements, embodiments and applications of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. It is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover such modifications as incorporate those features which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.