Abstract:
Disclosed is a socket apparatus for gripping the balls of a ball grid array (BGA), including a base member of electrically insulative material, an array of pairs of electrical contacts disposed in the base member in a configuration corresponding to a terminal ball configuration of said BGA to be mated with the socket apparatus, a first plate member disposed for slidable movement on said base member and having a plurality of parallel extension members extending therefrom and configured to pass through the array of pairs of electrical contacts, a second plate member disposed for slidable movement on said base member and having a plurality of parallel extension members extending therefrom and configured to pass through the array of pairs of electrical contacts, the plurality of parallel extension members of said first plate member disposed between the plurality of parallel extension members of said second plate member, a plurality of insulative nodules disposed on each extension member with nodules forming an array corresponding to said array of pairs of electrical contacts, and the first plate member and second plate member being movable relative to each other on said base member whereby the plurality of insulative nodules urge the corresponding electrical contacts into electrical contact engagement with the balls of a BGA in the socket.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to the field of integrated circuits and more particularly to apparatuses and methods of mounting a ball grid array package (BGA) on a socket. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the packaging of integrated circuit devices, including processors, memory devices, and other integrated circuits, the use of BGAs has become increasingly popular by permitting a high density of inter-connections. BGAs provide a relatively low package profile and have very short lead lengths which provide improved electrical characteristics. BGAs may be utilized in multiple chip devices. Usually, balls or bumps of a BGA (BGA balls) are soldered to an array of pads on a printed circuit board for permanent connection to leads extending to other circuitry. However, in many instances, particularly during prototype debugging or burn-in, BGA&#39;s may be removably placed in a socket for testing or operations. 
     BGA sockets have been available for several years. Ordinarily, these sockets include a printed circuit board having an array of electrically conductive pads on its surface. The pads match the arrangement of the BGA balls on the BGA to be inserted. The BGA is then placed in the socket and is vertically pressed against the array of pads by a force normal to the package itself. In order to guarantee electrical contact, the typically required pressure load applied to contacts is about 50 to 100 grams per contact. Therefore, when there are high BGA ball counts, the mechanism to apply a uniform force may be large and cumbersome. Slight variations in the size of the BGA balls can require particularly excessive force, sufficient to deform the BGA balls so as to force all of the BGA balls into contact with the underlying pads. 
     SUMMARY 
     A brief summary of various embodiments is presented below. Some simplifications and omissions may be made in the following summary, which is intended to highlight and introduce some aspects of the various embodiments, but not to limit the scope of the invention. Detailed descriptions of embodiments adequate to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the inventive concepts will follow in later sections. 
     Various embodiments described herein relate a socket apparatus for gripping balls of a ball grid array (BGA), including a base member of electrically insulative material, an array of pairs of electrical contacts disposed in the base member in a configuration corresponding to a terminal ball configuration of said BGA to be mated with the socket apparatus, a first plate member disposed for slidable movement on said base member and having a plurality of parallel extension members extending therefrom and configured to pass through the array of pairs of electrical contacts, a second plate member disposed for slidable movement on said base member and having a plurality of parallel extension members extending therefrom and configured to pass through the array of pairs of electrical contacts, the plurality of parallel extension members of said first plate member disposed between the plurality of parallel extension members of said second plate member, a plurality of insulative nodules disposed on each extension member with nodules forming an array corresponding to said array of pairs of electrical contacts, and the first plate member and second plate member being movable relative to each other on said base member whereby the plurality of insulative nodules urge the corresponding electrical contacts into electrical contact engagement with the balls of the BGA in the socket. 
     The plurality of parallel extension members of said first plate member may be interleaved with the plurality of parallel extension members of said second plate member. 
     The extension members and nodules may be made of an insulating material. 
     The slidable movement may be along a lengthwise direction of an extension member. 
     The pairs of electrical contacts may be made of a flexible conductor that flexes when contacted by the nodules. 
     The pairs of electrical contacts may have a concave surface that contacts the balls of the BGA in the socket. 
     The plurality of nodules may extend in a plurality of nodule columns and the pairs of electrical contacts extend in a plurality of electrical contact columns wherein the nodule columns are interleaved with the electrical contact columns. A nodule may engage one electrical contact from one column of the pairs of electrical contacts while engaging another electrical contact from another column of the pairs of electrical contacts. 
     A cam member may be mounted on a side opposite the base member from the extension members, the cam member configured to push the first plate member and second plate member away from each other. 
     At least one screw member may be affixed to the socket apparatus to move at least one of the first plate member and second plate member relative to each other. 
     The balls of the BGA may be secured to the socket apparatus by lateral forces applied by the corresponding electrical contacts. 
     The nodules may be substantially round. The nodules may be substantially triangular. 
     Various embodiments described herein also relate a method of securing a ball grid array (BGA) to a socket including a base member of electrically insulative material, an array of pairs of electrical contacts disposed in the base member in a configuration corresponding to a terminal ball configuration of said BGA to be mated with the socket, a first plate member disposed for slidable movement on said base member and having a plurality of parallel extension members extending and configured to pass through the array of pairs of electrical contacts, a second plate member disposed for slidable movement on said base member and having a plurality of parallel extension members extending therefrom and configured to pass through the array of pairs of electrical contacts, the plurality of parallel extension members of said first plate member disposed between the parallel extension members of said second plate member, a plurality of insulative nodules disposed on each extension member with nodules forming an array corresponding to said array of pairs of electrical contacts, and the first plate member and second plate member being movable relative to each other on said base member whereby the plurality of insulative nodules urge the corresponding electrical contacts into electrical contact engagement with the balls of the BGA in the socket, the method including placing the BGA into the socket, and moving the first plate member and second plate member are relative to each other to urge the corresponding electrical contacts into electrical contact engagement with the balls of the BGA and secure the BGA to the socket. 
     At least one of the first and second plate members may be moved using a cam member. 
     At least one of the first and second plate members may be moved using a screw member. 
     The method may include securing the balls of the BGA to the socket by lateral forces applied by the corresponding electrical contacts. 
     The slidable movement may be along a lengthwise direction of the extension members. 
     The method includes flexing the electrical contacts when the electrical contacts are contacted by the nodules. 
     The extension members and nodules may be made of an insulating material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Additional objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims when taken in conjunction with the drawings. Although several embodiments are illustrated and described, like reference numerals identify like parts in each of the figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of a socket apparatus positioned under BGA balls in an open position in accordance with embodiments described herein; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the socket apparatus of  FIG. 1  positioned under BGA balls in closed position in accordance with embodiments described herein; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of a socket apparatus having plates and extension members paired with a BGA package outline in accordance with embodiments described herein; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a starting position of a cam member for the socket apparatus of  FIG. 3  in accordance with embodiments described herein; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an engaged position of the cam member for the socket apparatus of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an alternate embodiment for moving the plates of the socket apparatus of  FIG. 3  in accordance with embodiments described herein; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of a socket apparatus positioned under BGA balls in accordance with embodiments described herein; and 
         FIG. 8  illustrates alternative shapes of nodules and nodules on extension members in accordance with embodiments described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It should be understood that the figures are merely schematic and are not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numerals are used throughout the figures to indicate the same or similar parts. 
     The descriptions and drawings illustrate the principles of various example embodiments. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Additionally, the term, “or,” as used herein, refers to a non-exclusive or (i.e., and/or), unless otherwise indicated (e.g., “or else” or “or in the alternative”). Also, the various embodiments described herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. As used herein, the terms “context” and “context object” will be understood to be synonymous, unless otherwise indicated. The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc. are used as designators to aid the reader, are not meant to be limiting terms, and may generally be interchanged. 
     The terms “rows” and “columns” here are interchangeable and are only used for reference and are not meant to permanently affix a directional configuration to components of the socket apparatus  100  and are not meant to take away or limit the concepts described herein in any way. The same holds true for other features described herein such as “wall” or “plate.” Unless otherwise described by more limiting features, such terms are interchangeable and are merely used to aid the reader in distinguishing one device component from another. 
     Soldering a BGA package to a printed circuit board (PCB) is a way to obtain electrical connection while minimizing additional mechanical overhead. Once soldered to a PCB or underlying substrate material, specialized factory based equipment is needed to remove or replace the BGA and these replacements are then limited in most cases to a small number of remove/replace cycles due to thermal, mechanical, and electrical degradation of the assembly. As a result, additional time and cost are needed throughout product development to include product repair and upgrade. 
     One solution places BGA chips into sockets that overcome this shortfall by providing a non-soldered electrical connection between a BGA chip and a socket that is held together using a vertical clamping force apparatus. As a result BGAs can be removed and replaced at any time with the use of simple hand tools. While they present many notable advantages to product designers such as solderless connection, rapid chip replacement, upgrading, and field replacement, vertical compression mounting schemes used on socket packages introduce an equal number of disadvantages thereby relegating their use to very narrow segments of the industry. 
     Vertical compression schemes, which essentially compress the BGA to the socket by sandwiching it between a bottom bolster plate and a top plate or heat sink, introduces substantial force normal to the plane of the BGA chip that must be channeled through the package. Even though individual contact forces are relatively negligible, when multiplied by the sheer number of BGA balls on larger BGAs (1000, 2000 or event 3000+) the forces may be substantial (200-300 lbs). 
     With these constraints, chip vendors have concerns about applying this amount of force on a package that threaten to nullify positive device characteristics such as reliability. Separate extensive tests or evaluations are therefore needed to validate reliability, with any risk being assumed by the user. Additionally, to generate and maintain such high forces, substantial hardware is needed such as screw mounts to a bottom side bolster plate. This hardware consumes both internal routing real estate due to the holes needed for the screws, as well as the vast majority of bottom side real estate, owing to the bolster plate itself. Bottom side real estate comes at a direct cost to chip decoupling capacitors and termination resistors, something that has proved unacceptable in past evaluations. 
     Embodiments described herein include a socket apparatus that provides the benefits of a traditional BGA socket, without the drawbacks of vertical compression mounting, by using a lateral loading mechanism. By clamping on the BGA balls from the side, rather than vertically, two contact points may be used on either side of a BGA ball, cancelling out the net stress or loading effect on the BGA package. In this way, BGA package reliability remains uncompromised. No vertical loading, no loading over the die area, and minimum hardware are required to anchor the socket apparatus to the bottom side of a BGA chip, thereby eliminating any impact to the real estate directly under the BGA (both internal to the circuit card and on the opposite external side of the circuit card). 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of a socket apparatus  100  positioned under BGA balls  170  in an open position in accordance with embodiments described herein. The socket apparatus  100  may include a first plate  112  and a second plate  114  disposed at opposing sides of the socket apparatus  100  in a parallel manner. Adjacent to the first plate  112  and second plate  114  are walls  120 . First plate  112  and second plate  114 , and walls  120  may be mounted on a base member  130  of electrically insulative material and form a periphery of the socket apparatus  100 . Disposed between the first plate  112  and second plate  114  are a plurality of nodules  140  made of an insulating, non-conductive material, such as polymer, elastomer, or the like. The nodules  140  may be disposed throughout the socket apparatus  100  along reference lines  135  between the first plate  112  and second plate  114 , and walls  120 . The socket apparatus  100  may also include a plurality of electrical contact members  160  that may be arranged in pairs and are flexibly attached to the base member  130 . Thus the pairs of electrical contacts members  160  may be made of a flexible conductor that flexes when contacted by the nodules  140 . The pairs form contact areas  165  in the form of a void or gap in which to load a BGA ball  170 . The contact areas may also be referred to as gaps or voids. The electrical contact members  160  may include a pair of contacts that surround contact areas  165  and are respectively conductively coupled to each other, but not to other contact pairs. 
     The socket apparatus  100  may include a plurality of extension members  150  that are fixedly attached to the first plate  112  and second plate  114  in an alternating parallel and interleaved fashion. The extension members  150  may also be referred to as rods. The extension members  150  may also be formed integral with the first plate  112  and second plate  114 . The extension members  150  may be made of a non-conducting material, and may be formed of the same material as the nodules  140 . The extension members  150  may include a first set of extension members  152  attached to the first plate  112 , and a second set of extension members  154  connected to the second plate  114 . 
     When a BGA chip or package is inserted or mounted onto the socket apparatus  100 , the nodules  140  of the socket apparatus  100  may be moved in a lengthwise direction along the reference lines  135  in order to push or press the electrical contact members  160  into physical and electrical contact with the BGA balls  170 . In embodiments described herein, a number of nodules  140  may be greater than a number of contact areas  165  in a socket apparatus  100 . 
     When the nodules  140  are pressed against the electrical contact members  160 , the BGA packages that the BGA balls  170  are attached to are firmly held using lateral compression or lateral force applied to sides of BGA balls  170 , eliminating the need to use a vertical clamp that can place harmful force on the top of a BGA package including the chips therein. Further, the lateral forces applied to each of the BGA balls  170  may be opposite to one another, thus substantially cancelling one another. This results in very little to no lateral force being applied to the BGA balls  170 . 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a limited number of extension members  150 , nodules  140 , electrical contact members  160  and BGA balls  170 . It should be understood that the design described herein may be used for BGA packages and sockets that have BGA balls numbering in the hundreds to thousands, depending on the complexity of an integrated circuit and the number of connections thereto. 
     In embodiments described herein, after a BGA package or chip is loaded onto a socket apparatus  100 , the first plate  112  with first extension members  152  are moved towards or away from the second plate  114  with second extension members  154  so that nodules  140  in adjacent columns are moved toward each other along a column direction. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the nodules  140  are fixedly attached to, or form a part of the extension members  150 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a socket apparatus  100  of  FIG. 1  positioned under BGA balls  170  in closed position in accordance with embodiments described herein. Embodiments described herein apply lateral holding forces to the BGA balls  170  of a BGA chip. To do this, several mechanical apparatus and methods may be used to pull the first plate  112  and the second plate  114  apart in order to wedge the nodules  140  into contact with the electrical contact members  160 . Comparing  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , nodule  141  has been pulled by the second plate  114  to create a physical and electrical contact between contact member  161  and BGA ball  171 . Similarly, nodule  142  has been pulled by the first plate  112  to create a physical and electrical contact between contact member  162  and BGA ball  171 . Thus, the first extension members  152  and second extension members  154  supply force to the nodules  140  in the lengthwise direction. The nodules  140  translate these forces into lateral forces that are applied to the electrical contact members  160 , and then from the electrical contact members  160  to the BGA balls  170 . The BGA balls are secured by the mechanical forces applied by the electrical contact members. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the first plate  112  and the second plate  114  are configured to slide along walls  120  to facilitate movement of extension members  150 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the electrical contact members  160  are disposed in columns and rows in the socket apparatus  100 . The layout of the electrical contact members  160  are designed to coincide with corresponding BGA ball  170 . The nodules  140  and electrical contact members  160  of the socket apparatus  100  are disposed in a manner such that when the first plate  112  and second plate  114  are moved towards or apart from each other, a single nodule  140  contacts one electrical contact member  160  in one contact pair column, and a separate electrical contact member  160  in another contact pair column. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the shape of the electrical contact members  160  is concave on the side of the electrical contact members  160  directly adjacent and abutting the BGA balls  170 , and convex on the sides of the electrical contact members  160  adjacent and abutting the nodules  140 . When pushed into contact with BGA balls  170  by nodules  140 , a pair of electrical contact members  160  may partially wrap around the BGA balls  170  to form close contact and establish a reliable electrical connection between BGA balls  170  and an underlying printed circuit board mounted in a test circuit or device. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , electrical contact members  160  are spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the BGA ball  170  between them when in the open position. The series of extension members  150  may be configured as rods that run between adjacent columns of electrical contact member pairs, and the extension members  150  may have the nodules formed thereon or there from. The extension members  150  and nodules  140  may be elevated above the base member  130  or guided along the base member  130  in tracks or grooves. The termination of these rods  150  alternate from column to column, with a connection to the first plate  112  and the second plate  114 , such that if a first rod terminates on the first plate  112 , the second adjacent rod would terminate on the opposite side to the second plate  114 . Each rod  150  may be constructed to support nodules  140  along the length thereof that correspond to the BGA ball  170  pitch, so that for every BGA ball  170  there is at least one nodule  140 . 
     The geometry of the nodules  140  directly affect the loading force profile of the BGA balls  170  and may be used to generate side loading instead of vertical loading as present in other devices. In embodiments described herein, nodules  140  on rods  150  are moved from a non-contacting position as illustrated in  FIG. 1  into a contacting position as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 2 , either one of the first plate  112  or second plate  114  may be moved away from the opposite plate, while the opposite plate is held stationary in order to move the nodules  140  and press the electrical contact members  160  against the BGA balls  170 . Both first plate  112  and second plate  114  may also be moved toward each other in order to move the nodules  140  and press the electrical contact members  160  against the BGA balls  170 . This pressing establishes electrical contact between a BGA package and the socket apparatus  100  that is mounted to a printed circuit board or like apparatus. Also, as described above, both first plate  112  and second plate  114  may be moved apart from each other to move nodules  140  against the electrical contacts members  160  to establish electrical contact with the BGA balls  170 . 
     The electrical contact members  160  may be electrically connected through the base member  130  of the socket apparatus  100  to additional electronic components on the bottom of the socket apparatus  100  to establish electrical contact between a BGA package and an underlying circuit board or the like. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of a socket apparatus having plates and extension members paired with a BGA package outline  310  in accordance with embodiments described herein.  FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of a socket apparatus  100  having first plate  112  and second plate  114  and extension members  150  as they would appear over the base member  130 . In accordance with embodiments described herein, there are a variety of different mechanisms that can be used to pull the first plate  112  and second plate  114  apart or push them together to wedge the nodules into place. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a starting position of a cam member  410  for the socket apparatus of  FIG. 3  in accordance with embodiments described herein. In an initial position illustrated in  FIG. 4 , nodules (not illustrated) are not applying a force on the electrical contact member pairs. The cam member  410  may include a thumbscrew  415  to allow a user to operate the cam member to turn the cam member  410  against abutting members  420  fixed to a side  430  of the base member opposite the extension members. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the cam member  410  may be adjusted until the BGA balls  170  are held firmly in place by the nodules  140 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an engaged position of the cam member  410  for the socket apparatus of  FIG. 5 . In  FIG. 5  the first plate  112  and second plate  114  are distanced from each other and the nodules  140  are forced into conductive contact as previously described in relation to  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an alternative embodiment for moving the first plate  112  and second plate  114  of the socket apparatus of  FIG. 3  into position to engage the BGA balls  170  in accordance with embodiments described herein. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a pair of threaded screw members  610  having threads  605  may be inserted into housings  630  of the socket apparatus  100 . Housings  630  are affixed to one of the first plate  112  and second plate  114  such that rotation of threaded screw members  610  will bring the first plate  112  and the second plate  114  into position such that nodules (not illustrated in this figure) attached to extension members  150  may engage the BGA balls as described herein. The threaded screw members  610  may be used to push or pull the first plate  112  and the second plate  114  relative to each other. In addition to mechanical apparatuses such as the cam member  410  and screw members  610 , it is contemplated that the first plate  112  and the second plate  114  may also be moved by any other mechanical apparatus or methods known in the art to achieve sufficient lateral force on the BGA balls  170  being brought to bear via the mechanism of the nodules pressing upon respective electrical contact pairs. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of a socket apparatus  700  positioned under BGA balls in accordance with embodiments described herein.  FIG. 7  illustrates a socket apparatus  700  including a single electrical contact member  760  per BGA ball  770 . The socket apparatus  700  includes a plurality of triangle shaped wedges  740 . The wedges  740  may have a wide end  742  that tapers down to a narrow portion  744 . When a plate member  710  is pulled in the direction of the arrow  715 , the wedges  740  may push BGA balls  770  of a BGA package into the electrical contact members  760  mounted on a base member  730  of the socket apparatus  700 . Alternatively, the electrical contact members  760  may be rotated 180 degrees on the base member  730  so that the electrical contact members  760  are pressed by the laterally moving wedge members  740 , instead of the BGA balls  770 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates alternative shapes of the nodules and nodules on extension members in accordance with embodiments described herein. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the nodules  140  may take a substantially circular or substantially round shape, but embodiments described herein are not limited thereto. Nodules  140  may take on a substantially diamond shape  810 , a substantially triangular wedge shape  820 , both of which may be mounted to rods  850  to form alternative extension member combinations  815  and  825 . The nodules may also take a curved shape  830  that may conform to the curvature of the electrical contacts and combine with extension member  850  to form structure  835 . Other shapes as may be contemplated by those skilled in the art to achieve the desired effect of moving the nodules  140  and pressing the electrical contact members  160  against the BGA balls  170 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a method of mounting a BGA package to the socket apparatus  100  will now be described. Once a determination or a design has been made to match the pitch of BGA balls  170  with the contact areas  165  on the base member  130  of a socket apparatus  100 , a BGA chip is held in place over the socket apparatus  100 . Once the BGA is placed on top of the socket apparatus  100 , with each BGA ball  170  nestled between an electrical contact members  160 , opposing first plate  112  and second plate  114  are pulled apart (or forced together) driving the nodules  140  between the adjacent electrical contact members  160  to wedge the individual contacts of the electrical contact members  160  against the side of the BGA balls  170 , in a closed position. 
     In accordance with embodiments described herein, a socket apparatus  100  is provided in which the loads are applied parallel to the printed circuit board itself rather than normal to it. Each of the individual BGA balls makes electrical connection with an electrical contact member  160  disposed on a base member  130  of the socket apparatus  100 . One or more electrical contact members  160  may be resiliently urged against the sides of the BGA balls  170 . 
     The overall package may have a very low profile enabling the socket to be used in prototype system environments without modifying the system to accommodate mechanical clamps. Moreover, the top of the package, unlike the usual test and burn-in sockets for BGA&#39;s, is not blocked. Therefore, production heat sinks can be employed directly on the package. Further the embodiments described herein may be used in production systems allowing for easy swapping of components. 
     Embodiments described herein include a socket apparatus  100  that uses a lateral mounting mechanism, thereby avoiding issues introduced by vertical compression mounting. 
     A test socket for BGA packages for integrated circuits is described. The socket includes a package to receive BGA balls between two electrical contacts. The BGA balls may also be received between at least one electrical contact and at least one non-conductive member. The receptacles have opposing plates with extension members connected there between and one or both of the opposing plates moves in a lengthwise direction of the extension members. The one or two plates may press the non-conductive members into electrical contacts in order to physically and electrically connect the electrical contacts to a BGA ball. The BGA is then firmly secured to the socket, using a lateral force rather than the vertical force that is used in other device packages. 
     According to embodiments described herein, the amount of on-socket real estate may be increased, not needing attachment mechanisms that have previously been used for vertical mounting apparatuses and clamps. More socket space may allow a greater number of conductive pairs to be formed to enable larger BGAs to be attached to socket apparatuses using the designs described herein. Also, because vertical attachment mechanisms may no longer be needed, a top of a BGA may be more directly connected to heat sink implements, which can increase heat dissipation and lower operating temperatures of a circuit using the lateral loaded BGA socket described herein. 
     Although the various exemplary embodiments have been described in detail with particular reference to certain exemplary aspects thereof, it should be understood that the invention is capable of other embodiments and its details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects. As is readily apparent to those skilled in the art, variations and modifications can be effected while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure, description, and figures are for illustrative purposes only and do not in any way limit the invention, which is defined only by the claims.