Abstract:
A socket for electrical parts includes: a socket body on which the electrical part having a plurality of terminals is accommodated; a plurality of contact pins arranged to the socket body and adapted to electrically contact with the terminals of the electrical part; and a latch member attached to the socket body and adapted to press the electrical part, the latch member including an arm member attached to be movable to the socket body and a pressing member attached to be movable to the arm member and adapted to press the electrical part, the pressing member being made retractable into a retraction position from a pressing position where the pressing member presses said electrical part, by moving said arm member and said pressing member in relation to said arm member, said electrical part being able to be accommodated on or taken out from the socket body at a time the pressing member is in the retraction position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a socket for an electrical part for detachably accommodating an electrical part such as a semiconductor device (hereinafter referred to “IC package”), and more particularly, a socket for an electrical part having a latch member to hold down (to press) the electrical part accommodated on the socket. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   As shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , a conventional IC socket  1  is known as a “socket for electrical parts” of this kind, which can accommodate IC package (not shown) as an “electrical part.” 
   The IC socket  1  comprises a socket body  2  having a base portion  3 ; a floating plate  4  disposed on a base portion  3  and urged upward by a spring  5 , a floating plate  4  being vertically movable; and a plurality of spring-like contact pins  6  provided for the base portion  3  in a matrix-like arrangement, an upper end portion  6   a  of a contact pin  6  being inserted into a through hole  4   a  of the floating plate  4 . 
   Oppositely provided at a right and left portion of the socket body  2  are a pair of latch members  7 , which are each attached rotatably to the socket body  2  through rotational shafts  7   a . The latch member  7  is urged by a torsional coil spring  8  toward an opening direction thereof. 
   In addition, on the socket body  2 , an operation member  9  is provided and guided vertically by a guide pin  2   a . The operation member  9  is urged upwardly by a coil spring  10 . 
   Furthermore, the latch member  7  is engaged with an engaging shaft  9   a  provided on the operation member  9 . The engaging shaft  9   a  is structured to rotationally move the latch member  7  in a closing direction thereof against an urging force of the torsional coil spring  8 , when the operation member  9  is moved upwardly. 
   In such a socket mentioned above, when the operation member  9  is moved downwardly, the latch member  7  is rotationally moved to open by the urging force of the torsional coil spring  8  and then the IC package is accommodated on the floating plate  4 . Then, with the operation member being moved upwardly, a rear end portion  7   b  of the latch member  7  is pushed up by the engaging shaft  9   a  of the operation member  9 . And at the same time, a front end portion  7   c  of the latch member  7  pushes an upper surface of the IC package, thereby electrically connecting each of a plurality of terminals provided on a lower surface of the IC package with each of the contact pins  6 . 
   However, in such a conventional socket mentioned above, the latch member  7  must be retracted from a region into which the IC package is inserted, in order to accommodate the IC package. Therefore, there have been a problem that it is necessary to secure a space for rotational movement of the latch member  7  and also to make the amount of vertical movement of the operation member  9  larger because the amount of the rotational movement of the latch member  7  must be made larger. 
   Furthermore, the front end portion  7   c  of the latch member  7  presses the IC package by making use of the “principle of leverage,” that is, by pressing the rear end portion  7   b  of the latch member  7  with the engaging shaft  9   a  of the operation member  9 , therefore the distance L between a center of rotation of the latch member  7  and the rear end portion  7   b  becomes longer consequently, resulting in making the entire size of the IC socket  1  larger, being inconvenient. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a socket for electrical parts enabling space for providing a latch member to be small, and consequently enabling the socket for electrical parts to become smaller in size. 
   In order to achieve the above mentioned object, a first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a socket for an electrical part, which includes:
         a socket body on which the electrical part having a plurality of terminals is accommodated;   a plurality of contact pins provided for the socket body and adapted to electrically contact with the terminals of the electrical part; and   a latch member attached to the socket body and adapted to press the electrical part,   the latch member including;   an arm member attached to be movable to the socket body; and   a pressing member attached to be movable to the arm member and adapted to press the electrical part,   the pressing member being made retractable into a retraction position from a pressing position where the pressing member presses the electrical part, by moving the arm member and by moving the pressing member in relation to the arm member, the electrical part being able to be accommodated on or taken out from the socket body at a time the pressing member is in the retraction position.       

   Another aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the arm member is attached to be rotatable the socket body and the pressing member is attached to be rotatable to the arm member, the pressing member being made retractable into the retraction position by rotationally moving the arm member and by rotationally moving the pressing member. 
   A still another aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the pressing member is structured to be retracted into the retraction position by rotationally moving the pressing member in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the arm member. 
   Another aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an operation member is disposed to be vertically movable on the socket body, the latch member and the pressing member being pushed by the operation member at a time the operation member is moved downwardly, to thereby make the arm member and the pressing member rotationally move. 
   Another aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the latch member is a pair of latch members oppositely arranged with each other on the socket body, a tension spring member being disposed between and connected with each of the arm member of both of the latch members, each of the arm members being urged each other toward each of the pressing positions. 
   According to a foregoing aspect of the present invention, since the pressing member is structured to be retracted into the retraction position from the pressing position when the arm member is moved and the pressing member is also moved in relation to the arm member, the latch member&#39;s moving distance which is necessary for the pressing member to be retracted into the retraction position from the pressing position can be made shorter, being able to reduce the size of the socket. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the arm member is attached to be rotatable to the socket body and the pressing member is attached to be rotatable to the arm member. And the pressing member is structured to be retracted into the retraction position from the pressing position when the arm member is rotationally moved and the pressing member is also rotationally moved. Therefore, the pressing member can be retracted smoothly into the retraction position with simple mechanical structure. 
   According to a still another aspect of the present invention, the pressing member is rotationally moved in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the arm member. And the pressing member is structured to be retracted into the retraction position from the pressing position. Therefore, the latch member&#39;s moving distance necessary for the pressing member to be retracted into the retraction position can be made much shorter. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the operation member is disposed on the socket body to be vertically movable. The operation member is structured to push the arm member and the pressing member and to thereby make said arm member and said pressing member rotationally move when the operation member is moved downwardly, so that the latch member can be retracted into the retraction position through an easy and simple operation. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the latch member is a pair of latch members oppositely arranged with each other on the socket body and the tension spring member is disposed between and connected with each arm member of both of the latch members. Both of the arm members are urged each other in a direction the arm members are closing toward the pressing position, so that there is no need to ensure as much lateral dimension as that of prior art, being able to reduce the dimension in width direction of the socket when compared with a conventional one. 
   Furthermore, since the tension spring member directly pulls the arm member, mechanical force can act more efficiently when compared with the conventional socket in which the latch member is rotationally moved by way of the operation member, being able to ensure pressing force to be sufficiently applied on the electrical part even if a spring weaker in elasticity is used. 
   Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinary skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an IC socket in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of the IC socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the IC socket of  FIG. 1  taken along line III—III of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the IC socket of  FIG. 1  taken along line IV—IV of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view, viewed from obliquely upper place, of an arm member of a latch member of the IC socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view, viewed from obliquely lower place, of the arm member of the latch member of the IC socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the IC socket of  FIG. 1  taken along line VII—VII of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a pressing member of the latch member of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged sectional view of the IC socket of  FIG. 1  taken along line IX—IX of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 10A , FIG.  10 B and  FIG. 10C  are sectional views showing operations of the latch member of the IC socket of FIG.  1 :  FIG. 10A  is a view of a situation where the operation member is in the uppermost position (the latch member is in a pressing position);  FIG. 10B  is a view of a situation where the operation member is in the course of downward movement; and  FIG. 10C  is a view of a situation where the operation member is in the lowermost position (the latch member is in a retraction position); 
     FIG.  11 A and  FIG. 11B  are views of an IC package:  FIG. 11A  is a front view of the IC package;  FIG. 11B  is a bottom plan view of the IC package; 
       FIG. 12A , FIG.  12 B and  FIG. 12C  are sectional views showing operations of a latch member in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention:  FIG. 12A  is a view of a situation where the latch member is in a pressing position;  FIG. 12B  is a view of a situation where the latch member is in the course of retraction movement; and  FIG. 12C  is a view of a situation where the latch member is in a retraction position; 
       FIG. 13A , FIG.  13 B and  FIG. 13C  are sectional views showing operations of a latch member in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention:  FIG. 13A  is a view of a situation where the latch member is in a pressing position;  FIG. 13B  is a view of a situation where the latch member is in the course of retraction movement; and  FIG. 13C  is a view of a situation where the latch member is in a retraction position; 
       FIG. 14A , FIG.  14 B and  FIG. 14C  are sectional views showing operations of a latch member in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention:  FIG. 14A  is a view of a situation where the latch member is a pressing position;  FIG. 14B  is a view of a situation where the latch member is in the course of retraction movement; and  FIG. 14C  is a view of a situation where the latch member is in a retraction position; 
       FIG. 15  is a sectional view of an IC socket in accordance with conventional art, and 
       FIG. 16  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 15  where contact pins are arranged. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Preferred embodiments of the present invention and modifications thereof will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1  to  FIG. 11B  are views showing an IC socket according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
   In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  11  denotes an IC socket as a “socket for electrical parts.” The IC socket  11  is a socket for carrying out performance testing of an IC package  12  as an “electrical part” and is designed to establish an electrical connection between a terminal of the IC package  12  and a printed wiring board of a tester (not shown in Figs). 
   An example of the IC packages is illustrated in FIG.  11 A and FIG.  11 B. The example is an IC package, what is called an BGA (Ball Grid Array) type, having for example a rectangular package body  12   a  and a number of solder balls  12   b  arranged on a lower surface portion of the package body so as to project downwardly in a matrix-like arrangement. 
   On the other hand, an example of the IC sockets is outlined as shown in FIG.  3 . The IC socket  11  comprises a socket body  13  on which a first base plate  16  and a second base plate  17  are mounted, and a floating plate  18  disposed vertically movable on an upper side of the second base plate  17  and urged upwardly by a spring  19 . 
   The first and the second base plates  16 ,  17  have throughholes  16   a ,  17   a  respectively. Into the throughholes  16   a ,  17   a , a spring like contact pin  15  is inserted, so as to a number of contact pins  15  are arranged in a matrix like manner. And upper side portions of upper end portions  15   a  of these contact pins  15  are inserted into throughholes  18   a  of the floating plate  18 , respectively. 
   The floating plate  18  is an approximately square like board. As shown in  FIG. 4  an engaging claw  18   b  is extended downwardly from a peripheral portion of the floating plate and engages with the second base plate  17  when the floating plate  18  is at an uppermost position, to restrict a further upward movement of the floating plate. 
   On the socket body  13 , as shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , a pair of latch members  20  are oppositely provided each on the opposite side portion of the socket body  13  so as to be movable between a pressing position where the IC package  12  is pressed and a retraction position under the situation of which the IC package  12  can be accommodated on and taken out from the socket body  13 . And an operation member  23  which makes the pair of latch members move, is provided on the socket body  13  to be vertically movable in relation to the socket body  13 . 
   The latch members  20  each comprise an arm member  21  attached movably (rotatably movable) to the socket body  13  and a pressing member  22 , for pressing the IC package, attached to the arm member  21  to be rotatably movable. 
   The arm members  21 , as shown in FIG.  5  and  FIG. 6 , are formed to have a length approximately equal to the entire width of the IC socket  11 . Inserted into a shaft insertion hole  21   e  formed to a lower portion of the arm member  21  is a shaft  24 . By supporting the shaft  24  with a shaft supporting hole  13   c  formed to the socket body  13 , the arm member  21  can be rotatably movable in relation to the socket body  13  (refer to FIG.  1 ). In addition, on the side of the arm member  21 , an operating protrusion  21   c  is protrudingly outwardly formed in a lateral direction. When the operating protrusion  21   c  is pressed by a first pressing portion  23   a  of the operation member  23 , the arm member  21  is rotationally moved in an outward direction (in a direction the latch member  20  is opened) from the socket body  13  (counterclockwise direction in  FIG. 10A , FIG.  10 B and FIG.  10 C). 
   Moreover, connecting shafts  21   a  are protrudingly outwardly formed at both side portions in a longitudinal direction of an upper portion of the arm member  21 . The connecting shafts  21   a  of the pair of arm members  21  are linked each other with a tension coil spring  25  as a “tension spring member,” so as to urge both arm members  21  toward the inward direction of the socket body  13  or in a direction of both arm members  21  gets close to each other (in a closing direction of the latch member  20 ) (refer to FIG.  3 ). 
   Furthermore, the pressing member  22 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , is arranged rotatably in an arrangement recess portion  21   d  of the arm member  21  by supporting a supporting shaft  22   a  inserted into a supporting shaft insertion hole  22   d  by a supporting hole  21   f  of the arm member  21 . And the pressing member  22  is urged counterclockwise as shown in  FIG. 3  by a torsional coil spring  26  seated in a seating recess portion  21   g  of the arm member  21 . When the pressing member  22  is positioned at a place shown in  FIG. 3 , an abutting surface  22   b  of the pressing member  22  abuts against a stopper wall  21   b  of the arm member  21 , so as to be structured to prevent the pressing member from further moving in counterclockwise direction from a situation shown in FIG.  3 . At this situation, another one of the pair of pressing members  22  hidden in right side in  FIG. 3  is prevented from clockwise rotation. 
   Furthermore, on the pressing member  22 , as shown in FIG.  8  and  FIG. 9 , a press projection portion  22   c  is formed. When the operation member  23  is depressed downwardly, the press projection portion  22   c  is pressed by a second pressing portion  23   b  formed on the operation member  23 , so that the pressing member  22  is structured to move rotationally clockwise as shown in  FIG. 10A ,  10 B and  10 C against the urging force of the torsional coil spring  26 . 
   In addition, the contact pin  15  is made of electrically conductive and coil-likely winded wire as shown in FIG.  3  and is structured to be expandable and contractible in a vertical direction. When the floating plate  18  is depressed against the urging force of the spring  19 , its upper end portion  15   a  is structured to be brought in contact with a solder ball  12   b  of the IC package  12 . 
   Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 2  which is a plan view, the operation member  23  is formed to be a frame like shape having an opening at its central portion large enough for inserting and taking out the IC package  12 , disposed to be vertically movable in relation to the socket body  13 , and urged upwardly by the torsional coil spring  27  as shown in FIG.  3 . 
   Next, the function or operation of such an IC socket  11  of the present invention will be explained hereunder. 
   In order to accommodate the IC package  12  on the floating plate  18 , the operation member  23  is depressed. With this operation, the operating protrusion  21   c  of the arm member  21  is at first pressed by the first pressing portion  23   a  to rotationally move the arm member  21  toward the outside of the socket body  13  against the urging force of the tension coil spring  25  from a situation shown in  FIG. 10A  to a situation shown in FIG.  10 B. 
   In addition, with the operation member  23  being depressed, the press projection portion  22   c  of the pressing member  22  of the latch member  20  is pressed, and as shown in  FIG. 10C , the pressing member  22  is rotationally moved in a direction opposite to the rotational movement of the arm member  21  against the urging force of the torsional coil spring  26 . 
   According to the movement mentioned above, as shown in  FIG. 10C , the pressing member  22  is retracted into the retraction position from the pressing position. 
   Under this situation, the IC package  12  is fed and accommodated on the floating plate  18  by for example an automated machinery. 
   As mentioned above, since the latch member  20  is comprised of two members—the arm member  21  and the pressing member  22 —, and the pressing member  22  is structured to be rotationally movable independently in relation to the arm member  21 , a space for the rotational movement of the latch member  20  which moves between the pressing position and the retraction position can be made smaller when compared with the conventional latch member  7  composed of one member. In addition, in a case where the arm member  21  and the pressing member  22  are made to move in different rotational direction with each other, the space for the rotational movement can be made much smaller. 
   Next, in order to bring the socket into a situation where the IC package  12  is pressed with the latch member  20 , the operation member  23  is then moved upwardly. During the upward movement of the operation member, the pressing force applied on the press projection portion  22   c  of the pressing member  22  of the latch member  20  by the second pressing portion  23   b  of the operation member  23  is released. And then the pressing member  22  is moved counterclockwise as shown in  FIG. 10A ,  10 B and  10 C by the urging force of the torsional coil spring  26 . And then the abutting surface  22   b  of the pressing member  22  abuts against the stopper portion  21   b  of the arm member  21 , thereby the rotational movement of the pressing member  22  is made to stop. 
   When the operation member  23  is further moved upwardly, the pressing force applied on the operating protrusion  21   c  of the arm member  21  by the first pressing portion  23   a  of the operation member  23  is released. And then the pair of the arm members  21  is moved rotationally toward the closing direction thereof by the tension coil spring  25 . 
   According to the movement mentioned above, a front end surface of the pressing member  22  abuts against an upper surface of the IC package  12  and presses it by the urging force of the tension coil spring  25 . 
   As mentioned above, since the upper end portion (the connecting shaft  21   a ) of the arm member  21  is urged inwardly by the tension coil spring  25 , there is no need to set up distance L in a crosswise direction (in a right and left direction in FIG.  3  and FIG.  15 ), thereby enabling the socket to be made smaller in size in its width direction (in a crosswise direction) when compared with the conventional socket shown in FIG.  15 . 
   In addition, since the tension coil spring  25  directly pulls the arm member  21 , mechanical force can be used efficiently when compared with a conventional socket in which a latch member is indirectly urged by way of an operation member toward a pressing portion as shown in  FIG. 15 , being able to ensure pressing force to be applied on the IC package  12  even when a spring weaker in elasticity is used. 
   In particular, in a socket like this embodiment in which the contact pin  15  and the solder ball  12   b  of the IC package  12  are brought into contact with each other with a prescribed pressure by pressing the IC package  12  with the latch member  20  and by depressing the floating plate  18  against the urging force of the spring  19 , urging force to be applied on the latch member  20  must be made stronger. 
   Accordingly, the structure of the present invention, in which the tension coil spring  25  is disposed in such a manner as mentioned above, is highly effective especially for an aim of making the urging force acting on the latch member  20  much stronger. 
   In addition, in the embodiment mentioned above, the arm member  21  and the pressing member  22  are pressed by the operation member  23  which moves vertically. However, in a case where the socket has no operation member, the latch member can be moved rotationally with the latch member being directly pushed by, for example, an automated machinery. 
   Furthermore, in the embodiment mentioned above, the pressing member  22  is rotationally moved after the arm member  21  is rotationally moved to a prescribed angle. However the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can be modified to be, for example, a structure in which the arm member  21  and the pressing member  22  are moved approximately simultaneously. 
   Furthermore, in the embodiment mentioned above, the pressing member  22  of the latch member  20  is pushed and rotationally moved by the second pressing portion  23   b  provided for the operation member  23 . However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can be modified to be, for example, a structure as shown in from  FIG. 12A  to FIG.  12 C. That is, an engaging projection  22   f  is formed to the pressing member  22 , and an engaging protrusion  13   a , which is designed to engage with the engaging projection  22   f , is formed to the socket body  13 , so that the pressing member  22  can be moved clockwise as shown in  FIG. 12A ,  12 B and  12 C after the arm member  21  is outwardly and rotationally moved and the engaging projection  22   f  abuts against the engaging protrusion  13   a . In this embodiment, the pressing member  22  has stopper means (not shown in  FIG. 12A ,  12 B and  12 C) to prevent the pressing member  22  from further moving counterclockwise from the situation shown in FIG.  12 A. 
   Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 13A  to  FIG. 13C , an end portion of a link member  28  having an ellipsoidal hole  28   a  at another end portion thereof is mounted on the socket body  13  to be rotatably movable, and an engaging projection  22   g  formed to the operation member  22  is movably engaged with the ellipsoidal hole  28   a , so that the pressing member  22  can be moved clockwise as shown in  FIG. 13A ,  13 B and  13 C because the engaging projection  22   g  can move within the ellipsoidal hole  28   a  of the link member  28  with the arm member  21  moving rotationally outwardly. 
   What is more, in the embodiment mentioned above, the rotational direction of the pressing member  22  is a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the arm member  21 . However the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can be modified to be, for example, a structure as shown in from  FIGS. 14A  to  14 C. That is, an abutting wall portion  13   b  is formed to a side peripheral portion of the socket body  13  and an abutting means such as an abutting protrusion  22   h  or the like formed to the pressing member  22  and protruded in a direction of about 90° with respect to a pressed direction (vertical direction in  FIG. 14A ,  14 B and  14 C) of the IC package. When the arm member  21  is moved rotationally outwardly, the abutting protrusion  22   h  is designed to abut against the abutting wall portion  13   b , so that a rotational direction of the pressing member  22  can be the same direction (counterclockwise direction) as that of the arm member  21 . 
   In addition, in the embodiment mentioned above, the present invention is directed to a socket on which the IC package  12  having a BGA type is accommodated. However the present invention is not limited to a BGA type IC package and can be also applied to a socket which is designed to accommodate an LGA (Land Grid Array) or a PGA (Pin Grid Array) type both of which have terminals on the lower surface thereof, and a QFP or SOP type both of which have terminals on the lateral side portion. Also any arm member can be used if the arm member can be movable in relation to the socket body. For example an arm member having a movement other than the rotational movement can be also used. 
   The above description of embodiments should not be interpreted in any limiting manner since variations and refinements can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.