Patent Publication Number: US-7901217-B2

Title: Module socket

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit under 34 U.S.C. §119 of Japanese Patent Application No. JP2008-128328, filed on May 15, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a module socket that is pre-mounted on an electronic circuit substrate, and is in particular, to a module socket for installing a camera module used in an electronic device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A module such as a camera module with a built-in a photographic element must be made compact in order to make compact electronic devices such as portable telephones. Naturally, compact camera modules having advanced photographic functions are also being developed. 
     In order to realize advanced functionality, camera modules must nonetheless provide functions such as macro-functions that, even though small, add to volume. 
     Thus, when developing a camera module socket for installing a camera module in an electronic device and the like, it is preferable to have the volume of that socket be as small as possible. 
     Conventional camera module sockets are typically either of a surface mount type that is installed by making contact with the mounting surface of the electronic circuit substrate of the electronic device and the like; or a through hole installation type that is installed by inserting the camera module socket through a through hole opened in order to insert a camera module socket through the mounting surface of an electronic circuit substrate of an electronic device and the like, and securing the peripheral part of the related socket to the related electronic circuit substrate. Both types of camera module socket have a camera module socket bottom, and when a camera module has been installed, contacts, which have spring force and are provided on the interior bottom surface of the camera module socket, are made to have pressure contact with contact points provided on the bottom of the camera module. 
     For example, a conventional camera module and a camera module socket as described in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Application No. 2006-067445, are further described below as conventional example 1, with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     The camera module  111  as illustrated in  FIG. 6  constitutes a module main body  113  with a roughly cubical shape and a light receiving element built into the interior, and, provided on the upper surface side of the module main body  113 , a lens part  114  for taking in photographic light in order to take photographs by forming light into an image on the light receiving element. Then, a plurality of contact pads  121  to enable transceiving electric signal data are provided on the bottom surface peripheral part of the module main body  113  on the side opposite the lens part  114 . Consequently, the contact pads  121  are provided as electrical contact points capable of being in an electrically conductive state. 
     On both sides of one opposing pair of side surfaces of the module main body  113 , cutaway parts  115  are provided such that the central part protrudes from the lens part  114  side opposite the bottom surface side, and provided on the lens part  114  side of the sides with the cutaway parts  115  are protruding parts  120  that protrude further from the side surface. The protruding parts  120  are latch protrusions for latching with the camera module socket  112 . 
     The camera module socket  112  provides a valve-shaped hollow connector main body  122  having an open top surface. The connector main body  122  is composed of an insulative polymer resin, and comprises a bottom part  122   a  and a peripheral part  122   b  that stands up from the bottom part and forms side walls. A plurality of contact pins  124  are arranged on the four edges of the bottom part  122   a  of the connecter main body  122 . These contact pins  124  are each arranged such that one end thereof can make contact with and connect to the respective contact pads  121  of the camera module  111  that is latched and secured by inserting in the camera module socket  112 . Substrate securing parts  124   a , which are the other ends of the contact pins, protrude to the outside of the connector main body  122  from holes punched in the square edge part of the bottom part  122   a  of the connector main body  122  where the contact pins  124  are located. 
     Further, a shield case  127 , which is composed of thin metal plate and has a roughly square tubular shape, is provided on the camera module socket  112  in order to cover the outer side surface of the connector main body  122 , and the shield case  127  has spring force and is formed to make a single body with the connector main body  122 . 
     On the upper edges of the side surfaces  127   a  and  127   b  opposite to the side surfaces where the protruding parts  120  are respectively provided on the camera module  111 , the shield case  127  provides spring hooks  118 , which face upward and protrude outwardly. Punched in the center of these spring hooks  118  are latching holes  117 , which latch with protruding parts  120  of the module main body  113 . The spring hooks  118  have spring force, and when force is applied to the outside against this spring force, both spring hooks  118  mutually move to open. 
     Then, when the camera module  111  is inserted into the opening of the upper surface side of the camera module socket  112  formed in this way, the latch protrusions  120  press the spring hooks  118  to the outside, and by inserting further, the latch protrusions  120  enter into the latch holes  117  of the spring hooks  118 . Then, when the latch protrusions  120  enter into the latch holes  117 , the spring hooks  118  return to the original positions based on energized force, and the latch protrusions  120  are latched with the spring hooks  118 . 
     At this time, the contact pads  121  of the camera module  111  are in a state of contact with the contact pins  124 , which is a state of electrical continuity. 
     Moreover, in conventional example 1, the bottom part  122   a  is provided in order to maintain the square shape of the camera module socket  122 . The bottom part  122   a  is formed in a single body with the bottom part side edge parts of the peripheral part  122   b  installed so as to be enclosed on the outside by the side surfaces  127   a  and  127   b  of the shield case  127 . 
     Nonetheless, in conventional example 1, the substrate securing part  124   a  must be arranged on the same level as the bottom surface of the bottom part  122   a  because the electronic circuit substrate that secures the substrate securing part  124   a  of the contact  124  is positioned on the outside of the bottom part  122   a.    
     Then, the bottom part  122   a , which is composed of an insulative polymer resin, must have a specified mechanical strength in order to form a square shape together with the side surfaces  127   a , and therefore, with a polymer resin, a thickness of about 0.3 mm is necessary. Consequently, the problem arises that use of a more low profile socket for camera modules for which compactness is desirable is prevented. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     With a view to the above problem, the present invention can promote a lower profile by improving the structure of the bottom part of the module socket. 
     In order to address the above issues, the present invention is directed to a module socket that provides on a peripheral wall part a socket housing comprising a tubular insulator that forms a module receiving space that can receive a module, and provides multiple contacts that are supported in the socket housing, each with one end that electrically connects with a module on the inside of the socket housing and another end able to electrically connect with the electronic circuit substrate on the outside of the socket housing. In addition, the module housing further provides on the socket housing a module securing member including a metal plate, wherein a bottom surface plate part, which is formed in a single body such that shield side wall parts respectively arranged on at least a pair of facing peripheral wall parts mutually interlock, is provided on the module securing member. 
     Consequently, in the present invention the socket housing formed from an insulative body comprises a tubular shape, and a module securing member is provided on an opposing pair of peripheral wall parts of the tubular shape. When the module securing member provides a shield side wall part along the inner surface of the peripheral wall part from the module insertion surface across to the module insertion opposing surface, the bottom surface plate part interlocks with the pair of shield side wall parts at the module opposing surface side. Thus, the bottom surface plate part, which interlocks between the shield side wall parts, forms a bottom surface side when inserting the module. 
     The module socket further provides the aforementioned contacts on an opposing pair of peripheral wall parts, and the shield side wall part where the aforementioned bottom surface plate is arranged is provided on different wall parts than the wall parts where the contacts are provided. 
     Configured in this way, when the contacts are electrically connected with the module at the interior of the socket housing, the contacts are arranged opposing each other with the bottom surface plate part in between. 
     Moreover, the peripheral wall part of the module socket is formed in a square tubular shape; the peripheral wall part of one side surface of the square tube is cutaway from the module insertion surface across to the module insertion opposing surface to form roughly the shape of the Japanese character   and shield side wall parts, on which said bottom surface plate is arranged, are provided on the cutaway side surface and on the opposing surface. 
     Configured in this way, part of the socket housing is cut away for a light weight configuration. Moreover, by providing the shield side wall part of the module securing member on the cutaway peripheral wall part, the cutaway peripheral wall part is formed together with and is reinforced by shield side wall part. 
     Further, in the module socket configured as described above, the module securing member is able to ground the module by making electrical contact with the module to be received, when installed with the printed wiring board PWB, which is the mounting body. 
     Consequently, according to the present invention, the conventional bottom part of the socket housing formed by polymer resin, which is inferior to metal in mechanical strength, can be eliminated. Then, by substituting a bottom surface plate part formed of metal for the conventional socket housing bottom part, the shield side wall parts and the bottom surface plate part, which are latched to the peripheral wall part, can reinforce to support the tubular shape of the socket housing. Advantage is thereby taken of the mechanical strength of the metal, and strength equal to or greater than that of the conventional socket is maintained as is. Moreover, the thickness of the partial bottom surface plate part, which has the mechanical strength of metal plate, can be 0.15 mm with metal plate compared to the 0.3-mm thickness of the bottom part formed from polymer resin, and this has the effect of making the profile significantly lower than that of the conventional camera module socket. 
     Moreover, by lining up opposing contacts so that the bottom surface plate part is held between, the contacts can be arranged such that contact between the bottom surface plate part and the contacts does not easily occur, thus providing the effect of making accidental short circuits between the contacts and the bottom surface plate difficult to occur. 
     Further, even though part of the peripheral side wall that forms the socket housing is cutaway, the shield side wall parts that are interlocked with the bottom surface plate part reinforce the cutaway peripheral side parts, therefore providing the effect that the materials of the housing can be reduced thus reducing the weight of the camera module socket. 
     Further, by mounting and soldering the camera module socket to a printed wiring board such that the bottom surface plate part is grounded with the printed circuit board, the mounting surface on the printed wiring board is effectively increased, providing not only the effect of reliable mounting, but also of a more reliable ground. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The inventions will become more readily apparent from the Detailed Descriptions of the Invention, which proceeds with reference to the drawings, in which 
         FIG. 1  provides a top perspective assembly diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a module socket according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2(   a ) provides a top perspective of the module socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2(   b ) provides a bottom perspective view of the module socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3(   a )- 3 ( d ) illustrate a socket housing of the module socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 4(   a )- 4 ( c ) illustrate a module securing member of the module socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5(   a )- 5 ( c ) illustrate a bottom reinforcement securing member of the module socket of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  provides a top perspective assembly diagram illustrating the module socket of  FIG. 1  and a mating camera module 
         FIG. 7  provides a top perspective assembly diagram illustrating a conventional camera module socket and a mating camera module. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A listing of some of the reference numerals and letters that are used in the drawings, together with descriptions of the corresponding elements, are provided below: 
     PWB Electronic circuit substrate
       15  Camera module     16  Latch protrusion     1  Module socket (socket)     11  Socket housing
         11   a  Upper opening     11   b  Basket side wall     11   c  Contact installation hole     11   d  Module space     11   e  Bottom surface opening     11   f  Cutaway peripheral wall part   
         12  Module contact
         12   a  Module contact part     12   b  Middle part     12   c  Substrate connection part   
         13  Module securing member
         13   a  Shield part     13   b  Latch part     13   d Housing securing part        13   e Securing piece      
         14  Bottom reinforcement securing member
         14   a  Reinforcement securing part     14   b  bottom surface plate part     14   c  Ground connection part     14   d  Contact shield part   
       

     As illustrated for example in  FIG. 6 , the module socket  1  (called simply “the socket  1 ” below) is mated with a small-scale camera module  15  that is build into an electronic device (for example, a cellular telephone). The socket  1  includes: socket housing  11  having a square tubular shape open at one side as the upper opening  11   a , which is the module insertion surface, and open at the surface opposing the upper opening  11   a  as the bottom surface opening  11   e , which is the surface opposite module insertion; module contacts  12  that are installed in the socket housing  11 ; and module securing members  13 , which mate and latch with the basket body side walls  11   b  of the socket housing  11  that are the side wall parts, make contact with the camera module  15 , and ground camera module  15 . 
     The socket housing  11  is made in a square tubular shape with open upper and bottom surfaces formed by the basket side walls  11   b  that run from the bottom surface opening  11   e  to the upper surface opening  11   a  of the socket housing  11 , and is preferably formed of an insulative material such as polymer resin. Moreover, cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f , in which a part is cutaway from the upper opening  11   a  to the bottom surface opening  11   e , are formed on one of the four basket side walls  11   b . Consequently, from a top view perspective, the socket housing  11  has a shape like the Japanese character   such that the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  form an opening part that makes the shape of the Japanese character    
     A module contact  12  is formed by bending a conductive metal plate having spring force. Then, one end of the module contact  12  forms a module contact part  12   a  that is bent and rises up from the bottom surface of the socket housing  11  to the upper opening  11   a , and a middle part is bent back into a U-shape that forms a middle part  12   b  that is secured to the basket side wall  11   b  of the socket housing  11 . Moreover, the other end of the module contact  12  is formed into a substrate contact part  12   c  that protrudes from the basket side wall  11   b  side part of the socket housing  11  to the outside, and is connected and secured to the printed wiring board PWB by soldering and the like. The module contacts  12  formed in this way latch and are secured to a plurality of contact installation holes  11   c  lined up on the bottom surface opening  11   e  side of the socket housing  11 . As illustrated for example in  FIG. 2(   b ), two arrays of module contacts  12  are lined up on the bottom surface such that the substrate contact parts  12   c  protrude from the pair of opposing basket side walls  11   b  that do not contain the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f.    
     Then, when the camera module  15  is inserted into the socket housing  11 , the module contacts  12  make contact with contact parts provided at the bottom of the camera module  15  in positions opposite those of the module contact parts  12   a . Consequently, a plurality of through holes for allowing the module contacts  12  to protrude out of the housing  11  are lined up as contact installation holes  11   c  on the bottom side surfaces of the socket housing  11 . 
     The module securing members  13  mate to and latch with the basket side walls  11   b  and the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  of the socket housing  11 . The module securing members  13  constitute a conductive metal member such that a ground can be formed by contacting the camera module  15 . Then, the module securing members  13  are able to latch with the socket housing  11  based on housing securing parts  13   d  formed on the module securing members  13  that latch with and are secured to the socket housing  11  outer surface. More specifically, provided on the housing securing parts  13   d  are securing pieces  13   e  that can hold and secure the socket housing  11 , and that are bent back on the basket side wall  11   b  side along the socket housing  11  interior surface to part of the upper surface side of the socket housing  11 . Moreover, formed on the housing securing part  13   d  where no securing pieces  13   e  are provided is a latch part  13   b  that bends or curves from the upper surface opening  11   a  of the socket housing  11 . Then, the tip sides of the latch parts  13   b  are surrounded by the basket side walls  11   b  and the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and are formed by slanting the bottom surface opening  11   e  side to the module space  11   d  side as free edges in the module space  11   d  where the camera module  15  is received The latch parts  13   b  are positioned opposite the latch protrusions  16  provided along a lower portion the camera module  15 , and can be latched with the latch protrusions  16  when the camera module  15  is received within the socket housing  11 . 
     The latch parts  13   b  of the module securing members  13 , which provide the module securing means, have spring force and can be deformed to the basket side walls  11   b  side by pressing, and then can return to the original position when the pressing force is released. Further, the securing pieces  13   e  also have the same kind of spring force, and do not easily drop out from the state of being mated into the basket side walls  11   b.    
     Two module securing members  13  are each formed in an overall inverted U-shape mutually opposing a respective pair of basket side walls  11   b  that do not include the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f , and are latched opposite the respective basket side walls  11   b . Moreover, housing securing parts  13   d , which are latched with the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and the opposing basket side wall  11   b , are formed to mutually interlock using bottom part reinforcing securing members  14 . Specifically, in the same way as the module securing members  13  and an opposing pair of basket side walls  11   b  that do not include the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  are mutually latched, the bottom part reinforcing securing members  14  are formed in an inverted U-shape and constitute a reinforcement securing parts  14   a , which latch with and are secured to the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and the opposing basket side wall  11   b , and a bottom surface plate part  14   b  that interlocks between the reinforcement securing parts  14   a . The reinforcement securing parts  14   a  are provided and form shield side wall parts that follow the surface of the module space  11   d  side along the basket side walls  11   b  across from the upper opening  11   a  to the bottom part opening  11   e.    
     In addition, the bottom part reinforcement securing member  14  latches to the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and the opposing basket side wall  11   b  such that the upper opening  11   a  becomes a curved part with an inverted U-shape. 
     Moreover, the bottom reinforcement securing member  14  forms housing securing parts  13   d , which latch and are secured to the outer surface of the socket housing  11  in the same way as the other module securing members  13 . In the same way as the other module securing members  13  provided on this housing, securing parts  13   d  include securing pieces  13   e  that can hold and secure the socket housing  11  by being able to latch to the socket housing  11 , and that are bent back on the basket side wall  11   b  side along the socket housing  11  interior surface to part of the upper surface side of the socket housing  11 . Further, latching parts  13   b  are formed in the same way on the housing securing part  13   d  where the securing pieces  13   e  are not provided by bending or curving from the upper surface opening  11   a  of the socket housing. Moreover, regarding the bottom reinforcement securing member  14 , which is latched with the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and the opposing basket side wall  11   b  respectively, interior surface side tips of the securing pieces  13   e , which become the module space  11   d  provided on the reinforcement securing parts  14   a , are positioned on the bottom surface opening  11   e  of the socket housing  11 , and the ends of the related securing pieces  13   e  of the reinforcement securing parts  14   a  are mutually interlocked and secured by the bottom surface plate part  14   b . Consequently, the bottom reinforcement securing member  14  has opposing reinforcement securing parts  14   a  interlocked by the bottom surface plate part  14   b , and is formed into an H-shape when viewed from the top. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawing figures. 
     Embodiment 1 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the module socket  1  (called simply “the socket  1 ” below) has a square tubular shape open at one side as the upper opening  11   a , which is the module insertion surface, and open at the surface opposing the upper opening  11   a  as the bottom surface opening  11   e , which is the surface opposite module insertion; and by inserting from the upper opening  11   a , a camera module  15  is installed in an printed wiring board PWB in a state secured at the interior. 
     The socket  1  forms the aforementioned square tubular shape based on the socket housing  11 . The socket housing  11  is preferably formed from a hard insulative material such as a polymer resin. Then, the socket housing  11  is formed by basket side walls  11   b  into a square tubular shape opened at upper opening  11   a  and bottom surface opening  11   e . Then, contact installation holes  11   c  are bored in arrays into an opposing pair of basket side walls  11   b  on the bottom surface opening  11   e  side. 
     Moreover, as indicated in  FIG. 3 , the socket housing  11  is a square tubular shape that is open at the upper and bottom surfaces based on the basket side wall parts  11   b  that stand from the bottom surface opening  11   e  to the upper surface opening  11   a  of the socket housing  11 , and is formed from an insulative material such as a polymer resin. Moreover, cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f , in which a part is cutaway from the upper opening  11   a  to the bottom surface opening  11   e , are formed on one of the four basket side walls  11   b . Consequently, from a top view perspective, the socket housing  11  has a shape like the Japanese character   such that the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  form an opening part that makes the shape of the Japanese character    
     A module contact  12  is formed by bending conductive metal plate. Then, the module contact  12  is installed such that: one end is positioned at the interior bottom surface of the socket housing  11 ; the middle part is inserted through the contact assembly hole  11   c  bored in the basket side wall  11   b , and the other end is positioned to the exterior of the socket housing  11 . Installed in this way, the module contact  12  is formed to be able to latch to the related assembly hole  11   c  by bending the middle part  12   b  in a U-shape opened downward at the position of the contact assembly hole  11   c . Then, one end, which is bent from the middle part  12   b  to the bottom surface side of the socket housing  11 , forms a module contact part  12   a  by bending and rising up from the bottom surface to the upper opening  11   a  side of the socket housing  11 . Moreover, the other end of the module contact  12  forms the substrate contact part c, which protrudes to the outside from the basket side wall  11   b  bottom part of the socket housing  11 , and connects to and is secured with the printed wiring board PWB by soldering and the like. A plurality of module contacts  12  formed in this way are lined up in two arrays on the bottom surface of the socket housing  11 . Specifically, substrate connection parts  12   c  protrude from an opposing pair of basket side walls  11   b  of the socket housing  11 , and the module contact parts  12   a  are provided opposite on the bottom surface at the interior of the socket housing  11 . Then, when the camera module  15  is inserted into the socket housing  11 , the module contacts  12  make contact with contact terminal parts on the bottom of the camera module  15 , which are provided at positions opposite to the module contact parts  12   a  and can receive signals. 
     Consequently, when the module contacts  12  are latched and secured, the contact installation holes  11   c  provided at the bottom surface opening  11   e  of the opposing pair of basket side walls  11   b  are in a position that can be secured by soldering the substrate connection parts  12   c  of the module contacts  12  to the upper surface of the printed wiring board PWB, which is the mounting body. 
     Further, the module contacts  12  may be formed, for example, into any one of a number commonly used module contacts of a suitable shape. 
     As indicated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , module securing members  13  mate with and are latched to the basket side walls  11   b  and the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  of the socket housing  11 . These module securing members  13  are composed of a conductive metal such that a ground can be formed by making contact with the camera module  15 . Then, the module securing members  13  are able to latch with the socket housing  11  based on housing securing parts  13   d  formed on the module securing members  13  that latch with and are secured to the socket housing  11  outer surface. Specifically, provided on the housing securing parts  13   d  are securing pieces  13   e  that can hold and secure the socket housing  11 , and that are bent back on the basket side wall  11   b  side along the socket housing  11  interior surface to part of the upper surface side of the socket housing  11 . In addition, formed on the housing securing part  13   d  where no securing pieces  13   e  are provided is a latch part  13   b  that bends or curves from the upper surface opening  11   a  of the socket housing  11 . 
     Moreover, shield parts  13   a  that can make electrical contact with the module securing members  13  that have been latched on the adjacent basket side walls  11   b  are formed on the adjacent basket side walls  11   b  side of the module securing members  13 . All of the module securing members  13 , which are secured and latched to the basket side walls  11   b  of the socket housing  11  that is formed in a tubular shape, enter an electrically conductive state based on the shield parts  13   a.    
     Tip sides of the latch parts  13   b  are surrounded by the basket side walls  11   b  and the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f , and are formed by slanting the bottom surface opening  11   e  side to the module space  11   d  side as free edges in the module space  11  where the camera module  15  is received. The latch parts are positioned opposite the latch protrusions  16  provided on the camera module  15  to be received, and can latch the latch protrusions  16  when the camera module  15  is received. 
     The latch parts  13   b  of the module securing members  13 , which are the module securing means, have spring force and can be deformed to the basket side walls  11   b  side by pressing and then return to the original position when the pressing force is released. Further, the securing pieces  13   e  also have the same kind of spring force, and do not easily drop out from the state of being mated into the basket side walls  11   b.    
     The module securing members  13  are each formed in an overall inverted U-shape mutually opposing a respective pair of basket side walls  11   b  that do not include the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f , and are latched opposite the respective basket side walls  11   b . Moreover, the module securing members  13 , which are latched with the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and the opposing basket side wall  11   b , are formed to mutually interlock using bottom part reinforcing securing members  14 . Specifically, in the same way as the module securing members  13  and an opposing pair of basket side walls  11   b  that do not include the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  are mutually latched, the bottom part reinforcing securing members  14  are formed in an inverted U-shape and constitute a reinforcement securing parts  14   a , which latch with and are secured to the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and the opposing basket side wall  11   b , and a bottom surface plate part  14   b  that interlocks between the reinforcement securing parts  14   a.    
     The bottom part reinforcement securing member  14  latches to the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and the opposing basket side wall  11   b  such that the upper opening  11   a  becomes a curved part with an inverted U-shape. 
     Moreover, the bottom reinforcement securing member  14  forms housing securing parts  13   d , which latch and are secured to the outer surface of the socket housing  11  in the same way as the other module securing members  13 . In the same way as the other module securing members  13 , provided on this housing securing parts  13   d  are securing pieces  13   e  that can hold and secure the socket housing  11  by being able to latch to the socket housing  11 , and that are bent back on the basket side wall  11   b  side along the socket housing  11  interior surface to part of the upper surface side of the socket housing  11 . Further, latching parts  13   b  are formed in the same way on the housing securing part  13   d  where the securing pieces  13   e  are not provided by bending or curving from the upper surface opening  11   a  of the socket housing. Moreover, regarding the bottom reinforcement securing member  14 , which is latched with the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  and the opposing basket side wall  11   b  respectively, the interior surface side tips of the securing pieces  13   e , which become the module space  11   d  provided on the reinforcement securing parts  14   a , are positioned on the bottom surface opening  11   e  of the socket housing  11 , and the ends of the related securing pieces  13   e  of the reinforcement securing parts  14   a  are mutually interlocked and secured by the bottom surface plate part  14   b . The reinforcement securing parts  14   a  are provided and form shield side wall parts such that the surface of the module space  11   d  side follows along the basket side walls  11   b  across from the upper opening  11   a  to the bottom part opening  11   e.    
     Moreover, ground connection parts  14   c  are provided on the reinforcement securing parts  14   a . The ground connection parts  14   c  are connected and secured by soldering to a ground terminal provided on the printed wiring board PWB for mounting, and the entire socket housing  11  is grounded. The ground connection parts  14   c  protrude to the printed wiring board PWB side like installation tabs on the bottom surface opening  11   e  of the module space  11   d  of the reinforcement securing part  14   a.    
     Further, a member for contacting the shield part  13   a  of the adjacent module securing member  13  is formed on the reinforcement securing part  14   a  as the contact shield part  14   d , and becomes electrically conductive by making contact with the shield part  13   a  of the module securing member  13  provided on the adjacent basket side wall  11   b.    
     By providing the ground connection parts  14   c  and the contact shield parts  14   d  in this way, all of the module securing members  13  and the bottom reinforcement securing members  14  enter an electrically conductive state, and when the camera module  15  is inserted and secured, the camera module  15  has a ground connection with the printed wiring board PWB. 
     Consequently, the bottom reinforcement securing member  14  has opposing reinforcement securing parts  14   a  interlocked by the bottom surface plate part  14   b , and is formed into an H-shape when viewed from the top. The bottom surface plate part  14   b  may preferably be formed from 0.15 mm thick metal plate, and therefore is thinner than the conventional 0.3 mm thickness when forming the bottom surface from resin. This difference in thickness of 0.15 mm can provide a lower profile than in the past for the socket  1 , for which a low profile is desirable. 
     Regarding the module securing member  13  and the bottom reinforcement securing member  14  formed in this way, when the camera module  15  is inserted from the upper opening  11   a  side to the maximum depth, the tip of the opposing latching part  13   b  enters over the latching protrusion  16  by spring force, and the camera module  15  is latched and secured to the socket  1 . 
     The contact parts (not indicated in the diagrams) provided on the bottom of the camera module  15  have satisfactory contact pressure and are connected with the module contacts  12  by the spring force of the module contact parts  11   a.    
     The substrate connection parts  12   c  of the module connectors  12  are connected with the printed wiring board PWB, which is the mounting body, at a position more on the upper opening  11   a  side than in the past because a thin bottom surface plate part  14   b  is provided, and therefore when the camera module  15  has been inserted, the overall height of the camera module  15  and the socket  1  from the printed wiring board PWB is lower than in the past. For example, the overall height may be 0.15 mm lower than the height attributable to conventional designs. 
     Moreover, by providing the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  as in the present embodiment, a lighter weight socket housing  11  can be formed than in the past, and the costs of raw materials during manufacturing can be controlled. Consequently, the expenses for metal materials generated by providing a bottom surface plate part  14   b  in association with making a low profile can be offset, and the manufacturing costs of the socket  1  in association with making a low profile can be suppressed. In a similar way, the bottom surface made of polymer resin that had a required thickness in the past is not necessary, and therefore the weight increase based on the bottom surface plate part  14   b  can also be offset because the socket housing  11  no longer has a bottom surface. 
     For example, the basket side wall may alternately be formed without providing a cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f . Moreover, the module contacts  12  may alternatively be provided on the basket side wall  11   b , which is secured by the reinforcement securing part  14   a , and on the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f . In this case, contact assembly holes  11   c  may be formed by boring the parts of the basket side wall  11   b  secured by the reinforcement securing part  14   a  and of the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  where the bottom surface plate part  14   b  is not present. Of course, the contact assembly holes  11   c  are formed in all of the basket side walls  11   b  including the cutaway peripheral wall parts  11   f  such that the module contacts  12  do not make mutual contact, and it is sufficient in any case if the module contacts  12  are latched and secured. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily recognize additional numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the present invention which fall within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims. Moreover, it is intended that the scope of the present invention include all foreseeable equivalents to the elements and structures as described with reference to  FIGS. 1-5(   c ). Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the claims and their equivalents. 
     The present invention can be utilized in camera module sockets for installing camera modules used in electronic devices.