Patent Publication Number: US-2010120271-A1

Title: Ic socket having improved contact

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a test socket, and more particularly to a test socket with improved contact terminal having a stationary end portion and a moveable end portion interlocked to a recessed portion of the stationary end portion to prevent interactively friction therebetween. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Generally, integrated circuit (IC) packages field application or mounted onto a printed circuit board to ensure they are acceptable and meets the design norminals. The test device is usually called IC socket. The IC socket typically comprises a base to receive the IC package, a plurality of contacts received in the base, and a driving cover to establish electrical connections between the IC package and the contacts. 
     Taiwanese Invention Pat. No. 461150 and 565972 each disclose an IC socket, which includes a base, a plurality of contacts, and a driving cover mounted on the base and being moveable in a vertical direction relative to the base. The contact generally comprises one mating point or dual-mating points. The contact with dual-mating points has a retention portion received in the base and extending upwardly, a first arm and a second arm extending from the retention portion to mate with the IC package. 
     When the driving cover is depressed to move downwardly and exerts an external force to the contact, the free ends of the first arm and the second arm are separated, at this time, the IC package is set upon a top surface of the base. When the driving cover resumes to original position, the IC package is clamped by the first arms and the second arms, so the IC package is electrically connected with the IC socket. After taking out the IC package, the contact returns back to the original position, and the free end of the second arm is located on a top end of the first arm. The problem is that the free end of the second arm may move and scrap relative to the first arm, and there is a friction between the first arm and the second arm, so that the first and the second arms will deform or damage that may influence the electrical connection of the IC socket. In addition, during an operational process of the IC socket, golden layers of the first and the second arms may be worn and torn off, that also affects the electrical connection of the IC socket. 
     Therefore, it is need to find a new IC socket having an improved contact to overcome the problems mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an IC socket with an improved contact which is configured with a first contacting portion capable of positioning a second contacting portion. 
     In order to achieve the object set forth, an IC socket comprises a main body defining a plurality of passageways and a plurality of contacts received in the passageways of the main body. Each contact has a base portion, a first contacting portion and a second contacting portion extending upwardly from the base portion. The first contacting portion and the second contacting portion each is formed with a contacting end facing to each other. One of the contacting ends has a recess to position the other contacting end. 
     In order to further achieve the object set forth, an IC socket, adapted for electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board, comprises a main body defining a plurality of passageways and a plurality of contacts received in the passageways of the main body. Each contact has a base portion, a first contacting portion and a second contacting portion extending upwardly from the base portion. The first contacting portion and the second contacting portion each is formed with a contacting end to cooperatively clamp a guiding trace of the IC package. The contacting end of the second contacting portion defines a recess to interlock the contacting end of the first contacting portion when the IC package is disassembled to the main body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of an IC socket according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exposed perspective view of the IC socket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a contact of the IC socket; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-section view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is another cross-section view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1  with an IC package therein. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the present invention in detail. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , an IC socket  1  is mounted to a printed circuit board (not shown) for electrically connecting an IC package  7 . The IC socket  1  includes a main body  4 , a plurality of contacts  3  received in the main body  4 , an operating cover  5  mounted upon the main body  4 , and a plurality of springs  6  mounted to the main body  4 . 
     Continue to referring to  FIG. 2 , the main body  4  is configured with a rectangular shape, and is formed with a base  40  having periphery walls  41  extending upwardly. The base  40  includes a mating surface  400  for receiving the IC socket  7  and a mounting surface  403  opposite to the mating surface and assembled to the printed circuit board (not shown). The main body  4  defines a plurality of passageways  404  for receiving contacts  3  on opposite lateral ends thereof. The periphery walls  41  have leading-surfaces  410  adapted to lead the IC package  7  into the main body  4 . The base  40  includes a plurality of flanges  43  on four corners thereof. Each of the flanges  43  provides a channel  431 , which guides the operating cover  5  to move upwardly and downwardly with respect to the main body  4  and has a protrusion  432  therein for retaining the operating cover  5  to the main body  4 . The main body  1  has a bottom board  42  extending outwardly from bottom portion of each of two longer opposite sides thereof. The bottom board  13  is provided with a post  421  for retaining the spring  6  thereon. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , each of the contacts  3  has a planar base portion  30  and a tail portion  34  extending downwardly from the base portion  30 . A retaining portion  31  horizontally extends from a side of the base portion  30  to retain the contact  3  in the contact passageway  404  of the main body  4 . The base portion  30  has a first contacting portion  33  and a second contacting portion  32  to clamp or engage onto a guiding track  70  of the IC package  7  to achieve electrical connection between the IC socket  1  and the IC package  7 . The first contacting portion  33  has an elastic portion  331  on a middle portion thereof, the elastic portion  331  has a branch arm  333  and a first contacting end  332 . The second contacting portion  32  is rectangular configured and has a second contacting end  321  formed on a free end thereof for contacting with a bottom side of the guiding track  70  of the IC package  7 . The second contacting end  321  is formed with a recess  322  on a top end thereof for positioning the first contacting end  332 . 
     The operating cover  5  is configured with a frame  51  and is formed with two short sidewalls  501  with a plurality of slots  504  corresponding to the passageways  404  of the main body  4  for accommodating the branch arm  333  of the first contacting portion  33  of the contact  3 . The slot  504  has a cam surface  511  therein for pushing the branch arm  333  of the contact  3  when the operating cover  5  is pressed downwardly by an external force to separate the first contacting end  332  from the second contacting end  321 . Then, upon the removal of the external force, the first contacting end  332  and the second contacting end  321  corporately clamp onto the guiding track  70  of the IC package  7 , so that electrical connection between the IC socket  1  and the IC package  7  is established. The operating cover  5  has two elongate sidewalls  502  with latching portions  53  vertically and extending downwardly from four corners thereof. The latching portion  53  is formed with a claw  531  on a free end thereof, which can abut against the protrusion  432  of the main body  4  to retain the operating cover  5  on the main body  4 . The elongate sidewall  502  of the operating portion  5  further defines a gap  503  corresponding to the post  421  of the main body  4  for receiving the spring  6  which provides a driving force for upwardly movement of the operating cover  5 . 
     The IC socket  1  has at least the following advantages: when the IC package  7  is removed from the main body  4 , the first contacting portion  33  returns back to an original position, the first contacting end  332  can be positioned in the recess  322  of the second contacting portion  321 , that engagement can protect the contact  3  from damage or deform, and also can reduce the friction between the first contacting end  332  and the second contacting end  321  to protect plated layers thereof. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various alterations and modifications can be made to the embodiments without in any way departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.