Patent Publication Number: US-7214081-B1

Title: Socket for resilient electrical circuit board

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a socket, and especially to a socket electrically connected an electrical circuit board to a resilient one. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A socket electrically connected an electrical circuit board to a resilient one is usually assembled to the electrical circuit board via an insulating housing thereof and has a plurality of contacts arranged in the receiving slots thereof respectively. The insulating housing includes a plurality of openings communicating with the respective receiving slots for accommodating with an end part of the resilient electrical circuit board. Therefore, the contacts of the electrical circuit board electrically connect to the resilient electrical circuit board. In addition, the insulating housing further is equipped with a movable cover in order to conclude the resilient electrical circuit board to be received into the socket. 
   China Patent No. 00216858.8 discloses a socket having a base, a cover and a plurality of contacts. The base has body, a lateral sidewall and a top wall. The cover is arranged on the body of the base. After a resilient electrical circuit board inserts into the socket, the cover can be further forced to rotate. Thus, the resilient electrical circuit board is pressed to abut against the contacts for electrical connection. 
   However, the disadvantage of the socket mentioned above is: the bad contact between the electrical circuit board and the resilient one due to the inaccuracy existed in the assembly process, because the connection between them is via the cover abutting against the resilient electrical circuit board. Any unbalance or insufficient force between the electrical circuit board and the resilient one causes the bad contact between them. 
   Therefore, a newly socket to overcome the disadvantage of the conventional one mentioned above should be provided. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A socket according to the present invention is provided to guarantee the excellent electrical connection between an electrical circuit board and a resilient one. 
   A socket according to the present invention includes an insulating housing, a set of first contacts, a set of second contacts, and a movable cover; wherein the insulating housing has a set of first receiving slots and a set of second receiving slots formed in an alternate manner so the first and second contacts are arranged in the first and second receiving slots respectively. Each of the first contacts has an upper arm to abut against the movable cover and to prevent the movable cover lifting therefrom. Each of the second contacts has a conjunction portion and a resilient arm extending from a lateral side of the conjunction portion. The resilient arm has a projection portion protruding downwardly. The projection portion is forced to abut against a resilient electrical circuit board while the movable cover is pressed on the resilient arm of the respective second contact downwards. 
   In comparison with the prior art, the second contacts can be forced and abuts against an upper surface of the resilient electrical circuit board while the movable cover of the present invention is pressed. Thus, the resilient electrical circuit board electrically connects to the first contacts and the second contacts. Because the resilient property of upper parts of the second contacts guarantees the excellent touch between the second contacts and the resilient electrical circuit board, between the socket and the resilient electrical circuit board is good electrical connection. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, drawings and claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a socket according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the socket from another visual angle according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an insulating housing of the socket according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a movable cover of the socket according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of first contacts of the socket according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of second contacts of the socket according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional profile illustrating the first contacts arranged in the insulating housing while the socket is open according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional profile illustrating the first contacts arranged in the insulating housing while the socket is close according to the present invention; and 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional profile illustrating the second contacts arranged in the insulating housing according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With respect to  FIGS. 1 to 9 , the socket according to the preset invention includes an insulating hosing  1 , a movable cover  2 , a set of first contacts  3  and a set of second contacts  4 . 
   The insulating housing  1  has a top surface  10 , a bottom surface  44 , a mating surface  12  and a lateral sidewall  13 . The insulating housing  1  has a ejection slot  14  formed on the mating surface  12  and defines an inner wall in the ejection slot  14 . The inner wall of the reception slot  14  has a set of first receiving slots  15  and a set of second receiving slots  16 . Each of the set of second receiving slots  16  is defined with a lower receiving slot  160  with a large-sized opening for assembling the second contacts  4 . The lower receiving slot  160  is formed to penetrate insulating housing  1 . The insulating housing  1  has a rotative slot  17  and a clamping portion  18  arranged on each lateral side thereof. 
   The movable cover  2  has a body  20  being plate-like substantially, and a rotative shaft  21  and a clamping arm  22  arranged on each lateral side of the body  20 . The rotative shaft  21  mates with the rotative slot  17  for rotation therein. The clamping arm  22  mates with the clamping portion  18  so as to connect the movable cover  2  to the insulating housing  1 . The movable cover  2  includes a plurality of openings  23 , recesses  24  and protrusion portions  25  disposed among the openings  23  and recesses  24  for forming quantities of transverse slots  230  and lengthwise slots  231 . The movable cover  2  further has a retaining block  240  disposed on an upper part of each recess  24 . 
   The first contacts  3  are arranged in the first receiving slots  15 . Each of the first contacts  3  has a solder portion  30  arranged on an end thereof, and an upper arm  31  and a lower arm  32  arranged on a rear part of the insulating housing  1  and opposing to the solder portion  30 . The upper arm  31  abuts against the movable cover  2  and to prevent the movable cover  2  lifting therefrom. When the socket is open, the upper arm  31  locates inside the lengthwise slot  231  in  FIG. 7 . If the socket is close, the upper arm  31  locates in the transverse slot  230  in  FIG. 8 . 
   The second contacts  4  are arranged in the second receiving slots  16 . Each of the second contacts  4  has a conjunction portion  40  and a resilient arm  41  extending from a lateral side of the conjunction portion  40  and parallel with the conjunction portion  40  substantially. The resilient arm  41  has a projection portion  410  protruding downwardly, and further extending from a touch portion  410  to a compression head  411 . In addition, the conjunction portion  40  has a fasten arm  42  and a solder portion  43  extended from two lateral sidewalls thereof. The fasten arm  42  has an interference portion  420  in order to mate with the lower receiving slot  160 . The solder portion  43  has an inverse hook  430  mating with a front portion of the insulating housing  1 . The conjunction portion  40  has a touch portion  44  arranged thereon and connected to the resilient circuit electrical board. When the second contacts  4  are assembled into the second slots  16  from the front portion of the insulating housing  1 , the conjunction portion  40  locates in the lower receiving slot  10 , and the interference portion  420  of the fasten arm  42  interferes with the inner wall of the lower receiving slot  160 . Then, the movable cover  2  is assembled to the insulating housing  1  for the rotative shaft  21  mating with the rotative slot  17 . At the same time, the recess  24  accommodates with the compression head  411 . If the movable cover  2  is rotated downwardly, the clamping arm  22  mates with the clamping portion  18  of the insulating housing  1 . Thus, the movable cover  2  is close, the movable cover  2  abuts against and force to the compression head  411  and the projection portion  410  contacts the resilient electrical circuit board  5  tightly thereby in  FIG. 9 . Finally, the first contacts  3  are inserted in the insulating housing  1  from a rear part thereof. The upper arm  31  locates in the opening  23  and abuts against an upper surface of the respective protrusion portion  25  in order to prevent the movable cover  2  moving upwardly. 
   Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.