Patent Publication Number: US-6338646-B1

Title: ZIF socket assembly having a visual indicator

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a zero insertion force (ZIF) socket assembly, and particularly to a ZIF socket assembly having an indicator mechanism to indicate a work status thereof. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Commonly, a ZIF socket assembly is adapted for supporting an electrical component, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), to electrically connect with a mother board. Referring to FIG. 5, a conventional ZIF socket assembly  80  comprises a rectangular base  7 , a cover  8  slideably covered onto the base  7 , and an actuator member  9  for driving the cover  8  moving with respect to the base  7 . The base  7  defines an array of first through holes  71  for receiving conductive contacts (not shown) therein and a round opening  72  at one side thereof. The cover  8  defines an array of second through holes  81  for insertion of pins of a CPU (not shown) mounted thereon and an elliptical opening  82  corresponding to the first through holes  71  and the round opening  72  of the base  7 , respectively. The actuator member  9  comprises a first cylinder  91  and a second cylinder  92  eccentrically connected with the first cylinder  91  for rotatably received in round opening  72  and the elliptic opening  82 , respectively. In use, a screwdriver (not shown) is applied onto the second cylinder  92  to drive the actuator mechanism  9  rotating thereby driving the cover  8  moving with respect to base  7  from an open position where the pins are disconnected from the conductive contacts to a close position where the pins are electrically connected with the conductive contacts. However, there is no an indicator means provided onto the ZIF socket assembly  80  to indicate the ZIF socket assembly  80  is in an open position or in a close position, thereby it is difficult for one user to identify the working status of the socket assembly  80  and may damage the socket assembly  80  if t he user operates incorrectly. 
     Hence, an improved ZIF socket assembly is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a ZIF socket assembly having an indicator mechanism to indicate a work status thereof; 
     A minor object of the present invention is to provide a ZIF socket assembly having an indicator mechanism which is easily manufactured and assembled. 
     To fulfill the above mentioned objects, a ZIF socket assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a base plate, a cover slidably covered onto the base plate, an actuator mechanism and a visual indicator. The base plate defines an array of contact holes for receiving a corresponding number of conductive contacts therein and a first pivot extending from a top face thereof. The cover defines an array of pins holes corresponding to the contact holes of the base plate for insertion of pins of a CPU mounted thereon. A second pivot projects downward from a bottom face of the cover. The actuator mechanism is engageble with the base plate and the cover for moving the cover with respect to the base plate from an open position where the pins of the CPU are disconnected from the conductive contacts to a closed position where the pins of the CPU are electrically connected with the conductive contacts. The visual indicator is pivotally disposed between the base plate and the cover and defines first and second through holes for engaging with the first and second pivots, respectively. The visual indicator is totally embedded between the base plate and the cover in the open position and is rotatable with respect to the first pivot during movement of the cover such that an indicating portion thereof projects out of the socket assembly outline to indicate the ZIF socket assembly in the closed position. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an assembled view of a ZIF socket assembly accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is partial planar view of a ZIF socket assembly of FIG. 1 in a first status; 
     FIG. 4 is partial planar view of a ZIF socket assembly of FIG. 1 in a second status; and 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional ZIF socket assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings, and first, to FIG. 2. A ZIF socket assembly  1  in accordance with the present invention comprises a base plate  10 , a cover  20  slidably covered onto the base plate  10 , a CPU  50  mounted onto the cover  20 , an actuator mechanism  40  and a visual indicator  60 . 
     The base plate  10 , made up of plastic material or the like, defines an array of contact holes  13  for receiving corresponding conductive contacts  30  therein. The base plate  10  defines a first through hole  15  in a rear side  12  thereof and a slit  151  substantial tangent to and communicating with the first through hole  15 . A standoff plate  16  extends downward from a bottom face (not labeled) of the base plate  10 , communicating with and corresponding to the first through hole  15 . In addition, a first pivot  17  extends upward from the top face  14  of the rear side  12  distanced from the first through hole  15 . Furthermore, a pair of latches  112  are formed on either lateral side  111  of the base plate  10 . 
     The cover  20  defines an array of pin holes  23  vertically corresponding to the contact holes  13  of the base plate  10  for insertion of corresponding pins  51  of the CPU  50  mounted thereon. The cover  20  defines at a rear side  24  thereof an elliptic hole  25  corresponding to the round hole  15  of the base plate  10  and an enlarged cutout  29  depressed in a bottom face  202  thereof receiving the visual indicator  60 . A second pivot  27  extends downward from an upper face  292  of the enlarged cutout  29  and substantially has the same height as that of the first pivot  17 . Additionally, a pair of recesses  28  are defined in either lateral side  204  of the cover  20  for engaging with the latches  112  of the base plate  10 . 
     The actuator mechanism  40  comprises a driving portion  41  and a resilient tab  42  engaged with the driving portion  41 . The driving portion  41  includes a first cylinder  411  and a second cylinder  412  eccentrically mounted on the first cylinder  411  for being rotatably received in the round hole  15  and the elliptic hole  25 , respectively. The first cylinder  411  defines a pair of cutouts  414  spaced apart from each other along its edge. The second cylinder  412  defines a central slot  413  extending along its diameter direction for being applied by a screwdriver (not shown). The resilient tab  42  is fitted into the slit  151  of the base plate  10  and forms a tapering end (not labeled) for snapping into a corresponding cutout  414  of the driving portion  41  inserted into the round hole  15 . 
     The visual indicator  60  is substantial in L-shaped and comprises a body portion  62  and an indicating portion  63  vertically extending from one end of the body portion  62 . The body portion  62  defines a first elliptic hole  611  engaging with the first pivot  17  of the base plate  10  and a second round hole  612  aligned with the first elliptic hole  61  for insertion of the second pivots  27  of the cover  20 . 
     In assembly, referring to FIGS. 1 to  4 , the conductive contacts  30  are first inserted into corresponding contact holes  13  of the base plate  10 . The resilient tab  42  and the first cylinder  411  of the actuator mechanism  40  are inserted into the slit  151  and the round hole  15  of the base plate  13 , respectively, the resilient tab  42  being snapped into a corresponding cutout  414  of the driving portion  41 . The visual indicator  60  is mounted onto the base plate  10  with the elliptic hole  611  thereof engaging with the first pivot  17  of the base plate  10 . The cover  20  is then slidably covered onto the base plate  10  with the recesses  28  and the enlarged cutout  29  thereof receiving corresponding latches  112  of the base plate  10  and the visual indicator  60 , respectively. Meanwhile, the elliptic hole  25  and the second pivot  27  of the cover  20  are fitted with the second cylinder  412  of the actuator mechanism  40  and the second round hole  612  of the visual indicator  60 , respectively. Finally, the CPU  50  is mounted onto the cover  20  with the pins  51  thereof insertion into corresponding pin holes  23  of the cover  20 , thereby getting an assembled ZIF socket assembly  1  in an open status (that is the pins  51  of the CPU  50  are disconnected from the conductive contacts  30 ) as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. In this open status, the second cylinder  412  generally locates at a middle portion of the elliptic hole  25  of the cover  20 , horizontal central axis lines (not labeled) of the first and second pivots  17 ,  27  are located on a common line  610 , and the visual indicator  60  are totally covered between the base plate  10  and the cover  20 . In use, the screwdriver is applied into the central slot  413  of the actuator mechanism  40  to drive the actuator mechanism  40  rotating and thus driving the cover  20  moving forward with respect to the base plate  10 , thereby the second pivot  27  of the cover  20  driving the visual indicator  60  to rotate counterclockwise with respect to the first pivot  17  since the second pivot  27  of the cover  20  is fitted in the second round hole  612  of the visual indicator  60 . In this way, best seen in FIG. 4, the actuator mechanism  40  is driven to rotate until the resilient tab  42  is snapped into the other cutout  414  of the driving portion  41  and the second cylinder  412  rotates to a position at one end of a long axis of the elliptic hole  25 . Meanwhile, the horizontal central axis lines of the first and second pivots  17 ,  27  are displaced from each other with a distance (D), and the indicating portion  63  of the visual indicator  60  projects out of the outline of the socket assembly  1  from the enlarged cutout  29  of the cover  20 . In this position, the socket assembly  1  attains the close status, that is, the pins  51  of the CPU  50  are mechanically and electrically connected with the conductive contacts  30 . Using this arrangement, users can easily identify the ZIF socket assembly  1  is in an open position or in a closed position by seeing the visual indicator  60  being hidden in or projecting out of the outline of socket assembly  1 . The disadvantage described in the prior arts is thus eliminated by the present invention. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement (e.g., pivotal/curved movement vs. linear movement, or e.g., being actuated by the cover vs. being actuated by the actuator) of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.