Patent ID: 7868642

Claim:
A test socket for temporary connection of a ball grid array integrated circuit device to a test circuit, the test socket comprising: a base of electrically insulating material; an array of contacts supported by the base, the array including a pattern of contacts corresponding to the ball grid array of the integrated circuit device, each contact including a set of two cantilever arms opposing to each other and terminating in tip portions adapted to grasp one ball of the ball grid array integrated circuit device; a nest assembly having two comb structures, each comb structure having an end frame and a plurality of parallel cantilever racks each with projections, the two comb structures being combined so that the cantilever racks of two comb structures are positioned alternately and are capable of moving in a direction parallel to the combined cantilever arms, the nest assembly being combined with the array of contacts so that the one of each contact is engaged with the projection of the cantilever rack of one comb structure and the other of each contact is engaged with the projection of the cantilever rack of the other comb structure, allowing the each opposing tips of the contacts to move between the free and opened states by the movement of the comb structures in the direction parallel to the cantilever racks; a guide mounted on the nest assembly and detachably secured to the base or the nest assembly, for guiding the integrated circuit device onto a predetermined position of the nest assembly, the guide having a frame defining an opening corresponding to an outline of the integrated circuit through which the integrated circuit is guided onto the predetermined position; and latches mounted to the base each latch capable of engaging and disengaging with a heat sink mounted on the ball grid array integrated circuit device in response to a movement of the lever assembly.