Patent ID: 7137841

Claim:
A LIF (low insertion force) socket for electrically connecting an IC (integrated circuit) package and a PCB (printed circuit board) comprising: a housing having a supporting surface, a mounting surface opposite to the supporting surface, and plurality of passages extending through the mounting surface and the supporting surface, each passage having a leading section; a plurality of contacts disposed in the passages, respectively, each contact having a planar body, a pair of arms extending from two lateral sides of the planar body, and a soldering pad angled with respect to the planar body, wherein the arm is formed with a curved contacting section having a smooth curved surface at a distal end for contacting a pin of the IC package; wherein the passage comprises a base section and a connecting section between the base section and the leading section; wherein the connecting section is a circular aperture having a diameter smaller than a distance between two distal ends of the contacting sections of an associated contact; wherein the arm of the contact comprises an extending arm extending downwardly from the planar body, and a spring arm extending upwardly from a distal end of the extending arm far away from the planar body; wherein the contacting section of the contact extends upwardly and outwardly from the spring arm; wherein a distal end of the contacting section of the contact is above the planar body in a vertical direction; wherein the mounting surface of the housing defines a plurality of standoffs; and wherein a soldering ball is attached to the soldering pad for soldering the contact onto the PCB.