Patent ID: 7275938

Claim:
A socket connector for use with a semiconductor package, the semiconductor package including a plurality of solder balls on a bottom surface of the semiconductor package, the socket connector comprising: a plurality of contacts, arranged in a shape to correspond in arrangement to the solder balls, each contact having a first contact piece and a second contact piece, the first and second contact piece contactable with the corresponding solder ball; a socket main body equipped with the contacts; a placing plate moved between a semiconductor package placing position at which the semiconductor package is placed on the placing plate without contact of the solder balls of the semiconductor package with the first and second contact pieces, and a contact position at which the solder balls of the placed semiconductor package are contactable with the corresponding first and second contact pieces; a socket cover movable in a height direction of the socket main body with respect to the socket main body; and means for moving the placing plate between the semiconductor package placing position and the contact position in the height direction of the socket main body, wherein said placing plate is moved into said semiconductor package placing position when said socket cover is moved toward said placing plate, and said placing plate is moved into said contact position when said socket cover is moved away from said placing plate.