Patent ID: 7009846

Claim:
A socket apparatus for receiving and reading a memory card having a front edge, parallel first and second side edges that are perpendicular to the front edge, and a chamfer edge extending between the front edge and the first side edge at a predetermined angle, the memory card also having a plurality of contact pads arranged in at least two rows on a surface thereof, and a write protect switch mounted along the second side edge, wherein the socket apparatus comprises: a circuit board having a surface; a frame positioned over the circuit board surface and defining parallel slots for slidably receiving the first and second side edges of the memory card, respectively, the frame also including an end wall positioned to abut the front edge of the memory card when the memory card is fully inserted into the socket apparatus with the contact pads facing the circuit board surface; a write protect detection structure mounted in the first slot for detecting a position of the write protect switch when the memory card is fully inserted into the socket apparatus; and a plurality of contact springs mounted on the surface of the circuit board, each of the contact springs including a hook biased away from the circuit board surface such that each of the hooks contacts the memory card surface, wherein the plurality of contact springs are arranged such that a first row of hooks are aligned parallel to the front wall of the frame and positioned to contact a first row of contact pads of the memory card when the memory card is fully inserted into the socket apparatus, and a second row of hooks are aligned parallel to the first row and positioned such that the first row is between the second row and the front wall, and such that the second row of hooks contact a second row of contact pads of the memory card when the memory card is fully inserted into the socket apparatus, and wherein the first row comprises eight hooks and the second row comprises four hooks, and the socket apparatus further comprises a thirteenth contact spring having a thirteenth hook positioned between the first and second rows.