Patent ID: 7083429

Claim:
An Integrated Circuit (IC) socket to be mounted on a circuit board, comprising: an insulative housing, which has a plurality of cavities arranged in a matrix at an IC package receiving recess; a plurality of electrical contacts, which are provided in the plurality of cavities; and a fixing mechanism for fixing an IC package in the IC package receiving recess; wherein each of the electrical contacts comprises: abase, which is installed within a cavity; a contact arm, which extends in a first direction from the upper side of the base; then in an offset direction from the first direction, then along the first direction in an offset manner above an adjacent cavity, for electrically contacting the IC package; and a terminal section, which is provided at the lower side of the base, for electrically connecting the electrical contact to the circuit board; and the insulative housing comprises: first partition walls, which are provided between rows of cavities adjacent to each other in the first direction; and second partition walls, which are provided between rows of cavities adjacent to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first partition walls having greater heights than those of the second partition walls.