ZIF socket with improved retention mechanism

Details ZIF socket with improved retention mechanism ZIF socket with improved retention mechanism

2001-12-19

2003-01-21

Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...

Including compound movement of coupling part

Reexamination Certificate

active

06508658

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) socket, and particularly to a ZIF socket having a retention means provided for efficiently confirming a cover to move in a restrained horizontal direction relative to a base.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that a CPU (Central Processing Unit) package is commonly connected to a mother board through a ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) socket which is mounted on the mother board. The ZIF socket generally includes a base securely mounted on the mother board, and a cover movable relative to the base by means of a lever whereby the CPU package may be loaded onto the socket in a ZIF status when the lever is in a vertical position and the socket is in an open state, and whereby conductive pins of the CPU package can engage corresponding contacts in the socket for signal transmission when the lever is in a horizontal position and the socket is in a closed state.
FIGS. 14 and 15
illustrate a ZIF socket disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,848 entitled “Retention mechanism for self-securement of ZIF PGA socket”. The socket
3
comprises a retention member
323
formed on the cover
32
and an engaging member
302
projecting from the base
30
and received in a recess
301
. The engaging member
302
defines a restriction plane
3021
, and the retention member
323
comprises a vertical portion
3231
and a horizontal portion
3232
engaging with the restriction plane
3021
. When a handle
341
of a lever
34
of the socket
3
is in a vertical position and therefore the socket is in an open state, only a free end of the horizontal portion
3232
contacts with the restriction plane
3021
of the engaging member
302
. Therefore, the horizontal portion
3232
is easy to disengage from the engaging member
302
because an engagement area between the horizontal portion
3232
and the restriction plane
3021
is small when the socket is in the open state. Furthermore, the retention member
323
is subject to a largest resisting force in a vertical direction, so the resisting forces may cause damage to a junction between the retention member
323
and the body of the cover
32
. As a result, the cover
32
may disengage from the base
30
.
Hence, a ZIF socket having an improved retention mechanism is required to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional ZIF socket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a ZIF socket having a retention mechanism directly formed on the base and cover for efficiently controlling the cover not to be lifted upward during or after the sliding movement of the cover relative to the base.
A ZIF socket in accordance with the present invention includes a base having a plurality of passageways for receiving a corresponding number of contacts therein, a cover having a corresponding number of holes in alignment with the corresponding passageways, and a lever assembled between the base and the cover. The base includes a retention member and the cover includes a supporting surface and a slot to cooperate with the retention member. Both of the retention member and the supporting surface are disposed on a rear end of the socket for efficiently fastening the cover and the base together.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6338640 (2002-01-01), Lin
patent: 6406317 (2002-06-01), Li et al.
patent: 6419514 (2002-07-01), Yu

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