Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-06
2004-06-08
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
C439S526000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06746251
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on Patent Application No. 2001-063994 filed Mar. 7, 2001 in Japan, the content of which is incorporated hereinto by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC socket used for inspecting IC packages in a semiconductor device manufacturing process and more particularly to an open top type IC socket which has a socket body and a cover member attached vertically movable to the socket body to open and close contacts.
2. Description of the Related Art
In this kind of conventional IC sockets, to efficiently mount and position mass-produced IC packages in an IC socket by using a robot, it is conventional practice to provide a socket body with inclined guide walls that restrict and guide movement of an IC package or to form guide posts projecting at corners of the socket body and guide the IC package with its lead terminals being in contact with the guide posts.
In the conventional IC socket of a type having the inclined guide walls on the socket body, however, the assembly into the socket body of a plurality of contacts, which are to be connected with the lead terminals of an IC package, is not easy as it is hindered by the inclined guide wall rising above the contacts, thus increasing the number of assembly steps.
On the other hand, in a type having guide posts projecting at corners of the socket body, since the lead terminals contacting the guide posts are limited to those present at the corners of the IC package, a load bears on only the contacting lead terminals, giving rise to a possibility of these lead terminals being deformed.
Another drawback is that the projecting guide posts become a hindrance and limit the moving path of the robot when the robot holds the IC package by suction and mounts it on the IC socket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an IC socket which can solve the above-described problem and which can facilitate automatic mounting of an IC package without fear of lead terminal deformation and reduce the number of steps in assembling the contacts into the socket body.
In the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an open top type IC socket comprising:
a socket body; and
a cover member mounted vertically movable to the socket body to open and close contacts;
wherein the socket body has a mounting portion to support an IC package mounted on the socket, and the cover member has a square opening facing the mounting portion and inclined guide wall surfaces leading to the opening and adapted to guide the IC package to be mounted onto the mounting portion.
Here, at least two opposing sides of the opening substantially may match with an envelope joining tips of lead terminals extending from the IC package to be mounted.
The inclined guide wall surfaces may be arranged symmetrical with respect to longitudinal and lateral center lines of the square opening and each may comprise a first inclined guide wall surface traversing each of the center lines, a second inclined guide wall surface provided at each corner portion and having an inclination angle larger than an inclination angle of the first inclined guide wall surface, and a third inclined guide wall surface connecting to the first and second inclined guide wall surfaces.
A plurality of fixed contacts may be arranged around the mounting portion and two opposing sides of the opening substantially may match with an envelope joining outer ends of the fixed contacts.
In the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an IC socket comprising:
a socket body having a mounting portion for supporting an IC package and a plurality of contacts arranged around the mounting portion to come into contact with tips of lead terminals extending from the IC package; and
a cover member having an opening at a center thereof and mounted vertically movable to the socket body to open and close the contacts;
wherein the opening has its lower edge formed into a square facing the mounting portion and has inclined guide wall surfaces for guiding the IC package onto the mounting portion.
Here, the contacts each may have a base portion embedded in the socket body, a first arm extending from the base portion and having a first contact at its tip, and a second arm extending from the base portion and having a second contact at its tip and a curved elastic portion at its intermediate portion.
The first contacts at the tips of the first arms may be secured to the socket body.
Two opposing sides of the opening may almost match with an envelope joining outer ends of the first contacts of the first arms of the contacts.
At least two opposing sides of the opening may almost match with an envelope joining tips of lead terminals extending from the IC package.
The inclined guide wall surfaces may be arranged symmetrical with respect to longitudinal and lateral center lines of the square opening and each may comprise a first inclined guide wall surface crossing each of the center lines, a second inclined guide wall surface provided at each corner portion and having an inclination angle larger than an inclination angle of the first inclined guide wall surface, and a third inclined guide wall surface connecting to the first and second inclined guide wall surfaces.
The contacts each may have a base portion embedded in the socket body, a first arm extending from the base portion and having a first contact at its tip, and a second arm extending from the base portion and having a second contact at its tip and a curved elastic portion at its intermediate portion.
The first contacts at the tips of the first arms may be secured to the socket body.
Two opposing sides of the opening may almost match with an envelope joining outer ends of the first contacts of the first arms of the contacts.
At least two opposing sides of the opening may almost match with an envelope joining tips of lead terminals extending from the IC package.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5431579 (1995-07-01), Kishi et al.
patent: 6196849 (2001-03-01), Goodwin
patent: 2002/0182916 (2002-12-01), Takahashi et al.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner LLP
Harvey James R.
Ta Tho D.
Yamaichi Electronics Co. Ltd.
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