Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Including compound movement of coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-05-15
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Including compound movement of coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231366
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving mechanism of a ZIF socket and the socket using the same, and especially to a single-point driving mechanism which drives a cover of the socket to move with respect to a base thereof in opposite directions from one driving point thus rendering the socket in either a closed status or an open status.
2. The Prior Art
Conventional ZIF PGA sockets normally comprise a cover defining a plurality of upper passageways therein and slidably engaging with a base having a corresponding number of lower passageways retaining contacts therein. The upper passageways and the lower passageways are in constant communication with each other when the cover is moved with respect to the base. A cam is received in a space defined between the cover and the base and operative to move the cover with respect to the base thereby positioning the socket at either an open status ready for insertion of pins of a CPU package or a closed status forcing the pins of the CPU package to abut against the corresponding contacts. When the socket is in the open status, the pins of the CPU package are inserted into the upper passageways and the lower passageways with a substantially zero insertion force, but are not in electrical contact with the contacts retained in the lower passageways. The cam is then operated to drive the cover to move laterally relating to the base thereby urging the pins of the CPU package to electrically connect with the contacts of the base. U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,615 which belongs to the same assignee of this application has disclosed a driving mechanism for driving the cover to move with respect to the base from a single side of the socket by inserting a screwdriver into slots defined in the cover and the base and pivoting the screwdriver to drive the cover. This driving mechanism may be easily manipulated for moving the cover in one direction but it is difficult to be manipulated in opposite direction. This is because the slots may be vertically in alignment with each other when the socket is in an open status (or closed status) but they are not vertically in alignment with each other when the socket is in a closed status (or open status). The user has to insert the screwdriver to the two slots in a slanted manner thus causing difficulty when the two slots are not vertically in alignment with each other. Moreover, when the user pivots the screwdriver he (she) may be prohibited by peripheral components nearby thus causing difficulty.
It is requisite to provide a new driving mechanism which is easily manipulated without much operation space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved driving mechanism for a socket which is easily manipulated and only needs relatively small operation space.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a driving mechanism is provided for a socket which comprises a cover movably mounted on a base. The driving mechanism comprises an upper opening and a lower opening defined in the cover, wherein the lower opening is in communication with the upper opening. A reception space is defined in the base and communicates with the lower opening of the cover. A driving cam comprises an upper circular portion rotatably received in the upper opening of the cover, a middle cam portion rotatably retained in the lower opening of the cover, and a lower circular portion rotatably retained in the reception space of the base, wherein the upper circular portion and the lower circular portion are co-axial to each other. The cover is movable along a first direction with respect to the base when the lower circular portion of the driving cam is rotated counter-clockwise within a predetermined angular range, while the cover is movable along a second direction opposite to the first direction when the lower circular portion of the driving cam is rotated clockwise within the predetermined angular range.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a driving mechanism is provided for a socket which comprises a cover movably mounted on a base. The driving mechanism comprises a first reception space defined in the cover, a second reception space defined in the base and communicating with the first reception space, a driving cam having an upper cam portion rotatably retained in the first reception space of the cover and a lower circular portion connected to the upper cam portion and rotatably retained within a predetermined angular range in the second reception space of the base. The upper cam portion of the driving cam is selectively rotated either clockwise or counter-clockwise within the predetermined angular range in the first reception space thereby driving the cover to translate on the base along one of opposite directions.
In accordance a further aspect of this invention, a driving mechanism is provided for a socket which comprises a cover movably mounted on a base between an open status and a closed status. The driving mechanism comprises a first reception space defined in the cover, a second reception space defined in the base and communicating with the first reception space, driving means having an upper portion retained in the first reception space of the cover and selectively operative to move the cover in opposite directions, and a lower portion connected to the upper portion and having a positioning member operatively switchable between a first position and a second position in the second reception space of the base. Wherein the upper portion of the driving means moves the cover from the open status to the closed status when the positioning member is switched from the first position to the second position, and the upper portion of the driving means moves the cover from the closed status to the open status when the positioning member is switched from the second position to the first position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4261631 (1981-04-01), Guilcher et al.
patent: 4420205 (1983-12-01), Kirkman
patent: 6071140 (2000-06-01), McHugh et al.
Pei Wen-Chun
Walkup William B.
Chung Wei Te
Jon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Nguyen Khiem
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