Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-05
2003-11-11
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...
C439S071000, C439S525000, C439S526000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644981
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a socket for an electrical part for detachably accommodating an electrical part such as a semiconductor device (called as “IC package” hereinafter), and more particularly, to a socket for an electrical part provided with a guide member or unit for guiding the electrical part to a predetermined position at a time of the accommodation thereof.
2. Related Prior Art
PRIOR ART
As a conventional “socket for electrical parts” of this kind, there is provided an IC socket for detachably accommodating an IC package as “electrical parts”. This IC package is preliminarily set on a printed circuit board such that the IC package and the printed circuit board are electrically connected when the IC package is accommodated in the IC socket.
The IC package includes, for example, an LGA (Land Grid Array) type of IC package which has a rectangular-shape package body and a large number of plate-shaped electrodes as terminals mounted on a bottom surface of the package body.
On the other hand, the IC socket is provided with a number of contact pins, and the contact pins have upper contact portions, in an installed state, which contact the plate-shaped electrodes in a state that the IC package. is accommodated in the IC socket to thereby establish an electrical connection between the respective plate-shaped electrodes of the IC package and the printed circuit board through the contact pins, respectively.
One example of such structure, in which the IC package is easily aligned with the IC socket, is shown in the publication of U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,980. This known structure is provided,. as shown in
FIG. 17
, with first, second, third and fourth wall sections
116
,
118
,
120
and
122
, which define a rectangular opening area for accommodating an IC package
126
. The first wall section
116
is formed with a pair of elastic pieces
134
and
136
for applying first forces
142
and
144
to the IC package
126
. Similarly, the second wall section
118
is also formed with a pair of elastic pieces
138
and
140
for applying second forces
146
to the IC package
126
.
Furthermore, the third and fourth wall sections
120
and
122
are formed with contact points
128
,
130
and
132
, each having an outward protruded shape, which contact to the IC package
126
.
According to the structure of
FIG. 17
mentioned above, the IC package
126
is positioned through the forcible contact of the contact points
128
,
130
and
132
by means of elastic pieces
134
,
136
,
138
and
140
.
In such known structure, however, the IC package
126
is positioned, with reference to the contact points
128
,
130
and
132
of the wall sections
120
and
122
, by forcibly contacting (pressing) the IC package
126
to these contact points. Therefore, in a case where any error during the formation of the IC package
126
occurs, it is difficult to accord the center of the IC package
126
with the center of the accommodation of the IC package
126
, and moreover, in a case where the IC package
126
is accommodated in a state shifted in position towards the sides of the wall sections
120
and
122
, there is a fear that the IC package
126
may ride on the wall sections
120
and
122
and is hence not surely accommodated in the predetermined position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to substantially eliminate defects or drawbacks encountered in the prior art described above and to provide a socket for electrical parts having a structure in which the center of the electrical part surely accords with the accommodation center thereof, and even if the electrical part is shifted in position at the accommodation thereof, the electrical part can be smoothly accommodated.
This and other objects can be achieved according to the present invention by providing a socket for an electrical part, which is provided with a socket body for accommodating an electrical part having a body having a surface to which an electrode is formed, and in which a guide member is provided for the socket body so as to guide side surfaces of the body of the electrical part at the time of the accommodation of the electrical part and the socket body is formed with a number of contact pins so as to be contacted to or separated from the electrode of the electrical part,
wherein the guide member includes a plurality of guide portions disposed so as to correspond to the side surfaces of the electrical part body, respectively, each of the guide portions elastically pressing inward the side surfaces.
According to this structure, since the guide portions of the guide member are arranged for elastically pressing the respective side surfaces of the electrical part body, the electrical part can be guided to its predetermined position even if the electrical part is offset in any direction at the time of the accommodation. Furthermore, as mentioned above, since the respective side surfaces of the electrical part body are elastically pressed by the guide portions, the electrical part is subjected to the centering operation within the insertion area thereof and the center of the electrical part can surely accord with the center of the insertion area thereof.
In preferred embodiments of the above aspect, each of the guide portions is formed with an elastic piece which is elastically deformable and a pressing portion formed to a front end of the elastic piece, in which the pressing portion abuts against the side surface of the electrical part body so as to press the side surface thereof by an elastic force of the elastic piece.
At least one of the guide portions is arranged to one side surface of the electrical part body and at least other two guide portions are arranged to another side surface opposite to the one side surface across the electrical part body, the other two guide portions also being each disposed along the long direction of the another side surface and at each both outside portions, of the another side surface, from a position opposite to the one of the guide portions across the electrical part body.
Another aspect of the present invention is that one of the guide portions is arranged to one side surface of the electrical part body and other two guide portions are arranged to another side surface opposite to the one side surface across the electrical part body, the other two guide portions also being each disposed along the long direction of the another side surface and at each both outside portions, of the another side surface, from a position opposite to the one of the guide portions across the electrical part body.
And a plurality of guide portions can be at least arranged to one of the side surfaces.
Still another aspect of the present invention is that at least one of the guide portions is arranged to each of both outside portions, from a central portion and along the long direction, of one of the side surfaces of the electrical part body, and at least other two guide portions are each arranged to another side surface of the electrical part body opposite to the one of the side surfaces thereof at each position opposite, across the electrical part body, to boss of the guide portions arranged to the one of the side surfaces so that the electrical part body is clamped between the guide portions arranged to the one of the side surfaces and the guide portions arranged to the another side surface.
Still another aspect of the present invention is that a socket for an electrical part according to claim 1, wherein two guide portions is each arranged to each of both outside portions, from a central portion and along the long direction, of one of the side surfaces of the electrical part body, and other two guide portions are each arranged to another side surface of the electrical part body opposite to the one of the side surfaces thereof at each position opposite, across the electrical part body, to the two guide portions arranged to the one of the side surfaces so that the electrical part body is clamped between the two guide portions
Enplas Corporation
Staas & Halsey , LLP
Ta Tho D.
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