Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Including compound movement of coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-11
2004-02-17
Gushi, Ross (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Including compound movement of coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
active
06692283
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket, and more particularly to a driving structure of the socket for driving a slide cover to slide along the insulating socket.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket is for an integrated circuit such as a central processor unit (CPU) to insert therein with nearly zero force. After inserted, the CPU is electrically connected with the main board of a computer. When it is necessary to upgrade the computer, the CPU is extracted from the socket with nearly zero force to replace the CPU with an upgraded product.
In order to achieve the object of zero insertion/extraction force, a slide cover is added to the bottommost insulating socket. The slide cover is slidable along the insulating socket. The multiple insertion pins of the CPU are passed through the slide cover and then inserted into the insulating socket. However, after inserted, the insertion pins do not directly contact with the multiple conductive members inlaid in the insulating socket so that the insertion force is nearly zero. Then, by means of a driving structure disposed between the insulating socket and the slide cover, the slide cover is driven and slided to simultaneously make the insertion pins of the CPU slide into the contact sections of the conductive members and respectively electrically contact with the conducting members.
When extracting the CPU, the driving structure is operated to force the slide cover to slide in a reverse direction, whereby the insertion pins of the CPU are simultaneously detached from the conductive members. Thereafter, the CPU can be easily extracted. It is known from the above that the driving structure plays a very important role in the operation.
There are various types of driving structures which will be respectively described as follows:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,387,121 and 5,456,613 disclose a first earliest and typical driving structure. An L-shaped operation lever is clamped on one side of the zero insertion/extraction force (zero insertion force) integrated circuit socket. A driving section positioned between the insulating socket and the slide cover is manufactured as a cam. An operating section of the operation lever is exposed to outer side of the socket. The operating section is pinched by fingers to turn the driving section for driving the slide cover to slide.
The first type of driving section has a shortcoming. That is, the operating section extends out of the socket for a user's fingers to pinch. Accordingly, a considerable operating space must be reserved beside the operating section. This makes the layout of the space quite limited and fails to meet the requirement of thinness and lightness.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,059,596 and 6,383,007 disclose a second type of driving structure for solving the problem existing in the first type of driving structure. Two opposite sides of one side of the insulating socket is formed with a dent. A tool such as a flat head screwdriver can be inserted into the dent which serves as a fulcrum of the screwdriver. The screwdriver can swing back and forth to push the slide cover to slide back and forth. By this measure, it is unnecessary to reserve an operating space in the socket. However, this driving structure has a shortcoming, that is, the sliding distance of the slide cover can be hardly accurately controlled. As a result, the insertion pins of the CPU often fail to fully contact with the conductive members of the insulating socket or over-contact with the conductive members to damage the conductive members.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,231,366 and 6,338,646 disclose a third type of a driving structure to solve the above problems existing in the first and second types of driving structures. A driving cam is rotatably disposed on one side of the zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket. The rotational axis of the driving cam is normal to the surface of the slide cover. A flat head or hexagonal screwdriver is inserted into a straight or hexagonal recess of top end of the driving cam in a direction normal to the surface of the slide cover. The screwdriver is turned to drive and rotate the cam which drives the slide cover to slide back and forth. By means of this measure, the sliding distance of the slide cover can be accurately controlled.
However, this driving structure has a shortcoming, that is, it costs much strength to turn the screwdriver. The radius of the handle of the screwdriver much smaller than the length of the operating section of the L-shaped operation lever of the first driving structure. For example, the length of the operating section may be several times the radius of the handle of the screwdriver. Therefore, the force necessary for turning the screwdriver is much greater than the force necessary for shifting the operating section.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket which can overcome the problem existing in the first type of conventional driving structure, that is, the operating section extends out of the socket for a user's fingers to pinch. Accordingly, a considerable operating space must be reserved beside the operating section. This makes the layout of the space quite limited and fails to meet the requirement of thinness and lightness.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket which can overcome the problem existing in the second type of conventional driving structure, that is, the sliding distance of the slide cover can be hardly accurately controlled. As a result, the insertion pins of the CPU often fail to fully contact with the conductive members of the insulating socket or over-contact with the conductive members to damage the insertion pins and the conductive members.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket which can overcome the problem existing in the third type of conventional driving structure, that is, it costs much strength to turn the screwdriver.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket by which a user can use a screwdriver to very easily and accurately slide the slide cover.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket by which the slide cover can be stably kept in the contact position or totally close position.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket by which the occupied space is reduced and the material is saved.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket by which a user can feel the engagement when the slide cover reaches both the contact position and separation position. Therefore, the user can ensure that the slide cover be moved to a desired position.
According to the above objects, the zero insertion/extraction force integrated circuit socket of the present invention includes an insulating socket, multiple conductive members and a slide cover.
The insulating socket has: a first slide connecting face positioned on one face of the insulating socket; multiple insertion holes arranged on the first slide connecting face and passing through the insulating socket; a first receiving section formed on one side of the insulating socket and having a receiving dent communicating with the first slide connecting face; and two first guiding edges respectively disposed on two opposite edges of the insulating socket, each of the guiding edges having a first latch section projecting therefrom. The conductive members are inserted in the insertion holes of the insulatin
Gushi Ross
Nguyen Phuongchi
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
LandOfFree
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