Zero insertion force socket connector

Details Zero insertion force socket connector Zero insertion force socket connector

1999-04-21

2001-06-19

Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

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

Including compound movement of coupling part

Reexamination Certificate

active

06247952

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a zero insertion force (ZIF) socket connector for connecting a CPU to a motherboard, and particularly to a ZIF socket which can be more reliably located at open and closed positions.
The '998 application disclosed a ZIF socket connector which has a low profile. Such a connector is proven to be market successful particularly for laptop computers (or called notebook computers). However, this connector has a disadvantage that it does not have a mechanism which can reliably locate the connector at both open and closed positions, resulting in inconvenience in using the connector, and possible damage of contacts of the connector by insertion of pins of the CPU into the connector when the connector is not securely located at the open position.
Hence, a further improvement is needed for the connector in accordance with the '998 application to overcome the locating problem thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide a low profile, rectangular ZIF socket connector movable between open and closed positions by moving a cover relative to a base of the connector along a diagonal thereof, wherein the socket connector can be reliably and positively located at the open and closed positions.
To fulfill the above mentioned objective, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a ZIF socket connector includes a base and a cover both made by plastic injection molding, and a number of conductive contacts fixedly received in the base. The cover is mounted on the base and movable relative thereto along a diagonal of the socket between open and closed positions. At the open position, pins of a CPU inserted into the contacts via holes in the cover do not engage with the contacts. At the closed position, the pins engage with the contacts. The cover forms a number of blocks at two opposite lateral sides of a bottom face thereof, wherein two blocks are located at two of four corners of the cover different from the other two through which the diagonal of the socket extends. Each block defines a slot exposed to a side thereof parallel to the diagonal of the socket. The cover further forms two arcuate protrusions in the slots defined by the blocks at the two corners of the cover, respectively. The base forms a number of slanted sections at two lateral opposite sides thereof, each section being parallel to the diagonal. A tooth projects from a corresponding section into a corresponding slot whereby when the socket is moved between the two positions, the teeth slide in the corresponding slots between two end portions thereof, respectively. The tooth into the slot at the corresponding corner of the cover is received in a first recessed region when the socket is at the open position. When the socket is moved from the open position to the close position, the tooth runs over the corresponding ridge to be received in a second recessed region. A number of protrusions are formed on the slanted sections of one of the two opposite lateral sides of the base wherein when the socket is at the open position, these protrusions engage with the sides of the corresponding blocks parallel to the diagonal thereby more securely locating the socket at the open position. Therefore, the connector is ensured to be securely located at the open position when pins of the CPU are inserted into the connector to prevent a possible damage of the contacts by the inserted pins.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4420205 (1983-12-01), Kirkman
patent: 4750891 (1988-06-01), Egawa
patent: 5597319 (1997-01-01), Scheitz et al.
patent: 6062890 (2000-05-01), Pei et al.

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