ZIF socket

Details ZIF socket ZIF socket

2001-09-18

2003-07-29

Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

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

Including compound movement of coupling part

C439S265000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06599146

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket, and particularly to a ZIF socket having an actuating lever with increased structural strength.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 5
, a ZIF socket
6
of the conventional invention comprises a base
7
, a sliding cover
8
and an actuating lever
9
. The base
7
includes a rectangular body
71
and a mounting portion
72
at a rear end thereof. The body
71
comprises a plurality of through holes
73
for receiving contacts
60
of the ZIF socket
6
. The body
71
also includes a pair of blocks
76
extending outwardly from top portions of opposite side walls
70
thereof and a support
75
extending outwardly from a bottom portion of a right side wall
70
. The mounting portion
72
includes a first transverse receiving channel
721
and a concavity
722
in front of the receiving channel
721
. A block
723
extends outwardly from a right end of the mounting portion
72
for preventing the actuating lever
9
from moving unduly. The sliding cover
8
comprises a rectangular cover frame
81
and a ledge
82
at a rear end thereof. The cover frame
81
includes a plurality of receiving holes
83
respectively corresponding to the through holes
73
for receiving corresponding pins of a mating integrated circuit chip (not shown). The ledge
82
includes a mounting section
821
, and a second transverse receiving channel
822
in the middle of the mounting section
821
. The actuating lever
9
is substantially L-shaped and includes a handle
91
and a driving arm
92
extending perpendicularly from a joining portion
93
of the handle
91
.
In assembly, after the driving arm
92
is put in the first transverse receiving channel
721
, the sliding cover
8
is placed on the base
7
and then pushed downward to engage with the base
7
. The actuating lever
9
can pivotably rotate in the concavity
722
and the second transverse receiving channel
822
driving the sliding cover
8
to move longitudinally along the base
7
, thereby moving pins of the corresponding chip into electrical connection with the contacts
60
.
However, during pivotable rotation of the actuating lever
9
in the concavity
722
, when an excessive force is exerted on the handle
91
of the actuating lever
9
, or when the actuating lever
9
is subject to repeated actuations, the joining portion
93
of the actuating lever
9
is easy to be broken or damaged. This is because the strength of the joining portion
93
is not enough. As a result, the actuating lever
9
has a short life and makes the ZIF socket not work reliably.
Hence, an improved ZIF socket having an actuating lever with sufficient strength for handling is required to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional ZIF socket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a ZIF socket wherein its actuating lever has a joining portion with increased structural strength.
In order to achieve the object set forth, a ZIF socket of the present invention comprises a base, a sliding cover and an actuating lever. The base includes a rectangular body and a mounting portion at a rear end thereof. The sliding cover comprises a rectangular cover frame and a ledge at a rear end thereof. The actuating lever is substantially L-shaped and includes a handle and a driving arm extending perpendicularly from a joining portion of the handle. The driving arm comprises an elongate pivot received in lower receiving channel and a cam portion extending forwardly from the pivot. A large-dimensioned portion is formed at one end of the driving arm proximate to the handle. The joining portion comprises a first reinforcing section extending upwardly therefrom, a second reinforcing section extending downward thereof and a third reinforcing section formed at an inside of the handle and proximate to the first reinforcing section.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5722848 (1998-03-01), Lai et al.
patent: 6371785 (2002-04-01), Howell et al.
patent: 6383006 (2002-05-01), McHugh et al.
patent: 6419514 (2002-07-01), Yu

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