Zip socket having movable frame

Details Zip socket having movable frame Zip socket having movable frame

1999-02-26

2001-04-17

Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

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

Including compound movement of coupling part

C439S526000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06217361

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed toward a ZIF socket suitable for actuation by a tool and having a movable protective frame which carries the electronic package.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Zero insertion force (ZIF) pin grid array (PGA) sockets are well known in the art. These sockets typically comprise a base holding a plurality of contacts in an array of cavities and a slidable cover disposed atop the base with a corresponding array of holes for alignment with the cavities. A ZIF PGA socket has an open and closed position wherein an electronic package is received in the socket when in the open position and shifted into electrical contact with the array of contacts when in the closed position.
ZIF PGA sockets implement a variety of actuation means to open and close the socket. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,101 discloses a socket for use with a specially designed tool which slides a cover open and closed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,080 discloses a ZIF PGA socket which is opened and closed by actuating a rectangular bail. And, U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,803 shows a ZIF PGA socket actuated with a single lever arm. Although effective, these types of actuation methods unfavorably influence the size, weight and complexity of the socket.
A popular solution to this drawback has been to utilize what is known as a screwdriver actuated ZIF (SAZ). An SAZ provides the familiar ZIF PGA socket structure with the addition of a tool receiving area on at least one side of the socket. The tool receiving area accommodates the head of a screwdriver or other similarly bladed tool. The screwdriver is inserted into the tool receiving area adjacent the electronic package and, by exerting force on the package with the screwdriver, the package and cover are urged from the open position to the closed position. Another recess may be provided on the opposite side of the socket in order to urge the electronic package from the closed position back to its original state.
A drawback of an SAZ socket is that, depending upon the material of which the electronic package is constructed, the package may be damaged by the blade of the screwdriver. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an SAZ socket which also protects the electronic package from potential damage caused by the tool.
Another drawback of current ZIF PGA socket designs is that the movable cover provides no relative location of the electronic package with respect to the socket. That is, an electronic package must be precisely placed within the holes of the cover and very little misalignment of the package within the socket is tolerated. Thus, in addition to providing protection to the electronic package, it would also be desirable to provide a socket having rough alignment of the electronic package to assist in the precise placement of the package within the holes of the movable cover.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A socket is disclosed for receiving an electronic package having an array of pins. The socket comprises a base having an array of cavities, each cavity having a pin receiving area and a pin contacting area. The base has a top side with an outer frame disposed thereon surrounding the array of cavities, wherein two opposing sides of the outer frame have notches for receiving a tool. Electrical contacts are mounted within the array of cavities and each electrical contact communicates between the top side of the base and a bottom of the base. The electrical contacts are suited for mounting to a printed circuit board. A movable tray is provided within the outer frame for holding the electronic package. The tray has upright edges about a perimeter of an array of holes. The tray further has a first position and a second position such that when the tray is in the first position, each hole is aligned with the pin receiving area of a respective cavity and when in the second position, each hole is aligned with the pin contacting area of the respective cavity.
A socket for receiving an electronic package having an array of pins is disclosed. The socket comprises a base having an array of cavities, wherein each cavity has a pin receiving region and a pin contacting region. The base has a top side with at least one upright wall disposed thereon adjacent the array of cavities and the at least one upright wall has a recess for receiving a tool on a side nearest the array of cavities. Electrical contacts are mounted within the array of cavities. A movable tray is mounted on the top side of the base for holding the electronic package, wherein the tray has an array of holes and at least one upright edge disposed adjacent the at least one upright wall. The movable tray also has a first position and a second position such that when the tray is in the first position each hole is aligned with a pin receiving region of a respective cavity and when in the second position each hole is aligned with the pin contacting region of the respective cavity.


REFERENCES:
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Screwdriver Actuated ZIF (SAZ) PGA Sockets, Catalog 124263, Issued Dec. 1994, pp. 1-4.
AMP Customer Drawing No. 916639, Socket Assembly Screwdriver Actuated ZIF PGA., pp. 1-8, (no date).
AMP Customer Drawing No. C-916705, Socket Assembly, Low Profile, Screwdriver Actuated ZIF, PGA, pp. 1-7. (no date).

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