Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-24
2002-07-09
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...
C439S091000, C439S701000, C439S937000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06416331
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC socket and a semiconductor device, and more specifically, to an IC socket and a semiconductor device provided with a plurality of lead members.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, an IC (Integrated Circuit) socket for supporting an IC device or the like such that the IC device is removably connected to a circuit formed on a circuit substrate and for electrically connecting the circuit on the circuit substrate with an electrode of the IC device via a lead member incorporated within and a semiconductor device provided with such IC socket are known. The conventional IC socket will be described with reference to
FIGS. 11 and 12
.
FIG. 11
is a schematic plan view showing the conventional IC socket, while
FIG. 12
is a schematic diagram representing a semiconductor device formed with the IC socket shown in
FIG. 11
disposed on the circuit substrate.
FIG. 12
schematically represents a cross section of an IC socket
101
taken along the line XII—XII in FIG.
11
.
As shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12
, IC socket
101
for electrically connecting the circuit formed on a circuit substrate
107
to an IC device
104
is disposed on circuit substrate
107
which has the circuit formed thereon. IC device
104
is mounted on IC socket
101
. A socket cover
103
for pressing and fixing IC device
104
against IC socket
101
is provided on IC device
104
. A plurality of electrodes
131
are disposed in a matrix on the bottom wall of IC device
104
. An electrode
131
is a hemispheric solder ball arranged on the bottom wall of IC device
104
.
IC socket
101
is formed by a socket base body
117
, a socket intermediate member
150
, a socket cover body
120
, and leads
106
. As shown in
FIG. 11
, in IC socket
101
, leads
106
are disposed in a matrix in positions corresponding to the plurality of electrodes
131
of IC device
104
.
As shown in
FIG. 13
, lead
106
has a linear shape and includes a lead cylindrical body
151
, an upper terminal
108
, a lower terminal
130
, and a spring
152
.
FIG. 13
is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of lead
106
. Lead cylindrical body
151
has a hollow cylindrical shape, and has an opening formed in the upper surface and an opening formed in the bottom surface. Upper terminal
108
, lower terminal
130
, and spring
152
are accommodated within lead cylindrical body
151
. A portion of upper terminal
108
projects from the opening in the upper surface of lead cylindrical body
151
, and a portion of lower terminal
130
projects from the opening in the bottom surface of lead cylindrical body
151
. The diameters of the respective portions of upper terminal
108
and lower terminal
130
located inside lead cylindrical body
151
are larger than the diameters of the openings formed in the upper surface and the bottom surface of lead cylindrical body
151
. As a result, upper terminal
108
and lower terminal
130
are never pushed out of lead cylindrical body
151
. Spring
152
is disposed between upper terminal
108
and lower terminal
130
. Thus, as shown in
FIG. 12
, when IC device
104
is pressed against the upper surface of IC socket
101
, thereby pressing an electrode
131
against upper terminal
108
of lead
106
, the reliable contact between upper terminal
108
and electrode
131
can be ensured by the elasticity of spring
152
. Similarly, when IC socket
101
is pressed against circuit substrate
107
, the elasticity of spring
152
ensures the reliable contact between lower terminal
130
and an electrode on circuit substrate
107
.
Moreover, a sleeve-like lead protrusion
132
is formed surrounding the sidewall of lead cylindrical body
151
in the central portion of the sidewall of lead cylindrical body
151
of lead
106
. In addition, as shown in
FIG. 14
, openings
115
and
109
which have substantially the same diameter as lead cylindrical body
151
and into which lead cylindrical body
151
can be inserted are respectively formed in socket base body
117
and socket cover body
120
of IC socket
101
. An opening
110
is formed in the upper surface of socket cover body
120
, and an opening
116
is formed in the lower surface of socket base body
117
.
FIG. 14
is a schematic perspective view of the IC socket shown in FIG.
11
. Further, an opening
153
which has substantially the same diameter as lead protrusion
132
and into which lead protrusion
132
can be inserted is formed in socket intermediate member
150
of IC socket
101
.
After inserting the lower portion of lead
106
into opening
115
of socket base body
117
, socket intermediate member
150
and socket cover body
120
are stacked and fixed onto socket base body
117
such that lead
106
is inserted into their respective openings
153
and
109
. Thus, as shown in
FIG. 14
, the diameters of openings
115
and
109
of socket base body
117
and socket cover body
120
are smaller than the diameter of lead protrusion
132
so that lead
106
can be fixed. IC socket
101
is thus formed.
In such IC socket
101
, the elasticity of spring
152
of lead
106
can weaken as a result of deformation during use over time. As a consequence, contact failure may result between upper terminal
108
and electrode
131
, or between lower terminal
130
and an electrode on circuit substrate
107
. Conventionally in such a case, as shown in
FIG. 15
, socket cover body
120
is removed from IC socket
101
, and lead
106
that has a defect is individually and manually replaced.
FIG. 15
is a schematic perspective view related to the description of the lead replacement in the IC socket shown in FIG.
11
.
In recent years, as IC device
104
is further miniaturized, the spacing between electrodes
131
of IC device
104
and the size of electrode
131
itself are accordingly becoming smaller. Lead
106
in IC socket
101
is also miniaturized, and the spacing of leads
106
in IC socket
101
is also made smaller. As a result, it is increasingly difficult to replace lead
106
as that shown in
FIG. 15
manually with accuracy and speed. Furthermore, it is expected that the above-described problem will become more serious as IC device
104
is miniaturized even further.
Conventionally, to solve the above-described problem, an IC socket provided with a module holding a plurality of leads is disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-125426. Moreover, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 7-335353 discloses an IC socket similar to the IC socket disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-125426. The IC sockets disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 10-125426 and 7-335353 can be repaired easily when a defect is found in a lead, by replacing a module that holds the defective lead.
The IC socket disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-125426, however, employs a lead with a curved portion. Thus, the technique disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-125426 is considered to be a totally different technique from that of the present invention related to an IC socket using a linear lead. Moreover, with the lead having a curved portion, the curved portion of another lead adjacent to the lead to be replaced in a module obstructs the lead to be replaced, making the replacement difficult. Such a problem does not occur, however, when a linear lead is employed as in the present invention.
The IC socket in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 7-335353, discloses contact blocks as modules including a plurality of leads. A contact pin serving as a lead accommodated in the contact block is a pin also having a curved portion like the IC socket disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-125426. For the same reason, this technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 7-335353 is considered to be a totally different technique from that of the present invention related to the IC socket using a linear lead. Furthermore, upon review by the inventor of the IC socket di
McDermott & Will & Emery
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Nguyen Truc
Ta Tho D.
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