Electrical contact for ZIF socket connector

Details Electrical contact for ZIF socket connector Electrical contact for ZIF socket connector

2002-03-22

2003-04-29

Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

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

Including compound movement of coupling part

C439S857000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06554634

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical contact for a Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket connector for electrically interconnecting an electronic package, for example a Central Processing Unit (CPU), with a printed circuit board, for example a mother board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 5-7
, an earlier design of the electrical contact
8
for a ZIF socket connector comprises a base portion
81
, a solder portion
82
extending from an end of the base portion
81
and a pair of arms
83
. Each arm
83
comprises a body section
831
extending upwardly from an opposite end of the base portion
81
and a finger
832
. The fingers
832
of the arms
83
are offset from each other in a vertical direction of the electrical contact
8
and each comprises a lead-in section
840
extending from the body section
831
and a contact section
850
extending from the lead-in section
840
. The lead-in section
840
is generally stamped and formed in a curved configuration and thus defines a generally curved lead-in surface
841
.
After a pin
9
of an electronic package is inserted into the ZIF socket connector with zero insertion force, the pin
9
is pushed along the lead-in surfaces
841
to move in a direction as indicated by an arrow A into a contact space
860
to be pressed between and electrically contacted with the contact sections
850
. A pushing force herein needed is comparatively large since, as known to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art, an angle defined by a line B tangent to the contacting area of the curved lead-in surface
841
and the outer surface of the pin
9
, and the push direction of the pin
9
is comparatively large. Furthermore, during the course of the pin
9
moving along the curved lead-in surfaces
841
, the angle defined between the line B and the push direction of the pin
9
varies with the variation of the contacting area of the outer surface of the pin
9
and the curved lead-in surface
841
, and even increases when the contacting area of the outer surface of the pin
9
and the lead-in surface
841
is adjacent to the outer entry of the lead-in sections
840
due to the curved configurations of the lead-in sections
840
. The pin
9
is often falling within the areas outside the outer entry of the lead-in sections
840
because of errors in making either of the pin
9
, the electrical contact
8
and an insulative housing (usually a base and a cover) of the ZIF socket connector. Thus, the pin
9
is easily in the risk of being blocked and needs a comparatively larger pushing force.
Therefore, a ZIF socket connector with an improved electrical contact is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A major object of the present invention is to provide an electrical contact for a ZIF socket connector which reduces a pushing force of a pin of an electronic package.
A ZIF socket connector comprises a base, a cover, an actuator and a plurality of electrical contacts in accordance with the present invention. The cover is assembled to the base and is actuated by the actuator to be movable with respect to the base. The electrical contacts are received in the base. Each electrical contact comprises a base portion, a solder portion extending from the base portion, and a pair of arms. Each arm comprises a body section extending from the base portion, and a finger comprising a lead-in section extending from the body section and a contact section extending from the lead-in section. The lead-in sections of the fingers are coined to define generally planar lead-in surfaces which guide a pin of an electronic package received on the cover to extend between and electrically contact with the contact sections with a reduced pushing force.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5766045 (1998-06-01), Sawaki et al.
patent: 6450826 (2002-09-01), Howell et al.
patent: 6471534 (2002-10-01), Lee

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