Socket for multi-lead integrated circuit packages

A socket for securing an integrated circuit package having a plurality of leads corresponding to conductive terminals in a printed circuit board, the socket comprising:

• a body consisting essentially of an insulative material having a first and second opposed surfaces, a plurality of signal paths and metal coated through holes separately extending from at least the first to the second surface of said body;
• said signal paths each including a member for securing the socket to a terminal in the printed circuit board and to the corresponding lead of the integrated circuit package;
• a conductive mesh on each of said first and second surfaces of said body;
• and
• said meshes being conductively connected to each other by way of said through holes and a means for electrically connected the meshes to a terminal on the printed circuit board;
• wherein each individual signal path is substantially electrically isolated from the other signal paths by the through holes and meshes.

A socket for securing an integrated circuit package having a plurality of leads arranged in a geometric pattern to corresponding terminals of a printed circuit board arranged in a geometric pattern, the socket comprising:

• an insulative body of a molded, high temperature plastic material, the body having a plurality of signal path elements extending across the body and arranged in a pattern enabling each signal path to align with and engage one lead of the integrated circuit package and a terminal of the printed circuit board;
• said body defining a plurality of electrically conductive through members extending through the body;
• a ground plane mesh located on the said body arranged in a grid pattern;
• said mesh being electrically coupled to said through members to create a coaxial effect with the signal path elements;
• and
• a means to electrically couple the through members to a ground terminal on the circuit board;
• wherein said through members are holes defined by the body to provide interior surfaces and the interior surfaces are coated with a highly conductive copper alloy.

The socket for an integrated circuit package having a plurality of leads and a printed circuit board having at least one ground terminal, the socket comprising:

• an insulative body having at least one surface;
• said body including a plurality of signal path elements extending through said body;
• said body including a plurality of metallic elements separate and distanced from said signal paths, and extending through said body;
• said body including conductive plating on said surface arranged in a grid pattern, thereby forming a ground plane mesh which electrically isolates and surrounds said signal paths elements;
• said mesh located on said surface of said body being electrically connected to said metallic elements;
• a means for coupling the mesh to the ground terminal on the circuit board;
• said signal path includes a first end for electrically engaging a lead of the integrated circuit package and a second end integral with an opposed to said first end for electrically engaging conductive terminals of a printed circuit board;
• wherein said metallic elements are plated, tubular through holes to provide a co-axial effect for each signal path.

A method of manufacturing a socket for securing an integrated circuit package having a plurality of leads to a terminal of a printed circuit board, comprising:

• forming a substrate having a first and second surface, and defining a first and second plurality of holes extending from said first to said second surface;
• covering each of said first and second surfaces of said substrate with conductive meshes which surround and are distanced from at least some of said first plurality of holes;
• coating said second plurality of holes with a conductive material to electrically connect said meshes to each other by way of said second plurality of holes;
• and
• inserting and affixing a plurality of signal path elements into said first plurality of holes, wherein each said signal path element has a first end which includes a means positioned to secure a lead of an integrated circuit package and a second end having a signal means for electrically engaging the socket to the terminal on a printed circuit board.

A socket for securing an integrated circuit package to a supporting structure, the integrated circuit package having a plurality of leads positioned in a geometric pattern and each lead having a predetermined impedance and the supporting structure defining a signal path to be coupled to a ground, the socket comprising:

• a substrate having opposed surfaces and formed of an insulative material;
• a plurality of signal path members extending between the surfaces, each member including a means positioned to electrically couple to a lead of the integrated circuit package;
• and
• a metal pattern defined at least partially on at least a surface of the substrate at a predetermined distance from at least some of the signal path members such that the impedance of said some signal path members is within a range of the impedance of the lead to which the signal path member is to be secured;
• wherein said integrated circuit package defines a plurality of plated through holes extending between the first surface to said second surface, each through hole defining an interior surface, and wherein the through holes are spaced from the signal paths such that the impedance substantially matches the impedance of the lead of the package.

A socket for securing an integrated circuit package to a supporting structure, the integrated circuit package having a plurality of leads positioned in a geometric pattern and each lead having a predetermined impedance and the supporting structure defining a signal path to be coupled to a voltage potential, the socket comprising:

• a substrate having surfaces and formed of an insulative material;
• a plurality of signal path members and plated through holes extending between the surfaces, where each signal path member includes a means positioned to electrically couple to a lead of the integrated circuit package and where the through holes are spaced from the signal path members such that the impedance substantially matches the impedance of the lead of the package;
• and
• a metal pattern defined at least partially on at least a surface of the substrate at a predetermined distance from at least some of the signal path members such that the impedance of said some signal path [element]members is within a predetermined range of the impedance of the lead to which the signal path is to be secured.

A method of manufacturing a socket for securing an integrated circuit package having a plurality of leads to a terminal of a printed circuit board, comprising:

• forming a substrate having a first and a second surface, and defining a first and second plurality of holes extending from said first to said second surface, the second set of holes being predetermined distances from the first set of holes;
• covering said first and second surfaces of said substrate with a conductive mesh which surrounds and is distanced from at least some of said first plurality of holes;
• affixing a plurality of signal path elements into said first plurality of holes, wherein each said signal path elements has a first end which includes a means positioned to secure a lead for an integrated circuit package and a second end having a signal pin for electrically engaging and securing the socket to the terminal on a printed circuit board;
• coating said second plurality of holes with a conductive material to electrically connect said meshes to each other by way of said second plurality of holes, such that the predetermined distances of the second plurality of holes are spaced from the first set of holes containing the signal path [members]elements such that the impedance will substantially match the impedance of the lead of the integrated circuit package.