ZIF socket terminal

An electrical connector for electrically connecting an electronic package having a plurality of contact tails to a printed circuit board, the connector comprising:

• a base having a plurality of apertures;
• a cover slidably mounted on the base and defining a plurality of cavities aligned with the apertures of the base, the cover being adapted to carry the electronic package with the contact tails of the electronic package extending through corresponding cavities of the cover into corresponding apertures of the base;
• and
• a plurality of terminals received in the apertures of the base, each terminal comprising an engaging portion having a pair of identical cantilevers, a retention portion secured in corresponding aperture of the base and a neck interconnected between the engaging portion and the retention portion, the cantilevers converging to each other at free ends thereof and spaced from each other by a gap smaller than a diameter of the contact tail, the neck being sufficiently flexible to permit the engaging portion to rotate a predetermined angle relative to the retention portion to establish a reliable engagement between each cantilever and the contact tail when the contact tail deflects toward one of the cantilevers;
• wherein the engaging portion is symmetrical about a central line of the engaging portion and the neck is positioned on the central line;
• wherein the neck is perpendicular to the central line of the engaging portion;
• wherein the retention portion of the terminal is perpendicular to the central line of the engaging portion;
• wherein each terminal comprises a mounting pad laterally extending from the retention portion, the mounting pad being parallel to the central line of the engaging portion.