US 6,146,173 A · IC socket

Abstract

Disclosed is an improved IC socket comprising a housing having terminals and an opening-and-closing mechanism to change the terminals from a contact-making position to a contact-releasing position. The housing has a platform to receive the lead wires of the IC, and a movable cover activates a swingable member which rotates. The opening-and-closing mechanism is positioned so that the swingable member tilts the opening-and-closing mechanism toward the contact-releasing position when the movable cover is depressed. The device is designed as to leave between the lead platform and a contact end a clearance C, which is smaller than the thickness T of the lead wire. Clearance C prevents any debris from sticking on the contact end, assuring the reliability of electric contacts with the lead wires of the IC. A flat cam surface on the swingable member has a variable operative slope which varies as the swingable member tilts clockwise and then counterclockwise, so that gradual and steep slopes are provided continuously as the swingable member swings about a pivot. This continuous slope variation avoids any odd feeling when the operator pushes the movable cover down.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An integrated circuit (IC) socket which receives and holds lead wires of an IC, the IC socket comprising:

an insulative housing having an IC platform of said housing to permit IC lead wires to be positioned thereon;
a plurality of terminals mounted on said housing to make contact with the IC lead wires, each said terminal having a contact-making position and a contact-releasing position;
and
an opening-and-closing mechanism having a swingably mounted cam member which has a cam surface, said cam surface swings through an operative slope continuous range which varies between a first slope orientation and a second slope orientation when said terminal slides along said cam surface in response to movement of said opening and closing mechanism in order to move the terminal between its contact-making position and its contact-releasing position.

1 more element

An integrated circuit (IC) socket which receives and holds lead wires of an IC, the IC socket comprising:

an insulative housing having an IC platform to permit IC lead wires to be positioned thereon;
a plurality of terminals mounted thereon to make contact with IC lead wires, each said terminal having a contact-making position and a contact-releasing position, said terminal having a contact limb which contacts the IC lead wire when said terminal is in its contact-making position;
an actuation assembly which is accessible by an operator of the IC socket, said actuation assembly having a cam member which is swingably mounted by a support projection of said actuation assembly, and said swingably mounted cam member has a uniplanar flat cam surface which has an operative slope that varies over a continuous range when said cam member swings between a first slope orientation when said actuation assembly is undepressed and a second slope orientation when said actuation assembly is depressed;
and
said terminal has a trigger limb which rides upon said flat cam surface of the actuation assembly in response to depression of the actuation assembly in order to move the contact limb so as to move between the contact-making position and the contact-releasing position.

2 more elements

An integrated circuit (IC) socket which receives and holds lead wires of an IC, the IC socket comprising:

an insulative housing having a plurality of socket terminals mounted thereon to make contact with the lead wires of an IC, each said socket terminal having a contact-making position and a contact-releasing position;
a platform of said housing to permit an IC lead wire to be positioned thereon;
said socket terminal having a cantilevered contact arm mounted to the housing by a curved joint, said socket terminal further including a cantilevered trigger arm, and said contact arm contacts the IC lead wire when said socket terminal is in its contact-making position;
and
an actuation assembly having a movable cover which is accessible by an operator of the IC socket, said actuation assembly having a cam member swingably mounted on said actuation assembly so as to move with said cover, said cam member having a cam surface which rides upon said trigger arm when said actuation assembly is depressed, the cam surface having a continuous profile which has an operative slope that changes when said cam member swings between a first slope orientation and a second slope orientation in response to movement of said cam surface along said trigger arm.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

IC socket

Life of this patent

IC socket

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23