Fine pitch contact for a ZIF socket

A contact used in a socket for electrically connecting with a pin of an IC package, the contact comprising:

• a base for being fixed in the socket;
• a tail downwardly extending from the base for being connected to a printed circuit board;
• and
• a body upwardly extending from the base, said body including a first bent portion and a second bent portion, said first bent portion being formed proximate a free end of the body and being bent out of the plane of the second bent portion along a first bend line in a first direction for guiding a pin of an IC package into engagement with the second bent portion, said second bent portion being bent out of the plane of the body along a second bend line in a reverse direction relative to the first direction for engaging with the pin of the IC package.

A socket assembly for electrically connecting with a pin of an IC package which is adapted to be relatively moved in a sliding direction, comprising:

• a socket body defining at least a passageway therein;
• a contact received within said passageway, said contact including a plate-like base defining a dimension along said sliding direction, said dimension being slightly smaller than a lengthwise dimension of the corresponding passageway along said sliding direction;
• and
• a twisted body upwardly extending from the base with twisting along almost a full length thereof;
• wherein
• said twisted body defining a width being slightly smaller than said dimension of the base while large enough to confront two side walls of the passageway in a transverse direction perpendicular to said sliding direction.