Patent Application
20140235107
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a memory socket, and more particularly, to a memory socket with a special contact mechanism for testing a memory module.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the speed of central processing units (CPUs) keeps increasing, it is incumbent upon the manufacturers of computers and other digital electronic devices to likewise increase the speed of main memory and the speed at which the CPU can communicate with the main memory so as to achieve full speed gain in modern CPUs. The speed at which the CPU can communicate with the main memory is determined by the bus structure that is responsible for passing packets of data between the CPU and the main memory. In order to achieve effective speed gains in CPUs and main memory, the bus structure must be capable of rapidly transmitting/receiving packets of data. Furthermore, it is common for a main memory, which may include a number of memory chips, to be mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), which may be known as a memory module, such as single in-line memory module (SIMM) or dual in-line memory module (DIMM). The memory module may include a set of pins that provide electrical contacts when the memory module is inserted into a socket slot, for example, on a motherboard.
After manufacturing a memory module, the memory module maybe tested by inserting the module into a test socket connected to a testing device. Generally, a conventional and regular memory socket for testing electrical characteristics of the memory module is used.
In order to insert the memory module 107, it may be required to apply an insertion force greater than a resilient force of the socket pins 103 to the memory module 107. However, the insertion force and/or the dragging of the resilient socket pins along the contact tabs 109 may cause scratches, breakage, or shortage, etc., on the contact tabs 109 of the memory module 107, and even worse, impact the performance of the memory module under the test.
To avoid the scratch damages as much as possible, a conventional method adopted in the industry is: 1) limiting the cycling times of the test socket; 2) advocating correct and standardized gestures for inserting and removing the memory module, and 3) optimizing the size and shape of the socket pins.
With regard to all of the aforementioned solution to the test damages, however, the contact mechanism between the memory module and the memory socket is still a frictional contact mechanism. That is, the scratches resulting from the contact friction between the contact tab and socket pin can't be completely prevented. Accordingly, it is necessary for the industry to develop a novel memory socket with a brain-new contact mechanism for the memory socket, in order to avoid the scratches during the test of the memory module.
To overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks in prior art, a novel memory socket is provided in the present invention. The memory socket of the present invention features a unique design of resilient contact pins activated by a delicate interacting mechanism. This kind of unique design is particularly suitable for testing the freshly-made memory module, especially for DIMM-type memory module, to avoid scratches on the contact tabs on the memory module during the test.
The object of the present invention is to provide a memory socket with a special contact mechanism comprising a plurality of socket pins arranged in two opposite rows leaning respectively against two inner projecting portions in a socket frame, and an interacting member movably installed between the two rows of the socket pins having a cam portion for pushing the socket pin away from the interacting member during the insertion of a memory module, so that the socket pin may be bended to contact the inserted memory module.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the embodiments, and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate some of the embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain their principles.
In the drawings:
It should be noted that all the figures are diagrammatic. Relative dimensions and proportions of parts of the drawings have been shown exaggerated or reduced in size, for the sake of clarity and convenience in the drawings. The same reference signs are generally used to refer to corresponding or similar features in modified and different embodiments.
In the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and in which are illustrated by way of illustration of specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient details to allow those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural, logical, or electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present inventions is defined only by the appended claims. Furthermore, certain terms are used throughout the following descriptions and claims to refer to specific components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the manufacturers may refer to a component by different names, for example, socket pins or golden fingers. This document does not intend to distinguish the components that differ in name but not function.
It should be understood that although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are illustrated and described herein as specifically suitable to a test socket, the socket described herein may be used as a memory module socket for receiving memory modules on a motherboard of a computer, or on another form of circuit board. Moreover, the structure illustrated and described herein is not limited to a test socket for a memory module, the described structure may be used as a test socket or an actual socket for a central processing unit (CPU), a removable memory card such as an SD card, a PCI expansion card, or a test socket or an actual socket for any other form of removable electronic module.
Please now refer to
The socket frame 201 have a slot 209 configured to receive an object, such as the memory module 250. The memory module may include a single in-lined memory module (SIMM), a dual in-lined memory module (DIMM), etc. The SIMM may include a printed circuit board (PCB) and semiconductor packages mounted on a single surface of the PCB. The DIMM may include a PCB and semiconductor packages mounted on both surfaces of the PCB. In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in
Please refer again to
In the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of socket pins 203 are provided in the memory socket 200. The socket pins 203 are arranged in two opposite rows leaning respectively against the two inner projecting portions 211 in the socket frame 201. One end of the socket pin 203 may be fixed on the socket frame 201 and the other end of the socket pin 203 serves as a contact end 213 to electrically contact the contact tab 252 of the memory module 250. Each socket pins 203 fixed on the socket frame 201 is further electrically connected to a contact tab 262 of a testing module 260, and accordingly, the test current may be supplied to the contact tab 252 of the memory module 250 through the socket pin 203 connecting with the testing module 260. Therefore, the number of the socket pins 203 may be substantially the same as that of the contact tabs 252 of the memory module 250. According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the socket pin 203 may be brought into contact with the contact tab 252 of the memory module 250 at substantially the same time or after the memory module 250 is fully engaged into the slot 209. In this way, the socket pin 203 may be prevented from dragging against the contact tab 252 of the memory module 250 as it is inserted into the memory/test socket 200.
In the exemplary embodiment, each socket pin 203 is provided with an inwardly-projecting portion 215. The inwardly-projecting portions 215 at both sides are opposite to each other and are spaced-apart from each other by a space 216. The inwardly- projecting portions 215 are configured to be pushed simultaneously by a cam portion 217 of the interacting member 205 during the memory module 250 is inserted into the socket frame 200.
Please refer again to
In the exemplary embodiment, as shown in
With regard to the detailed configuration of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inner projecting portion 211 of the socket frame 201 is protruding inwardly from the inner sidewall of the socket frame 201 in a level between the contact end 213 of the socket pin 203 and the inwardly-projecting portion 215 of the socket pin 203, and the cam portion 217 is protruding from both sides of the interacting member 205 in a level between the inner projecting portion 211 of the socket frame 201 and the inwardly-projecting portion 215 of the socket pin 203. By using this configuration, the socket pins 203 could be bended by the relative movements of the inwardly-projecting portions 215 of the socket pins 203 and the inner projecting portions 211 of the socket frame 201.
Please now refer to
Please note that the diameter D of the cam portion 217 is configured to be slightly larger than the space 216 (shown in
In the exemplary embodiment, the feature of grounding surfaces of the cam portion 217 and the inwardly-projecting portions 215 enables the cam portion 217 to be readily pressed into the space between the two opposite inwardly-projecting portions 215 during the insertion of the memory module 250. Also, the grounding surface feature of the inner projecting portions 211 of the socket frame 201 achieves the necessary bending magnitude of the socket pin 203 for the contact end 213 of the socket pin 203 to connect with the contact tab 252 of the memory module 250 when the memory module 250 is fully inserted into the socket frame 201.
Please now refer to
Additionally, as shown in
The unique design of the delicate interacting mechanism between the memory module 250, the interacting member 205, the socket pins 203 and the socket frame 201 achieves the desired point contact mechanism for the present invention. The so-called point contact mechanism of the present invention may prevent the conventional scratch issue on the contact tabs of the memory module, which is resulted from the friction contact between the socket pins of the memory socket and the contact tabs of the memory module during the insertion.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
