Patent Application
20130040472
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a socket connector, and more particularly to a socket connector incorporated with contact terminal having self-repelling tip which can be pushed into a nest when a load is applied, and extended outwardly once the load is released.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical socket with two-piece contact units is widely used for electrically connecting two electronic components because it can easily connect with electronic components. The contact unit is generally comprising an upper contact and a lower contact assembled with the upper contact. Usually, the lower contact is retained in passageway of the electrical socket and the upper contact is moveable relative to the lower contact in vertical direction. When the electrical socket is coupled to the electronic components, the upper contact is moved downwardly toward the lower contact under pressure from the electronic component. Therefore, loading force ensuring the component contacting with the contact unit is comparably low. A typical socket with two-piece contact units is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,209 issued to Amico on Jun. 22, 1993.
However, the upper contact is received in the insulative housing of the electrical socket and limited by inner wall of the housing. Additionally, sometimes, the housing further comprises a lower housing portion for retaining the lower contact, and an upper housing seated upon the lower housing for receiving and limiting upward movement of the upper contact. Obviously, the structure of the electrical socket is too complicated.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,602 issued to Hwang on Apr. 11, 2006 also discloses a two-piece contact unit for electrical device. The contact unit comprises an upper contact pin, a lower contact pin and a spring fitted over a predetermined area between the upper and lower contact pin. The contact uses the spring as a resilient biasing member for urging the upper contact back to its original position after force acted on the contact is released. Obviously, the contact has a complicated structure.
Therefore, it is needed to find a new socket assembly to overcome the problems mentioned above.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical device for connecting two electronic components, which comprises a plurality of contact units each with self-releasing arrangement between an upper contact and a lower contact, thus making the contact unit and the electrical device having a simple structure and a lower manufacturing cost.
In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical device for electrically connection an electronic component, comprises a substrate, and a plurality of contact units mounted on the substrate. The contact units each comprises a lower contact positioned on the substrate and an upper contact coupled to the lower contact. The upper contact is floatably received in a space defined by the lower contact and upward and downward movement of the upper contact relative to the lower contact are limited by the lower contact.
Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the present invention in detail.
Referring to
The contact unit 12 comprises a lower contact 120, an upper contact 122. The lower contact 120 comprises a base portion 1200 and two arms 1202 extending upwardly from opposite edges of the base portion 1200 to jointly create a nest. The arms 1202 each comprises a first section 1204 extending upwardly and away from the other arm, and a second section 1206 extending upwardly and bending toward the other arm from a end of the first section 1204. Therefore, a peak 1208 is formed between the first section 1204 and the second section 1206. Obviously, distance between the two peaks 1208 of the two arms 1202 is larger than maximum width of the upper contact 122. Therefore, the two arms 1202 define a receiving space allowing the upper contact 122 to be received therein.
The upper contact 122 is generally of a shape of ellipsoid. After the upper contact 122 is disposed into the nest of the lower contact 120. The upper contact 122 is moveable relative to the lower contact 120 when an external load is applied and released. Referring to
Referring to
The lower contact 120 is mounted on the substrate 10, which can achieved by multiple means. Referring now to
In order to ensure reliable electrical connection between the electronic component 2 and the contact unit 12, a position-limiting mechanism 14 may be formed on the substrate 10. The position-limiting mechanism 14 is provided with a receiving cavity for receiving the electronic component 2. The position-limiting mechanism 14 has at leas two supporting posts 140 spaced to each other and mounted on a peripheral region around the contact units 12 of the substrate 10, respectively. The supporting posts 140 each defines a step 142 thereon and steps 142 on two sidewalls jointly define a seating plane for supporting the electronic component 2.
The lower contact 120 is loosely received in the space of the lower contact 120 and upward and downward movement of the upper contact 122 are limited by the lower contact 120. Therefore, the contact unit 12 has a simple structure. Furthermore, the lower contact 120 uses two arms 1202 to achieve function of the self-locking/releasing and cost is low.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various alterations and modifications can be made to the embodiments without in any way departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
