The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 18, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 17, 1997
Masao Tohyama, Gotemba, JP;
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A socket (1) for burn-in tests of IC packages employs rack and pinion gears to drive contact makers (6). As a cover (3) is depressed against coil springs (38), a slide actuator member (4) with sliding portions (30, 32) is raised by rack (3b, 26a, 27a, 28a, 29a) and pinion gears (34, 35). Slide actuator member 4 includes grid members (4b) which bias the contact makers (6) into an open position when the actuator member is raised and allows the contact makers to close when the slide actuator member is lowered. Supporting surfaces (30d, 32d) of the sliding parts (30, 32) of the slide actuator member are raised higher than interdigitated loading surfaces (20a, 21a) of guide elements (20, 21) of the base (2) so that the IC package (5) can be easily positioned by the supporting surfaces (30d, 32d) without engaging the ball terminals (5b) with arms (6a, 6b) of contact makers (6). Cover (3) begins to move upwardly when the downward force on the cover is released, while the slide actuator member (4) moves downwardly. Subsequently, the IC package (5) is precisely positioned on loading surfaces (20a, 21a) by the guiding surfaces (20b, 21b) since the supporting surfaces (30d, 32d) are lowered below the loading surfaces (20a, 21a), simultaneously the ball terminals (5b) are clamped by the arms (6a, 6b). In a second embodiment the contact makers (6) of socket (1A) are arranged obliquely relative to the sides of the slide actuator member allowing a contact arrangement having a finer pitch. In a third embodiment the slide actuator member (4') is formed integrally with the cover (3'). A modified embodiment shows a modified contact maker (60) formed with a constriction and with a grid member (4b'') of the slide actuator member received in between respective arms (60a, 60b) for controlling the open and closed position of the contact maker.