Contact of socket connector

Abstract

A connector for mounting a central processing unit module to a circuit board includes an insulation portion carrying the module and contacts retained in cells defined in the insulation portion and electrically connected to the circuit board. The contacts are made by stamping a metal plate which forms a carrier strip carrying a number of contact blanks that form the contacts after subsequent processing. Each contact includes an elongate flat body having a primary surface and extending in an axial direction. A soldering pad extends from a lower end of the body for carrying a solder ball attached to the circuit board. A retaining arm extends from an upper end of the body in an inclined direction with respect to the axial direction for interferentially engaging the housing to retain the contact in the cell. A spring arm is formed by bending an inclined extension from a side edge of the body in an inclined direction about a connection between the spring arm and the body whereby the spring arm is inclined with respect to the primary surface and the axial direction. The spring arm is engageable with a pin leg of the module for establishing electrical engagement therebetween. Since each contact has only a single spring arm, the contact blanks can be arranged in a more compact manner along the carrier strip with a distance substantially corresponding the span of a single spring arm therebetween for saving space and material.