socket

Abstract

To reduce a size of sockets for high density assembly of the sockets onto a substrate while inhibiting or avoiding damage on an IC chip due to contact with a pressing member.SOLUTION: A socket 1 comprises: a base 2 supporting a mount part 21 on which an IC chip 9 is mounted and a plurality of contact members 99 electrically connected to the IC chip 9; an operation member 3 provided vertically movably to the base 2 and shaped to allow the IC chip 9 to be introduced into the mount part 21; a pivoting member 4 pivoting to the base 2 in linkage to a vertical movement of the operation member 3; and a pressing member 5 moving with a constant posture maintained, in linkage to pivoting of the pivoting member 4, between a contact location where the member is in contact with a top face of the IC chip 9 mounted on the mount part 21 and a retreat location where the member is upward obliquely away from the contact location toward outside of the socket.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a socket, and more particularly to a socket for testing an IC chip. [Background technology]

[0002] Sockets for IC chip testing are required to be small in size as well as to provide electrical connection between the IC chip and the socket. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an IC socket provided with a support member that positions the pivot shaft of the pressure pad in a near position when the pressure pad is placed in the pressing position, and positions the pivot shaft of the pressure pad in a far position when the pressure pad is placed in the release position.

[0003] There is also the issue of lateral displacement of the IC chip or damage to the IC chip (e.g., scratches on the surface of the IC chip) due to physical contact between the IC chip and the socket when the IC chip is pressed down. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses an IC test handler equipped with a clamping device that suppresses the amount of lateral displacement of the IC during the IC clamping process and can prevent terminal contact problems even with ICs that have back terminals with a narrow terminal pitch. The IC pressing part always moves in the same posture, tracing an arc trajectory, due to a parallel link mechanism, so that no diagonal downward force is applied to the IC when it comes into contact with the IC, suppressing the amount of lateral displacement of the IC.

[0004] Patent Document 3 discloses a socket that uses a latch plate to protect the top surface of a semiconductor device from contact damage. The latch plate prevents the tip of the latch member from directly contacting the BGA, and presses the BGA down vertically. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-325393 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2004-184173 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2009-140629 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] There is a technical problem of reducing the size of the socket in order to mount the sockets at high density on the substrate while suppressing or avoiding damage to the IC chip caused by contact with the pressing member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A socket according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a base on which an IC chip is mounted and which supports a plurality of contact members electrically connected to the IC chip, an operating member which is movable up and down relative to the base and is shaped to allow the introduction of the IC chip into the mounting portion, a pivoting member which pivots relative to the base in conjunction with the up and down movement of the operating member, and a pressing member which moves, in conjunction with the pivoting of the pivoting member, while maintaining a constant posture between a contact position which contacts an upper surface of the IC chip mounted on the mounting portion and a retracted position which is diagonally upward away from the contact position towards the outside of the socket.

[0008] In some embodiments, the pressing member is located above the pivot member when in the retracted position.

[0009] In some embodiments, the biasing member is disposed entirely within the contour of the socket when in the retracted position.

[0010] In some embodiments, the constant position is a substantially horizontal position.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pressing member includes a metal heat dissipation member, and when the pressing member is in the contact position, the lower surface of the heat dissipation member contacts the upper surface of the IC chip. The heat dissipation member can be mounted on the pressing member so as to be elastically displaceable in the vertical direction.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pressing member includes a contact member capable of contacting the top surface of the IC chip, and the contact member is elastically displaceable in the vertical direction.

[0013] In some embodiments, the device further includes at least one upper link connecting an upper end of the pressing member to the operating member, and at least one lower link connecting a lower end of the pressing member to the operating member and disposed parallel to the upper link, and a parallel link is formed by the pressing member, the operating member, the upper link, and the lower link. The lower link may have a pair with the pivot member at a position between the pair between the lower link and the pressing member and the pair between the lower link and the operating member. The pivot member may have a lower end rotatably supported by the base, an upper end rotatably connected to the lower link, and a protrusion protruding outward from the socket between the lower end and the upper end to receive a force from the operating member. The top dead center of the pressing member may be determined based on the interference between the upper link and the pressing member. The bottom dead center of the pressing member may be determined based on the interference between the lower link and the base.

[0014] In some embodiments, the pressing member is biased toward a guide included in the base by an elastic member at the free end of the pivot member, and the attitude of the pressing member is maintained constant based on contact between the pressing member and the guide.

[0015] In some embodiments, the pressing member is pivotally attached to the free end of the pivot member and has a guide protrusion engaged with a guide groove provided in the base, and the guide groove is formed in an arc shape for a certain posture of the pressing member. The bottom dead center of the pressing member can be defined based on the interference between the pressing member and the base.

[0016] A method of electrically connecting an IC chip to a socket according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a first step of lowering an operating member of the socket, which is arranged to be vertically movable relative to a base of the socket, against an upward force exerted by an elastic member, such that a pivot member pivots outwardly from the socket in conjunction with the descent of the operating member, and a pressing member moves, while maintaining a constant posture, from a lower position to an upper position diagonally spaced upward in response to the pivoting of the pivot member, and a second step of mounting the IC chip on a mounting portion of the base through an opening formed in the operating member after the first step.

[0017] A socket according to another aspect of the present disclosure comprises a base on which an IC chip is mounted and which supports a plurality of contact members electrically connected to the IC chip; an operating member which is arranged to be movable up and down relative to the base and is shaped to allow the introduction of the IC chip into the mounting portion; and first and second pressing members which each move while maintaining a constant posture between a first position and a second position which is diagonally upwardly away from the first position toward the outside of the socket in conjunction with the up and down movement of the operating member, and which contact an upper surface of the IC chip mounted on the mounting portion at the first position, wherein each of the first and second pressing members includes a heat dissipation member having heat dissipation fins arranged at a predetermined interval, and when the first and second pressing members are in the first position, the heat dissipation fins of the first pressing member and the heat dissipation fin portions of the second pressing member are arranged alternately in a side view of the socket. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce or avoid damage to an IC chip caused by contact with a pressing member while making the socket small in size. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic top view of an IC chip testing substrate having a large number of sockets densely mounted on the substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the socket in a closed state. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a socket in an open state. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the socket in a closed state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a socket in an open state. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the socket in a closed state. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the socket in an open state. [Figure 8] 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket in a closed state taken along a two-dot chain line CX1 in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 9] 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket in an open state taken along a two-dot chain line CX1 in FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 10] 11 is a schematic diagram showing how a pressing member moves obliquely upward toward the outside of the socket from a contact position to a retracted position in a fixed posture in the socket; FIG. [Figure 11] 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket in an open state taken along a two-dot chain line CX2 in FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic top view showing a contact surface of a pressing member overlapping a predetermined region of an IC chip. [Figure 13] 13 is a schematic top view showing that a predetermined area of ​​the IC chip and the contact surface of the pressing member overlap in a manner different from that shown in FIG. 12. [Figure 14] 11 is a schematic diagram showing that the stop position of the pressing member can be set by the collision between the pressing member and the base. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another socket in a closed state. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another socket in an open state. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of yet another socket in a closed state. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of yet another socket in an open state. [Figure 19] 13 is a schematic diagram showing how the top dead center of the pressing member is set by causing interference between the pressing member and a first link. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a schematic top view of a socket according to a modified example. [Figure 21] 21 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket taken along the dashed line in FIG. 20. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Various embodiments and features of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Those skilled in the art can combine the embodiments and / or features without excessive explanation, and can understand the synergistic effect of this combination. In principle, overlapping explanations between embodiments will be omitted. The reference drawings are primarily intended to describe the invention, and are simplified for the convenience of drawing. Each feature is not only effective for the socket and the electrical connection method between the socket and the IC chip disclosed in this specification, but is understood as a universal feature that is also applicable to various other sockets and electrical connection methods between the socket and the IC chip not disclosed in this specification.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, sockets 1 are densely mounted in a two-dimensional manner on the upper surface of an inspection board 8. An IC chip is mounted on the socket 1 and connected to an inspection device via wiring on the inspection board 8. An output signal is obtained from the IC chip (via the socket 1 and the inspection board 8) by supplying input signals such as a clock signal and a test signal to the IC chip (via the inspection board 8 and the socket 1), and the IC chip can be inspected (for example, whether the output signal pattern matches a correct signal pattern). A good electrical connection between the socket 1 and the IC chip mounted thereon is a prerequisite for a correct pass / fail judgment of the IC chip. The inspection board 8 has an upper surface that is parallel to a plane defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis and perpendicularly intersects with the Z-axis, and includes wiring (surface wiring and / or internal wiring) for electrically connecting the socket 1 to an external inspection device.

[0022] In FIG. 1, the sockets 1 are arranged at a predetermined pitch P1 in the X-axis direction and at a predetermined pitch P2 in the Y-axis direction, and the predetermined pitch P1 and the predetermined pitch P2 are equal. Each socket 1 has a first width parallel to the X-axis and a second width parallel to the Y-axis, and the first width and the second width are equal. When the first width and the second width of the socket 1 are different, the predetermined pitch P1 and the predetermined pitch P2 can also be made different. As will be understood from the description below, the socket 1 is adapted for high-density arrangement on the inspection board 8, and in short, when the socket 1 is viewed from above, a pressing member described below does not protrude from the outer shape of the socket 1. The outer shape of the socket 1 is determined by the outer shape of an operating member described below when the socket 1 is viewed from above, but is not limited thereto.

[0023] In this specification, the "outside of the socket" refers to a direction from an inside position of the socket 1 toward an outside position of the socket 1 when viewed from above, as indicated by arrow D1 in Fig. 1, and typically intersects perpendicularly to one side of the (e.g., rectangular) outer shape of the socket 1. The "inside of the socket" refers to a direction from an outside position of the socket 1 toward an inside position of the socket 1 when viewed from above, as indicated by arrow D2 in Fig. 1, and typically intersects perpendicularly to one side of the (e.g., rectangular) outer shape of the socket 1.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the socket 1 in a closed state. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the socket 1 in an open state. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the socket 1 in a closed state. FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the socket 1 in an open state. FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of the socket 1 in a closed state. FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of the socket 1 in an open state. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket 1 in a closed state taken along a two-dot chain line CX1 in FIG. 6. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket 1 in an open state taken along a two-dot chain line CX1 in FIG. 7.

[0025] The socket 1 includes a base 2, an operating member 3, a pivot member 4, and a pressing member 5. The base 2 is constructed from one or more resin parts, and is typically an assembly of multiple resin parts. Similarly, the operating member 3 is constructed from one or more resin parts, and is provided so as to be movable up and down with respect to the base 2. When the operating member 3 is pressed down, the socket 1 assumes an open state shown in FIG. 3 as a deformed state. In the open state, an IC chip 9 can be mounted on the socket 1, and the IC chip 9 can also be removed from the socket 1. The IC chip 9 can be transported using a suction tool or the like. When the socket 1 is in the open state, the IC chip 9 is mounted on the socket 1, and then the socket 1 is closed, whereby the socket 1 and the IC chip 9 are electrically connected to each other.

[0026] The base 2 has a mounting portion 21 on which the IC chip 9 is mounted and a base wall 22 provided around the mounting portion 21, and supports a plurality of contact members 99 (see FIG. 10 in addition to FIGS. 8 and 9) electrically connected to the IC chip 9 (e.g., lead terminals of the IC chip 9 and / or bumps formed on the underside of the IC chip 9). The mounting portion 21 has a mounting surface 21a on which the IC chip 9 is mounted. The mounting surface 21a is typically a flat surface perpendicular to the Z axis, but may also be formed with irregularities such as through holes or slits for the contact members 99, or recesses corresponding to the bumps on the underside of the IC chip 9.

[0027] The base wall 22 of the base 2 extends upward from the mounting surface 21a (or a plane including the mounting surface) of the mounting portion 21, thereby (at least partially) determining the arrangement space of the IC chip 9 on the mounting surface 21a. The inner wall surface of the base wall 22 can function as a guide surface that guides the movement of the IC chip 9 transported to the mounting surface 21a by a transport device such as a suction chuck. The base wall 22 is provided partially or locally around the entire circumference of the mounting surface 21a to avoid interference with the pivot member 4 described below. In the illustrated example, the base wall 22 has four wall portions corresponding to the four sides that define the rectangular outer shape of the mounting surface 21a, and a notch or opening 23 is formed in each of the wall portions facing each other in the Y-axis direction. The notch or opening 23 has the same meaning as a space where the base wall 22 is not formed. The notch or opening 23 allows the pivot member 4 to pivot at a large pivot angle.

[0028] Each contact member 99 may be an assembly of a pair of pin members. Preferably, the interval between the pair of pin members (particularly their upper ends) changes in conjunction with the vertical movement of the operating member 3, so that the bumps of the IC chip 9 can be held between the pin members. When the operating member 3 is at the initial position (top dead center), the interval between the upper end of one pin member and the upper end of the other pin member is minimum. As the operating member 3 descends, the interval between the upper ends of the pin members increases. When the operating member 3 is at the lowest position (bottom dead center), the interval between the upper ends of the pin members is maximum. By opening and closing the contact members 99 in this manner, collision between the contact members 99 and the bumps on the underside of the IC chip 9 when the IC chip 9 is mounted can be avoided. The opening and closing adjustment of the pin members in conjunction with the vertical movement of the operating member 3 can be realized by using a member that moves horizontally in accordance with the vertical movement of the operating member 3. Contact members of other configurations can also be adopted. For example, contact members configured to contact not the bumps of the IC chip 9 but the lead terminals provided on the outer periphery thereof can also be adopted.

[0029] The number and arrangement of the contact members 99 supported by the base 2 can be changed in various ways depending on the number and positions of bumps (or the number and positions of lead terminals) of the IC chip 9. Typically, the contact members 99 are arranged (for example, linearly) along a side that defines the outer periphery of the mounting portion 21 (or a side of the IC chip 9 mounted on the mounting portion 21) in a top view. Other arrangements of the contact members can also be adopted.

[0030] The operating member 3 is provided so as to be movable up and down with respect to the base 2, and preferably engages with the base 2 so as to be slidable (linearly movable) in the up and down direction. For example, a guide protrusion extending in the up and down direction is provided on one of the base 2 and the operating member 3, and a groove into which the guide protrusion fits is formed on the other, and the engagement between them allows the operating member 3 to stably move up and down with respect to the base 2. The operating member 3 is also shaped so as to allow the introduction of the IC chip 9 into the mounting portion 21. Typically, the operating member 3 is a frame-like or cylindrical member having an opening 35 that allows the introduction of the IC chip 9, and has a hollow cylinder 33 that surrounds the base 2 in a plane perpendicular to the up and down direction, and the opening 35 that is at least partially defined by the hollow cylinder 33.

[0031] In the illustrated example, the hollow cylinder 33 includes four walls provided on the outer periphery of the four walls of the base wall 22 of the base 2 described above. Like the base wall 22 of the base 2, the hollow cylinder 33 has a notch 34 in each of the walls facing each other in the Y-axis direction. The notch 34 can be formed to allow pivoting of a lower link 62 described later. The notch or opening 23 of the base 2 and the notch 34 of the hollow cylinder 33 are positioned adjacent to each other in the socket inside-outside direction and communicate with each other spatially, so that the IC chip 9 in the socket 1 or a heat dissipation member 52 described later can be cooled (heat dissipated) by blowing air. The hollow cylinder 33 has a protruding portion 36 that extends upward and protrudes into the notch 34, and a lower link 62 described later is provided on both sides of the protruding portion.

[0032] In this embodiment, the socket 1 further includes a pivot member 4 and a pressing member 5. The pivot member 4 pivots relative to the base 2 in conjunction with the up-down movement of the operating member 3. The pressing member 5 moves, in conjunction with the pivoting of the pivot member 4, while maintaining a constant posture between a contact position (see FIG. 8) where the pressing member 5 contacts the upper surface of the IC chip 9 mounted on the mounting portion 21 and a retracted position (see FIG. 9) that is diagonally upward away from the contact position toward the outside of the socket. This embodiment makes it possible to reduce or avoid damage to the IC chip 9 when the pressing member 5 contacts the socket 1 while keeping the socket 1 small in size. The movement of the pressing member 5 diagonally upward from the contact position toward the retracted position can be understood based on the pressing member 5 placed at the contact position, but can also be understood in comparison with the mounting surface 21a of the socket 1 and the IC chip 9 mounted on the mounting surface 21a.

[0033] The pivot member 4 is pivotally supported by the base 2, and pivots in conjunction with the up-down movement of the operating member 3. The pivot member 4 pivots to obtain a force along the horizontal direction (perpendicular to the up-down direction) from the up-down movement of the operating member 3 (in other words, a displacement of a part of it (e.g., the upper end 4b) along the horizontal direction). In detail, the pivot member 4 pivots outward from the socket when the operating member 3 descends, and pivots inward from the socket when the operating member 3 ascends. For this purpose, the pivot member 4 can be biased to pivot outward from the socket by a spring (not shown). The pivot axis of the pivot member 4 is located at a predetermined position on the base 2 (unlike the embodiment shown in Figures 15 to 18 described later, it does not move in the up-down direction).

[0034] The pivot member 4 can be shaped in various ways, but is preferably shaped to be bent at least at one point. In the illustrated example (see FIG. 9), the pivot member 4 has a lower end 4a rotatably supported by the base 2, an upper end 4b rotatably connected to a lower link 62 described below and installed to receive force from a spring of the operating member in a closed state, and a protruding portion 4c protruding outward from the socket between the lower end 4a and the upper end 4b to receive force from the operating member 3. The pivot member 4 is bent at one point between the lower end 4a and the upper end 4b, and the protruding portion 4c is formed on the outer corner side of the bent portion. The protruding portion 4c is formed as a convex portion including a pair of gently inclined surfaces. The upper end 4b is movable between a position outside the socket (see FIG. 9) and a position inside the socket (see FIG. 8) with respect to the pivot axis of the lower end 4a. The protrusion 4c is provided to prevent the pivoting member 4 from pivoting when the pressing member 5 is in the contact position by interference between the protrusion 4c and the operating member 3 (inner wall surface). This is because there is a risk that the pivoting member 4 will pivot unintentionally depending on the balance of forces applied to the operating member 3 and the pressing member 5.

[0035] Although not necessarily limited to this, the pressing member 5 itself can be utilized as a constituent link (one of four links) of the parallel link in order to move the pressing member 5 between the contact position and the retracted position while maintaining a constant posture. In this case, the socket 1 can further have at least one (preferably a pair of) upper links 61 that connect the upper end 4b of the pressing member 5 to the operating member 3, and at least one (preferably a pair of) lower links 62 that connect the lower end 4a of the pressing member 5 to the operating member 3 and are provided parallel to the upper links 61. The pressing member 5, the operating member 3, the upper links 61, and the lower links 62 form a parallel link. By supporting this parallel link with the pivot member 4, the pressing member 5 can be moved between the contact position and the retracted position in conjunction with the up and down movement of the operating member 3. The lower links 62 can have a pair with the pivot member 4 at a position between the pair between the lower links 62 and the pressing member 5 and the pair between the lower links 62 and the operating member 3.

[0036] The pressing member 5 extends in the vertical direction parallel to the wall of the hollow cylinder 33 of the operating member 3. The pair (second pair J2) of the pressing member 5 and the upper link 61 is located above the pair (first pair J1) of the pressing member 5 and the lower link 62, and these pairs are arranged on the same vertical line (see FIG. 8). The pair (fourth pair J4) of the upper link 61 and the operating member 3 is located above the pair (third pair J3) of the lower link 62 and the operating member 3, and these pairs are arranged on the same vertical line. The vertical distance between the first pair and the second pair is equal to the vertical distance between the third pair and the fourth pair. The distance between the first pair and the third pair is equal to the distance between the second pair and the fourth pair. Typically, the distance between the first pair and the third pair is longer than the vertical distance between the first pair and the second pair. The shaft provided in the third pair J3 passes through the protruding portion 36 of the operating member 3 and extends along the X-axis.

[0037] When the operating member 3 starts to descend against the biasing force of the spring for the operating member 3, the lower link 62 starts to pivot outward from the socket about its pivot axis in the operating member 3 (it can also be said that the lower link 62 pivots outward from the socket about the pivot axis (connecting shaft S3) of the upper end 4b of the pivot member 4). At the same time that the lower link 62 starts to pivot, the upper link 61 also starts to pivot outward from the socket about its pivot axis. Similarly, the pressing member 5 starts to move from the contact position toward the retracted position. When the operating member 3 descends to a position (near or below the protrusion 4c) that allows the pivot member 4 to pivot outward from the socket, the pivot member 4 starts to pivot outward from the socket.

[0038] As the above-mentioned pivoting of the upper link 61, the lower link 62, and the pivot member 4 continues, the pressing member 5 moves to a retracted position diagonally upward away from the IC chip 9 as shown in Fig. 9, thereby enabling the IC chip 9 to be inserted into and removed from the socket 1 without being hindered by the pressing member 5. When in the retracted position, the pressing member 5 may be located above the pivot member 4 and / or may be offset outward from the socket relative to the pivot axis of the pivot member 4 (see the offset amount indicated by the arrow D3 in Fig. 9). This makes it possible to ensure a sufficient opening width for mounting or removing the IC chip 9 in the socket 1 in the open state.

[0039] When in the retracted position, the pressing member 5 can be entirely contained within the outer shape of the socket 1. This allows the socket 1 in the open state to remain small in size. The outer shape of the socket 1 can be determined by the outer shape of the operating member 3 when the socket 1 is viewed from above. If the pressing member 5 moves excessively outward from the socket, the size of the socket 1 in the open state will increase, making it difficult to mount the sockets 1 at a high density on the inspection board 8 (i.e., it will become necessary to arrange the sockets 1 at a larger pitch).

[0040] When the pressing member 5 is in the retracted position, like the pressing member 5, the upper link 61 and the lower link 62 are also located directly above the operating member 3 (e.g., the wall portion of the hollow cylinder 33) and / or can be contained within the outer shape of the socket 1 (when viewed from above). Similarly, when the pressing member 5 is in the retracted position, a part of the pivot member 4 (e.g., the upper end portion 4b and the protruding portion 4c) is also located directly above the operating member 3 (e.g., the wall portion of the hollow cylinder 33) and / or can be contained within the outer shape of the socket 1 (when viewed from above).

[0041] For stable operation of the parallel link, when the pressing member 5 is in the retracted position, it is desirable that the upper and lower links 61, 62 are slightly inclined inwardly into the socket in the vertical direction, and for this purpose a protrusion can be provided (e.g., on the base 2) that limits the angle of the upper or lower links 61, 62 (in the vertical direction).

[0042] As an option, the pressing member 5 can be utilized for heat dissipation of the IC chip 9. In some cases, the pressing member 5 includes a main body 51 and a metal heat dissipation member 52. When the pressing member 5 is in the contact position, the heat dissipation member 52 comes into direct contact with the IC chip 9, promoting heat dissipation. Additionally, when the pressing member 5 is in the contact position, the socket 1 (specifically, the base 2 and the operation member 3) is shaped so that the heat dissipation member 52 can be seen from the side (for example, a notch or opening 23 and a notch 34 are formed as shown in FIG. 4). This allows the heat dissipation member 52 to be effectively cooled by blowing air.

[0043] The heat dissipation member 52 may be shaped in various ways, but preferably includes a plurality of heat dissipation fins 53 extending in the vertical direction and a connecting plate 54 to which the plurality of heat dissipation fins 53 are connected (preferably at their lower ends). The heat dissipation fins 53 may be arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined interval. An air passage is defined between the heat dissipation fins 53 adjacent to each other in the arrangement direction of the heat dissipation fins 53. At least when the pressing member 5 is in the contact position, the connecting plate 54 may be provided so as to face the mounting surface 21a of the mounting portion 21 of the base 2 in parallel. When the pressing member 5 is in the contact position, the pressing member 5 contacts the upper surface of the IC chip 9 with the lower surface of the heat dissipation member 52 (for example, the connecting plate 54). This allows the heat generated in the IC chip 9 during testing of the IC chip 9 to be efficiently dissipated.

[0044] In some cases, when two pressing members 5 arranged opposite to each other as a pair in the socket are both in the contact position (first position), the heat dissipating fins 53 of one pressing member 5 and the heat dissipating fins 53 of the other pressing member 5 are arranged alternately in a side view of the socket. In other words, the arrangement of the heat dissipating fins 53 of one pressing member 5 is positioned offset in the lateral direction from the arrangement of the heat dissipating fins 53 of the other pressing member 5. This promotes cooling of the heat dissipating fins 53 by blowing air. Note that this offset in the arrangement of the heat dissipating fins 53 may be observable through a ventilation hole (for example, the above-mentioned notch 34) in the operating member 3.

[0045] The heat dissipation member 52 is often harder than the main body 51 due to the difference between the materials of metal and resin, and therefore the upper surface of the IC chip 9 is easily scratched. If the heat dissipation member 52 is mounted on the pressing member 5 so as to be elastically displaceable in the vertical direction, damage to the IC chip 9 upon contact can be more reliably or sufficiently avoided. For example, the pressing member 5 further includes a spring (not shown) that urges the heat dissipation member 52 downward relative to the main body 51. When the pressing member 5 descends and the heat dissipation member 52 comes into contact with the IC chip 9, the heat dissipation member 52 can be displaced upward against the urging force of the spring, and the force that the IC chip 9 receives is reduced. Note that the member that is provided so as to be elastically displaceable in the vertical direction is not limited to the heat dissipation member 52, and can be replaced with another member (for convenience, referred to as a contact member) as long as it comes into contact with the upper surface of the IC chip 9.

[0046] As already shown in the drawings referred to above, the width of the socket 1 can be lengthened in one direction (e.g., the X-axis direction) with respect to the two X-axis and Y-axis directions when the socket 1 is viewed from above. This increases the contact area between the pressing member 5 (e.g., the heat dissipation member 52) and the IC chip 9. This promotes pressing the IC chip 9 with a more uniform force and / or dissipating heat more uniformly.

[0047] In order to stably support the horizontally elongated pressing member 5, an additional parallel link can be adopted to the above-mentioned parallel link. In short, the socket 1 can include a pair of upper links 61, 63 provided to sandwich the pressing member 5 or a part thereof in the width direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the socket 1, and a pair of lower links 62, 64 provided to sandwich the pressing member 5 or a part thereof in the width direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the socket 1. That is, at one end of the pressing member 5 in the X-axis direction, the upper end of the pressing member 5 is (rotatably) axially attached to the upper link 61, and the lower end of the pressing member 5 is (rotatably) axially attached to the lower link 62. At the other end of the pressing member 5 in the X-axis direction, the upper end of the pressing member 5 is (rotatably) axially attached to the upper link 63, and the lower end of the pressing member 5 is (rotatably) axially attached to the lower link 64. As shown in the figure, it is desirable to position the lower link 62 closer to the widthwise center of the socket 1 than the upper link 61, and to position the lower link 64 closer to the widthwise center of the socket 1 than the upper link 63, thereby enabling a large notch 34 to be formed in the operating member 3.

[0048] The socket 1 may include a pair of pivot members 41, 42 for individually supporting the pair of parallel links described above. A common connecting shaft S3 may be used for the pair of the pivot member 41 and the lower link 62 and the pair of the pivot member 42 and the lower link 64, but this is not necessarily the case. The pivot member 41 may be positioned closer to the center of the socket 1 in the width direction than the lower link 62 in order to reduce the size of the socket 1. Similarly, the pivot member 42 may be positioned closer to the center of the socket 1 in the width direction than the lower link 64.

[0049] An upper shaft S1 penetrating the pressing member 5 or a part thereof can be bridged between the upper link 61 and the upper link 63. The upper shaft S1 is rotatable with respect to the pressing member 5 (e.g., its main body 51). Similarly, a lower shaft S2 penetrating the pressing member 5 or a part thereof can be bridged between the lower link 62 and the lower link 64. The lower shaft S2 is rotatable with respect to the pressing member 5 (e.g., its main body 51). In this way, the pressing member 5 can move in a more stable posture. The upper shaft S1 and the lower shaft S2 extend along the X-axis, as does the connecting shaft S3.

[0050] By forming an upper slot 56 extending in the vertical direction into which the upper shaft S1 is inserted, and a lower slot 57 extending in the vertical direction into which the lower shaft S2 is inserted, in the heat dissipation member 52 (for example, each heat dissipation fin 53 extending in the vertical direction), the heat dissipation member 52 can be elastically displaced in the vertical direction in the pressing member 5 as described above, which promotes the application of a pressing force from the pressing member 5 to the IC chip 9 with an optimal amount of force. Typically, the upper and lower slots 56, 57 open in an elliptical shape that is long in the vertical direction, but other opening shapes can also be adopted.

[0051] A shaft (see dotted line in FIG. 2) can be used for the pairing between the operating member 3 and each of the links 61 to 64, but other methods can also be adopted. A shaft (see shaft S9 in FIG. 8) can be used for the pairing between the base 2 and the pivot member 4, but other methods can also be adopted. Other possible methods include rotatable engagement between a convex portion and a concave portion, bearings, etc.

[0052] The socket 1 may be configured to be mirror-symmetrical with respect to the central plane PL (see FIG. 2) of the socket 1. This allows one socket 1 to have two pressing members 5 corresponding to two opposing sides of the rectangular outer shape of the socket 1. Each pressing member 5 can move between a contact position and a retracted position in conjunction with the up and down movement of the operating member 3 as described above (see FIG. 10). If each pressing member 5 includes a heat dissipation member 52, heat dissipation from the IC chip 9 is further promoted. Note that a configuration in which only one pressing member 5 is provided corresponding to one side of the rectangular outer shape of the socket 1 is also assumed. Similarly, a configuration in which four pressing members 5 are provided corresponding to the four sides of the rectangular outer shape of the socket 1 is also assumed. If the outer shape of the socket 1 is pentagonal or hexagonal, five or six pressing members 5 can be provided in the same manner as described above.

[0053] As described above, the pressing member 5 can be moved from the contact position to the retracted position in a constant attitude diagonally upward along the outside of the socket based on the up and down movement of the operating member 3 (see FIG. 10), and as a result, the socket 1 transitions from the closed state to the open state. As shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, a latch 7 can be additionally provided in addition to the pressing member 5 to press down the IC chip 9. The latch 7 is pivotally supported by the base 2 as shown in FIG. 11, and is located between the pivot members 41 and 42 in the illustrated example. The latch 7 is narrower in the X-axis direction than the pressing member 5. The latch 7 is constantly biased by a spring to pivot inwardly of the socket (around its pivot axis on the base 2). The latch 7 has a pressing portion 71 for pressing the IC chip 9 and a biased portion 72 biased upward by a spring, on both sides of the pivot axis. When the operating member 3 descends, the biased portion 72 of the latch 7 is pressed down by the operating member 3, and the latch 7 pivots outward from the socket against the biasing force of the spring. In this manner, similar to the release of the pressure by the pressing member 5, the downward movement of the operating member 3 can release the pressing of the IC chip 9 by the latch 7.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 12, when heat generating regions 91, 92 in an IC chip 9 are known in advance, the heat dissipation member 52 of the pressing member 5 can be selectively brought into contact with each of the heat generating regions 91, 92 as a target region. The heat generating regions 91, 92 are regions that generate more heat than other parts of the IC chip (e.g., the surrounding regions) when the IC chip 9 is in operation. Fig. 13 shows an example in which two heat dissipation members 52 are assigned to one heat generating region 93 of an IC chip 9. In this way, the position, size, and shape of the pressing member 5 (or heat dissipation member 52) in the socket 1 can be changed according to the position and range of the heat generating region 93 in the IC chip 9.

[0055] As the operating member 3 rises, the pressing member 5 descends and reaches the bottom dead center. The bottom dead center of the pressing member 5 can be determined based on the interference between the pressing member 5 and the base 2. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 14, a first inhibited portion 58 can be provided on the pressing member 5 (for example, the main body 51). When the pressing member 5 is in the contact position, the inhibited portion 58 contacts the base 2 (for example, the upper surface of the base wall 22), and the stop position (bottom dead center) of the pressing member 5 is determined, thereby optimizing the contact position of the pressing member 5 with respect to the IC chip 9. For example, the pressing member 5 is prevented from excessively pressing down the IC chip 9. The inhibited portion 58 can be provided near the upper link 61 and the second pair J2 of the pressing member 5 (for example, adjacent to the inside of the socket). The inhibited portion 58 can also be provided on other components such as the heat dissipation member 52, the upper link 61, or the lower link 62. In some cases, the bottom dead center of the pressing member 5 is determined based on the interference between the lower link 62 and the base 2. In order to sufficiently restrain the restrained portion 58 by the base 2, a protrusion that protrudes inwardly into the socket to the extent that it does not interfere with the attachment and detachment of the IC chip 9 can be provided on the base 2.

[0056] It is not essential to adopt a parallel link to maintain the constant posture of the pressing member 5. This point will be briefly explained with reference to Figs. 15 to 18. In Figs. 15 and 16, the pressing member 5 is urged toward the guide plate 110 of the base 2 by a spring 120 at the free end of the pivot member 4, and the posture of the pressing member 5 is maintained constant based on the contact between the pressing member 5 and the guide plate 110. The guide plate 110 is a part of the base 2 and is provided directly above the above-mentioned base wall 22. Therefore, even if the guide plate 110 is provided, there is no problem in mounting and removing the IC chip 9 to the socket 1. More specifically, the guide plate 110 has a guide surface 111 along which the pressing member 5 slides. The guide surface 111 includes a curved surface that follows the pivot locus of the free end of the pivot member 4. Of course, a guide other than the guide plate 110 can be adopted.

[0057] In the case shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the pressing member 5 is attached to the free end of the pivot member 4 so as to be able to swing, and has guide protrusions 511, 512 engaged with guide grooves 211, 212 provided in the base 2, and the guide grooves 211, 212 are formed in an arc shape for a certain posture of the pressing member 5. The guide grooves 211, 212 are formed on the inner wall surface of a guide plate 110 included in the base 2. The guide grooves 211, 212 can be formed so as to be curved along the pivot locus of the free end of the pivot member 4. The guide protrusions 511, 512 are protrusions protruding outward from the socket. Other configurations can also be adopted.

[0058] 15 to 18, the pivot shaft of the pivot member 4 moves up and down in conjunction with the up and down movement of the operating member 3. The pivot member 4 also has an engagement protrusion that engages with guide grooves 211, 212 provided in the base 2, thereby stabilizing the pivoted posture. The pivot member 4 can also be provided in other modes.

[0059] The pressing member 5 rises and reaches the top dead center due to the descent of the operating member 3. The posture of the pressing member 5 at the top dead center can be determined based on the interference between the pressing member 5 and the upper links 61, 63. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, the pressing member 5 (for example, the main body 51) can be provided with a second restrained portion 59. When the pressing member 5 is in the retracted position (top dead center), the restrained portion 59 comes into contact with the upper link 63 to prevent the pressing member 5 from rotating, and the posture of the pressing member 5 is maintained. The pressing member 5 is not further moved outward from the socket by an external force, and stacking of the parallel links that may occur in this case is avoided. Just to be clear, if the upper links 61, 63 and the lower links 62, 64 are arranged on the same perpendicular line, the parallel links may not operate normally. As mentioned above, when the pressing member 5 is in the retracted position, it is desirable that the upper and lower links 61, 62 are slightly inclined inward from the socket with respect to the vertical direction.

[0060] Fig. 20 is a schematic top view of a socket according to a modified example. Fig. 21 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket along the dashed line in Fig. 20. As can be seen from Figs. 20 and 21, the protruding length of the protruding portion 4c is set so that the operating member 3 collides with the protruding portion 4c when the operating member 3 ascends. In the process of ascending the operating member 3, the operating member 3 collides with the protruding portion 4c of the pivot member 4 and pushes it upward, and in response, the pivot member 4 pivots inwardly of the socket. As a result, it becomes more certain that the pressing member 5 descends and reaches the contact position.

[0061] In light of the above teachings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the embodiments and features. The assembly method of the socket 1 can be understood by those skilled in the art with reference to the drawings of this application, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1: Socket 2: Bass 3: Operation parts 4: Pivot member 4a: Bottom end 4b: Upper end 4c:Protrusion 5: Pressing member 7: Latch 8: Test board 9: IC chip 21: Mounting section 21a: Mounting surface 22: Base wall 23 :Aperture 33:Hollow tube 34: Notch 35:Aperture 41: Pivot member 42: Pivot member 51: Main body 52: Heat dissipation material 53: Heat dissipation fin 54:Connection plate 56: Top slot 57: Lower slot 61: Top link 62: Bottom link 63: Top link 64: Bottom link 71: Pressing part 72: Forced part 91: Heat generation area 92: Heat generation area 93: Heat generation area 99: Contact material

Claims

1. an IC chip is mounted on a mounting portion, and a base supports a plurality of contact members electrically connected to the IC chip; an operating member that is provided so as to be movable up and down with respect to the base and that is shaped to allow the IC chip to be inserted into the mounting portion; a pivot member that pivots relative to the base in response to the vertical movement of the operating member; a pressing member which moves, in conjunction with the pivoting of the pivot member, between a contact position at which the IC chip is in contact with the top surface of the IC chip mounted on the mounting portion and a retracted position which is spaced obliquely upward from the contact position toward the outside of the socket, while maintaining a constant attitude; The socket further comprises at least one upper link connecting an upper end of the pressing member to the operating member, and at least one lower link connecting a lower end of the pressing member to the operating member and arranged parallel to the upper link, wherein a parallel link is formed by the pressing member, the operating member, the upper link, and the lower link.

2. The socket according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing member is located above the pivot member when in the retracted position.

3. The socket according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing member is entirely disposed within an outer shape of the socket when in the retracted position.

4. The socket of claim 1 , wherein the fixed position is a substantially horizontal position.

5. 2. The socket according to claim 1, wherein said pressing member includes a heat dissipation member made of metal, and when said pressing member is in said contact position, a lower surface of said heat dissipation member contacts an upper surface of said IC chip.

6. 2. The socket according to claim 1, wherein said pressing member includes a contact member capable of contacting an upper surface of said IC chip, said contact member being elastically displaceable in the vertical direction.

7. 2. The socket according to claim 1, wherein a bottom dead center of the pressing member is defined based on an interference between the lower link and the base.

8. 2. The socket according to claim 1, wherein the lower link has a pair with the pivot member at a position between a pair between the lower link and the pressing member and a pair between the lower link and the operating member.

9. 2. The socket of claim 1, wherein the pivot member has a lower end rotatably supported by the base, an upper end rotatably connected to the lower link, and a protrusion protruding outwardly from the socket between the lower end and the upper end.

10. The socket according to claim 9 , wherein a projection length of the protrusion is set so that the pivot member hits the protrusion when the operating member is raised.

11. 2. The socket according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member is maintained at a top dead center position based on interference between the upper link and the pressing member.

12. the at least one upper link includes a pair of upper links provided to sandwich the pressing member or a part thereof in a width direction of the socket, 2. The socket according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lower link includes a pair of lower links provided so as to sandwich the pressing member or a part thereof in a width direction of the socket.

13. An upper shaft that penetrates the pressing member or a part thereof is spanned between the pair of upper links, The socket according to claim 12 , wherein a lower shaft passing through the pressing member or a part thereof is bridged between the pair of lower links.

14. The heat dissipation member is mounted on the pressing member so as to be elastically displaceable in the vertical direction, The socket of claim 13 , wherein the heat dissipation member includes an upper slot extending in a vertical direction into which the upper shaft is inserted, and a lower slot extending in a vertical direction into which the lower shaft is inserted.

15. An IC chip is mounted on a mounting portion, and a base supports a plurality of contact members electrically connected to the IC chip; an operating member that is provided so as to be movable up and down with respect to the base and that is shaped to allow the IC chip to be inserted into the mounting portion; a pivot member that pivots relative to the base in response to the vertical movement of the operating member; a pressing member which moves, in conjunction with the pivoting of the pivot member, between a contact position at which the IC chip is in contact with the top surface of the IC chip mounted on the mounting portion and a retracted position which is spaced obliquely upward from the contact position toward the outside of the socket, while maintaining a constant attitude; the pressing member is biased toward a guide included in the base by an elastic member at a free end of the pivot member, and the posture of the pressing member is maintained constant based on contact between the pressing member and the guide.

16. 7. The socket according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member is pivotally attached at a free end of the pivot member and has a guide protrusion engaged with a guide groove provided in the base, the guide groove being formed in an arc shape for the constant posture of the pressing member.

17. 7. The socket according to claim 1, wherein a bottom dead center of the pressing member is defined based on an interference between the pressing member and the base.

18. an IC chip is mounted on a mounting portion, and a base supports a plurality of contact members electrically connected to the IC chip; an operating member that is provided so as to be movable up and down with respect to the base and that is shaped to allow the IC chip to be inserted into the mounting portion; a first pressing member and a second pressing member each of which move while maintaining a constant posture between a first position and a second position that is spaced obliquely upward from the first position toward the outside of the socket in response to the vertical movement of the operating member, and which contacts an upper surface of the IC chip mounted on the mounting portion at the first position; Each of the first and second pressing members includes a heat dissipation member having heat dissipation fins arranged at predetermined intervals, When the first and second pressing members are in the first position, the heat dissipation fins of the first pressing member and the heat dissipation fins of the second pressing member are arranged in a staggered manner in a side view of the socket.

19. A method for electrically connecting an IC chip to a socket, comprising the steps of: a first step of lowering an operating member of the socket, which is provided so as to be movable up and down with respect to a base of the socket, against an upward bias by an elastic member, the first step including a pivot member pivoting outwardly from the socket in conjunction with the lowering of the operating member, and a pressing member moving, while maintaining a constant attitude, from a lower position to an upper position spaced obliquely upward in response to the pivoting of the pivot member; a second step of mounting an IC chip on a mounting portion of the base through an opening formed in the operation member after the first step; an upper end of the pressing member is connected to the operating member via at least one upper link, and a lower end of the pressing member is connected to the operating member via at least one lower link, the at least one lower link is provided parallel to the upper link, and a parallel link is formed by the pressing member, the operating member, the upper link, and the lower link.

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