Inspection Socket Step Structure for Stable Contact Pin Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional IC sockets experience instability in holding contact pins due to displacement of insulation members under external forces, leading to potential detachment.
Innovation Solution
A socket design featuring a base portion with overlapping electrically conductive layers and through holes, where the base portion holds the contact pin through an insulation member, utilizing a first step in the through hole to restrict downward movement and a second step to restrict upward movement, thereby stabilizing the contact pin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact pin is held through the insulation member in the through hole, then the contact pin can be electrically connected between the IC package and wiring board, but the insulation member may be displaced under external force causing unstable holding
Solution Approach 1:
The base portion is divided into a first base portion and a second base portion that are assembled together, creating a segmented structure with a through hole. The insulation member is placed within this segmented structure, and the first step formed at the boundary between the two base portions provides a mechanical stop that prevents displacement of the insulation member while maintaining electrical connection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation member acts as an intermediary component between the contact pin and the base portion. It provides electrical insulation while allowing the contact pin to pass through and make electrical connections. The first step in the through hole provides additional mechanical support to this intermediary component, preventing its displacement under external forces.
2Ease of operation
If a through hole is provided in the metal base portion for inserting the contact pin, then electrical connection is enabled, but the insulation member may detach under pressing force
Solution Approach 1:
The first step is formed in advance within the through hole structure during manufacturing. This preliminary structural feature is prepared before the insulation member is inserted, so that when the insulation member is placed in the through hole, the first step automatically provides mechanical support and prevents downward displacement, eliminating the need for additional retention mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The through hole is not uniform throughout its length but has a localized structural feature (the first step) at a specific position. This local quality change creates a mechanical stop that provides selective retention for the insulation member, allowing easy insertion while preventing detachment under pressing force.
Data Source
AI summary
A socket includes: a base portion that includes a first and a second base portions both electrically conductive and assembled so as to overlap each other in an upper-lower direction, the base portion being provided with a through hole penetrating through the first and the second base portions in the upper-lower direction; and a contact pin that is inserted into the through hole, in which the base portion holds the contact pin through an insulation member in the through hole of the first base portion, includes a first step in which a diameter on a side of the second base portion is smaller than that on a side of the first base portion at a boundary portion between the through hole of the first base portion and the through hole of the second base portion, and restricts downward movement of the insulation member with the first step.