Electrical connection apparatus

Abstract

Electrical socket apparatus for integrated circuit packages and like devices has a contact for receiving the male connection element of the circuit device through an aperture in a folded spring section and for seating the male element at the mouth of the folded section. The shank of the contact is split, which forms two branches that provide a resiliently-acting interference fit of the shank within a contact-mounting aperture. A heat sink, preferably employed in a socket with the contact and nested within the profile of the contact spring section, has a heat receiving panel for abutting against the underside of the mounted circuit device.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. Panel-mounted electrical socket apparatus for a circuit device from which extend leads arranged in two side-by-side rows, said apparatus comprising A. first and second side-by-side rows of socket contacts, 1. each socket contact extending within a separate aperture in .Iadd..[.each.]..Iaddend. .Iadd.such .Iaddend.panel and having a folded contact clip disposed at least partly thereabove,   2. said contact clip having a folded, inverted, U-shaped configuration including a first clip arm extending toward and within the aperture, a bridging fold uppermost on said clip and apertured to receive a lead of said circuit device, and a second clip arm extending alongside said first clip arm and forming a resiliently-expandable contact area therewith for receiving therebetween the electrical lead, and     B. a heat sink of thermally-conductive material having an upper panel disposed between said rows of socket contacts and arranged for contiguous abutment against the bottom of such circuit device.   
     
     
       2. Socket apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a resiliently compressible shank member on each socket contact located and compressively engaged within the aperture in such panel. 
     
     
       3. An electrical socket contact, of electrically-conductive material, for mating engagement with a male connection element, said contact comprising, in combination, A. a mounting section longitudinally extending between first and second locations thereon for mounting said contact within an aperture through a panel-like support member with said locations thereof being accessible for electrical contact at opposite sides of said support member, and for transferring an electrical signal with a further conductor, and   B. a folded contact clip 1. having first and second arms integral with a fold and extending from the fold in a direction longitudinal to said mounting section, said first arm being integral with said mounting section at said first location thereof and extending therefrom to said fold in the direction away from said second location, and said second arm extending from said fold in the direction toward said second location,   2. having first and second opposed contact surfaces disposed distal from the fold of said contact clip and arranged to receive between them and electrically engage the male connection element, said first contact surface being on one of said first arm and said mounting section, and said second contact surface being on said second arm, and   3. forming with said arms spring means resiliently urging said second surface toward said first surface.     
     
     
       4. An electrical contact according to claim 3 further comprising means forming a clearance void in said fold for accommodating passage of such male connection element from the side of said folded clip distal from said mounting section to within said folded clip and between said contact surfaces. 
     
     
       5. An electrical contact according to claim 3 further comprising means on said second arm forming protrusions extending toward said first contact surface for providing a minimum spacing of said second contact surface from said first contact surface. 
     
     
       6. An electrical contact according to claim 3 further comprising an end tab on said second arm forming said second surface, said tab being cold-formed to gap said second surface from said first surface by raised platforms protruding toward said first surface. 
     
     
       7. An electrical contact according to claim 3 further comprising a connection-passing aperture through said fold and located longitudinally in line with said opposed contact surfaces. 
     
     
       8. An electrical contact according to claim 3 further characterized in that said mounting section and said clip provide, other than said opposed contact surfaces, an obstruction-free path for the passage of such male connection element from between said first and second arms toward said second location of said mounting section. 
     
     
       9. An electrical contact according to claim 3 A. further comprising means forming a connection element-receiving channel in said mounting section extending from said first location thereof toward said second location and forming said first surface along the channel bottom surface, and   B. in which at least a portion of said second arm interfits within said channel to dispose said second surface, in the absence of a male connection element interposed between said connection surfaces, within said channel.   
     
     
       10. An electrical contact according to claim 3 A. in which said mounting section includes an elongated shank for seating within the aperture in the contact-mounting member, and   B. further comprising a longitudinal slot in said shank forming therein a pair of elongated shank branches resiliently flexible into said slot.   
     
     
       11. An electrical contact according to claim 3 further comprising in said mounting section a resiliently and radially compressible shank member for interferingly interfitting within the aperture in such support member for mountingly seating said contact. 
     
     
       12. An electrical contact according to claim 3 further comprising means forming protrusions on said second arm adjacent each of two sides of said second contact surface, said protrusions being disposed for engagement with said first contact surface for providing a minimum spacing between said contact surfaces. 
     
     
       13. Panel-mounted electrical socket apparatus for a circuit device from which at least one lead extends, said apparatus comprising an electrically-conductive socket contact mountingly seated within an aperture in the panel member and having a folded contact clip disposed at least partly above the panel member; said contact clip having a folded, inverted, U-shaped configuration including a first elongated member extending toward and within the aperture, a second elongated member extending alongside said first member and forming a resiliently-expandable contact area therewith for receiving therebetween the electrical lead, and a bridging fold disposed uppermost on said clip and interconnecting said elongated members, said fold being apertured to receive the lead of said circuit device for extension therethrough to said contact area.   
     
     
       14. A panel-mounted electrical socket contact of electrically-conductive material for mating engagement with a male connection element, said contact comprising A. a generally U-shaped folded spring member having first and second arms at least partially extending side by side in a first direction from the base of said fold,   B. a contact-mounting section integral with said spring member at the end of said first arm distal from the base of said fold, and extending longitudinally with said first arm along said first direction, said mounting section being configured for seating engagement within an aperture through the panel for mounting said contact thereon and disposing said fold of said spring member on one side of said panel,   C. first and second opposed contact surfaces, 1. said first contact surface being on one of said mounting sections and said first arm and said second contact surface being on said second arm,   2. extending longitudinal with said first direction and in line with the base of said fold, and   3. resiliently urged toward each other by said spring member for compressive, electrically-connecting engagement between them of such male connection element, and     D. means forming an aperture through the base of said fold in said spring member for passage therethrough of such male connection element from outside said folded spring member on said one side of said panel to between said opposed contact surfaces in the direction toward the opposite side of said panel.   
     
     
       15. A socket for an electrical circuit package having leads arranged in two side-by-side rows extending transversely from the circuit package, said socket comprising A. an electrically-insulating body having a U-shaped cross section formed by upstanding contact-mounting enclosures arranged in two side-by-side rows for receiving such leads, and by a web extending between said rows of enclosures adjacent the bases thereof, and   B. a heat sink seated 1. within said U-shape of said socket body,   2. having a panel disposed uppermost thereon for contiguous and heat-transferring engagement with the bottom of such circuit package when plugged into said socket, and   3. having thermal dissipating members extending from said panel within said U-shape of said contact body.     
     
     
       16. A socket according to claim 15 further comprising means in said heat sink disposing the upper surface of said panel thereof above said rows of enclosures of said socket body. 
     
     
       17. A socket according to claim 15 in which said heat sink further comprises A. a pair of upstanding fin members disposed laterally outwardly of said rows of enclosures on opposite sides of said socket body and extending upwardly above said panel, and   B. thermally-conductive web members mountingly joining said fin members to said panel, said web members being located beyond the ends of said rows of enclosures and extending outwardly from said U-shape to said fin members.   
     
     
       18. A socket according to claim 15 further characterized in that said heat sink has a cross-sectional beam-like configuration within said U-shape of said socket body and with said panel forming the upper flange thereof, and further having a base member forming the lower flange thereof and a web joining said panel with said base member, said base member being disposed adjacent said web of said socket body and wedgedly secured between said rows of enclosures for affixing said heat member to said socket body. .Iadd.19. A socket contact comprising an upper interconnect section,   a lower termination section, and   an intermediate shank section said shank section being separated into two longitudinally extending portions,   said portions being flexible and adapted to be flexed toward each other by conductively plated walls of a mounting aperture. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A socket contact comprising an end interconnect section, said section being adapted to receive in electrically connecting contact a pin,     
     
     
       said section including a longer generally longitudinally extending portion with a first pin contact surface extending generally parallel to said longer generally longitudinally extending portion,   a shorter generally longitudinally extending portion with a second pin contact surface extending alongside said first pin contact surface, said shorter portion being shorter than said longer portion, and   a transverse portion integral with and foldedly connected to each of said longer portion and said shorter portion, said transverse portion having centrally thereof therethrough a hole for accepting therethrough said pin,   said section being a spring with said longer and shorter portions so positioned springily with respect to each other and so shaped as to engage said pin frictionally and electrically at said pin contact surfaces in consequence solely thereof. .Iaddend.