Socket having means of no-load engaging with and releasing from electronic unit

Claim 1

A socket for an electronic unit having a plurality of wires depending therefrom, said socket comprising: a base plate having at least one row of vertical openings therein for receiving corresponding lead wires from the electronic unit; a connector plate having at least one row of contacts and on which said base plate is mountable with the openings aligned with said contacts and the contacts extending into said openings, said base plate and said connector plate being movable toward and away from each other between contact engagement and release positions of said contacts and the lead wires of the electronic unit on said base plate with the lead wires extending through said openings; a pair of resilient lock members, one at each of the opposite end portions of said base plate and having one portion normally resiliently urged away from said end portions of said base plate; a pair of retainers, one at each of the corresponding opposite end portions of said connector plate, and said one portion of each resilient lock member having a retainer engaging means engageable with the corresponding retainer by the resilient urging of said one portion away from said end of said base plate when said base plate is at said engagement position; and said lock members each having a finger operating portion projecting upwardly from the upper surface of said base plate and movable toward the corresponding ends of said base plate to release said retainer engaging means from said retainers; said row of openings being located in said base plate for causing an electronic unit to be positioned between said finger operating portions with the electronic unit adjacent said finger operating portions when the electronic unit is mounted on the base plate with the depending lead wires extending into said openings, whereby when said finger operating portions of said lock members are moved toward each other to release the lock members from said retainers, the electronic unit is gripped between the fingers of the operator.