Universal production ball grid array socket

Claim 1

A universal production ball grid array socket assembly for receiving a ball grid array package having a plurality of conductive ball leads, said socket assembly comprising: a generally rectangular non-conductive housing including: a carrier base having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of apertures corresponding to said plurality of conductive ball leads of said ball grid array package, each aperture extending through said carrier base and defined by an inner surface, a plurality of side walls, each side wall extending upwardly from said carrier base; a cover for forcing said ball grid array package into said housing, said cover having a locking means for interlocking with said side walls of said housing; and a plurality of conductive ball lead receiving contacts, each ball lead receiving contact having a tulip shape and mounted within an aperture of said carrier base, each tulip-shaped contact including: a split collar having an outer surface; a plurality of resilient cantilevered leaves extending upwardly from said split collar for receiving a conductive ball lead of said ball grid array package, said leaves spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of said conductive ball; a plurality of cantilevered tangs extending downwardly and radially from said split collar, each said cantilevered tang having a free end spaced from said outer surface of said collar, said free ends of said cantilevered tangs being in pressing engagement with said inner surface of said aperture such that said free ends generate an interference fit with said inner surface of said aperture; and a cantilevered blade extending downwardly from said split collar for engagement with an underlying electrical component.