EPROM Socket springs and contact problems

Older IC sockets had different springs and contacts inside the IC sockets

What is the difference between the newer sockets that have different springs and contacts?

The Older EEPROM IC sockets would cause intermittent problems because of the springs and contacts inside the sockets

Is there a tool to fix the spring and contact of IC sockets?

In more than 40 years in the industry I haven't seen 'old' and 'new' designs of contacts in sockets. Are you possibly confusing side contact sockets with turned pin sockets?

Side contacts are the ones used in cheaper sockets and they apply pressure against the pin from inside or outside the IC, they are prone to poor connection if the socket or IC pins are contaminated but that is a storage and manufacturing issue, not really to do with the socket design itself.

Turned pin sockets have cylindrical contacts which cut into the corners of the rectangular IC pins and make a better metal-to-metal contact but they are more expensive to manufacture.

Other factors like the metalic composition and plating will influence reliability but those hae been there since the first sockets were ever made.

I have never seen a tool to repair sockets and can't see that one would be economical to make or use in view of the low costs involved, it would be cheaper to simply use a new socket.

Brian.

When you say old and new socket do you refer to the following two?

What is the difference between different IC sockets? some are side contacts, some have springs contacts, others use what?

Which IC sockets are better to use and why?

Side contact sockets due to have no much alignment precision required on IC pins inserted on it, were particularly suitable in the early age of microcontrolled electronics, due the rate of rewriting erasable UV EPROM memories was significant.



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Side contact sockets are good or bad?

What other types is there besides side contact sockets?

There is nothing wrong with side contact sockets or they would have gone out of use years ago. They may be more delicate if used many times because of the risk of hooking the contact out of the plastic but they should still be usable many times. Bear in mind that side contact and turned pin sockets are only intended for occasional IC replacement or when a part may require upgrading or in some cases isn't available at the time of manufacture.

There is another type of socket, one intended foruse where the IC is expected to be removed and refitted many times, these are called ZIF sockets. ZIF stands for Zero Insertion Force, in other words there is no gripping or squeezing of the IC pins, in fact turning it upside down would result in the IC falling out. These sockets typically have fixed contacts on one side of the pin and a movable contact on it's opposite side, the movable contact is brought into position or released by moving a small lever. You find these in IC programmers and testers where ICs are frequently inserted and removed.

Brian.