Carrier and test socket for leadless integrated circuit

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A leadless integrated circuit carrier and test socket comprising a base, a circuit receiving cavity disposed in a central portion of said base, a plurality of electrically conductive leads disposed on a major surface of said base and affixed thereto, said body leads arranged to mate with contacts of test means, a cantilever portion of each of said leads projecting into said cavity, each of said cantilever portions including a contact area with the contact areas cooperatively arranged to mate with contacts on said integrated circuit means for retaining an integrated circuit in said cavity and in pressure contact with said cantilever portions of said leads, the top surface of said base having a raised portion, the bottom surface of said base having a recessed portion whereby a plurality of carriers and sockets can be stacked with the raised portion of one carrier and socket mating with the recessed portion of an adjacent carrier and socket.
2.
A carrier and test socket as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom surface includes guide means for reception by automated production equipment.
3.
A carrier and test socket as defined by claim 2 wherein at least two sides thereof include notches to facilitate alignment of said carrier and socket with test equipment.




Description:
This invention relates generally to packages for electrical devices such as semiconductor integrated circuits, and more particularly the invention relates to carriers and test sockets for semiconductor integrated circuits and the like.
Semiconductor integrated circuits are small and relatively fragile devices.
Accordingly, carriers are normally provided to facilitate shipping and handling of the devices without consequent damage.
Advantageously, the carriers can be designed to serve also as sockets for electrically testing the circuits without the requirement for removing the devices from the carrier.
A conventional integrated circuit package is referred to as the dual in-line (DIP) or flat pack package