Socket and method for compensating for differing coefficients of thermal expansion

1. A method for manufacturing a socket, the method comprising:

providing surface mounted contacts;

forming an elongated housing comprising opposing external edges and opposing end caps defining an aperture;

coupling the surface mounted contacts to the elongated housing, wherein the surface mounted contacts extend from the aperture;

disposing at least one plate along at least one of the external edges, wherein the at least one plate has a coefficient of thermal expansion selected to compensate for a difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between the socket and a printed circuit board; and

connecting the at least one plate to the elongated housing.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disposing at least one mounting member disposed on at least one of the opposing external edges of the elongated housing;

disposing at least one mating member disposed on an edge of the at least one plate, wherein the at least one mating member corresponds to the at least one mounting member; and

mounting the at least one mating member to the at least one mounting member.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one mating member is mounted to the at least one mounting member using a process, wherein the process is one of a thermal staking process, a welding process, a snapping process, or an insert molding process.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one mounting member is a plurality of mounting members, and wherein the at least one mating member is a plurality of mating members, and wherein the plurality of mounting members corresponds to the plurality of mating members.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongated housing is a plastic elongated housing, and wherein the at least one plate is a metal plate.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one plate is a composite pattern or a mesh pattern.

7. A method for compensating for a difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between a socket and a printed circuit board, the method comprising:

providing a socket comprising:

providing surface mounted contacts;

providing an elongated housing comprising opposing external edges and opposing end caps defining an aperture, wherein the surface mounted contacts extend from the aperture; and

providing at least one plate connected to and disposed along at least one of the external edges of the elongated housing, wherein the at least one plate has a coefficient of thermal expansion selected to compensate for the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between the socket and the printed circuit board; and

connecting the socket to the printed circuit board.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the socket further comprises:

providing at least one mounting member disposed on the at least one of the opposing external edges; and

providing at least one mating member disposed on an edge of the at least one plate, wherein the at least one mating member corresponds to the at least one mounting member, and wherein the at least one mating member mounts to the at least one mounting member to connect the at least one plate to the elongated housing.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one mating member connects to the at least one mounting member using a process, wherein the process is one of a thermal staking process, a welding process, a snapping process, or an insert molding process.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one mounting member is a plurality of mounting members, and wherein the at least one mating member is a plurality of mating members, and wherein the plurality of mounting members corresponds to the plurality of mating members.