Method for manufacturing an electronic component carrier for mounting the electronic component to a circuit board

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9839140-B2
Application number	US-201514710542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2013
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A method is disclosed for manufacturing an electronic component carrier. The method comprises positioning a header of a frame between opposing attachment arms extending outwardly for attaching an electronic component for seating within the frame. Further, latching members of a latching mechanism of the frame are positioned at a distal end of each of the attachment arms for releaseably seating the electronic component. The attachment arms are resiliently flexible such that the latching members bend to a release position and resiliently return to a grasping position for releasing and grasping the electronic component. Handling levers are positioned for removably mating the electronic component to a connector on a circuit board. The handling levers extend upwardly through an outer casing housing the circuit board when in an open position, and the handling levers are substantially parallel with a top surface of the header when in a closed position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
positioning a header of a frame between opposing attachment arms for seating an electronic component in the frame;
positioning latching members of a latching mechanism of the frame at a distal end of each of the attachment arms for releaseably seating the electronic component between the attachment arms, the attachment arms being resiliently flexible such that the latching members bend to a release position and resiliently return to a grasping position for releasing and grasping the electronic component, respectively;
positioning handling levers for removably mating the electronic component to a connector on a circuit board, the handling levers extending upwardly through an outer casing housing the circuit board when in an open position for manually removing the electronic component from the connector, and the handling levers being substantially parallel with a top surface of the header when in a closed position when the electronic component is mated to the connector; and
positioning a moveable locking device within grooves of the attachment arms, wherein each of the grooves extend down a length of one of the attachment arms from a proximal end of the attachment arm.

2. A method, comprising:
positioning a header of a frame between opposing attachment arms extending outwardly for attaching an electronic component for seating within the frame;
positioning latching members of a latching mechanism of the frame at a distal end of each of the attachment arms for releaseably seating the electronic component between the attachment arms, the attachment arms being resiliently flexible such that the latching members bend to a release position and resiliently return to a grasping position for releasing and grasping the electronic component, respectively;
positioning handling levers for removably mating the electronic component to a connector on a circuit board, the handling levers extending upwardly through an outer casing housing the circuit board when in an open position for manually removing the electronic component from the connector, and the handling levers being substantially parallel with a top surface of the header when in a closed position when the electronic component is mated to the connector; and
positioning a release button within the header and centrally between the handling levers.

3. A method for mounting an electronic component to a circuit board, the method comprising:
releaseably seating an electronic component between opposing resiliently deformable attachment arms of a frame including a header using a latching mechanism;
opening handling levers for removably mating the electronic component to a receiving slot on a circuit board, the handling levers extending upwardly from the header through an outer casing housing the circuit board when in an open position for manually removing the electronic component from the receiving slot of the circuit board;
when the electronic component is mated to the receiving slot, closing the handling levers to be positioned substantially parallel with a top surface of the header; and
positioning a moveable locking device in grooves of the attachment arms, such that the moveable locking device is slideably positioned between the opposing attachment arms.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
bending resiliently deformable latching members to a release position and allowing the latching members to return to a grasping position for releasing and grasping the electronic component, respectively, the latching members being part of the latching mechanism and being positioned at a distal end of each of the attachment arms.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein releaseably seating the electronic component between the opposing attachment arms of the frame comprises releasably seating the electronic component between the latching members at the distal ends of the opposing attachment arms.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising sliding the moveable locking device positioned between the opposing attachment arms such that the moveable locking device locks the electronic component between the opposing attachment arms.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the moveable locking device engages a top of the electronic component for locking the electronic component between the opposing attachment arms.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electronic component is a Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM).

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising lowering the electronic component between the opposing attachment arms of the frame, and aligning the electronic component into the receiving slot of the circuit board.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising lowering the handling levers into a closed position.

11. The method of claim 3 , further comprising attaching a heat transfer device to the moveable locking device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein releaseably seating the electronic component between the opposing attachment arms of the frame comprises releasably seating the electronic component between the latching members at the distal ends of the opposing attachment arms.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising sliding the moveable locking device positioned between the opposing attachment arms such that the moveable locking device locks the electronic component between the opposing attachment arms, and the heat transfer device is in thermal communication with the electronic component.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the heat transfer device at least partially covers the electronic component.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electronic component is a Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM).

Assignees

• Lenovo Entpr Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Cox Aaron R
• Fu Zhen De
• Li Lei R
• Saylor Joni E

Classifications

• Y10T29/49133

  with component orienting · CPC title

• H01R13/62955

  Pivoting lever comprising supplementary/additional locking means · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• H05K3/0008

  for aligning or positioning of tools relative to the circuit board (H05K3/4638, H05K3/4679 take precedence; for manufacturing assemblages of components H05K13/0015) · CPC title

• H05K3/30

  Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistors · CPC title