International Business Machines Corporation

Michael Lee Graham

Gregory Jay Geilow

Michael Robert Rasmussen

Jeffrey C Shonkwiler

Michael Lee Eaton

Mark Ward Hansen

Lavern Richard Markham

A protective cover for a dual inline memory module (DIMM) circuit card includes a pair of cover members for substantially containing the DIMM circuit card. The cover members are secured to opposite sides of the DIMM circuit card. The pair of cover members defines a socket-receiving channel between respective printed-circuit-board (PCB) mating faces of the cover members. The cover members includes a plurality of positioning features engaging the DIMM circuit card for positioning a portion of the DIMM circuit card within the socket-receiving channel.

Protective cover for DIMM circuit card

This device is advantageous for connecting an electronic circuit card to a test system to inspect the assembled electronic circuit card without damage to the mating connector thereon. A toggle actuated pressing member supports an electrical connector and a flex cable which, in turn, is connected to an electronic device. The pressing member or slide member may be moved toward a mating electrical connector attached to an electronic circuit card, aligned with the connector on the slide member, and forced into a connected condition therewith. The controlled action of the slide block and the connector supported thereon effect connection of the connectors without creating stresses that may damage the electronic circuit card or the connector thereon. A connector supported by the slide block is disconnected by moving the slide block away from the electronic circuit card and, by permitting spring-biased foot blocks to hold the electronic circuit card against movement until after disengagement occurs.

Apparatus for and method of connecting connectors

A tool is described for the backside removal of single pins from a high pin density connector, either from the connector itself or a connector with pins such as compliant pins mounted in plated through vias on a host such as a printed circuit board. A pin is driven from a connector by advancing a sleeve portion to surround the pin and subsequently pushing the pin from the connector using a shaft with a spherical, concave end surface, whereby the pin is radially confined by the sleeve and aligned and driven by the shaft as it is advanced through the sleeve. Where the connector is mounted on a printed circuit board with the pin resident in a plated through via, the sleeve is aligned with and abutting the printed circuit board at the via opening and the shaft is thereafter advanced through and beyond the sleeve to engage, align and drive the pin with the via wall providing radial confinement.

Backside pin removal tool

A front side extractor is shown which removes single connector pins from connectors utilizing high pin densities. The tool includes a sleeve that is aligned with a pin to be extracted and advanced to surround the pin. A shaft with a terminal wedge surface is then advanced through the sleeve to wedge the pin against the inner surface of the sleeve and capture the pin, thereby allowing the pin to be extracted as it is retracted, in unison with the tool, away from the connector. To enhance the ability of the tool to capture the pin, the sleeve inner surface is roughened to increase the frictional force retaining the pin against the sleeve wall surface.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MN, United States of America

Michael Lee Graham