International Business Machines Corporation

Wade H White

John J Loparco

John G Torok

Dennis R Barringer

Roger R Schmidt

Robert R Genest

Mitchell Zapotoski

Michael T Peets

Donald W Porter

Robert K Mullady

David Charles Olson

Jody A Hickey

Edward F Furey

Mark R LaForce

Mark Anthony Marnell

Steven George Barthel

Michael J Fisher

Charles Hampton Perry

David Lewis Gardell

Shawn Canfield

Gerard Francis Muenkel

Dennis R Conti

Paul M Gaschke

Steven J Mazzuca

Norton J Tomassetti

James M Crafts

William J Tkazyik

Joseph J Van Horn

Jeffrey J Hare

Thomas W Bachelder

Peter L Dutka

Jeffrey James Hare

An apparatus for mating computing device structures. The apparatus comprises a first bracket coupled to a pluggable electronic device. The first bracket comprises a first set of one or more attachment features that are capable of coupling to corresponding receiving features of a supporting structure. The apparatus further comprises a second bracket coupled to the pluggable electronic device. The second bracket comprises a second set of one or more attachment features that are capable of coupling to corresponding receiving features of a supporting structure. In another aspect, the apparatus further comprises one or more guide tubes coupled to the pluggable electronic device.

Screw attachment system for electronic assemblies

One aspect of the invention discloses an apparatus for mating computing device structures. The apparatus comprises one or more rotatable latches, the one or more rotatable latches each including a respective screw mechanism housed within the one or more rotatable latches. The apparatus further comprises one or more spring assemblies, the one or more spring assemblies each including a respective thread assembly housed within the one or more spring assemblies. The respective thread assemblies comprise threading that is capable of receiving a corresponding screw mechanism of the one or more rotatable latches.

Latch and spring assembly

One aspect of the invention discloses an apparatus for mating computing device structures. The apparatus comprises a first bracket coupled to a pluggable electronic device. The first bracket comprises a first set of one or more attachment features that are capable of coupling to corresponding receiving features of a supporting structure. The apparatus further comprises a second bracket coupled to the pluggable electronic device. The second bracket comprises a second set of one or more attachment features that are capable of coupling to corresponding receiving features of a supporting structure. In another aspect, the apparatus further comprises one or more guide tubes coupled to the pluggable electronic device.

A flex circuit blind attachment apparatus is provided and includes a plate, a fastening member affixable to the plate and configured to draw the plate toward and away from a circuit board and jaws supportively disposed on the plate. The jaws are configured to be opened with the plate being drawn toward the circuit board such that a pin of a flex connector to be connected to the circuit board is released by the jaws following disconnection of the flex connector and the circuit board. The jaws are also configured to capture the pin with the plate being drawn away from the circuit board prior to connection of the flex connector and the circuit board.

Flex circuit blind attachment apparatus and system

A latch mechanism is provided for latching a field-replaceable unit within an enclosure. The latch mechanism includes a rotatable latch coupled to the field-replaceable unit, via a pivot, at a first side of the field-replaceable unit, and a compliant spring member disposed to act on the pivot. The compliant spring member acts on the pivot and compresses with rotating of the latch from an open position to a latched position during latching of the field-replaceable unit within the enclosure. The compressing facilitates provision of a positive pressure on or across the field-replaceable unit directed towards a second side of the field-replaceable unit opposite to the first side. This positive pressure facilitates, for example, fixed coupling of a first connector at the second side of the field-replaceable unit to a second connector associated with the enclosure when the field-replaceable unit is latched within the enclosure.

Positive pressure-applying compliant latch mechanism

A method and incorporated assembly is provided for cooling of an electronic device or component. The assembly comprises a thermal duct having a fixed duct portion and a removable duct portion. The portions each have complementary interlocking components to secure them to one another. Also a first attachment block is provided. The first attachment block has complementary interlocking portions with the fixed and removable duct portions such that the block can be secured at least partially to each of the fixed duct portion and the removable duct portion. A second attachment block is also provided that has a complementary interlocking portion with the removable duct portion. This second attachment block can be secured to one or more electronic devices requiring cooling.

Removable cooling duct with interlocking dovetail connections for an air tight thermal seal

An exemplary embodiment is a fixture for securing hard stops to a substrate. The fixture has a base which provides support to the fixture. The base has a cavity configured for nestably supporting a substrate. A top plate is mounted on the base, the top plate is configured for mounting the substrate. An alignment plate is disposed on the top plate separate from the base. An adjusting plunger assembly is coupled to the base. The adjusting plunger assembly is configured for use with attaching a hard stop to the substrate. A plunger is coupled to the base substantially perpendicular to the adjusting plunger assembly. The plunger is configured for use with supporting the substrate. A method of using a fixture is disclosed comprising disposing a substrate in a base of the fixture and mounting a hard stop to the substrate. An adhesive is disposed between the hard stop and the substrate. The substrate is mounted between a plunger and a top plate. The hard stop on the substrate is aligned with an alignment plate. An adjusting plunger assembly is adjusted to mount the hard stop to the substrate.

Fixture for securing hard stops to a substrate

An exemplary embodiment is a method and apparatus for planarization. The planarization tool has a base which provides the support for the planarization tool. The base has a support hinge mounted on it along with dampening posts and rest posts which support a pivot plate hinged to the support hinge. A pressure assembly is mounted to the pivot plate by retention hardware. The pressure assembly loads a device under test board assembly that is mounted to the pressure assembly with the retention hardware.

System and method for probe mechanism planarization

An exemplary embodiment is a method and apparatus for a multiple card enclosure. The multiple card enclosure is arranged for mounting a mother card enclosure and a daughter card enclosure and at least another daughter card enclosure. The mother card enclosure has a first and second daughter card enclosure removably inserted into the mother card enclosure for connecting the first and second daughter card with the mother card. The first daughter card enclosure and the second daughter card enclosure are independently removable to facilitate interchanging the first daughter card and the second daughter card. The daughter card enclosures connected to the mother card enclosure are enclosed in the multiple card enclosure and a mother card connects to a back plane connector of a logic board.

System and method for a self aligning multiple card enclosure with hot plug capability

A printed circuit board top side mounting system is presented and includes a printed circuit board having a primary side and a secondary side. The printed circuit board top side mounting system also has a surface member that has a point with a generally constant distance in relation to the primary side. The printed circuit board top side mounting system further includes a standoff with a elongated shape which has a predetermined set dimension that includes the constant distance disposed in going through a slot in the printed circuit board. The standoff further includes a first end disposed to fixing the first end rigidly on the printed circuit board and a second end disposed in connecting rigidly to the surface member.

Printed circuit board top side mounting standoff

An apparatus for simultaneously testing or burning in a large number of the integrated circuit chips on a product wafer includes probes mounted on a first board and tester chips mounted on a second board, there being electrical connectors connecting the two boards. The tester chips are for distributing power to the product chips or for testing the product chips. The probes and thin film wiring to which they are attached are personalized for the pad footprint of the particular wafer being probed. The base of the first board and the second board both remain the same for all wafers in a product family. The use of two boards provides that the tester chip is kept at a substantially lower temperature than the product chips during burning to extend the lifetime of tester chips. A gap can be used as thermal insulation between the boards, and the gap sealed and evacuated for further thermal insulation. Evacuation also provides atmospheric pressure augmentation of contact for connection between boards and contact to wafer. Probes for parallel testing of chips are arranged in crescent shaped stripes to significantly increase tester throughput as compared with probes arranged in an area array.

Segmented architecture for wafer test and burn-in

A fixture to hold an electronic substrate having probe areas on a top surface. The top surface of the electronic substrate is left open to provide a maximum area to couple interconnect wires for a device under test. In addition, a bottom surface of the substrate is left open to provide a maximum area to couple with a probe card in one embodiment, or a test head in another embodiment. This open bottom and open top minimize the mechanical interference with electrical connections. The substrate is planarized to a frame by one or more clamps that are attached to the frame. The clamps provide adjustment of the pressure down on the substrate in a Z-axis direction which is normal to the top surface of the substrate for providing a good connection with a planar card. In addition, the clamps provide adjustment in the an X-Y plane parallel to the frame and rotational correction about the Z-axis.

Mechanical fixture for holding electronic devices under test showing adjustments in multiple degrees of freedom

A retainer frame for holding a standard printed circuit board or other electronic card is sized and adapted for insertion and removal in tight places. In particular, the retainer frame, together with an actuator bar, is employed in conjunction with a cabinet with guides and a stop mechanism to produce an initially horizontal insertion motion followed immediately by a vertical motion during which electrical connection is made between the card and a corresponding connector in the cabinet.

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Hyde Park, NY, United States of America

Wade H White