Apparatus and method for seating and/or unseating printed circuit boards in a chamber
AssigneeReliability Incorporated
InventorsCharles Lillja, David Roy Hugh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for connecting and/or disconnecting at least one printed circuit board with at least one socket in a chamber, the printed circuit board being at least partially disposed within the chamber, includes at least one tool engageable with at least one printed circuit board and capable of moving the printed circuit board into or out of connection with at least one socket in the chamber, or both. At least one automated actuator is connected with the at least one tool.
Claims60
An apparatus for electrically connecting at least one burn-in board with at least one electrical socket in a burn-in chamber, the burn-in board being at least partially disposed within the interior of the burn-in chamber, the burn-in chamber having an access opening, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one insertion tool engageable with at least one of the at least one burn-in board, said at least one insertion tool being capable of moving the at least one burn-in board into connection with at least one of the at least one electrical socket in the burn-in chamber, and
- at least one automated insertion tool actuator connectable with said at least one insertion tool and capable of moving said at least one insertion tool in a manner that allows said at least one insertion tool to move the at least one burn-in board into connection with the at least one electrical socket in the burn-in chamber.
An apparatus for electrically connecting at least first and second printed circuit boards with electrical sockets in a chamber, the chamber having an access opening, the first printed circuit board being disposed at a first height at least partially within the chamber, the second printed circuit board being disposed at a second height at least partially within the chamber, the first height differing from the second height, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of insertion tools, said plurality of insertion tools being moveable between at least two vertical positions relative to the access opening of the chamber,
- each said insertion tool engageable with at least one of the at least first and second printed circuit boards, said insertion tool being capable of moving the printed circuit board into connection with at least one electrical socket in the chamber,
- at least one insertion tool actuator connectable with at least one of said plurality of insertion tools, and
- an insertion tool vertical movement mechanism connectable with at least one of said plurality of insertion tools.
An apparatus for electrically connecting at least first and second printed circuit boards with electrical sockets in a chamber, the chamber having an access opening and at least two printed circuit board holders disposed at different heights within the chamber, the first and second printed circuit boards being at least partially disposed within printed circuit board holders at different heights within the chamber, the apparatus comprising:
- means for seating the printed circuit boards within electrical sockets in the chamber,
- actuation means for moving said seating means in a manner that allows said seating means to connect the at least first and second printed circuit boards with the electrical sockets in the chamber, and
- vertical movement means for vertically moving said seating means.
An apparatus for disconnecting at least one printed circuit board from at least one socket in a chamber, the printed circuit board being at least partially disposed within the interior of the chamber, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one extraction tool engageable with at least one printed circuit board, said at least one extraction tool being capable of moving the at least one printed circuit board out of connection with at least one socket in the chamber;
- and
- at least one automated extraction tool actuator connectable with said at least one extraction tool and capable of moving said at least one extraction tool in a manner that allows said at least one extraction tool to move the at least one printed circuit board out of connection with the at least one socket in the chamber.
An automated method for electrically connecting a plurality of printed circuit boards with a plurality of electrical sockets in a chamber, the printed circuit boards being at least partially disposed within the interior of the chamber, the printed circuit boards being positionable among at least two different heights within the chamber, first and second sets of the plurality of printed circuit boards positioned at a first height at least partially within in the chamber the chamber having an access opening, the method comprising:
- aligning a plurality of insertion tools with the first set of printed circuit boards,
- extending each of the plurality of insertion tools through the access opening of the chamber to move each of the first set of printed circuit boards into connection with at least one electrical socket in the chamber,
- retracting the plurality of insertion tools,
- aligning the plurality of insertion tools with each of the second set of printed circuit boards,
- extending each of the plurality of insertion tools through the access opening of the chamber to move each of the second set of printed circuit boards into connection with at least one electrical socket in the chamber, and
- retracting the plurality of insertion tools.
An apparatus for electrically connecting at least one printed circuit board with at least one electrical socket in a chamber, the at least one printed circuit board being at least partially disposed within the interior of the chamber, the chamber having an access opening, the apparatus comprising:
- at least two insertion tools engageable with the at least one printed circuit board, said at least two insertion tools being capable of moving at least one of the at least one printed circuit board into connection with at least one electrical socket in the chamber, and
- at least one insertion tool actuator connectable with said at least two insertion tools.
A method for electrically connecting at least one printed circuit board with at least one electrical socket in a chamber with the use of at least one insertion tool engageable with the at least one printed circuit board, and with the use of at least one automated insertion tool actuator capable of moving the at least one insertion tool in a manner that allows the at least one insertion tool to move the at least one printed circuit board into connection with the at least one electrical socket in the chamber, the at least one printed circuit board being at least partially disposed within the interior of the chamber, the chamber having an access opening, the method comprising:
- aligning the at least one insertion tool with the at least one printed circuit board,
- actuating the at least one automated insertion tool actuator, wherein the at least one insertion tool is movable in a manner that moves the at least one printed circuit board into connection with the at least one electrical socket in the chamber, and
- retracting the at least one insertion tool.
An apparatus for disconnecting a plurality of printed circuit boards from a plurality of sockets in a chamber, wherein first and second printed circuit boards are at least partially disposed within the chamber at different heights in the chamber, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one disconnecting tool engageable with at least one printed circuit board and capable of moving the at least one printed circuit board out of connection with at least one socket in the chamber;
- and
- an automated vertical movement mechanism connectable with said at least one disconnecting tool and capable of moving said at least one disconnecting tool from a position in vertical alignment with the first printed circuit board to a position in vertical alignment with the second printed circuit board.
An apparatus capable of performing at least one among the actions of seating and unseating at least one printed circuit board in a chamber, the at least one printed circuit board at least partially disposed within the chamber and accessible through a front opening of the chamber, the front opening of the chamber being disposed in a vertical plane, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one seating-unseating tool engageable with at least one printed circuit board and capable of performing at least one among the actions of seating and unseating the at least one printed circuit board in the chamber;
- and
- a rotation mechanism connected with said at least one seating-unseating tool, wherein said rotation mechanism is capable of rotatably moving said at least one seating-unseating tool between at least first and second positions, whereby, in said first position, said at least one seating-unseating tool in not capable of extending through the vertical plane of the chamber opening and is not capable of engaging a printed circuit board disposed in the chamber, and in said second position, said at least one seating-unseating tool is capable of extending through the vertical plane of the chamber and engaging at least one printed circuit board disposed at least partially in the chamber.
An apparatus capable of connecting and disconnecting a plurality of printed circuit boards with a plurality of sockets in a chamber, the chamber located within a housing, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one automated seating-unseating device engageable with at least one printed circuit board, whereby said at least one automated seating-unseating device is capable of moving at least one printed circuit board into connection with at least one socket in the chamber and moving at least one printed circuit board out of connection with at least one socket in the chamber, and
- wherein said at least one automated seating-unseating device is connectable with said housing at all times, including during operation of the chamber and during operation of said at least one automated seating-unseating device.
An apparatus capable of connecting and disconnecting at least one printed circuit board with at least one socket in a chamber, the at least one printed circuit board being at least partially disposed within the chamber, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one automated connection-disconnection tool engageable with at least one printed circuit board, said at lest one automated connection-disconnection tool being movable between at least three positions including a first retracted position, a second partially extended position and a third extended position,
- wherein said at least one automated connection-disconnection tool is capable of moving from said first retracted position to said second partially extended position to move at least one printed circuit board into connection with at least one socket in the chamber, and
- wherein said at least one automated connection-disconnection tool is capable of moving from said third extended position to said first retracted position to move at least one printed circuit board out of connection with at least one socket in the chamber.
An apparatus for positioning at least one printed circuit board engagement device so that the engagement device is capable of moving at least two printed circuit boards into and out of connection with at least two sockets in a chamber, the chamber having an opening, wherein first and second printed circuit boards are disposed at least partially in the chamber adjacent to one another from left to right, each of the first and second printed circuit boards having a first side facing the opening of the chamber, the apparatus comprising:
- a translational movement mechanism engageable with each at least one printed circuit board engagement device, said translational movement mechanism being moveable between at least four positions,
- wherein a first position of said translational movement mechanism positions a first printed circuit board engagement device to the left of the first printed circuit board, a second position of said translational movement mechanism aligns the first printed circuit board engagement device with the first side of the first printed circuit board, a third position of said translational movement mechanism positions the first printed circuit board engagement device between the first and second printed circuit boards, and a fourth position of said translational movement mechanism aligns the first printed circuit board engagement device with the first side of the second printed circuit board.
An apparatus for preventing the exertion of excessive force on at least one printed circuit board during automated connection of at least one printed circuit board with at least one socket in a chamber, the at least one printed circuit board being at least partially disposed within the chamber, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one seating tool engageable with at least one printed circuit board, said at least one seating tool being laterally movable in a plane within which the at least one printed circuit board is movable and engageable with at least one socket in the chamber, said at least one seating tool being capable of pushing the at least one printed circuit board into engagement with the at least one socket;
- at least one seating tool actuator connectable with said at least one seating tool and capable of moving said at least one seating tool in opposing lateral directions;
- and
- at least one sensor associated with said at least one seating tool and said at least one seating tool actuator, wherein said at least one sensor is capable of detecting the lateral position of said at least one seating tool when said at least one seating tool is moving in a lateral direction and is further capable of providing a signal to cause said at least one seating tool to stop moving in that lateral direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.