Method and apparatus for managing aligning and coupling of a land grid array interposer for a field replacement unit
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJohn Lee Colbert, Roger Duane Hamilton, Arvind Kumar Sinha
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus adapted for use in a field replacement unit that is to be coupled to an electronic module. Included in the apparatus are a cover assembly; a biasing assembly disposed within the cover assembly; and, an aligning and coupling mechanism retained in the cover assembly in juxtaposed relation with the biasing assembly for mounting an interposer assembly in a manner, whereby the interposer assembly is generally self-aligned along in-plane axes with respect to the cover assembly for subsequent coupling to an electronic module. A method for use of the apparatus is disclosed.
Claims10
An apparatus adapted for use in a field replacement unit to be coupled to an electronic module;
- the apparatus comprising:
- a first cover assembly;
- a biasing assembly disposed within the cover assembly;
- and, an aligning and coupling mechanism retained in the cover assembly in juxtaposed relation with the biasing assembly for mounting an interposer assembly in a manner, the aligning and coupling mechanism including a plurality of resiliently deformable spring fingers connected to respective spaced apart wall portions thereof and having distal end portions thereof engaging respective portions of the first cover assembly so as to resiliently retain and center the aligning and coupling mechanism in the in-plane axes with respect to the first cover assembly, whereby an interposer assembly is mounted on the aligning and coupling mechanism and is generally self-aligned along in-plane axes with respect to the cover assembly for subsequent coupling to an electronic module, and wherein the aligning and coupling mechanism locates the interposer assembly in a preferred location along a Z-axis for enhancing protection of interposer contacts of the interposer assembly from premature contact with surfaces of and in the field replacement unit.
A method of managing aligning and coupling of an interposer assembly for a field replacement unit, the method comprising:
- providing a first cover assembly;
- providing a biasing assembly disposed within the cover assembly;
- and, coupling an aligning and coupling mechanism for carrying an interposer assembly to the first cover assembly, whereby an interposer assembly is generally self-aligned along in-plane axes with respect to the first cover assembly for subsequent coupling to an electronic module, wherein the aligning is by providing a plurality of resiliently deformable spring fingers connected to respective spaced apart wall portions of the aligning and coupling mechanism and having distal end portions thereof engaging respective portions of the first cover assembly so as to resiliently retain and center the aligning and coupling mechanism along the in-plane axes.
A field replacement unit is adapted to be coupled to an electronic module, the field replacement unit comprising:
- a first cover assembly;
- a biasing assembly disposed within the cover assembly;
- an interposer assembly;
- and, an aligning and coupling mechanism retained in the first cover assembly in juxtaposed relation with the biasing assembly, the aligning and coupling mechanism mounting the interposer assembly in a manner, whereby the interposer assembly is generally self-aligned along in-plane axes with respect to the first cover assembly for subsequent coupling to an electronic module;
- and, a second cover assembly coupled to the first cover assembly so as to contain the aligning and coupling mechanism and the interposer assembly in the field replacement unit, wherein the aligning and coupling mechanism includes a plurality of resiliently deformable spring fingers connected to respective wall portions thereof and having distal end portions releaseably engaging respective portions of the first cover assembly so as to releaseably retain and center the aligning and coupling mechanism in the in-plane axes with respect to the first cover assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.