Abstract:
A board extraction device with integrated mounting includes a base portion configured to be disposed on an opening of a circuit board, a rivet extending from a surface of the base portion and configured to pass through the opening, a handle flexibly connected to the base portion, and a pin flexibly connected to the base portion. The rivet has a hole extending therethrough. The pin engages the hole so as to fix the base portion to the circuit board.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a typical handle device for extracting a printed circuit board (PCB). As shown in  FIG. 1 , the handle device  100  has a handle  101  and two posts  102 . Each post  102  is disposed on a surface of the PCB  103  via a washer  104  around an end of the PCB  103 . Each end of the handle  101  is rotatably connected to a top of the post  102  by a cylindrical pin  105 . Specifically, the cylindrical pin  105  is inserted into both an opening of the post  102  and an opening of the handle  101  so that the handle  101  is rotatably supported by the posts  102 . The handle  101  has a rubber ring  106  at the middle thereof so that the rubber ring  106  instead of the handle  101  contacts with the PCB  103  when the handle  101  rotates. Thus, the PCB  103  and the electric parts on the PCB  103  are not damaged by the handle  101  even when the handle rotates toward the PCB  103 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the handle device shown in  FIG. 1  from the bottom of the PCB. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the posts  102  are fixed on the surface of the PCB  103  from the bottom of the PCB  103  by screws  201  via washers  202 . The PCB  103  may have a component  203  on a back surface thereof. 
     When installing the handle device  100 , the screws  201  are fastened from the back surface of the PCB  103  by a screw driver (not shown). Also, the typical handle device  100  is constituted of a various parts, such as screws  201 , washers  104  and  202 , the handle  101 , the rubber ring  106 , and pins  105  as explained. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a board extraction device with integrated mounting includes a base portion configured to be disposed on an opening of a circuit board, a rivet extending from a surface of the base portion and configured to pass through the opening, a handle flexibly connected to the base portion, and a pin flexibly connected to the base portion. The rivet has a hole extending therethrough. The pin engages the hole so as to fix the base portion to the circuit board. 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a board extraction device with integrated mounting includes a plurality of base portions configured to be disposed on a plurality of openings of a circuit board, a plurality of rivets each extending from a surface of each of the plurality of the base portions and configured to pass through each of the plurality of openings, a handle flexibly connected to at least one of the plurality of base portions; and a plurality of pins flexibly connected to the plurality of base portions. The plurality of rivets each has a hole extending therethrough. The plurality of pins each engages the hole so as to fix the plurality of base portions to the circuit board. 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for handling a circuit board includes connecting a flexible handle to a base portion, disposing a hole through a rivet extending from a surface of the base portion, flexibly connecting a pin to the base portion, passing the rivet through an opening in a circuit board, and engaging the pin into the hole so as to fix the base portion to the circuit board. The circuit board is capable of being handled using the flexible handle. 
     Other aspects and advantageous of the invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a typical handle device for extracting a printed circuit board. 
         FIG. 2  shows the handle device shown in  FIG. 1  from the bottom of the printed circuit board. 
         FIG. 3  shows a top perspective view of a board extraction device with integrated mounting. 
         FIG. 4  shows a bottom perspective view of the board extraction device with integrated mounting. 
         FIG. 5  shows a top perspective view of the board extraction device with integrated mounting installed on a circuit board. 
         FIG. 6  shows an enlarged view of the rivet of the board extraction device with integrated mounting. 
         FIG. 7  shows an enlarged view of the rived when the pin is inserted into the hole of the base portion where the board extraction device with integrated mounting is not installed to a circuit board. 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the board extraction device with integrated mounting installed to a circuit board where the pin is inserted into the hole of the base portion. 
         FIG. 9  shows an enlarged top perspective view of the board extraction device with integrated mounting where the pin is fully inserted in the hole. 
         FIG. 10  shows the board extraction device with integrated mounting installed to a computer. 
         FIG. 11  shows a flow diagram of installing the board extraction device with integrated mounting to a circuit board. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency. 
     In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description. 
       FIG. 3  shows a top perspective view of a board extraction device with integrated mounting.  FIG. 4  shows a bottom perspective view of the board extraction device with integrated mounting shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the board extraction device  300  has base portions  301 , rivets  302 , handle  303 , pins  304 , and a support  305 . The board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  may be made by single material, such as polypropylene, plastic, or nylon. A circuit board  402  may have a component  403  on a surface thereof and may be an expansion card or any other printed circuit boards including various components for a computer and/or a server system (not shown). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the base portions  301  are connected by the handle  303 . Specifically, each end of the handle  303  is connected to a side surface  307  of the base portion  301  via two connectors  306 . The connectors  306  and/or the handle  303  are flexible such that the handle  303  is flexibly supported between the base portions  301  so that the handle  303  increases a handling gripping surface. 
     Although the handle  303  is curved in shape in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the handle  303  may be any other shapes so long as the handle  303  provides a sufficient gripping surface for handling. Also, although each end of the handle  303  is connected to a side surface  307  of the base portion  301  via two connectors  306  in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , one skilled in the art will appreciate any other numbers, shapes, positions of connectors  306  and the handle  303  as long as the handle  303  is flexibly supported between the base portions  301  and the handle  303  provides an enough handling gripping surface. 
     The base portions  301  are connected by the support  305  at one end of the side surface  307  of the base portion  301 . Although the support  305  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  has a shifted portion  308  at the middle of the support  305 , the support  305  may be straight in shape. In addition, the thickness of the base portion  301  may be the same as that of the support  305 , and the base portion  301  may be integral with the support  305 . In addition, in one or more embodiments of the present invention, the support  305  may be omitted. 
     The pin  304  is connected to a side surface  308  of the base portion  301  by a pin connector  309 . The pin  304  has a head portion  313  at one end of the pin  304 . The pin  304  is cylindrical in shape. The pin connector  309  has a thin portion  310  at the middle thereof so that the pin connector  309  is easily folded when the pin  304  engages a hole  312 . Although the pin  304  is attached to the base portion  301  via the pin connector  309  in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the pin  304  may be a separate from the base portion  301 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a top perspective view of the board extraction device with integrated mounting installed on a circuit board. The circuit board may be installed in a computer or a sever system (not shown). The circuit board  402  has an opening  401  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The rivet  302  is inserted into the opening  401  around one end of the circuit board  402  as shown in  FIG. 5  so that the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  is disposed on the circuit board  402 . Specifically, one of the base portions  301  is disposed at one corner of the circuit board  402 , and another base portion  301  is disposed around the end of the circuit board  402 . That is, the support  305  is disposed along a corner end of the circuit board  402 . One skilled in the art will appreciate any other positions of the openings  401  in accordance with a design of a computer to which the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  is installed. 
       FIG. 6  shows an enlarged view of the rivet of the board extraction device with integrated mounting.  FIG. 7  shows an enlarged view of the rivet when the pin inserted into the hole of the base portion where the board extraction device with integrated mounting is not installed to a circuit board.  FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the board extraction device with integrated mounting installed to a circuit board when the pin is inserted into the hole of the base portion. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the rivet  302  has three slits  502  cut in three directions from the center of the rivet  302  so that the rivet  302  has three tip portions  501 . The size of each tip portion  501  is the same. One skilled in the art will appreciate that any other numbers of tip portions  501  so long as the tip portions  501  tightly hold the circuit board  402  as explained below. 
     The hole  312  extends to the tip portions  501 . However, the diameter of the hole  312  where the tip portions  501  exist is narrower than the diameter of the hole  312  where the tip portions  501  do not exist. Thus, when the pin  304  is inserted into the hole  312 , the pin  304  pushes the inside surface of tip portions  501  so that the tip portions  501  are widen by the pin  304  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Also, at this time, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  tightly holds the circuit board  402  between the outside surface of the tip portions  501  and the bottom surface of the base portions  301 . 
       FIG. 9  shows an enlarged top perspective view of the board extraction device with integrated mounting when the pin is fully inserted in the hole. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 9 , the base portion  301  has a recess  311  and the hole  312 . The size of the recess  311  is approximately the same as the head portion  313  of the pin  310  so that the head portion  313  is fully enclosed in the recess  311  of the base portion  301  when the pin  304  is fully inserted into the hole  312 . At this time, the pin connector  309  is folded at the thin portion  310 . Thus, when the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  disposed on a circuit board is installed in a computer (not shown), the pin  304  and the pin connector  309  substantially do not impact an airflow impedance of a computer (not shown). In other words, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  minimizes the impact to an airflow impedance of a computer. 
       FIG. 10  shows the board extraction device with integrated mounting when installed to a computer. As shown in  FIG. 10 , in a computer  150 , there are a various components  160 . Because the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  is installed on one end of the circuit  402  where the handle  303  are thin and along the circuit board  402  and the pins  304  is inserted into the holes  312 , the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  does not impact substantially a airflow impedance of the computer  150 . Also, because the handle  303  stays flush against the circuit board, the handle  303  are prevented from flopping around in the computer  150  when the computer is subject to vibration from other parts such as a fan (not shown). Further, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  minimizes a foot print for providing a handle. Furthermore, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  can be placed even in areas of tight space constraint. 
       FIG. 11  shows a flow diagram of installing the board extraction device with integrated mounting to a circuit board. In one or more embodiments of the invention, one or more steps described below may be omitted, repeated, and/or performed in a different manner. 
     First, openings  401  are made at one end of the circuit board  402  (Step  110 ). The position of the openings  401  may be adjusted according to the design of the computer to which the device  300  is installed. Second, the device  300  is installed on the circuit board  402  (Step  111 ). Specifically, the rivets  302  are inserted into the openings  401  of the circuit board  402 . 
     Next, the pin  304  is inserted into the hole  312  of the base portion  301  (Step  112 ). At this time, as explained above, the pin connectors  309  are bent and folded. In addition, both pins  304  may be inserted into the holes  312  at the same time. Then, the pin  304  pushes the inside surface of the tip portion  501  so that the tip portion  501  is widened. At this time, the outside surfaces of the tip portions  501  are moved toward the surface of the circuit board  402 . Then, the outside surfaces of the tip portions  501  contact with the bottom surface of the circuit board  402  so that the circuit board  402  is tightly held by the outside surfaces of the tip portions  501  and the bottom surface of the base portion  301 . Also, at this time, the tip portions  501  tightly hold the pin  304  because tip portions  501  push the pin  304 . 
     Finally, the handle  303  is rotated until the handle is able to be held to extract the circuit board  402  (Step  113 ). Then, the circuit board  402  may be extracted by using the handle  303 . In addition, after extracting and releasing the circuit board  402 , the circuit board  402  may be returned to a original position or other positions in a computer (not shown) using the handle  303 . In addition, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  may be retained in the computer  150  as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     Therefore, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  is attached top-down. In other words, unlike the typical handle device  101 , the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  eliminates a need to flip the circuit board  402  in the computer  150  to attach screws  201  from the bottom of the circuit board  402 . In this sense, it may be minimize a possibility to damage a circuit board and/or a computer while installing a handle device to a circuit board in a computer. 
     In one or more embodiments of the present invention, one skilled in the art will appreciate that any other numbers of the base portions  301 , pins  304 , and rivets  302  in accordance with the design of the circuit board  402 . For example, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  may have only one set of the base portion  301 , the pin  304 , and the rivet  302 . The handle  303  may be flexibly supported by one base portion  301 . On the other hand, in one or more embodiments, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  may have more than two sets of the base portion  301 , the pin  304 , and the rivet  302 . The handle  303  may be flexibly supported by some or all of the base portions  301 , and the base portion  301 , the pin  304 , and the rivet  302  may have plurality of handles  303  between the base portions  301 . Further, the support  305  may be flexibly supported by some or all of the base portions  301 . 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of the following advantages. It is not necessary to use any tools to install the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  to a circuit board  402  in a computer  150 . The board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  also has a low-profile and does not substantially impact to airflow impedance in the computer  150  at least because the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  is thin and along the surface of the circuit board  402  when the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  is in the computer  150 . As a result, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  may enhance system performances and allow flexibility of the position of the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300 . Also, it may result in better handling of the circuit board  402 . Further, the board extraction device with integrated mounting  300  enables the position thereof, which is very close to computer system covers (not shown).