Abstract:
An electronic component extraction tool is provided. The extraction tool comprises two opposing deflectable arms connected to one another, each arm having an end with a first surface adapted to extend under a side edge of an electronic component and a second surface adapted to extend over a side edge of the electronic component. The tool further comprises a latch system comprising at least one latching projection on a first one of the arms adapted to engage a second one of the arms to latch the two arms and the ends in an inwardly deflected electronic component carrying position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/572,041 filed May 18, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an extraction tool and, more particularly, to an extraction tool for removing an electronic component from another member.  
         [0004]     2. Brief Description of Prior Developments  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,604,796; 4,141,138; 4,215,468 and 3,570,096 each disclose different integrated circuit (IC) or module extractor tools, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,796 (“the &#39;796 patent”) describes an IC component extraction hand tool, especially designed for plastic chip carriers (PCCs) in a socket. The hand tool of the &#39;796 patent comprises a base member for engaging the socket, a handle on the base member, a resilient wire mounted to the handle which passes through holes in the base member and has hook ends which upon actuation of the wire can be caused to engage the component during an extraction operation.  
         [0006]     Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,138 (“the &#39;138 patent”) describes a tool for handling integrated circuits to facilitate their installation on and extraction from circuit boards. In particular, the &#39;138 patent describes that a pair of spaced apart levers are pivotal about integral hinges in a manner to engage opposite ends of the integrated circuit. Moreover, each lever carries a pair of lugs between which the ends of the integrated circuit are gripped. The opposite end of the tool is constructed similarly although with a pair of levers that are closer together in order to handle a smaller integrated circuit.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,468 (“the &#39;468 patent”) describes an extraction tool for a packaged IC. The tool of the &#39;468 patent is characterized by gripping means for gripping opposite sides of the IC when the tool is actuated by pulling up on a slider, and for applying a uniform lifting force to the IC when the gripping means contacts the IC, to avoid deforming the IC pins.  
         [0008]     Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,096 (“the 096 patent”) describes a tool for removing modules from a module mounting rail assembly without disturbing adjacent modules. The tool of the &#39;096 patent is constructed of first and second parallel arms joined by a third transverse arm to permit placement of the first and second arms adjacent the sides of a module to be extracted. The first and second arms each terminate in at least one projection, each projection in turn terminating in an inturned rib to grasp the module for removal. Additional arms, in parallel with the first and second arms, help position the nibs in the mounting rail and tabs may be added to such additional arms to further control the positions of the nibs.  
         [0009]     However, despite the above advances, there is still a strong need in the art for an electronic component extraction/insertion tool which is easy to use and which insures the safety of the electronic component being handled by the tool. In particular, there is a need in the art for an electronic component extraction/insertion tool which will insure the safe handling of an electronic component by effectively preventing the electrical component from being accidentally released during its transfer to another location, e.g. a connector. The present invention accomplishes the above needs in the art and also provides other advantages, as will be described in detail below.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an electronic component extraction tool is provided. The extraction tool comprises two opposing deflectable arms connected to one another, each arm having an end with a first surface adapted to extend under a side edge of an electronic component and a second surface adapted to extend over a side edge of the electronic component. The tool further comprises a latch system comprising at least one latching projection on a first one of the arms adapted to engage a second one of the arms to latch the two arms and the ends in an inwardly deflected electronic component carrying position.  
         [0011]     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an electronic component extraction tool is provided. The extraction tool comprises two opposing deflectable arms connected to one another at a connecting section located at top ends of the opposing arms, with each opposing arm also having a bottom end. The bottom ends of the opposing arms comprise an upper ledge and a lower ledge, with the lower ledge and the upper ledge of each of the bottom ends projecting inward towards the opposite arm. The upper ledge has an upwardly facing ramped surface adapted to extend under a side edge of an electronic component and the lower ledge has a downwardly facing surface adapted to extend over a side edge of the electronic component. Each of said opposing arms comprise a finger contact section. The electronic component extraction tool further comprises a latch system which comprises a first latching projection and a second latching projection. The first latching projection comprises a first latch and extends towards the second latching projection from an inward side of one of said opposing arms proximate a middle portion of the finger contact section and the second latching projection comprises a second latch and extends towards the first latching projection from an inward side of said other opposing arm proximate a middle portion of the finger contact section of that arm. In addition, the first latch and the second latch are adapted to be engaged and locked with each other in order to cause the two arms and said bottom ends to be placed in an inwardly deflected electronic component carrying position. Moreover, the first latching projection further comprises a finger actuated latch release projection, wherein the finger actuated latch is adapted such that when finger actuated latch is deflected the first and second latches of the first latching projection and the second latching projections become detached from one another.  
         [0012]     In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method of using an electronic component extraction tool is provided. The method comprises placing the electronic component extraction tool in contact with side edges of opposing sides of an electronic component. The electronic component extraction tool comprises two opposing deflectable arms connected to one another, with each arm having an end with a first surface adapted to extend under the side edges of the opposing sides of the electronic component and a second surface adapted to extend over the side edges of the opposing sides of the electronic component; and a latch system comprising at least one latching projection on a first one of the arms adapted to engage a second one of the arms. The method further comprises deflecting the opposing arms of the extraction tool inward to move the ends towards each other for gripping the electronic component between the two opposing arms on the surfaces of the ends and at the same time for causing the at least one latching projection on the first one of the arms to engage the second one of the arms to latch the two arms and the ends in an inwardly deflected electronic component carrying position. Further, the method also comprises transferring the electronic component gripped by the extraction tool to another location. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic component extraction tool incorporating features of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged front view of an end of one arm of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged front view of the latching system of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a member used to carry electronic components;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the end of the tool of  FIG. 1  shown attached to an electronic component;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the tool and electronic component of  FIG. 5  showing the electronic component being inserted into an electrical connector;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the extraction tool shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged front view of the latching system of the tool shown in  FIG. 7 ; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a rear view of the latching system shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of an electronic component extraction tool  10  incorporating features of the present invention. Although the present invention will be described with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be embodied in many alternate forms of embodiments. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.  
         [0023]     The extraction tool  10  generally comprises two opposing deflectable arms  12 ,  14 , a connecting section  16  and a latching system  18 . In a preferred embodiment, the extraction tool  10  is comprised of a one-piece member. Preferably, the one-piece member is comprised of injection molded plastic or polymer material. In a preferred embodiment, an anti-static acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene (ABS) copolymer material is used. However, in alternate embodiments, the tool could be comprised of more than one piece and could be comprised of any suitable type of material(s). For example, in one type of embodiment the tool could comprise a ground strap (not shown) which is attached to the one-piece member.  
         [0024]     Each arm  12 ,  14  comprises an end  20 . The ends  20  are substantially identical to each other, but have a reversed or mirror image. In an alternate embodiment, the two ends  20  could be different from each other. Referring also to  FIG. 2 , each end  20  comprises a lower ledge  22  and an upper ledge  24 . The ledges  22 ,  24  project inward towards the opposite arm  12  or  14 . The lower ledge  22  comprises an upwardly facing ramp surface  26 . The upper ledges  24  comprises a downward facing surface  28 . The ledges  22 ,  24  form a receiving area  30  which is adapted to receive a side edge of an electronic component.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , each arm  12 ,  14  comprises a finger contact section  32 ,  34 . A user can place a finger and a thumb of a same hand in the finger contact section  32 ,  34  and press inward to deflect the two ends  20  towards each other. The connecting section  16  connects the two arms  12 ,  14  to each other and provides an internal resilience to allow the two arms  12 ,  14  to deflect back towards their outward home position (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) when the force from the user&#39;s finger and thumb is released (assuming the latching system  18  is not engaged).  
         [0026]     The latching system  18  is generally adapted to latch the two arms  12 ,  14  in an inwardly deflected electronic component carrying position. Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the latching system  18  generally comprises a first latching projection  36  and a second latching projection  38 . The first latching projection  36  extends towards the second latching projection  38  from an inward side of the first arm  12  proximate the middle of the finger contact section  32 . The second latching projection  38  extends towards the first latching projection  36  from an inward side of the second arm  14  proximate the middle of the finger contact section  34 . The two latching projections  36 ,  38  comprise latches  40 ,  42  which are adapted to engage and lock with each other. The first latching projection  36  also comprises a finger actuated latch release projection  44 . In this embodiment, the release projection  44  extends in an upward direction in a space between the top ends of the two arms  12 ,  14 . After the latches  40 ,  42  are latched with each other, a user can deflect the release projection  44  as indicated by arrow  46 , by the user&#39;s finger, to deflect the latch  40  upward and thereby unlatch the two latches  40 ,  42  from each other.  
         [0027]     Referring now also to  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of an electronic component holding member  48  is shown. The holding member  48  is a carrier adapted to carry a plurality of the electronic components  50 , such as microprocessors. The holding member  48  has individual electronic component receiving areas  52 . The sidewalls of the receiving areas  52  comprises slots  54 . The ends  20  of the arms  12 ,  14  are adapted to be slid through the slots  54  on opposing sides of one of the receiving area  52  to position the ends  20  at opposite side edges of one of the electronic components  50 .  
         [0028]     Referring also to  FIG. 5 , after the ends  20  are inserted into the slots  54  of the carrier  48 , a user can deflect the arms  12 ,  14  inward to move the ends  20  towards each other and pinch or grab the electronic component  50  between the two arms. During this process, the latches  40 ,  42  latch with each other to maintain the arms  12 ,  14  and the ends  20  in their inwardly deflected electronic component carrying position as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0029]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the extraction tool  10  with its attached electronic component  50  can then be moved to an electrical connector  56 . Because of the latching system  18 , the electronic component  50  is prevented from being released from the tool  10  during the step of transferring the electronic component  50  from the holder  48  to the connector  56 . This helps to insure that the electronic component  50  will not be accidentally dropped by the assembly line worker and possibly damaged. Once the assembly line worker moves the electronic component  50  to the electrical connector  56 , the worker can move the latch release projection  44  to unlatch the two latches  40 ,  42  from each other and allowed the tool to resiliently deflect the two arms  12 ,  14  to their home outward position. This releases the engagement between the electronic component  50  and the tool  10 . The tool  10  can then be lifted away from the electronic component  50  and the cover  58  of the electrical connector can be closed.  
         [0030]      FIG. 7-9  show an alternate embodiment of the present invention. The extraction tool  60  generally comprises two opposing deflectable arms  62 ,  64 , a connecting section  66  and a latching system  68 . In a preferred embodiment, the extraction tool  60  is comprised of a one-piece member. Preferably, the one piece member is comprised of injection molded plastic or polymer material. In a preferred embodiment, an ABS material is used which is anti-static. The ends of the arms  62 ,  64  are identical to the arms  20  described above with reference to the first embodiment.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the latching system  68  is generally adapted to latch the two arms  62 ,  64  in an inwardly deflected electronic component carrying position. The latching system  68  generally comprises a first latching projection  76  and a second latching projection  78 . The first latching projection  76  extends towards the second latching projection  78  from an inward side of the first arm  62  proximate the middle of the finger contact section  72 . The second latching projection  78  extends towards the first latching projection  76  from an inward side of the second arm  64  proximate the middle of the finger contact section  74 . Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the two latching projections  76 ,  78  comprise latches  80 ,  82  which are adapted to engage and lock with each other. In this embodiment, the first latch  82  extends in a forward direction and the second latch  80  extends in a rearward direction.  
         [0032]     The first latching projection, in this embodiment, does not comprise a finger actuated latch release projection. After the latches  80 ,  82  are latched with each other, the user further compresses arms  62 ,  64 . The latch  80  rides in the cam defined by latch  82 , which ultimately breaks engagement between latch  80  and latch  82 .  
         [0033]     It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.