Patent Publication Number: US-2004048495-A1

Title: Pick up cap for an electrical socket

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to an electrical socket, and particularly to a pick up cap of the electrical socket used for manipulating the electrical socket onto an electronic device where the socket is seated.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] Electronic components, such as CPU (Central Processing Unit) sockets, are often appropriately positioned on a printed circuit board (PCB) like a motherboard by means of a vacuum suction device. Since the cover of the CPU socket has a plurality of through holes in the substantial entire surface thereof, a pick up cap of the CPU socket has to be attached on edges or side areas of the CPU socket and the vacuum suction device is then able to engage on a top flat surface of the pick up cap so as to properly move and position the CPU socket onto the PCB. Such a pick up cap is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,111. Referring to FIGS. 6 through 8, a conventional CPU socket assembly comprises a CPU socket  8  and a pick up cap  9  to be vertically attached to the CPU socket  8 . The CPU socket  8  has a housing  83  retaining a plurality of terminals, and a slidable cover  81  covering the housing  83 . The cover  81  defines a square opening  82  and several recesses  822  defined at inner side edges  821  of the opening and communicating with the square opening  82  near a bottom inner surface of the cover  81 . The pick up cap  9  is vertically assembled with the cover  81  during the process of the CPU socket  8  being arranged onto the PCB. The pick up cap  9  forms on a bottom surface thereof an embossment  94 , and a pair of latching arms  93  opposite to the embossment  94 . Corresponding to the embossment  94  and each latching arm  93 , the pick up cap  9  defines a plurality of slots  92  extending vertically therethrough. Referring particularly to FIG. 8, the embossment  94  is firstly inserted into a corresponding recess  822  of the cover  81 , and the latching arms  93  are then latched within the other corresponding recesses  822  of the cover  81 , thereby attaching the pick up cap  9  to the cover  81 . Thus, the CPU socket assembly is appropriately positioned on the PCB by using a vacuum suction nozzle (not shown) to suck the top surface  91  of the pick up cap  9  and move both the cap and socket to an appropriate place on the PCB.  
       [0005] In the molding process of the pick up cap  9 , the latching distal ends of the embossment  94  and latching arms  93  are formed by means of some pins extending through the slots  92  of the cap  9  from the mold. Therefore, the slots  92  are necessarily defined. However, any blemish like a gap or a recess in the surface of a pick-up cap is likely to diminish steady and reliable sucking of the pick-up cap by the vacuum suction nozzle. In particular, the cap  9  having the slots  92  in its top surface is likely to adversely affect reliable sucking of the top surface  91  of the cap  9  by the vacuum suction nozzle, because of air leakage from slots  92  of the pick up cap  9 .  
       [0006] In view of the above, a new pick up cap for an electrical socket that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a pick up cap for a CPU socket which can be effectively and reliably lifted up by a vacuum suction nozzle during the process of assembling the CPU socket with a PCB.  
       [0008] To achieve the above-mentioned object, a CPU socket assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a CPU socket and a pick up cap to be vertically attached to the CPU-socket. The cover defines a square opening surrounded by four inner side edges and four recesses defined at junctions of a bottom face of the cover and the four side edges respectively. The pick up cap includes a base defined a smooth and integral top surface and an opposite bottom surface. Four blocks are formed on the bottom surface corresponding to the recesses of the cover. Each block forms a latch protrusion at a longitudinal edge thereof distal from the bottom surface. In assembly, the latch protrusions of the pick up cap engage in the recesses of the inner side edges of the cover.  
       [0009] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a CPU socket assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the CPU socket assembly comprising a pick up cap and a CPU socket, the CPU socket comprising a base and a cover;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is an enlarged, isometric view of the pick up cap of FIG. 1, showing the pick up cap inverted;  
     [0012]FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 1;  
     [0013]FIG. 4 is an enlarged, isometric view of the pick up cap and the cover of FIG. 1 attached together and inverted, with parts thereof cut away for clearer illustration;  
     [0014]FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a circled portion V of FIG. 4;  
     [0015]FIG. 6 is an exploded isometric view of a conventional CPU socket assembly, the CPU socket assembly comprising a pick up cap and a CPU socket, the CPU socket comprising a base and a cover;  
     [0016]FIG. 7 is an enlarged, isometric view of the pick up cap of FIG. 6, showing the pick up cap inverted; and  
     [0017]FIG. 8 is an enlarged, isometric view of the pick up cap and the cover of FIG. 6 attached together and inverted. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION  
     [0018] Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the present invention in detail.  
     [0019] Referring to FIG. 1, a CPU socket assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a CPU socket  2  and a pick up cap  1 . The pick up cap  1  is vertically fastened onto the CPU socket  2  during processes of assembling the CPU socket  2  with a printed circuit board (not shown).  
     [0020] The CPU socket  2  has an insulative housing  21  receiving a plurality of conducive contacts (not shown) therein for soldering to the printed circuit board, and a cover  22  slidably mounted on the housing  21 . Further referring to FIG. 4, the cover  22  defines a central square-shaped opening  221  surrounded by four inner side edges  222 . An array of pin holes  224  is defined around the square opening  221 , for insertion therethrough of corresponding pins of the CPU (not shown). Four recesses  223  are defined at junctions of a bottom face of the cover  22  and the four side edges  222  respectively.  
     [0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pick up cap  1  includes a flat base  11 . The base  11  defines a smooth and integral top surface  111 , and an opposite bottom surface  112 . Four blocks  12  are formed on the bottom surface  112 , corresponding to the recesses  223  of the cover  22 . Each block  12  forms a latch protrusion  121  at a longitudinal edge thereof distal from the bottom surface  112 .  
     [0022] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in assembly, the pick up cap  1  is vertically inserted onto the cover  22 . The latch protrusions  121  of the pick up cap  1  engage in the recesses  223  of the inner side edges  222  of the cover  22 . The blocks  12  abut against the inner side edges  222 . Thus a CPU socket assembly is obtained, as shown in FIG. 3. The pick up cap  1  is securely fastened on the cover  22  of the CPU socket  2  by said engagement of the latch protrusions  121 .  
     [0023] The top surface  111  of the pick up cap  1  is smooth and integral, thus enabling the pick up cap  1  to be reliably sucked by a vacuum nozzle (not shown) without air leakage during processing. In molding of the pick up cap  1 , the latching blocks  12  of the pick up cap  1  can be easily formed by a mold having active mold pins that can be removed without disturbing the latch protrusions  121  of the blocks  12 . That is, the latching blocks  12  of the pick up cap  1  can be formed without the need for any specialized molding pins that would otherwise create unwanted slots in the pick up cap  1 .  
     [0024] While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.