Electronic component removal tool

Abstract

Provided is an electronic component removal tool with which it is possible to easily remove, from a socket provided on a substrate, a plate-shaped electronic component attached to the socket. An electronic component removal tool 100 is used for removing a plate-shaped memory module 30 attached to a socket 20 provided on a substrate 10. The electronic component removal tool 100 comprises: a removal tool body 110; a pair of arms 120 that are provided on the removal tool body 110 and respectively operate a pair of levers 22, which have engagement parts 22a thereof engaged with the memory module 30 inserted into a groove 21a, in a direction for disengaging the engagement parts 22a from the memory module 30; and a holding part 140 that is provided on the removal tool body 110 and holds the memory module 30 disengaged from the engagement parts 22a by the pair of arms 120.

Description

Electronic component removal tool

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic component removal tool used when removing a plate-like electronic component attached to a socket provided on a circuit board.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an attachment / detachment mechanism that enables a plate-shaped electronic component, such as a memory card, to be attached to or detached from a socket, such as a card slot, provided on a circuit board (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The attachment / detachment mechanism described in Patent Document 1 fixes the electronic component to a predetermined position in the socket by inserting and pushing the electronic component into the socket, and then pushes the electronic component attached to the socket toward the socket to release the fixed state with respect to the socket, thereby enabling the electronic component to be removed from the socket.

[0003] Also known is an IC puller used to remove an IC from an IC socket mounted on a printed circuit board (see, for example, Patent Document 2). The IC puller described in Patent Document 2 includes a pair of clips that clamp the IC housed in the IC socket and a slide lever that operates the pair of clips. By operating the slide lever above the IC housed in the IC socket, the IC puller described in Patent Document 2 clamps the IC between the pair of clips and can pull the pair of clips upward to remove the IC from the IC socket.

[0004] In addition, a socket used to connect a memory module as a plate-shaped electronic component to an electronic circuit on a substrate includes a socket body having a groove formed therein into which one end of the plate-shaped electronic component is inserted, and an engagement portion formed therein that can engage with a memory module inserted into the groove of the socket body, the engagement portion engaging with the memory module by moving the levers from the outside to the inside in the direction of extension of the groove, and the engagement portion disengaging from the memory module by moving the levers from the inside to the outside in the direction of extension of the groove.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-085089 Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 58-95049

[0006] When a memory module is attached to a socket and the memory module is to be removed from the socket, each of the pair of levers is moved outward in the extension direction of the groove to release the engagement of the engagement portion with the memory module, and then the memory module is removed from the groove.

[0007] In other words, when removing a memory module from a socket, it is necessary to operate each of a pair of levers to disengage the engagement parts for the memory module, and then remove the memory module from the socket, which makes the process of removing a memory module from a socket complicated.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component removal tool that can easily remove a plate-like electronic component from a socket mounted on a circuit board.

[0009] The electronic component removal tool according to the present invention is an electronic component removal tool used when removing a plate-shaped electronic component attached to a socket provided on a circuit board, the socket having a groove formed therein into which one end of the electronic component is inserted, and a pair of levers provided on both sides of the socket body in the extension direction of the groove, the levers having engagement portions that can engage with the electronic component inserted in the groove, the engagement portions engaging with the electronic component by moving the levers from the outside to the inside in the extension direction of the groove, and the engagement portions disengaging from the electronic component by moving the levers from the inside to the outside in the extension direction of the groove. The electronic component removal tool has a removal tool body, a pair of arms provided on the removal tool body for operating each of the pair of levers in a direction to disengage the engagement portions from the electronic component when the engagement portions are engaged with the electronic component inserted in the groove, and a holding portion provided on the removal tool body for holding the electronic component whose engagement portions have been disengaged by the pair of arms.

[0010] Furthermore, in the electronic component removal tool according to the present invention, it is preferable that each of the pair of arms has an abutment portion that abuts against another member arranged above and spaced apart from the lever on the circuit board when the removal tool main body is moved toward the electronic component inserted in the groove of the socket main body, and that the abutment portion abuts against the other member to operate the lever in a direction to release the engagement of the engagement portion with the electronic component.

[0011] Preferably, the electronic component removal tool according to the present invention further includes a position maintaining member for maintaining the position of the pair of arms relative to the removal tool body.

[0012] In the electronic component removal tool according to the present invention, it is preferable that the pair of arms are supported by the removal tool body via a support shaft so as to be able to swing freely.

[0013] In the electronic component removal tool according to the present invention, it is preferable that the removal tool body has a grip portion that is held by a user's hand.

[0014] According to the present invention, by operating a pair of levers on the socket with a pair of arms, it is possible to disengage the engaging portion from the electronic component, and to hold the electronic component from which the engaging portion has been disengaged using the holding portion.Therefore, it is possible to perform the operation of disengaging the engaging portion from the electronic component and the operation of holding the electronic component using a single tool, thereby improving the work efficiency of the operation of removing an electronic component from a socket.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic component removal tool according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic component removal tool according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a board, socket, memory module, and cooling device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a board, socket, memory module, and cooling device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method of removing a memory module from a socket according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method of removing a memory module from a socket according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a method of removing a memory module from a socket according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a method of removing a memory module from a socket according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figures 1 to 8 show one embodiment of the present invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the electronic component removal tool, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic component removal tool, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the assembled state of the board, socket, memory module, and cooling device, Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the board, socket, memory module, and cooling device, and Figures 5 to 8 are diagrams explaining a method of removing a memory module from a socket.

[0017] Electronic component removal tool 100 of the present invention is used, for example, during maintenance and management of server device 1 that provides data and services to other terminal devices via the Internet.

[0018] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the server device 1 has a substrate 10 in which conductive wiring is applied to a plate-shaped member made of an insulator, a plurality of sockets 20 arranged on the substrate 10, a plurality of memory modules 30 as plate-shaped electronic components attached to each of the plurality of sockets 20, and a cooling device 40 for removing heat emitted from the plurality of memory modules 30.

[0019] Each of the plurality of sockets 20 has a socket body 21 formed with a groove 21a into which one end of a memory module 30 is inserted, and a pair of levers 22 that are operated when removing the memory module 30 inserted into the groove 21a from the socket body 21. The plurality of sockets 20 are arranged on the board 10 so that their respective longitudinal directions are parallel to each other.

[0020] The socket body 21 is formed in the shape of a square pillar extending along the upper surface of the substrate 10, and has a groove 21a formed on the upper surface that opens upward. A conductor (not shown) that is connected to the wiring on the substrate 10 is disposed inside the groove 21a, so that the memory module 30 inserted into the groove 21a is electrically connected to the wiring on the substrate 10 via the socket body 21.

[0021] The pair of levers 22 are provided at the end sides of the socket body 21 in the extension direction of the groove 21a. The lower ends of the pair of levers 22 are supported at the end sides of the socket body 21 in the extension direction so as to be able to swing freely. At the upper ends of each of the pair of levers 22, an engagement portion 22a that can engage with the memory module 30 inserted in the groove 21a is formed on a surface toward the center in the extension direction of the socket body 21. Each of the pair of levers 22 secures the memory module 30 inserted in the groove 21a by engaging the engagement portion 22a with the memory module 30 inserted in the groove 21a. Furthermore, when each of the pair of levers 22 is swung outward in the extension direction of the socket body 21 with the engagement portion 22a engaged with the memory module 30 inserted in the groove 21a, the engagement of the engagement portion 22a with the memory module 30 inserted in the groove 21a is released and the memory module 30 inserted in the groove 21a is moved upward.

[0022] The memory module 30 is, for example, a dual inline memory module (DIMM), and includes a board 31 having terminals on which multiple memories 32 are arranged. The engaging portions 22a of the pair of levers 22 engage with the center portions of the board 31 in the short direction on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the board 31 that constitutes the memory module 30.

[0023] The cooling device 40 is attached to each of the multiple sockets 20, and has multiple cooling water circulation pipes 41 arranged on both outsides of the multiple memory modules 30 arranged side by side on the substrate 10 and between adjacent memory modules 30, an inlet side manifold 42 to which the inlet side ends of the cooling water of the multiple cooling water circulation pipes 41 are connected, an outlet side manifold 43 to which the outlet side ends of the cooling water of the multiple cooling water circulation pipes 41 are connected, and a heat conduction sheet 44 for conducting heat between the cooling water circulation pipes 41 and the memory 32 arranged in the adjacent memory module 30.

[0024] Each of the multiple cooling water flow pipes 41 is a tubular member formed in a flat shape, and extends along the upper surface of the substrate on both sides of the multiple memory modules arranged side by side and between adjacent memory modules 30, and is bent upward at both ends of the longitudinal direction of the memory modules 30.

[0025] The inlet-side manifold 42 and the outlet-side manifold 43 are each hollow members extending in the direction in which the plurality of cooling water flow pipes 41 are arranged, and have ends of the plurality of cooling water flow pipes 41 connected to their lower surfaces. The inlet-side manifold 42 is provided with a cooling water inlet 42a for allowing the cooling water to flow in, and the cooling water that flows into the inlet-side manifold 42 from the cooling water inlet 42a is divided and flows through each of the plurality of cooling water flow pipes 41. The outlet-side manifold 43 is provided with a cooling water outlet 43a for allowing the cooling water to flow out, and the cooling water that has flowed through the plurality of cooling water flow pipes 41 flows into the outlet-side manifold 43, joins, and flows out from the cooling water outlet 43a.

[0026] Here, the inlet-side manifold 42 and the outlet-side manifold 43 constituting the cooling device 40 are connected to ends of a cooling water distribution pipe 41 whose both ends are bent upward, and are therefore disposed at a distance from the upper surface of the substrate 10. One of the levers 22 of the socket 20 is located between the upper surface of the substrate 10 and the inlet-side manifold 42, and the other lever 22 of the socket 20 is located between the upper surface of the substrate 10 and the outlet-side manifold 43. That is, the inlet-side manifold 42 and the outlet-side manifold 43 are located in the space above the pair of levers 22 of the socket 20. Furthermore, the inlet-side manifold 42 and the outlet-side manifold 43 are each located outside the longitudinal direction of the memory module 30 when attached to the socket 20 in a plan view. That is, the space above the memory module 30 when attached to the socket 20 is not closed by the inlet-side manifold 42 and the outlet-side manifold 43, but is open upward.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electronic component removal tool 100 of this embodiment has a removal tool main body 110, a pair of arms 120 for operating each of the pair of levers 22 of the socket 20, a pair of posture maintaining members 130 for maintaining the posture of each of the pair of arms 120 relative to the removal tool main body 110, a pair of holding portions 140 for holding the memory module 30, and a cover 150 for covering one surface of the lower end of the removal tool main body 110.

[0028] The removal tool body 110 is a rectangular plate-like member whose vertical dimension is greater than at least the distance from the upper end of the memory module 30 attached to the socket 20 to the upper ends of the inlet-side manifold 42 and the outlet-side manifold 43, and whose width dimension is substantially the same as the longitudinal size of the memory module 30. The upper end of the removal tool body 110 has a long hole extending in the width direction of the upper end and penetrating in the thickness direction, thereby forming a gripping portion 111 to be held by the hand of a user using the electronic component removal tool 100. Furthermore, on both sides of the lower end of the removal tool body 110 in the width direction, one surface is cut out to form accommodation portions 112 for accommodating parts of the pair of arms 120 and the pair of posture-maintaining members 130.

[0029] The upper ends of the pair of arms 120 are positioned in the accommodation section 112 of the removal tool body 110, and the lower ends protrude from the lower end of the removal tool body 110. Support sections 121 are formed at approximately the vertical center of each of the pair of arms 120, protruding toward the widthwise center of the removal tool body 110 and supported via support shafts 160 so as to be swingable in the width direction relative to the removal tool body 110. Contact sections 122 are formed at the upper ends of the pair of arms 120, protruding outward in the widthwise direction of the removal tool body 110. These contact sections 122 come into contact with the inlet manifold 42 or the outlet manifold 43, which are other components provided on the circuit board, when the electronic component removal tool 100 is moved toward the memory module 30 attached to the socket 20. The amount of protrusion of the contact sections 122 gradually increases from the vertical center toward the upper ends of the pair of arms 120. At the lower end of the pair of arms 120, a notch 123 is formed into which memory module 30 can enter when electronic component removal tool 100 is moved toward memory module 30 attached to socket 20.

[0030] Each of the pair of attitude-maintaining members 130 is made of a coil spring. One end of each attitude-maintaining member 130 abuts against the upper end of the arm 120, and the other end abuts against the wall surface of the storage section 112. The attitude-maintaining member 130 maintains the attitude of the arm 120 relative to the detachment tool main body 110 so that the extension direction of the arm 120 is parallel to the extension direction of the side surfaces on both sides of the detachment tool main body 110 in the width direction.

[0031] The pair of holding portions 140 are each formed by bending an elastic plate-like member. The holding portion 140 has a flat base portion 141 and a pair of clamping pieces 142 that each face each other and protrude to one side from an end of the base portion 141. The distance between the pair of clamping pieces 142 is smaller than the thickness of the substrate 31 of the memory module 30 at the intermediate portion between the base end and the tip end, and gradually increases from the intermediate portion toward the base end and the tip end. The holding portion 140 moves the gap between the pair of clamping pieces 142 toward the ends of the memory module 30. When the pair of clamping pieces 142 abut against the ends of the memory module 30, the distance between the pair of clamping pieces 142 is widened, and the memory module 30 is clamped by the pair of clamping pieces 142.

[0032] The cover 150 is made of a rectangular plate-like member, and supports one end of the support shaft 160 when attached to one surface of the lower end side of the removal tool body 110 .

[0033] A method for removing memory module 30 attached to socket 20 on board 10 from socket 20 using electronic component removal tool 100 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0034] First, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower end of electronic component removal tool 100 is inserted into the gap between inlet manifold 42 and outlet manifold 43 and positioned above memory module 30.

[0035] Next, electronic component removal tool 100 is moved downward by inserting both longitudinal sides of memory module 30 into notches 123 of each of the pair of arms 120. As a result, the lower end of one arm 120 contacts the upper end of one of levers 22 of socket 20, and abutment portion 122 abuts inlet manifold 42. Similarly, the lower end of the other arm 120 contacts the upper end of the other lever 22 of socket 20, and abutment portion 122 abuts outlet manifold 43. That is, as shown in FIG. 6 , each of the pair of arms 120 swings in a direction in which the lower end moves outward in the width direction of removal tool body 110 against the biasing force of attitude maintaining member 130.

[0036] 7, the pair of levers 22 of the socket 20 are operated by the swinging arms 120 in a direction to move outward in the extension direction of the socket body 21, thereby releasing the engagement of the engaging portions 22a with the memory module 30 inserted in the grooves 21a of the socket body 21 and moving the memory module 30 inserted in the grooves 21a upward. Furthermore, the memory module 30, which moves upward from its inserted state in the grooves 21a by operation of the pair of levers 22, is pressed into between the pair of clamping pieces 142 in each of the pair of holding portions 140 and is held by the pair of holding portions 140.

[0037] Finally, when electronic component removal tool 100 is moved upward, as shown in FIG. 8, memory module 30 held by a pair of holding portions 140 moves upward together with electronic component removal tool 100, and memory module 30 is removed from socket 20.

[0038] As described above, electronic component removal tool 100 of this embodiment is used when removing plate-like memory module 30 attached to socket 20 provided on substrate 10, and socket 20 includes socket body 21 formed with groove 21a into which one end of memory module 30 is inserted, and engaging portions 22a provided on both sides of groove 21a in the extending direction of socket body 21 and engageable with memory module 30 inserted in groove 21a. By moving groove 21a from the outside to the inside in the extending direction, engaging portions 22a engage with memory module 30, and the extending direction of groove 21a is extended. and a pair of levers 22, the engagement portions 22a of which are disengaged from the memory module 30 by moving the levers 22 from the inside to the outside in the direction indicated by arrows 21a. The electronic component removal tool 100 has a removal tool body 110, a pair of arms 120 provided on the removal tool body 110 for manipulating each of the pair of levers 22, with the engagement portions 22a engaged with the memory module 30 inserted in the grooves 21a, in a direction to disengage the engagement portions 22a from the memory module 30, and a holding portion 140 provided on the removal tool body 110 for holding the memory module 30 whose engagement portions 22a have been disengaged by the pair of arms 120.

[0039] As a result, by operating the pair of levers 22 of the socket 20 with the pair of arms 120, the engagement portion 22a with the memory module 30 can be released, and the memory module 30 whose engagement portion 22a has been released can be held by the holding portion 140.Therefore, the operation of releasing the engagement portion 22a with the memory module 30 and the operation of holding the memory module 30 can be performed with a single tool, thereby improving the efficiency of the operation of removing the memory module 30 from the socket 20.

[0040] Furthermore, it is preferable that each of the pair of arms 120 has an abutment portion 122 that abuts against the inlet side manifold 42 or the outlet side manifold 43 that is arranged at a distance above the lever 22 on the substrate 10 when the removal tool body 110 is moved toward the memory module 30 inserted in the groove 21a of the socket body 21, and that the abutment portion 122 abuts against the inlet side manifold 42 or the outlet side manifold 43, thereby operating the lever 22 in a direction that releases the engagement of the engagement portion 22a with the memory module 30.

[0041] This makes it possible to disengage the engagement portion 22a from the memory module 30 by moving the removal tool main body 110 toward the memory module 30 without requiring a dedicated power source to operate the pair of arms 120, thereby enabling manufacturing costs to be reduced.

[0042] It is also preferable to provide an attitude maintaining member 130 that maintains the attitude of the pair of arms 120 relative to the removal tool body 110.

[0043] This makes it possible to maintain the position of the pair of arms 120 relative to the removal tool body 110 regardless of the orientation of the removal tool body 110, so that the pair of levers 22 can be reliably operated by the pair of arms 120.

[0044] Furthermore, it is preferable that the pair of arms 120 be supported by the removal tool body 110 via a support shaft 160 so as to be able to swing freely.

[0045] This allows each of the pair of arms 120 to swing smoothly relative to the removal tool body 110, and the pair of arms 120 can reliably operate the pair of levers 22.

[0046] Moreover, it is preferable that the removal tool body 110 has a grip portion 111 that is gripped by the user's hand.

[0047] This allows the user to operate electronic component removal tool 100 reliably by gripping grip portion 111 and operating electronic component removal tool 100 .

[0048] In the above embodiment, the memory module 30 is shown as a plate-shaped electronic component, but the present invention is not limited to the memory module 30 as long as it is a plate-shaped electronic component that can be detachably attached to a socket or slot provided on a substrate.

[0049] In addition, in the above embodiment, the inlet side manifold 42 and the outlet side manifold 43 that constitute the cooling device 40 are shown as other components provided on the substrate 10, but the other components are not limited to the inlet side manifold 42 and the outlet side manifold 43, as long as they are arranged directly above the lever 22 of the socket 20 at a distance such that it is difficult to operate the lever 22 from above the substrate 10.

[0050] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 substrate 20 socket 21 socket body 21a groove 22 lever 22a engagement portion 30 memory module 42 inlet manifold 43 outlet manifold 100 electronic component removal tool 110 removal tool body 120 arm 122 abutment portion 130 attitude holding member 140 holding portion 160 support shaft

Claims

1. An electronic component removal tool used to remove a plate-like electronic component attached to a socket provided on a circuit board, the socket having: a socket body formed with a groove into which one end of the electronic component is inserted; and a pair of levers provided on both sides of the socket body in the extension direction of the groove, the levers having engagement portions capable of engaging with the electronic component inserted in the groove, the engagement portions engaging with the electronic component when moved from the outside to the inside in the extension direction of the groove, and the engagement portions disengaging from the electronic component when moved from the inside to the outside in the extension direction of the groove; the electronic component removal tool having: a removal tool body; and a pair of arms provided on the removal tool body for operating each of the pair of levers in a direction to disengage the engagement portions from the electronic component when the engagement portions are engaged with the electronic component inserted in the groove; and a holding portion provided on the removal tool body for holding the electronic component whose engagement portions have been disengaged by the pair of arms.

2. An electronic component removal tool as described in claim 1, wherein each of the pair of arms has an abutment portion that abuts against another member arranged above and spaced apart from the lever on the circuit board when the removal tool main body is moved toward the electronic component inserted in the groove of the socket main body, and when the abutment portion abuts against the other member, an operation is performed to operate the lever in a direction to release the engagement of the engagement portion with the electronic component.

3. The electronic component removal tool according to claim 1, further comprising a position maintaining member for maintaining the position of the pair of arms relative to the removal tool body.

4. The electronic component removal tool according to claim 1, wherein the pair of arms are supported by a support shaft so as to be able to swing freely relative to the removal tool body.

5. The electronic component removal tool according to claim 1, wherein the removal tool body has a grip portion that is held by a user's hand.

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