Laterally Removable Socket Pin Cover for Processor Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern computing devices face challenges in protecting the fragile and densely packed connector pins on sockets, which are prone to damage during handling and installation due to their small size and increased density, leading to potential misalignment and bent pins that may require socket replacement.
Innovation Solution
A laterally removable pin cover is installed on the socket to prevent accidental contact with the connector pins during processor installation, allowing the processor to be partially installed before the cover is removed, ensuring the pins are protected from damage and ensuring proper alignment and contact with the connector pads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If connector pins are made smaller and placed with higher density to accommodate modern processors, then the processing capability and integration are improved, but the pins become more fragile and susceptible to damage during handling and installation
Solution Approach 1:
The pin cover is installed on the socket before the processor is placed, creating a protective barrier in advance. This preliminary protective action prevents direct exposure of the fragile pins to potential damage during the installation process, allowing high-density pin configurations without proportionally increasing damage risk
Solution Approach 2:
The pin cover serves as an intermediary protective element between the fragile connector pins and the external environment during handling. This intermediate protective layer absorbs potential mechanical stresses and prevents direct contact that could cause pin damage, enabling the use of smaller, more densely packed pins
2Reliability
If a protective cover is added to the socket to protect connector pins, then pin protection is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function is segmented into a separate, removable pin cover component rather than being integrated into the socket structure itself. This allows the protective function to be added without permanently complicating the socket design, and the modular cover can be easily installed and removed as needed
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover is extracted as a separate, standalone component that can be independently manufactured and installed. This extraction approach allows the protective function to be added without increasing the inherent complexity of the socket itself, and the cover can be sourced and replaced independently if needed
3Ease of operation
If the pin cover is made removable to allow processor installation, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of accidental contact with pins during cover removal increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processor is positioned and aligned with the socket before the pin cover is removed. This preliminary positioning ensures that the processor pads are already aligned with the pins, so when the cover is removed and the processor is lowered, contact is made in the correct position without requiring manual manipulation that could cause misalignment or damage
Solution Approach 2:
The processor assembly process is designed to be self-aligning, where the physical geometry of the processor and socket guide the processor into correct alignment automatically. This self-alignment mechanism eliminates the need for precise manual positioning, reducing the risk of accidental pin contact during the installation process
Data Source
AI summary
A socket used to connect a processor assembly to a PCB is protected during handling and/or processor installation using a laterally removable pin cover. To install the processor assembly, the processor assembly is paced in a cover removal position. While the processor assembly is in the cover removal position, the laterally removable pin cover is laterally removed from the socket. The processor assembly may then be placed into the installed position without ever exposing the connector pins on the socket.