Integrated circuit carrier

Claim 2

A carrier device for holding an electronic component module of the type having leads extending therefrom, comprising in combination, a body having upper and lower surfaces and a module body-receiving opening extending completely through said carrier body between said upper and lower surfaces and having spaced apart longitudinally extending and spaced apart widthwise extending bounding edges, said body-receiving opening being defined along either its longitudinally or widthwise extending edges by opposite marginal portions of said carrier body and being defined along the remaining of its longitudinally and widthwise extending edges by the inwardly facing sides of a pair of resilient beams carried by said carrier body, said beams inwardly facing sides being spaced apart a distance sufficient to accommodate therebetween the body of the module to be received in said body-receiving opening, said beams each also having an outwardly facing side lying away from said body-receiving opening and defining an edge of a beam accepting aperture, component module retainer means partially closing the entrance to said body-receiving opening to a size effective to prevent passage of a module, said retainer means by outward deflection of said beams into said beam accepting apertures being shiftable to permit passage of a module body into said body-receiving opening and being thereafter returnable to the passage preventing position when said beams resiliently return to their undeflected positions.

Claim 3

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said beams are formed integrally with said carrier body and are joined thereto at least at one point.

Claim 4

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said beams are formed integrally with said carrier body and are joined to the latter at opposite ends of said beams.

Claim 5

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said beams are formed integrally with said carrier body and are joined thereto at least at one point, said beam accepting apertures being in the shape of elongated slots extending the full length of each of said beams.

Claim 6

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said body-receiving opening is defined along its longitudinally extending edges by the opposite longitudinally extending side marginal portions of said carrier body and is defined along its widthwise extending edges by said inwardly facing sides of said pair of resilient beams, said resilient beams and beam accepting apertures adjacent thereto extending widthwise of said carrier.

Claim 7

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said beams are formed integrally with said carrier body and are joined thereto at least at one point, and wherein said body-receiving opening is defined along its longitudinally extending edges by the opposite longitudinally extending side marginal portions of said carrier body and is defined along its widthwise extending edges by said inwardly facing sides of said pair of resilient beams, said resilient beams and beam accepting apertures adjacent thereto extending widthwise of said carrier.

Claim 8

A carrier as defined in claim 1 further including at least one additional aperture through the carrier body spaced longitudinally endwise of said body-receiving opening, said additional aperture registering with at least one lead of a component module installed in said carrier, whereby such lead may be mechanically worked and electrically engaged.

Claim 9

A carrier as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one additional aperture through the carrier body comprises a plurality of spaced apart holes.

Claim 10

A carrier as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one additional aperture through the carrier body comprises a slot extending intersectingly transverse to a group of component module leads.

Claim 11

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said beams are formed integrally with said carrier body and are joined thereto at least at one point, and wherein said body-receiving opening is defined along its longitudinally extending edges by the opposite longitudinally extending side marginal portions of said carrier body and is defined along its widthwise extending edges by said inwardly facing sides of said pair of resilient beams, said resilient beams and beam accepting apertures adjacent thereto extending widthwise of said carrier, said carrier further including at least one additional aperture through the carrier body spaced longitudinally endwise of said body-receiving opening, said additional aperture registering with at least one lead of a component module installed in said carrier, whereby such lead may be mechanically worked and electrically engaged.

Claim 12

A carrier as defined in claim 1 further including component module body support means engaged by and operative to support the body of a component module inserted into said carrier body-receiving opening while maintaining the module leads free of body supporting engagement with said carrier.

Claim 13

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said beams are formed integrally with said carrier body and are joined therEto at least at one point, and wherein said body-receiving opening is defined along its longitudinally extending edges by the opposite longitudinally extending side marginal portions of said carrier body and is defined along its widthwise extending edges by said inwardly facing sides of said pair of resilient beams, said resilient beams and beam accepting apertures adjacent thereto extending widthwise of said carrier, said carrier further including at least one additional aperture through the carrier body spaced longitudinally endwise of said body-receiving opening, said additional aperture registering with at least one lead of a component module installed in said carrier, whereby such lead may be mechanically worked and electrically engaged, and wherein said carrier further includes component module body support means engaged by and operative to support the body of a component module inserted into said carrier body-receiving opening while maintaining the module leads free of body supporting engagement with said carrier.

Claim 14

A carrier as defined in claim 1 further including beam spreading means carried by said beams and effective when operated to spread said beams and permit easy entry of a component module body into said body-receiving opening in said carrier.

Claim 15

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said retainer means comprises means carried by at least one of said resilient beams.

Claim 16

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said retainer means is integral with and shiftable with at least one of said resilient beams.

Claim 17

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said retainer means is integral with and shiftable with at least one of said resilient beams and extends inwardly into said body-receiving opening from the inwardly facing side of said at least one beam and is positioned so as to overlie a portion of the upper surface of a component module body installed in said carrier.

Claim 18

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said beams inwardly facing sides are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the body of the module to be received in said body-receiving opening.

Claim 19

A carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein the leads from an electronic component module are adapted to extend across at least one of said upper and lower carrier body surfaces, which surface is configured to function as a forming die for the module leads.

Claim 20

A carrier as defined in claim 1 further including beam stop means positioned to engage said beams and prevent deflection thereof beyond the elastic limit of said beams when the latter have been deflected to a predetermined extent.

Claim 21

A carrier as defined in claim 11 wherein said component module body support means comprises underlying shelf means upon which the component module body seats.

Claim 22

A carrier as defined in claim 11 wherein said component module body support means comprises underlying shelf means upon which the component module body seats, said shelf means being carried by at least one of said beams.

Claim 23

A carrier as defined in claim 11 wherein said component module body support means comprises underlying shelf means upon which the component module body seats, said shelf means being carried by at least one of said marginal portions of said carrier body and extending therefrom into said body-receiving opening.

Claim 24

A carrier as defined in claim 11 wherein said component module body support means comprises underlying shelf means upon which the component module body seats, and said retainer means comprises means carried by at least one of said resilient beams.

Claim 25

A carrier as defined in claim 11 wherein said component module body support means comprises underlying shelf means upon which the component module body seats, said shelf means being carried by at least one of said marginal portions of said carrier body and extending therefrom into said body-receiving opening, and wherein said retainer means comprises means carried by at least one of said resilient beams.

Claim 26

A carrier as defineD in claim 11 wherein said component module body support means comprises underlying shelf means upon which the component module body seats, said shelf means being carried by at least one of said beams, and wherein said retainer means is integral with and shiftable with at least one of said resilient beams and extends inwardly into said body-receiving opening from the inwardly facing side of said at least one beam and is positioned so as to overlie a portion of the upper surface of a component module body installed in said carrier.

Claim 27

A carrier as defined in claim 25 further including beam spreading means carried by said beams and effective when operated to spread said beams and permit easy entry of a component module into said body-receiving opening in said carrier.

Claim 28

A carrier device for holding an electronic component module comprising in combination, a main body member having opposed top and bottom surfaces, said body member being apertured to provide therein a central opening extending completely therethrough from the top to the bottom surfaces thereof and a pair of elongated slots respectively spaced outwardly from one pair of opposite sides of said central opening, said slots forming conjointly with said central opening a pair of flexible beams each having at least one end thereof joined to said carrier body, and vertically spaced upper and lower retaining means which project into the area of said central opening adapted respectively to overhang at least a part of the top surface of an electronic component module positioned in said central opening for preventing unintentional upward displacement of said module from between said beams and to underlie at least a part of the bottom surface of said module for supporting the same in position between said beams, said beams each having a flexing capability sufficient to allow the component module to be inserted substantially flatwise downwardly into said central opening past said upper retaining means and into seated engagement with said lower retaining means.

Claim 29

A carrier device for holding an electronic component module comprising in combination, a main body member having opposed top and bottom surfaces, said body member being apertured to provide therein a central opening extending completely therethrough from the top to the bottom surfaces thereof and a pair of elongated slots respectively spaced outwardly from one pair of opposite sides of said central opening, said slots forming conjointly with said central opening a pair of flexible beams each having at least one end thereof joined to said carrier body, and vertically spaced upper and lower retaining means which project into the area of said central opening adapted respectively to overhang at least a part of the top surface of an electronic component module positioned in said central opening for preventing unintentional upward displacement of said module from between said beams and to underlie at least a part of the bottom surface of said module for supporting the same in position between said beams, said beams each having a flexing capability sufficient to allow the component module to be inserted substantially flatwise downwardly into said central opening past said upper retaining means and into seated engagement with said lower retaining means.

Claim 30

A carrier device as defined in claim 27 wherein said vertically spaced means are all formed as integral elements of said beams.

Claim 31

A carrier device as defined in claim 27 wherein said upper retaining means are all formed as integral elements of said beams.

Claim 32

A carrier device as defined in claim 27 wherein said lower retaining means are in the form of coplanar platforms extending into the area of said central opening for seating of the component module thereon.

Claim 33

A carrier device as defined in claim 27 wherein said lower retaining means are formed as integral elements of said carrier body independent of and apart from said beams.

Claim 34

A carrier device as defined in claim 27 wherein said lower retaining means are in the form of opposed coplanar platforms which project into the area of said central opening between and in spaced relation to said beams.

Claim 35

A carrier device for holding an electronic component module of the type having a module body and leads extending therefrom, comprising in combination, a carrier device body having upper and lower surfaces and a module body-receiving opening extending completely through said carrier body between said upper and lower surfaces and having spaced apart longitudinally extending and spaced apart widthwise extending bounding edges, said body-receiving opening being defined along either its longitudinally or widthwise extending edges by opposite marginal portions of said carrier body and being defined along the remaining of its longitudinally and widthwise extending edges by the inwardly facing sides of a pair of resilient beams carried by said carrier body, said beams inwardly facing sides being spaced apart a distance sufficient to accommodate therebetween the body of the module to be received in said body-receiving opening, said beams each also having an outwardly facing side lying away from said body-receiving opening and defining an edge of a beam accepting aperture, component module retaineR means partially closing the entrance to said body-receiving opening to a size effective to prevent passage of a module body, said retainer means by outward deflection of said beams into said beam accepting apertures being shiftable to permit passage of a module body into said body-receiving opening and being thereafter returnable to the passage preventing position when said beams resiliently return to their undeflected positions.

Claim 36

A carrier device for holding an electronic component module of the type having a module body and leads extending therefrom, comprising in combination, a carrier device body having upper and lower surfaces and a module body-receiving opening extending completely through said carrier body between said upper and lower surfaces and having spaced apart longitudinally extending and spaced apart widthwise extending bounding edges, said body-receiving opening being defined along either its longitudinally or widthwise extending edges by opposite marginal portions of said carrier body and being defined along the remaining of its longitudinally and widthwise extending edges by the inwardly facing sides of a pair of resilient beams carried by said carrier body, said beams inwardly facing sides being spaced apart a distance sufficient to accommodate therebetween the body of the module to be received in said body-receiving opening, said beams each also having an outwardly facing side lying away from said body-receiving opening and defining an edge of a beam accepting aperture, component module retaineR means partially closing the entrance to said body-receiving opening to a size effective to prevent passage of a module body, said retainer means by outward deflection of said beams into said beam accepting apertures being shiftable to permit passage of a module body into said body-receiving opening and being thereafter returnable to the passage preventing position when said beams resiliently return to their undeflected positions.