Expansion circuit board retainer

Details Expansion circuit board retainer Expansion circuit board retainer

1999-11-05

2001-12-18

Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S801000, C361S802000, C439S327000, C439S377000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06331940

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an expansion circuit board retainer, and particularly to a retainer for holding an expansion circuit board in a computer system.
2. The Related Art
In a conventional computer system, system capability is upgraded through the insertion of expansion circuit boards to a main board. The expansion circuit boards also connect to other components in the computer system. Generally, a computer system includes a plurality of expansion circuit boards disposed in a complex, closely spaced array.
It is often necessary to remove an expansion circuit board to upgrade system capability, to check reliability or to insert a new board that will cause the system to operate differently. Additionally, it is important to ensure that vibrations caused by the system or vibration in the environment in which the system operates will not cause the failure of any electrical connections. Therefore, the expansion circuit boards preferably are both removably and rigidly mounted in the system.
Some developed retainers are designed only for retaining a CPU cartridge packaged in a S.E.C.C. (Single Edge Connection Cartridge) form factor. The CPU cartridge is a rectangular box which encloses an expansion circuit board with a CPU chip therein. The retainer holds two opposite sides of the CPU cartridge, which is designed for holding a box-typed cartridge and can not retain a board-typed expansion circuit board.
The prior art for board-typed expansion circuit board retainers includes a retaining bracket for engaging with a side edge of the expansion circuit board. The retaining bracket has a slot for guiding and positioning the expansion circuit board and a latch at a top end thereof for securing the expansion circuit board. Therefore, the height of the retaining bracket is fixed. Such a prior art board retainer can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,143. To change to another expansion circuit board with a second height, a different retainer having a retaining bracket with a second height must be used.
In view of the above shortcomings, a board-typed and height-adjustable expansion circuit board retainer is required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a board-typed and height-adjustable expansion circuit board retainer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an expansion circuit board retainer for securely retaining an expansion circuit board.
The present invention discloses an expansion circuit board retainer which comprises a supporting bracket and an adjustable sleeve. The supporting bracket is secured to a main board and the adjustable sleeve is slidably mounted to the supporting bracket. The sleeve forms a sleeve slot in a wall thereof through which bolts can extend and screw into corresponding holes of the bracket to adjust the sleeve position. The sleeve also forms pairs of blocks for guiding and receiving a side edge of an expansion circuit board. A retaining head is formed at a top end of the sleeve, which presses the expansion circuit board downward to secure the expansion circuit board in the bracket.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4731698 (1988-03-01), Millot et al.
patent: 5216578 (1993-06-01), Zenitani et al.
patent: 5822197 (1998-10-01), Thuault
patent: 5943218 (1998-06-01), Lin
patent: 6007357 (1999-12-01), Perino et al.
patent: 6056574 (1998-09-01), Yeomans et al.
patent: 6168450 (1999-01-01), Davis et al.

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