Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-12
2001-09-25
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C174S255000, C174S050510
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295208
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to backplates that secures a substrate to a computer chassis. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a backplate that secures to a substrate of a circuit card or printed circuit board without the use of mechanical fasteners.
Personal computers utilize substrates such as circuit cards and printed circuit boards within the computer chassis to interconnect with other electrical components and peripherals, such as modems. The substrates may be used by consumers or manufacturers to provide additional functional capabilities to an existing personal computer or computer system. As an example, substrates such as circuit cards may be used to provide standard bus interfaces for peripheral devices, such as audio and video devices, tape controllers, modems and other peripherals. Still further substrates such as network circuit cards may be secured to the computer chassis by the backplate, for the purpose of providing modem and/or communication capabilities to the computer.
Typically, circuit cards and other circuit carrying substrates are made available to the manufacturer or consumer as assemblies with the backplate attached to the substrate, so that the consumer and/or manufacturer need only attach the backplate to the computer chassis to secure the substrate in the computer. The backplate and substrate are usually assembled using manual assembly lines. As known in the art, at least two sets of mechanical fasteners are needed to secure the backplate to the substrate. In light of the large number of substrate assemblies that are manufactured, use of mechanical fasteners to secure substrates with backplate adds substantial labor and material expenses to the production cost.
In addition, the circuitry on the substrate often require a chassis ground which may be provided by the backplate. However, the known art lacks an efficient and secure method of employing the backplate as the chassis ground to the substrate. Mechanical fasteners are not always retained or precisely fitted into the substrate to interconnect the ground of the substrate with the backplate. Moreover, manually aligning the fasteners to ground the substrate requires additional labor and/or equipment costs.
These and other shortcomings of the known art are addressed with this invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a backplate is provided having an elongated section orthogonally joined to a top section. The backplate includes a first tab set having a first and second tab extending from the elongated section. The first and second tabs are longitudinally offset and laterally spaced apart from one another to define a slot for retaining a substrate. The first tab includes a first tang that extends into the slot for engaging a fastener hole of the substrate being inserted thereon.
The embodiment may also include a second tab set having a first and second tab extending from an edge of the elongated section. The first tabs of each tab set further include a distal surface for contacting a grounding plane adjacent to the fastener hole on the substrate.
In an another embodiment of the invention, the backplate includes an elongated section, and a top section orthogonal to the elongated section for securing the backplate to the computer chassis. A first and second tab set align longitudinally on the elongated section. Each tab set includes at least a first tab and a second tab extending from the elongated section, the first and second tabs of each tab set being longitudinally offset and laterally spaced apart to define a slot for retaining a substrate. The first tab of each tab set includes a first tang that extends into the slot for engaging a fastener hole on the substrate, and a distal contact surface for contacting a grounding plane on the substrate. The second tab of each tab set is curved to have a maximum deflection region extending into the slot and a rounded end that combines with the first tab to form an enlarged mouth for the slot.
The embodiment may also provide the first and second tab set to be positioned longitudinally along an edge of the backplate so that the first tabs of the first and second tab set contact a corresponding grounding plane on the top and bottom of the substrate. The first and second tabs of each tab set may also be sufficiently resilient, to expand upon receiving the substrate inserted therebetween.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the backplate includes an elongated section, and a top section orthogonal to the elongated section for attaching the backplate to the computer chassis. A first and second tab set align longitudinally on the elongated section. Each tab set includes at least a first tab and a second tab extending from the elongated section, the first and second tabs of each tab set being longitudinally offset and laterally spaced apart to define a slot for retaining the substrate. The first tab of each tab set includes a first tang that extends into the slot for engaging a first fastener hole on the substrate, and a distal contact surface contacting a grounding plane on the inserted substrate. The second tab of each tab set includes a second tang that extends into the slot for engaging a second fastener hole on the substrate.
The embodiment may also provide for the first and second tab set to be positioned longitudinally along an edge of the backplate so that the first tabs of the first and second tab set contact a corresponding grounding plane on the top and bottom of the substrate. The first and second tabs of each tab set may be sufficiently resilient to expand upon receiving the substrate inserted therebetween. The embodiment may also provide for additional tab sets. Each of the tab sets may include additional tabs extending from the elongated section.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, a network card assembly is provided with the backplate for communications with a network. Moreover, the features described with the variations of this invention are interchangeable between the various embodiments.
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Burbano Carlos
Murchison Loren
Reeve Brian Geroge
3Com Corporation
Gaffin Jeffrey
McDonnell & Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff
Norris Jeremy
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