Electricity: conductors and insulators – Insulators – Special application
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-03
2002-04-23
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Insulators
Special application
C174S13800J, C174S16600R, C024S453000, C211S041100, C361S756000, C361S784000, C361S804000, C403S321000, C403S329000, C029S829000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06376776
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a circuit board holder for connecting a circuit board to another component such as a mother board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is conventionally known to mount on a main printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as a main board) a printed circuit board other than the main board (hereinafter referred to as a sub board) in a manner in which the sub board is supported substantially perpendicular with respect to the main board. In such a mounting structure, a board holder
90
, as shown in
FIGS. 8A and 8B
, is employed.
The board holder
90
is fixed on the main board B
1
and has a groove
92
extended in a direction essentially perpendicular to a surface of the main board B
1
. The sub board B
2
is inserted from an end of the groove
92
, and then guided to a proper mounting position along the groove
92
.
Once the sub board B
2
is inserted in the proper mounting position, an engagement piece
94
provided on the board holder
90
is engaged with an engagement receiving part C formed on the sub board B
2
. The sub board B
2
is thus located in the proper mounting position and prevented from being detached from the board holder
90
.
Also, at the same time the sub board B
2
is inserted in the proper mounting position, a contact part (not shown) provided at an end of the sub board B
2
is inserted into a connector (not shown) disposed on the main board B
1
, which results in electrical connection between a circuit on the side of the main board B
1
and that on the side of the sub board B
2
. In this state, even if any load acts on the sub board B
2
, the board holder
90
prevents the load from concentrating on the connector of the main board B
1
or the contact part of the sub board B
2
, thereby protecting the connector and the contact part from being damaged.
Now, in the aforementioned mounting structure for the sub board B
2
, when the sub board B
2
is detached from the main board B
1
, the engagement piece
94
is pulled with a fingertip in a predetermined direction (a direction shown by an arrow A in FIG.
8
B), which results in elastic deformation of the engagement piece
94
to release engagement between the engagement piece
94
and the engagement receiving part C. Then, while the state in which the engagement piece
94
is disengaged from the engagement receiving part C is maintained, the sub board B
2
is pulled out. In this way, the sub board B
2
is detached from the main board B
1
.
However, in cases where the sub board B
2
is detached in the aforementioned manner, the sub board B
2
must be pulled out while the engagement piece
94
is disengaged from the engagement receiving part C. Since at least two board holders
90
are usually provided, an operator needs to use both hands in operating each engagement piece
94
. Consequently, another operator is required for an operation of pulling out the sub board B
2
. That is to say, a detaching operation for the sub board B
2
cannot be carried out by one operator, which is a problem with the conventional board holder. Also, it is often the case that such a board holder
90
and a sub board B
2
are disposed in an extremely narrow space, such as in a housing of a computer or the like, and therefore, it is sometimes difficult for two or more operators to simultaneously reach into such a narrow space and conduct their respective operations. Accordingly, when the detaching operation for the sub board B
2
is carried out by two operators as mentioned above, there is no choice other than that the main board B
1
is first taken out of the housing, and then, the sub board B
2
is detached from the main board B
1
, or that obstacles in the housing are first removed to provide a working space within the housing, and then, the sub board B
2
is detached from the main board B
1
. In both cases, however, the detaching operation for the sub board B
2
is troublesome, which is another problem with the conventional board holder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems. More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide a board holder with which a detaching operation for a board is able to be carried out more easily than before.
In order to attain this object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a board holder to be used for fixing a circuit board in a mounting position to a mother board, the board holder comprising a main part fixed in the vicinity of the mounting position, the main part having a groove into which the circuit board is insertable, for guiding the circuit board along the groove into the mounting position; an engagement part for retaining an engagement receiving part formed on the side of the circuit board, when the circuit board is inserted, along the groove of the main part, into the mounting position; and a movable part having a first position where the movable part does not disturb engagement between the engagement part and the engagement receiving part, and a second position where the movable part abuts and displaces the engagement part from retention of the engagement receiving part.
This board holder is to be used in fixing a circuit board (hereinafter simply referred to as a board), such as a printed circuit board or the like, on which various electronic components are to be mounted, on another printed circuit board or any other panel (hereinafter simply referred to as a mounting position).
In the board holder, the main part is fixed in the vicinity of the mounting position for the board, and the structure for fixing the main part in the vicinity of the mounting position is not particularly restricted. For example, the main part may be fixed by inserting a portion formed integrally with the main part into a mounting hole formed on the mounting position. Alternatively, the main part may be fixed by driving a screw, a pin, or the like. Further alternatively, the main part may be fixed by means of adhesive, solder or the like. Also, any other structure for fixing the main part in the mounting position is applicable. The groove formed in the main part should be in such a width and depth that the board, when inserted into the groove, can be held without wobbling. However, as long as the function of holding the board is not lost, it is permissible that the width or depth of the groove is partially varied, a part of a side wall or a bottom face forming the groove is chipped off, or a hole is formed on the side wall or the bottom face. Also, elastic pressing pieces may be provided within the groove, for securing the board, when inserted into the groove, with elastic deformation, thereby preventing the board from wobbling in cases where the board inserted into the groove is thinner than the width of the groove.
The engagement part is engaged with the engagement receiving part formed on the side of the board, when the board is inserted into the mounting position along the groove of the main part. As a specific structure for engagement between the engagement part and the engagement receiving part, well-known structures for engagement are arbitrarily adoptable. A specific shape of the engagement part can be varied according to a specific shape of the engagement receiving part formed on the side of the board. As an example, the engagement part may have an extending piece which is elastically deformable and having a tip which is bent like a hook, while the engagement receiving part may be a concave portion with which the tip bent like a hook can be engaged.
The movable part is movable to the first position or to the second position, and a specific mode of its motion is not particularly restricted. For example, the movable part may be slidable to move to a first or a second position; otherwise, it may be rotatable to move to the first or second position. However, the movable part should abut on the engagement part to displace it, thereby releasing engagement between the engagement part and the engagement receiving part, at least when moved to the second position.
Each of
Davis & Bujold PLLC
Kitagawa Industries Co., Ltd.
Nino Adolfo
Reichard Dean A.
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