Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-04
2002-03-12
Gandhi, Jayprakash N. (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S752000, C361S802000, C361S825000, C439S358000, C200S303000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06356450
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to circuit board holders and circuit board assemblies.
BACKGROUND
The utility of printed and other circuit boards is well known.
In the field of circuit breakers, the art has evolved progressive methods and circuit breaker housings for conveniently mounting circuit breakers in corresponding apertures of power switching panels, such as apparent from U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,793, by Bohdan Krasij, issued Mar. 14, 1989 for “Circuit Breaker Housing With Centered Actuator.” Circuit breaker housings such as shown in FIG. 9 of that patent have been and are being sold as “dummies” for covering up panel apertures where no circuit breaker is being mounted at the time. Commercial versions of such dummies accommodate different mounting panel thicknesses by serrations at ends of so-called wings 220
c
shown in that patent.
In the circuit board field, there exists a need for improved circuit board holders and assemblies. By way of example and not by way of limitation, the need is particularly pressing in applications requiring rapid circuit board replacements, preferably without power interruption. One example in this respect is the alarm circuit field, such as in telephone exchange and the like, where circuit boards of alarm systems need to be replaced without disruption of power to distribution circuits.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide improved methods of making circuit board holders.
It is a germane object of the invention to provide improved circuit board holders.
It is a related object of the invention to provide improved methods of making circuit board assemblies.
It is a related object of the invention to provide improved circuit board assemblies. Other objects will become apparent in the further course of this disclosure.
From a first aspect thereof, the invention resides in a method of making a circuit board holder and, more specifically, resides in the improvement comprising, in combination, providing that circuit board holder with a face plate and with walls projecting from an inside of that face plate, equipping a pair of opposite ones of such walls with circuit board retainers and equipping that circuit board holder with a holder retainer for releasably retaining that circuit board holder in the mentioned aperture of the panel.
From a related aspect thereof, the invention resides in a circuit board holder comprising, in combination, a face plate and walls projecting from an inside of that face plate, circuit board retainers at a pair of opposite ones of such walls, and a holder retainer at an edge of the face plate.
The circuit board retainers may be inside and/or outside of the circuit board holder.
From another aspect thereof, the invention resides in a method of mounting a device, such as a circuit board holder, in an aperture of a panel, comprising, in combination, providing that device with a resilient snap for releasably retaining that device in the panel at that aperture, providing the panel with a slot at that aperture for access to the resilient snap through that panel, and releasing such resilient snap through that slot for removal of the device from the panel.
From a related aspect thereof, the invention resides in a combination of a panel having an aperture, a device, such as a circuit board holder, retained in that aperture by a resilient snap at an edge of that aperture, and a slot in such panel at that aperture exposing the resilient snap through the panel at an edge of the mentioned aperture in that panel.
Embodiments of the invention extend to assemblies of such circuit board holders with circuit boards therein and with circuit panels.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4812793 (1989-03-01), Krasij
patent: 5943218 (1999-08-01), Liu
patent: 5969946 (1999-10-01), Lai et al.
patent: 6054648 (2000-04-01), Hikita et al.
patent: 6056579 (2000-05-01), Richard, III et al.
patent: 6074237 (2000-06-01), Lee
patent: 6171131 (2001-01-01), Lee
patent: 6176727 (2001-01-01), Liu et al.
Andreasen Paul E.
Keenan James J.
Sevier Richard W.
Dinh Tuan
Gandhi Jayprakash N.
Hendry Mechanical Works
Koppel & Jacobs
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