Supports – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-14
2001-11-13
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Miscellaneous
C248S346300, C361S740000, C361S754000, C361S727000, C361S689000, C439S327000, C439S377000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315263
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a circuit board mount for mounting/connecting a circuit board or a CPU module to a main computer board and in particular to a collapsible circuit board mount which reduces the space occupied thereby at a stowed position.
2. The Prior Art
A connection device is commonly used to mount and connect a circuit board or an electronic component to a main computer board. Taking a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer as an example, the CPU is conventionally fixed to the main board by being directly soldered thereto. Nowadays, however, the CPU is first fixed to a circuit board to form a CPU module which is then mounted to the main board by means of a connection device. This helps to reduce the occupied space on the main board. The circuit board that is mounted to the main board by means of the connection device must be firmly supported by support means otherwise the circuit board that is usually perpendicular to the main board may shake or vibrate. Thus, a poor connection between the circuit board and the connection device may result thereby causing malfunction of the computer or the parts thereof.
Support means directly fixed on the connection device as a unitary member for retaining the circuit board on the connection device is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 85216861, 85216815, 85215723 and 85216150 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,390, 4,057,879, 5,207,598, 5,259,793 and 5,429,523, while in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,825,037 and 3,829,741, support means that is separate from and additionally mounted to the connection device to support the circuit board is disclosed. Both types of support means have a common disadvantage that the support means constitutes an elongate support arm member that is generally not movable or collapsible with respect to the connection device thereby occupying a significant amount of space which is inconvenient for packing and transportation of the connection device.
In addition, the connection device of this type is usually mounted to the main board with fixing means having a complicated structure which makes manufacture laborious thereby increasing costs.
It is thus desirable to have a collapsible circuit board mount for connecting and mounting a circuit board to a main computer board that overcomes the problems encountered in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a circuit board mount which has two collapsible support arms that are rotatable with respect to a mount base so as to reduce the overall dimension of the mount at a stowed position.
Another object of the present invention to is provide a collapsible mount wherein a ratchet and paw system is incorporated between a base and support arms so as to selectively retain the support arms at an expanded position.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible mount wherein pivot pins are provided on a base to be rotatably received in holes defined in the support arms, the pivot pins having an inclined free end for facilitating insertion of the pivot pin into the respective hole of the support arm.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible mount wherein a mount base comprises a plurality of fixing members for fixing the base to the main board, the fixing members having a simple structure thereby simplifying the manufacture thereof and reducing costs.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a collapsible mount adapted to mount/connect an electronic device, such as a CPU module or a circuit board, to a main board, comprises a base fixed on the main board and two support arms pivotably connected to the base to be movable between a stowed position and an expanded position wherein the support arms are substantially opposite and spaced from each other to accommodate the electronic device therebetween. A positioning device is provided to retain the support arms at the expanded position.
The positioning device comprises a ratchet wheel formed on the base and having two spaced teeth respectively corresponding to the expanded position and the stowed position and a corresponding paw which is provided on the support arm to be movable therewith for selectively engaging one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel to position and retain the support arm at either the stowed position or the expanded position.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the pivotal connection between each support arm and the base comprises two pivot pins extending from two sides of the base and two corresponding holes defined in each support arm for receiving the pivot pins therein. The pivot pins have an inclined free end which facilitates insertion of the pivot pins into the respective holes of the support arms.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the base of the collapsible mount comprises a plurality of channel members attached to the two sides thereof, each receiving an inner-threaded cylinder. A bore is defined in each channel member to be aligned with the inner-threaded cylinder for receiving a fastener therethrough for fixing the mount to the main board. Each channel member has two side walls each forming a triangular pawl opposite each other and defining a neck therebetween. The channel member further comprises an end wall having a pawl opposite the neck so as to retain an expanded bottom of the inner-threaded cylinder in the channel member.
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Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Ramirez Ramon O.
Wood Kimberly
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