Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-17
2001-03-20
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S756000, C361S759000, C361S801000, C361S727000, C361S788000, C174S250000, C248S694000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205033
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mechanical card guides for circuit boards and electrical backplanes.
II. Description of the Related Art
Methods for installation and alignment of circuit boards and backplanes within an electronic assembly typically involve a multi-step process. The process typically includes installing the backplane in an aligned orientation within the electronic assembly. The circuit board guides are then installed in the electronic assembly. The guides must be aligned with the backplane in order for the connectors on the circuit boards to properly mate with the connectors on the backplane.
If either the backplane or the circuit board guides are not aligned properly, the circuit boards will not mate with the backplane connectors. To get the backplane and circuit board guides properly aligned requires additional assembly time during the manufacturing process. There is a resulting unforeseen need for a self-aligning backplane and circuit board guide mechanism.
SUMMARY
The circuit board guide apparatus of the present invention provides a selfaligning function for the backplane and circuit boards of an electronic assembly. The apparatus is comprised of a plurality of circuit board guides. Each circuit board guide is substantially parallel to the remaining circuit board guides. In the preferred embodiment, the guides are all in the same plane.
A guide retention device is coupled to the plurality of circuit board guides. The guide retention device separates and retains the plurality of circuit board guides in the parallel manner. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of the guide retention devices is spaced along the circuit board guides to provide stability to long guides. In one embodiment, the guide retention devices extend downward from the circuit board guides to provide elevation of the guides from the side of an enclosure.
A backplane retaining portion is coupled to the rear portion of the plurality of circuit board guides. The backplane retaining portion, in the preferred embodiment, comprises a plurality of indentations, for accepting raised areas on a backplane. Semi-circular extensions in front of the indentations guide the raised areas from the backplane into the indentations.
The backplane retaining portion also has a retaining lip for holding the backplane substantially immobile against the indentations. The lip has a slope that allows the edge of the backplane to be slid rearward, so that the raised areas can engage the indentations, before snapping back on the edge of the backplane to retain it.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3731157 (1973-05-01), Reimer
patent: 4700275 (1987-10-01), Wood
patent: 5666271 (1997-09-01), Kim et al.
patent: 5751558 (1998-05-01), Gullicksrud et al.
patent: 5805429 (1998-09-01), Andersson
Crane John D.
Dinh Tuan
Gaffin Jeffrey
Nortel Networks Limited
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