Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-11
2001-08-28
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S752000, C361S756000, C361S759000, C361S801000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282101
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the provision of electromagnetic interference and electrostatic discharge shielding of an electronic system.
Modern electronic systems equipment, such as for telecommunications purposes, is often constructed as modular circuit packs inserted into guide slots of mechanical card cages, or shelf units, for engagement with a backplane mounted to the shelf unit at the inward ends of the guide slots. The outward edge of each circuit card is fastened to a face plate assembly which holds a latch for releasably retaining the circuit card in the shelf unit. Although the circuit cards are relatively closely packed, there are still gaps between adjacent face plate assemblies. There are also gaps in the face plate assemblies to allow portions of the latches to pass therethrough. All of these gaps allow electromagnetic interference radiation to leak therethrough. In addition, the gaps allow electrostatic discharge to pass therethrough, possibly causing damage to circuit components mounted on the circuit cards. A need therefore exists to provide shielding against electromagnetic interference and electrostatic discharge for such electronic systems equipment.
It is known to provide such shielding by encasing the electronic components within a conductive housing. While this “closed door” approach is satisfactory, there exists a need to provide such shielding under “open door” conditions, for example where a door to the enclosure is open to allow access to the equipment for maintenance purposes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, the face plate assemblies secured to each of the circuit cards includes an elongated conductive U-shape bracket member extending at least the length of the circuit card edge with the base wall of the U-shape being orthogonal to the circuit card. Secured to one side wall of each of the bracket members is a respective resilient compressible conductive gasket member which extends the length of its respective bracket member. Each bracket member has its respective gasket member secured to the same corresponding side wall as all the other bracket members so that between each adjacent pair of bracket members there is a single respective gasket member. This seals all the gaps between adjacent face plate assemblies.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a plurality of conductive latch members are each pivotably mounted to a respective one of the bracket members. Each latch member includes at least one planar latch hook adapted to engage cooperating structure of the shelf unit holding the circuit card. Each bracket member has its base wall formed with at least one open slot for receiving therethrough a respective latch hook so that the latch hook is parallel to the circuit card and on the same side of the bracket member as the circuit card. The gasket member extends around the bracket member to slidingly engage a side of the latch hook and cover a portion of the respective open slot.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4857668 (1989-08-01), Buonanno
patent: 5233507 (1993-08-01), Gunther et al.
patent: 5930120 (1999-07-01), Gunther et al.
patent: 6185106 (2001-02-01), Mueller
Hanas Christopher P J
Hwang Liang
Davis David L.
Gaffin Jeffrey
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Vu Phuong T.
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