Registers – Coded record sensors – Holding devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-13
2003-03-04
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Holding devices
C235S492000, C361S737000, C439S076100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06527188
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a PC card frame kit, a PC card and a PC card production method. The term “PC card” is herein to be understood to include PC cards in a narrow sense, cards for communications such as memory cards and LAN cards, smart cards, small PC cards, CF (compact flash (trade mark)) cards, and other cards having constructions similar to the PC cards in a narrow sense.
BACKGROUND ART
Notebook personal computers, for example, are typically provided with a PC card slot, in which a PC card is fitted for extension of their capabilities. The PC card is of a card shape as a whole, and includes a board assembly having a connector mounted on a board for connection to the PC card slot, a frame retaining the board assembly, and a pair of metal panels covering upper and lower surfaces of the board assembly.
PC card production processes are generally classified into a mechanical production process which is suitable formass production and a manual production process which is suitable for relatively small volume production of various types of products. In the mechanical production process, metal panels are fixed to a frame such as molded from a resin with the use of a ultrasonic fusion bonding apparatus or the like. In the manual production process, on the contrary, a pair of metal panels are manually combined with each other by pressing the pair of metal panels toward each other by fingers or a jig with a board assembly and a frame held therebetween for assembling a PC card.
In a PC card frame kit (including the frame and the pair of metal panels) for use in the manual assembling process, for example, engagement members to be brought into lock engagement with each other are provided on side edges of the pair of metal panels. In the assembling, these engagement members are engaged with each other through through-holes formed in the frame, whereby the pair of metal panels are combined with each other and with the frame simultaneously.
However, this arrangement inevitably entails a loose connection between the metal panels and the frame. The loose connection practically presents no functional problem, but the PC card is mechanically unstable, thereby falling short of product perfection. In addition, the PC card may become disassembled if a great shock is applied thereto, for example, when the card is dropped on the floor.
One approach to solve this problem in the prior art is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-153121 (1997). The prior art approach is intended to improve the mechanical stability of a PC card by resiliently biasing a pair of panels outward by resilient press members provided in a frame.
However, the prior art approach fails to assuredly prevent the disassembly of the PC card which may occur if a great shock is applied to the card, for example, when the card is dropped on the floor, because the looseness occurs within the range of resilient deformation of the resilient press members.
The panels, when pressed toward each other, are slightly deformed due to deformation of the resilient press members. Therefore, the PC card is not satisfactory in terms of product perfection.
The PC card is assembled by first positioning the pair of panels with respect to the frame and then combining the pair of panels with each other. However, the positioning of the panels with respect to the frame is not necessarily easy, resulting in difficulty in the assembling. This leads to a lower PC card assembling efficiency.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a PC card frame kit which provides a PC card free from any looseness, and to provide a PC card utilizing such a PC card frame kit.
It is another object of the invention to provide a PC card frame kit which provides a PC card having an improved resistance to an external force, and to provide a PC card utilizing such a PC card frame kit.
It is further another object of the invention to provide a production method for a PC card which ensures easy assembling of the PC card.
A PC card frame kit according to the present invention comprises: a frame for retaining a board assembly having a connector mounted on a board; and a pair of panels for covering upper and lower faces of the board assembly mounted in the frame, wherein the pair of panels each have a pivotal engagement piece provided on a rear edge thereof for pivotal engagement with the frame, front lock engagement pieces provided on front ends of opposite side edges thereof for lock engagement between the panels, and a press-fit piece provided on at least one of the side edges thereof to be press-fitted in the frame, wherein the frame has a pivotal engagement piece receiving groove formed in a rear beam thereof for receiving the pivotal engagement piece in a rotatable manner, and a press-fit groove formed in at least one of opposite side beams associated with the press-fit piece for receiving the press-fit piece.
With this inventive arrangement, the press-fit pieces of the panels are press-fitted in the press-fit groove of the frame, so that the loose connection between the pair of panels can be eliminated. Therefore, even if a great shock is applied to the PC card, for example, when the PC card is dropped on the floor, the PC card is prevented from becoming disassembled. Further, even if a torsion is applied to the PC card, the frame and the panels are accordingly deformed by the effect of the press-fit pieces and the press-fit groove, so that there is no possibility that the panels are disengaged from each other or from the frame. Thus, a PC card having a higher level of product perfection can be provided.
Since the panels are each combined with the frame by engaging the pivotal engagement piece with the pivotal engagement piece receiving groove and then rotating the panel with respect to the frame, the panels can easily be positioned with respect to the frame along the side edges of the panels. Further, the front lock engagement pieces are brought into lock engagement with each other, so that the panels are prevented from being disengaged from each other.
It is preferred that press-fit pieces are provided on both of the opposite side edges of each of the panels. Thus, the looseness can more assuredly be prevented.
The pivotal engagement piece preferably has an open square cross section perpendicular to the rear edge. Thus, the pivotal engagement piece can assuredly be connected to the frame, so that the disassembly of the PC card can be prevented.
A plurality of pivotal engagement piece receiving grooves may be provided in the rear beam of the frame in such an arrangement that a space can be reserved in which the connector or the like is mounted.
The pivotal engagement piece receiving groove preferably has a positioning abutment portion which is to abut against the pivotal engagement piece for positioning the panels with respect to the frame along the rear edges of the pair of panels.
With this arrangement, the positioning of the panels with respect to the frame along the rear edges of the panels can easily be achieved. Thus, the assembling of the PC card is further facilitated.
The positioning abutment portion may be provided at an end of the pivotal engagement piece receiving groove to abut against a side face of the pivotal engagement piece.
The pair of panels preferably each further have a side lock piece provided on at least one of the opposite side edges thereof for lock engagement between the panels.
With this inventive arrangement, the side edges of the panels are connected by the lock engagement, so that the pair of panels can assuredly be combined with each other.
It is preferred that side lock pieces are provided on both of the opposite side edges of each of the panels. Thus, the panels are assuredly prevented from being disengaged from each other.
It is preferred that the side lock pieces respectively provided on the pair of panels are resilient pieces, one of which is formed with a hook portion for preventing disengagement, and the other of which is formed with an engage
Shobara Yoshitaka
Tochi Akihiro
Washino Kiyoshi
Hess Daniel A.
J. S. T. Mfg. Co., LTD
Le Thien M.
Rader & Fishman & Grauer, PLLC
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