I/O shield for electronic assemblies

Details I/O shield for electronic assemblies I/O shield for electronic assemblies

1999-05-01

2001-06-26

Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)

Electricity: conductors and insulators

Anti-inductive structures

Conductor transposition

C174S034000, C361S799000, C361S800000, C361S816000, C361S818000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06252160

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an I/O shield inserted into an opening disposed in a chassis of an electronic assembly for shielding a mainboard installed within the electronic assembly and providing connection access for connectors mounted to the mainboard, and more particularly to an I/O shield having spring contacts for facilitating removal of the I/O shield from a chassis of an electronic assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
As the development of computer technology further progresses, expansion requirements arise for providing electronic assemblies with additional functions. Thus, it is necessary to add new components to circuit boards installed within the electronic assemblies, or to rearrange the inner space of the electronic assemblies for receiving more components therein thereby supporting additional functions. In most cases, a mainboard is directly attached to the enclosure of the electronic assemblies. In this way, not only does assembly become time consuming, but maintenance also becomes inconvenient. The enclosure must be removed and reinstalled during maintenance, expansion, and replacement of the inner mainboard.
To overcome the deficiency mentioned above, an I/O shield is introduced. Referring to
FIG. 6
, an opening
21
is defined in a chassis
20
of an electronic assembly
2
for receiving an I/O shield
5
. The shield
5
comprises a pair of side walls
51
extending outwardly from opposite edges thereof. The shield
5
is inserted into the opening
21
of the chassis
20
in the direction of arrow “B” with the side walls
51
abutting against a peripheral flange
211
of the opening
21
. A plurality of notches
212
is defined in the peripheral flange
211
of the opening
21
. A plurality of slots
52
having different shapes is disposed in the shield
5
for providing corresponding connectors (not shown) mounted to a mainboard (not shown) installed within the electronic assembly
2
with connection access for mating with corresponding external connectors and retaining the connectors in position. A plurality of stamped and formed protrusions
53
having an inverse V-shape is formed on the side walls
51
.
Also referring to
FIGS. 7A and 7B
, each protrusion
53
comprises a base
531
integral with the side wall
51
, a free end
533
extending beyond the surface of the side wall
51
and a bend
532
formed between the base
531
and the free end
533
. The bend
532
of the protrusion
53
is positioned closer to the free end
533
than to the base
531
. Thus, the bend
532
is plastically deformed and the base
531
is resiliently deformed when the shield
5
is inserted into the opening
21
of the chassis
20
and the protrusions
53
are pressed by the peripheral flange
211
of the opening
21
.
Also referring to
FIG. 7C
, after the shield
5
is inserted into the chassis opening
21
and some of the protrusions
53
are received in the notches
212
of the peripheral flange
211
, the plastically deformed bends
532
of some of the protrusions
53
become upwardly warped thereby causing the free ends
533
thereof to extend through the notches
212
. When moving the shield
5
from the opening
21
of the chassis
20
in a reverse direction, the free ends
533
of some of the protrusions
53
hook on the notches
212
of the opening
21
thereby hindering removal of the shield
5
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an I/O shield for facilitating placement and removal of the shield from a chassis of an electronic assembly thereby promoting convenient replacement of components and assembly of the electronic assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an I/O shield for decreasing the size of a gap between the chassis of the electronic assembly and the shield thereby providing enhanced shielding capabilities.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an I/O shield comprising two separate parts having high resiliency and intensity, respectively.
In order to achieve the objects set forth, an I/O shield for an electronic assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a shielding plate having a reinforcing plate and a resilient plate attached together with a plurality of receiving slots disposed therein and a pair of side walls respectively extends from opposite edges thereof. The shielding plate is guided into a corresponding opening disposed in a chassis of the electronic assembly by the side walls. The slots are engaged with corresponding connectors mounted to an inner mainboard of the electronic assembly and retain the connectors in position. A plurality of spaced spring contacts is formed on the side walls. Each spring contact comprises a base integral with the side wall surface, a free end, and a bend between the base and the free end, wherein the tip of the bend is located nearer to the base than to the free end. When the spring contacts are pressed during assembly, the base of the spring contact is plastically deformed thereby preventing the free end from being warped and engaging with the chassis for facilitating placement and removal of the shield.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5467254 (1995-11-01), Brusati et al.
patent: 5564930 (1996-10-01), Yu
patent: 5684271 (1997-11-01), Scholder et al.
patent: 5742003 (1998-04-01), Ho
patent: 5959244 (1999-09-01), Mayer

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