Electricity: conductors and insulators – Anti-inductive structures – Conductor transposition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-11
2001-05-29
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Anti-inductive structures
Conductor transposition
C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S816000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239358
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an I/O shield engaged with an opening disposed in a chassis of an electronic assembly for providing connection access for connectors mounted to a main board, and more particularly to an I/O shield having spring contacts for facilitating placement and removal of the I/O shield and providing enhanced shielding capabilities.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
As the rapid development of electronic assemblies progresses, expansion requirements have arisen for providing the 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 accommodating more components. In most cases, a main board is directly attached to an enclosure of the electronic assembly. In this way, assembly becomes time consuming. Furthermore, the enclosure must be removed and reinstalled during maintenance, expansion, and replacement of the inner main board.
To overcome the deficiency mentioned above, an I/O shield for an electronic assembly, such as a computer device, is introduced. Referring to
FIG. 5
, 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
respectively outwardly extending from opposite edges thereof in a direction away from an interior of the electronic assembly
2
. The shield
5
is mounted to the opening
21
of the chassis
20
from the direction as indicated by an 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 main board (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. 6A and 6B
, each protrusion
53
comprises a base portion
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 portion
531
and the free end
533
. The tip of the bend
532
of the protrusion
53
is located nearer to the free end
533
than to the base portion
531
. The bend
532
and the base portion
531
are elastically deformed when the shield
5
is mounted to 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. 6C
, after the shield
5
is mounted to the chassis opening
21
, the elastically deformed free ends
533
of some of the protrusions
53
return to their original position into the notches
212
. When moving the shield
5
from the opening
21
of the chassis
20
in a reverse direction relative to the direction of arrow “B”, the free ends
533
of some of the protrusions
53
hook on the flange
211
defining the notches
212
thereby hindering removal of the shield
5
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an I/O shield which facilitates placement and removal of the shield from a chassis of the electronic assembly thereby making the replacement of components and the assembly of the electronic assembly more convenient.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an I/O shield for increasing an area of engagement between the chassis of the electronic assembly and the shield thereby enhancing shielding capabilities.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an I/O shield comprising separate parts exhibiting high resiliency and intensity.
In order to achieve the objects set forth, an I/O shield for an electronic assembly in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention comprises a shielding plate with a variety of receiving slots disposed therein and a pair of side walls extending from opposite edges thereof. The shielding plate is guided into a corresponding opening defined in a chassis of the electronic assembly by the side walls. The slots are engaged with corresponding connectors mounted to an inner main board of the electronic assembly and retain the connectors in position. A plurality of spaced spring contacts is formed on the side walls, each comprising two base portions integral with a surface of the side wall and an intermediate projecting portion having a planar section parallel to the side wall. Since the two base portions of each spring contact are integral with the side wall, placement and removal of the shield are thereby facilitated. Furthermore, the area of engagement between each spring contact and a peripheral flange of the opening of the chassis is increased due to the planar portion of the spring contact thereby providing enhanced shielding capabilities.
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: 5684271 (1997-11-01), Scholder et al.
patent: 6023415 (2000-02-01), Mayer et al.
Chung We Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Ngo Hung V
Reichard Dean A.
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