Supports: racks – Special article – Platelike
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-01
2002-09-03
Gibson, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Platelike
C211S026000, C361S740000, C361S747000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06443315
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug-in unit consisting of a sub-rack constituting electronic equipment such as communication equipment and related structure and a printed circuit board including electronic circuit parts inserted into and removed from the sub-rack. for inserting the plug-in unit into the sub-rack and removing the plug-in unit from the sub-rack.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of the constitution of a conventional sub-rack. In
FIG. 1
, reference numeral
100
denotes a sub-rack while
101
denotes a top plate,
102
denotes a bottom plate,
103
denotes a side plate and
104
denotes a front rail arranged on front edges of the top plate
101
and the bottom plate
102
, respectively. Reference number
105
denotes a mid-rail arranged on a midrange of the top plate
101
and the bottom plate
102
, respectively, so as to cross the midrange while
106
denotes a guide rail whose opposite ends are mounted on upper faces of the front rail
104
and the mid-rail
105
and
107
denotes a locating hole used for locating a position on which a plug-in unit (not shown) is inserted.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the sub-rack
100
that a plug-in unit is partially mounted. In
FIG. 2
,
111
denotes a front panel for covering an opening of the sub-rack
100
when the plug-in unit is housed in the sub-rack
100
while
112
denotes a handle arranged on the front panel
111
, the handle
112
being used for insertion and removal of the plug-in unit. Reference number
112
a
denotes a lever part being operated on operating rotationally the handle
112
.
FIG. 3
is a side view of the constitution of a plug-in unit inserted into the sub-rack. In
FIG. 3
, reference number
120
denotes a plug-in unit,
121
denotes a printed circuit board constituting the plug-in unit, and
122
denotes a connector arranged on the printed circuit board
121
, which can be connected to a connector arranged on a back plane by a plug-in mode. Reference number
123
denotes a guide pin, which is inserted into a locating hole
107
in order to locate the front panel
111
,
124
denotes a handle-support part, which is coupled to the printed circuit board
121
or the front panel
111
and
125
denotes a pin, which is locked to the handle
112
or the handle-support part
124
to allow the rotation of the handle
112
with respect to the handle-support part
124
. In
FIG. 3
, since common numerals denote common elements in
FIG. 2
, the description of such parts is omitted.
FIG. 4
is a side view of a conventional insertion and removal system in a plug-in unit for inserting the plug-in unit into the sub-rack and removing the plug-in unit from the sub-rack. In
FIG. 4
, reference number
131
denotes a first engagement claw formed on the handle
112
and
132
denotes a second engagement claw formed on the handle
112
. Reference number
133
denotes a first engagement part formed on the front rail
104
and
134
denotes a second engagement part formed on the front rail
104
. In
FIG. 4
, since the common numerals denote common elements in
FIGS. 1
to
3
, the description of such parts is omitted.
The motion will be described as follows:
When the plug-in unit
120
having the printed circuit board
121
is inserted into the sub-rack
100
, the printed circuit board
121
is slid along a groove formed on the guide rail
106
. The guide pin
123
, arranged on the plug-in unit
120
, is then inserted into the locating hole
107
formed in the front rail
104
to locate the front panel
111
with respect to the front rail
104
. The lever part
112
a
of the handle
112
is then rotated in a direction of arrow A shown in
FIG. 4
in a state of engaging the first engagement claw
131
of the handle
112
with the first engagement part
133
of the front rail
104
. The connector
122
of the printed circuit board
121
is connected to the back plane to finish the insertion of the plug-in unit
120
.
When the plug-in unit
120
is removed from the sub-rack
100
, the lever part
112
a
of the handle
112
is rotated in a direction of arrow B shown in
FIG. 4
in a state of engaging the second engagement claw
132
of the handle
112
with the second engagement part
134
of the front rail
104
to disconnect the connector
122
of the printed circuit board
121
from the back plane. The printed circuit board
121
is pulled along the groove formed on the guide rail
106
to remove the plug-in unit
120
from the sub-rack
100
.
With such an arrangement of the insertion and removal system in the plug-in unit, the length of the lever part
112
a
of the handle
112
cannot be changed. Consequently, it is not possible to provide a sufficient force for insertion and removal according to the plug-in unit with the necessary insertion and removal force, as the trend toward more and more pins on a connector.
In the case that the lever part
112
a
of the handle
112
is increased in length to be compatible with the plug-in unit with the need of the insertion and removal force, an area mounted on the front panel
111
is narrowed because of the long lever part
112
a.
In the case that the lever part
112
a
of the handle
112
is carelessly rotated in the direction of arrow B shown in
FIG. 4
in a state of fitting the plug-in unit
120
in the sub-rack
100
, there is a possibility that the plug-in unit
120
is accidentally removed from the sub-rack
100
.
JP-A-2000/91770 discloses an insertion and removal system in a plug-in unit for resolving such problems above.
FIG. 5
is a side view of the constitution of a conventional insertion and removal system (hereafter, referring to a conventional example 1) in a plug-in unit as disclosed in JPA-2000/91770. In
FIG. 5
,
221
denotes a tool for insertion and removal system in a plug-in unit. Reference number
222
denotes a lever part rotationally operated on insertion and removal of the plug-in unit with respect to the sub-rack and
222
A denotes a slider constituting the lever
222
, which is inserted into a tubular part
223
A of a main body
223
. Reference number
222
B denotes an action part for insertion and removal of the lever
222
, which is acted upon by a rotational force when rotationally operating. Reference number
223
denotes a main body having a tubular part
223
A which allows insertion of the slider
222
A of the lever
222
while
223
AA denotes a first engagement part arranged on the main body
223
, and
223
BA denotes a second engagement part arranged on the main body
223
. Reference number
228
denotes a central hole which allows insertion of a pin
241
for rotating a construction part, including the lever
222
and the main body
223
, in an insertion or removal direction. Reference number
231
denotes a printed circuit board constituting the plug-in unit and
233
denotes a vertical piece formed on a portion, on which the tool
221
is placed, at a right angle.
Operation of this invention will be explained as follows when the plug-in unit having the printed circuit board
231
is inserted into the sub-rack, the printed circuit board
231
is slid in the direction of arrow
251
along a groove formed on the guide rail. The slider
222
A is slid from the tubular part
223
A of the main body
223
in an extension direction of the length of the lever
222
. The action part
222
B of the lever
222
in the tool
221
is rotated in a direction of arrow
252
about a rotational axis including the central hole
228
and the pin
241
. Here, the second engagement part
223
BA of the main body
223
is engaged with the vertical piece
233
of the sub-rack to transfer such a rotational force as a force in a direction of arrow
251
to the printed circuit board
231
. As a result, the printed circuit board
231
of the plug-in unit is moved in the direction of arrow
251
to insert the plug-in unit into the sub-rack.
When the slider
222
A is downwardly slid in a state of rotationally moving the lever
222
toward the printed circuit board
231
, the s
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
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