Retention device

Details Retention device Retention device

1999-10-13

2001-12-25

Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

With coupling separator

Nonconducting pusher

C439S328000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06332792

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retention device, and particularly to a retention device for retaining a combination of a daughter card and a heat sink mounted on the daughter card to an electrical connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 86207711, 86207803 and 86211054 each discloses a retention device. Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional retention device
8
comprises a base
80
and a pair of vertical frames
81
positioned at opposite ends of the base
80
. Each vertical frame
81
defines an opening
83
in distal end of a central board
82
thereof. Correspondingly, a daughter card
84
forms a pair of projections
85
on opposite side edges thereof. In assembly, the vertical frames
81
are outwardly expanded so that the daughter card
84
can be downwardly accommodated therebetween. The projections
85
are received in corresponding openings
83
thereby preventing a disengagement of the daughter card
84
from the retention device
8
.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, a second conventional retention device
9
comprises a base
90
, a pair of vertical frames
93
disposed at opposite ends of the base
90
, and a pair of locking members
91
each being mounted to a corresponding vertical frame
93
. Each vertical frame
93
defines an opening
96
. Each locking member
91
forms a spring arm
94
, forming a projection
95
thereon, in one lateral face thereof and defines a groove
97
in an opposite lateral face thereof. In operation, a daughter card
92
and a heat sink
98
mounted on the daughter card
92
are downwardly assembled in the retention device
9
with opposite side edges thereof retained in the vertical frames
93
. The locking members
91
are then downwardly assembled to corresponding vertical frames
93
with the projections
95
thereof received in corresponding openings
96
and the grooves
97
accommodating top edges (not labeled) of the daughter card
92
, thereby retaining the daughter card
92
and the heat sink
98
in the retention device
9
.
However, one or more disadvantages may exist in the above conventional retention devices. First, the vertical frames
81
,
93
are very stiff and the force needed to expand them outward is very large. Second, the retention devices
8
,
9
do not have a card ejector, so ejection of the daughter cards
84
,
92
from corresponding electrical connectors (not shown) may be difficult. Hence, an improved retention device is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a retention device including a pair of retention mechanisms mounted on opposite ends of an electrical connector wherein a portion of each retention mechanism can be deflected under a lower force for inserting a daughter card therein.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a retention device including a pair of retention mechanisms mounted on opposite ends of an electrical connector wherein each retention mechanism includes a card ejection mechanism to aid ejection of a daughter card from the electrical connector.
In order to achieve the foregoing objects, the retention device of the present invention comprises a pair of retention mechanisms positioned at opposite ends of the electrical connector to which a combination consisting of a daughter card and a heat sink mounted on the daughter card is inserted. Each retention device includes a base and a wall upwardly extending from the base. The wall defines a pair of grooves which divide the wall into a pair of sidewall portions and a central wall portion. A pair of central blades and a pair of side blades inwardly extend from the central wall portion and the sidewall portions, respectively. When the combination of the daughter card and the heat sink is assembled to the electrical connector, the central wall portion together with the central blades of each retention mechanism is outwardly deflected, and the side blades then recover to lock the daughter card and the heat sink.
The central wall portion of each retention mechanism forms a push bar at a free end thereof, the push bar being inwardly offset a predetermined distance therefrom. The push bar is wider than the central wall portion and is distanced from corresponding sidewall portions and side blades. The pair of grooves in the wall extends to a level lower than bottom edges of the blades thereby greatly increasing the resilience to the central wall portion so that the central wall portion and the central blades are easily deflected outwardly.
Each central blade forms a stopper laterally extending from a bottom edge thereof toward a proximate side blade and each side blade forms a stopper laterally extending from a bottom edge thereof toward a proximate central blade. When the central wall portion and the central blades are outwardly deflected, the stoppers of the central blades move upwardly to abut against a bottom edge of the heat sink and eject the heat sink and the daughter card out of the electrical connector.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6074231 (2000-06-01), Ju

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