Retention mechanism for edge card

Details Retention mechanism for edge card Retention mechanism for edge card

2000-02-25

2001-10-09

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...

Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...

Reexamination Certificate

active

06299468

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a retention mechanism, and particularly to a retention mechanism for securing edge cards in a range of different heights.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,507,707; 4,869,680; and 5,822,193 each disclose a retention mechanism for securing an edge card onto a printed circuit board. However, a disadvantage of the retention mechanism of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,707 is that the movable post 80 thereof only abuts an upper edge of the edge card 14, so the securing relationship therebetween is not firm. The assembly of the retention mechanism of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,680 requires pressing a plurality of spring-biased balls into corresponding holes, making it relatively difficult to assemble. A disadvantage of the retention mechanism of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,193 is that the assembly of the retention mechanism is more difficult because of its complicated structure. Other U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,829,741, 5,494,451 and 5,943,218 also show some card retention devices for use with the card.
An attempt is proposed to use a bolt positioned beside the card, wherein the bolt has a movable arm with a clamp capable of moving upwardly and downwardly along the bolt and capable of clamping the upper edge of the card. However, a disadvantage of this retention mechanism is that manufacturing the screw threads increases the difficulty and the cost of manufacturing the mechanism, and possibly tends to be reversely rotated and loosened under severe vibration. Moreover, rotating the movable arm along the threads of the bolt during assembling or disassembling the card, takes labor and time.
Thus, a retention mechanism with a relatively simple structure and an efficient and reliable securing device is needed to facilitate the assembly process, reduce the cost of manufacturing and guarantee the locking effect.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a retention mechanism with a simple structure capable of securing edge cards in a range of different heights.
To fulfill the above-mentioned object, a retention mechanism in accordance with the present invention used for securing edge cards with different heights comprises a post and a movable arm slidingly secured to the post. The post includes a plurality of serrations formed along an elongated side thereof and a metallic locking portion insert-molded within a lower end of the post for securing to a printed circuit board. The movable arm includes a canister for enclosing and latching with the serrations of the post, and a securing portion perpendicularly extending from an outside wall of the canister for clamping an upper edge of the edge card. The canister defines a pair of rectangular holes on opposite sides thereof. A pair of stoppers is formed in corresponding holes of the canister. Each stopper includes a lever extending along the elongated side of the post and two ribs supporting the lever in the sidewall of the canister, the ribs providing the levers a pivot to rotate about. Each lever forms a pushing end projecting outwardly on one end thereof and a protrusion projecting inwardly on an opposite end thereof. When the pushing ends are pushed inwardly toward each other, the protrusions move outwardly as the lever pivots about the ribs, moving out from between the serrations, allowing the movable arm to slide upwardly or downwardly along the elongated side of the post. When the canister reaches a height corresponding to the height of the upper edge of the edge card, the pushing ends are released to allow the protrusions to latch with the serrations, thereby firmly securing the edge card.
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: 3829741 (1974-08-01), Athey
patent: 4507707 (1985-03-01), Willis
patent: 4869680 (1989-09-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 5383793 (1995-01-01), Hsu et al.
patent: 5494451 (1996-02-01), Bowers
patent: 5822193 (1998-10-01), Summers et al.
patent: 5822197 (1998-10-01), Thuault
patent: 5943218 (1999-08-01), Liu

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