Electrical connectors – With coupling separator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2002-03-26
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
C439S157000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06361335
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for facilitating the insertion or extraction of printed circuit boards or cards in connector-contact applications. Specifically, the present invention relates to an inserter/ejector having improved board mounting and alignment features.
Background and Objects of the Present Invention
The growing complexity of computer systems, e.g., in servers for telecommunications, requires the utilization of many interconnected components. A common way to interconnect the components is by usage of a number of printed circuit boards (PCBs), a number of which may be compactly housed in a computer chassis. With miniaturization, however, the numbers of components and PCBs within a given system increase as the amount of space decreases. It then becomes a problem to access components on a given PCB within an array of such circuit boards. For various reasons, e.g., narrow spacing, heat, and sensitivity of the components, removal of the given PCB is a delicate task.
Current techniques for removing PCBs employ the use of various lever-type devices which couple to the PCB or card by way of mounting pins affixed to the board. As noted, these lever-type devices are implemented for the insertion or extraction of PCBs into environments in which many such boards are located in close proximity, e.g., in large mainframe computers, servers or other high capacity computing systems. In such environments, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to reach between the respective boards so that one may be inserted or removed without damaging others.
An example of a conventional inserter/extractor, e.g., such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,073 issued to Weisman, is illustrated in
FIG. 1
, and generally designated therein by the reference numeral
100
. As shown in the figure, the inserter/extractor
100
attaches to a PCB board
120
by two stainless steel pins, e.g., an upper pin
105
and a lower pin
110
, mounted through respective openings
115
A and
115
B drilled though the board
120
. In use, an opening
125
in a lower portion
130
of the inserter/extractor device
100
is fitted over the lower pin
110
, about which the entire device
100
pivots.
With reference now to
FIG. 2
, there is illustrated a U-channel, generally designated by the reference numeral
200
, at an end
205
of PCB
220
that is perpendicular to the particular connections or slots in which the PCBs are to be installed, and which may be used to provide an actuating surface. It should be understood that the U-channel is generally part of the host system chassis housing the PCB
220
. With reference also to
FIG. 1
, as device
100
rotates about the lower pin
110
, a cutout
135
in the lower portion
130
of the device
100
makes contact with the U-channel
200
and acts as a lever to facilitate insertion or extraction of the PCB
120
with relative ease. When not in use, the device
100
may be locked against the edge of the PCB
120
by clamping an upper portion
140
thereof about the upper pin
105
mounted through the board
120
. It should be understood that a spring-loaded joint
150
, employed between the upper
140
and lower
130
portions of the device
100
, is similar to a spring-loaded joint found in a common clothes pin.
Such conventional devices may also be found in simpler ejector-only type forms which resemble a simplified lower portion of the device described above, i.e., lower portion
130
of device
100
, and which are limited in use to extracting PCBs or cards
120
that have been previously installed.
While the aforementioned devices have been somewhat useful, these conventional inserter/extractors require pre-installation of one or more of the aforedescribed pins through the PCB, i.e., pins
105
and
110
, lack a self aligning mechanism to assure proper alignment of the PCB upon insertion, and provide minimal space for labeling the board onto which the devices are attached. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved PCB inserter/ejector which installs with minimal hardware, has a self aligning mechanism for positive board location, and has a relatively large area for labeling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred embodiment, the inserter/ejector of the present invention includes a body and a lever arm. The body is designed with a lip and has a flexible design to snap fit into a mounting panel, whereby a PCB is mounted thereto without the need of screws, pins or rods which must be pre-installed on the PCB as with conventional designs. The lever arm is pivotally attached to the body by a pair of hinge pins, and may be secured in a locked or fully inserted position by a locking mechanism portion of the body. The lever arm is provided with a cutout for actuating a U-channel and creating a lever action capable of providing significant force for the insertion or removal of an attached PCB. The lever arm also features a relatively large inset label area for clearly labeling the attached PCB. The improved inserter/ejector of the present invention further implements a guide pin for positive location or alignment of the PCB with a host system prior to insertion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4699594 (1987-10-01), Assel et al.
patent: 4975073 (1990-12-01), Weisman
patent: 5000494 (1991-03-01), Guibleo
patent: 5373419 (1994-12-01), Wright
patent: 5428507 (1995-06-01), Chatel et al.
patent: 5504656 (1996-04-01), Joist
patent: 2 334 151 (1999-11-01), None
Calanni Daniel J.
Dorval Jay H.
Jenkens & Gilchrist P.C.
Nguyen Son V.
Sircus Brian
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