Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Coupling part or mating part extending into panel opening
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-06
2001-05-29
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Coupling part or mating part extending into panel opening
C439S551000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238243
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is directed toward a printed circuit board support assembly and more particularly, toward a support assembly for rack-mounted installation of a printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Circuit boards are used extensively in the computer and telecommunications industries. The circuit boards provide compact surfaces for mounting and interconnecting electrical connectors and electronic components. Cables are fixedly or removably connected to the electrical connectors to provide electrical signals to components positioned on the same or different circuit boards. The printed circuit boards thus provide convenient platforms for interconnecting telecommunication or computer devices.
In one conventional installation, a circuit board is attached to a faceplate which is in turn attached to an equipment rack comprising two spaced-apart vertical support members. The faceplate and circuit board span the space between the support members and are positioned so that cables may be easily connected to connectors on either a front surface or rear surface of the circuit board. The cables are permanently or semi-permanently connected to the connectors either before or after the circuit board is secured in position to the rack. On occasion, the cables must be rerouted to different connector terminals on the same circuit board or rerouted to connectors on a different circuit board. Rerouting the cables requires that the cables be disconnected from their original connectors and reconnected to different connectors. To save time, the cables are often rerouted while the circuit board and face plate remain attached to the rack, rather than first removing the circuit board from the rack, with or without the face plate, rerouting the cables, and then reattaching the circuit board to the rack.
One drawback of conventional rack-mounted circuit boards is that the circuit boards flex and may break when cables are connected to or disconnected from the connectors positioned thereon. The circuit boards are especially likely to flex if the cables are connected to or disconnected from the circuit boards while they remain attached to the spaced apart support members of the equipment rack. A further drawback of conventional rack-mounted circuit boards is that, as they flex, they may cause electrical connections between the cables and the connectors to loosen or break, disrupting the flow of electrical signals to and from the circuit board.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed toward a support. Other aspects of the invention include a support assembly for supporting a circuit board in an equipment rack or similar structure. In one embodiment of the invention, the assembly includes a circuit board having first and second opposite-facing surfaces and defining a board plane. The assembly further includes a mounting member sized and shaped to be attached to the equipment rack to support the mounting member and the circuit board relative to the rack. A support is positioned between the mounting member and the circuit board to couple the mounting member to the circuit board proximate to the first surface of the circuit board. The support comprises a frame which includes an engaging portion positioned to releasably engage the first surface of the circuit board to resist bending of the circuit board out of the board plane and toward the mounting member when the circuit board and the support are coupled together. The support further comprises a board coupler connected to the frame and positioned to be removably coupled to the circuit board. The support additionally comprises a mount coupler which is connected to the frame and is positioned to be removably coupled to the mounting member.
One aspect of the invention includes a circuit board having first and second opposite end portions and an intermediate portion therebetween. The engaging portion of the support is positioned to releasably engage the first surface of the circuit board toward both the first and second end portions thereof.
In a further aspect of the invention, the board coupler releasably engages the second surface of the circuit board and biases the circuit board toward the engaging portion. The board coupler accordingly resists movement of the circuit board out of the board plane and away from the mounting member when the circuit board and the support are coupled together.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the board coupler includes a first board coupling member and a second board coupling member smaller than the first board coupling member. The circuit board includes a first aperture and a second aperture, the first aperture being sized and shaped to releasably engage the first board coupling member, the second aperture being smaller than the first aperture and sized and shaped to releasably engage the second board coupling member. Accordingly, the second aperture substantially prevents engagement with the first board coupling member to allow coupling of the circuit board to the support in only a selected orientation.
The present invention also provides a method for supporting a circuit board having first and second opposite-facing surfaces and defining a board plane. The method includes releasably attaching a support to the circuit board and releasably attaching the support to a mounting member. The method further includes engaging a portion of the support with at least one of the first and second surfaces of the circuit board to stiffen the circuit board against movement of the circuit board out of the board plane.
These and other aspects of this invention will become evident upon reference to the following detailed description and attached drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3851222 (1974-11-01), Michalak et al.
patent: 4427254 (1984-01-01), Koppensteiner
patent: 5569040 (1996-10-01), Sumida
patent: 377902 (1964-06-01), None
patent: 0 175 942 A1 (1986-04-01), None
patent: 2088140A (1982-06-01), None
Leviton Telcom product brochure, Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc., Bothell, Washington, 1995, front cover, pp. A10, D4, D6, D11, D12, D17, E5 and back cover. No Month.
Lorenz Alan S.
Regester William D.
Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc.
Nasari Javaid
Patel Tulsidas
Seed IP Law Group PLLC
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