Supports: racks – Special article – Platelike
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-04
2003-04-15
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Platelike
Reexamination Certificate
active
06547082
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to production of hardware components, in particular of printed circuit boards supports.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
As it is known, additional boards of various types (e.g. audio, video, etc.) are usually connected to the mother board of a personal computer in order to add devices or to implement them.
The mother board is connected to each additional board by suitably prepared connectors, e.g. a socket connector, and the additional boards are held in place by properly shaped support devices.
As seen from FIGS. from
1
to
3
, the support devices usually include a carrier oblong structure
90
, generally made of plastic material, featuring a base
91
, that can be removably fastened to the frame structure.
Two longitudinal grooves
92
a
,
92
b
, facing opposite directions, are made along the carrier structure
90
for guiding additional boards.
The top
94
of the carrier structure
90
is provided with a locking group
95
, which removably locks the boards after they have been inserted in the groove.
The board locking group
95
slides perpendicularly with respect to the carrier structure
90
between a locking position A and release position B.
The board locking group
95
usually includes a control push button
96
integral with a bar
97
which passes through a crosswise hole
97
a
made in the carrier structure
90
and passing between the grooves
92
.
The end of the bar
97
opposite to the control push button
96
is fastened to a stop plate
98
, concentric therewith, whose sides are provided with two pins
99
a
,
99
b
, coplanar and parallel to the bar
97
.
Each pin
99
a
,
99
b
slides in a corresponding transversal seat
80
a
,
80
b
which passes across a relative groove
92
a
,
92
b
and whose length covers the whole groove, when the slide
95
is in the locking position A.
Likewise, when the slide
95
is in the release position B, the length of the bar
97
must be enough to guarantee that the pins
99
a
,
99
b
are totally clear of the grooves
92
a
,
92
b.
Generally, the grooves
92
co-operate with pairs of wings
71
, which are arranged side by side and whose task is to improve and stabilise the boards locking when the slide
95
is in the locking position.
This is necessary, since the standard thickness of the boards, according to the norms, is 1.6 mm, with a margin of +10%.
Longitudinal shifting of the board inside the grooves
92
is prevented by introduction of the pins
99
a
,
99
b
of the slide
95
(in the locking position A) into a related holes made in the board lateral edge.
Each pin
99
, co-operating with a similar fastening device, stabilises and locks one board, sliding in the corresponding groove
92
.
The carrier structure
90
is usually fastened to a frame by threaded bushings made in the base
91
of the carrier structure
90
and set dipped therein.
Sometimes the fastening is realised by simple through holes made in the base.
The most important disadvantage of the described support devices derives from their extreme fragility in the area of the support structure interacting with the locking group.
In fact, in this area, the support structure has small section, features the seat, in which the bar slides, and is further weakened by the coplanar seats, in which the pins slide.
Frequent movements of the locking group can cause a crack in the support structure near the critic area and substitution of the whole support may be necessary.
This leads to a considerable increase of costs due to a specialised intervention and its duration.
Moreover, the production of the traditional device is very expensive, as it requires elaborate expensive moulds and particularly delicate processing steps, mainly because of the metallic inserts used in a structure made predominantly of plastic material.
Also important is the consideration of undesired oscillations of the slide with respect to the central bar, when the slide takes both the locking and in the release positions.
These oscillations increase the probability of the device cracking in the area of the board fastening hole, which leads to the board being non longer firm with respect to the mother board and cause the danger of disconnection therebetween.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The proposed support device for printed circuit boards has been evolved with the object to avoid the above mentioned drawbacks by manufacturing a particularly strong and reliable structure, which can prevent occurring of crack.
Another object of the present invention is to propose a device which optimises the connection with the boards guaranteeing that the boards are locked at the best and firm, thus avoiding disconnection from the mother board.
A further object of the present invention is to propose a support device obtained by a simple technical solution, which drastically reduces the production costs, maintaining the device functionality and reliability.
The above mentioned objects are obtained, in accordance with the claims, by means of a support device for boards, in particular for printed circuits, including:
a support structure longitudinally equipped with at least one board guiding groove and with a base area detachably fastened to a suitable carrier;
at least one transversal cutting made across said groove;
a locking group associated to said support structure and taking two positions, namely a locking position, to detachably lock the boards, and a release position, to free the boards;
a guiding element for connecting said locking group to said support structure, said guiding element moving inside a relative guiding seat and having an axis transversal with respect to said guiding groove;
a plate associated to said locking group and provided with at least one locking element set in engagement with said transversal cutting when said locking group is in said locking position, for locking a board inserted into said grooves, and released from said transversal cutting to let said board free when said locking group is in said release position;
with the locking element positioned at a different level than the guiding element.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5533631 (1996-07-01), Marchetti
patent: 6181565 (2001-01-01), Schmitt et al.
patent: 6208514 (2001-03-01), Stark et al.
patent: 195 33 063 (1997-02-01), None
patent: 1594979 (1970-07-01), None
Chin-Shue Alvin
Coleman Sudol Sapone P.C.
Purol Sarah
Richco Italia S.r.l.
Sapone William J.
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