Electrical connectors – Coupling part having handle or means to move contact... – Having open slot for receiving panel circuit arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-22
2001-10-30
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part having handle or means to move contact...
Having open slot for receiving panel circuit arrangement
C439S377000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309237
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system wherein at least one printed circuit board of a first type is pluggable into a printed circuit board of a second type.
Printed circuit boards of the first type are often referred to as “plugin cards” or expressed more generally as “assemblies”. Printed circuit boards of a second type are, for example, what are referred to as a “backplane printed circuit boards” or expressed more generally as “chassis”.
Given systems having printed circuit boards of a first type pluggable into a printed circuit board of a second type, the printed circuit boards of the first type are plugged essentially perpendicularly into the printed circuit boards of the second type and are thereby electrically and mechanically connected thereto. For example, personal computers are known systems of this type. In such a personal computer, a number of plugin cards, for example graphic cards, modem cards, ISDN cards. sound cards, network cards, etc., are inserted into plug connections provided on the main board.
Experience shows that the number of installed plugin cards or plugin cards to be installed is increasing. On the other hand, however, the systems should become smaller and smaller.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on an object of improving a system having a maximum number of plugin cards which can be accommodated therein in a minimal space.
This object is achieved by an improvement in a system wherein at least one printed circuit board of a first type is pluggable into a printed circuit board of a second type. The improvement is the provision of guide elements for guiding the printed circuit boards of the first type and possibly additional guide elements provided on a support member or clement extending between the printed circuit boards. According to the present invention, the guide elements are provided for guidance of the printed circuit boards of the first type and at least partially on a support element that can be arranged between the printed circuit boards of the first type. In addition, the guide elements for guidance of the printed circuit boards of the first type and for guidance of shielding plates which are being provided next to or between the printed circuit boards of the first type are provided with contact elements for the electrical contacting of the articles that they are guiding.
Given a system according to the present invention, an arbitrary plurality of printed circuit boards and printed circuit boards of an arbitrary size can be plugged into a printed circuit board connector or into a printed circuit board connector unit which comprises a plurality of printed circuit board connectors. A printed circuit board connector designed for large printed circuit boards can also be employed for one or more printed circuit boards which are smaller than the large printed circuit boards. The existing printed circuit board connectors can, thus, be optimally utilized under all conditions.
The arrangement of the guide elements to be provided for the printed circuit boards that are not as large as the largest element or are smaller than the largest printed circuit board includes a support element that is arranged next to or between the printed circuit boards, for example a shielding plate which is provided for shielding electromagnetic emissions. This shielding plate makes it possible for additional guide elements to be inserted and, therefore, additional printed circuit boards to be guided by these additional guide elements. The circuit boards can be added or removed given an operating system without disturbing or interrupting the operation of the system, and the removability or removal of the support element for the additional guide element usually does not deteriorate the function of the system.
In a system wherein the guide elements electrically contact the item being guided, the printed circuit board connectors provided at the printed circuit board of the second type can be reduced. In the extreme case, the traditional printed circuit board connectors, which are provided on the printed circuit board of the second type, can be completely eliminated.
Both systems according to the present invention make it possible to accommodate a maximum plurality of plugin cards in a minimal space.
Other advantages and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, the drawings and claims.
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patent: 5467254 (1995-11-01), Brusati et al.
patent: 5617296 (1997-04-01), Melville et al.
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patent: 5805429 (1998-09-01), Andersson
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patent: 5906501 (1999-05-01), Longueville et al.
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patent: 6122161 (2000-09-01), Gierut
Nguyen Khiem
Schiff & Hardin & Waite
Tyco Electronics Logistics AG
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