Signal connector braces

• US 10,461,450 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Hensley, James D., Cowles, David R., Rohrer, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem M
• Application Number:
  US15/657,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20190027845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 439 79, 439 80, 43960707
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7047 with a fastener through a screw hole in the coupling device
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7052 characterised by the locating members

Abstract

Example implementations relate signal connector braces. For instance, in an example a signal connector brace can include a housing having an exterior surface, and a protrusion extending from the housing to couple the housing to a via of a circuit board thereby positioning the exterior surface of the housing in contact with a corresponding exterior surface of a signal connector to brace the signal connector.

Claims

1. A signal connector brace for providing mechanical support to a signal connector coupled to a circuit board, the signal connector brace comprising:

a housing having an exterior surface;

first and second protrusions extending from the housing to couple the housing to vias of the circuit board thereby positioning the exterior surface of the housing in contact with a corresponding exterior surface of the signal connector to brace the signal connector;

a recess on the housing positioned between locations where the first and second protrusions respectively join the housing, wherein the recess is configured to receive a mechanical fastener for coupling the signal connector brace to the circuit board.

2. The signal connector brace of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the housing is substantially coplanar to the corresponding exterior surface of the signal connector when the housing is coupled to the circuit board.

3. The signal connector brace of claim 1, wherein a respective protrusion further comprises a through hole solder signal protrusion.

4. The signal connector brace of claim 1, wherein a respective protrusion further comprises a press-fit protrusion.

5. The signal connector brace of claim 4, wherein the press-fit protrusion further comprises a symmetrical press-fit protrusion having substantially same parts around an axis extending through a center point of the press-fit protrusion.

6. The signal connector brace of claim 4, wherein the press-fit protrusion further comprises an asymmetrical press-fit protrusion having different parts around an axis extending through a center point of the press-fit protrusion.

7. The signal connector brace of claim 1, wherein the signal connector brace is signal connector free.

8. The signal connector brace of claim 1, wherein a respective signal connector brace is comprised of a plastic, a metal, or a combination thereof.

9. A system for providing mechanical support to a signal connector coupled to a circuit board, the system comprising:

a signal connector brace including;

a housing including an exterior surface;

a first protrusion and a second protrusion to couple the housing to a first via and a second via, respectively, of the circuit board thereby positioning the exterior surface of the housing in contact with a corresponding exterior surface of the signal connector to brace the signal connector; and

a recess on the housing positioned between locations where the first and second protrusions respectively join the housing, wherein the recess is configured to receive a mechanical fastener for coupling the signal connector brace to the circuit board.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the signal connector includes a third protrusion to couple the signal connector to a third via of the circuit board, and wherein the signal connector further comprises a pin-to-pin signal connector.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the circuit board further comprises a printed circuit board (PCB).

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the circuit board further comprise a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA).

13. A device comprising:

a circuit board; and

a signal connector brace coupled to the circuit board, the signal connector brace including;

a housing including an exterior surface; and

first and second protrusions to couple the housing to vias of the circuit board to cause the exterior surface of the housing to contact a corresponding exterior surface of a signal connector and brace the signal connector; and

a recess on the housing positioned between locations where the first and second protrusions respectively join the housing, wherein the recess is configured to receive a mechanical fastener for coupling the signal connector brace to the circuit board.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein exterior surface is substantially orthogonal to a plane of a perimeter of the circuit board.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein a respective protrusion further comprises an asymmetrical press-fit protrusion having a radiused portion and a non-radiused portion.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the non-radiused portion is opposite the radiused portion along a circumference of the protrusion.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the radiused portion is disposed in the via at a location proximal to the signal connector.