Cardguide retainer

• US 20020109977A1
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Daniel T. Thompson, George D. Megason, Joseph R. Allen
• Inventors: Thompson, Daniel T., Allen, Joseph R., Megason, George D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,735,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/801
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1405 by clips or resilient members, e.g. hooks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1418 Card guides, e.g. grooves H05K7/1425 takes precedence

Abstract

A printed circuit board retainer. The printed circuit board retainer directs the movement of a printed circuit board during installation into an enclosure. In a relaxed position, the retainer forms a barrier to the withdrawal of the printed circuit board from the enclosure. The printed circuit board retainer may be displaced from its relaxed position and locked in an open position to facilitate during installation and withdrawal of the printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A circuit board retainer, comprising:

a guide portion having a channel to direct movement of a circuit board to an installed location; and

a retainer portion flexibly mounted to the guide portion, the retainer portion including an abutment that may be selectively moved between an obstructing position in line with the channel and an unobstructing position.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the retainer portion is operable to position the abutment so movement of a circuit board out of the device is unobstructed.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the retainer portion includes a spring element such that if the abutment is displaced from the obstructing position the spring element produces a biasing force back towards the obstructing position.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism is operable to hold the retainer portion in the unobstructing position.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein the locking mechanism includes a latch member disposed on the guide portion and the retainer portion.

6. The device as recited in claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin and a yoke.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the retainer portion includes a tapered guide to direct the movement of the circuit board card.

8. The device as recited in claim 7, further comprising an angled tailpiece.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the angled tailpiece includes a guide to hold and direct movement of the circuit board.

10. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the guide portion and the retainer portion are comprised of a single piece of molded plastic.

11. An electrical device, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an enclosure; and

a printed circuit board retainer including;

a guide that directs movement of the printed circuit board to and away from an installed location; and

a retention portion flexibly connected to the guide and operable to selectively restrict movement of the printed circuit board from the guide.

12. The electrical device as recited in claim 11, wherein the retainer portion includes an abutment flexibly connected to the guide by a spring member.

13. The electrical device as recited in claim 12, wherein the spring member is sufficiently flexible to position the abutment so that the abutment does not restrict movement of the printed circuit board into or out of the guide.

14. The electrical device as recited in claim 13, wherein the spring member is biased to return the abutment to a position whereby movement of the printed circuit board from the guide is restricted.

15. The electrical device as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

a locking mechanism positioned to hold the spring member at an open position where the guide is unobstructed by the abutment.

16. The electrical device as recited in claim 15, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin-and-yoke assembly.

17. The electrical device as recited in claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board retainer is secured to the enclosure.

18. The electrical device as recited in claim 17, wherein the enclosure includes a slot and the guide includes an angled tailpiece having a spring element that fits into the slot.

19. The electrical device as recited in claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board includes a microprocessor disposed thereon.

20. The electrical device as recited in claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board includes a memory chip disposed thereon.

21. The electrical device as recited in claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board retainer comprises a molded plastic material.

22. A method of securing a printed circuit board in an enclosure, comprising:

providing a guide slot for slidably receiving a printed circuit board; and

selectively preventing release of the printed circuit board from the guide slot by a spring biased abutment.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising forcing the spring biased abutment to an open position that permits removal of the printed circuit board from the guide slot.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising locking the spring biased abutment at the open position.