Assembly for holding circuit cards

• US 20070147015A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Andretta, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,304,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/801
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1418 Card guides, e.g. grooves H05K7/1425 takes precedence

Abstract

An assembly for holding circuit cards may comprise a plurality of slots, each slot being configured to receive a circuit card. At least one slot may be modifiable so as to permit the at least one slot to hold circuit cards having differing depths.

Claims

1. An assembly for holding circuit cards, the assembly comprising:

a plurality of slots, each slot having a depth and being configured to receive a circuit card, wherein at least one of the slots comprises a pair of ledges disposed along the depth of the slot, the ledges being configured to support a first circuit card having a depth that is less than the depth of the slot; and

a pair of removable support members, each support member being configured to be placed adjacent to each of the ledges within the at least one slot such that the support members at least partially support a second circuit card having a depth that differs from the first circuit card.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the removable support members comprise blocks.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each removable support member comprises a plurality of individually removable portions.

4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a housing configured to enclose the plurality of slots.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the depth of the second circuit card is greater than the depth of the first circuit card.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the depth of the first circuit card is 160 mm.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the depth of the second circuit card is substantially equal to the depth of the slots.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of slots defines a first open end configured to receive the circuit card and a second end opposite the first end and configured to be disposed proximate at least one electrical connector configured for mating engagement with an electrical connector provided on a circuit card.

9. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pair of rails associated with each slot.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein each rail of the pair of rails associated with the at least one slot comprises a recessed portion, the recessed portions defining the pair of ledges.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the removable support members are configured to be removably positioned in the recessed portions.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein each of the removable support members is configured to be respectively removably secured to each rail of the pair of rails.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ledges are disposed along the depth of the at least one slot such that the ledges are configured to support the first circuit card so as to permit the first circuit card to engage an electrical connector configured to provide electrical connectivity to an electrical device.

14. An assembly for holding circuit cards, the assembly comprising:

a plurality of slots, each slot being configured to receive a circuit card, each slot being configured to fasten a circuit card to a housing, wherein at least one of the plurality of slots is modifiable so as to permit the at least one slot to hold circuit cards having differing depths.

15. The assembly of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of removable support members configured to be removably positioned within the at least one slot, wherein the slot is configured to hold circuit cards having differing depths based on a position of the removable support members relative to the at least one slot.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the at least one slot is configured to hold a first circuit card having a first depth when the removable support members are positioned within the at least one slot and wherein the at least one slot is configured to hold a second circuit card having a second depth smaller than the first depth when the removable support members are removed from the at least one slot.

17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the removable support members comprise a plurality of individually removable portions and wherein the at least one slot is configured to hold circuit cards of differing depths based on a position of the plurality of individually removable portions relative to the slot.

18. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the at least one slot is modifiable so as to permit a circuit card having a depth that is less than the depth of the slot to be received in a recessed position within the slot.

19. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the at least one slot is modifiable so as to permit a circuit card having a depth that is less than the depth of the at least one slot to be held by the at least one slot so as to permit the circuit card to engage with an electrical connector disposed proximate one end of the at least one slot.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the mating electrical connector is disposed proximate an end of the at least one slot opposite another end of the at least one slot through which a circuit cards is inserted to be received by the at least one slot.

21. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the at least one slot is modifiable so as to permit the at least one slot to hold circuit cards having more than two differing depths.