Circuit board adapter for computer system

• US 5,174,762 A
• Filed: 11/01/1991
• Issued: 12/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Roesner, Arlen L., Hoppal, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCGLYNN, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US07/786,436
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 439/59, 439/60, 439/61, 439/62, 439/64, 439/65, 439/629-637
• US Class Current: 439/61
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1429 for circuits carrying a CPU and adapted to receive expansion cards

Abstract

A modular adapter assembly for installing circuit boards in a computer system. The adapter assembly, with an attached industry standard circuit board meeting ISA, EISA, or MicroChannel specifications, can be inserted into a computer system through an opening in the back of the computer. The adapter assembly permits insertion and removal of circuit boards without requiring removal of a major computer housing cover and without requiring removal of attached signal cables.

Claims

1. A structure for a computer system comprising a computer housing having a cover, and an adapter means for electrically and mechanically accommodating circuit boards within said computer housing, said adapter means being adapted to permit insertion of said adapter means into said computer housing and removal of said adapter means from said computer housing without requiring removal of said cover, to permit insertion and removal of said adapter means without requiring exposure of a user to high voltages, to permit insertion and removal of said adapter means without requiring exposure of an interior of said computer system to electro-static discharge from said user, and to permit insertion and removal of said adapter means without requiring removal of an attached external signal cable, said adapter means further comprising:

option circuit board means, having a first board end and a first edge, with electrical connecting fingers along said first edge and a mounting bracket on said first board end, for providing optional additional computer functionality for said computer system;

adapter circuit board means, having an adapter/host connector and an adapter/option connector, said connecting fingers on said option circuit board inserted into said adapter/option connector, for adapting electrical signals required by said computer system to electrical signals required by said option circuit board means;

host connection means, electrically connected to said adapter/option connector, for electrically connecting said computer system and said adapter circuit board means;

said option board substantially perpendicular to said adapter circuit board and parallel to a bottom of said housing means, thereby permitting a height of said option board to be greater than a height of said housing means; and

mounting plate means;

covering an opening in a first side of said housing, mechanically attached to said mounting bracket of said option circuit board means and mechanically attached to said adapter circuit board means, adapted to permit said option circuit board means and said adapter circuit board means to be inserted and removed through said opening without removing said cover;

for mechanically supporting said adapter circuit board means and said option circuit board means, and for preventing radio frequency interference through said opening.