EMI shielding gasket

• US 5,204,496 A
• Filed: 04/01/1992
• Issued: 04/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rettstadt, Henry A., Boulay, Steven G., Joseph, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEDYNH, BOT L
• Application Number:
  US07/862,007
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 174/35 GC, 174/35 R, 174/35 MS, 174/51, 361/424, 219/10.55 R, 219/10.55 D, 220/304, 220/310
• US Class Current: 174/355
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0016 having a spring contact

Abstract

An EMI shielding gasket made of springy electrically conductive material. The gasket includes a pair of generally parallel laterally spaced apart U-shaped channel members each with its channel entrance facing away from the other member. A pair of ends oriented transversely of the U-shaped channel members connect the members together at their end regions. The ends are resiliently deformable to allow the U-shaped channel members to be moved more closely together to facilitate mounting the gasket.

Claims

1. An EMI shielding gasket for use at an opening in an enclosure housing electronic components that radiate high frequency electromagnetic emissions during operation comprising:

a pair of generally parallel laterally spaced apart U-shaped channel members made of springy electrically conductive material, each of the pair of U-shaped channel members including a longitudinal bottom wall and two side walls extending from the bottom wall in a direction generally opposite and away from the other U-shaped member to terminate at a longitudinal channel entrance opening facing away from the other U-shaped member, the bottom and side walls being spaced and dimensioned to received in mounting relationship an edge portion of the enclosure defining an edge of the opening, a corresponding side wall each of the U-shaped members comprising spaced apart wall segments, the free side of each of such wall segments at the longitudinal channel entrance having turned out corners each forming a resilient electrical contact when the gasket is in EMI shielding use; and

a pair of parallel spaced apart springy electrically conductive connecting portions oriented transversely of the U-shaped channel members and joined thereto at their end regions, such connecting portions being resiliently deformable to allow the U-shaped channel members to be moved more closely together to facilitate mounting the U-shaped channel members on opposite edges of the enclosure opening.

2. The EMI shielding gasket of claim 1 wherein such gasket is made of a single piece of metal.

3. The EMI shielding gasket of claim 1 wherein the corners of the wall segments are turned outwardly from 20 to 30 degrees.

4. The EMI shielding gasket of claim 1 wherein the connecting portions are planar and such planar connecting portions have a mounting opening.

5. The EMI shielding gasket of claim 4 wherein the planar connecting portions have tabs for placement of the gasket at an enclosure opening.

6. An enclosure for housing electronic components that radiate high frequency electromagnetic emissions during their operation comprising:

a wall having an expansion opening;

An EMI shielding gasket mounted at the opening of the wall, the shielding gasket having a pair of generally parallel laterally spaced apart U-shaped channel members made of springy electrically conductive material, each of the pair of U-shaped channel members including a longitudinal bottom wall and two side walls extending from the bottom wall in a direction generally opposite and away from the other U-shaped member to terminate at a longitudinal channel entrance opening facing away from the other U-shaped member, the bottom and side walls being spaced and dimensioned to receive in mounting relationship an edge portion of the enclosure defining an edge of the opening, a corresponding side wall of each of the pair of U-shaped members comprising spaced apart wall segments, the free side opening having corners turned outwardly of the channel, such turned out corners each forming a resilient electrical contact when the gasket is in EMI shielding use; and

a pair of parallel spaced apart springy electrically conductive connecting portions oriented transversely of the U-shaped channel member and joined thereto at their end regions, such connecting portions being resiliently deformable to allow the U-shaped channel members to be moved more closely together to facilitate mounting the U-shaped channel members o opposite edges of the enclosure opening.