Printed circuit board wedge section retainer

• US 5,607,273 A
• Filed: 11/06/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fairchild Holding Corp. (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: VXI Corporation (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Barnes, James B., Kecmer, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Neill R.
• Application Number:
  US08/554,055
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 411/24, 411/25, 411/26, 411/75, 411/77, 411/80, 411/79
• US Class Current: 411/79
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1404 by edge clamping, e.g. wedges

Abstract

A printed circuit board wedge assembly having a center section riveted to a printed circuit board. The center section is designed to allow the wedge operating shaft running longitudinally through the wedge assembly to be positioned into the center section opening with no obstructions. A biasing spring is placed through a slot and moved in place along grooves cut into the center section. The spring captivates the operating shaft assembly to the center section and enables all the wedge sections to be aligned.

Claims

1. A wedge apparatus for locking a printed circuit board within an elongated slot in a rack comprising:

an elongated center wedge having first and second elongated wall sections and first and second end sections, said end sections having sloped surfaces, a channel being formed in said center wedge, said center wedge being secured to an edge of said printed circuit board and having grooves formed in said wall sections extending along a substantial portion of the length thereof, recesses interrupting a portion of the grooves formed in said first and second wall sections;

first and second end wedges located at opposite ends of the center wedge and having surfaces that engage the sloped surfaces of the center wedge;

a screw interconnecting the first and second end wedges, rotation of the screw in a first direction drawing the two end wedges toward each other such that the end wedges and interconnecting screw are deflected transversely by the sloped surfaces of the center wedge, to lock a printed circuit board within an elongated slot in a rack; and

means for biasing said first and second end wedges into longitudinal alignment with said center wedge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises spring means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said biasing means captivates said screw within the channel formed in said center wedge.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said biasing means has first and second elongated edges, said first elongated edge being positioned within said first groove formed in said first wall section and said second elongated edge being positioned within said second groove formed in said second wall section.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said biasing means comprises a base member having first and second flanges, said first flange extending into said first wall section recess and said second flange extending into said second wall section recess.