Cardguide retainer

• US 6,735,091 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Megason, George D., Thompson, Daniel T., Allen, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuneo, Kamand
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, TUAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/128,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20020109977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 361/756-759, 361/801-802, 312/215-216, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/265.5, 312/265.6, 211/41.17, 439/151-153
• 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 to direct 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 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;

a retainer portion flexibly mounted to the guide portion, the retainer portion comprising an abutment that is selectively positionable between an obstructing position in line with the channel and an unobstructing position, wherein the retainer portion includes a flexible member such that if the abutment is displaced from the obstructing position the flexible member produces a biasing force to drive the retainer back towards the obstructing position; and

a locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a first member disposed on the guide portion and a second member disposed on the retainer portion operable to hold the retainer portion in the unobstructing position.

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

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

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

5. The circuit board retainer as recited in claim 3, further comprising an angled tailpiece.

6. The circuit board retainer as recited in claim 5, wherein the angled tailpiece includes a guide to hold and direct movement of the circuit board.

7. A circuit board retainer, comprising:

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

a retainer portion flexibly mounted to the guide portion, the retainer portion including an abutment that is selectively movable between an obstructing position in line with the channel and an unobstructing position; and

a locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism is operable to hold the retainer portion in the unobstructing position, the locking mechanism comprising a first member disposed on the guide portion and a second member disposed on the retainer portion.

8. The circuit board retainer as recited in claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin and a yoke.

9. 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;

a retention portion flexibly connected to the guide and operable to selectively restrict movement of the printed circuit board from the guide, the retention portion including an abutment flexibly connected to the guide by a flexible member, wherein the flexible member is biased to return the abutment to a position whereby movement of the printed circuit board from the guide is restricted; and

a locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a first member disposed on the guide and a second member disposed on the retention portion operable to hold the retention portion in an unobstructing positions.

10. The electrical device as recited in claim 9, wherein the flexible 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.

11. The electrical device as recited in claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board retainer is secured to the enclosure.

12. The electrical device as recited in claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board includes a microprocessor disposed thereon.

13. The electrical device as recited in claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board a memory chip disposed thereon.

14. The electrical device as recited in claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board retainer comprises a molded plastic material.

15. The electrical device as recited in claim 11, wherein the enclosure includes a slot and the guide includes an angled tailpiece having a spring element that fits into, the slot.

16. 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;

a retention portion flexibly connected to the guide and operable to selectively restrict movement of the printed circuit board from the guide, the retention portion comprising an abutment flexibly connected to the guide by a spring member; and

a locking mechanism comprising a first member disposed on the guide and a second member disposed on the retention portion to hold the flexible member at an open position wherein the guide is unobstructed by the abutment.

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

18. An enclosure assembly for an electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure; and

a circuit board retainer, comprising;

a first portion affixed to the enclosure, the first portion having a channel to receive a circuit board; and

a second portion flexibly secured to the first portion, the second portion being adapted to be flexed from a relaxed position to a flexed position, wherein the second portion prevents a circuit board from being withdrawn from the enclosure when in the relaxed position and enables the circuit board to be withdrawn from the enclosure when in the flexed position;

wherein the first portion has a first securing member and the second portion has a second securing member, the first and second securing members being adapted to cooperate to lock the second portion in the flexed position.