Protective cover for DIMM circuit card

• US 7,255,577 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hansen, Mark Ward, Graham, Michael Lee, Rasmussen, Michael Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US11/106,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20060234541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 439/62, 439/76.1, 439/731, 439/946
• US Class Current: 439/76.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62988 Lever acting directly on flexible or rigid printed circuit boards, flat or ribbon cables, e.g. recess provided to this purposeon the surface or edge of the flexible or rigid printed circuit boards, flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6599 Dielectric material made conductive, e.g. plastic material coated with metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

A protective cover for a dual inline memory module (DIMM) circuit card includes a pair of cover members for substantially containing the DIMM circuit card. The cover members are secured to opposite sides of the DIMM circuit card. The pair of cover members defines a socket-receiving channel between respective printed-circuit-board (PCB) mating faces of the cover members. The cover members includes a plurality of positioning features engaging the DIMM circuit card for positioning a portion of the DIMM circuit card within the socket-receiving channel.

Claims

1. A protective cover for a memory circuit card comprising:

a pair of cover members for substantially containing the memory circuit card;

said cover members being secured to opposite sides of the memory circuit card;

said pair of cover members defining a socket-receiving channel between a respective printed-circuit-board (PCB) mating face of said pair of cover members;

said pair of cover members including a plurality of positioning, aligning and retaining features for positioning, aligning and retaining the memory circuit card;

said positioning, aligning and retaining features including gripper features engaging the memory circuit card in gripping engagement for positioning a portion of the memory circuit card within said socket-receiving channel with another portion of the memory circuit card extending outside said socket-receiving channel;

said positioning, aligning and retaining features including features receiving fasteners securing said pair of cover members to the memory circuit card; and

said cover members includes latch-engaging features enabling alignment, installation, and removal of the DIMM circuit card from an associated printed circuit board (PCB).

2. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 1 wherein the memory circuit card includes a dual inline memory module (DIMM) circuit card.

3. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 2 wherein said positioning, aligning and retaining features of said pair of cover members include features for receiving and mechanically self-aligning with the DIMM circuit card.

4. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 3 wherein said features for receiving and mechanically self-aligning with the DIMM circuit card include plurality of respective aligned openings within said cover members and the DIMM circuit card.

5. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 4 wherein said cover members are secured to the DIMM circuit card by a plurality of screws received in said respective aligned openings within said cover members and the DIMM circuit card.

6. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 2 wherein said latch-engaging features enabling alignment, installation, and removal of the DIMM circuit card from an associated printed circuit board (PCB) include latch-engaging mechanisms for aligning, and positioning the DIMM circuit card for mating engagement with a connector on the associated PCB.

7. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 6 wherein said latch-engaging mechanisms for aligning, and positioning the DIMM circuit card for mating engagement with a connector on the associated PCB include a pair of support posts, each said support post having an end point of a tapered member, said end points spaced apart from the DIMM circuit card, and for engaging set locations on the associated PCB.

8. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 6 wherein said latch-engaging mechanisms of cover members enable removing the DIMM circuit card from the associated PCB;

a latch button carried by each said support post at an opposed end from said end point;

said latch button being pushed against to release and remove the DIMM circuit card from the associated PCB.

9. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said pair of cover members is a unitary, molded member.

10. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 1 wherein said cover members are formed of a selected antistatic material.

11. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 1 wherein said cover members are formed of a selected electrostatic discharge (ESD) plastic material.

12. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 1 wherein said cover members are unitary, molded members formed of a selected electrically insulative material having electrically conductive material inserted into the selected electrically insulative material.

13. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 12 wherein said electrically conductive material includes a selected one of metal fiber, carbon fiber, ferrite core material, stainless steel fiber, and nickel-coated carbon fiber.

14. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 2 wherein said cover members provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding for the DIMM circuit card.

15. A protective cover for a memory circuit card as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said cover members include a plurality of openings for ventilation.

16. A protective cover for a dual inline memory module (DIMM) circuit card comprising:

a pair of cover members for substantially containing the DIMM circuit card;

said cover members being secured to opposite sides of the DIMM circuit card;

said pair of cover members defining a socket-receiving channel between a respective printed-circuit-board (PCB) mating face of said pair of cover members;

said pair of cover members including a plurality of positioning features;

said positioning features engaging the DIMM circuit card for positioning a portion of the memory circuit card within said socket-receiving channel

said pair of cover members including a plurality of positioning, aligning and retaining features for positioning, aligning and retaining the memory circuit card;

said positioning, aligning and retaining features including gripper features engaging the DIMM memory circuit card in gripping engagement for positioning a portion of the memory circuit card within said socket-receiving channel with another portion of the memory circuit card extend outside said socket-receiving channel;

said positioning, aligning and retaining features including features receiving fasteners securing said pair of cover members to the memory circuit card; and

said cover members includes Latch-engaging features enabling alignment, installation, and removal of the DIMM circuit card from an associated printed circuit board (PCB).