Electronic prototyping enclosure

• US 7,989,712 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric K.D. Chan
• Original Assignee: Eric K.D. Chan
• Inventors: Chan, Eric K. D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Hung V
• Application Number:
  US12/455,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20100300747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 174/561, 174/562, 174/59, 361/752
• US Class Current: 174/562
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/00 Casings, cabinets or drawers for electric apparatus

Abstract

The protective electronic prototyping enclosure is conveniently formed to accommodate various prototype electronic projects. Openings in the enclosure may be accurately formed and markings can be neatly and precisely formed by on a paper label printed by using the computer. Variable panels are provided for covering spaces between electrical components located adjacent to the side panels of the enclosure.

Claims

1. An electronic prototyping enclosure comprising,

a generally rectangular lower support base having upstanding side walls, front wall and rear wall,

a border area located adjacent to said rear wall and adapted for locating a plurality of electrical components therein,

a rectangular top cover casing adapted for mounting on and covering over said rectangular lower support base, said top cover casing having an opened top with a surrounding border frame, and downward skirting side walls, one of said side walls adjacent to said first border area when said lower support base and top cover casing are mounted together, having a rectangular cut out formed in a lower edge portion therein,

a plurality of variable cover plates mountable at said cut out to cover space openings between and around said electrical components,

a plurality of mounting plates located in said lower support base and operative for securing said lower support base and said top covering casing together.

2. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 1 including an elongated groove formed in a lower edge of said cut out of said top cover casing, and a plurality of mounting slots formed in a top edge of said rear wall of said lower support casing, said variable cover plates having leg portions engageable with said mounting slots and an upstanding ridge engageable with said elongated groove for fixedly securing between said top cover casing and said lower support base.

3. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 2 wherein said variable cover plates have a plurality of vertical grooves and horizontal grooves formed in an inner surface therein, said variable cover plates being severable along selected vertical grooves and horizontal grooves to obtain a desired width and height for covering said space openings of various shapes and dimensions located between and around said electrical components.

4. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 3 wherein said electrical components located in said border area adjacent to said rear wall of said lower support casing are pre-mounted on adaptor boards having a pattern of connection eyelets matching with the configurations of terminal pins of said electrical components, and said connection eyelets are electrical connected to a plurality of connection terminals on said adaptor boards having a terminal spacing compatible with standard spacing between eyelet terminals of a standard printed circuit board.

5. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 4 including a plurality of ventilation slot openings formed in a bottom panel of said border area of said lower support casing.

6. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 5 wherein said electrical components are mounted on separate mounting plates and said mounting plates are, in turn, mounted to support posts located in said first border area.

7. An electronic prototype enclosure according to claim 4 including a printed circuit board mountable on said lower support base and located below said opened top of said top cover casing, a composite transparent covering sheet member located in said open top of said top covering casing and lying juxtaposed to said surrounding border frame, said composite transparent covering sheet member including two transparent plastic sheets operative for sandwiching therebetween a template sheet having labeling and locations of openings to be formed in said covering sheet member for accommodating and displaying electrical components mounted on said printed circuit board.

8. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 7 including a battery housing formed in said lower support base, a plurality of stand offs being formed on a bottom surface of said battery housing and operative for supporting said printed circuit board securely in a horizontal position.

9. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 8 wherein said top cover casing, said lower support base and said plurality of variable cover plates are made of a plastic material.

10. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 9 wherein said battery housing includes three compartments operative for housing batteries of various sizes.

11. An electronic prototyping enclosure according to claim 10 including a first generally W-shaped plate pivotally mounted adjacent to one end of each of said compartments, and a second generally W-shaped plate pivotally mounted adjacent a second end opposite to said one end, said first W-shaped plate and said second W-shaped plate being selectively pivotable between an upright position and a folded position to lie juxtapose to bottom panel of each compartment to facilitate mounting of batteries of various selected sizes in said compartments.