Board-mounted circuit breakers for electronic equipment enclosures
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A circuit breaker-equipped electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
- (a) an electronic equipment enclosure;
(b) electronic equipment mounted within the electronic equipment enclosure; and
(c) a board-mounted circuit breaker assembly, mounted within the electronic equipment enclosure and utilized in relation to the electronic equipment, including(i) a printed circuit board having a plurality of printed circuit board quick-connect terminals disposed on a mounting surface thereof, and(ii) a plurality of circuit breakers, each having a housing body and a plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, whereinthe housing body includes a rear surface facing the mounting surface of the printed circuit board and a plurality of hollows, arranged laterally along the rear surface, that extend into the housing body such that at least a portion of the rear surface is disposed between a first hollow of the plurality of hollows and a second, laterally-adjacent, hollow of the plurality of hollows, whereinthe circuit breaker quick-connect terminals are adapted to mechanically and electrically connect to the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals, wherein each of the circuit breaker quick-connect terminals is entirely recessed into a respective one of the plurality of hollows such that no portion of such circuit breaker quick-connect terminal extends past the portion of the rear surface of the housing body that is disposed between the first and second hollows, and wherein each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals is disposed such that the housing body only partially surrounds each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals as viewed in a projected view of the rear surface of the housing body,(iii) wherein each of the plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals is recessed, independently of the other circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, at least partially within the respective one of the plurality of hollows to electrically couple with a corresponding one of the plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, thereby reducing the overall height of the circuit breaker above the mounting surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A board-mounted circuit breaker assembly for an electronic equipment enclosure includes a printed circuit board having a plurality of quick-connect terminals and a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker includes a housing and a plurality of quick-connect terminals that are at least partially recessed into a portion of the housing to reduce the overall “z”-height of the circuit breaker. The quick-connect terminals on the circuit breaker are adapted to mechanically and electrically connect to the quick-connect terminals on the printed circuit board.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A circuit breaker-equipped electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
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(a) an electronic equipment enclosure; (b) electronic equipment mounted within the electronic equipment enclosure; and (c) a board-mounted circuit breaker assembly, mounted within the electronic equipment enclosure and utilized in relation to the electronic equipment, including (i) a printed circuit board having a plurality of printed circuit board quick-connect terminals disposed on a mounting surface thereof, and (ii) a plurality of circuit breakers, each having a housing body and a plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, wherein the housing body includes a rear surface facing the mounting surface of the printed circuit board and a plurality of hollows, arranged laterally along the rear surface, that extend into the housing body such that at least a portion of the rear surface is disposed between a first hollow of the plurality of hollows and a second, laterally-adjacent, hollow of the plurality of hollows, wherein the circuit breaker quick-connect terminals are adapted to mechanically and electrically connect to the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals, wherein each of the circuit breaker quick-connect terminals is entirely recessed into a respective one of the plurality of hollows such that no portion of such circuit breaker quick-connect terminal extends past the portion of the rear surface of the housing body that is disposed between the first and second hollows, and wherein each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals is disposed such that the housing body only partially surrounds each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals as viewed in a projected view of the rear surface of the housing body, (iii) wherein each of the plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals is recessed, independently of the other circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, at least partially within the respective one of the plurality of hollows to electrically couple with a corresponding one of the plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, thereby reducing the overall height of the circuit breaker above the mounting surface.
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2. A board-mounted circuit breaker assembly for an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
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(a) a printed circuit board having a plurality of printed circuit board quick-connect terminals disposed on, and protruding away from, a mounting surface thereof; and (b) a circuit breaker having; (i) a housing body including a rear surface facing the mounting surface of the printed circuit board and a plurality of hollows, arranged laterally along the rear surface, that extend into the housing body such that at least a portion of the rear surface is disposed between a first hollow of the plurality of hollows and a second, laterally-adjacent, hollow of the plurality of hollows, and (ii) a plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, adapted to mechanically and electrically connect to the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals, that are each entirely recessed into a respective one of the plurality of hollows such that no portion of the circuit breaker quick-connect terminals extends past the portion of the rear surface of the housing body that is disposed between the first and second hollows, each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals being disposed such that the housing body only partially surrounds each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals as viewed in a projected view of the rear surface of the housing body; (c) wherein each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals is received within the respective one of the plurality of hollows to electrically couple with a corresponding one of the plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, thereby reducing the overall height of the circuit breaker above the mounting surface. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of installing circuit breakers on a printed circuit board for an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
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(a) providing at least one circuit breaker, having; (i) a housing body including a rear, printed circuit board-facing surface and a plurality of hollows, arranged laterally along the rear surface, that extend into the housing body such that at least a portion of the rear surface is disposed between a first hollow of the plurality of hollows and a second, laterally-adjacent, hollow of the plurality of hollows, and (ii) a plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals; and (b) installing the at least one circuit breaker onto a printed circuit board, having a plurality of printed circuit board quick-connect terminals disposed on, and protruding away from, a mounting surface thereof, such that the act of coupling the circuit breaker quick-connect terminals to the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals both mechanically mounts the at least one circuit breaker on the printed circuit board and electrically connects the at least one circuit breaker inline to the printed circuit board; (c) wherein the circuit breaker quick-connect terminals are each entirely recessed into a respective one of the plurality of hollows such that no portion of the circuit breaker quick-connect terminals extends past the portion of the rear surface of the housing body that is disposed between the first and second hollows, each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals is disposed such that the housing body only partially surrounds each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals as viewed in a projected view of the rear surface of the housing body; and (d) wherein each of the printed circuit board quick-connect terminals is received within the respective one of the plurality of hollows to electrically couple with a corresponding one of the plurality of circuit breaker quick-connect terminals, thereby reducing the overall height of the at least one circuit breaker above the mounting surface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification