Thermally conductive circuit card guides

A chassis configured to house one or more circuit card assemblies disposed along a first direction, wherein each circuit card assembly of the one or more circuit card assemblies is configured to be received along a third direction, the chassis comprising:

• outer surfaces comprising a first outer surface and a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface, wherein the first outer surface is facing outwards towards a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the third direction;
• and
• a circuit card assembly configured to be removably insertable into the chassis, wherein the circuit card assembly comprises a heat sink physically coupled to a circuit card,
• wherein the chassis is configured to be removably coupled to the one or more circuit card assemblies via fasteners externally installable to the chassis,
• wherein at least one of the outer surfaces of the chassis comprises external coupling features configured to receive the fasteners,
• wherein the heat sink of the circuit card assembly comprises corresponding coupling features configured to align with the external coupling features and to receive the fasteners,
• wherein the chassis comprises an electrically conducting surface, wherein the circuit card comprises a corresponding electrically conducting surface configured to align with and electrically couple with the electrically conducting surface when the circuit card assembly is coupled to the chassis using the fasteners, wherein the corresponding electrically conducting surface of the circuit card is structurally distinct and located separately from the heat sink.

A method comprising:

• coupling a chassis of a line-replaceable unit (LRU) to a circuit card assembly of one or more circuit card assemblies of the LRU, wherein the coupling comprises inserting fasteners into the chassis from outer surfaces of the chassis, wherein the LRU comprises:
• the chassis configured to house the one or more circuit card assemblies disposed along a first direction, wherein each circuit card assembly of the one or more circuit card assemblies is configured to be received along a third direction, the chassis comprising:
• the outer surfaces comprising a first outer surface and a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface, wherein the first outer surface is facing outwards towards a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the third direction;
• and
• the circuit card assembly configured to be removably insertable into the chassis, wherein the circuit card assembly comprises a heat sink physically coupled to a circuit card,
• wherein the circuit card assembly and the chassis are each configured to be removably coupled to each other via the fasteners externally installable to the chassis,
• wherein at least one of the outer surfaces of the chassis comprises external coupling features configured to receive the fasteners,
• wherein the heat sink of the circuit card assembly comprises corresponding coupling features configured to align with the external coupling features and to receive the fasteners,
• wherein the chassis comprises an electrically conducting surface, wherein the circuit card comprises a corresponding electrically conducting surface configured to align with and electrically couple with the electrically conducting surface when the circuit card assembly is coupled to the chassis using the fasteners, wherein the corresponding electrically conducting surface of the circuit card is structurally distinct and located separately from the heat sink.