US 4,092,698 AGranted

Protective case for electrical instruments on circuit boards

AssigneeAnalog Devices, Inc.

InventorPaul E. Brefka

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Abstract

A protective case for an electrical instrument on a circuit board, arranged to mount the instrument upon a panel in an opening provided therein. The case is characterized by a housing having an end opening for introduction of the circuit board therein and a snap-in mounting structure for automatically and securely mounting a circuit board within the housing. The mounting structure includes means forming a ledge, provided for example by four corner platforms molded into the housing, for supporting one side of the circuit board. Two pairs of opposed resilient fingers, preferably molded integrally with the walls of the housing, extend with an inward cant along the path of the circuit board from opposite interior sides of the housing to be flexed outwardly by the edges of the circuit board as it is introduced into the housing. The resilient fingers terminate in front faces, preferably formed with beveled stepped surfaces, which are spaced from the ledges to allow the resilient fingers to flex inwardly to fit their front faces against the opposite side of the circuit board when it is positioned with its one side in contact with the ledge. The circuit board thus becomes securely mounted in the housing automatically upon its introduction therein, without resort to separate fastening means or tools. The case further has a back wall apertured to receive connector pins on the circuit board, a front cover, and resilient catches extending outwardly from other side walls of the housing for attachment of the housing to an instrument panel.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A protective case for a panel-mounted electrical instrument of the type having internal electrical circuitry on a circuit board, said protective case comprising:

a housing having four side walls disposed about and at right angles to an end wall, said housing also being formed with an end opening opposite said end wall;
ledge means formed within the housing adjacent the side walls thereof, the surfaces of said ledge means facing said end opening providing a planar support for the circuit board;
a first set of resilient fingers formed integrally with an opposed pair of said side walls, said first set of fingers being located in corresponding openings in said pair of side walls and formed to extend towards said end wall along the path of movement of the circuit board as it is being inserted through said end opening towards said ledge means, said first set of fingers terminating in bevelled front faces spaced above said plane of the ledge means;
said first set of resilient fingers extending inwardly of the corresponding side walls and arranged to fit against the outward side surface of the circuit board when its inward side surface is in contact with said ledge means;
a second set of resilient fingers formed integrally with an opposed pair of said side walls of the housing, said second set of fingers being formed in corresponding openings in the respective side walls, said second set of resilient fingers extending towards said end opening in a direction approximately parallel to but opposite to the direction of extension of said first set of resilient fingers, said second set of fingers extending outwardly of said respective side walls with the ends of said second set of fingers spaced from said end opening to provide for mounting said housing to an instrument panel by gripping the panel between a portion of the housing at said end opening and the ends of said second pair of resilient fingers;
whereby all assembly steps for the case, comprising mounting the circuit board in the case and securing the case in a panel, may be performed without resort to separate fastening means or tools.

3 more elements

A protective case for an electrical instrument of the type including a circuit board to be held firmly fixed therein, the combination comprising:

a molded-plastic housing having side wall means and an end opening for introduction of the circuit board therein;
a snap-in mounting structure for mounting the circuit board within the housing, the mounting structure including:
means molded within the housing forming a ledge presenting a planar surface for supporting marginal portions of one side surface of a circuit board introduced into said housing through said opening;
and
at least one pair of resilient fingers molded integrally with said side wall means and extending along the path of the circuit board as it moves inwardly from said end opening, said fingers being located in respective openings in opposite side walls of the housing, said fingers extending in a direction away from said end opening and terminating in front faces spaced above the plane of said ledge means and arranged to fit against the outer surface of the circuit board when its inner surface is in contact with said ledge, the resilient fingers being formed with an inward cant so that they are engaged and flexed outwardly by the side edges of the circuit board as the board is introduced into the housing through said end opening and then resiliently flex inwardly as the circuit board clears said front faces so that said front faces fit against and hold said circuit board tightly in position against said ledge, thereby to permit the circuit board to be mounted in said housing automatically upon its introduction therein, without resort to separate fastening means or tools.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/812,059Filed 1 Jul 1977 · continuation
Priority: 16 Sep 1976
Granted: 30 May 1978
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G12B 9/00
Housing or supporting of instruments or other apparatus
G01R 1/04
General constructional details: housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
H02B 1/048
Mounting through openings: snap mounting
H05K 7/12
Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure: resilient or clamping means for holding component to structure