Adapter apparatus for use in connecting a printed circuit board to a computer chasis
AssigneeDell USA, L.P.
InventorsErica Scholder, Gilberto Hernandez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A generally plate-shaped adapter device has an inner edge portion with spaced bosses thereon that may be snapped into tooling holes in a printed circuit board which is smaller than the circuit board originally designed to be secured to mounting portions formed on a computer chassis wall. The in-place adapter device forms an outward edgewise extension of the smaller circuit board and has an outer edge portion positioned and configured to cooperate with the chassis board mounting structure in a manner permitting the reduced size printed circuit board to be operatively mounted on the chassis wall without modification of its board mounting structure.
Claims15
Computer apparatus comprising:
- a chassis having a wall portion;
- a first printed circuit board;
- an extender device;
- first mounting means for releasably holding said extender device on said first printed circuit board in a manner such that said extender device forms an edgewise extension of said first printed circuit board;
- and
- second mounting means formed on said chassis wall portion and configured to engage and operatively support on said chassis wall portion, in a parallel orientation therewith, a second printed circuit board larger in an edgewise direction than said first printed circuit board,
- said second mounting means releasably engaging said extender device and said first printed circuit board in a manner operatively supporting said first printed circuit board on said chassis wall portion, in place of the second printed circuit board, in a parallel relationship with said chassis wall portion.
A method of operatively securing a first printed circuit board to a chassis wall in place of a second circuit board larger in an edgewise direction that said first printed circuit board, the chassis wall having disposed thereon mounting means configured to engage the second printed circuit board and secure it to the chassis wall, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a generally plate-shaped extender device;
- releasably fastening an edge portion of said first printed circuit board in a manner such that said extender device forms an edgewise extension of said first printed circuit board;
- operatively engaging a first portion of said mounting means with said first printed circuit board;
- and
- operatively engaging a second portions of said mounting means with said extender device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.