Tandem circuit cards

An extension module for tandem connection to a base circuit card having an external sheet material jacket girding and rigid parallel sockets which extend along opposite side edges of the jacket in the direction of connecting said base card to said module, said parallel sockets having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof and insertion apertures at a rearward end of said base circuit card, said extension module comprising:

• (a) a module housing;
• (b) a pair of spaced apart parallel rigid support fingers extending from said housing;
• (c) outer sides of said support fingers being configured for slidable insertion into said corresponding parallel sockets to engage inner surfaces of said sockets by having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof which corresponds to the substantially uniform cross-section of said parallel sockets;
• and
• (d) an electrical connector located between said support fingers adapted for mating connection with a corresponding electrical connector located at the rearward end of said base circuit card, when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card;
• whereby when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card by substantially full insertion of said support fingers into said base circuit card the engagement of said jacket embracing said fingers rigidly joins said extension module to said base card to form an integral extended circuit card.

An extension module for tandem connection to a base circuit card having an external sheet metal jacket girding said card and enclosing a circuit board spaced from the corresponding inner surfaces of opposite side edges of the jacket to form rigid parallel sockets between the edges of the circuit board and the interior of the jacket, said parallel sockets extend along opposite side edges of the jacket in the direction of connecting said base card to said module, said parallel sockets having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof and insertion apertures at a rearward end of said base circuit card, comprising:

• (a) a module housing;
• (b) a pair of spaced apart parallel rigid support fingers extending from said housing;
• opposed inner surfaces of said fingers being grooved longitudinally to embrace transverse edges of the circuit board contained within said base circuit card;
• (c) outer sides of said support fingers being configured for slidable insertion into said corresponding parallel sockets to engage inner surfaces of said sockets by having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof which corresponds to the substantially uniform cross-section of said parallel sockets;
• and
• (d) an electrical connector located between said support fingers adapted for mating connection with a corresponding electrical connector located at the rearward end of said base circuit card, when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card;
• whereby when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card by substantially full insertion of said support fingers into said base circuit card the engagement of said jacket embracing said fingers rigidly joins said extension module to said base card to form an integral extended circuit card.

An extended circuit card combination comprising an extension module and a base circuit card assembly wherein:

• said base circuit card includes rigid parallel sockets which extend along opposite side edges of the base circuit card in the direction of connecting said base card to said module, said parallel sockets having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof and insertion apertures at a rearward end of said base circuit card,
• said extension module comprises:
• (a) a module housing;
• (b) a pair of spaced apart parallel rigid support fingers extending from said housing;
• (c) said support fingers being configured for sliding insertion into said corresponding parallel sockets by having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof which corresponds to the substantially uniform cross-section of said parallel sockets;
• and
• (d) an electrical connector located between said support fingers adapted for mating connection with a corresponding electrical connector located at the rearward end of said base circuit card when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card;
• whereby when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card by substantially full insertion of said support fingers into said base circuit card sockets the engagement of said sockets with said fingers rigidly joins said extension module to said base card to form an integral extended circuit card.

An extended circuit card assembly comprising an extension module and base circuit card, said extension module being adapted for tandem connection to a base circuit card, said base circuit card having an external sheet material jacket girding said card and rigid parallel sockets which extend along opposite side edges of the jacket in the direction of connecting said base card to said module, said parallel sockets having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof and insertion apertures at a rearward end of said base circuit card, said extension module comprising:

• (a) a module housing;
• (b) a pair of spaced apart parallel rigid support fingers extending from said housing;
• (c) outer sides of said support fingers being configured for slidable insertion into said corresponding parallel sockets to engage inner surfaces of said sockets by having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof which corresponds to the substantially uniform cross-section of said parallel sockets;
• and
• (d) an electrical connector located between said support fingers adapted for mating connection with a corresponding electrical connector located at the rearward end of said base circuit card, when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card;
• whereby when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card by substantially full insertion of said support fingers into said base circuit card the engagement of said jacket embracing said fingers rigidly joins said extension module to said base card to form an integral extended circuit card.

An extended circuit card assembly comprising an extension module and a base circuit card, wherein said extension module is adapted for tandem connection to a base circuit card, said base circuit card having an external sheet metal jacket girding said card and enclosing a circuit board spaced from the inner surfaces of corresponding opposite side edges of the jacket to form rigid parallel sockets between the edges of the circuit board and the interior of the jacket, said parallel sockets extend along opposite side edges of the jacket in the direction of connecting said base card to said module, said parallel sockets having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof and insertion apertures at a rearward end of said base circuit card, said extension module comprising:

• (a) a module housing;
• (b) a pair of spaced apart parallel rigid support fingers extending from said housing;
• opposed inner surfaces of said fingers being grooved longitudinally to embrace transverse edges of the circuit board contained within said base circuit card;
• (c) outer sides of said support fingers being configured for slidable insertion into said corresponding parallel sockets to engage inner surfaces of said sockets by having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout an entire length thereof which corresponds to the substantially uniform cross-section of said parallel sockets;
• and
• (d) an electrical connector located between said support fingers adapted to mating connection with a corresponding electrical connector located at the rearward end of said base circuit card, when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card;
• whereby when said extension module is connected to said base circuit card by substantially full insertion of said support fingers into said base circuit card the engagement of said jacket embracing said fingers rigidly joins said extension module to said base card to form an integral extended circuit card.