US 5,848,906 AGranted

Loading and placement device for connecting circuit boards

AssigneeSilicon Graphics, Inc.

InventorsMark J. Glusker, David J. Lima

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A loading and placement device for connecting circuit boards using a flex circuit and a compression connector is disclosed. A mounting mechanism holds one or more circuit boards and a flex circuit and a compression connector couple the circuit boards to a circuit board having a backplate hook and rail housings mounted onto it. The rail housings engage the frame of the mounting mechanism for easy alignment and secure attachment. A plate of the mounting mechanism slides so to engage and rotate a cam handle. The movement of the cam handle compresses the connector against the surface to which the backplate hook is mounted, thus achieving a positive connection which locks the compression connector into a position of uniform compression. The circuit boards may be disengaged by sliding the plate of the mounting mechanism so as to rotate the cams into the unlocked position and pulling the mounting mechanism out of the rail housings.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A loading and placement mechanism for coupling a first circuit board to a second circuit board comprising:

a frame;
a top rail housing coupled to said first circuit board;
a bottom rail housing disposed below said top rail housing and coupled to said first circuit board;
a hook coupled to said first circuit board said hook including a first post and a second post;
a compression connector coupled to said second circuit board, said compression connector including a first cam and a second cam coupled thereto such that said first cam and said second cam rotate, said first cam having a cam post extending therefrom;
a cam plate having a slot disposed therein, said cam plate coupled to said frame;
a plate coupled to said cam plate and coupled to said frame such that said plate and said cam plate move within said frame such that, upon the insertion of said frame between said bottom rail housing and said top rail housing, said plate is adapted to be pushed inwardly such that said slot in said cam plate engages said cam post so as to rotate said first cam and said second cam such that said first cam engages said first post and said second cam engages said second post, thereby compressing said compression connector against said first circuit board such that said first circuit board is electrically coupled to said second circuit board.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.