Secure latch locking clip
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorDonald E. Heselton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A locking clip is disclosed for use with modular circuit packs that mount in mounting racks, and the insertion and extraction of circuit packs from a mounting rack is facilitated using a lever that is attached to the face plate of each circuit pack. When the novel locking clip is installed in a hole through the lever it is difficult to be seen and can only be removed with tweezers or similar small grasping tool. When in place the locking clip blocks the normal operation of the lever and the circuit pack cannot be removed from the mounting rack. Removal of the locking clip permits the lever to be operated normally to remove a circuit pack from the mounting rack.
Claims17
Locking apparatus for use with a modular circuit pack that mounts in a mounting rack and its insertion into and extraction from the mounting rack is facilitated using a lever that is attached to the face end of said circuit pack, said lever being in a first position when said circuit pack is fully inserted into said mounting rack and said lever is moved to a second position to facilitate removing said circuit pack from said mounting rack, said locking apparatus comprising:
- first means that is movable between a first position and a second position, when said first means is in its first position it holds said lever in its first position, and said first means must be moved to its second position before said lever can be moved to its second position to facilitate removing said circuit pack from said mounting rack;
- and
- a locking clip that cooperates with said first means to prevent the movement of said first means from its first position to its second position, thereby preventing the removal of said circuit pack from said mounting rack.
A method for preventing removal of a modular circuit pack from a mounting rack in which said pack is mounted, and said pack being normally inserted into and extracted from the mounting rack using a lever that is attached to the face end of said circuit pack, said lever being in a first position when said circuit pack is fully inserted into said mounting rack and said lever is moved to a second position to facilitate removing said circuit pack from said mounting rack, and a flexible element on said circuit pack in a first position engages said lever to hold it in its first position until the flexible element is moved to a second position, said method comprises the step of:
- preventing said lever from being moved from its first position to its second position until it is desired to move said lever to its said second position to remove said circuit pack from said mounting rack by inserting a locking clip adjacent to said flexible element that prevents said flexible element from moving from its first position and thereby preventing said lever from being moved to its second position to extract said circuit card from said mounting rack.
Locking apparatus for use with a modular circuit pack that mounts in a mounting rack and its insertion into and extraction from the mounting rack is facilitated using a lever that is attached to the face end of said circuit pack, said lever being in a first position when said circuit pack is fully inserted into said mounting rack and said lever is moved to a second position to facilitate removing said circuit pack from said mounting rack, a closure means is attached to said circuit pack, said closure means being movable between a first and a second position, when said closure means is in its said first position it holds said lever in its said first position, and said closure means must be moved to its second position before said lever can be moved to its said second position to facilitate removing said circuit pack from said mounting rack, said locking apparatus comprising:
- a locking clip that cooperates with said closure means to prevent its movement from its first position to its second position, thereby preventing the movement of said lever to facilitate removal of said circuit pack from said mounting rack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.