Printed circuit board edge shaping tool
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorRefugio C. Morales
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a tool, and method of its use, that puts a pair of bevels onto an edge of a printed circuit board (PCB) so that the PCB can be inserted into an expansion slot of a computer. The tool has a bevel wheel, preferably with a bilaterally symmetrical angle channel shape, that is connected to a carriage. The bevel wheel rolls along the carriage while the bevel wheel is pressed onto the edge of the PCB so as to form the pair of bevels on the edge of the PCB. No material is removed from the PCB while forming the pair of bevels. The bevel wheel is forced upon the edge using a piston that monitors and regulates the pressure applied to the edge of the PCB in order to achieve a preferred height and angular orientation of the pair of bevels.
Claims29
An apparatus for shaping a PCB having a bottom edge that is opposite and parallel to an insertion edge that extends between opposing parallel surfaces of the PCB, the apparatus comprising:
- a support surface for supporting the bottom edge of the PCB;
- a device for moving a shaping tool to form a pair of bevels on the PCB without removing material from the PCB while:
- the support surface supports the bottom edge of the PCB;
- and
- the shaping tool makes contact with:
- the insertion edge of the PCB;
- and
- the opposing parallel surfaces of the PCB;
- wherein each of the bevels extends between the insertion edge and a respective one of the opposing parallel surfaces of the PCB.
An apparatus for shaping a PCB having a bottom edge that is opposite and parallel to an insertion edge that extends between opposing parallel surfaces of the PCB, the PCB also including a leading edge that is opposite and parallel to a trailing edge, wherein the insertion edge extends between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the apparatus comprising:
- a support surface for supporting the bottom edge of the PCB;
- a pair of opposite parallel plates;
- a device for moving a shaping tool from the leading edge to the trailing edge to form a pair of bevels on the PCB while:
- the support surface supports the bottom edge of the PCB;
- the pair of opposite parallel plates contacts the leading edge and the trailing edge to secure the PCB therebetween;
- and
- the shaping tool makes contact with:
- the insertion edge of the PCB;
- and
- the opposing parallel surfaces of the PCB;
- wherein:
- the shaping tool forms the pair of bevels by applying a compressive force to the PCB without removing material from the PCB;
- and
- each of the bevels extends between the insertion edge and a respective one of the opposing parallel surfaces of the PCB.
An apparatus for shaping a PCB having a bottom edge that is opposite and parallel to an insertion edge that extends between opposing parallel surfaces of the PCB, the apparatus comprising:
- a support surface for supporting the bottom edge of the PCB;
- a device for moving a shaping tool to form a pair of bevels on the PCB without removing material from the PCB while:
- the support surface supports the bottom edge of the PCB;
- and
- the shaping tool makes contact with:
- the insertion edge of the PCB;
- and
- the opposing parallel surfaces of the PCB;
- wherein said shaping tool comprises a wheel having a shaped surface thereon for rolling contact engagement with the PCB.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.