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US 6,746,254 B2Granted
Screwless circuit board attachment
AssigneeAxxion Group Corporation
InventorPaul Hooper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fastener for attaching a circuit board to a chassis has a head section for engaging the circuit board, a tail section for engaging the chassis, and a spring section to urge the head into engagement with the circuit board.
Claims20
A fastener for attaching a circuit board to a chassis comprising:
- a body having an upper end and a lower end;
- a generally-triangular, generally rigid head section disposed at the upper end of the body, having an upper end having a guide disposed thereon and a lower end having a hook disposed thereon in fixed relationship to the body for engaging the circuit board;
- a tail section disposed at the lower end of the body for engaging the chassis;
- and
- a spring section to urge the head into engagement with the circuit board.
2 more elements
A method for attaching a circuit board having an upper surface having a principal plane and one or more circuit board mounting holes to a chassis, the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning one or more pivoting fasteners within the chassis, each of the one or more pivoting fasteners having a generally-rigid head section having a hook, a body, a tail section, and a spring section disposed to pivot the body and head section relative to the chassis;
- connecting the tail section of the one or more pivoting fasteners to the chassis;
- pivoting the head section and body of one or more pivoting fasteners about an axis parallel to the principal plane of the circuit board and in a direction to load the spring section against the chassis;
- engaging one or more circuit board mounting holes with the head sections of the one or more pivoting fasteners;
- and
- freeing the head section and body of one or more pivoting fasteners to pivot the hooks into engagement with the upper surface of the circuit board, thereby locking releasably the circuit board to the chassis.
3 more elements
A system for attaching a circuit board to a chassis comprising:
- one or more pivoting fasteners connected to the chassis and disposed to pivot against a spring in a common first direction and having hooks disposed in a common second direction opposite the common first direction to engage edges of the circuit board facing the common first direction;
- and
- a retainer having a retractable portion disposed to retract into the retainer selectively engaging an edge of the circuit board facing the common first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.