# US 7,234,960 B2 · Guide pin with transverse protrusions for properly positioning a guide pin for attachment to a printed circuit board > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,234,960 B2 - Document ID: US7234960B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/873,375 - Filed: 2004-06-21 - Published: 2005-12-22 - Granted: 2007-06-26 - Earliest claimed: 2004-06-21 - Assignees: Computer Network Technology Corporation - Inventors: Thomas J. Carullo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7234960B2 ## CPC - H01R 12/7005: {Guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors (for printed circuit boards H05K)} - H01R 12/721: {cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits} - H01R 13/629: Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure {electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances (separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26)} - H05K 3/366: {substantially perpendicularly to each other (H05K3/361 takes precedence)} - H05K 2201/10189: Non-printed connector - H05K 2203/167: Using mechanical means for positioning, alignment or registration, e.g. using rod-in-hole alignment - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A self-aligning guide pin has two tapered protrusions. The protrusions seat in recesses in a printed circuit board to properly position and align the guide pin as it is mounted by a screw to the printed circuit board during assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: a) providing a printed circuit board having two circular recesses and a screw hole defined therein; b) providing a guide pin having an elongate shaft defining a screw hole extending through the shaft member in a direction transverse to the shaft, said guide pin further including two tapered protrusions, square in transverse cross section, and sized in relation to the mating circular recess as follows: i) smaller in distance from corner to corner at its terminating end than the diameter of the circular recesses; and ii) greater in distance from corner to corner at its widest end than the diameter of the circular recesses; c) providing a mounting screw; d) positioning the guide pin adjacent the printed circuit board with said protrusions extending into said recesses; e) installing the mounting screw through the screw hole on the printed circuit board; f) tightening said mounting screw within said guide pin screw hole until corners of said protrusions bite into the printed circuit board. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions are of a material harder than the material of the printed circuit board. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein said screw hole is located between said protrusions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein all sides of each said protrusion are oblique to their respective longitudinal axes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions are spaced a fixed distance from one another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein each said protrusion has a cross-sectional shape that is constant in shape, while varying in size, through its taper in the direction along the longitudinal axis of the protrusion. ### Claim 7 A guide pin for a printed circuit board comprising: an elongate shaft having a guide section coupled to an attachment section, said attachment section having a larger cross-sectional size than said guide section, and said attachment section including a PCB-engaging surface generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said shaft and with two tapered protrusions extending from said PCB-engaging surface such that the longitudinal axis of said protrusions is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A guide pin according to claim 7, wherein said protrusions are square in cross-section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A guide pin according to claim 7, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said protrusion includes a defined corner. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A guide pin according to claim 7, wherein said guide pin defines a tapped hole therethrough that has a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of said protrusions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) A guide pin according to claim 7, wherein all sides of each said protrusion are oblique to their respective longitudinal axes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) A guide pin according to claim 7, wherein said protrusions are of a material harder than Flame Resistant 4 laminate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) A guide pin according to claim 7, wherein each said protrusion has a cross-sectional shape that is constant in shape, while varying in size, through its taper in the direction along the longitudinal axis of the protrusion. ### Claim 14 A guide pin assembly, comprising: a) a printed circuit board having two recesses defined therein; b) a guide pin having an elongate shaft having a guide section coupled to an attachment section, said attachment section having a larger cross-sectional size than said guide section, and said attachment section including with a PCB-engaging surface generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said shaft and with two tapered protrusions extending from said PCB-engaging surface such that the longitudinal axis of said protrusions is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shaft; and said protrusions being received in said recesses. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A guide pin assembly according to claim 14, wherein said protrusions are of a material harder than the material of the printed circuit board immediately adjacent said recesses. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A guide pin assembly according to claim 14, wherein said protrusions are square in cross-section, and said protrusions are sized in relation to the mating recess on said circuit board as follows: i) smaller in distance from corner to corner at its terminating end than the diameter of the recesses; and ii) greater in distance from corner to corner at its widest end than the diameter of the recesses. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A guide pin assembly according to claim 14, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said protrusion includes a defined corner, and wherein each said protrusion is sized in relation to the mating recess on said circuit board as follows: i) smaller in distance from its corner across its diameter at its terminating end than the diameter of the recesses; and ii) greater in distance from its corner across its diameter at its widest end than the diameter of the recesses. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) A guide pin assembly according to claim 14, wherein said guide pin defines a tapped hole therethrough that has a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of said protrusions and wherein said printed circuit board defines a screw hole, said printed circuit board recesses and screw hole being positioned to mate with said guide pin protrusions and tapped hole. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A guide pin assembly according to claim 14, wherein all sides of each said protrusion are oblique to their respective longitudinal axes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) A guide pin assembly according to claim 14, wherein each said protrusion has a cross-sectional shape that is constant in shape, while varying in size, through its taper in the direction along the longitudinal axis of the protrusion. ### Claim 21 A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board comprising the steps of: a) providing a printed circuit board having two recesses and a screw hole defined therein; b) providing a guide pin having an elongate shaft defining a screw hole extending through the shaft member in a direction transverse to the shaft, said guide pin further including two tapered protrusions; c) providing a mounting screw; d) positioning the guide pin adjacent the printed circuit board with said protrusions extending into said recesses; e) installing the mounting screw through the screw hole on the printed circuit board; f) tightening said mounting screw within said guide pin screw hole until corners of said protrusions bite into the printed circuit board. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 21, wherein said protrusions are square in cross-section and said protrusions are sized in relation to the mating recess on said circuit board as follows: i) smaller in distance from corner to corner at its terminating end than the diameter of the recesses; and ii) greater in distance from corner to corner at its widest end than the diameter of the recesses. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 21, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said protrusion includes a defined corner, and wherein each said protrusion is sized in relation to the mating recess on said circuit board as follows: i) smaller in diameter from its corner across its diameter at its terminating end than the diameter of the recesses; and ii) greater in diameter from its corner across its diameter at its widest end than the diameter of the recesses. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 21, wherein all sides of each said protrusion are oblique to their respective longitudinal axes. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 21, wherein said protrusions are of a material harder than the material of the printed circuit board defining said recesses. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 21, wherein each said protrusion has a cross-sectional shape that is constant in shape, while varying in size, through its taper in the direction along the longitudinal axis of the protrusion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) A method of attaching a guide pin to a printed circuit board according to claim 21 wherein said printed circuit board recesses are circular. ### Claim 28 A guide pin for a printed circuit board comprising: a) an elongate shaft having a longitudinal axis; b) means for aligning and registering the guide pin for attachment to a first printed circuit board, said alignment means including a PCB-engaging surface generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said shaft and with two tapered protrusions extending from said PCB-engaging surface such that the longitudinal axis of said protrusions is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shaft; c) means for guiding said guide pin into a hole in a second printed circuit board. ### Claim 29 A guide pin for a printed circuit board comprising: an elongate shaft having a longitudinal axis and having: a) a guide section; b) a middle section coupled to said guide section, said middle section having a larger diameter than said guide section with a first shoulder bridging said guide and middle sections; and c) an attachment section coupled to said middle section, said attachment section including a PCB-engaging surface generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said shaft and with two tapered protrusions extending from said PCB-engaging surface such that the longitudinal axis of said protrusions is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shaft.