U.S. patent application number 12/131352 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-25 for circuit board cam-action standoff connector.
Invention is credited to David L. Edwards, Ronald L. Hering, David C. Long, Jason S. Miller, Carl R. Peterson.
Application Number | 20080232072 12/131352 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36260496 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080232072 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Edwards; David L. ; et
al. |
September 25, 2008 |
CIRCUIT BOARD CAM-ACTION STANDOFF CONNECTOR
Abstract
A cam-action expanding standoff connector and related method are
disclosed for mounting a circuit board. The standoff connector
includes a body and a plurality of mounting members having interior
longitudinally-extending camming portions for engagement by a cam.
A cam is configured to be positioned within the mounting members in
a first position in which the mounting members are not expanded
against the interior of a mounting opening and in a second position
in which the cam engages the camming portions to expand the
plurality of mounting members against the interior of the mounting
opening. Since the camming action is horizontal only (purely
radial), practically no vertical forces are applied to the circuit
board and a best-fit alignment between a circuit board and heatsink
can be established and maintained.
Inventors: |
Edwards; David L.;
(Poughkeepsie, NY) ; Hering; Ronald L.; (Pleasant
Valley, NY) ; Long; David C.; (Wappingers Falls,
NY) ; Miller; Jason S.; (Poughkeepsie, NY) ;
Peterson; Carl R.; (Cupertino, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOFFMAN WARNICK LLC
75 STATE ST, 14TH FL
ALBANY
NY
12207
US
|
Family ID: |
36260496 |
Appl. No.: |
12/131352 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10904276 |
Nov 2, 2004 |
7394666 |
|
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12131352 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
361/759 ;
174/138G; 439/573 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 7/142 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/759 ;
174/138.G; 439/573 |
International
Class: |
H05K 3/30 20060101
H05K003/30; H01R 13/73 20060101 H01R013/73 |
Claims
1. A method mounting a circuit board using an expandable standoff
connector, the method comprising the steps of: mounting a body of
the expandable standoff connector to a chassis; inserting an
engagement portion of the expandable standoff connector within an
interior of a mounting opening of the circuit board, the engagement
portion including a cam opening between a plurality of mounting
members, each mounting member having an interior
longitudinally-extending camming portion; providing a cam within
the cam opening, the cam including an interior
longitudinally-extending engager for each camming portion, and
wherein the cam and the cam opening are positioned within the
interior of the mounting opening of the circuit board; and moving
the cam from a first position in which the mounting members are not
expanded against the interior of the mounting opening and in a
second position in which each engager engages a corresponding
camming portion to expand the plurality of mounting members against
the interior of the mounting opening; where in the expanding of the
plurality of mounting members in the second position consists of
forcing the plurality of mounting members radially against the
interior of the mounting opening to mount the circuit board.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving step includes rotating
the cam.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the inserting step includes
providing each camming portion with a decreasing radius relative to
a center of the cam opening from the first position to the second
position.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving step includes securing
the cam in the second position by placing each engager in an
engager seat.
Description
[0001] The current application is a continuation application of
co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/904,276, filed on
Nov. 2, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates generally to circuit board
connectors, and more particularly, to a cam-action expandable
standoff connector for mounting a circuit board.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] Electronic circuit board assembly requires the ability to
securely lock a circuit board in place for proper operation. For
example, typical personal computer (PC) circuit board operation
requires locking the board into position after it, and in
particular a chip connected thereto, has been "best-fit" to a
copper heatsink or coldplate. The term "best-fit" refers to how the
circuit board is coupled to the heatsink via thermal transmission
materials in a near-perfectly parallel fashion. Establishing a
thin, uniform thermal interface between chip and heatsink is
critical for achieving adequate thermal performance for high
powered applications. Variable height standoffs are sometimes used
to accommodate variations in stack-up height and tilt.
Non-parallelism between chip and heatsink will increase a thermal
interface gap, thus decreasing thermal performance. Variable
position standoffs enable parallel assembly between chip and
heatsink while accommodating non-parallelism between circuit card
and chassis. Referring to FIG. 1, one conventional approach for
locking a circuit board 6 into position is shown. Circuit board 6
includes a chip 8 mounted to a heatsink or coldplate 10 via thermal
transmission material. In this approach, as shown in FIG. 2, split
expanding plastic standoff connectors 12 are used to mount circuit
board 6. Returning to FIG. 1, in this setting, expanding plastic
standoff connectors 12 are mounted to a chassis 14 and mounting
openings 16 of circuit board 6 are placed over ends 18 of standoff
connectors 12. As shown in FIG. 2, as threaded fastener 20 is
tightened into end 18 of a standoff connector 12, slit portion 22
of standoff connector 12 expands against an interior of mounting
opening 16. A drawback of this type mount is that, as standoff
connector 12 expands, it tends to move circuit board 6 vertically
and disturb the best-fit alignment of circuit board 6 (i.e., chip 8
thereof) to the heatsink/coldplate. For example, slit portion 22
tends to vertically move (with a V-shaped expansion profile) the
circuit board 6 rather than simply horizontally clamp it in
position.
[0006] In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a
standoff connector for maintaining a best-fit alignment between a
circuit board and heatsink.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention includes a cam-action expanding standoff
connector and related method for mounting a circuit board. The
standoff connector includes a body and a plurality of mounting
members having interior longitudinally-extending camming portions
for engagement by a cam. A cam is configured to be positioned
within the mounting members in a first position in which the
mounting members are not expanded against the interior of a
mounting opening and in a second position in which the cam engages
the camming portions to expand the plurality of mounting members
against the interior of the mounting opening. Since the camming
action is horizontal only (purely radial), practically no vertical
forces are applied to the circuit board and a best-fit alignment
between a circuit board and heatsink can be established and
maintained.
[0008] A first aspect of the invention is directed to an expanding
standoff connector for mounting a circuit board, the connector
comprising: a body adapted to be mounted to a chassis; an
engagement portion coupled to the body for placement within an
interior of a mounting opening of the circuit board, the engagement
portion including a cam opening between a plurality of mounting
members, each mounting member having an interior
longitudinally-extending camming portion; and a cam including a
longitudinally-extending engager for each camming portion; wherein
the cam is configured to be positioned in the cam opening in a
first position in which the mounting members are not expanded
against the interior of the mounting opening and in a second
position in which each engager engages a corresponding camming
portion to expand the plurality of mounting members against the
interior of the mounting opening.
[0009] A second aspect of the invention includes a method for
mounting a circuit board using an expandable standoff connector,
the method comprising the steps of: mounting a body of the
expandable standoff connector to a chassis; inserting an engagement
portion of the expandable standoff connector within an interior of
a mounting opening of the circuit board, the engagement portion
including a cam opening between a plurality of mounting members,
each mounting member having an interior longitudinally-extending
camming portion; providing a cam within the cam opening, the cam
including a longitudinally-extending engager for each camming
portion; and moving the cam from a first position in which the
mounting members are not expanded against the interior of the
mounting opening and in a second position in which each engager
engages a corresponding camming portion to expand the plurality of
mounting members against the interior of the mounting opening to
mount the circuit board.
[0010] A third aspect of the invention includes an expanding
standoff connector for mounting a circuit board, the connector
comprising: a body adapted to be mounted to a chassis; a plurality
of mounting members extending from the body for placement within an
interior of a mounting opening of the circuit board, the plurality
of mounting members having a cam opening therebetween, each
mounting member having an interior longitudinally-extending camming
portion having a decreasing distance relative to a center of the
cam opening; and a cam for positioning in the cam opening in a
first position in which the mounting members are not expanded
against the interior of the mounting opening, and for rotation to a
second position in which the cam engages each camming portion to
expand the plurality of mounting members against the interior of
the mounting opening.
[0011] The foregoing and other features of the invention will be
apparent from the following more particular description of
embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The embodiments of this invention will be described in
detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like
designations denote like elements, and wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a conventional circuit board
expanding standoff connector.
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a detailed side view of the connector of FIG.
1.
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a
cam-action standoff connector according to the invention in a
non-actuated position.
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the connector of FIG. 3 in a
non-actuated position.
[0017] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the connector of FIGS.
3-4 in an actuated position.
[0018] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of the connector of FIG. 3.
[0019] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of a
cam-action standoff connector according to the invention.
[0020] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the connector of FIG.
7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] With reference to the accompanying drawings, FIG. 3 shows an
expanding standoff connector 100 for mounting a circuit board 116.
Connector 100 includes a body 102, an engagement portion 104 and a
cam 106. Body 102 is adapted to be mounted to a chassis 108 such as
a chassis of a personal computer, in any now known or later
developed fashion. For example, body 102 may be snap-fit or bolted
to chassis 108.
[0022] Engagement portion 104 is integrally coupled to body 102 and
is configured for placement within an interior 112 of a mounting
opening 114 of circuit board 116. Engagement portion 104 includes a
cam opening 120 between a plurality of mounting members 122
thereof. Each mounting member 122 includes an interior
longitudinally-extending camming portion 124. In one embodiment, an
exterior surface 126 of connector 100 has substantially the same
shape as a mating portion of mounting opening 114. As shown in FIG.
4, each camming portion 124 has a decreasing distance (D2 vs. D1)
relative to a center 128 of cam opening 120. In other words, each
camming portion 124 has a first thickness T1 relative to exterior
surface 126 at a first position, and a second, greater thickness T2
at a second position relative to exterior surface 126.
[0023] Cam 106 includes a longitudinally-extending engager 130 for
each camming portion 124. In operation, cam 106 is configured to be
placed or provided in cam opening 120 in a first non-actuated
position (FIGS. 3 and 4) in which mounting members 122 are not
expanded against interior 112 of mounting opening 114. As shown in
FIG. 5, cam 106 is rotatable about a longitudinal axis (center of
cam opening 128) to a second, actuated position in which each
engager 130 engages a corresponding camming portion 124 to expand
mounting members 122 against interior 112 of mounting opening 114
to securely mount circuit board 116. That is, mounting members 122
are forced radially via each camming portion 124. Cam 106 can be
rotated by any tool capable of grasping an upper end thereof, e.g.,
pliers, a socket having a negative image of the cam cross-section,
etc. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each camming portion 124 may also
include an engager seat 132 formed by a ridge or similar structure
134 in camming portion 124 for securing cam 106 in the second
position. In an alternate embodiment (not shown), multiple engager
seats providing locking positions of increasing degrees of
expansion could be provided.
[0024] As noted above, in one embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3-5,
exterior surface 126 has substantially the same shape as a mating
portion of mounting opening 114. However, in an alternative
embodiment shown in FIG. 6, each mounting member 122 may include at
least one spline 136 on exterior surface 126 to assist in
engagement of mounting opening 114.
[0025] FIGS. 3-5 illustrate an embodiment in which two mounting
members 122 are provided and cam 106 has a substantially
rectangular cross-section including two engagers 130, i.e., ends of
rectangle. It should be recognized, however, that the invention is
not limited to any particular number of mounting members and
engagers. For example, FIGS. 7-8 illustrate a second embodiment of
an expandable standoff connector 200 in which six mounting members
222 are provided, and cam 206 includes six engagers 230. In this
embodiment, cam 206 has a hexagonal cross-section, which provides
added advantages in that a standard nut driver can be used to
rotate it and a more uniform force is applied during actuation. As
in the previous embodiment, engager seats 232 may be provided on
camming portions 224 to secure cam 206 in the second, actuated
position. The location of the second position and the amount of
rotation necessary to mount a circuit board will vary depending on
the number of mounting members/engagers used. In FIGS. 3-5, the
second positions are approximately 180.degree. apart, and
approximately 90.degree. of cam 106 rotation is required for
actuation. In FIGS. 7-8, the second positions are 60.degree. apart,
and approximately 30.degree. of cam 206 rotation is required for
actuation.
[0026] In each of the above-described embodiments, body 102 and
mounting members 122, 222 are preferably made of a plastic, e.g.,
by injection molding, and cam 106, 206 is made of a harder material
such as metal. When cam 106, 206 is made of metal, metal stamping,
drawing or other low-cost production can be used to manufacture the
cam.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 3, 5 and 8, each mounting member 122, 222
may also include a reduced or relieved area 140 adjacent body 102
to improve flexibility and minimize non-uniform expansion.
[0028] The invention also includes a method for mounting a circuit
board using an expandable standoff connector 100, 200. The method
includes, first, mounting a body 102 of expandable standoff
connector 100, 200 to chassis 110. Next, an engagement portion 104
of the above-described expandable standoff connector 100, 200 is
inserted within interior 112 of mounting opening 114 of circuit
board 116. A cam 106, 206, as described above, is provided within
cam opening 120 either prior to the insertion of engagement portion
104 or after insertion. Finally, cam 106, 206 is moved (e.g.,
rotated) from the first, non-actuated position (FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and
8) in which mounting members 122, 222 are not expanded against
interior 112 of mounting opening 114 to a second, actuated position
(FIG. 5) in which each engager 130, 230 engages a corresponding
camming portion 124, 224 to expand mounting members 122, 222
against interior 112 of mounting opening 114 to mount circuit board
116. The board is allowed to float to a best-fit position before
locking in place. As described above, the inserting step includes
providing each camming portion 124, 224 with a decreasing distance
(D2 vs. D1) relative to a center 128 (FIG. 4) of cam opening 120
(FIG. 4) from the first position to the second position. The moving
step may include securing cam 106, 206 in the second position by
placing each engager 130, 230 in an engager seat 132, 232.
[0029] Standoff connectors 100, 200, as described above, are also
easily removable by rotating cam 106, 206 from the second position
to the first position, which allows easy removal of a circuit board
for assembly rework or repair.
[0030] While this invention has been described in conjunction with
the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many
alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to
those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the embodiments of the
invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not
limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following
claims.
* * * * *