U.S. patent number 3,693,135 [Application Number 05/100,086] was granted by the patent office on 1972-09-19 for printed circuit board socket and holding frame.
Invention is credited to Fred Barthold, James E. Vavrick.
United States Patent |
3,693,135 |
Vavrick , et al. |
September 19, 1972 |
PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD SOCKET AND HOLDING FRAME
Abstract
A socket base for plug-in recption of multiple connector tails
of a printed circuit board, is formed with holder arms extending in
parallel spaced relation from respective sides of the base, to
collectively provide a holding frame, the arms being of channel
section to receive the respective ends of the board, and being
connected to the base by narrowed flexible webs to provide a hinge
action in which the arms may spring apart to receive and release
the circuit board from their grasp.
Inventors: |
Vavrick; James E. (Mill Creek,
CA), Barthold; Fred (Santa Monica, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22278037 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/100,086 |
Filed: |
December 21, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/328;
361/789 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
12/7005 (20130101); H05K 7/1417 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H05K
7/14 (20060101); H01r 013/54 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/17,75,176
;317/11DH |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McGlynn; Joseph H.
Claims
We claim:
1. A holder for a printed circuit board having a plurality of
contact tails projecting from one side thereof, said holder
comprising:
a base of bar form having in one side a plurality of contact
sockets positioned to receive said tails;
and a pair of retainer arms extending from respective ends of said
base in opposed, normally parallel relation;
said arms having their one ends secured to said base and their
opposite ends free for spreading movements;
each arm including a respective intermediate portion of channel
section having a slot to receive a respective end of said
board;
an unflanged flexible web portion constituting an extension of the
bottom of said intermediate portion and joining the same to the end
of the arm which is attached to said base;
and a locking lug on the free end of each arm, overhanging the
respective slot thereof so as to engage a respective corner of said
board to retain the board in coupled relation to said base when
said prongs are received in said sockets in contact-making
positions.
2. A holder as defined in claim 1, wherein each arm has, at its
said one end, an unslotted block fitted in a notch in the
respective end of said base and secured thereto by a fastener
extended through said end.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the present commercial art, it is the usual practice to utilize
a base unit of plain bar form having multiple connector slots with
respective contacts provided with terminal tails connected to
external circuitry, for receiving the multiple plug-in connector
prongs of a printed circuit board. An assembly of circuit board and
such a base can become accidentally loosened to the extent of
losing the electrical connections between circuit board prongs and
base contacts.
The use of retainer arms of channel section to receive and retain
the ends of a printed circuit board, together with separate means
for holding the board against displacement away from its socket
base, is disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No.:
Bisbing 2,993,187 (cl. 339-17)
Other arrangements for holding a printed circuit board in coupled
connection with its socket base, are shown in the following U.S.
Pat. Nos.:
French 2,825,037 (cl. 339-17)
Richter 3,203,745 (cl. 312-183)
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, a pair of retainer arms of flanged
channel section having respective relatively thin, flexible
unflanged portions joining them to the ends of a connector socket
base, extend from the ends of the base in opposed, normally
parallel relation for reception of the ends of a printed circuit
board. The free ends of the retainer arms are provided with locking
lugs in the form of squared shoulders for engaging the top corners
of the board to lock it in coupled connection to the base. The
retainer arms are adapted to spring apart so that the ends of the
board will pass the locking lugs and enter the retainer channels of
the arms. Upon insertion of the contact prongs into the base
sockets, the lugs will spring into locking engagement over the top
corners of the board so as to lock the board in place.
Objects of the invention are to provide a circuit board base with
retainer arms:
1. OF SIMPLE AND INEXPENSIVE CONSTRUCTION;
2. OPERABLE TO SPREAD ITS RETAINER ARMS WHEN A CIRCUIT BOARD IS
APPLIED TO THEIR UPPER ENDS, AND TO THEN GUIDE THE CIRCUIT BOARD,
FIRST INTO RETAINING RECEPTION OF THE ENDS OF THE BOARD BY THE
RETAINER ARMS AND THEN INTO COUPLING ENGAGEMENT OF THE BOARD'S
PRONGS INTO THE BASE SOCKETS; AND
3. OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY TO EFFECT LOCKING ENGAGEMENT OF THE FREE
ENDS OF THE RETAINER ARMS WITH THE TOP CORNERS OF THE BOARD WHEN
THE CONTACT PRONGS ARE FULLY SEATED IN THEIR SOCKETS.
DESCRIPTION
These and other objects will become apparent in the following
specifications and appended drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a printed circuit board and
holder assembly, with portions of the holder shown in section;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, on line 2--2
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the same taken on line
3--3 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 4 is a top plan view.
Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown therein, as an
example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, an
assembly of printed circuit board A, a connector B, and a pair of
retainer arms C secured to the ends of connector B by fastener
screws, the base and arms being initially fabricated as separate
parts. As an alternative form, the arms and base can be molded
integrally as a single part.
Circuit board A comprises a rectangular panel 11 having rectangular
notches 12 in its bottom corners, having circuit elements 13
printed thereon, and having a multiplicity of contact tails 14
connected to the elements 13 and projecting from its bottom margin
in spaced, parallel arrangement.
Connector B comprises a body 20 of bar form provided with a number
of contact sockets 21 in spaced relation such as to receive the
board tails 14, and having a corresponding number of terminals 22
connected to contact sockets 21. Body 20 is of channel section,
being formed with integral flanges 23 projecting above the sockets
21 to define a longitudinal slot 24 in which the lower margin of
board A is received when its prongs 14 are received in sockets 21.
At its ends, base B is provided with rectangular notches 25 in
which the lower ends of retainer arms C are seated.
Each retainer arm C comprises an end portion 30 of block form,
drilled and tapped to receive a fastener screw 31 extended through
an opening in the projecting shoulder portion 32 at a respective
end of base B; an intermediate body 33 of channel section having
spaced lateral flanges 34 defining a slot 35 to receive a
respective end margin of board A; an unflanged flexible web 36
formed as an extension of the bottom of the channel section of
intermediate body 33, extending between the body 33 and the end
block 30; and an integral locking lug 37 having a locking shoulder
38 closing the upper end of slot 35.
A retainer bar 40 is attachable to the upper ends of arms C by
screws 41 in order to hold the arms against spreading after a board
A has been inserted.
In the installation of a board A, the retainer bar 40 is removed
and the arms C are sprung apart to receive the board and to permit
its ends to slide downwardly into the retainer slots 35 of
intermediate arm bodies 33. As the tails 14 approach the sockets 21
during such downward sliding movement, they will be guided into the
sockets by the guiding effect of flanges 34 embracing the ends of
the board A and finally by the reception of the lower margin of
board A between base flanges 23. Finally, the corners of end blocks
30 of arms B will seat in notches 12 in the lower corners of board
A while lugs 37 will clear and snap inwardly over the top corners
of board A to lock it in place with tails 14 received full depth in
sockets 21. During the downward sliding of the board preceding such
locking, the end edges of the board will ride against the lugs 37,
maintaining the free ends of arms C spread apart as indicated in
broken lines.
To remove the board A from the holder, the upper ends of arms C are
engaged by the fingers and spread apart until lugs 37 clear the
upper corners of the board. The board is then lifted out of the
holder by sliding it upwardly between the arms.
* * * * *