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.

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.

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.