U.S. patent number RE32,966 [Application Number 07/099,910] was granted by the patent office on 1989-06-27 for tote box.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Buckhorn Material Handling Group, Inc.. Invention is credited to Albert J. McGlasson, Daniel R. Miller.
United States Patent |
RE32,966 |
Miller , et al. |
June 27, 1989 |
Tote box
Abstract
One or a series of different size tote boxes may be extended in
height by securely fastening a ring on top of it or them, which
ring is preferably snapped to the top of the box by opposing
hook-shaped tabs or interlocking elements. The ring is of a height
to effectively change the height of the box, and if a series of
different height boxes are involved, the height of the ring is such
as to change a lower height box into a higher box of a size not to
be found in the series. By effectively constructing the top of the
ring in a manner similar to the top of the box, with respect to
interlocking, rings may be stacked one upon another to increase the
height of the boxes. Interior partitioning, particularly for
circuit boards, is such that spacing between boards may be readily
changed in a secure manner. Slotted circuit board holders have
edges for insertion in opposed vertical slots, which edges are
offset with respect to the plane of symmetry of such holders so
that the holder may be removed, rotated 180.degree. about a
vertical axis and reinserted to provide for a change in spacing
less than the spacing between slots in which the board holder is
inserted.
Inventors: |
Miller; Daniel R. (Cincinnati,
OH), McGlasson; Albert J. (Cincinnati, OH) |
Assignee: |
Buckhorn Material Handling Group,
Inc. (Milford, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
26796614 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/099,910 |
Filed: |
September 22, 1987 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
756316 |
Jul 18, 1985 |
04572368 |
Feb 25, 1986 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/708; 206/709;
220/23.86; 220/533; 220/675 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K
13/0069 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H05K
13/00 (20060101); B65D 073/02 (); B65D
006/34 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/4F,4R,1.5,73,84,80,23.83,23.2,23.86,22 ;206/334,328 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Moy; Joseph Man-Fu
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fay, Sharpe, Beall, Fagan, Minnich
& McKee
Claims
We claim:
1. A modular box system, comprising:
a base box constructed in one piece of molded synthetic resin,
having a bottom, opposed sides sloping upwardly and outwardly from
said bottom, opposed ends sloping upwardly and outwardly from said
bottom, and said ends respectively connected at side edges to
corresponding side edges of said sides to form an open top box
.[.that may be nested within like open topped boxes.].;
a molded synthetic resin ring, separate from said base box, having
opposed side walls and opposed end walls connected at their side
edges to corresponding side edges of said side walls to be of a
size and shape so that when placed in alignment on top of said base
box, the ring side walls and end walls will form substantially
coplanar extensions of the corresponding base box sides and
ends;
interlocking elements respectively on the lower edge of said ring
and the upper edge of said base box for interconnecting said ring
and base box securely; and
said interlocking elements on one of said base box and ring,
comprising opposed pairs of hooks spaced apart from each other in a
direction perpendicular to their wall a distance sufficient to
receive therebetween the interlocking elements of the other of said
base box and ring.
2. A modular box according to claim 1, wherein said hooks have a
cantilevered resilient flange extending toward the other of said
base box and ring with a return hook portion on its terminal
end.
3. A modular box according to claim 2, wherein the other of said
base box and ring having slots formed by slot walls, for receiving
therethrough said cantilevered resilient flanges, said slots being
spaced apart a distance less than the distance between said hook
portions, and said hook portions having cam means to engage said
slots as said hook portions move through said slots to resiliently
bend said cantilevered flanges to force said hook portions in
alignment with said slots to pass through said slots so that said
hook portions may snap back behind said slot walls.
4. A modular box according to claim 3, wherein for each pair of
opposed hooks and pair of slots, said hooks and slots being offset
from each other in a horizontal direction within the plane of the
respective wall sufficiently so that the slots of each opposed pair
do not overlap each other.
5. A modular box according to claim 1, including said ring further
having interlocking elements substantially identical to the
interlocking elements of said base box, in vertical alignment with
the corresponding interlocking elements of said box, so that a
second like ring may be placed upon and securely fastened to the
upper periphery of said first mentioned ring to further extend said
base box.
6. A modular box according to claim 1, wherein said sides and ends
of said base box have vertically extending substantially evenly
spaced slots opening inwardly of the box, generally throughout the
periphery of the interior of said base box, for substantially the
full height of said walls for receiving therein partitions for
partitioning the interior of said base box; and
said ring having vertically extending substantially evenly spaced
slots opening inwardly and generally throughout the periphery of
the interior of said base box for substantially the full height of
said walls for receiving therein partitions for partitioning the
interior of said base box and so that the slots of said base box
are vertically aligned with the slots of said ring when
assembled.
7. A modular box according to claim 6, including two substantially
identical partition plates having opposite vertically extending
edges for engaging in opposed slots of said base box, and having a
plurality of vertically extending slots parallel to each other and
facing outwardly perpendicular to the slots receiving therein said
edges, with said partition slots being more closely spaced than the
slots of said base box, so that two partition plates placed
parallel to each other within said box base will have opposed
aligned spaced apart slots.
8. A modular box according to claim 7, including a plurality of
board holders being of generally planar construction with opposed
vertical edges for reception within opposed vertical slots of said
partition plates and having a plurality of closely spaced
vertically extending slots along its entire extent between said
edges on at least one side.
9. A modular box according to claim 8, wherein said board holders
have closely spaced vertical slots extending along its opposite
sides.
10. A modular box according to claim 9, wherein said opposed edges
of said board holders are horizontally offset in a direction
perpendicular to the planar extent of said board holder an amount
such that said board holder may be vertically removed, rotated
about a vertical axis 180.degree. and vertically reassembled in the
same vertical opposed slots of said partition plates to
incrementally move the parallel slots of the board holder from its
previous position a substantial amount that is less than the
spacing between adjacent slots of said partition plates.
11. A modular box according to claim 10, wherein said substantial
amount is equal to one half the spacing between adjacent slots in
said partition .[.later.]. .Iadd.plates.Iaddend..
12. A modular box according to claim 11, wherein said synthetic
resin is an electrostatic dissipating material.
13. A modular box system, comprising:
a base box constructed in one piece of molded synthetic resin,
having a bottom, opposed sides sloping upwardly and outwardly from
said bottom, opposed ends sloping upwardly and outwardly from said
bottom, and said ends respectively connected at side edges to
corresponding side edges of said sides to form an open top box
.[.that may be nested within like open topped boxes.].;
said sides and ends of said base box having vertically extending
substantially evenly spaced slots opening inwardly of the box,
generally throughout the periphery of the interior of said base
box, for substantially the full height of said walls for receiving
therein partitions for partitioning the interior of said base
box;
two substantially identical partition plates having opposite
vertically extending edges for engaging in opposed slots of said
base box, and having a plurality of vertically extending slots
parallel to each other and facing outwardly perpendicular to the
slots receiving therein said edges, with said partition slots being
more closely spaced than the slots of said base box, so that two
partition plates placed parallel to each other within said box base
will have opposed aligned spaced apart slots;
a plurality of board holders being of generally planar construction
with opposed vertical edges for reception within opposed vertical
slots of said partition plates and having a plurality of closely
spaced vertically extending slots along its entire extent between
said edges on at least one side;
said board holders have closely spaced vertical slots extending
along its opposite sides; and
said opposed edges of said board holders being horizontally offset
in a direction perpendicular to the planar extent of said board
holder an amount such that said board holder may be vertically
removed, rotated about a vertical axis 180.degree. and vertically
reassembled in the same vertical opposed slots of said partition
plates to incrementally move the parallel slots of the board holder
from its previous position a substantial amount that is less than
the spacing between adjacent slots of said partition plates.
14. A modular box according to claim 13, wherein said substantial
amount is equal to one half the spacing between adjacent slots in
said partition .[.later.]. .Iadd.plates.Iaddend..
15. A modular box according to claim 14, wherein said synthetic
resin is an electrostatic dissipating material.
16. A modular box system, comprising:
a base box constructed in .[.on.]. .Iadd.one .Iaddend.piece of
molded synthetic resin, having a bottom, opposed sides sloping
upwardly and outwardly from said bottom, opposed ends sloping
upwardly and outwardly from said bottom, and said ends respectively
connected at side edges to corresponding side edges of said sides
to form an open top box .[.that may be nested within like open
topped boxes.].;
a molded synthetic resin ring, separate from said base box, having
opposed side walls and opposed end walls connected at their side
edges to corresponding side edges of said side walls to be of a
size and shape so that when placed in alignment on top of said base
box, the ring side walls and end walls will form substantially
coplanar extensions of the corresponding base box sides and
ends;
interlocking elements respectively on the lower edge of said ring
.[.in.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.the upper edge of said base box for
interconnecting said ring and base box securely; and
a plurality of said base boxes differing substantially only in
height, and the difference in height between base boxes being
substantially different than the effective height of said rings in
extending said base boxes whereby a single size ring may extend
each size of the base boxes to an assembled size different from the
size of any of the other boxes.
17. A modular box according to claim 16, wherein said base boxes
differ in size sufficiently so that two rings securely assembled on
any box base will extend it to a size different from the size of
any other box base.
18. A modular box according to claim 17, including a plurality of
like rings, differing from each other substantially only in height
to extend said base boxes correspondingly different amounts.
19. A modular box according to claim 16, including a plurality of
like rings, differing from each other substantially only in height
to extend said base boxes correspondingly different amounts.
20. A modular box according to claim 19, wherein said interlocking
elements on one of said base box and ring, comprise opposed pairs
of hooks spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular
to their wall a distance sufficient to receive therebetween the
interlocking elements of the other of said base box and ring;
said hooks have a cantilevered resilient flange extending toward
the other of said base box and ring with a return hook portion on
its terminal end;
the other of said base box and ring having slots formed by slot
walls, for receiving therethrough said cantilevered resilient
flanges, said slots being spaced apart a distance less than the
distance between said hook portions, and said hook portions having
cam means to engage said slots as said hook portions move through
said slots to resiliently bend said cantilevered flanges to force
said hook portions in alignment with said slots to pass through
said slots so that said hook portions may snap back behind said
slot walls;
for each pair of opposed hooks and pair of slots, said hooks and
slots being offset from each other in a horizontal direction within
the plane of the respective wall sufficiently so that the slots of
each opposed pair do not overlap each other;
said ring further having interlocking elements substantially
identical to the interlocking elements of said base box, in
vertical alignment with the corresponding interlocking elements of
said box, so that a second like ring may be placed upon and
securely fastened to the upper periphery of said first mentioned
ring to further extend said base box;
said sides and ends of said base box having vertically extending
substantially evenly spaced slots opening inwardly of the box,
generally throughout the periphery of the interior of said base
box, for substantially the full height of said walls for receiving
therein partitions for partitioning the interior of said base
box;
said ring having vertically extending substantially evenly spaced
slots opening inwardly and generally throughout the periphery of
the interior of said base box for substantially the full height of
said walls for receiving therein partitions for partitioning the
interior of said base box and so that the slots of said base box
are vertically aligned with the slots of said ring when
assembled;
two substantially identical partition plates having opposite
vertically extending edges for engaging in opposed slots of said
base box, and having a plurality of vertically extending slots
parallel to each other and facing outwardly perpendicular to the
slots receiving therein said edges, with said partition slots being
more closely spaced than the slots of said base box, so that two
partition plates placed parallel to each other within said box base
will have opposed aligned spaced apart slots;
a plurality of board holders being of generally planar construction
with opposed vertical edges for reception within opposed vertical
slots of said partition plates and having a plurality of closely
spaced vertically extending slots along its entire extent between
said edges on at least one side;
said board holders have closely spaced vertical slots extending
along its opposite sides;
said opposed edges of said board holders being horizontally offset
in a direction perpendicular to the planar extent of said board
holder an amount such that said board holder may be vertically
removed, rotated about a vertical axis 180.degree. and vertically
reassembled in the same vertical opposed slots of said partition
plates to incrementally move the parallel slots of the board holder
from its previous position a substantial amount that is less than
the spacing between adjacent slots of said partition plates;
said substantial amount is equal to one half the spacing between
adjacent slots in said partition .[.later.]. .Iadd.plates.Iaddend.;
and
said synthetic resin is an electrostatic dissipating material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Synthetic resin molded tote boxes have many well known uses, and
according to such usage, they come in various sizes. For each
different size, molds or tooling are needed, additional inventory
is needed, and generally multiple sizes increase the cost of the
product to the customer who buys and uses such boxes.
Many such boxes come with partitions, including some partitioned to
receive circuit boards for handling within the factory or for
shipping. Since circuit boards come in many different sizes, shapes
and requirements for packaging, it is necessary to change sizes of
the boxes as mentioned above and/or change the size and spacing of
the partitions within such box. In the packaging of circuit boards,
they should be packaged as close as practical, to conserve shipping
space, but with the change in board dimensions that have been
rapidly and frequently in the electronics industry, such
partitioned boxes must be used for circuit boards for which they
were not designed, which results in inefficient shipping due to the
limitations of the partitioning, there are large spaces between
circuit boards that are unnecessary from a packaging point of view
and wasteful of space.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to construct an otherwise
conventional synthetic resin molded tote box, or a series of
different size boxes, with an extension ring for extending the
height of such box or boxes without requiring the production and
inventory of a different size box or different size boxes.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide for tote
box partitioning, particularly for circuit boards, so that the
flexibility of accommodating different size circuit boards may be
increased for overall packaging efficiency.
In general, it is an object to make tote boxes more versatile in
their accommodation of different sized articles to be held in them,
in a more economic manner than has been the practice to date.
One or a series of different size tote boxes may be extended in
height by securely fastening a ring on top of it or them, which
ring is preferably snapped to the top of the box by opposing
hook-shaped tabs or interlocking elements. The ring is of a height
to effectively change the height of the box, and if a series of
different height boxes are involved, the height of the ring is such
as to change a lower height box into a higher box of a size not to
be found in the series. By effectively constructing the top of the
ring in a manner similar to the top of the box, with respect to
interlocking, rings may be stacked one upon another to increase the
height of the boxes. The interconnection of the rings or ring in
box is such as to be secure, but also temporary so that the ring
may be removed and reused.
Interior partitioning, particularly for circuit boards, is such
that spacing between boards may be readily changed in a secure
manner. A particular feature is such that slotted circuit board
holders have edges for insertion in opposed vertical slots, which
edges are offset with respect to the plane of symmetry of such
holders so that the holder may be removed, rotated 180.degree.
about a vertical axis and reinserted to provide for a change in
spacing less than the spacing between slots in which the board
holder is inserted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention
will become more clear from the following detailed description of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one quarter of a box base constructed
according to the present invention, with the remainder of the
rectangular box being correspondingly constructed;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the box portion of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the box portion of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of one quarter of an extension ring
constructed according to the present invention, with the
rectangular ring having remaining portions similarly
constructed;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the ring of FIG. 4, showing
the outside of the ring to the right, the inside of the ring to the
left, with respect to the sides, and a cross section of the ring
end as shown to the far left, all as would be seen with respect to
the break line V--V;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken only through the
side of the ring along a corresponding portion of line V--V in FIG.
4;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevation view similar to FIG. 6, but
taken through an interlocking element 21a, in a plane parallel to
that of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view through the top of the
base box taken along line VIII--VIII of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a top plan view of one half of a partition plate, the
other half being correspondingly identical;
FIG. 10 is a partial elevational view of the partition plate of
FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is an elevation view of the partition plate of FIG. 9,
taken from the opposite side of that of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII--XII in FIG.
11;
FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of one half of a circuit board
holder, with the other half being substantially identical;
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV--XIV in FIG.
13; and
FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a portion of the board holder taken
from line XV--XV in FIG. 14.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The base box of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 8 may be extended in size
vertically with the ring extension of FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7. Either
the base box, or as extended, may be partitioned with two partition
plates, one of which is shown in FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12, and a
suitable plurality of board holders shown in FIGS. 13-15. All of
these components are preferably constructed of synthetic resin
material, such as any of the well known injection molding
compositions. For use with circuit boards, these components are
preferably constructed of a resin that is electrically conducted,
as is conventional.
The base box is entirely in one piece, being molded. The base box
includes a planar bottom 1, opposed ends 2, opposed sides 3, and a
top edge structure 4. The sides and ends are generally vertical,
preferably sloping upwardly and outwardly from the bottom. The
sides and ends are respectively connected at their side edges to
each other and at their lower edges. Slanting corners 5 are
provided for such connections between adjacent sides and ends. The
end wall, as shown in FIG. 3, is provided with a plain planar
portion 6, which may be roughened to receive writing, or may have
attached to it some label, or the like, to provide desired
information. Outer web portions 7 of the ends are in the same plane
as the portion 6, and for the side walls or sides, the outer webs 7
are in an outer plane. Inner webs 8 are coplanar with each other
for each of the sides and ends, which planes are parallel to the
adjacent planes of the outer webs 7. Connecting webs 9 interconnect
adjacent inner and outer webs, to thereby form inwardly opening
slots 11 for both the sides and ends. For the planar portions of
the sides and ends, at 6, the slots 11 are formed by parallel
inward extending ribs 12.
The top edge structure 4 is formed by a horizontal flange 13
interconnecting the top edges of the webs 7, 8, 9. The outer edge
of the horizontal flange 13 is connected to the lower edge of
vertical flange 14, which in turn is connected at its upper edge
with a top horizontal flange pointed to more specifically by the
lead line to the numeral 4 that indicates the top edge structure in
general. The outermost edge of this flange is in turn connected,
for portions of the periphery, to a downwardly dependent skirt
flange 15. At other portions of the periphery, there is a
horizontal corner flange 16 coextensive with an end flange 23,
which flanges are interconnected by reinforcing ribs 17. In the top
horizontal flange, there are a plurality of recesses 18 having
therein indicia aligned with corresponding slots 11, for purposes
of identification.
Interlocking elements are respectively provided on the base box and
extension ring for interconnecting the same. With respect to the
base box, the interlocking elements are indicated with respect to
portions 19-22, which will be described in more detail,
particularly with respect to their function associated with the now
to be described ring.
As seen from FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the extension ring is likewise
constructed of integrally molded elements. The ring has opposed
side walls 3A and end walls 2A, but no bottom. With respect to
elements that correspond to those of the base box, the same
numerals are employed for the ring, but with the addition of "A".
Therefore, a description of their structure and function will not
be repeated with respect to the ring since the above description is
equally applicable. In general, the connections between the side
edges and end edges and their shape are such that the ring is
rectangular and may be placed in alignment on the top of the base
box so that the ring side walls and ring end walls will form
substantially coplanar extensions of the corresponding base box
sides and ends. The interlocking elements on the lower edge of the
ring and the upper edge of the box base will interconnect the ring
and base box securely sufficiently for their intended purpose, but
temporary in the sense that the ring may be removed and used on
another box. The ring has a horizontal flange 24 somewhat similar
to the flange 23 and flange 16 of the base box. For the base box,
the interlocking elements comprise an aperture 20 in the skirt
flange having a downwardly facing locking edge 21 for the side
walls and .[.merely.]. .Iadd.similarly .Iaddend.the downwardly
facing edge of the top horizontal flange for the end walls, which
structure is interchangeable as between the sides and ends. Also
separate interlocking elements are formed on the base box by
apertures 19 that are in the horizontal flange 13 as well as the
upper horizontal flange and the vertical flange 14. More
preferably, the vertical flange 14 is not merely cut away, but
rather recessed at this position to provide a downwardly facing
flange at 22 as shown in FIG. 8. This same structure is to be found
along the top edge of the ring as shown in FIG. 4, so that another
ring could actually be attached to the top of the first ring.
The interlocking elements for the ring will now be described. A
pair of hooks 26, 31 downwardly extend from the lower perimeter of
the ring at a plurality of locations on the side walls and end
walls, to correspondingly vertically align with the interlocking
elements of the base box. That is, pairs of hooks will be spaced
apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to their wall,
as shown in FIG. 7 a distance sufficient to receive therebetween
the interlocking elements of the base box. The interlocking element
6 comprises a cantilevered resilient downwardly depending flange 28
terminating in a return hook portion 27 at its terminal lower end.
The apertures, recesses or slots 19, 20 of the base box are spaced
apart a distance less than the distance between the hook portions
31, 27 and therefore the hook portions are provided with wedging or
camming surfaces as most specifically shown in FIG. 7 to engage the
side walls of the slots as the hook portions move through the slots
to resiliently bend the cantilevered flanges to force the hook
portions into the slots to pass through the slots, so that after
passing through the slots the hook portions will snap back behind
the slot walls and engage beneath the edges 21, 22 to securely hold
the ring on the base box.
For molding convenience and to minimize weakening of the ring
bottom periphery and the top periphery of both the ring and the
base box, the inside interlocking elements 19, 26 are peripherally
offset from the paired outside interlocking elements 20, 31, in a
horizontal direction within the plane of the respective wall
sufficiently so that the slots of each opposed pair do not overlap
each other, as more particularly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.
Since the ring has interlocking elements substantially identical to
the interlocking elements of the base box, in vertical alignment
with the corresponding interlocking elements of the base box, a
second like ring may be placed upon and securely fastened to the
upper periphery of the first mentioned ring to further extend the
base box. As an example of a box system, three boxes may be molded
in sizes differing only in height, with a difference between boxes
being five inches. If for example, the bottom box is five inches
high, the next boxes will be ten and fifteen inches high. With an
effective height of the ring being three inches, these box sizes
may be expanded to eight, thirteen and eighteen inches
respectively, which boxes may be further expanded by the use of a
second ring to eleven, sixteen and twenty-one inches respectively.
Other combinations and sizes are contemplated, and further other
size rings could be employed, that is multiple size rings would
further change the inventory of box sizes in an efficient
manner.
When the ring is assembled onto the base box, the slots 11 will
extend for the full height above the box and ring, in vertical
alignment, throughout the periphery of the interior of the box and
ring.
Partition plates 40 as shown in FIGS. 9-12 have opposite vertically
extending edges 41, which edges may be engaged respectively in the
slots 11 of the base box that are closest to the corners 10. The
divider plates further have corner portions 42 that will extend
along and parallel to the corner portions 10 of the base box, which
lead to a planar base portion 43 that would extend parallel to and
closely adjacent the sides of the box, with a pair of such
partition plates being provided along opposite sides of the box and
identical to each other. A plurality of reinforcing ribs 44 are
preferably provided in a grid pattern for reinforcing the base 43,
and most preferably an interlocking rib 46 is provided to engage
within one of the slots 11 of the side of the base box. On the side
of the base 43 opposite from the ribs 44, 46, there are provided a
plurality of vertically extending parallel ribs 45 evenly spaced
throughout the extent of the base 43, to provide therebetween
vertically extending slots for receiving the edges of circuit board
holders or like objects. Closing off the lower end or upper end,
but not both, of all of the slots between the ribs 45, there is a
horizontal rib 47. This rib 47 may be used as a lower stop to keep
the now to be described board holders from engaging the bottom of
the box and/or prevent the board holders from readily being removed
upwardly out of the slots. Alternatively, they may be omitted. A
plurality of board holders, in sufficient number, one being shown
in FIGS. 14-15, may be inserted parallel to each other and
perpendicular to the base 43 so as to extend between opposed slots
of the partition plates. More specifically, the board holders 50
are provided with a planar base 51 having substantially identical
opposite sides comprising a plurality of parallel ribs 52. The ribs
52 are evenly spaced from each other throughout the corresponding
sides of the base 51 to present therebetween the corresponding
plurality of equally sized and spaced outwardly opening vertical
slots for receiving therein the edges of circuit boards. The
circuit boards are not shown, but are of conventional design. The
opposite vertical edges 53 of the board holders are offset in a
direction perpendicular to the base 51 from the central plane of
the base 51 by an amount AA, as shown in FIG. 15, so that if the
board holder were inserted into opposed slots of the partition
plates, removed, rotated 180.degree. about a vertical axis and
reinserted in the same slots, the effective position of the board
holder slots would be shifted perpendicular to the base 51 by a
corresponding amount. This shifting amount is preferably less than
the shifting amount that would be produced by merely taking the
board holder out of a pair of opposed slots and reinserting it in
the next pair of opposed slots of the partition plates. That is,
the offset provides an additional adjustment for spacing between
parallel board holders. In this manner, any number of board holders
may be inserted between the partition plates and have their spacing
accurately and incrementally adjusted in small amounts to
accommodate circuit boards therebetween. Since generally the
assembly of such board holders, partition plates and circuit boards
is known within a similar type of slotted box, it will not be
further shown or described in detail.
While a preferred embodiment has been described structurally and
functionally in detail for the advantages thereof, other
embodiments, modifications and variations are contemplated within
the broad aspects of the present invention, all is defined by the
spirit and scope of the following claims.
* * * * *