Electronics card extractor

Claim 2

In a box for removably mounting circuit cards, the box being of a type having an open end and a wall at an opposite end of the box, longitudinally extending tracks carried by inner surfaces of opposite sidewalls of the box, the tracks extending in substantially parallel relation to receive a circuit card inserted through the open end of the box, the tracks being spaced apart a distance corresponding to a preselected dimension of the circuit card with the tracks opening toward each other to slidably receive corresponding side edges of the circuit card, a first electrical connector mounted on the circuit card adjacent a lower edge of the circuit card, and a second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box for operative engagement by the first electrical connector; the improvement comprising extractors pivotally mounted aT opposite corners of the circuit card and adjacent an upper edge of the circuit card, an operator-operative handle, means pivotally connecting the handle between the extractors, and the connecting means being effective upon the operator moving the handle outwardly relative to the open end of the box to effect a pivotal movement of the extractors relative to the circuit card in a sense to cause portions of the extractors to bear upon edges of the sidewalls of the box adjacent the open end of the box to in turn force the circuit card outward relative to the open end of the box so as to disengage the first electrical connector carried by the circuit card from operative engagement by the second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box, and thereafter the handle being operable by the operator for slidably withdrawing the circuit card out the open end of the box, a stiffener element carried by the handle, the stiffener element having a longitudinal channel provided therein for receiving an upper edge of the circuit card upon the handle being forced inwardly relative to the box so that the stiffener element may act to support the upper edge of the circuit card from bending under vibratory forces.

Claim 3

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the operator-operative handle includes arm portions projecting from opposite sides of the handle, each arm portion of the handle having a longitudinal slot therein; the means pivotally connecting the handle between the extractors including a retainer pin projecting from an arm portion of each extractor and slidably positioned in the longitudinal slot in the corresponding arm portion of the handle so as to cause upon the operator moving the handle outwardly relative to the open end of the box a simultaneous pivotal movement of both extractors relative to the circuit card in a sense to cause another arm portion of each extractor to bear upon edges of the sidewalls of the box adjacent the open end of the box to effect the disengagement of the first electrical connector from the second electrical connector.

Claim 4

In a box for removably mounting circuit cards, the box being of a type having an open end and a wall at an opposite end of the box, longitudinally extending tracks carried by inner surfaces of opposite sidewalls of the box, the tracks extending in substantially parallel relation to receive a circuit card inserted through the open end of the box, the tracks being spaced apart a distance corresponding to a preselected dimension of the circuit card with the tracks opening toward each other to slidably receive corresponding side edges of the circuit card, a first electrical connector mounted on the circuit card adjacent a lower edge of the circuit card, and a second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box for operative engagement by the first electrical connector; the improvement comprising extractors pivotally mounted at opposite corners of the circuit card and adjacent an upper edge of the circuit card, an operator-operative handle, means pivotally connecting the handle between the extractors, and the connecting means being effective upon the operator moving the handle outwardly relative to the open end of the box to effect a pivotal movement of the extractors relative to the circuit card in a sense to cause portions of the extractors to bear upon edges of the sidewalls of the box adjacent the open end of the box to in turn force the circuit card outward relative to the open end of the box so as to disengage the first electrical connector carried by the circuit card from operative engagement by the second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box, and thereafter the handle being operable by the operator for slidably withdrawing the circuit card out the open end of the box, a cover for the box, means for securing the cover adjacent the open end of the box, a resilient pressure pad positioned between the cover and the operator-operative Handle to hold the handle in a full connector engaging position, a stiffener element carried by the handle, the stiffener element having a longitudinal channel provided therein for receiving an upper edge of the circuit card upon the handle being forced inwardly relative to the box so that the stiffener element may act to support the upper edge of the circuit card from bending under vibratory forces.

Claim 5

In a box for removably mounting circuit cards, the box being of a type having an open end and a wall at an opposite end of the box, longitudinally extending tracks carried by inner surfaces of opposite sidewalls of the box, the tracks extending in substantially parallel relation to receive a circuit card inserted through the open end of the box, the tracks being spaced apart a distance corresponding to a preselected dimension of the circuit card with the tracks opening toward each other to slidably receive corresponding side edges of the circuit card, a first electrical connector mounted on the circuit card adjacent a lower edge of the circuit card, and a second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box for operative engagement by the first electrical connector; the improvement comprising extractors pivotally mounted at opposite corners of the circuit card and adjacent an upper edge of the circuit card, an operator-operative handle, means pivotally connecting the handle between the extractors, and the connecting means being effective upon the operator moving the handle outwardly relative to the open end of the box to effect a pivotal movement of the extractors relative to the circuit card in a sense to cause portions of the extractors to bear upon edges of the sidewalls of the box adjacent the open end of the box to in turn force the circuit card outward relative to the open end of the box so as to disengage the first electrical connector carried by the circuit card from operative engagement by the second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box, and thereafter the handle being operable by the operator for slidably withdrawing the circuit card out the open end of the box, a cover for the box, means for securing the cover adjacent the open end of the box, a resilient pressure pad positioned between the cover and the operator-operative Handle to hold the handle in a full connector engaging position, a stiffener element carried by the handle, the stiffener element having a longitudinal channel provided therein for receiving an upper edge of the circuit card upon the handle being forced inwardly relative to the box so that the stiffener element may act to support the upper edge of the circuit card from bending under vibratory forces.

Claim 6

In a box for removably mounting circuit cards, the box being of a type having an open end and a wall at an opposite end of the box, longitudinally extending tracks carried by inner surfaces of opposite sidewalls of the box, the tracks extending in substantially parallel relation to receive a circuit card inserted through the open end of the box, the tracks being spaced apart a distance corresponding to a preselected dimension of the circuit card with the tracks opening toward each other to slidably receive corresponding side edges of the circuit card, a first electrical connector mounted on the circuit card adjacent a lower edge of the circuit card, and a second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box for operative engagement by the first electrical connector; the improvement comprising extractors pivotally mounted at opposite corners of the circuit card and adjacent an upper edge of the circuit card, an operator-operative handle, linkage means pivotally connecting the handle between the extractors, and the linkage means including lost motion connecting means effective upon the operator initially moving the handle outwardly relative to the open end of the box over a first predetermined operating range to effect a pivotal movement of the extractors relative to the circuit card in a first sense to cause portions of the extractors to bear upon edges of the sidewalls of the box adjacent the open end of the box to in turn force the circuit card outward relative to the open end of the box so as to disengage the first electrical connector carried by the circuit card from operative engagement by the second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box, the lost motion connecting means including means limiting the pivotal movement of the extractors in said first sense upon the first electrical connector being forced fully out of operative engagement with the second electrical connector, and the linkage means being thereafter effective upon the handle being further operable by the operator over a second predetermined operating range to couple the handle to the card in a second sense for slidably withdrawing the circuit card out the open end of the box, the operator-operative handle including arm portions projecting from opposite sides of the handle, the linkage means including each arm portion of the handle having a longitudinal slot therein; the means pivotally connecting the handle between the extractors including a retainer pin projecting from an arm portion of each extractor and slidably positioned in the longitudinal slot in the corresponding arm portion of the handle so as to cause upon the operator moving the handle outwardly relative to the open end of the box a simultaneous pivotal movement of both extractors relative to the circuit card in a sense to cause another arm portion of each extractor to bear upon edges of the sidewalls of the box adjacent the open end of the box to effect the disengagement of the first electrical connector from the second electrical connector, a stiffener element carried by the handle, the stiffener element having a longitudinal channel provided therein for receiving an upper edge of the circuit card upon the handle being forced inwardly relative to the box so that the stiffener element may act to support the upper edge of the circuit card from bending under vibratory forces, a cover for the box, means for securing the cover adjacent the open end of the box, a resilient pressure pad positioned between the cover and the operator-operative handle to hold the handle in a full connector engaGing position.

Claim 7

In a box for removably mounting circuit cards, the box being of a type having an open end and a wall at an opposite end of the box, longitudinally extending tracks carried by inner surfaces of opposite sidewalls of the box, the tracks extending in substantially parallel relation to receive a circuit card inserted through the open end of the box, the tracks being spaced apart a distance corresponding to a preselected dimension of the circuit card with the tracks opening toward each other to slidably receive corresponding side edges of the circuit card, a first electrical connector mounted on the circuit card adjacent a lower edge of the circuit card, and a second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box for operative engagement by the first electrical connector; the improvement comprising extractors pivotally mounted at opposite corners of the circuit card and adjacent an upper edge of the circuit card, an operator-operative handle, linkage means pivotally connecting the handle between the extractors, and the linkage means including lost motion connecting means effective upon the operator initially moving the handle outwardly relative to the open end of the box over a first predetermined operating range to effect a pivotal movement of the extractors relative to the circuit card in a first sense to cause portions of the extractors to bear upon edges of the sidewalls of the box adjacent the open end of the box to in turn force the circuit card outward relative to the open end of the box so as to disengage the first electrical connector carried by the circuit card from operative engagement by the second electrical connector mounted on the wall at said opposite end of the box, the lost motion connecting means including means limiting the pivotal movement of the extractors in said first sense upon the first electrical connector being forced fully out of operative engagement with the second electrical connector, and the linkage means being thereafter effective upon the handle being further operable by the operator over a second predetermined operating range to couple the handle to the card in a second sense for slidably withdrawing the circuit card out the open end of the box, the operator-operative handle including arm portions projecting from opposite sides of the handle, the linkage means including each arm portion of the handle having a longitudinal slot therein; the means pivotally connecting the handle between the extractors including a retainer pin projecting from an arm portion of each extractor and slidably positioned in the longitudinal slot in the corresponding arm portion of the handle so as to cause upon the operator moving the handle outwardly relative to the open end of the box a simultaneous pivotal movement of both extractors relative to the circuit card in a sense to cause another arm portion of each extractor to bear upon edges of the sidewalls of the box adjacent the open end of the box to effect the disengagement of the first electrical connector from the second electrical connector, a stiffener element carried by the handle, the stiffener element having a longitudinal channel provided therein for receiving an upper edge of the circuit card upon the handle being forced inwardly relative to the box so that the stiffener element may act to support the upper edge of the circuit card from bending under vibratory forces, a cover for the box, means for securing the cover adjacent the open end of the box, a resilient pressure pad positioned between the cover and the operator-operative handle to hold the handle in a full connector engaGing position.