Abstract A device for guiding and supporting a printed circuit card incorporating electronic circuitry is disclosed. The device is of a long, narrow, rectangular form and is formed of a single sheet having a series of tabs formed on the four sides. Two separate devices are required to support each edge of the printed circuit card; the two devices are mounted parallely side-by-side on a suitable support member with the spacing between adjacent devices determined by the thickness of the supported card and the compressive strength of the opposing flanges of the two adjacent devices that make compressive contact with the card. Also provided are angulated flanges on the narrow ends of the device for guiding the inserted card between the compressively opposing flanges. The device may be formed of heat conductive and/or electrically conductive materials to function as a heat sink coupling means and/or as a ground/voltage bus for side-entry of printed circuit cards.
A device for forming a side-entry card guide, comprising a sheet member having; a long, narrow, rectangular supporting base; end flanges formed on each of said narrow edges and bent up from the plane of said supporting base; side flanges formed on each of said long edges and bent up from the plane of said supporting base; each of said side flanges having on the ends thereof tabs bent in Toward the associated end flange for forming a substantially closed structure at each end.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
84 words
A device for forming a side-entry card guide, comprising a sheet member having; a long, narrow, rectangular supporting base; end flanges formed on each of said narrow edges and bent up from the plane of said supporting base; side flanges formed on each of said long edges and bent up from the plane of said supporting base; each of said side flanges having on the ends thereof tabs bent in Toward the associated end flange for forming a substantially closed structure at each end.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 1 in which said side flanges are bent up from the plane of said supporting base at approximately 77*.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 1 in which said end flanges are bent up from the plane of said supporting base at approximately 90*.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 1 in which said sheet member is of a heat and electrically conductive material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 1 in which said tabs are bent along a bend line that is at approximately 45* to the plane of said supporting base.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
82 words
A plug-in module for the side-entry of a printed circuit card, comprising: two parallel spaced-apart wall members assembled in a substantially fixed relationship; a plurality of side-entry card guides according to claim 1, two of said card guides assembled on the opposing sides of each of said wall members in a parallel spaced-apart side-by-side relationship for compressively securing opposing edges of a printed circuit card that is to be inserted between the opposing adjacent spaced-apart side flanges of said two card guides.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
A plug-in module for the side-entry of a printed circuit card, comprising: a base member; two parallel spaced-apart wall members assembled in a substantially perpendicular relationship with said base member; a top-entry electrical receptacle secured to said base member; a plurality of side-entry card guides according to claim 1, two of said card guides assembled on the opposing sides of each of said wall members in a parallel spaced-apart side-by-side relationship for compressively securing opposing edges of a printed circuit card that is to be inserted between the opposing adjacent spaced-apart side flanges of said two card guides and into said electrical receptacle.