Extraction-insertion card guide mechanism

Claim 2

A card cage for removably receiving a printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical contacts along a rear edge, said card cage comprising upper and lower support means and rear connector means defining a slot for slidably receiving said circuit board and engagement means comprising: (A) handle means pivotally mounted onto a forward edge of one of said support means, said handle means being pivotable between an engaged orientation and a disengaged orientation, said handle means having a finger means projecting therefrom for contacting an exposed forward edge of said circuit board to urge it into an engaged position with its contacts engaging said connector means; (B) extraction means including a rear finger means for contacting the rear edge of said circuit board when said circuit board is in the engaged position; (C) actuating rod means connecting said handle means and said extraction means for enabling said extraction means to move said rear finger means forwardly as said handle means pivot between the engaged position and the disengaged position to thereby urge said circuit board to disengage from said connector means and allow said circuit board to be freely removed from said slot.

Claim 3

A card cage as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said upper and lower support means includes a pair of parallel sidewall means and a cross member means extending between said sidewall means to define a slot channel for slidably receiving said circuit board.

Claim 4

A card cage as defined in claim 1 wherein said extraction means includes means defining a channel for receiving an edge of said circuit board, said rear finger means closing off the rear of said channel.

Claim 5

A card cage as defined in claim 3 wherein said extraction means is slidably mounted on the support means on which said handle means is mounted.

Claim 6

A card cage as defined in claim 3 wherein said extraction means is pivotally mounted on the support means on which said handle means is mounted.

Claim 7

A card cage for removably receiving a printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical contacts along a rear edge, said card cage comprising upper and lower support means and rear connector means defining a slot for slidably receiving said circuit board, each of said upper and lower support means supporting an engagement means comprising: (A) handle means pivotally mounted onto a forward edge of the associated support means, said handle means being pivotable between an engaged orientation and a disengaged orientation, said handle means having a finger means projecting therefrom for contacting an exposed forward edge of said circuit board to urge it into an engaged position with its contacts engaging said connector means; (B) extraction means including a rear finger means for contacting the rear edge of said circuit board proximate the associated support means when said circuit board is in the engaged position; (C) actuating rod means connecting said handle means and said extraction means for enabling said extraction means to move said rear finger means forwardly as said handle means pivots between the engaged position and the disengaged position to thereby urge said circuit board to disengage from said connector means and allow said circuit board to be freely removed from said slot.

Claim 8

A card cage for removably receiving a printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical contacts along a rear edge, said card cage comprising upper and lower support means and rear connector means defining a slot for slidably receiving said circuit board, each of said upper and lower support means supporting an engagement means comprising: (A) handle means pivotally mounted onto a forward edge of the associated support means, said handle means being pivotable between an engaged orientation and a disengaged orientation, said handle means having a finger means projecting therefrom for contacting an exposed forward edge of said circuit board to urge it into an engaged position with its contacts engaging said connector means; (B) extraction means including a rear finger means for contacting the rear edge of said circuit board proximate the associated support means when said circuit board is in the engaged position; (C) actuating rod means connecting said handle means and said extraction means for enabling said extraction means to move said rear finger means forwardly as said handle means pivots between the engaged position and the disengaged position to thereby urge said circuit board to disengage from said connector means and allow said circuit board to be freely removed from said slot.

Claim 9

A card cage as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said upper and lower support means includes a pair of parallel sidewall means and a cross member means extending between said sidewall means to define a slot channel for slidably receiving said circuit board.

Claim 10

A card cage as defined in claim 6 wherein each said extraction means includes means defining a channel for receiving the proximate edge of said circuit board, said rear finger means closing off the rear of said channel.

Claim 11

A card cage as defined in claim 8 wherein each said extraction means is slidably mounted on the associated support means.

Claim 12

A card cage as defined in claim 8 wherein each said extraction means is pivotally mounted on the associated support means.

Claim 13

A card cage for removably receiving a printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical contacts along a rear edge, said card cage comprising: (A) upper support means including parallel sidewalls and a cross member defining an upper channel, said upper support means having a forward end and a rear end; (B) lower support means including parallel sidewalls and a cross member defining a lower channel, said lower support means having a forward end and a rear end, said upper support means and said lower support means being positioned in parallel with said upper channel and said lower channel in spatial opposition to thereby define a slot for slidably receiving a circuit board; (C) rear connector means extending between the respective rear ends of said upper and lower support means; (D) engagement means associated with each of said support means and comprising; (i) handle means pivotally mounted onto the forward end of the associated support means, said handle means being pivotable between an engaged orientation and a disengaged orientation, said handle means having a finger means projecting therefrom for contacting an exposed forward edge of said circuit board to urge it into an engaged position with its contacts engaging said connector means; (ii) extraction means including a rear finger means for contacting the rear edge of said circuit board proximate the associated support means when said circuit board is in the engaged position; and (iii) actuating rod means connecting said handle means and said extraction means for enabling said extraction means to move said rear finger means forwardly as said handle means pivots between the engaged position and the disengaged position to thereby urge said circuit board to disengage from said connector means and allow said circuit board to be freely removed from said slot.

Claim 14

A card cage for removably receiving a printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical contacts along a rear edge, said card cage comprising: (A) upper support means including parallel sidewalls and a cross member defining an upper channel, said upper support means having a forward end and a rear end; (B) lower support means including parallel sidewalls and a cross member defining a lower channel, said lower support means having a forward end and a rear end, said upper support means and said lower support means being positioned in parallel with said upper channel and said lower channel in spatial opposition to thereby define a slot for slidably receiving a circuit board; (C) rear connector means extending between the respective rear ends of said upper and lower support means; (D) engagement means associated with each of said support means and comprising; (i) handle means pivotally mounted onto the forward end of the associated support means, said handle means being pivotable between an engaged orientation and a disengaged orientation, said handle means having a finger means projecting therefrom for contacting an exposed forward edge of said circuit board to urge it into an engaged position with its contacts engaging said connector means; (ii) extraction means including a rear finger means for contacting the rear edge of said circuit board proximate the associated support means when said circuit board is in the engaged position; and (iii) actuating rod means connecting said handle means and said extraction means for enabling said extraction means to move said rear finger means forwardly as said handle means pivots between the engaged position and the disengaged position to thereby urge said circuit board to disengage from said connector means and allow said circuit board to be freely removed from said slot.

Claim 15

A card cage as defined in claim 11 wherein each of said upper and lower support means includes a pair of parallel sidewall means and a cross member means extending between said sidewall means to define a slot channel for slidably receiving said circuit board.

Claim 16

A card cage as defined in claim 11 wherein each said extraction means includes means defining a channel for receiving the proximate edge of said circuit board, said rear finger means closing off the rear of said channel.

Claim 17

A card cage as defined in claim 13 wherein each said extraction means is slidably mounted on the associated support means.

Claim 18

A card cage as defined in claim 13 wherein each said extraction means is pivotally mounted on the associated support means.