Self-locking housing assembly

Claim 1

A housing assembly for supportively housing a substrate in fixed engagement at a predetermined distance above a bottom surface thereof, said housing assembly having: means forming a support surface for receiving the substrate thereupon, the support surface formed thereby of dimensions permitting limited sliding translation of the substrate when positioned thereupon between an unlocked position and a locked position; means forming at least one rib member for aligning the substrate with the support surface for positioning of the substrate at the unlocked position upon initial positioning of the substrate upon the support surface; and means forming a clamp for clamping the substrate in said fixed engagement when the substrate is translated to the locked position, the clamp formed thereby being comprised of a material capable of elastic deformation whereby such that the translation of the substrate to the locking position exerts compressive forces against the clamp to elastically deform the clamp thereby, whereby forces exerted by the clamp, once elastically deformed, form clamping forces for fixedly engaging the substrate to the housing assembly.

Claim 22

An apparatus for supporting an electrical circuit, said apparatus comprising: an electrical circuit board for supporting the electrical circuit thereupon, said electrical circuit board having a plurality of notches formed into side portions thereof; and a housing for affixing the electrical circuit board in position at a predetermined distance above a bottom surface thereof, said housing assembly having: a housing bottom wall defining the bottom surface, and a plurality of raised shoulder portions formed integral with the housing bottom wall and disposed to extend above the surface thereof, said plurality of raised shoulder portions having top surfaces which together form a support surface for receiving the circuit board thereupon and for permitting limited sliding translation of the circuit board, once positioned thereupon, between an unlocked and a locked position; housing side walls formed integral with said housing bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said housing side walls having longitudinal axes extending in directions corresponding to directions of translation permitted of the circuit board upon the support surface, and at least one rib member formed upon each of the housing side walls, said rib members having longitudinal axes extending in directions at angles relative to a plane defined by the support surface, each of the rib members of dimensions permitting mated engagement with said notches formed in the circuit board, and formed of a top portion and a bottom portion, said top and bottom portions, respectively, of each rib member separated by separation distances forming gaps; and a clamp formed integral with each rib member, each of said clamps comprised of elastically-deformable material and positioned to extend into the gaps separating the top and bottom portions of the rib members such that the sliding translation of the circuit board along the support surface to the locking position exerts compressive forces against each of the clamps to elastically deform the clamps thereby, such the forces exerted by the clamps, once elastically deformed, for clamping forces for fixedly engaging the circuit board to the housing assembly.

Claim 23

An apparatus for supporting an electrical circuit, said apparatus comprising: an electrical circuit board for supporting the electrical circuit thereupon, said electrical circuit board having a plurality of notches formed into side portions thereof; and a housing for affixing the electrical circuit board in position at a predetermined distance above a bottom surface thereof, said housing assembly having: a housing bottom wall defining the bottom surface, and a plurality of raised shoulder portions formed integral with the housing bottom wall and disposed to extend above the surface thereof, said plurality of raised shoulder portions having top surfaces which together form a support surface for receiving the circuit board thereupon and for permitting limited sliding translation of the circuit board, once positioned thereupon, between an unlocked and a locked position; housing side walls formed integral with said housing bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said housing side walls having longitudinal axes extending in directions corresponding to directions of translation permitted of the circuit board upon the support surface, and at least one rib member formed upon each of the housing side walls, said rib members having longitudinal axes extending in directions at angles relative to a plane defined by the support surface, each of the rib members of dimensions permitting mated engagement with said notches formed in the circuit board, and formed of a top portion and a bottom portion, said top and bottom portions, respectively, of each rib member separated by separation distances forming gaps; and a clamp formed integral with each rib member, each of said clamps comprised of elastically-deformable material and positioned to extend into the gaps separating the top and bottom portions of the rib members such that the sliding translation of the circuit board along the support surface to the locking position exerts compressive forces against each of the clamps to elastically deform the clamps thereby, such the forces exerted by the clamps, once elastically deformed, for clamping forces for fixedly engaging the circuit board to the housing assembly.