US5222897A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Circuit board inserter/ejector system
Assignee: EMC Corp
•
Filing: 1992-04-01
•
Granted: 1993-06-29
•
Expires: 2012-04-01
Abstract
Abstract An inserter/ejector system for use in inserting a circuit board into a backplane in a chassis and for ejecting the circuit board from the backplane in the chassis. The inserter/ejector system may be used in conjunction with staggered height connector pins to permit the circuit board to be inserted into or removed from the backplane without removing power to the backplane.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven W. Collins
- 👤 Stephen Finnegan
- 👤 Erik Nelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:11
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/7005; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/14; H05K7/1401; H05K7/1402; H05K7/1409
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
A circuit board inserter/ejector system comprising: a chassis having a forward end, said chassis comprising: a horizontal surface having an engagement hole and a horizontal surface stop; and a backplane oriented perpendicular to said horizontal surface and enclosing said forward end of said chassis, said backplane comprising a backplane connector; and a circuit board comprising: a circuit board connector mounted on said circuit board; and an inserter/ejector lever pivotally mounted on said circuit board, said inserter/ejector lever comprising a lever arm and a chassis engagement portion, said chassis engagement portion comprising a positive stop, said inserter/ejector lever being pivotable between a first orientation and a second orientation, and being positioned on said circuit board such that when said inserter/ejector is in said second orientation, and said circuit board is fully positioned within said chassis, said circuit board connector is fully engaged with said backplane connector, and said chassis engagement portion protrudes through said engagement hole in said horizontal surface of said chassis, and when said inserted/ejector lever is in said first orientation, said positive stop engages said horizontal surface stop, said circuit board is prevented from moving further into said chassis and said circuit board connector is aligned with but prevented from engaging said backplane connector, said inserter/ejector permitting said circuit board to move further into said chassis upon the disengagement of said positive stop from said horizontal surface stop by the movement of said inserter/ejector lever from said first orientation to said second orientation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
A circuit board inserter/ejector system comprising: a chassis having a forward end, said chassis comprising: a horizontal surface having an engagement hole and a horizontal surface stop; and a backplane oriented perpendicular to said horizontal surface and enclosing said forward end of said chassis, said backplane comprising a backplane connector; and a circuit board comprising: a circuit board connector mounted on said circuit board; and an inserter/ejector lever pivotally mounted on said circuit board, said inserter/ejector lever comprising a lever arm and a chassis engagement portion, said chassis engagement portion comprising a positive stop, said inserter/ejector lever being pivotable between a first orientation and a second orientation, and being positioned on said circuit board such that when said inserter/ejector is in said second orientation, and said circuit board is fully positioned within said chassis, said circuit board connector is fully engaged with said backplane connector, and said chassis engagement portion protrudes through said engagement hole in said horizontal surface of said chassis, and when said inserted/ejector lever is in said first orientation, said positive stop engages said horizontal surface stop, said circuit board is prevented from moving further into said chassis and said circuit board connector is aligned with but prevented from engaging said backplane connector, said inserter/ejector permitting said circuit board to move further into said chassis upon the disengagement of said positive stop from said horizontal surface stop by the movement of said inserter/ejector lever from said first orientation to said second orientation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The circuit board inserter/ejector system of claim 1 wherein said first orientation is substantially parallel to a direction of insertion of said circuit board into s id chassis and said second orientation is substantially perpendicular to said horizontal surface of said chassis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
105 words
The circuit board inserter/ejector system of claim 1 wherein said chassis engagement portion comprises a insertion camming surface and an ejection camming surface and wherein inserter/ejector lever is pivotable to a third orientation intermediate said first orientation and said second orientation, wherein when said inserter/ejector lever is pivoted to said third orientation from said first orientation, said insertion camming surface engages said engagement hole thereby leveraging said circuit board into said chassis, and wherein when said inserter/ejector lever is pivoted to said third orientation from said second orientation, said ejection camming surface engage said engagement hole thereby leveraging said circuit board out of said chassis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The circuit board inserter/ejector system of claim 1 wherein when said inserter/ejector lever is in said first orientation, and said positive stop engages said horizontal surface stop, said positive stop acts to absorb the shock of engagement between said circuit board connector and said backplane connector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
212 words
A circuit board comprising: a circuit board connector mounted on said circuit board; and an inserter/ejector lever pivotally mounted on said circuit board, said inserter/ejector lever comprising a lever arm and a chassis engagement portion, said chassis engagement portion comprising a positive stop, said inserter/ejector lever being pivotable between a first orientation and a second orientation, and being positioned on said circuit board such that when said inserter/ejector is in said second orientation, and said circuit board is fully positioned within a chassis having a horizontal surface and an end enclosed by a backplane having a backplane connector, said circuit board connector is fully engaged with said backplane connector and said chassis engagement portion protrudes through an engagement hole in said horizontal surface of said chassis, and when said inserter/ejector lever is in said first orientation, said positive stop engages a portion of said horizontal surface stop, said circuit board is prevented from moving further into said chassis and said circuit board connector is aligned with but prevented from engaging said backplane connector, said inserter/ejector permitting said circuit board to move further into said chassis upon the disengagement of said positive stop from said horizontal surface stop by the movement of said inserter/ejector lever from said first orientation to said second orientation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
212 words
A circuit board comprising: a circuit board connector mounted on said circuit board; and an inserter/ejector lever pivotally mounted on said circuit board, said inserter/ejector lever comprising a lever arm and a chassis engagement portion, said chassis engagement portion comprising a positive stop, said inserter/ejector lever being pivotable between a first orientation and a second orientation, and being positioned on said circuit board such that when said inserter/ejector is in said second orientation, and said circuit board is fully positioned within a chassis having a horizontal surface and an end enclosed by a backplane having a backplane connector, said circuit board connector is fully engaged with said backplane connector and said chassis engagement portion protrudes through an engagement hole in said horizontal surface of said chassis, and when said inserter/ejector lever is in said first orientation, said positive stop engages a portion of said horizontal surface stop, said circuit board is prevented from moving further into said chassis and said circuit board connector is aligned with but prevented from engaging said backplane connector, said inserter/ejector permitting said circuit board to move further into said chassis upon the disengagement of said positive stop from said horizontal surface stop by the movement of said inserter/ejector lever from said first orientation to said second orientation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The circuit board of claim 5 wherein said first orientation is substantially parallel to a direction of insertion of said circuit board into said chassis and said second orientation is substantially perpendicular to said horizontal surface of said chassis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
The circuit board system of claim 5 wherein said chassis engagement portion comprises a insertion camming surface and an ejection camming surface and wherein inserter/ejector lever is pivotable to a third orientation intermediate said first orientation and said second orientation, wherein when said inserter/ejector lever is pivoted to said third orientation from said first orientation, said insertion camming surface engage said engagement hole thereby leveraging said circuit board into said chassis, and wherein when said inserter/ejector lever is pivoted to said third orientation from said second orientation, said ejection camming surface engages said engagement hole thereby leveraging said circuit board out of said chassis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The circuit board system of claim 5 wherein when said inserter/ejector lever is in said first orientation, and said positive stop engages said horizontal surface stop, said positive stop acts to absorb the shock of engagement between said circuit board connector and said backplane connector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
245 words
A disk drive system comprising: a circuit board comprising: a circuit board connector mounted on said circuit board; an inserter/ejector lever pivotally mounted on said circuit board, said inserter/ejector lever comprising a lever arm, a chassis engagement portion comprising a positive stop, an insertion camming surface and an ejection camming surface; and a disk drive mounted to said circuit board, said inserter/ejector lever being pivotable between a first orientation substantially parallel to a direction of insertion of said circuit board into a chassis having a horizontal surface and a backplane comprising a backplane connector, and a second orientation substantially perpendicular to said horizontal surface of said chassis, said inserter/ejector lever being positioned on said circuit board such that when said inserter/ejector is in said second orientation and said circuit board is fully positioned within said chassis, said circuit board connector is fully engaged with said backplane connector, and said chassis engagement portion protrudes through an engagement hole in said horizontal surface of said chassis, when said inserter/ejector lever is in said first orientation, said positive stop engages said horizontal surface stop, circuit board is prevented from moving further into said chassis and said circuit board connector is aligned with but prevented from engaging said backplane connector, said inserter/ejector permitting said circuit board to move further into said chassis upon the disengagement of said positive stop from said horizontal surface stop by the movement of said inserter/ejector lever from said first orientation to said second orientation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
245 words
A disk drive system comprising: a circuit board comprising: a circuit board connector mounted on said circuit board; an inserter/ejector lever pivotally mounted on said circuit board, said inserter/ejector lever comprising a lever arm, a chassis engagement portion comprising a positive stop, an insertion camming surface and an ejection camming surface; and a disk drive mounted to said circuit board, said inserter/ejector lever being pivotable between a first orientation substantially parallel to a direction of insertion of said circuit board into a chassis having a horizontal surface and a backplane comprising a backplane connector, and a second orientation substantially perpendicular to said horizontal surface of said chassis, said inserter/ejector lever being positioned on said circuit board such that when said inserter/ejector is in said second orientation and said circuit board is fully positioned within said chassis, said circuit board connector is fully engaged with said backplane connector, and said chassis engagement portion protrudes through an engagement hole in said horizontal surface of said chassis, when said inserter/ejector lever is in said first orientation, said positive stop engages said horizontal surface stop, circuit board is prevented from moving further into said chassis and said circuit board connector is aligned with but prevented from engaging said backplane connector, said inserter/ejector permitting said circuit board to move further into said chassis upon the disengagement of said positive stop from said horizontal surface stop by the movement of said inserter/ejector lever from said first orientation to said second orientation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3311863A
Cited
US3335386A
Cited
US3476258A
Cited
US3944311A
Cited
US4223934A
Cited
US4243283A
Cited
USD261354S
Cited
US4480885A
Cited
US4633350A
Cited
US4603375A
Cited
US4638405A
Cited
US4778401A
Cited
US4896397A
Cited
US4896777A
Cited
US4941841A
Cited
US4840570A
Cited
US4872853A
Cited
US4996631A
Cited
US5025336A
Cited
US4999744A
Cited
US5031074A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-06-28 | 1996-12-28 | 1997-06-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-06-28 | 2000-12-28 | 2001-06-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-06-28 | 2004-12-28 | 2005-06-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |