CA1260239A - Extractor tool for printed circuit cards - Google Patents
Extractor tool for printed circuit cardsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1260239A CA1260239A CA000466870A CA466870A CA1260239A CA 1260239 A CA1260239 A CA 1260239A CA 000466870 A CA000466870 A CA 000466870A CA 466870 A CA466870 A CA 466870A CA 1260239 A CA1260239 A CA 1260239A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- card
- tool
- channel
- front edge
- arms
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
Abstract
EXTRACTOR TOOL FOR
PRINTED CIRCUIT CARDS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A tool for extracting printed circuit cards having front end cable connectors from a card file utilizing a "U"
shaped channel resembling the shell of the cable terminal end jack to lock onto the cable connector locking tabs on the printed circuit card.
The channel portion covers the projecting pins to protect them while the card is handled during the insertion or withdrawal thereof.
PRINTED CIRCUIT CARDS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A tool for extracting printed circuit cards having front end cable connectors from a card file utilizing a "U"
shaped channel resembling the shell of the cable terminal end jack to lock onto the cable connector locking tabs on the printed circuit card.
The channel portion covers the projecting pins to protect them while the card is handled during the insertion or withdrawal thereof.
Description
23~
EXTRACTOR TOOL FOR PRI~TED CIRCUIT C~RDS
FIELD O~ T~IE INVEMT10~
The present invention relates to a tool designed to facilitate the extraction of a printed circuit card having front edge connectors from a holder.
BACK~ROUND OF THE INVENTIO~
Today, printed circuit cards are frequently assembled in a holder rack having the shape of an open topped box whose side walls form tracks for the guidance of cards into and out of their assembled position. Etched terminal tabs on a base strip or block of each board fit into a socket having co-acting contacts to complete a connection to an external backplane circuit. In practice, the track forming side walls may be horizontally disposed, with the contact bearing sockets arranged on the upright rear wall. In some applications the cards also include terminal contact tabs on the front edge of each board for connecting to cabling having suitably formed co-acting contact jacks or sockets.
The extraction of such printed circuit cards from their holder is a somewhat delicate operation since the abrupt reduction of frictional resistance upon disengagement of the backplane connectors may lead to an accelerated withdrawal motion deviating from the line of the card track and thus impose bending stresses which could damage the printed circuits. A further aggravating condition is the presence of the front edge cable connectors which prevent the placement of a handle or other devices to facilitate their withdrawal. This problem is perceptively increased as the printed circuit boards become larger which substantially increase the extraction force required. Not only is this condition a problem in Z~9 the field but it is also encountered during production and testing of assembled systems. Presently, many printed circuit cards are equipped with magnetic strips which must be scanned at various stages of production, wherein during many of the production stages, the card is located in the frame. For cards without front edge connectors this is not a problem since the cards are equipped with handles, and the magnetic strips are located on the handles. Where so located it is a simple matter to utilize a portable scanner without removing the card from the file. In the case of front edge connector cards, the magnetic strips are located to the side of the connector. Therefore, to scan the magnetic strips on the front edge connector card, it must be partially extracted from the card file.
The only workable tool for the front edge card extrac-tion was a pair of pliers. This method obviously had the potential ~or card damage and further resulted in injury to the wrists of the personnel performing this operation.
Accordingly, a tool is required to properly extract these boards. This tool must be compact, simple to operate as well as human engineered to be comfortably operated.
It therefore becomes an object of the present invention to provide an improved economical tool of the character described which facilitates the extrac-tion of such printed circuit cards.
SUMMARY_OF THE INVENTION
The tool according to our invention has been designed to work with holders of the type having an open card cage construction. The holders have top and bottom front card guides oriented in a hori-zontal direction. The card guides also include trans-verse slots which accept lateral edges of a printed circuit card. The slots hold and guide the card to :~2~3~
the connector f`ound in the rear of the holder. The invention has been designed to be used with cards which include front end connectors on -the front edge of -the cards.
These connectors have contact tabs at the front edge of the card and are con-figured to match a co-acting jack assembly normally terminating a cable. To ensure that the cables do not become dislodged, a projec-ting tab i~
located on the printed circuit card such that a co-acting catch on the cable jack engages this tab and locks it onto the card.
The present invention utilizes this tab on the printed circuit card and a cable jack frame without the terminal contacting assembly to seize the card and thus facilitate its withdrawal.
BRIEF_DESCRIPTION_OF_THh`_DRAWINGS
The invention may be readily understood through reference to the following description in combination with the drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is a top view of a printed circùit card end haviDg a front end connector.
Fig. 2 is also a top view of a cable connector that is arranged to connect with the connector of the card.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of cable connector on the card taken along lines A-A of Fig. i, showing the
EXTRACTOR TOOL FOR PRI~TED CIRCUIT C~RDS
FIELD O~ T~IE INVEMT10~
The present invention relates to a tool designed to facilitate the extraction of a printed circuit card having front edge connectors from a holder.
BACK~ROUND OF THE INVENTIO~
Today, printed circuit cards are frequently assembled in a holder rack having the shape of an open topped box whose side walls form tracks for the guidance of cards into and out of their assembled position. Etched terminal tabs on a base strip or block of each board fit into a socket having co-acting contacts to complete a connection to an external backplane circuit. In practice, the track forming side walls may be horizontally disposed, with the contact bearing sockets arranged on the upright rear wall. In some applications the cards also include terminal contact tabs on the front edge of each board for connecting to cabling having suitably formed co-acting contact jacks or sockets.
The extraction of such printed circuit cards from their holder is a somewhat delicate operation since the abrupt reduction of frictional resistance upon disengagement of the backplane connectors may lead to an accelerated withdrawal motion deviating from the line of the card track and thus impose bending stresses which could damage the printed circuits. A further aggravating condition is the presence of the front edge cable connectors which prevent the placement of a handle or other devices to facilitate their withdrawal. This problem is perceptively increased as the printed circuit boards become larger which substantially increase the extraction force required. Not only is this condition a problem in Z~9 the field but it is also encountered during production and testing of assembled systems. Presently, many printed circuit cards are equipped with magnetic strips which must be scanned at various stages of production, wherein during many of the production stages, the card is located in the frame. For cards without front edge connectors this is not a problem since the cards are equipped with handles, and the magnetic strips are located on the handles. Where so located it is a simple matter to utilize a portable scanner without removing the card from the file. In the case of front edge connector cards, the magnetic strips are located to the side of the connector. Therefore, to scan the magnetic strips on the front edge connector card, it must be partially extracted from the card file.
The only workable tool for the front edge card extrac-tion was a pair of pliers. This method obviously had the potential ~or card damage and further resulted in injury to the wrists of the personnel performing this operation.
Accordingly, a tool is required to properly extract these boards. This tool must be compact, simple to operate as well as human engineered to be comfortably operated.
It therefore becomes an object of the present invention to provide an improved economical tool of the character described which facilitates the extrac-tion of such printed circuit cards.
SUMMARY_OF THE INVENTION
The tool according to our invention has been designed to work with holders of the type having an open card cage construction. The holders have top and bottom front card guides oriented in a hori-zontal direction. The card guides also include trans-verse slots which accept lateral edges of a printed circuit card. The slots hold and guide the card to :~2~3~
the connector f`ound in the rear of the holder. The invention has been designed to be used with cards which include front end connectors on -the front edge of -the cards.
These connectors have contact tabs at the front edge of the card and are con-figured to match a co-acting jack assembly normally terminating a cable. To ensure that the cables do not become dislodged, a projec-ting tab i~
located on the printed circuit card such that a co-acting catch on the cable jack engages this tab and locks it onto the card.
The present invention utilizes this tab on the printed circuit card and a cable jack frame without the terminal contacting assembly to seize the card and thus facilitate its withdrawal.
BRIEF_DESCRIPTION_OF_THh`_DRAWINGS
The invention may be readily understood through reference to the following description in combination with the drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is a top view of a printed circùit card end haviDg a front end connector.
Fig. 2 is also a top view of a cable connector that is arranged to connect with the connector of the card.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of cable connector on the card taken along lines A-A of Fig. i, showing the
2~ position of the locking tab.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the card puller used to extract a card of the type illustrated from a card file.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the card puller .~
~' 3gl taken along lines B-B of Flg. 4, ~howing the retaining tab and associated release.
Fi. 6 is a partial side sectiorlal view o-P the card puller and associated card shown prior to eDgagement.
Fig. 7 is a par-tial side sectional view of the cable connector and the card showing the relative positions during engagement.
Fig. 8 is a partial side sectional view of the cable connector and card showing the relative positions immediately a*ter engagement.
DESC~IPTION_OF THE P~EFEPRED ~MBODIMENT
Turning now to Fig. 1 there is shown the front portion of a printed circuit card 101 having along the front edge a multi-contact connector assembly ` ` j !, `
~2~ 3 102 with a plurality of contact pins such as 103.
This connector may typically be one such as that manufactured by GTE Sylvania as part No. 7900-1337-001. The molded body of this connector assembly includes on its top surface a number of projecting tabs such as 104 onto which the cable connector latches.
Also visible are a number of fastener~s 106 used to hold the connector assembly to the printed circuit board 101, and a strip of magnetic tape used during production and quality assurance operations.
Facing the circuit board 101 in Fig. 2 are two cable terminations such as the one labeled 110.
This connector jack may typically be one such as manu-factured by GTE Sylvania as part No. 7900-1303. In most instances these cables are used only in the final field assemblies of an entire system and are not part of the local wiring of a piece of equipment. Not visible in this view, under the protective tabs 111 is a jack assembly arranged to mate with the contact pins 103 of the card. A releasable locking catch 112 is shown which co-acts with a member such as tab 104 to retain the cable onto the card.
The tool of the present invention arranged to extract the card assembly of Fig. 1 is shown in Fig. 4. As is readily apparent it includes two cable terminating shells such as shown in Fig. 2 and labeled 110~ The cable terminating jacks are not included in the puller assembly. These two cable terminating jack shells are fastened together at the end 113 through which the cable would normally enter, by a handle 114 and fasteners llS. A plate 116 maintains the two shells 110 in alignment and holds the two shells together with fasteners 117. The latch 112 is better shown in the sectional view Fig. 5 drawn along line B-B of Fig. 4. Here a generally "U" shaped portion extends beyond the body of the connector shell ~LZ~ 35~
and has an internally projec-ting tongue L2Z, this tongue at it9 other surface has a cut away por-tion leaving a de-tent surface 123. This portion pro,jects beyond the tab 104 when this assembly is inserted over the projec-t-ing connector pins o~ assembly 102. A laterally slidable release 118 is also mounted on the connector shell. This release includes a portion 121 which when pressure is applied a-t surface 124 advances tongue 122 to lift it away ~rom -the tab member 104.
To keep release 118 in its normal unengaged position a re~ilient finger 120 is biased against a pin 119 mounted in the body of the connector shell and projects into the path of the finger 120, Re~erring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8, the card puller is inserted into the front edge connector on the card until the latches of both cable connectors assemblies engage the tabs such as 104, Once both latches are engaged, the card puller is locked onto the card. Moderate pressure on the card puller handle at this time will extract the card from the file. The card can be reinserted into the file by applying a pressure on the handle in the reverse direction of that applied in pulling the card. The card puller is then released by pressing in on the release slide 118. The card puller has no terminal pin modules in the cable cover shells, and there is no danger of damaging the connector pins on the -front edge of the card or the card itself.
`:
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the card puller used to extract a card of the type illustrated from a card file.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the card puller .~
~' 3gl taken along lines B-B of Flg. 4, ~howing the retaining tab and associated release.
Fi. 6 is a partial side sectiorlal view o-P the card puller and associated card shown prior to eDgagement.
Fig. 7 is a par-tial side sectional view of the cable connector and the card showing the relative positions during engagement.
Fig. 8 is a partial side sectional view of the cable connector and card showing the relative positions immediately a*ter engagement.
DESC~IPTION_OF THE P~EFEPRED ~MBODIMENT
Turning now to Fig. 1 there is shown the front portion of a printed circuit card 101 having along the front edge a multi-contact connector assembly ` ` j !, `
~2~ 3 102 with a plurality of contact pins such as 103.
This connector may typically be one such as that manufactured by GTE Sylvania as part No. 7900-1337-001. The molded body of this connector assembly includes on its top surface a number of projecting tabs such as 104 onto which the cable connector latches.
Also visible are a number of fastener~s 106 used to hold the connector assembly to the printed circuit board 101, and a strip of magnetic tape used during production and quality assurance operations.
Facing the circuit board 101 in Fig. 2 are two cable terminations such as the one labeled 110.
This connector jack may typically be one such as manu-factured by GTE Sylvania as part No. 7900-1303. In most instances these cables are used only in the final field assemblies of an entire system and are not part of the local wiring of a piece of equipment. Not visible in this view, under the protective tabs 111 is a jack assembly arranged to mate with the contact pins 103 of the card. A releasable locking catch 112 is shown which co-acts with a member such as tab 104 to retain the cable onto the card.
The tool of the present invention arranged to extract the card assembly of Fig. 1 is shown in Fig. 4. As is readily apparent it includes two cable terminating shells such as shown in Fig. 2 and labeled 110~ The cable terminating jacks are not included in the puller assembly. These two cable terminating jack shells are fastened together at the end 113 through which the cable would normally enter, by a handle 114 and fasteners llS. A plate 116 maintains the two shells 110 in alignment and holds the two shells together with fasteners 117. The latch 112 is better shown in the sectional view Fig. 5 drawn along line B-B of Fig. 4. Here a generally "U" shaped portion extends beyond the body of the connector shell ~LZ~ 35~
and has an internally projec-ting tongue L2Z, this tongue at it9 other surface has a cut away por-tion leaving a de-tent surface 123. This portion pro,jects beyond the tab 104 when this assembly is inserted over the projec-t-ing connector pins o~ assembly 102. A laterally slidable release 118 is also mounted on the connector shell. This release includes a portion 121 which when pressure is applied a-t surface 124 advances tongue 122 to lift it away ~rom -the tab member 104.
To keep release 118 in its normal unengaged position a re~ilient finger 120 is biased against a pin 119 mounted in the body of the connector shell and projects into the path of the finger 120, Re~erring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8, the card puller is inserted into the front edge connector on the card until the latches of both cable connectors assemblies engage the tabs such as 104, Once both latches are engaged, the card puller is locked onto the card. Moderate pressure on the card puller handle at this time will extract the card from the file. The card can be reinserted into the file by applying a pressure on the handle in the reverse direction of that applied in pulling the card. The card puller is then released by pressing in on the release slide 118. The card puller has no terminal pin modules in the cable cover shells, and there is no danger of damaging the connector pins on the -front edge of the card or the card itself.
`:
Claims (5)
1. A tool for inserting and extracting a circuit board having front edge connectors having locking tabs on the exposed surface thereof into and out of a circuit board apparatus housing, comprising:
a substantially flat U shaped channel of a dimension to enclose said front edge connectors within the cavity of said U shape;
a pair of arms projecting beyond the end of one external surface of said U channel;
each of said arms having a rearwardly extending tongue of a length to reach beyond said front edge connector tabs upon placement of said U channel over said front edge connectors to latch said U channel to said front edge connector;
a second pair of arms projecting rearwardly from the base of said U channel and a bar joining said second pair of arms at their extremity thereby forming a handle between said arms for convenient extraction of said circuit board.
a substantially flat U shaped channel of a dimension to enclose said front edge connectors within the cavity of said U shape;
a pair of arms projecting beyond the end of one external surface of said U channel;
each of said arms having a rearwardly extending tongue of a length to reach beyond said front edge connector tabs upon placement of said U channel over said front edge connectors to latch said U channel to said front edge connector;
a second pair of arms projecting rearwardly from the base of said U channel and a bar joining said second pair of arms at their extremity thereby forming a handle between said arms for convenient extraction of said circuit board.
2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said tongue is resilient and biased inwardly toward the U
channel.
channel.
3. A tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tongue is molded integrally with said U channel.
4. A tool as claimed in claim 3, further including release means mounted on the exterior surface of said U channel adjacent said pair of arms operative to engage said tongue to release said tool from said card.
-6a-
-6a-
5. A tool as claimed in claim 4, wherein said release means comprises a sliding wedge effective upon advancement to lift said tongue away from said connector tab.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US54838083A | 1983-11-03 | 1983-11-03 | |
| US548,380 | 1983-11-03 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1260239A true CA1260239A (en) | 1989-09-26 |
Family
ID=24188613
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000466870A Expired CA1260239A (en) | 1983-11-03 | 1984-11-01 | Extractor tool for printed circuit cards |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1260239A (en) |
-
1984
- 1984-11-01 CA CA000466870A patent/CA1260239A/en not_active Expired
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US5713752A (en) | Latchable electrical connector | |
| US6371787B1 (en) | Pull-to-release type latch mechanism for removable small form factor electronic modules | |
| EP1072178B1 (en) | Circuit card insertion and removal system | |
| US6435897B1 (en) | Compact PCI connector guide | |
| KR950012466B1 (en) | Press-contact type electric connector for a flat flexible cable | |
| CA1270056A (en) | Card cassette ejector apparatus | |
| US5708552A (en) | Electrostatic discharge protection guide rail system for printed circuit board | |
| EP0248949A2 (en) | Carrier tray for circuit board | |
| US4109379A (en) | Manipulator for the insertion and extraction of printed-circuit boards into and from a holder therefor | |
| US7170749B2 (en) | Electrical apparatus and connector holder for electrical apparatus | |
| CA2031478A1 (en) | Snap-lock electrical connector with quick release | |
| DE69815017T2 (en) | PCB removal | |
| US5169347A (en) | Slip-off electrical connector header | |
| US5031074A (en) | Circuit board guide and interfitting device to eliminate floating cables | |
| CA2099029C (en) | Circuit pack interconnection | |
| CA1295427C (en) | Printed circuit card guide | |
| JP3074440B2 (en) | Connector with terminal protection plate | |
| CA1091318A (en) | Elongate electrical connector retaining device | |
| CA1260239A (en) | Extractor tool for printed circuit cards | |
| EP0075070A2 (en) | Retaining clip for an electrical connector | |
| US4389770A (en) | Tri-lead cable housing removal tool | |
| EP0251413A2 (en) | Device for mutual electrical contact between electrical and/or electromechanical assemblies as well as method for electrical contact between such assemblies and an apparatus built according to this method | |
| JP2548114Y2 (en) | Circuit board | |
| US5632641A (en) | Electrical connector | |
| DE2143823A1 (en) | LOCKABLE CONNECTOR |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |