IL44688A

IL44688A - Pivotable extractor mounting

Info

Publication number: IL44688A
Application number: IL44688A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Hollingsead Pryor Enterprises
Priority date: 1973-05-14
Filing date: 1974-04-22
Publication date: 1977-05-31
Also published as: JPS5016073A; DE2422477A1; FR2229611A1; FR2229611B1; DE2422477C2; IL44688A0; GB1472120A; CA1011865A

Description

Pivotable extractor mounting HOLLHiGSSAD-HlYOR INTERPRISES IIC. C/ 42831 1 PIVO ABLE EXTRACTOR HOLD DOWN APPARATUS ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE; A mounting member for an extractor hold down apparatus permits the extractor to exert both extraction and insertion forces at different angles to, for example, an electronic unit on an avionic rack. The mounting member is provided with a pair of elongated slots that accommodate a cross bar and retaining disks mounted on the power shaft of the extractor.

The slots provide an angle range of at least 18 degrees plus or minus 15 degrees.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: 1. Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to the mounting of electronic equipment and, more particularly, to means for extracting and securing units of electronic equipment onto a shelf or avionic rack. 2. Description of the Prior Art The development of electronic equipment has been generally standardized into set sizes of electronic units to accommodate their use in various structures, for example, aircraft. To support these electronic units, appropriate support structures have been developed to securely support and safeguard this expensive equipment against destruction such as avionic trays and racks. Since it is necessary to provide electrical connections to the units of electronic equipment, the mounting structure must be precisely positioned to insure proper alignment between the electronic units and the electrical connectors and to maintain the units in a secure position with the proper amount of force.

Particular problems occur in vehicles such as aircraft that are subject to vibration and substantial stresses. Many of t¾se problems have been solvedwith the use of an extractor as illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 3,640,141 granted February 8, 1972. With this slip clutch extractor hold down apparatus, it is possible to securely lock the electronic unit to the rack and to both insert and remove the unit from its electrical connections.

Problems have occurred in providing a conventional mounting for the extractor hold down apparatus due to the limited amount of space available for pivotably anchoring the hold down device.

It has been found that frequently an application of force would pivot the electronic unit about its lower rear edge or its electrical connection plugs and this would exert a large amount of stress on the electrical connection plugs that extend into the body of the electronic unit. This problem is particularl acute in aircraft where the space available is necessarily kept at a minimum and thus the location of the extractor hold down and its angular relationship to the shelf and electronic unit is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION; The present invention provides a mounting apparatus in combination with an extractor hold down apparatus that permits the optimum placing of the extractor hold down apparatus relative to the electronic unit for connecting the extractor hold down apparatus to the electronic unit and for both the removal and final insertion of the electronic unit into its respective electrical connections. This is accomplished by providing the shaft of the extractor apparatus with a cross bar / / / / / / / / / / or a traverse shaft and retaining disks and further providing an oblong slot whereby the extractor hold down apparatus can vary its angular relationship relative to the electronic unit during a lost motion phase and thereby optimally assume the preferred position regardless of the direction of the applying force.

In addition, the slot also facilitates the connecting of the extractor hold down apparatus with the complimentary edge of the electronic units.

The features of the present invention which are believe to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS : FIGURE 1 is a perspective schematic view of the present invention with the extractor hold down apparatus in the desired position for applying an insertion force to the electronic unit; FIGURE 2 is a . schematic view of the extractor hold down mounting apparatus with the extractor hold down apparatus in the optimum position for removing the electronic unit; and FIGURE 3 is a perspective partial view of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF . THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT: Referring to FIGURE 1, an overload clutch hold down or extractor hold down member 2 is provided as described in U. S. Patent No. 3,640,141 (1972) granted to Hollingsead, Kuchler and Pryor. The disclosure of this patent is hereby incorporated by reference. φ The extractor hold down apparatus 2 is designed to ^ be removably locked onto the hooks 13 of the front plate 15 of the electronic unit 16 for exerting a force on the unit 16. The extractor hold down apparatus 2 is capable of firmly locking the electronic unit 16 to the shelf or avionic tray 4. In addition, it is also capable of initiating a remova 1 of the electronic unit 16 from the avionic tray 4 along the axis of movement of its support surface.

The avionic tray 4 carries a back plate 10 capable of providing the appropriate electrical connectors 14. The electrical connectors 14, as understood in the prior art, can be of various shapes and sizes. Spring biased dagger pins 12 are generally located at each lower corner of the back plate 10 for insertion into appropriate bores located in the housing of the electronic unit 16.

The avionic tray 4 is generally supported on front and rear support rails 6 and 8 respectively. Generally, the avionic tray will carry a sealing gasket (not shown) on its bottom for engagement with the bottom surface of the electronic unit 16. This arrangement permits the introduction of cooling air to the electronic unit 16. In addition,' the electronic unit 16 will have handles (not shown) located on the front plate 15. These handles allow the application of a manual force to the electronic unit 16 both during the initial insertion and the final extractio phase after the extractor hold down apparatus 2 has been removed from the front plate 15. All the force aplied to the electronic unit 16 is through the front plate 15.

As can be seen from FIGURE 1, for illustrative purposes degrees and y degrees can be variable over a limited range since each electronic unit 16 may have a different weight, it has b^en found that a range of angles between a y degree angle of 3 degree to a —Θ- degree angle of 35 degrees has been successful in operation. Generally, the range can vary from a median of 18 degrees by a plus or minus 15 degrees.

The variation of the angular position of the extractor apparatus 2 has been accomplished by the particular mounting member 18 being provided with a lost motion slot 19 where one end of the slot will provide the y degree angle and the other end of the slot will provide the -Θ- degree angle. While the slot 19 is disclosed preferably as an oval configuration, it should be realiz that other shapes that would permit the relative anchoring of the hold down shaft 20 can be utilized, such as rectangular, etc. The front portion of the mounting member 18 has an entrance slot 22 to receive the shaft 20.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the hold down shaft 20 is provided with a bore 21 for receiving a transversely positioned shaft or cross bar 24. A carriage member 32 is movably mounted on the shaft 20 and is capable of being operatively connected to the unit 16 for applying an insertion or extraction translat iona 1 force to the unit 16. At both ends of the shaft 24 are retainer disks 26. The retainer disks 26 are larger in diameter than the opening of the slot 19. Jn the alternative, a single stud projecting through a single slot 19 could be utilized with the hold down shaft 20 journaled in a fixed path of motion.

The hold down shaft 20 and correspondingly the extractor hold down apparatus 2 is capable of a lost motion movement relative to the electronic unit 16 along the slot 19. The mounting member 18 can be attached to the front rail 6 by any appropriate means such as nuts and bolts (not shown) . the forward portion of the mounting member slot 19, as shown in FIGURE 1 at an angle -β- degrees for inserting the electronic unit 16. During extraction of the electronic unit 16, it is necessar to minimize the vertical force produced by the extractor force (Fe) and this is accomplished by permitting the extractor apparatus 2 to be located at the other end of the slot 19 as shown in FIGURE 2 at the smaller angle *y degrees. The relative locations of the top edge 28 of the slot 19 and the top edge 30 of the entrance slot 22 provide a safety feature in the present invention. By permit ting the top edge 30 of the entrance slot 22 to extend only a short distance above the plane of the top edge 28, the shaft 20 will be locked against further upward movement during the extraction phase. This effectively prevents the electronic unit 16 from being raised relative to the front support rail 8 and accordingly safeguards the connectors 14 from damage. As a result of the mounting member 18 of the present invention, the extractor hold down apparatus 2 is more .flexible in permitting a connection with the front plate 15 of the electronic unit 16. in addition, the stringe space .requirements , for example, in an aircraft are maintaine by the particular mounting member 18. Finally, the possibili of damage to the electrical connection 14 is removed.

Since the above description refers to the preferred embodiment, it should be understood that those skilled in the art could accomplish modif cations within the scope of the present invention and accordingly, the present invention should be measured from the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. In an improved hold down and force applying apparatus for moving and securing an electronic unit ( ty) or the like on an tray (4¾ having a shaft f-) and a support surface defining an axis of movement for the electronic unit (£$]f, the improvement comprising: mounting means fixably attached relative to the avionic tray support surface and including means for slidably receiving one end of said shaft (tt'< a carriage (^/ movably mounted on the shaft and capable of being operatively connected to the electronic unit {fififif, the carriage applying a translational force to the electronic unit (lfi) along the axis of the shaft iffi) in either direction of the shaft axis for inserting and extracting the electronic unit relative to the avoinic tray ( ) including an intermediate transition movement along the shaft pftf) which does not apply any force to the electronic unit ; and means t'H/t^i for varying the angle of the shaft (^2^ relative to the axis of movement of the support surface so that the carriage extraction force applied to the electronic unit moves the unit along the axis of movement of the support surface while the insertion force is transmitted along the axis of the shaft (^O) at an acute angle to the axis of movement of the support surface .

2. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the mounting means further includes a relatively fixed upper edge surface > ) f c contacting the shaft (i6 and limiting the movement of the shaft in one direction during the application of force to the electronic unit ( ΐ/έ .

3. The invention of Claim 2 further including force bearing means positioned between the shaft ( ¾ and the mounting means ( y including at least a first and second bearing surface for transmitting respectively the insertion and extraction forces to the mounting means the mounting means edge surface {ffif) positioned closer to the axis of movement and apart from each of the first and second bearing surfaces during the respective transmission of insertion and extraction forces.

4. The invention of Claim 2 wherein the mounting means JiJLfi ) further has a second enlarged opening defining the upper edge surface (A6) and the extraction force transmitted along the axis of the shaft (2/6/ is approximately parallel to the axis of movement of the support surface.

5. The invention of Claim 3 wherein the mounting means includes an elongated slot {/Lfi with the first and second bearing surfaces positioned adjacent to the respective ends of the slot /t/4A$ to permit the shaft (2A>f to form an angular position relative to the axis of movement of the support surface.

6. The invention of Claim 5 wherein the mounting means further includes a second elongated slot opposite the first slot with correspondingly positioned bearing surfaces.

7. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the means for varying the angle of the shaft ]Lp ) further includes a connecting member (2^ .

8. The invention of Claim 7 wherein the connecting member further includes a cross bar and a pair of retaining disks f¾¾T) .

9. In an improved hold down and force applying apparatus for moving and securing an electronic unit (/. ) or the like on an avionic tray ( ) having a support surface defining an axis of movement for the electronic unit ( $0 , the improvement comprisin a shaft having an axis capable of forming an angle to the axis of movement of the support surface; a carriage ΦΜ) movably mounted on the shaft \ ) and capable of being operatively connected to the electronic unit , the -carriage {pfij applying a translat ional force to the electronic unit (J¾ along the axis of the shaft (2Ί^) in either direction of the shaft axis for inserting and extracting the electronic unit {AJo/l relative to the avionic tray ( ) including an intermediate transition movement along the shaft (¾6) which does not apply any force to the electronic unit [jifi/j ; a' 44688/2 mounting means (^) fixedly attached relative to the avionic tray support surface and having a relatively fixed upper edge surface for contacting the outer surface of the shaft (2*0/ and limiting the movement of the shaft (2/(γ in one direction during the application of the extractor force; force bearing means positioned between the shaft ( jl and the mounting means \ίύ including at least a first and second bearing surface for transmitting respectively the insertion and extraction corces to the mounting means fi ) , the mount ing means edge surface positioned closer to the axis of movement and apart from each of the first. and seqond bearing surfaces during the respective transmission of insertion and extraction forces; means (]φ//?φγ for varying. the angle of the shaft ( p/j relative to the axis of movement of the support surface so that the carriage extraction force applied to the electronic unit (lL€i moves the unit along the axis of movement of the support surface' while the insertion force is transmitted along the axis of the shaft ( /b) at an acute angle to the axis of movement of the support surface. ... ( Claim

10. Apparatus for inserting an electronic unit in arid removing it from a supporting structure haying a supporting surface by applying forces at one end of said electron unit, relative to said supporting structure , whereby the electronic unit is inserted and removed along on axis of movement parallel with the supporting surface, said apparatus comprising: means for applying insertion forces to said one end of said electronic unit, said insertion -forces having a force component perpendicular and directed towards said supporting surface and a force component parallel to said supporting surface;4 - ·· means for applying extraction forces to said one end of said electronic unit, said extraction forces having a force component parallel to said supporting surface and substantially no components in .a direction perpendicular to said supporting surface; and means for locking said extraction force applying means into a position that maintains said electronic unit in intimate contact with said supporting surface despite any extraneous force being applied to said electronic unit during extraction.

11. Claim 11, An improved hold down and extraction apparatus for inserting an electronic unit in and removing it from a supporting structure having a supporting surface, said electronic unit having the first half of a cable connector mounted at one end thereof and the second half of said cable connector being mounted on said supporting structure, mounting being accomplished by applying forces at one end of said electronic unit relative to said supporting structure, said apparatus comprising: means for applying insertion forces to said one end of said electronic unit, said insertion forces having a force component perpendicular and directed towards said supporting surface and a force component parallel to said supporting surface; means for applying extraction forces to said one end of said electronic unit, said extraction forces having a force component, parallel to said supporting surface and substantially no force component in a direction perpendicular to said supporting surface; and means for locking said extraction force applying means into a position that prevents said electronic unit from being lifted out of contact with said supporting surface by any extraneous force applied to said electronic unit during engagement of the first and second halves of said cable connectors.