Board mounting system with self guiding interengagement

This invention is a system for self guiding interengagement of a securement member within a mating member having a slot for holding and securing two surface areas. The securement member is attached to one surface area and the mating member is attached to the other surface area. The securement member has a shape and the mating member has a tongue with a guiding surface, thereby promoting self guiding interengagement of the securement member within the slot of the mating member. The system is convenient for inserting a board within the obstructed view of a receptacle, such as a computer enclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates in a broad sense to a system for self guiding 
interengagement of a securement member and a mating member for holding and 
securing two surface areas. In a narrower sense, this invention is 
especially useful if the user's view is obstructed when guidingly 
inserting and securing a board within a receptacle. For example, this 
invention is useful for inserting a circuit board within a computer 
enclosure. 
Electronic systems, such as computer and telecommunication systems, include 
components set within receptacles. These receptacles usually include 
boards that are either hard mounted or are held in place by brackets. 
Current systems for inserting and securing a board within a receptacle 
usually require multiple parts that include screws and snaps. Moreover, 
these systems require guide pins to guide and position the board for 
insertion within a receptacle and only provide support for boards in 
either a horizontal or vertical position, not both. 
Prior bracket systems have tried many different methods of guidingly 
inserting and holding boards, such as circuit boards, into a fixed 
position within a receptacle. For example, one typical method is to hold 
boards in a fixed position by clamping the board's edges to the 
receptacle. As a consequence, the board is fixed within the receptacle; 
however, the clamps do not provide guidance for inserting the board, and 
after board insertion do not prevent vibrations or movement of the 
receptacle during operation or at other times from producing high cyclic 
stress upon the board. As a consequence, the frequency of the board 
movements, particularly at the center of the board caused by low frequency 
vibration and high board displacement can result in damage to the board or 
a shortening of the board's effective life. 
Although systems have tried many different methods of inserting and holding 
a board within a receptacle, a solution to overcome vibration movement 
remains unmet. As a consequence, there is a need for an improved system 
that is capable of guidingly inserting and securing a variety of board 
sizes and types of boards within a receptacle, and reducing the cyclic 
stress caused by vibrations that are placed upon boards held in a 
receptacle. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is an improved system for guidingly engaging and 
securing two surfaces areas. 
Another object of the invention is an improved system for guidingly 
engaging and securing a board and a receptacle. 
Yet another object of the invention is an improved system for guidingly 
engaging and securing a CPU board within a computer enclosure. 
Still another object of the invention is an improved system for reducing 
the cyclic stress placed upon a board held in a receptacle. For the best 
reduction in cyclic stress, the securement member should be attached to 
the board area that responds to external forces with the lowest frequency 
and highest displacement. Structural dynamic research tests are used to 
measure each board area's response to external forces. In response to an 
external force placed upon the board, accelerometer measurements of each 
board areas vibrational frequency and displacement are processed and 
graphically depicted by using structural dynamic research software. The 
test results and graphical representations identify the board area of 
lowest frequency and highest displacement. 
These and other objects are, in a broad sense, obtained by a system for 
securing two surfaces in spaced relation. The system comprises two surface 
areas, a mating member of rigid material having a slot, and a securement 
member of rigid material having a surface portion with a shape for self 
guiding interengagement with the slot. The mating member is attached to 
one surface area, and the securement member is attached to the other one 
of the surface areas. The surface areas are movable relative to each other 
such that the surface portion of the securement member serf guidingly 
interengage the slot of the mating member. 
In a narrower sense, this system obtains these and other objects by 
guidingly interengaging and securing a board within a receptacle. A 
securement member having a flange attached to the major surface portion of 
the board is mounted in spaced relation from the major surface of the 
board. The receptacle includes two opposing spaced apart walls connected 
by a base and a mounting member having a slot attached to the base. 
Supports, such as guide members, are attached to the inwardly facing 
surface of each wall. Each guide member has a slot with a back wall 
surface spaced apart a distance greater than the width of the board. The 
flange of the securement member enters the slot of the guide members to 
guidingly mount the board in a mounted position within the receptacle. The 
base is in a spaced apart relationship with the board, wherein the slot 
receives the flange of the securement member to create a snug-fit aligned 
relationship between the board and the receptacle. 
The system of the instant invention provides a number of advantages. For 
example, it is generic in its approach by allowing the system to be used 
in numerous applications of guidingly interengaging and securing two 
surface areas in spaced relation. Applicable uses in narrower embodiments 
of this invention include guidingly inserting and securing one or more 
boards in spaced apart relation within a receptacle. Further, because the 
system includes a minimal number of parts and does not include screws or 
snaps to mount the board, the system provides for guiding insertion and 
easy mounting and securement of the board within the receptacle. Then too, 
because the system is self-aligning and secures the board, no additional 
parts, such as pins, are needed for proper board mounting within a 
receptacle. Lastly, the board is easily mounted and firmly secured within 
the receptacle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The invention is particularly applicable to securing a board and limiting 
board vibration, particularly at the center of a board mounted within a 
receptacle. The invention corrects a problem caused by the movement or 
vibration of a receptacle that may place cyclic stress upon the board and 
possible damage to the board or a shortening of the board's effective 
life. However, as will become apparent, the invention has greater utility 
and is applicable to numerous situations in which, a board is moved into 
place with respect to a base, such as the bottom surface of a receptacle. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the board 10 is a CPU board and generally includes a 
securement member 12 having a flange 34 with an arcuate surface 29 
conveniently drawn as a disk mounted on its major underside surface. The 
board 10, further includes electronic components (e.g., a processor chip 
13, RAM chips 14, and cable assemblies 15, etc.) mounted on its major top 
surface. The arrangement of the electronic components allows for a 
securement portion area 16 to attach the securement member 12. 
As shown, the receptacle 11 encases a computer and generally includes two 
spaced apart walls 17, a base 18, a power supply 19, a fan 20, a front 
wall 21 and a top 22. A mating member 23 having a slot 24 and a mounting 
surface 25 is mounted on the base 18. The arrangement of the components, 
the power supply 19 and fan 20, provides for an area to mount the mounting 
surface 25 of the mating member 23 to the base 18. Alternative embodiments 
of the receptacle 11 may include different components, such as disk 
drives, CD ROM players, component enclosures, etc., or a complete absence 
of components. 
The receptacle further includes supports 26, that are shown as guide 
members, each guide member being attached to a wall 17 and having a slot 
27 with a back wall surface 28 spaced apart a distance greater than the 
width of the board 10. Arrows indicate the direction for mounting the 
board 10 within the receptacle 11. 
FIG. 2 shows the partially exploded interior of the receptacle 11, and the 
board 10 being moved into a partial mounting position along the guide 
members 26. 
Alternative embodiments of this invention may include different types of 
boards, such as shelves, racks, drawers, trays, etc. The boards may have 
other components mounted to its top surface, such as compartments for 
holding objects of different sizes, ROM chips, etc., or may have a 
complete absence of components. Moreover, alternative embodiments of this 
invention may utilize other types of supports to mount and hold a board 10 
within a receptacle 11. For example, instead of using guide members 26 
attached to the inwardly facing walls 17, slots may be grooves in the 
inwardly facing walls 17. 
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 more clearly show the securement member 12 made of rigid 
material having a flange 34 with an arcuate surface 29 conveniently drawn 
as a disk, a mounting surface 30 and a posting surface 31. The flange's 34 
arcuate surface 29 promotes self aligning movement and ease of insertion 
of the securement member as the flange 34 enters the slot 24, as shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 2. Although, the arcuate surface 29 of the flange 34 is 
conveniently drawn as a disk, other embodiments of the flange 34, would 
provide the self aligning and ease of insertion advantages of this 
invention. For example, in alternative embodiments, the flange 34 could 
have an arcuate surface of "a" degrees, less than then 360 degree circular 
perimeter of the flange, as shown in FIG. 2, with the remaining perimeter 
(360 degrees --"a") with a square or rectangular shape. 
The mounting surface 30 is mounted to the securement portion area 16 of the 
board 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Because it is advantageous to devote 
a maximum area of the board's 10 top major surface for mounting electronic 
components, the diameter of the mounting surface 30 ranges from 3 to 4 
millimeters. However, in alternative embodiments the mounting surface 30 
and securement surface 16 could have smaller or larger surface areas and 
diameters. The area of the mounting surface 30 and securement surface 16 
should be such that there is adequate support of the mating member 23 and 
in general, adequate support of the board mounting system to promote 
securement and minimal vibration of the board 10. The posting surface 31 
extends at angle "b" from the flange 34 to provide a flange 34 with an 
arcuate surface 29 that promotes a snug fit relationship between the 
securement member 12 and the mating member 23, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 
FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the posting surface portion 31 extends from 1 
to 8 millimeters at an angle of 10 to 20 degrees from the Securement 
"Y-axis" 32 drawn from the mounting surface 30 to the flange 34. 
Alternative embodiments of this invention may have a posting surface 31 
with a length that provides a larger or smaller spaced relation between 
the board 10 and the flange 34 than described above. 
The flange 34 extends from the posting surface 30 and accordingly is in a 
spaced relation with the mating member 23. The diameter of the flange 34 
is such that a snug-fit relation forms when the disk is inserted in the 
slot 24 of the mating member 23. The thickness "t" of the flange 34 is 
determined by a number of factors that include the rigidity of materials 
of the securement member 12 and the height 33, of the slot 24 of the 
mating member 23, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 10. FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show the 
mating member 23 made of rigid material having a mounting area 25, a 
transition area 35, a slot 24, a tongue 36 having a guiding surface 37 and 
an entry surface 38, two slot flaming posts 39 and an ending area 40. As 
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mating member 23 is being positioned and 
mounted on the top surface of the base 10 to receive the securement member 
12. The width of the mounting surface 25 may range from 20 to 35 
millimeters, however, alternative embodiments of this invention may have a 
mounting area 25 with different widths. The width of the mounting area 35 
should provide adequate support for inserting and securing the securement 
member 12 within the mating member 23. 
A transition area 35 extends at an angle "c" from the mounting surface 25 
and for a length such that the spaced relation between the slot 24 and the 
base 18, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, positions the slot 24 to receive the 
securement member 12. The transition surface 35 extends to a tongue 36 
having two surfaces, a guiding surface 37 and an entry surface 38, a slot 
24, and two slot framing posts 39. The guiding surface 37 is triangular 
shaped and projects upward from its outer point at angle "d", an angle 
promoting the self alignment and ease of the slot 24 receiving the 
securement member 12. The guiding surface 37 extends back from its tip to 
a horizontal entry surface 38 at angle "d" such that the guiding surface 
37 vertically aligns the securement member 12 as the flange 34 enters the 
slot 24 of the mating member 23. Alternative embodiments of the invention 
may have a guiding surface 37 with a shape other than triangular to 
promote the vertical alignment of the securement member 12 as it enters 
the mating member 23. For example, a guiding surface 37 could have a 
curved or squared shape. 
Generally, the rear edge of the entry surface 38, the top edge of the 
transition surface portion 35, two slot framing posts 39 and the front 
edge 42 of an ending area 40 define the perimeter of the mating member 
slot 23. The height 33 of the mating member slot 24 is directly 
proportional to the thickness "t" of the flange 34, as shown in FIGS. 1-5. 
The slot framing posts 39 define the arch of the slot 24 at an angle "e", 
and extending to the ending area 40. The two sides comprising the front 
edge 42 of the ending area 40 outlining a triangular shape. The triangular 
cut into the end surface portion 40 promotes alignment and securement of 
the flange 34 of the securement member 12 to the slot 24 of the mating 
member 23. 
Referring now to FIG. 10, the mating member 23 having a slot 24 as shown in 
FIGS. 1,2,6,7,8 and 9, has received a portion of the securement member 12, 
as shown in FIGS. 1,2,3,4 and 5, in a self-aligning process to form a snug 
fit relationship. As the securement member 12 approaches the mating member 
23, the arcuate surface 29 of the flange 34 and the guiding surface 37, of 
the mating member 23, as shown in FIGS. 6-9, promote a self aligning 
process. The arcuate surface 29 of the flange 34 vertically aligns the 
securement member and promotes ease of insertion because there are no 
corners or impedances upon the securement member 12 that would prevent the 
insertion of the flange 34 of the securement member 12 into slot 24 of the 
mating member 23. Further, as the flange 34 of the securement member 
approaches the slot 24, the upward projecting angle "d" of the guiding 
edge surface 37, as shown in FIGS. 6-9, lifts and vertically aligns the 
flange 34 of the securement member 12 toward the entry surface 38, as 
shown in FIGS. 6-9, and into the slot 24 of the mating member 12. As the 
arcuate surface 29 of the flange 34 enters the slot 24, the posting area 
31 of the securement member 12 directly contacts and abuts against the 
front edge 42 of the ending area 40 of the mating member 12. 
The from edge 42 of the end surface portion 40 promotes a secure 
relationship of the securement member within the slot of the mating member 
23. The two sides of the front edge 42 of the ending area 40 form a 
triangular indented cut for secure insertion of the flange 34 within the 
slot 24 of the mating member 23. Alternative embodiments could have a 
front edge 42 that forms different shaped indented cuts to secure the 
flange 34 within the slot 23 of the mating member 23. For example a front 
edge forming an arc, square, or rectangular, etc. shaped indented cut 
could be used to secure the flange 34 within the slot 24 of the mating 
member 23. 
It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and 
different arrangements may be made other than as herein disclosed. The 
present disclosure is merely illustrative, the invention comprehending all 
variations thereof.