GENERAL PURPOSE TERMINAL HOUSING

Abstract: The field of the invention and principal use thereof is in terminal housings and instrument packaging. The problem is that the prior art devices are extremely sensitive to shock and magnetic flux and are quite difficult to repair. A unitary housing for a data terminal having a cathode ray tube display is disclosed which comprises a front molded structural frame (1) for supporting a cathode ray tube element, a rear molded structure frame (3) for securing the side walls of the housing and two molded side wall structural frames (4 and 5) fixedly connected to the front and rear structural frame. The side wall frames possess a multiplicity of printed circuit board tracks (6, 7 and 8) for guiding and retaining circuit boards inserted therein.

Description: Description General Purpose Terminal Housing + ■ * ~f Technical Field The present invention relates generally to instru- 5 mentation packaging, and specifically to housings for data terminals. Background of the Invention General purpose data terminals have been equipped with cathode ray tube displays for quite some time. 10 Generally, in conjunction with such displays are associated hardwired circuitry to effectuate data reception and transmission as well as data display on a cathode ray tube. Data terminals, such as discussed above, are 15 generally contained in metallic housings, the circuitry being hardwired to various support substructures within the metallic containment. These prior art devices have been extremely sensitive to shock and magnetic flux and are quite difficult to repair. 20 There has recently been attempts to more conveni¬ ently service electronic circuitry. For example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,232,356, a logic card frame is disclosed whereby printed circuit boards can be slide- ably inserted and removed from a unitary structure for 25 servicing. Disclosure of Invention Prior to the present invention, however, no one has attempted to combine the ease and convenience of providing a unitary housing for a data terminal 30 having circuit board tracks for the insertion and removal of printed circuit boards. It has further not been heretofore disclosed to produce such a unitary housing from a structural foam material providing 7 . resistance to mechanical shock as well as insulation from magnetic flux and ease of construction. Description of the Drawing The present invention will be more fully appre¬ ciated when considering the following remarks and appended drawing which is a plan exploded view of the unitary housing of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention The present invention comprises the unitary housing for a data terminal having a cathode ray display (not shown). The housing comprises a first molded structural frame 1 for supporting the cathode ray tube element within opening 2. A rear molded structural frame 3 is taught for securing the side walls of the housing 4 and 5. The two molded side wall structural frames are fixedly connected to the front and rear structural frames -1 and 3 and possess a multiplicity of circuit board tracks 6, 7 and 8 for guiding inserted printed circuit boards (not shown). The tracks are dimensioned so that the printed circuit boards are pressure fit within said tracks. On the interior side walls 11 of front molded structural frame 1 are imbedded bus connectors (not shown) which are designed to contact appropriate peripheral seg¬ ments of the printed circuit boards so that electrical connections are effectuated instantly upon full inser¬ tion of the boards. It is intended that the unitary housing of the present invention be fabricated of structural foam. Preferably, it is intended that the housing be fabri¬ cated of a foam formed from acrylonitrile styrene resin O PI -3- or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin formed from 25% plastic and 25% nitrogen. Such material offers several unique advantages in the present invention. Firstly, the structural foam housing offers impact resistance which is often encountered by any data terminal. Secondly, the insulative properties of the housing help to minimize magnetic flux which influences the cathode ray tube output. Thirdly, because the printed circuit board tracks are made of insulative material, one need not insulate the periphery of the printed circuit boards prior to insertion. It is intended that the tracks 6, 7 and 8 be of a dimension so that the printed circuit boards are pressure fit within the tracks. That is, the internal dimensions of the trakcs are configured to be extremely close to the outside dimensions of the periphery of the printed circuit boards. Thus, the printed circuit boards can be pressure fit into the tracks and held by friction. Once in place, screws can be inserted at 12 and 13 within the side walls to prevent the printed circuit boards from being inadvertently removed. It should further be noted that the unitary housing of the present invention has not been provided with a- bottom cover. By providing- an open bottom, the lower most printed circuit board can be serviced directly without any circuit board removal. For ease of construction, it is intended that the unitary housing of the present invention be comprised of four individually molded structural frames 1, 3, 4 and 5. It is a further optional expedient to configure side walls 4 and 5 to be interchangeable and thus reduce the number of molds necessary in producing the unitary housing. The housing is configured by simply arranging the elements shown in the appended figure and effecting O a solvent bond at tongue and groove sections 9, 16, 14 and 15. It should be still further noted that electrical connections to the printed circuit boards,: once fully inserted into the housing, need not be made using bus connectors imbedded in the front molded structural frame 1. Ribbon cables and connectors connected at the rear of the printed circuit board or boards, indepen¬ dent of the housing can also be used. Although the structural advantages inherent in practicing the present invention are quite obvious after reading the above description in viewing the appended drawing, it must be emphasized that heretofore a unitary housing for a data terminal having a cathode ray tube display and associated tracks for printed circuit boards which are removable for convenient servicing has not been shown by the prior art. While one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail herein, it is obvious that many modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the appended claims. - ΕE

Claims: Claims 1. A unitary housing for a data terminal having a cathode ray tube display comprising: (a) a front molded structural frame for supporting the cathode ray tube element; (b) a rear molded structural frame for securing the side walls of the housing; and (c) two molded side wall structural frames fixedly connected to said front and rear structural frames, said side wall structural frames further comprising a multiplicity of circuit board tracks for guiding inserted printed circuit boards, said tracks being of a dimension so that the printed circuit boards are pressure fit within said tracks. 2. The unitary housing of claim 1 further comprising connector bus elements which contact and form electrical connections with the printed circuit boards upon their full insertion within the circuit board tracks. 3. The unitary housing of claim 1 wherein said housing is comprised of structural foam. 4. The unitary housing of claim 3 wherein said structural foam is formed of acrylonitrile styrene resin. 5. The unitary housing of claim 3 wherein said structural foam is formed of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin. 6. The unitary housing of claim 1 wherein the front and rear molded structural frame elements are solvent bonded through a tongue and groove connection. 7. The unitary housing of claim 1 further comprising the means for retaining the printed circuit boards within the tracks. 8. The unitary housing of claim 1 wherein the two molded side wall structural frames are identical with one another and are thereby interchangeable. 9. The unitary housing of claim 1 whereby the base of said housing is uncovered so that the lower most printed circuit board can be serviced without removal.

Inventors: RUDIN MELVIN
Applicants: FALCO DATA PROD INC
Application year: 1981
Main classification: H05K1
IPC codes: G06F1, H05K7