Abstract:
An apparatus and method for containing and supporting electronic components during electrical connection are described. The apparatus is a housing which includes a main body, a cover and a back member. A base is attached to the back member. The base includes sockets in a grid pattern. Movable elements having protrusions for insertion into the sockets are mounted on the base to provide support to a circuit board, which itself is attached to the base through mounting studs and guide posts. The moveable elements can be relocated on the base.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to an apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components, such as a circuit board, mounted on support substrates. 
     Circuit boards are employed in many electronic systems, including communication networks, and allow for enhanced communication features. However, they can be sensitive to moisture, temperature change, material stress, physical degradation, insects, and rodents. They may have to be protected by a suitable housing apparatus to function properly. 
     Known housing structures for supporting and containing printed circuit boards are built to a prescribed configuration with very limited flexibility. Once the printed circuit board (PCB) and associated components are mounted within the housing structure, the PCB may be connected to an electronic system, such as, for example, a communication network. Generally, the PCB is connected to the network through wires inserted into insulation displacement connectors located on the PCB. A problem sometimes encountered is that the PCB can be damaged or broken by the stress associated with inserting a communication wire into the connector. It is estimated that between about 15 to about 20 pounds of pressure is used to insert communication wires into the connectors. The known board housings provide insufficient support structures for the PCB. Further, known board housings provide little flexibility in modifying the support structures, and thus major changes in the shape or configuration of the printed circuit boards require replacement of the associated housing. Either replacement or modification of the housing results in inefficiencies and increased installation costs. 
     There exists a need for a more flexible housing apparatus which can be easily adapted to receive a variety of boards and associated electronic components. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a supporting device for use in a network interface device having a printed circuit board and being housed in a housing apparatus. The supporting device includes a base having a plurality of sockets, and one or more elements, each element having a protrusion for insertion into a respective socket. The elements are adapted to support the printed circuit board and inhibit damage due to physical stress caused by connecting wires into the printed circuit board. 
     The present invention further provides an apparatus for containing and supporting a circuit board. The apparatus includes a housing having a main body, a cover, and a back member, a base attached to the back member, and a plurality of movable elements for engaging with said sockets, said movable elements adapted to support a circuit board. The base includes a plurality of sockets. 
     The present invention further provides a network interface device which includes a housing having a main body, a cover, and a back member, a base attached to the back member, a plurality of movable elements for engaging with the sockets, a circuit board supported on the base with one or more fastening mechanisms, and incoming and outgoing communication cables. The base includes a plurality of sockets. The incoming cables may include one or more wires which are electrically connected to the circuit board. The movable elements may be used to provide support to the circuit board while the wires are being electrically connected to the circuit board. 
     The present invention further provides a method of installing a network interface device to a structure. The method includes the steps of securing a housing to a structure, securing one or more movable elements into sockets in the base, securing a circuit board to the base with one or more fastening mechanisms, and connecting communication wires to the circuit board, wherein the movable elements are so located as to inhibit stress on the circuit board during the connection step. 
     The above and other advantages and features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention, which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a housing apparatus constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken along the line II—II of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is another cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken along the line III—III of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of a base of the apparatus of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a movable support element constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, an exemplary embodiment will now be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments discussed herein. Instead, the invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The present invention will now be described with relation to an embodiment for use with a residential communication network interface printed circuit board. 
     Referring now to the drawings, where like reference numerals designate like elements, there is shown a housing apparatus  10  mounted to a structure  7 . The structure  7  may be a residence or a business, and may be formed of any suitable building material, such as, for example, brick, concrete, wood, and siding. The housing apparatus  10  includes a cover  20  which preferably is connected to a main body  22  (FIG.  2 ). A back member  24  of the main body  22  is attached to the structure  7  by suitable fasteners  8 . The housing apparatus  10  contains and supports a circuit board  30  (FIG.  2 ). The circuit board  30  may be any suitable connection interface, such as a printed wiring board for use in a network interface device. An input cable  37  from a network system and including one or more input wires  37  is inserted through the lower portion of the main body  22 . An output cable  36  is shown exiting the lower portion of the main body  22  for the structure  7 . 
     A base  28  is attached to the back member  24 . Preferably, the base  28  is integrally formed on the back member  24 . The base  28  includes a plurality of sockets  40 . The sockets  40  may be arranged in a grid arrangement. The circuit board  30  is removably attached to the base  28 . As shown in FIG. 2, board mounting studs  70  are positioned between the base  28  and the circuit board  30 . The circuit board  30  is connected to the mounting studs  70  by mechanical fasteners  34  inserted through a face  38  of the circuit board  30 . One or more guide posts  80  (FIG. 3) further secure the printed circuit board  30  to the base  28 . The guide posts  80  frictionally retain and extend over the face  38  of the board  30 . The output cables  36  may be connected to the guide posts  80 . 
     Movable support elements  90  may be inserted into the sockets  40 . The support elements  90 , which protrude from the base  28 , provide support to the circuit board  30  during insertion of the input wires  37 . Insulation displacement connectors  32  are secured to the face  38  of the circuit board  30 . The input wires  37  are inserted through the connectors  32  to create an electrical circuit. 
     As noted above, the base  28  contains an array of the sockets  40 . In FIG. 4, four groupings of four movable support elements  90  each are shown inserted into the base  28 . Specifically, each support element  90  is inserted into a respective socket  40 . The positioning of the support elements  90  is determined by the positioning of the connectors  32  on the circuit board  30 . Thus, if four connectors  32  are necessary for the electrical connections and they are placed in the locations as shown in FIG. 3, the four groupings of support elements  90  are so positioned to provide support for the circuit board  30  at the position most in need of it, namely where the force will be exerted in order to insert the input wires  37  into the connectors  32 . 
     FIG. 5 shows a movable support element  90 . The element  90  consists of a projecting portion  92 , which is to be received in a complementary socket  40  (FIG.  2 ), an upper portion  94 , and a top surface  96 . The support element  90  is configured and dimensioned to ensure that it has sufficient length to support the printed circuit board  30  during insertion of the input wires  37 . 
     In operation the main body  22  can be mounted to a structure  7  for installation of a communication network interface. The installer mounts the back member  24  of the main body  22  of the housing apparatus  10  to the structure  7  with the fasteners  8 . Then, the movable support elements  90  are positioned on the base  28  in locations adjacent to the area where terminal connections will be made on the face  38  of the printed circuit board  30  during installation of the input wires  37  into the connectors  32 . The printed circuit board  30  is then placed on top of the mounting studs  70  and on the top surface  96  of the movable support elements  90  and between the guide posts  80 . Mechanical fasteners  34 , such as screws, are then inserted through the board  30  and into the mounting studs  70 . Next, the input wires  37  are inserted by pressure into the insulation displacement connectors  32  located on the face  38  of the printed circuit board  30 . Due to the location of the movable support elements  90 , which underlie and support the printed circuit board  30 , the risk of damaging or breaking the printed circuit board  30  during insertion of the input wires  37  is diminished. Connections are then made from the guide posts  80  with the output wires  36  leading from the housing apparatus  10  through the structure  7 . As a final step, the cover  20  is tightly closed over the main body  22 . 
     Because the housing apparatus  10  will house electronic components, such as communications components, it is highly desirable that the main body  22 , base  28 , cover  20 , mounting studs  70 , guide posts  80 , and movable support elements  90  be made of non-conductive material. To reduce the cost and weight of the housing apparatus  10 , the main body  22 , base  28 , cover  20 , mounting studs  70 , and guide posts  80  can be made of molded plastic. A preferred material for the movable support elements  90  is nylon as it allows the support elements  90  to fit tightly into the sockets  40 . This results in the support elements  90  being held by friction or compression within the sockets  40 . 
     Through such an arrangement, the printed circuit board  30  is protected from physical stress during insertion of the input wires  37 . Further, if an upgrade of the connections becomes necessary, the upgrade can be easily accomplished by removing the printed circuit board  30  from the housing apparatus  10 , positioning additional insulation displacement connectors  32  on the board  30 , and inserting additional support elements  90  in appropriate locations on the base  28 . With the additional support elements  90  in place on the base  28 , the circuit board  30  is repositioned over and mechanically fastened to the base  28 . 
     While the foregoing has described in detail preferred embodiments known at the time, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, although the sockets  40  are shown to extend through the base  28  to the back member  24 , instead the sockets may extend only partially through the base  28 . Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.