Abstract:
A printed circuit board (PCB) secured to a carrier, the carrier comprising at least one hook for securing the PCB, the PCB includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. At least one recessed portion in the rim of the first surface receives at least one hook so there are no protrusions above the upper surface of the PCB. A carrier for securing the PCB is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to printed circuit boards (PCB) and carriers for securing the PCBs. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Many printed circuit boards are manufactured to use Surface Mount Technology (SMT) in the mounting of components. Generally, an SMT PCB requires operators to secure the PCB to a carrier manually, by, for example, sticking the PCB to the carrier by glue, which results in low efficiency and high cost. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of a printed circuit board. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view showing a PCB and a carrier for securing the PCB, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the carrier of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of portion III of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view showing the PCB secured to the carrier. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of portion V of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a circuit board fixing system  300  is illustrated in an embodiment. The system  300  is to secure a PCB  200  where the PCB has been manufactured for the surface mount process in relation to components. The system  300  includes the PCB  200  and a carrier  100  to secure the PCB  200 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2 , the carrier  100  includes a support element  10  to support the PCB  200  and a pair of latching assemblies  20  arranged on the support element  10  to secure the PCB  200  to the support element  10 . The PCB  200  is substantially rectangular. The support element  10  includes a first surface  101  and a second surface  102  opposite to the first surface  101 . The first surface  101  is in contact with the PCB  200  when the PCB  200  is secured to the carrier  100 . In this embodiment, the first surface  101  defines a number of heat pass-through holes  103  to allow radiated heat to pass through and disperse during the surface mounting process. The support element  10  defines four through holes  104 . Each of the through holes  104  is arranged in close proximity to a corner of the first surface  101 . In this embodiment, the through holes  104  themselves are substantially rectangular. 
     Each latching assembly  20  includes a sliding rail  210 , a pair of hook members  220  slidably connected to the sliding rail  210 , a pair of elastic elements  230 , and a beveled operating member  240 . 
     The sliding rail  210  is secured to the second surface  102 . The sliding rail  210  defines a longitudinal sliding slot  212 . The middle of the sliding rail  210  defines an opening  214  communicating with the sliding slot  212  to receive the operating member  240 . 
     The hook members  220  are slidably received in the sliding slot  212 . The total combined length of the two hook members  220  is less than that of the sliding slot  212 . Each hook member  220  includes a sliding portion  222  slidably received in the sliding slot  212  and a hook portion  224  at an end of the sliding portion  222 . The other end of the sliding portion  222  (opposite to the hook portion  224 ) defines a guiding surface  223 . The guiding surface  223  is inclined so as to match the beveling of the operating member  240 . When the two hook members  220  are close together, the two guiding surfaces  223  cooperatively form a substantially V-shaped recess. Each hook portion  224  passes through one through hole  104  and the distal end of the hook portion  224  protrudes out of the first surface  101 . The distal end of the hook portion  224  includes a hook  226  parallel to the sliding portion  222 . In this embodiment, the two hooks  226  face each other. Each hook  226  cooperates with the first surface  101  to form a gap  228  (see  FIG. 4 ) to clip the PCB  200  in place. 
     One end of each elastic element  230  abuts the hooked end of the sliding portion  222 , and the other end is manipulated against an end of the sliding slot  212 , to provide an elastic force pressing the hook members  220  towards each other. In this embodiment, the hooked end of the sliding portion  222  defines a receiving hole  225  to receive one end of the elastic element  230 . 
     The operating member  240  is received in the opening  214  and the guiding surfaces  223  function so as to drive the hook members  220  away from each other when the operating member  240  is pressed between them. In this embodiment, the inner end of the operable member  240  is tapered in profile to match the two guiding surfaces  223 . 
     The PCB  200  maybe a single PCB unit or several PCB units (PCB units  207 ). In the embodiment, the PCB  200  includes a number of PCB units  207  arranged in parallel, and a frame  208  surrounding the PCB units  207 . Each of the PCB units  207  includes electronic elements (not shown) thereon. The portion between one PCB unit  207  and an adjacent PCB unit  207 , and the portion between a PCB unit  207  and the frame  208  define a plurality of cut lines  209 , such that each of the PCB units  207  may be easily detached from the PCB  200  after the assembling process. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , the PCB  200  is substantially rectangular. The PCB  200  includes a first surface  201 , a second surface  202  opposite to the first surface  201 , a first sidewall  203 , and a second sidewall  204  opposite to the first sidewall  204 . Four recessed portions  205  are formed in the first surface  201 . Each recessed portion  205  extends halfway from the first surface  201  to the second surface  202  and creates a small void in an upper portion of the first sidewall  203  and of the second sidewall  204 . Each recessed portion  205  corresponds to one hook  226 . The recessed portion  205  is substantially rectangular to receive the corresponding hook  226  and the depth of each recessed portion  205  avoids the hooks  226  protruding from the first surface  201  of the PCB  200 . In this embodiment, the hooks  226  are coplanar with the first surface  201  when the hooks  226  are received in the recessed portions  205 . 
     Each recessed portion  205  further includes two recesses  206 . The two recesses  206  are found at the inner corners of each recessed portion  205 . The recesses  206  in the embodiment are symmetrical to each other. The recesses  206  are used for making allowances for various angles of the hook  226 , to prevent the hook  226  protruding from the first surface  201  when a sidewall of a PCB  200  is irregular or when other geometry requires the oblique attachment of a latching assembly  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , to secure the PCB  200  to the carrier  100 : the operating member  240  is pushed towards the second surface  102 , the hook members  220  slide away from each other to allow the opposite sides of the PCB  200  to be clipped in the clearance  228 . At this time, the elastic elements  230  are under pressure and elastically deform, thus, when the operating member  240  is released, the elastic elements  230  push the hook members  220  together, and the PCB  200  is secured to the carrier  100  as the hook members  220  latch in the recessed portions  205 . Additionally, as the hook members  220  are capable of sliding, the uncompressed distance between the hooks  226  is changeable for various PCBs  200  of different lengths. 
     Thus the PCB  200  is conveniently and easily secured to the carrier  100  without glue. Furthermore, by virtue of the recessed portions  205  receiving the hooks  226  and an absence of any protrusion from the first surface  201 , abnormalities and problems are avoided in the surface mounting process of the PCB  200 . 
     Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.