Patent Publication Number: US-6210178-B1

Title: Extender card

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to computers and, more particularly, to an extender card for use with computers. While the present invention is generally applicable to extender cards for computers, it will be described herein with reference to a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) extender card which provides access to a laptop computer having a PCMCIA slot for port replication through the PCMCIA slot. 
     Unlike desktop computers, laptop computers are made to be readily portable. To facilitate portability, laptops include limiting characteristics which are tolerated when traveling. Such characteristics include smaller screens, smaller keyboards, less useful pointing devices, printers which while portable are limited in capability, and the like. Since these limiting characteristics are not tolerated when one is at a home location, oftentimes users have a desktop computer at a home location and a laptop for travel. 
     To get around laptop limitations and eliminate computer duplication, full sized peripherals can be purchased and connected to a laptop so that the laptop functions as the processor at a home location but is accessed via a conventional keyboard, uses conventional pointing devices, uses a standard sized monitor, has access to more conventional printers, and the like. One means of connecting full sized peripherals to a laptop computer is a docking station to which the laptop is connected for use of the full sized/capability peripherals. Another means of connecting full sized/capability peripherals to a laptop computer is a port replicator. Unfortunately, most docking stations and port replicators are compatible with only a single make and model of laptop computer. And for many laptop computers, no docking stations or port replicators are available from the manufacturer at all. 
     To accommodate users of such laptop computers and in the interest of making access to full sized peripherals universally available to laptop users regardless of the makes or models of their laptops, universal port replicators are now commercially available. For example, an attractive universal port replicator is available from CNF, Inc. under the name “theBUS”. This port replicator connects into a laptop or other computer via an available Type II PCMCIA slot using an extender card which has a first end sized to be received within the slot and connect to the internal PCMCIA connector and a second end which extends beyond the outer surface of the computer and has a cable extending therefrom to “theBUS”. 
     To make such port replicators reliable, the extender cards which connect the port extenders to the computers must be strong to avoid breakage as they extend beyond the outside of computers. Preferably, the extender cards are also inexpensive to reduce the overall cost of the port replicators. Since the extender card occupies only one Type II PCMCIA slot, it would be desirable to enable a person using the port replicator to also use another PCMCIA card or PC card in another available PCMCIA slot immediately adjacent the one occupied by the extender card. For example, the user may have a network or modem PCMCIA card in the laptop and want to use that card for communications when traveling and when at a home location. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved extender card which can be used for connecting a laptop computer to a port replicator as well as for other computer applications. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This need is met by the invention of the present application wherein an extender card is formed from first and second plastic clamshell halves which are intermated with one another and ultrasonically welded. The first clamshell half is sized to be received within an outer periphery of the second clamshell so that, once welded, the resulting extender card housing body is strong and attractive in that the weld is internal and hidden from view. A cable tie is secured to a cable extending from the extender card and received within a collar of the extender card housing body to provide strain relief for the cable. One or more apertures are formed through the extender card body to allow access to a PCMCIA card or PC card installed adjacent to the extender card, for example, to a modular jack receiving structure of a PC modem or network card. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an extender card comprises a first plastic clamshell half having a first end and a second end, and a second plastic clamshell half having a first end and a second end. The first clamshell half mates with and is ultrasonically welded to the second clamshell half to form an extender card housing. The extender card includes a multiple pin connector mounted in the first ends of the first and second clamshell halves, and collar halves formed in the second ends of the first and second clamshell halves. The collar halves form a collar when the first and second clamshell halves are mated together for receiving a cable having multiple conductors coupled to the multiple pin connector. The multiple pin connector may comprise, for example, a 68-pin PCMCIA connector. 
     A printed circuit board having a first end connected to the multiple pin connector and a second end connected to the multiple conductors may be used to couple the multiple pin connector to the multiple conductors. The multiple pin connector preferably comprises a straddle mount connector with the first end of the printed circuit board having a first plurality of circuit paths on the first side of the printed circuit board, a second plurality of circuit paths on the second side of the printed circuit board, and being received in the straddle mount connector. In an illustrated embodiment, the second end of the printed circuit board has a third plurality of printed circuit paths on the second side thereof, the third plurality of circuit paths having a first portion thereof connected to the first plurality of circuit paths on the first side of the printed circuit board and a second portion thereof connected to the second plurality of circuit paths through the printed circuit board between the first end of the printed circuit board and the second end of the printed circuit board. 
     For cable strain relief, the interior of the collar defines a recess for receiving a cable tie secured to the cable at the second ends of the first and second clamshell halves. The recess comprises a generally annular recess with a cavity formed in one of the first and second clamshell halves for receiving a head of the cable tie. The first clamshell half may include a periphery which is sized to be received within a periphery of the second clamshell half so that an ultrasonic weld securing the first and second clamshell halves to one another is substantially hidden from view. For this embodiment, the periphery of the second clamshell half defines a shoulder extending away from the second clamshell half and the first clamshell half defines an outer peripheral edge which faces the shoulder when the first and second clamshell halves are mated with one another. The second clamshell half further defines a channel extending into the first clamshell half juxtaposed the shoulder and the first clamshell half defines a rib juxtaposed the outer peripheral edge, the rib being spaced and sized to be received within the channel when the first and second clamshell halves are mated with one another. The rib includes a plurality of projections thereon, the projections engaging a bottom of the channel when the first and second clamshell halves are mated with one another and defining ultrasonic energy directors. 
     The extender card may be a PCMCIA extender card designed to be received within a first PCMCIA slot of a computer. The extender card may include at least one aperture to enable access to a PCMCIA card received within a second PCMCIA slot of a computer. At least one aperture is particularly advantageous where the PCMCIA card in a second slot includes structure for receiving a terminal connector at the end of a transmission media which extends beyond the PCMCIA card and the at least one aperture is aligned with the structure for receiving a terminal connector at the end of a transmission media. Preferably, the extender card includes two apertures on opposite sides of a centerline of the extender card. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, apparatus for cable strain relief comprises a first cable receiving collar half formed in a first housing body half and a second cable receiving collar half formed in a second housing body half. The first and second body halves are mated with one another to form a housing having a cable receiving collar. A generally annular recess is formed on inside surfaces of the first and second collar halves for receiving a cable tie secured to a cable received within the collar and a cavity is formed in one of the first and second collar halves for receiving a head of the cable tie. The housing may comprise a housing for a PCMCIA extender card. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, apparatus for cable strain relief comprises a first portion of a cable receiving collar and a second portion of a cable receiving collar with the first and second portions of the cable receiving collar being secured to one another to form a cable receiving collar. A first recess is formed on an insider surface of the first portion of the cable receiving collar, the first recess being formed to receive a portion of a cable tie secured to a cable to be received by the collar. And a second recess is formed on an insider surface of the second portion of a cable receiving collar, the second recess being formed to receive a portion of the cable tie. Preferably, the cable tie includes a head and the apparatus for cable strain relief further comprises a cavity formed on the inside surface of one of the first and second portions of a cable receiving collar, the cavity being sized to receive the head of the cable tie. 
     In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a PCMCIA extender card comprises a housing having a first end and a second end with a PCMCIA connector mounted in the first end of the housing. The second end of the housing extends beyond the outer surface of a computer when the first end of the housing is inserted into a first PCMCIA slot of the computer. At least one aperture extends entirely through the housing to permit access to a PCMCIA card inserted into a second PCMCIA slot of the computer. Preferably, two apertures extend entirely through the housing on opposite sides of a centerline of the PCMCIA extender card. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved extender card for use with computers wherein the extender card is formed by intermating two plastic clamshell halves with one another and ultrasonically welding the clamshell halves together to form a housing body for the extender card; to provide an improved extender card for use with computers wherein the extender card is formed by intermating two plastic clamshell halves such that an ultrasonic weld securing the two together provides a strong weld which is hidden from view; to provide an improved PCMCIA extender card for use with computers wherein the extender card permits other PCMCIA cards or PC cards to be used in a PCMCIA slot adjacent to the one which is occupied by the extender card; to provide an improved extender card for use with computers wherein the extender card includes an inexpensive cable strain relief arrangement; and, to provide an improved extender card for use with computers wherein the extender card includes an inexpensive cable strain relief arrangement comprising a cable tie which is securely received within a collar of the extender card. 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a PCMCIA extender card in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of a straddle mount connector at a first end of the extender card of FIG. 1 on an expanded scale and engaged with a printed circuit board; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the printed circuit board of FIGS. 1 and 2 on an expanded scale illustrating connection pads and through connects for connecting a plurality of conductors on a second side of the printed circuit board to a first side of the printed circuit board; 
     FIG. 4 is a broken-away plan view of a portion of FIG. 2 illustrating connecting fingers of the straddle mount connector engaging connecting pads of the printed circuit board; 
     FIG. 5 is a broken-away front view of a portion of the straddle mount connector showing pin openings; 
     FIG. 6 is a broken-away perspective view of a second or cable receiving end of the extender card of FIG. 1 showing a strain relief arrangement of the present invention for a cable of the extender card; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an end of the cable of FIG. 6 showing a cable tie which forms a part of the strain relief arrangement; 
     FIG. 8 is a partially sectioned side view of a cable receiving collar of the extender card of FIG. 1 showing the cable strain relief arrangement of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a plan view of the interior of a lower or first clamshell half as illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is a plan view of the interior of an upper or second clamshell half as illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 11-12 are sectional views through a peripheral edge of the first and second clamshell halves as they are mated together prior to being ultrasonically welded illustrating intermating surfaces which enable an ultrasonic weld to be formed which is strong and is hidden from view; 
     FIG. 13 is a sectional view through a peripheral edge of the first and second clamshell halves after they have been mated together and ultrasonically welded to one another; 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an ultrasonic welding machine used to assemble the PCMCIA extender card of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a PCMCIA extender card in accordance with the present invention illustrating apertures extending through the card body; and, 
     FIG. 16 is a partially sectioned side view of a computer having first and second PCMCIA slots, where the extender card of FIG. 1 is inserted into the first PCMCIA slot, a second PCMCIA card inserted into the second PCMCIA slot, and a cable passes through the extender card and inserts into the second PCMCIA card. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to extender cards for computers, however, it will be described herein with reference to a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) extender card for which it is initially being used. The described PCMCIA extender card provides access to a laptop computer having a PCMCIA slot for port replication through the PCMCIA slot. 
     Reference will now be made to the drawing figures wherein FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a PCMCIA extender card  100  in accordance with the present invention. The extender card  100  comprises a first clamshell half  102  having a first end  102 A and a second end  102 B; and, a second clamshell half  104  having a first end  104 A and a second end  104 B. The first clamshell half  102  mates with and is ultrasonically welded to the second clamshell half  104  to form an extender card housing  106 , see FIG. 8. A multiple pin connector  108  is mounted in the first ends  102 A,  104 A of the first and second clamshell halves  102 ,  104 . As illustrated, the multiple pin connector  108  comprises a  68 -pin PCMCIA straddle mount connector commercially available from a number of suppliers including Berg, JAE, JST and Foxconn, see also FIGS. 2 and 5; however, other 68-pin PCMCIA connectors, PCMCIA connectors having less than 68 pins and other connectors also can be used in the present invention as required for specific applications. 
     First and second collar halves  110 ,  112  are formed in the second ends  102 B,  104 B of the first and second clamshell halves  102 , 104  with the collar halves  110 ,  112  forming a collar  114  when the first and second clamshell halves  102 , 104  are mated together, see FIGS. 1 and 8. The collar  114  receives a cable  116  having multiple conductors  118  coupled to the multiple pin connector  108 . The cable  116  includes a grounding shield  120  to which two grounding clips  122  are electrically connected by wires  124 . The grounding clips  122  are mounted within grounding clip receiving portions  126 ,  128  of the first and second clamshell halves  102 , 104  so that grounding faces  122 A of the grounding clips  122  extend outside the card housing  106  for connection within a PCMCIA slot of a computer into which the extender card  100  is inserted, see FIGS. 1,  9  and  10 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a printed circuit board  130  having a first end  130 A and a second end  130 B is provided to couple the multiple conductors  118  of the cable  116  to the multiple pin connector  108 . The illustrated embodiment of the printed circuit board  130  has a top or first side  130 C, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and a second or bottom side  130 D. The first end  130 A of the printed circuit board  130  has a first plurality of circuit paths  132  (thirty four (34) circuit paths for the illustrated PCMCIA straddle mount connector) on the first side  130 C of the printed circuit board  130  and a second plurality of circuit paths  134  (thirty four (34) circuit paths for the illustrated PCMCIA straddle mount connector) on the second side  130 D of the printed circuit board  130 . The printed circuit paths  132 ,  134  terminate in connection pads  136  on the first and second sides  130 C,  130 D of the printed circuit board  130  and are received in connecting fingers  138 ,  140  of the straddle mount multiple pin connector  108 , see FIG.  2 . Thus, the connection pads  136  are engaged by connecting fingers  138 , 140  extending from the connector  108  and soldered or otherwise electrically connected thereto. 
     The second end  130 B of the printed circuit board  130  has a third plurality of printed circuit paths  139 , sixty eight (68) circuit paths for the illustrated embodiment, on the first side  130 C thereof. The third plurality of circuit paths  139  have a first portion thereof connected to the first plurality of circuit paths  132  on the first side  134 C of the printed circuit board  130  and a second portion thereof connected to the second plurality of circuit paths  134  through the printed circuit board  130  between the first end  130 A of the printed circuit board  130  and the second end  130 B of the printed circuit board  130 . The multiple conductors  118  of the cable  116  are fanned out and connected to connection pads  142  to which the third plurality of circuit paths  138  are connected. 
     While this arrangement provides a quick, convenient and inexpensive arrangement for interconnecting the multiple conductors  118  of the cable  116  to the multiple pin connector  108 , other connection arrangements are contemplated in the present invention. For example, 34 circuit paths can be provided along the entire length of each side of a printed circuit board with straddle mount like connections made at each end; the multiple conductors  118  of the cable  116  can be connected to opposite sides of a printed circuit board with all 68 circuit paths being connected to a PCMCIA connector on one side of the printed circuit board; and, the printed circuit board can be reduced in size. Other connection arrangements will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. The circuit board  130  can also be configured to accept components  144  on one or both sides thereof so that an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) can put desired circuitry on the board. Of course the types of circuitry can vary widely depending upon a particular OEM&#39;s requirements. However, for example, an OEM may provide modem circuitry, signal processing circuitry or other appropriate circuitry on the circuit board to meet its specific requirements. 
     Reference will now be made to FIGS.  1  and  6 - 8  which illustrate cable strain relief apparatus of the present invention. With the cable  116  extending from the extender card housing  106 , one may pull on the cable  116  to remove the extender card  100  from a PCMCIA slot of a computer to which it is inserted. If not otherwise restrained, for example by the cable strain relief apparatus illustrated in FIGS.  1  and  6 - 8 , the cable  116  can slip in the collar  114  resulting in possible disconnection of the multiple conductors  118  from the printed circuit board  130 . To prevent this from happening in the present invention, a cable tie  146  having a head  146 H is securely attached to the cable  116 . The cable tie  146  can be any one of a number of commercially available ties, for example a locking cable tie part number PLT.6SM-C commercially available from PANDUIT was used in a working embodiment of the present invention. 
     A first portion of a cable receiving collar is formed in a first housing body portion and a second portion of a cable receiving collar is formed in a second housing body portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the portions are halves and the collar halves  110 ,  112  form the collar  114  when the first and second clamshell halves  102 ,  104  are assembled to form the extender card housing  106  or housing body. A generally annular recess  148  is formed on inside surfaces of the first and second collar halves  110 ,  112  for receiving the cable tie  146  secured to the cable  116  and received within the collar  114 . As illustrated, a cavity  150  is formed in the first collar half  110  for receiving the head  146 H of the cable tie  146  thereby securely retaining the cable  116  within the collar  114  and hence to the extender card  100 . 
     Reference will now be made to FIGS. 11-14 which illustrate the size relationship between the first and second clamshell halves  102 ,  104  and the ultrasonic welding operation performed to secure the first and second clamshell halves  102 ,  104  to one another with a weld which is strong and is hidden or substantially hidden from view. The first clamshell half  102  includes a periphery  152  which is sized to be received within a periphery  154  of the second clamshell half  104  so that an ultrasonic weld securing the first and second clamshell halves  102 ,  104  to one another is internal and hence hidden or substantially hidden from view. In particular, the periphery  154  of the second clamshell half  104  defines a shoulder extending away from the second clamshell half  104  (out of the page in FIG. 9) and the outer edge of the periphery  152  of the first clamshell half  102  faces the shoulder when the first and second clamshell halves  102 ,  104  are mated together so that the seam  156  between the two is beneath the extender card  100  and out of view. 
     The second clamshell half  104  further defines a channel  158  extending into the first clamshell half  104  juxtaposed the shoulder and the first clamshell half  102  defines a rib  160  juxtaposed the outer edge of the periphery  152 , see FIGS. 9-13. The rib  160  is spaced and sized to be received within the channel  158  when the first and second clamshell halves  102 ,  104  are mated with one another. A plurality of projections  162  on the rib  160  engage a bottom  164  of the channel  158  when the first and second clamshell halves  102 ,  104  are mated together. The projections  162  define ultrasonic energy directors such that ultrasonic energy is directed to the projections  162  melting the projections  162  and adjacent portions of the bottom  164  of the channel  158  resulting in fusing or welding of the first and second clamshell halves  102 , 104  in the areas W of the projections  162 . 
     Ultrasonic energy also welds the first and second collar halves  110 ,  112  to one another at ribs  166  formed on the first collar half  1   10  which ribs are received into slots  168  formed on the second collar half  112 . The first and second clamshells  102 ,  104  are formed of an appropriate plastic material, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin) being used in a working embodiment of the present invention, with ultrasonic welding being performed using an ultrasonic welding machine  170  illustrated in FIG. 14 commercially available from Branson and including a horn  172  designed to provide ultrasonic energy to the areas of the first and second clamshells halves  102 ,  104  where they are to be welded. This results in a strong weld and structure for the extender card  100  which weld is hidden or substantially hidden from view. 
     Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, the PCMCIA extender card  100  is designed to be fitted within a first Type II PCMCIA slot  202 , of two adjacent Type II PCMCIA slots  202 ,  204  commonly provided on laptop computers  200 . Accordingly, another PCMCIA card or PC card  206  can be inserted into the second Type II PCMCIA slot  204 , of the two Type II PCMCIA slots  202 ,  204 . To increase the variety of PCMCIA cards  206  which can be inserted adjacent to the extender card  100 , at least one aperture is provided in the extender card  100 , with two apertures  174 ,  176  being provided on opposite sides of a centerline  178  of the extender card  100  in the illustrated embodiment, see FIG.  1 . The aperture or apertures  174 ,  176  enable access to a PCMCIA card  206  received within the second Type II PCMCIA slot  204  of the computer  200 . More particularly, where the PCMCIA card  206  is a network or modem card for example, and is inserted into the second Type II PCMCIA slot  204  of a computer  200 , structure  212  is provided for receiving a terminal connector  210 , for example a standard RJ-11 or an RJ-45 modular plug, at the end of a transmission media  208 . The structure  212 , as illustrated for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,218 which is incorporated by reference herein or as represented by X-jacks on modems commercially available from 3Com corporation, extends beyond the end of the PCMCIA card  206  for access. An appropriate modular plug  210  is connected to the structure  212  through one or the other of the apertures  174 ,  176  which are positioned to be aligned with the structure  212 . Since the apertures  174 ,  176  extend entirely through the extender card  100  along axis  174 A and  176 A respectively, the extender card  100  can be used in either of the two Type II PCMCIA slots  202 ,  204 . 
     Having thus described the invention of the present application in detail and by reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.