Patent ID: 7040913

Claim:
A controller module unit, comprising: a printed circuit board having an upper surface; a plurality of controller module connectors of a first type mounted on the printed circuit board, each controller module first type connector comprising: an elongated body; a plurality of first type connector elements arranged generally in alignment with the length of the elongated body; a flexible latching detent attached to the elongated body; a controller module, comprising: a controller module housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of opposing elongated side walls and a pair or opposing shorter side walls, and a module connector element of a second type extending from the bottom wall, the module housing second type connector comprising: an elongated second type connector body having a plurality of second type connector elements arranged generally in alignment with the length of the elongated connector body; an elongated generally rigid latching member extending along one side of the elongated second type connector body; a controller module alignment and positioning frame mounted on the printed circuit board; the controller module positioning and alignment frame comprising: a front wall and a rear wall, each having an interior surface a connector bay containing a respective one of the controller module first type connectors; a first and a second guide shelf extending generally parallel to the upper surface of the printed circuit board, the separation of each of the first and second guide shelves from each other defining a first dimension of the connector bay; at least one guide wall extending vertically upward from each of the first and second guide shelves, the position of the at least one guide wall defining a second dimension of the connector bay for the respective module first type connector; wherein the first and second guide shelves are positioned with respect to the respective connector bay and the respective first type connector element is positioned with respect to the connector bay and the second type connector element is positioned with respect to the bottom wall of the module housing such that when a first one of the pair of shorter walls of the module housing is in contact with the interior surface of one of the front and rear walls of the positioning and alignment frame, the module housing second type connector body comes into contact with one of the first and second shelves and when the second one of the pair of shorter walls of the module housing is in contact with the interior surface of the other of the front and rear walls of the positioning and alignment frame, the module housing second type connector body enters into the respective connector bay and enables connection between the first and second type connector elements.