Patent ID: 7345247

Claim:
A circuit board threadplate comprising: a hollow substantially cylindrical member forming an extruded neck, the extruded neck having an elongated section operable to be fitted through an opening in a circuit board and a substantially flat surface at a first end of the elongated section; a relatively thin, plate-like flange extending from a second end of the elongated section, the second end substantially opposite the first end of the elongated section, wherein, in operation, the elongated section is fitted through the opening in the circuit board in a first direction and at least a portion of the circuit board forms a plane between the first end of the elongated section and the second end of the elongated section, the flange providing substantially flat top and bottom surfaces suitable for soldering onto a surface of the circuit board, the flange being relatively thin as measured from the substantially flat top surface to the substantially flat bottom surface relative to the extruded neck from the first end of the elongated section to the second end of the elongated section, the flange being in a generally circular shape with flat sections on opposing sides forming a discontinuity in the periphery of the flange that is detectable by most surface mount technology (SMT) machinery and providing an angular reference, wherein the angular reference aids optical sensors common to most SMT machinery; a cylindrical cavity positioned inside the substantially cylindrical member, the cylindrical cavity generally extending in a direction aligned with the substantially cylindrical member, the cylindrical cavity having a thread pattern suitable for receiving a screw-type fastener; and an opening providing access to the cylindrical cavity in the first direction.