Adjustable anchor for printed circuit board environmental sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11255897-B2
Application number	US-201816229717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Oct 1, 2018
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

In one example, a first tubular member has a first diameter and is configured to attach to a printed circuit board. A second tubular member has a second diameter different from the first diameter and is configured to hold an environmental sensor for collecting data relating to an environment of the printed circuit board. The second tubular member is vertically adjustable relative to the first tubular member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first tubular member having a first diameter and configured to attach to a printed circuit board via a surface mount on the printed circuit board that includes one or more tabs which define one or more holes, wherein the first tubular member includes one or more outward-facing hook members configured to snap into the one or more holes defined by the one or more tabs; and
a second tubular member having a second diameter different from the first diameter and configured to hold an environmental sensor for collecting data relating to an environment of the printed circuit board, wherein the second tubular member is vertically adjustable relative to the first tubular member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular member and the second tubular member are configured to contain wires coupled to the environmental sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the first tubular member or the second tubular member includes a knob, and the other one of the first tubular member or the second tubular member includes a plurality of slots, each slot positioned vertically from one or more other slots of the plurality of slots and configured to receive the knob.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first tubular member includes the plurality of slots and the second tubular member includes the knob.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein at least one slot of the plurality of slots includes a flange configured to secure the knob.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular member includes a first helical thread and the second tubular member includes a second helical thread configured to mate with the first helical thread.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second tubular member is configured to frictionally mate with the first tubular member.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second tubular member is vertically adjustable relative to the first tubular member via a motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a third tubular member vertically adjustable relative to at least one of the first tubular member and the second tubular member.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular member is further configured to attach to a through hole in the printed circuit board.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular member is further configured to attach to the printed circuit board via an electrical connector mounted to the printed circuit board.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second tubular member configured to hold the environmental sensor is configured to rotate along an azimuthal angle relative to a plane of the printed circuit board.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second tubular member configured to hold the environmental sensor is configured to rotate along a polar angle relative to a plane of the printed circuit board.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a spring that is configured to stabilize the second tubular member.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor is a temperature sensor and the data is ambient temperature data of the environment of the printed circuit board.

17. A method comprising:
attaching, to an adjustable anchor, an environmental sensor for collecting data relating to an environment of a printed circuit board, the adjustable anchor including a first tubular member having a first diameter and configured to attach to the printed circuit board via a surface mount on the printed circuit board that includes one or more tabs which define one or more holes, wherein the first tubular member includes one or more outward-facing hook members configured to snap into the one or more holes defined by the one or more tabs, and a second tubular member having a second diameter different from the first diameter and configured to hold the environmental sensor, wherein the second tubular member is vertically adjustable relative to the first tubular member; and
attaching the adjustable anchor to the printed circuit board.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising vertically adjusting the second tubular member relative to the first tubular member.

19. A system comprising:
a printed circuit board;
an environmental sensor configured to collect data relating to an environment of the printed circuit board; and
an adjustable anchor including:
a first tubular member having a first diameter and configured to attach to the printed circuit board via a surface mount on the printed circuit board that includes one or more tabs which define one or more holes, wherein the first tubular member includes one or more outward-facing hook members configured to snap into the one or more holes defined by the one or more tabs; and
a second tubular member having a second diameter different from the first diameter and configured to hold the environmental sensor, wherein the second tubular member is vertically adjustable relative to the first tubular member.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Ghouse Mohammed
• Nayak Shailesh
• Pinjala Damaruganath
• Gupta Rohit Dev
• Cap Mehmet Onder

Classifications

• H05K2201/10962

  Component not directly connected to the PCB · CPC title

• H05K2201/10265

  Metallic coils or springs, e.g. as part of a connection element · CPC title

• G01R31/2808 Primary

  Holding, conveying or contacting devices, e.g. test adapters, edge connectors, extender boards (probe, multiprobe, probe manipulator or probe fixture G01R1/067) · CPC title

• H05K2201/1059

  Connections made by press-fit insertion · CPC title

• G01K1/14 Primary

  Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations · CPC title