Slide lock for circuit boards

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9820402-B2
Application number	US-201514815047-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A circuit board is described herein. The circuit board can include a body and at least one enclosure coupling feature disposed in at least one outer side of the body. The at least one enclosure coupling feature can include at least one protruding section disposed adjacent to the at least one outer side of the body, where the at least one protruding section is configured to couple to at least one first circuit board coupling feature of an enclosure. The at least one enclosure coupling feature can also include at least one recessed section disposed adjacent to the at least one protruding section. The at least one protruding section and the at least one recessed section can form an aperture that traverses a thickness of the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical device, comprising:
an enclosure comprising:
at least one wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface; and
at least one first circuit board coupling feature unitary with and raised from the inner surface of the at least one wall to form a cavity, wherein each first circuit board coupling feature of the at least one first circuit board coupling feature comprises:
a first open side;
a second open side;
a first closed side; and
a top positioned adjacent to the first open side, the second open side, and
the first closed side; and
a circuit board removably coupled to the enclosure, wherein the circuit board comprises:
a body defined by at least one outer side, a top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are adjacent to the at least one outer side, and wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are opposite each other and form a thickness; and
at least one first enclosure coupling feature unitary with the body, wherein each first enclosure coupling feature of the at least one first enclosure coupling feature comprises:
at least one protruding section unitary with and disposed adjacent to the at least one outer side of the body, wherein the at least one protruding section is coupled to the at least one first circuit board coupling feature of the enclosure; and
at least one recessed section disposed adjacent to and unitary with the at least one protruding section, wherein the at least one recessed section is disposed in the body away from the at least one outer side, and wherein the at least one
recessed section is further disposed a distance from the at least one protruding section as measured along the at least one outer side of the body, wherein the at least one protruding section and the at least one recessed section form an aperture that traverses the thickness of the body of the circuit board, wherein the at least one protruding section slides into the cavity to couple the circuit board to the enclosure, and wherein the at least one protruding section is capable of sliding out of the cavity to decouple the circuit board from the enclosure.

2. The electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the top of the first circuit board coupling feature forms an acute angle with the first closed side.

3. The electrical device of claim 2 , wherein the top of the first circuit board coupling feature comprises a tapered distal end that forms an obtuse angle with a remainder of the top, wherein the top imposes a friction fit on the at least one protruding section of the first enclosure coupling feature at a junction of the tapered distal end of the first circuit board coupling feature and the remainder of the first circuit board coupling feature.

4. The electrical device of claim 1 , wherein at least one second circuit board coupling feature and at least one second enclosure coupling feature couple to each other when the first enclosure coupling feature couples to the first circuit board coupling feature.

5. The electrical device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a fastening device disposed within the at least one second circuit board coupling feature and the at least one second enclosure coupling feature.

6. An electrical device, comprising:
an enclosure comprising:
at least one wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface; and
at least one first circuit board coupling feature unitary with and raised from the inner surface of the at least one wall to form a cavity, wherein each first circuit board coupling feature of the at least one first circuit board coupling feature comprises:
a first open side;
a second open side;
a first closed side; and
a top positioned adjacent to the first open side, the second open side, and the first closed side; and

a circuit board removably coupled to the enclosure, wherein the circuit board comprises:
a body defined by at least one outer side, a top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are adjacent to the at least one outer side, and wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are opposite each other and form a thickness; and
at least one first enclosure coupling feature unitary with the body, wherein each first enclosure coupling feature of the at least one first enclosure coupling feature comprises:
at least one protruding section unitary with and disposed adjacent to the at least one outer side of the body, wherein the at least one protruding section is coupled to the at least one first circuit board coupling feature of the enclosure; and
at least one recessed section disposed adjacent to and unitary with the at least one protruding section, wherein the at least one recessed section is recessed in a direction in which the at least one protruding section couples to the at least one first circuit board coupling feature of the enclosure,
wherein the at least one protruding section and the at least one recessed section form an aperture that traverses the thickness of the body of the circuit board,

wherein the at least one protruding section slides into the cavity to couple the circuit board to the enclosure.

7. A light fixture comprising:
a housing comprising:
at least one wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface; and
at least one first circuit board coupling feature unitary with and raised from the inner surface of the at least one wall to form a cavity, wherein each first circuit board coupling feature of the at least one first circuit board coupling feature comprises:
a first open side;
a second open side;
a first closed side; and
a top positioned adjacent to the first open side, the second open side, and the first closed side; and

a circuit board removably coupled to the housing, wherein the circuit board comprises:
a body defined by at least one outer side, a top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are adjacent to the at least one outer side, and wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are opposite each other and form a thickness; and
at least one first housing coupling feature unitary with the body, wherein each first housing coupling feature of the at least one first housing coupling feature comprises:
at least one protruding section unitary with disposed adjacent to the at least one outer side of the body, wherein the at least one protruding section is coupled to the at least one first circuit board coupling feature of the housing; and
at least one recessed section disposed adjacent to and unitary with the at least one protruding section, wherein the at least one recessed section is recessed in a direction in which the at least one protruding section couples to the at least one first circuit board coupling feature of the housing,
wherein the at least one protruding section and the at least one recessed section form an aperture that traverses the thickness of the body of the circuit board,

wherein the at least one protruding section slides into the cavity to couple the circuit board to the housing.

Assignees

• Mccurley Matthew Robert
• Lewis Jr Paul Wayne
• Cooper Technologies Co

Inventors

• Mccurley Matthew Robert
• Lewis Jr Paul Wayne

Classifications

• H05K1/02

  Details · CPC title

• H05K2201/10106

  Light emitting diode [LED] · CPC title

• H05K1/142

  Arrangements of planar printed circuit boards in the same plane, e.g. auxiliary printed circuit insert mounted in a main printed circuit · CPC title

• H05K7/1417 Primary

  having securing means for mounting boards, plates or wiring boards (H05K7/1461 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2201/10598

  Means for fastening a component, a casing or a heat sink whereby a pressure is exerted on the component towards the PCB · CPC title