Motorola Corporation

Larry V Douglass

Morris L Minch

Pasquale Ambruoso, Sr

Jerome C Leonard

Jack E Jones

A plug-in module for an electronic device includes a header having conductors therein which extend therefrom to form terminals, and a substrate connected to the header and supporting electronic components connected to the conductors. One component has a projecting part which extends through the header and forms a guide to align the module with a socket, to facilitate plug-in of the terminals of the header. The module may be a channel element to control the frequency of a radio device and may include a resonant element, such as a piezo-electric crystal, and a coil for tuning a resonant circuit. The form for the coil may be the projecting part for aligning the module, and also provide access to a core therein for tuning the circuit when the module is plugged into the chassis. The module may include a conducting housing which cooperates with the header to form an enclosed structure. A grounding pin may be provided to establish a ground connection for the circuit on the substrate and for the housing. The grounding pin can extend from the header a greater distance than the terminals, and cooperate with the coil form in aligning the module when it is being plugged into a chassis.

Plug-in module for electronic device having component forming a guide

A small plug-in module includes a combined housing and heat sink, and plug-in terminals cooperating with mating terminals on a chassis. The module includes guiding structure to facilitate insertion of the module on the chassis, which may also form terminals for providing a ground connection to the module. The module includes an electronic circuit with components, at least one of which develops substantial heat, such as a transistor. The components are positioned on a substrate which is mounted in heat conducting relation on the base of the housing. The base and/or sides of the housing are constructed to provide sufficient mass to dissipate the heat developed by the components. The housing-heat sink may have recesses into which spring inserts are placed to resiliently engage pins extending from the chassis to guide the module into position and provide a ground connection thereto. Alternatively, terminal pins can be secured to the heat sink to engage sockets on the chassis. A header is provided on the module from which plug-in contacts extend for connection to sockets on the chassis, to connect the circuit of the module to the chassis. The guiding of the module by the grounding pins facilitates the engagement of the more fragile plug-in contacts.

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Coconut Creek, FL, United States of America

Larry V Douglass