Intel Corporation

Neal E Broadbent

Duncan D MacGregor

Stephen R Brown

George H Daskalakis

Craig J Jahne

Brian S Jarrett

David C Scheer

Ronald C Flamm

Paul A Cole

Sanjay Pai

Chengwu Chen

Richard R Gargiulo

Bob Gormley

A device is disclosed herein for engaging and disengaging electrical connector halves, particularly electrical connector halves mounted on printed assembly boards that are to be electrically connected to a back plane. The device provides a drive train mechanism comprised of a plurality of gears and racks that, when attached, act to reduce the insertion force required to make the electrical connector halves disposed on the printed board assemblies and the back plane. A further aspect of the present invention involves the method of attaching a back plane to at least one stationary printed board assembly by actuation of a drive train.

Method for engaging and disengaging electrical connector halves

Mechanism for engaging and disengaging electrical connector halves

A sideswipe contact system for an add in PC card consisting of an apparatus for identifying the card as having a sideswipe connector and apparatus on a header for causing the header connectors to be electrically isolated from an inserted PC card unless the PC card is equipped with the sideswipe connectors. The header assembly includes a frame mechanically shaped to receive the card frame in an inserting relationship. A plurality of connector assemblies are movably mounted to the header frame. Each of the connector assemblies consists of an insulating standoff having substantially the same specified shape as the first cavity and fitting therein and a second electrical conductor adjacent to and smaller than the standoff. The plurality of connector assemblies are movable from a first position when the PC card is not inserted in the header frame to a second position when the card is fully inserted into the header. The movement from the first position to the second position is in a direction substantially orthogonal to the long dimension of the PC card. When the plurality of connectors assemblies are in the second position, each connector assembly fits into a matching connector receptacle and the first and second electrical conductors are in electrical contact. The plurality of connector assemblies move to a third position intermediate between the first and second positions if a PC card not having the plurality of connector receptacles is inserted into the header frame.

Voltage protection for add in cards with sideswipe contacts

A modem located on a PC card. An I/O socket is mounted on one end of the PC card and sideswipe contacts are positioned long e one or more sides. The I/O socket has a plurality of positions including one or more positions which are electrically connected to the modem. A relay is located in the PC card, and has one side connected in common to the modem and the positions on the I/O socket. The other side of the relay is connected to the sideswipe connectors. The control input to the relay is connected to a position of the I/O socket separate from the modem positions. A voltage source is connected to a position in the socket separate from the modem positions and the control signal position. An I/O plug is designed to have one side connected to the telephone network and the other side connected to the I/O socket such that all pins in the plug mate with the corresponding positions in the I/O socket. The I/O plug contains a lead interconnecting and creating a short circuit between the pin in the I/O plug which mates with the position in the I/O socket connected to the control input of the relay and the pin in the I/O plug which mates with the position in the socket connected to the voltage source. This causes the voltage source to appear on the input of the relay when the I/O plug is inserted into the I/O socket.

Voltage protection for modem add in cards with sideswipe contacts

A method and apparatus for providing a mated communications receptacle for coupling a standard communications plug to a computer system is described. The method and apparatus includes using an IC card which forms at its rear edge a first communications receptacle half. The method and apparatus also includes using an IC card receptacle which forms a second communications receptacle half along one of its slot edges. When the IC card is inserted into the IC card receptacle, the first communications receptacle half of the IC card becomes located opposite the second communications receptacle half of the IC card receptacle, and a full communications receptacle is formed for coupling to the standard communications plug.

Integral external connector interface for thin form factor computer cards

A connector system for an add in PC card for supplying network communications functions to a host computer wherein the connector to the network is a RJ type universal jack consisting of a socket and plug. A cavity in the card is formed by an opening in the short dimension of the frame opposite the 68 position connector and the top and bottom covers. A carriage is mounted in the cavity so that it can slide in and out and occupy at least two positions. The carriage consists of a socket portion for making contact with the RJ type plug and a support and contact portion that mechanically supports the carriage within the card and also makes the electrical contact between the carriage and the card. In the first of the two positions, substantially all of the carriage is within the cavity. In the second of the two positions, the socket portion of the carriage is outside of the cavity. In this position, the socket is electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

I/O connector for add in printed circuit cards for computer systems

A method and apparatus for providing alternate signal paths between a removably insertable integrated circuit (IC) card in a computer system and an external device is described. The method and apparatus includes an IC card designed for coupling with the external device through a rear I/O receptacle located along the rear IC card edge, the IC card also including an auxiliary side contacts along a side edge. The method and apparatus includes the use of a flexible conducting strip to connect each of the auxiliary side contacts along the side edge to the appropriate pins of the rear I/O receptacle. In this manner the IC card contains alternate signal paths to the external device, being capable of coupling to the external device in either a rear-connecting scheme or a side-connecting scheme, the adaptation to side contacts having been achieved with minimal redesign of the rear-connecting IC card.

Interconnection scheme for integrated circuit card with auxiliary

The present invention provides a mechanism for conducting heat away from a semiconductor device, and has particular application for use with VLSI technology. The present invention comprises an elongated, resilient and deformable central body having a thermally conductive outer surface which is disposed in contact with a surface of the semiconductor device. In the preferred embodiment, the semiconductor devices comprising an electronic circuit configuration are disposed on a circuit board in rows. The present invention is formed into strips such that one strip of the central body portion of the present invention is disposed over each row of semiconductor devices. A heat sink is placed over the central body portion of the present invention such that the central body with its thermally conductive outer surface is sandwiched between an upper surface of the semiconductor device and the heat sink. Heat generated by the semiconductor device is conducted through the thermally conductive outer surface of the resilient central body to the heat sink where it is radiated and conducted away from the semiconductor device.

Growing community of inventors

El Dorado Hills, CA, United States of America

Neal E Broadbent