Caterpillar Inc.

Val G Boucher

Craig B Kelley

Noel J Rytter

Weldon L Phelps

Stephen W Rector

Ashok Bellur

Paul J Piasse

Daniel R Ekstrand

In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for retaining a printed circuit board includes a hollow shell structure having an aperture and an inner slot for receiving the printed circuit board and a mounting bracket including a frame portion for receiving the shell structure. A rim extends around the perimeter of the aperture and flexible flanges extend from at least a portion of the rim. The flexible flanges include a neck portion and a lower tab that provide means to retain the shell structure in the mounting bracket. The inner slot is sized to fit snugly around the perimeter of the printed circuit board when the printed circuit board is inserted in the shell structure. The shell structure is constructed of a dielectric material that substantially insulates the printed circuit board from electro-static discharge and/or other types of electrical damage or interference, as well as shock and vibrations. The present mounting bracket optionally includes support structure for mounting additional hardware components within a device and a mounting tab for attaching the mounting bracket within a device.

Apparatus for retaining a printed circuit board

Multi-purpose control handle

An electrical transmission control mechanism includes a first printed circuit board having a first plurality of contact elements thereon, and a second printed circuit board connected thereto and having a second plurality of contact elements thereon. A transmission control assembly includes a control member movable laterally and adapted to cause travel of a holder and a first plurality of wiper members linearly across the first plurality of contact elements for selecting the direction of rotation of a transmission, and movable longitudinally and adapted to cause rotation of a second holder and a second plurality of wiper members across the second plurality of contact elements. A third printed circuit board is preferably mounted in parallel relation to the second printed circuit board and at a right angle to the first printed circuit board when a substantial number of gear ratios are used.

Electrical transmission control mechanism

A vehicular steering and transmission shifting control mechanism includes a transversally rockable control handle and a steering actuator element connected at the bottom thereof to selectively depress either a left or right actuating plunger of a hydraulic pilot valve assembly for effecting steering. The control handle is contoured to be easily grasped and to position an electrical switch actuating element for comfortable movement by an operator's thumb to change the speed of a multi-speed transmission through an associated electronic transmission control system. A three-way electrical switch actuating element at the front of the control handle is adapted to be rocked to select one of forward, neutral, and reverse modes of the transmission.

Steering and transmission shifting control mechanism

An electrical transmission control mechanism includes first and second control members which are individually limitedly rotatable to respectively select the directional and neutral modes or the speed ratio modes of a transmission. First and second electrical rotary type switching devices which are respectively responsive to the movement of the control members are disposed within the mechanism for controllably disconnecting the supply and ground side leads of one of a plurality of transmission clutch actuating solenoids and connecting the supply and ground side leads of another one to minimize the possibility of any inadvertent electrical short in causing unexpected operation of the transmission. Each of the compact and reliable rotary switching devices has a plurality of upstanding contact members arranged at preselected radii and a plurality of radially oriented wiper members that make selected contact with pairs of the contact members to provide a multitude of desirable operating functions. The mechanism features a simple and yet rugged arrangement of the control members and the switching devices that is easy to operate.

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Roanoke, IL, United States of America

Val G Boucher