The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 04, 1997
Filed:
Jul. 14, 1994
Erica J Scholder, Austin, TX (US);
Karl M Steffes, Austin, TX (US);
Dell USA, L.P., Round Rock, TX (US);
Abstract
A computer chassis has an exterior wall on the inner side of which a metal EMI shield wall is mounted, the shield wall having a grounding portion that projects outwardly through the chassis wall. A selected one of a plurality of circuit boards may be operatively installed within the chassis, the circuit boards having mutually different through-chassis component connection access opening requirements. Circuit board component connection access openings are formed through the exterior chassis and EMI shield walls to accommodate the circuit board having the maximum access opening requirement. To modify the effective chassis connection opening pattern as required for the other circuit boards, without having to redesign the chassis for each of the other circuit boards, a plurality of metal cover grounding plates are provided. Each of the plates is associated with one of the circuit boards and has connection openings formed therein to match the chassis opening requirements of the associated circuit board. When a selected circuit board is installed in the chassis its associated plate is adhesively secured to the outer side of the exterior chassis wall and permits connection access to the circuit board only via the chassis wall connection openings required by the installed circuit board. The secured plate member has a nonadhered bare metal portion that contacts the grounding portion of the shield wall, thereby grounding the plate member to the shield wall.