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:
Aug. 31, 2010
Filed:
Sep. 06, 2007
Lorin David Cheney, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Walter Adrian Goodman, Cary, NC (US);
Lorin David Cheney, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Walter Adrian Goodman, Cary, NC (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method provide supplemental support to an electronic card from above, such as along a longitudinal edge of a PCI card opposite an edge connector on the motherboard. The supplemental support may be provided at any of a plurality of locations along the edge of the card, to avoid interference with certain features on the card and to accommodate cards of a variety of shapes and sizes. One embodiment provides a support apparatus that includes a track secured to the computer chassis over the card, and is generally aligned with a longitudinal edge of the electronic card. A collar is disposed on the track and is moveable to any of a plurality of positions along the track. A plunger is inserted through the collar and is movable with respect to the collar into engagement with the longitudinal edge of the electronic card. A first locking member is activated in response to inserting the plunger into the collar to prevent relative movement of the collar and the plunger with respect to the track. A second locking member locks the plunger with respect to the collar when the plunger engages the card.