Connector Protective Design for Expansion Box

Connector Protective Design for Expansion Box

      Disclosed is to describe a design enhancement to an externally
connected expansion box for a notebook personal computer.  The
expansion box is connected with the computer via a bus connector
located at the rear of the computer.  The following design protects
the bus connector from the damage resulting in bending stresses
generated by external forces applied to the computer or expansion
box.

      Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the existing design and the new
protective design, respectively:

Case 1 - in which an external force A is applied to the expansion
box:

      In the existing design, as an external force A is applied to
the expansion box, the only resistive forces are located at the bus
connection.  These resistive forces cause bending stresses that
damage the connector.  In the new design, eaves are added to the
expansion box in order to transfer the resultant forces from the bus
connector to the rear of the computer housing.  With the top rear of
the computer housing restrained, the motion of the expansion box
relative to the computer generates an axial force that disconnects
the bus without damage.

Case 2 - in which an external force B is applied to the computer
housing:

      In the existing design, as an external force B is applied to
the front of the computer housing, the expansion box is rotated about
the bottom rear corner P1.  This rotation generates a high bending
stress on the bus connec...