Connector Protective Design for Expansion Box
Original Publication Date: 1993-Sep-01
Included in the Prior Art Database: 2005-Mar-20
Publishing Venue
IBM
Related People
Noguchi, T: AUTHOR [+3]
Abstract
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.
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...