Claims
- 1. A protective assembly for an electronic system, comprising:
a base portion; a circuit board secured to the base portion; at least one removable electronic component coupled to the circuit board; and a protective portion adapted to cooperate with the base portion to prevent inadvertent engagement between the at least one removable electronic component and an external object,
wherein the protective assembly is adapted to be removably secured to an electronic device.
- 2. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the base portion and the protective portion are adapted to prevent the at least one removable electronic component from contacting a planar surface when the assembly is disposed thereon regardless of the orientation of the protective assembly with respect to the planar surface.
- 3. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one removable electronic component comprises at least one memory module.
- 4. The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the at least one removable electronic component is disposed at an angle relative to the circuit board.
- 5. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuit board comprises an electrical connector adapted to electrically couple the memory module to the electronic device.
- 6. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective portion comprises a pivotable cover.
- 7. The assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the pivotable cover is adapted to maintain the cover pivoted in an open position.
- 8. The assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the cover is adapted to support the circuit board.
- 9. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuit board and the base portion are adapted to enable a fixed portion of the base portion to capture the circuit board.
- 10. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuit board and the base portion are adapted to enable the base portion to secure the circuit board to the base portion by moving the circuit board in a first direction from a first position on the base portion to a second position on the base portion.
- 11. The assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the base portion is adapted with an obstruction to restrict movement of the circuit board in a second direction transverse to the first direction when the circuit board is disposed in the second position.
- 12. The assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the circuit board is adapted with a notch to enable the circuit board to be disposed on the base portion in the first position by aligning the notch with the obstruction.
- 13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuit board and the base portion are adapted to enable the circuit board to be secured to the base portion without a movable fastener.
- 14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuit board and the base portion are adapted to secure the circuit board to the base portion in a tool-less engagement.
- 15. An electronic system, comprising:
a first printed circuit board adapted to receive a plurality of memory modules; a first electrical connector electrically coupled to the first printed circuit board; a removable protective cartridge adapted to receive the first printed circuit board and to prevent contact between a planar surface and the plurality of memory modules; and an enclosure comprising a second electrical connector, wherein the protective cartridge is mechanically securable to the enclosure and the first electrical connector is electrically coupleable to the second electrical connector.
- 16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of memory modules is disposed on a second printed circuit board.
- 17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the second printed circuit boards is disposed at an angle relative to the first printed circuit board.
- 18. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein each of the second printed circuit boards is removable from the first printed circuit board.
- 19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the first printed circuit board and protective cartridge are adapted to enable fixed portions of the protective cartridge to capture the first printed circuit board.
- 20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the fixed portion of the protective cartridge comprises a first member and a second member, the first member being adapted to obstruct movement of the first printed circuit board in a first direction relative to the base portion and the second member being adapted to obstruct movement of the first printed circuit board in a second direction transverse to the first direction.
- 21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the first printed circuit board comprises a notch adapted to enable the first printed circuit board to bypass the first member.
- 22. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the first member comprises a guide portion adapted to movement of the first printed circuit board.
- 23. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the first printed circuit board and the protective cartridge are adapted to secure the first printed circuit board to the protective cartridge without a separate fastener.
- 24. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the first printed circuit board and the protective cartridge are adapted to secure the first printed circuit board to the protective cartridge in a tool-less engagement.
- 25. An electronic system, comprising:
a plurality of first circuit boards, wherein at least one electronic component is disposed on each of the plurality of first circuit boards; a second circuit board, wherein each of the plurality of first circuit boards is coupled to the second circuit board; a protective cartridge having a fixed portion adapted to capture the second circuit board and a protective cover adapted to prevent contact between a planar surface and the plurality of first circuit boards; and an enclosure adapted to receive the protective cartridge.
- 26. The electronic system as recited in claim 25, wherein the protective assembly comprises:
a base; and a cover pivotably secured to the base.
- 27. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the second circuit board and base are adapted to enable the second circuit board to be secured to the base without a removable fastener.
- 28. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the second circuit board and base are adapted to enable the second circuit board to be secured to the base in a tool-less engagement.
- 29. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the second circuit board and base are adapted to enable the base to capture the second circuit board.
- 30. A method for protecting an electronic component utilized in a computer-based system, comprising:
disposing a first circuit board at a first position relative to a protective assembly; and securing the circuit board to the protective assembly by moving the first circuit board from the first position to a second position relative to the protective assembly to engage a fixed fastener secured to the protective assembly.
- 31. The method as recited in claim 30, further comprising:
disposing an electronic component onto the first circuit board.
- 32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein disposing the electronic component comprises disposing a second circuit board onto the first circuit board.
- 33. The method as recited in claim 31, further comprising:
closing a protective cover of the protective assembly over the electronic component.
- 34. The method as recited in claim 31, further comprising:
disposing the protective assembly within a chassis of the computer-based system.
- 35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein disposing the protective assembly comprises connecting an electrical connector disposed on the first circuit board with a second electrical connector disposed within the chassis.
- 36. A system for protecting an electronic component utilized in a computer-based system, comprising:
a circuit board adapted to receive a plurality of memory modules; a protective assembly adapted to house the circuit board; and means for securing the circuit board to the protective assembly with a fixed fastener.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 09/691,507, filed on Oct. 18, 2000.
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09691507 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Child |
10237420 |
Sep 2002 |
US |