Tool-less Vertical PCBA Insulator and Support Brace
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vertically mounted circuit boards in computers often lean at an angle relative to the motherboard, increasing the risk of damage and interference with other components, leading to potential short circuits and installation challenges.
Innovation Solution
A brace comprising a first attachment member for the circuit board, a second attachment member for the motherboard, and a rigid support connecting them, ensuring the circuit board remains substantially perpendicular, made from high-temperature resistant and electrically insulating materials to prevent short circuits and minimize interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a vertically mounted circuit board is installed without support, then installation is simple and quick, but the circuit board leans at an angle increasing risk of damage and interference
Solution Approach 1:
The brace is designed to be self-installing without requiring external tools or complex procedures. The attachment members automatically engage with the circuit board and motherboard through simple snap-fit or friction-based mechanisms, allowing the support structure to install itself while providing stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The brace acts as an intermediary element between the circuit board and motherboard, providing mechanical support and maintaining proper spacing. This intermediate structure prevents direct contact issues while ensuring the circuit board remains perpendicular to the motherboard, reducing damage risk without complicating installation.
2Reliability
If a support structure is added to maintain vertical orientation, then circuit board stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into distinct functional segments: attachment members for the circuit board, attachment members for the motherboard, and a rigid support body connecting them. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The brace utilizes thin-walled but rigid structural designs that provide sufficient mechanical support with minimal material usage. The rigid support body employs optimized wall thickness and geometric reinforcement to maintain strength while keeping the overall structure lightweight and simple.
3Reliability
If the brace is made from electrically insulating material, then short circuit risk is reduced, but mechanical strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The brace is constructed from composite materials that combine electrical insulation properties with enhanced mechanical strength. This could include fiber-reinforced polymers or other composite structures that provide both the necessary electrical isolation and the structural rigidity required to maintain vertical orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the brace are optimized by changing parameters such as material composition, density, and structural geometry. The rigid support body may incorporate reinforcing ribs, hollow chambers, or specific cross-sectional shapes that increase mechanical strength while maintaining electrical insulation characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A brace for a circuit board vertically mounted on a motherboard includes a first attachment member capable of attaching to an edge of the circuit board distal from the motherboard; a second attachment member capable of attaching to a side edge of the motherboard; and a rigid support connecting the first attachment member and the second attachment member. The rigid support is shaped such that the circuit board is held substantially perpendicular to the motherboard when the brace is attached. An interference minimization device for minimizing the interference of a circuit board vertically mounted on a motherboard includes an attachment member capable of attaching to the circuit board at an end distal from the motherboard; a mating wall that is substantially parallel to the circuit board and abuts the circuit board when the interference minimization device is attached to the circuit board; and a tapered wall that widens from the distal end of the circuit board towards the motherboard.