Abstract: A one-piece metal card cage has integral card guides provided by rows of formed projections that extend into the interior of the cage. The projections are hollow to provide ventilation openings through which air may flow to and from the interior of the cage. The card cage is fabricated from a one-piece sheet metal blank that is folded and joined together to provide top and bottom walls, opposite sidewalls, a backwall and a front opening.

Abstract: A vented pedestal for supporting a housing that encloses electronic components and connectors has top and bottom ends, a vertical passage and a peripheral wall. An inwardly extending recess in the peripheral wall adjacent the top end has a downwardly facing recess upper wall and a recess bottom wall. The recess upper wall has vent openings therein, and the recess bottom wall is shaped to enhance air flow into the vent openings while minimizing the possibility of debris collecting in the recess.

Abstract: A card cage for supporting an array of printed circuit cards and permitting connection of the cards to a backplane includes an upper guide plate integrally formed with opposed downwardly extending sides and a lower guide plate integrally formed with opposed upwardly extending sides. The sides of the upper and lower guide plates are provided with latch members for connecting the guide plates together. When the two guide plates are assembled, a backplane is connectable thereto also using latch members. In addition, two or more assembled card cages may be stacked vertically an also connected by latch members. Thus a completely fastenerless card cage system is made possible. Moreover, the card cage may be molded from a suitable thermoplastic material having superior resistance to corrosive environments.