Abstract: An improved circuit board assembly includes a cover or other member disposed adjacent to the substrate and, for example, spaced therefrom so as to define a plenum. Self-aligning heat sinks (or other heat dissipative elements) are spring-mounted (or otherwise resiliently mounted) to the cover and, thereby, placed in thermal contact with one or more of the circuit components. Flow-diverting elements are provided, e.g., so that the overall impedance of the board substantially matches that of one or more of the other circuit boards in a common chassis. The circuit board cover can be adapted to provide thermal and/or electromagnetic emission control, as well as shock and vibration. A connector arrangement provides electrical, mechanical and/or other operational coupling between the circuit board and a chassis regardless of whether the board is disposed in a slot on a first (e.g., upper) side of a source of cooling air for the chassis or on a second (e.g., lower) opposite side of that source.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 14, 2002
Date of Patent:
July 6, 2004
Assignee:
Mercury Computer Systems, Inc.
Inventors:
Randall G. Banton, Don W. Blanchet, John R. Freeburn, Jr., Jason E. Bardo, A. Gregory Rocco, Jr., Mike W. Gust, Paul N. Zuidema