Abstract: An edge guide arrangement for circuit boards is disclosed including a guide rail having a circuit board edge-receiving channel with a grounding strip therein. The grounding strip has clips at each end for resiliently grasping the guide rail thereby holding the grounding strip in its position within the channel. The grounding strip with its end clips can be standardized and inventoried in large quantities to be assembled to a variety of guide rails.

Abstract: An optical transmission system for coupling light from LED mounted on circuit boards includes a flexible light pipe that is bonded to a lens unit at one end and receives a fitting base at the other end. The lens unit is made to be pressed into and held in a hole in a panel and receive the light pipe through its rear structure. The fitting base may be shaped to be plugged into a circuit board over a board mounted LED or have the LED contained therein with leads to be soldered into a circuit board metal traces. The lens unit and fitting can be standardized and inventoried in large quantities to be assembled to meet a variety of instrumentation requirements in display panel.

Abstract: A screw retaining spacer includes an outer rigid plastic core and a softer elastic inner core defining a through-hole. The inner core has a plurality of ridges that resiliently grasp the shaft of a screw inserted into the through-hole. Accordingly, screws assembled with these spacers remain assembled. The spacer can be standardized and inventoried in large quantities to meet a variety of screw sizes and tolerance.

Abstract: An apparatus and technique are provided to automatically align an insert for insertion into a hole of a predrilled board. The hole is located by a retractable centering pin on the apparatus to ensure an accurate alignment with the insert, and, once aligned, the insert is inserted into the hole with a force axially applied by the apparatus.