Abstract: A heat sink assembly for use with edge connectors, e.g., card edge connectors, of cards or printed circuit boards. The heat sink assembly provides a relatively large heat transfer capacity to control temperatures in contacts of the edge connectors which increases the current rating of the connector by allowing more current to pass through the connector. The heat sink assembly includes fins attached to the edge connector power and ground leads by direct thermal connection, such as soldering, to traces in the board. The fins are connected to the power and ground leads in an alternating or interweaved fashion. The fins are fabricated from thermal conducting material and heat is conducted to the fins where it is removed by the relatively large surface area of the fins. Adjacent fins are electrically isolated such that power and ground fins do not contact.

Abstract: A heat sink assembly for use with edge connectors, e.g., card edge connectors, of cards or printed circuit boards. The heat sink assembly provides a relatively large heat transfer capacity to control temperatures in contacts of the edge connectors which increases the current rating of the connector by allowing more current to pass through the connector. The heat sink assembly includes fins attached to the edge connector power and ground leads by direct thermal connection, such as soldering, to traces in the board. The fins are connected to the power and ground leads in an alternating or interweaved fashion. The fins are fabricated from thermal conducting material and heat is conducted to the fins where it is removed by the relatively large surface area of the fins. Adjacent fins are electrically isolated such that power and ground fins do not contact.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the physical presence, proper electrical coupling and predetermined identifying characteristics and attributes of various computer system elements and components, including both fixed and removable modules such as field replaceable units ("FRUs"), utilizing a minimum number of signal lines per component. In a preferred embodiment, a voltage divider is established between a first resistance in an environmental monitoring unit ("EMU") and a second resistance in an associated FRU wherein a voltage level taken intermediate the first and second resistances is indicative of a particular FRU attribute.

Abstract: An overcurrent sensing circuit for use with a voltage regulator, such as a linear post regulator for a power supply, utilizes a field effect transistor (FET) both as the pass element for the voltage regulator, and as a current sense resistor. The output voltage from the FET is fed back to an input of a differential amplifier, which generates a control voltage for the gate of the FET, so that the output voltage will remain constant. If an overcurrent condition occurs through the FET, the control voltage will exceed a set point, thus driving the FET into saturation, and sensing circuitry will generate an overcurrent output that can be utilized to shut off the regulator. A single sensing circuit can be used for multiple regulators if desired.