Patents by Inventor Ronnie L. Watkins

Ronnie L. Watkins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Circuit card rail positioning system
    Patent number: 6522554
    Abstract: A railing system for printed circuit boards, an apparatus and method advantageously allow modular arrangements of printed circuit boards (PCBs) in a shelf and maximize space in a shelf by providing rails on the PCBs that are slidably connectable with card guides in the shelf. The railing system includes a PCB having two sides, at least one of the sides with electronic components disposed thereon, and at least one rail secured to the PCB, the rail being perpendicular to the sides of the PCB, wherein the rail permits insertion of the PCB into a shelf outfitted with one or more guides for securing the rail and the PCB within the shelf by suspension from the rail and independent of further support. The rail in combination with the one or more card guides provide a crude alignment for mating the electrical components on the PCB with connectors disposed in the shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael E. Gomez, Ronnie L. Watkins, Denise L. Smart