In many electronics systems, including computer systems, a large number of electronic components, which make up the system, generally are arranged on one or more circuit boards or cards. Typically these circuit boards are arranged in parallel within a chassis. A backplane, upon which a number of connectors are located, closes one end of the chassis. When the circuit boards are in place within the chassis, the backplane connectors supply signal, electrical power and ground connections to each of the circuit boards.
For the backplane connector to supply power and signals to the circuit board, each circuit board has a circuit board connector. Each circuit board connector has contact pins which engage corresponding contact pins within the connectors of the backplane. The pins within each backplane connector tightly grip the pins on the corresponding circuit board connector of the circuit board and a good deal of force is required to engage or disengage the circuit board connector of the circuit board and the connectors of the backplane.
Typically, each circuit board has one or more inserter/ejector levers located at a corner at the outer edge of the circuit board. In a two lever system, a first lever engages one surface of the chassis while a second lever engages a second surface of the chassis. Such levers reduce the amount of effort required to force the pins of the circuit board connector of the circuit board into the backplane connector. Conversely, the levers reduce the amount of effort required to pull the pins of the circuit board connector of the circuit board from the backplane connector. Also typically these levers are constructed to facilitate the entry and withdrawal of the circuit board in a single motion.
The present invention relates to a circuit board inserter/ejector system which first acts to align the circuit board circuit board connectors with the connectors of a backplane and once alignment has occurred, provides the mechanical advantage to ease the insertion (and removal) of the circuit board circuit board connectors into the backplane connectors.