A wide variety of hardware, framework, support structures, apparatus and the like are used to mount electrical connectors, electronic components and other electrical appliances on printed circuit boards or substrates. For instance, various structures are used to mount rather large microprocessor modules or cartridges on the top surface of a printed circuit board (motherboard) of computers such as personal computers.
An inherent problem in mounting microprocessor modules on printed circuit boards in computers or the like is that the modules are relatively large and heavy in comparison to other smaller electronic components, connectors and the like which are mounted on the board. Consequently, the support assembly for mounting the module on the board is large, unduly expensive and comprises multiple components.
For instance, a known support assembly includes a supporting structure disposed on top of the printed circuit board and a securing structure on the bottom of the board, with the structures being interconnected through the board. The bottom securing structure is a multi-component subassembly which includes at least a body portion usually fabricated of plastic material and a plurality of separate metal, externally threaded studs which project through holes in the board from the bottom to the top surface thereof. The supporting structure for the microprocessor module on top of the board also is a multi-component subassembly which includes an elongated support bracket with separate nuts for threadingly engaging the threaded studs extending through the board from the bottom securing structure. Still further components, such as separate metal clips, are used to hold the nuts on the bracket of the top supporting structure. Additionally, assembly of the securing structure on the bottom of the board requires the assembler to access the underside of the printed circuit board. Accessing the underside of the circuit board can increase the likelihood of mishandling and damage which in turn increases quality problems and associated costs.
All of these separate components of the supporting and securing structures of the support assembly and the fact that the assembler must access the underside of the printed circuit board add significantly to the manufacturing and assembly costs of the overall support arrangement. The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a much simpler and less expensive support assembly of the character described, particularly involving considerably fewer components than the prior art described above and capable of assembly without accessing the underside of the printed circuit board.