CARD GUIDE MISALIGNMENT PREVENTION APPARATUSES AND METHODS

1 . A card guide system for facilitating insertion of printed circuit boards (PCBs) into a telecommunications equipment chassis, the card guide system comprising:

a support member for supporting a plurality of pairs of parallel rails extending outward from the support member and across portions of a surface of the support member, wherein each pair of parallel rails forms a card guide for guiding a PCB across the surface to an electrical connector into which each PCB is inserted, the pairs of parallel rails being spaced from each other on the surface; and

a plurality of misalignment prevention members extending outward from the surface of the support member between adjacent card guides for preventing PCB misalignment, wherein the support member, rails, and misalignment prevention members are of unitary construction.

2 . The card guide system of claim 1 , wherein the support member facilitates insertion of the PCBs into mid-plane connectors in the chassis.

3 . The card guide system of claim 1 , wherein the support member facilitates insertion of the PCBs into back-plane connectors in the chassis.

4 . The card guide system of claim 1 , wherein the support member, rails, and misalignment prevention members are fabricated from sheet metal.

5 . The card guide system of claim 4 , wherein the rails and the misalignment prevention members are formed by bending portions of the support member.

6 . The card guide system of claim 1 , wherein each pair of rails extends outward at an angle from the support member.

7 . The card guide system of claim 1 , wherein each pair of parallel rails includes a discontinuity on the surface of the support member.

8 . The card guide system of claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a plurality of apertures and wherein each rail is adjacent to an aperture.

9 . The card guide system of claim 8 , wherein each misalignment prevention member is adjacent to an aperture and extends in a direction transverse to each rail.

10 . The card guide system of claim 8 , wherein the misalignment prevention members and the rails are formed by bending outwards edges of the support member that form sides of each aperture.

11 . A telecommunications equipment chassis:

electrical connectors located in the chassis; and

a first card guide system attached to the chassis for facilitating insertion of printed circuit boards (PCBs) into the chassis, wherein the first card guide system includes a support member for supporting a plurality of parallel rails extending outward from the support member and across portions of a surface of the support member, wherein each pair of parallel rails forms a card guide for guiding a PCB across the surface to an electrical connector into which each PCB is inserted, the pairs of parallel rails being spaced from each other on the surface, and a plurality of misalignment prevention members extending outward from the surface of the support member between adjacent card guides for preventing PCB misalignment, wherein the support member, rails, and misalignment prevention members are of unitary construction.

12 . The chassis of claim 11 comprising:

a second card guide system attached to the chassis for facilitating insertion of printed circuit boards (PCBs) into the chassis.

13 . The chassis of claim 12 , wherein the first card guide system is attached above the electrical connectors in the chassis and the second card guide system is attached below the electrical connectors in the chassis, wherein a card guide from the first card guide system is aligned to guide a top edge of a PCB and a corresponding card guide from the second card guide system is aligned to guide a bottom edge of the PCB such that a connector of the PCB engages an electrical connector in the chassis, wherein misalignment prevention members of the first and second card guide systems prevent the top and bottom edges of the PCB from being misaligned.

14 . A method for preventing misalignment of cards into a telecommunications equipment chassis, the method comprising:

providing electrical connectors in a telecommunications equipment chassis for engaging PCBs; and

attaching a card guide system to the chassis for facilitating insertion of printed circuit boards (PCBs) into the chassis, wherein the card guide system includes a support member for supporting a plurality of parallel rails extending outward from the support member and across portions of a surface of the support member, wherein each pair of parallel rails forms a card guide for guiding a PCB across the surface to an electrical connector into which each PCB is inserted, the pairs of parallel rails being spaced from each other on the surface, and a plurality of misalignment prevention members extending outward from the surface of the support member between adjacent card guides for preventing PCB misalignment, wherein the support member, rails, and misalignment prevention members are of unitary construction.

15 . The method of claim 14 comprising:

attaching a second card guide system to the chassis for facilitating insertion of printed circuit boards (PCBs) into the chassis.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first card guide system is attached above the electrical connectors in the chassis and the second card guide system is attached below the electrical connectors in the chassis, wherein a card guide from the first card guide system is aligned to guide a top edge of a PCB and a corresponding card guide from the second card guide system is aligned to guide a bottom edge of the PCB such that a connector of the PCB engages an electrical connector in the chassis, wherein misalignment prevention members of the first and second card guide systems prevent the top and bottom edges of the PCB from being misaligned.