CN111221388B

CN111221388B - Expansion card clamping mechanism

Info

Publication number: CN111221388B
Application number: CN201811423294.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈世伟
Original assignee: Inventec Pudong Technology Corp; Inventec Corp
Current assignee: Inventec Pudong Technology Corp; Inventec Corp
Priority date: 2018-11-23
Filing date: 2018-11-23
Publication date: 2023-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-23
Also published as: CN111221388A

Abstract

The invention provides an expansion card clamping mechanism which is suitable for an electronic device. The expansion card clamping mechanism comprises a structural member, a connecting piece and a rotating piece. The connecting piece is fixed on the structural member and comprises a shaft lever and a limiting piece. The shaft extends in an engagement direction. The rotating piece comprises a rod body and a plurality of clamping pieces. The rod body comprises a shaft hole and a limiting groove, and the shaft hole extends in the connection direction. The plurality of card clamping pieces are fixedly arranged on the rod body in the connection direction, each card clamping piece comprises a clamping groove which extends perpendicular to the connection direction and is used for clamping one card edge of an expansion card. The rotating piece is sleeved on the shaft rod in a rotating way through the shaft hole. The limiting piece is positioned in the limiting groove to limit the rotation angle range of the rod body relative to the shaft rod around the engagement direction.

Description

Expansion card clamping mechanism

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an expansion card clamping mechanism, and more particularly to an expansion card clamping mechanism suitable for use in an electronic device.

Background

To extend the functionality of computer systems, computer systems use more and more expansion cards (e.g., PCIe display cards) that are longer and longer, relying only on slots to provide the expansion card structure for support, which is not yet sufficient. At present, although an auxiliary fixing design is designed for an expansion card, for example, a fixing chute is arranged in the device for sliding in the card edge so as to achieve the effect of supporting; however, this also limits the mounting direction of the expansion card, which must be parallel to the chute, making this design unsuitable for use in computer systems with compact component arrangements. Or the clamping edge of the expansion card is pressed by the rotary pressing mechanism so as to achieve the fixing effect; however, this method can be usually implemented on a single expansion card, and when there are multiple expansion cards arranged in a clamping manner, it is difficult to support or fix all expansion cards by using the rotary pressing mechanism. Or the sliding block with the sliding groove is used for clamping or separating from the card edge of the expansion card in a sliding way, although the sliding block can not interfere the mounting and dismounting operations of the expansion card after the sliding groove is separated from the expansion card, the sliding block needs to occupy a considerable space in the operation (namely sliding), so the design is also unfavorable for the compact component configuration of the computer system. When the sliding block is provided with a plurality of sliding grooves, the sliding block is easy to incline by pushing one end side of the sliding block, so that the sliding block is not smooth to move, even the sliding block cannot be effectively slid to be positioned, and operation failure is generated; if the middle part of the sliding block is pushed, more operation space is needed, which is more unfavorable for the compact configuration of the components in the computer system. In addition, if the above-mentioned auxiliary fixing structures occupy a relatively large space, it may be disadvantageous to the flexibility of the configuration of the components of the computer system, and also may be disadvantageous to the planning of the heat dissipation airflow (including the flow guiding structure).

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the foregoing problems in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an expansion card clamping mechanism, which is suitable for an electronic device, and uses a rotation operation to achieve the effect of clamping or separating from the edge of the expansion card.

In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides an expansion card clamping mechanism, which is suitable for an electronic device, and the expansion card clamping mechanism includes:

a structural member;

the connecting piece is fixed on the structural part and comprises a shaft rod and a limiting piece, and the shaft rod extends in a joint direction; and

the rotating piece comprises a rod body and a plurality of clamping pieces, the rod body comprises a shaft hole and a limiting groove, the shaft hole extends in the joint direction, the clamping pieces are fixedly arranged on the rod body in the joint direction, each clamping piece comprises a clamping groove, the clamping grooves extend perpendicular to the joint direction, the rotating piece is rotationally sleeved on the shaft rod in the shaft hole, and the limiting pieces are positioned in the limiting grooves to limit the rotating angle range of the rod body around the joint direction relative to the shaft rod.

Optionally, the limiting groove is a slot, is communicated with the shaft hole and extends along the connection direction, and the limiting piece is a plate and extends along the connection direction.

Optionally, the limiting member connects the shaft and the structural member in a direction perpendicular to the engagement direction, and one end of the shaft is fixed on the structural member.

Optionally, the shaft hole comprises an opening, and the slot extends to the opening.

Optionally, the shaft lever includes a hook, and the lever body further includes a slot, into which the hook is engaged.

Optionally, the clamping groove is located between two adjacent clamping pieces.

Optionally, each of the clamping members further includes two parallel plates and a first connecting plate, the two parallel plates are relatively fixed on the rod body and extend perpendicular to the engagement direction, and the first connecting plate is fixed on the rod body and connected between the two parallel plates.

Optionally, the rotating member further includes a second connecting plate fixed on the rod body and connected between two adjacent clamping members.

Optionally, the structure includes a protruding portion, the protruding portion includes a first side and a second side disposed opposite to each other, the rotating member further includes an operating portion fixed to an end of the rod, the rotating member rotates relative to the connecting member to selectively locate at a clamping position and a releasing position, when the rotating member is located at the clamping position, one of the clamping members clamps a card edge of an expansion card in the electronic device, and an abutting side of the operating portion abuts against the first side of the protruding portion, and when the rotating member is located at the releasing position, one of the clamping members is separated from the card edge, and the abutting side of the operating portion abuts against the second side of the protruding portion.

Optionally, the protrusion further includes a first blocking surface located at the first side, a second blocking surface located at the second side, and a guiding surface connecting the first blocking surface and the second blocking surface, wherein a first locking point is defined by the first blocking surface and one side of the guiding surface in a matching manner, a second locking point is defined by the second blocking surface and the other side of the guiding surface in a matching manner, when the rotating member is located at the clamping position, the abutting side of the operating portion is limited at the first locking point, and when the rotating member is located at the releasing position, the abutting side of the operating portion is limited at the second locking point.

The expansion card clamping mechanism is suitable for an electronic device and comprises a structural part, a connecting part and a rotating part. The connecting piece is fixed on the structural member and comprises a shaft rod and a limiting piece, and the shaft rod extends in a joint direction. The rotating piece comprises a rod body and a plurality of clamping pieces, and the clamping pieces are fixedly arranged on the rod body in the connection direction. The rod body comprises a shaft hole and a limiting groove, and the shaft hole extends in the connection direction. Each clamping piece comprises a clamping groove which extends perpendicular to the engagement direction. The rotating piece is sleeved on the shaft rod in a rotating mode through the shaft hole, and the limiting piece is located in the limiting groove to limit the rotating angle range of the rod body around the connecting direction relative to the shaft rod. Therefore, the clamping piece can be positioned at different positions through the rotation operation of the rotation piece, so that the effect of clamping and separating from the edge of the expansion card is realized.

Compared with the prior art, the expansion card clamping mechanism of the invention occupies less space and can still clamp (or support and fix) a plurality of expansion cards. In addition, the expansion card clamping mechanism of the invention uses rotation to drive the card clamping piece to move between different positions, so that the problem that the sliding block is inclined to cause unsmooth movement as in the prior art is avoided by pushing only one end side of the sliding block.

Drawings

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the figures are provided for a better understanding of the present invention and do not constitute any limitation on the scope of the present invention. Wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the internal portion of an electronic device according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the expansion card retaining mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the rotary member of FIG. 2 from another perspective;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the expansion card retaining mechanism of FIG. 1 taken along line X-X;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the rotary member of FIG. 1 in a released position;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a connector according to one embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cantilever of FIG. 6 taken along line Y-Y;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the swivel member of the expansion card clamping mechanism in a clamping position;

FIG. 9 is a top view of the swivel member of the expansion card holding mechanism in a release position;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a connector according to one embodiment.

In the accompanying drawings:

1. electronic equipment

100. System main board

102. Flow guiding structure

1022. Vent opening

104. Expansion card

1042. Card edge

106. 107 expansion card clamping mechanism

1062. Structural member

1062a projection

1062b first side

1062c second side

1062d first stop surface

1062e second stop surface

1062f guide surface

1062g first stuck point

1062h second stuck point

1064. Connecting piece

1064a shaft

1064b stop

1064c side edge

1064d hook

1064d' cantilever

1064e rib

1064f end

10641. Avoidance groove

10642. 10643 end

10644. Inclined plane

1066. Rotary member

1066a rod body

1066b clip holder

1066c axle bore

1066d limit groove

1066e clamping groove

1066f opening

1066g closed end

1066h parallel plate

1066k first connection plate

1066m second connecting plate

1066n clamping groove

1066p operation part

1066q end

1066r abutting side

1068. Direction of engagement

1070. Rotation angle range

Detailed Description

The invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings and the specific embodiments thereof in order to make the objects, advantages and features of the invention more apparent. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and are not drawn to scale, merely for convenience and clarity in aiding in the description of embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, the structures shown in the drawings are often part of actual structures. In particular, the drawings are shown with different emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the various embodiments.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "or" is generally employed in its sense including "and/or" unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

Please refer to fig. 1. An electronic device 1, such as but not limited to a server, according to one embodiment includes a device housing (not shown), a system motherboard 100 disposed within the device housing, a docking structure 102, a plurality of expansion cards 104, and an expansion card clamping mechanism 106. The expansion card 104 is electrically connected to the system motherboard 100, for example, directly inserted into an expansion card slot on the system motherboard 100 or indirectly connected to the system motherboard 100 via a riser card (with a drawer). The expansion card clamping mechanism 106 is operable to clamp one side of the expansion card 104 to assist in securing the expansion card 104; the expansion card holding mechanism 106 may also be operated to disengage the expansion card 104 to facilitate removal and installation of the expansion card 104.

Please refer to fig. 2 to fig. 4. The expansion card clamping mechanism 106 includes a structural member 1062, a connecting member 1064, and a rotating member 1066 within the electronic device 1. The connecting member 1064 is fixed to the structural member 1062 and includes a shaft 1064a and a limiting member 1064b, the shaft 1064a extending in an engagement direction 1068 (shown by an arrow in fig. 2). The rotary member 1066 includes a rod 1066a and a plurality of clamping members 1066b. The rod 1066a includes a shaft hole 1066c and a limiting slot 1066d, and the shaft hole 1066c extends along the engagement direction 1068. The plurality of clamping members 1066b are fixedly disposed on the rod 1066a along a connecting direction 1068, for example, the plurality of clamping members 1066b are fixedly disposed on the rod 1066a along the connecting direction 1068 at intervals, and the clamping members 1066b comprise a clamping slot 1066e extending perpendicular to the connecting direction 1068. The rotating member 1066 is rotatably sleeved on the shaft 1064a through the shaft hole 1066c, and the limiting member 1064b is disposed in the limiting groove 1066d to limit the rotation angle range 1070 (as indicated in fig. 4) of the shaft 1066a around the engagement direction 1068 relative to the shaft 1064 a.

In this embodiment, the shaft 1066c includes an opening 1066f at one end of the rod 1066 a. The limiting slot 1066d is a slot, and is communicated with the shaft hole 1066c and extends to the opening 1066f along the engagement direction 1068; on the other hand, the rod 1066a is logically equivalent to a tube, and has an opening at one end, and the limiting slot 1066d is a slot extending axially from the opening on the tube wall. The limiting member 1064b is a plate member extending along the engagement direction 1068. The retainer 1064b connects the shaft 1064a and the structure 1062 in a direction perpendicular to the engagement direction 1068.

When the rotary member 1066 is assembled to the connecting member 1064, the shaft hole 1066c of the rotary member 1066 aligns with the limiting member 1064b with respect to the Ji Zhougan a and the limiting groove 1066d, and the rotary member 1066 is sleeved on the shaft rod 1064a along the engagement direction 1068. In the present embodiment, the closed end 1066g of the limiting slot 1066d is used to block one side 1064c of the limiting member 1064b, so as to achieve the assembling and positioning effects. Due to the interaction of the stop slot 1066d with the stop 1064b, the range 1070 of rotation angles of the rotary member 1066 relative to the rod 1066a is limited, with the actual setting being dependent on the actual product. In this embodiment, the rotary member 1066 is operable to rotate relative to the connecting member 1064 to selectively assume either a clamped position (as shown in FIG. 1) or a released position (as shown in FIG. 5). When the rotating member 1066 is located at the clamping position, the card clamping members 1066b clamp one card edge 1042 of the corresponding expansion card 104 to assist in fixing the corresponding expansion card 104 (as shown in fig. 1); when the rotary member 1066 is in the release position, the card holders 1066b are disengaged from the card edges 1042 (shown in fig. 5) of the corresponding expansion card 104 to facilitate the removal and installation of the corresponding expansion card 104.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the card holder 1066b includes two parallel plates 1066h and a first connecting plate 1066k. The parallel plate 1066h is relatively fixed to the rod 1066a and extends perpendicular to the engagement direction 1068 to form a clamping slot 1066e. A first connecting plate 1066k is secured to the rod 1066a and connected between the two parallel plates 1066h, which contributes to the structural strength of the clip latches 1066b. The rotating member 1066 further includes a plurality of second connecting plates 1066m fixed on the rod 1066a, wherein the second connecting plates 1066m are connected between two adjacent clamping members 1066b, which is also beneficial to the structural strength of the rod 1066a and the clamping members 1066b.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the shaft 1064a includes a hook 1064d, and the rod 1066a includes a slot 1066n. After the rotary member 1066 is assembled to the connecting member 1064, the hook 1064d is engaged into the slot 1066n, which helps prevent the rotary member 1066 from being disengaged from the connecting member 1064. The hook 1064d protrudes out of the circumferential surface of the shaft 1064a, and the slot 1066n is a through hole and is communicated with the shaft hole 1066c, and the slot 1066n extends perpendicular to the engagement direction 1068, so that the hook 1064d can be kept engaged in the slot 1066n when the rotating member 1066 rotates relative to the shaft 1064 a. In practice, the hook 1064d may be a cantilever 1064d' (as shown in fig. 6). Please refer to fig. 7. In this example, the shaft 1064a includes a avoiding groove 10641 corresponding to the cantilever 1064d ', one end 10642 of the cantilever 1064d' is fixed to one side of the avoiding groove 10641, and the other end 10643 of the cantilever 1064d 'is suspended in the avoiding groove 10641, so that the cantilever 1064d' can elastically deflect in the avoiding groove 10641. The cantilever 1064d ' includes a ramp 10644 for pushing against the rod 1066a to deflect the cantilever 1064d ' downward (as shown in phantom in FIG. 7) to facilitate the engagement of the cantilever 1064d ' into the slot 1066n. When the rotary member 1066 is to be separated from the connecting member 1064, the user can push the hook 1064d (or the cantilever 1064d ') through the slot 1066n by using a tool to separate the hook 1064d (or the cantilever 1064 d') from the slot 1066n, so as to draw the rotary member 1066 from the connecting member 1064. In addition, in the present embodiment, the clamping groove 1066n is located between two adjacent clamping members 1066 b; in other words, the slot 1066n is located at the middle portion of the rod 1066 a.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the shaft 1064a includes a plurality of ribs 1064e extending along the engagement direction 1068 and slidably abutting against the inner wall surface of the shaft hole 1066c (as shown in fig. 2 and 4), which helps to reduce the friction area between the shaft 1064a and the shaft hole 1066c and improve the rotation stability of the shaft 1066a relative to the shaft 1064 a.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the rotating member 1066 includes an operating portion 1066p fixed to an end 1066q of the rod 1066 a; in practice, the rotary member 1066 may be, but is not limited to, integrally formed (e.g., injection molded plastic). The structural member 1062 correspondingly includes a protrusion 1062a. When the rotating member 1066 rotates relative to the shaft 1064a, the protruding portion 1062a and the operating portion 1066p may interfere with each other slightly, and the protruding portion 1062a can be elastically deformed to allow the operating portion 1066p to slide; this may be accomplished by the choice of materials for the protrusions 1062a, or by the structural design of the protrusions 1062a, such as by implementing the protrusions 1062a in a cantilevered configuration. Please refer to fig. 8 and 9. In the present embodiment, the protruding portion 1062a includes a first side 1062b, a second side 1062c, a first blocking surface 1062d located on the first side 1062b, a second blocking surface 1062e located on the second side 1062c, and a guiding surface 1062f connecting the first blocking surface 1062d and the second blocking surface 1062 e. The first blocking surface 1062d cooperates with one side of the guiding surface 1062f to define a first locking point 1062g (shown in the figure with a cross sign), and the second blocking surface 1062e cooperates with the other side of the guiding surface 1062f to define a second locking point 1062h (shown in the figure with a cross sign). The operating portion 1066p includes a top side 1066r. When the rotary member 1066 is in the clamping position (as shown in fig. 1 and 8), the abutment side 1066r of the operating portion 1066p abuts against the first side 1062b of the protruding portion 1062 a; more precisely, the abutment side 1066r of the operating portion 1066p is defined at the first clamping point 1062g. When the rotary member 1066 is in the release position (as shown in fig. 5 and 9), the abutment side 1066r of the operating portion 1066p abuts the second side 1062c of the protruding portion 1062 a; more precisely, the abutment side 1066r of the operating portion 1066p is defined at the second clamping point 1062h. In short, the rotary member 1066 can be stably stopped at the holding position and the releasing position by the interaction of the operating portion 1066p and the protruding portion 1062a.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the connecting piece 1064 is fixed on the structural piece 1062 through the limiting piece 1064b, but the implementation is not limited thereto. For example, depending on the actual structure of the structural member 1062, one end 1064f of the shaft 1064a may also be secured to the structural member 1062, i.e., the shaft 1064a and the retainer 1064b may be connected to each other and to the structural member 1062, which configuration may be advantageous for the strength of the connection between the connector 1064 and the structural member 1062, as shown in FIG. 10 (or as seen directly in FIG. 1 for another expansion card holding mechanism 107). In this example, on the other hand, the connecting member 1064 extends along the engagement direction 1068 and is connected to the structural member 1062, and the limiting member 1064b extends from the shaft 1064a to the structural member 1062 perpendicular to the engagement direction 1068. For another example, the shaft 1064a is directly connected to the structural member 1062, and the limiting member 1064b is indirectly connected to the structural member 1062 through the shaft 1064a, and the specific structure thereof may be obtained based on the foregoing description, so that it is not further illustrated. For another example, the shaft 1064a and the limiting member 1064b are respectively connected to the structural member 1062 and are not connected to each other, and their specific structures may be obtained based on the foregoing description, so they are not further illustrated.

As described above, the expansion card clamping mechanism 106 drives the card clamping member 1066b through a rotation operation, so that less space is occupied and the problem of unsmooth movement caused by the sliding block being inclined by pushing only one end of the sliding block in the prior art is avoided. In addition, in the present embodiment, the structural member 1062 is a part of the flow guiding structure 102, and the flow guiding structure 102 includes a ventilation opening 1022, and the rotating member 1066 is adjacent to the ventilation opening 1022, but is not limited to this configuration in practice. In practice, the structural member 1062 and the connecting member 1064 may be, but not limited to, integrally formed (e.g., injection molded plastic). Since the expansion card clamping mechanism 106 occupies little space, even if the expansion card clamping mechanism 106 occupies a portion of the vent 1022 area, there is in principle little effect on the airflow through the vent 1022. In practice, the structural member 1062 may be another structural member of the electronic device 1 (for example, a structural frame for fixing another structural member). In addition, since the expansion card clamping mechanism 106 occupies little space, it is suitable for arranging a plurality of expansion card clamping mechanisms 106 in an electronic device comprising a plurality of groups of expansion cards (or a plurality of expansion card extracting frames); as shown in fig. 1, another expansion card holding mechanism 107 is further disposed in the electronic device 1, and is used for fixing another set of expansion cards (or an expansion card extracting rack; shown by a dashed box).

The foregoing description is only of the preferred embodiments of the invention, and all changes and modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. An expansion card clamping mechanism adapted for use with an electronic device, said expansion card clamping mechanism comprising:

the structure comprises a protruding part, a first blocking surface, a second blocking surface and a guiding surface, wherein the protruding part comprises a first side and a second side which are oppositely arranged, the first blocking surface is positioned on the first side, the second blocking surface is positioned on the second side, and the guiding surface is connected with the first blocking surface and the second blocking surface;

the rotating piece comprises a rod body, an operation part and a plurality of clamping pieces, the rod body comprises a shaft hole and a limiting groove, the shaft hole extends in the connecting direction, the clamping pieces are fixedly arranged on the rod body in the connecting direction, each clamping piece comprises a clamping groove which extends perpendicular to the connecting direction, the rotating piece is rotationally sleeved on the shaft rod through the shaft hole, and the limiting piece is positioned in the limiting groove to limit the rotating angle range of the rod body around the connecting direction relative to the shaft rod;

the rotating member is rotated relative to the connecting member to be selectively located at a clamping position and a releasing position, when the rotating member is located at the clamping position, one of the clamping members clamps a card edge of an expansion card arranged in the electronic device, one propping side of the operating portion is propped against the first side of the protruding portion, and when the rotating member is located at the releasing position, one of the clamping members is separated from the card edge, and the propping side of the operating portion is propped against the second side of the protruding portion.

2. The expansion card holding mechanism of claim 1, wherein said limit slot is a slot communicating with said shaft hole and extending in said engagement direction, said limit member being a plate member extending in said engagement direction.

3. The expansion card holding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said stopper connects said shaft and said structural member in a direction perpendicular to said engagement direction, and one end of said shaft is fixed to said structural member.

4. The expansion card clamping device as recited in claim 3, wherein said shaft aperture includes an opening, said slot extending to said opening.

5. The expansion card holding mechanism of claim 1, wherein said shaft comprises a hook, said shaft further comprising a slot, said hook being engaged into said slot.

6. The expansion card of claim 5, wherein said card slot is located between two adjacent said card holders.

7. The expansion card of claim 1, wherein each of said card holders further comprises two parallel plates and a first connecting plate, said two parallel plates being relatively fixed to said rod and extending perpendicular to said engagement direction, said first connecting plate being fixed to said rod and connected between said two parallel plates.

8. The expansion card of claim 7, wherein said rotating member further comprises a second connecting plate fixed to said rod and connected between two adjacent said card holders.

9. The expansion card clamping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first blocking surface cooperates with one side of the guiding surface to define a first clamping point, the second blocking surface cooperates with the other side of the guiding surface to define a second clamping point, the abutting side of the operating portion is limited to the first clamping point when the rotating member is located at the clamping position, and the abutting side of the operating portion is limited to the second clamping point when the rotating member is located at the releasing position.