DE202013101618U1 - Arrangement with a carrier plate of a computer housing and a spacer element - Google Patents

Abstract

Arrangement (AO) with a carrier plate (TB) of a computer housing and a spacer element (AHE) for attaching a printed circuit board to the carrier plate (TB), wherein -. the support plate (TB) for fixing the spacer element (AHE) has three retaining tabs (HL) for the positive engagement of the spacer element (AHE) and an elastic locking element (AE); the spacer element (AHE) can be pushed under the three retaining tabs (HL), so that the locking element (AE) with the non-retaining tabs (HL) embraced side (S2) of the spacer element (AHE) locked.

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement with a carrier plate of a computer housing and a spacer element for securing a printed circuit board to the carrier plate.

Computer cases are mass products that are subject to high price competition. Due to the high price war and the large quantities produced, savings in the assembly time of a computer system are extremely important. During the entire assembly process of a computer various sub-processes, which relate to the mounting of motherboards, controllers or other components of the computer, executed. Among other things, a circuit board is mounted in a sub-process.

For assembling the printed circuit board in a computer case, various prior art techniques and arrangements are known. One possible approach is the mounting of the circuit board on spacer elements or spacers, such as so-called upright or bolt, which are mounted in a support plate of the computer case. The spacers usually have a central bore for receiving screws. By means of the spacers, the printed circuit board is spaced from the carrier sheet, for example, so that solder contacts of the printed circuit board do not come into contact with the carrier sheet. Alternatively, also clamped in the support plate sheet metal claws, firmly pressed into the support plate stud bolts or embossed in the support plate spacers are used.

In the described alternatives or procedures, there are several disadvantages. So firmly pressed spacers are not removable. Likewise, embossed spacers are not removable or removable. Standing or bolt, which must be screwed into the carrier plate, require the use of additional tools and thus also require a longer assembly or disassembly time. Due to their design, clamped sheet metal claws can not be removed indefinitely and experience very easily impermissible deformation up to breakage or loss. Since computer housings are increasingly spatially packed closer and tight, it can also lead to mounting obstructions when assemblies must be passed in areas firmly pressed or embossed spacers.

An object of the invention is based is to provide an arrangement with a support plate of a computer case, so saved in the assembly of a circuit board over the prior art assembly time and easy disassembly or assembly of spacer elements can be realized.

The object is achieved by the features of the main claim and further developed by the features of the subordinate claims in an advantageous manner.

Here, an arrangement with a carrier plate of a computer housing and a spacer element for attaching the circuit board is provided on the support plate.

The support plate has for fixing the spacer element on three retaining tabs for positive gripping the spacer element and an elastic locking element. The spacer element can be pushed under the three retaining tabs, so that the locking element locked with the not gripped by retaining tabs side of the spacer element.

The arrangement thus provides a modular, removable spacer or a spacer element, which can be quickly installed and removed without tools and effort. The spacer element completely assumes the function of a fixed spacer. The spacer element is mechanically fixed to the support plate by means of the three retaining tabs and the locking element. Here, the spacer element is secured immovably substantially in all directions. The spacer element can be used in spatially narrow areas of a computer housing, for example, if screwing a stud bolt on the support plate would not be possible.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the locking element is a metal tongue, which protrudes at an acute angle from the carrier plate in the direction of the three retaining tabs. The metal tongue represents a simple embodiment of the elastic locking element and can easily be pivoted against the spring force during assembly of the spacer element or lock with the spacer element. For a permanent contact especially ensures the elastic locking element. Vibrations, vibrations or other mechanical loads cause no separation of the electrical contact, since the locking element is always in contact with the spacer element due to the elasticity.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the spacer element is made of a metal material and thus forms an electrically conductive connection with the carrier plate. As a result, for example, a ground contact between the circuit board and the carrier plate of the computer case ensured.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the three retaining tabs and / or the locking element are integrally formed out of the carrier plate, in particular by embossing and / or stamping forming process. The retaining tabs and / or the locking element are thus produced in a simple manner. In particular, carrier plates of computer housings are in any case subjected to one or more embossing and / or stamping forming processes, so that the production of the holding tabs and / or the arresting element requires no additional work step.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the three retaining tabs and / or the elastic locking element in the direction normal to an extension plane of the support plate on a lower height than the spacer element. This offers the advantage that the retaining tabs and / or the locking element essentially do not interfere with the installation space of other components of a computer system when no spacer element is used. In particular, there is essentially no mounting interference when such a component must be guided past in the region of the retaining tabs and / or the locking element.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the spacer element has a plate-shaped base body and a survey with a thread which is adapted to receive fastening screws for fastening a printed circuit board, wherein the three retaining tabs engage around the main body from three sides. This makes it possible to produce a spacer element with a low body height. There are therefore only small heights necessary for the retaining tabs or the elastic locking element, resulting in the above advantages.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the survey is integrally formed out of the main body of the spacer element, in particular by embossing and / or stamping forming process. This creates the advantages already mentioned above.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, an angled locking tab for locking with the locking element is formed on one side of the spacer element. As a result, the locking element mechanically securely lock with the spacer element, so that substantially no movement of the spacer element is more possible and this is thus mechanically securely positioned on the support plate.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the carrier plate is a housing wall of a computer housing. This further simplifies the manufacturing process and the printed circuit board can thus be mounted directly on the computer housing via the spacer element.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments and four figures.

In the figures show:

1 a schematic perspective view of a spacer element,

2 a schematic, perspective section of a support plate with retaining tabs and a locking element,

3 a schematic perspective view of an arrangement with the support plate and the spacer element and

4 a schematic side view of the arrangement with the spacer element and the support plate.

1 shows a schematic, perspective view of a spacer element AHE. The spacer element AHE has a plate-shaped basic body PG with a central elevation E. The elevation E has a flat area FB with a bore B in the middle. The bore B has an internal thread G. The spacer element AHE further has an angled locking tab AL on one side.

The spacer element AHE according to 1 is adapted to be mounted on a support plate of a computer case. On the flat area FB, a circuit board can be screwed spaced from the support plate by means of the thread G. The spacer element AHE is made, for example, of a metallic material and has a sheet-like character. Thus, the plate-shaped base PG has only a small height H1.

For example, the spacer element AHE can be produced by means of an embossing and / or stamping forming process. In particular, the survey E can be made by means of such forming processes. Alternatively, the survey E may also consist of one or more separate components, which are mounted on the plate-shaped body GK, for example riveted, screwed, glued or pressed. The spacer element AHE is thus easy to produce in large quantities. The production costs can thus be kept very low.

2 shows by way of example a schematic, perspective section of a support plate TB, on which the spacer element AHE according to 1 can be mounted. The support plate TB, which may be a housing wall of a computer housing, for example, has three retaining tabs HL and an elastic locking element AE. The elastic locking element AE is designed as a sheet metal tongue, which protrudes at an acute angle from the support plate in the direction of the three retaining tabs HL. This is later based 4 shown more clearly.

The retaining tabs HL and the elastic locking element AE are integrally formed out of the support plate TB. Analogous to the spacer element AHE 1 This can be done by means of embossing and / or stamping. Alternatively, the retaining tabs HL and / or the elastic locking member AE may be separate structural components which are mounted on the support plate TB, for example, riveted, screwed, glued or pressed.

By means of the retaining tabs HL and the locking element AE can now be a spacer element AHE according to 1 be recorded and fixed mechanically secure on the support plate TB. This is based on the 3 and 4 shown.

The 3 and 4 on the one hand show a perspective, schematic representation and on the other hand, a schematic side view of an arrangement AO with the spacer element AHE according to 1 and the carrier sheet TB according to 2 , The spacer element AHE is mechanically fixed and securely fixed to the support plate TB.

For assembly, the spacer element AHE in a first direction R1 (s. 4 ) pressed against the spring force of the elastic locking member AE on the support plate TB and in a second direction R2 (s. 3 ) pushed under the retaining tabs HL. The direction R2 in this case runs essentially parallel to an extension plane of the carrier sheet TB. The spring force of the locking element AE acts essentially in the normal direction of the plane of extension of the support plate TB. The spacer element AHE is now completely pushed under the retaining tabs HL, which means completely that the spacer element AHE is positively embraced on three sides of the retaining tabs HL and a side S1 at the in 3 holding tab HL arranged on the right strikes. In this case, the elastic locking element AE locks with the spacer element AHE on a side S2, which is not encompassed by a retaining tab HL. In this case, an end region EB of the elastic locking element AE, which protrudes furthest from the carrier plate TB, lies beneath the locking tab AL on the spacer-holding element AHE.

The spacer element AHE is thus mechanically securely fixed to the support plate TB and can not be pushed out of the retaining tabs against the direction R2. Sliding back and falling out of the spacer element AHE is prevented by the elastic locking element AE. Thus, an exact fixation of the spacer element AHE and thus ensures an exact Anschraubposition for the PCB in the X, Y and Z axis.

As based on 4 can be seen, the elastic locking member AE has an acute angle α, which is open in the direction of the retaining tabs HL. It can also be seen that the retaining tabs HL and the locking element AE have a very small height H2, ie an overall height, in the normal direction to the plane of extent of the carrier sheet TB, wherein in the illustrated embodiment the height H1 is smaller than the height H2. Alternatively, the height H1 can also be greater than the height H2, wherein it should always be noted that the heights H1 and H2 are very small. If, for example, no spacer element AHE is required, then the retaining tabs HL or the elastic locking element AE do not interfere in the installation space of a computer system with other components, components or printed circuit board, which are arranged in this region of the carrier plate TB.

Thus, an arrangement AO is shown, by means of which in a simple manner and without tools, a spacer element AHE can be mounted so that on this a circuit board can be attached. The printed circuit board is thus arranged at a distance from the carrier plate TB. The spacer element AHE can be used modularly and as needed. For example, a plurality of groups with retaining straps HL and locking elements AE can be introduced into a carrier sheet TB, so that spacer retaining elements AHE can be mounted quickly and easily, depending on the dimension of printed circuit boards to be screwed.

If a mounted spacer AHE element to be dismantled, this can also be done without tools and in a simple manner. For this purpose, only the elastic locking member AE must be pressed in the direction of R1 against the support plate TB, so that the spacer element AHE can be pushed or pulled against the direction R2 from the retaining tabs HL. The assembly or disassembly of the spacer element AHE can be done within a few seconds and thus saves valuable time in assembly processes.

The spacer element AHE can be assembled or disassembled as often as desired. This is mainly because the elastic locking member AE does not have to withstand high forces and thus is relatively wear.

In the illustrated embodiment according to 1 the spacer element AHE is substantially rectangular or square. However, other forms are conceivable. In the same way, the retaining tabs HL can be configured differently and vary in terms of their length and width parallel to the plane of extension of the support plate TB. This allows an improved mechanical fixation of the spacer element AHE on the support plate and prevents, for example, a breaking out of the retaining tabs HL in case of improper disassembly of the spacer element AHE.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

• AE

  locking

  AHE

  Spacer element

  AL

  angled flap

  AO

  arrangement

  B

  drilling

  e

  survey

  EB

  end

  FB

  flat area

  G

  thread

  H1

  height

  H2

  height

  HL

  retaining tab

  PG

  plate-shaped body

  R1

  direction

  R2

  direction

  S1

  page

  S2

  page

  TB

  support plate

  α

  angle

Claims (9)

Arrangement (AO) with a carrier plate (TB) of a computer housing and a spacer element (AHE) for attaching a printed circuit board to the carrier plate (TB), wherein - The support plate (TB) for fixing the spacer element (AHE) has three retaining tabs (HL) for positive engagement of the spacer element (AHE) and an elastic locking element (AE) and - The spacer element (AHE) under the three retaining tabs (HL) can be pushed so that the locking element (AE) with the not by retaining tabs (HL) embraced side (S2) of the spacer element (AHE) locked. Arrangement (AO) according to claim 1, wherein the locking element (AE) is a metal tongue which projects at an acute angle from the carrier plate (TB) in the direction of the three retaining tabs (HL). Arrangement (AO) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spacer element (AHE) is made of a metal material and forms an electrically conductive connection with the carrier plate (TB). Arrangement (AO) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the three retaining tabs (HL) and / or the locking element (AE) are integrally formed out of the support plate (TB), in particular by stamping and / or stamping. Arrangement (AO) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the three retaining tabs (HL) and / or the elastic locking element (AE) in the direction normal to an extension plane of the support plate (TB) a lower height (H1, H2) than the spacer element ( AHE). Arrangement (AO) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the spacer element (AHE) has a plate-shaped base body (PG) and a protrusion (E) with a thread (G) which is adapted to receive fastening screws for fixing a printed circuit board , wherein the three retaining tabs (HL) engage around the base body (PG) from three sides. Arrangement (AO) according to claim 6, wherein the elevation (E) is integrally formed out of the main body (GK) of the spacer element (AHE), in particular by embossing and / or stamping forming process. Arrangement (AO) according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein at the not by retaining tabs (HL) embraced side (S2) of the spacer element (AHE) an angled locking tab (AL) for locking with the locking element (AE) is formed. Arrangement (AO) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the carrier plate (TB) is a housing wall of a computer housing.

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