TWI831563B - Locking device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present application discloses a locking device comprising: a mounting base fixed to a second object, the mounting base includes two side walls opposing along a transverse direction and defining a side appearance of the locking device; a locking member disposed between the two side walls of the mounting base and moveable relative to the mounting seat along a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, so as to move between a locked position for locking the first object with respect to a second object and an unlocked position for unlocking the first object, the locking member including a top plate covering a top end of the mounting base that is open vertically perpendicular to the transverse and longitudinal directions; and a spring disposed between the mounting base and the locking member to bias the locking member toward the locked position. The installation seat also includes two first guide parts and two second guide parts; the locking part also includes two first sliders and two second sliders.

Description

locking device

This application relates to a locking device.

A locking device is a common device used to secure or unlock a first object to a second object.

Electronic equipment such as servers often require locking devices in order to lock or unlock the circuit board. In such a use environment, the locking device is required to have a simple structure, easy operation, and small size. On this basis, the locking device itself is also required to be stable and reliable in operation and not easy to disintegrate. Moreover, the locking device is also required to have a clean appearance to avoid scratches with other objects.

Therefore, there are new challenges for the design of locking devices.

A locking device according to the present application is used to lock a first object to a second object, characterized in that the locking device includes: a mounting base fixed to the second object, the mounting base includes a transversely opposite and Two side walls defining the side appearance of the locking device; a locking piece, disposed between the two side walls of the mounting base, can move longitudinally relative to the mounting base perpendicular to the transverse direction, so as to move relative to the mounting base in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction The second object moves between a locking position for locking the first object and an unlocking position for unlocking the first object, and the locking member includes a top plate, The top plate covers the top end of the mounting base that is open in a vertical direction perpendicular to the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction; and a spring is disposed between the mounting base and the locking piece to bias the locking piece. to the locked position. Wherein: the mounting base further includes: two first guide parts, respectively provided at the longitudinal front ends of the two side walls, and extending transversely inwardly from the corresponding side walls; and two second guide parts, respectively provided at at the longitudinal rear ends of the two side walls and extending transversely inwardly from the corresponding side walls; the locking member also includes: two first slide blocks, respectively connected below the front end of the top plate and slidably disposed on below the two first guide parts; and two second slide blocks, respectively connected below the rear end of the top plate and slidably disposed below the two second guide parts.

In one embodiment, the two first guide parts, the two second guide parts, the two first slide blocks, and the two second slide blocks are respectively arranged symmetrically along the transverse direction.

In one embodiment, each second slider includes: a second slider rear wall and a second slider side wall, respectively extending vertically downward from the top plate, and the second slider rear wall is located at the The rear end of the top plate; and the second slider bottom wall, the second slider rear wall and the second slider side wall together form a space open toward the front and outside.

In one embodiment, the first guide portion and the second guide portion located on the same side are aligned along the longitudinal direction; and the first slide block and the second slide block located on the same side are aligned along the longitudinal direction. Describe the longitudinal alignment.

In one embodiment, the two first guide parts, the two second guide parts, the two first slide blocks, and the two second slide blocks are respectively arranged asymmetrically along the transverse direction; The first guide part and the second guide part are staggered along the longitudinal direction; and the first slide block and the second slide block located on the same side are staggered along the longitudinal direction.

In one embodiment, a longitudinally extending chute is provided at approximately the longitudinal center of each side wall of the mounting base; the locking member further includes: two insertion parts, respectively inserted into two in the sliding groove to limit the longitudinal movement of the locking piece.

In one embodiment, each of the insertion parts includes: a support rod extending vertically downward from the top plate of the locking member; and a plug extending laterally outward from the lower end of the support rod and inserted into the in the chute.

In one embodiment, there is a concave slot formed on the inside of each side wall of the mounting base, and the slot extends from the rear end of the chute along the vertical direction to the top of the side wall, and It is connected to the rear end of the chute and is used for the installation of the insertion part.

In one embodiment, the locking member further includes: a spring mounting portion disposed as a rod extending along the transverse direction at substantially the longitudinal center of the top plate; a spring abutment portion extending along the vertical direction from the top plate. Extending downward and located in front of the spring mounting portion; the spring is a torsion spring and includes: a first end of the spring, which abuts the spring abutment portion; a second end of the spring, which abuts the end of the mounting base. The inner side of the plate, the end plate is located between the rear ends of the two side walls; and the coil spring part is sleeved on the spring mounting part.

In one embodiment, the mounting base further includes: a locking platform located at the front end of the mounting base and is in a semi-cylindrical shape; the locking piece further includes: a locking portion extending forward from the front end of the top plate in a shape of Semi-circular and with a tapered top surface; when the locking piece is in the locking position, the locking part is located vertically above the locking platform, so that there is a gap between the locking part and the locking platform. The first object can be clamped.

100: Locking device

110: Locking piece

111: Top plate

112: First slider

113: Second slider

113a:Second slider rear wall

113b: Second slider side wall

113c: Bottom wall of the second slider

114: Insertion part

114a: Support rod

114b:Plug

115:Lock Department

116:Operation Department

117:Spring installation part

118: Spring abutment part

120:Mounting base

121:Side wall

122:First Guidance Department

123:Second Guidance Department

124:Chute

125:Slot

126:Lock stage

127:End plate

128:Installation Department

129:Mounting hole

130:Spring

131:First end of spring

132:Second end of spring

133: Coil spring part

200:First object

300:Second object

In the following, embodiments of the present application will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1A to 1E are respectively a front view and a left view of the locking device according to the present application. Figure, right view, top view, bottom view;

Figures 1F to 1I are respectively three-dimensional views of the locking device from different angles;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the locking device;

Figures 3A and 3B are respectively perspective views of the mounting base of the locking device from different angles;

4A to 4C are respectively perspective views of the locking member of the locking device from different angles;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the spring of the locking device;

Figures 6A and 6B show side views of the locking device in the locking position and the release position respectively;

Figure 7 is an exemplary application scenario showing a locking device.

8A and 8B are respectively a side view and a top view of the locking device applied to the first object and the second object in the locking position, and FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 8B;

9A and 9B are respectively a side view and a top view of the locking device applied to the first object and the second object in the release position, and FIG. 9C is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 9B.

While the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention should not be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in these details within the scope of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention.

Directional descriptions such as "front", "back", "upper" and "lower" involved in this article are only For the convenience of understanding, the present invention is not limited to these directions, but can be adjusted according to actual conditions.

The locking device 100 according to the present application is first described as a whole with reference to FIGS. 1A to 2 . The locking device 100 includes: a mounting base 120, a locking piece 110, and a spring 130.

The mount 120 is secured to a second object 300 such as a circuit board. The locking member 110 is provided on the mounting base 120, is at least partially inserted in the mounting base 120, and can lock or unlock the first object 200 such as another circuit board (the first object 200 and the second object 300) relative to the second object 300. Object 300 (see Figure 7). The spring 130 is disposed between the mounting base 120 and the locking member 110 to bias the locking member 110 toward the locking position.

For the convenience of description, in this article, the direction in which the locking member 110 moves relative to the mounting base 120 is called the longitudinal direction (front and back direction), and the direction in which the mounting base 120 is inserted into the second object 300 is called the vertical direction. The same as the longitudinal direction. The direction perpendicular to the vertical is called the transverse direction.

The specific structure of the mounting base 120 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. As shown in the figure, the mounting base 120 includes: a side wall 121, a first guide part 122, a second guide part 123, a slide groove 124, a slot 125, a locking platform 126, an end plate 127, a mounting part 128, and a mounting hole 129.

The two side walls 121 of the mounting base 120 are laterally opposite and define the side appearance of the locking device 100 . That is, the two side walls 121 of the mounting base 120 are located at the outermost sides of the locking device 100, so that the locking device 100 has a neat appearance.

The two first guide portions 122 are respectively provided at the longitudinal front ends of the two side walls 121 and extend transversely inwardly from the corresponding side walls 121 . The two second guide portions 123 are respectively provided at the longitudinal rear ends of the two side walls 121 and extend transversely inwardly from the corresponding side walls 121 .

The first guide part 122 and the second guide part 123 are protrusions protruding inward at the front end and the rear end respectively. When the locking piece 110 slides longitudinally relative to the mounting base 120, the first guide portion 122 and the second guide portion 123 guide and restrict the locking piece 110 at the front end and the rear end respectively, This makes the sliding of the locking member 110 smoother and less likely to break away from the mounting base 120 .

More specifically, in this embodiment, the two first guide parts 122 and the two second guide parts 123 are respectively arranged symmetrically along the transverse direction. The first guide portion 122 and the second guide portion 123 located on the same side are aligned longitudinally. However, it should be understood that according to actual requirements, the two first guide portions 122 and the two second guide portions 123 can be arranged asymmetrically in the transverse direction. For example, the first guide portion 122 on one side can be compared with the first guide portion 122 on the other side. The portion 122 is further forward or rearward. The first guide portion 122 and the second guide portion 123 located on the same side can also be staggered along the longitudinal direction. For example, the first guide portion 122 located on the same side can be disposed closer to the transverse inner side or closer to the transverse outer side than the second guide portion 123 . .

The chute 124 is opened substantially at the longitudinal center of each side wall 121 of the mounting base 120 and extends longitudinally. The sliding groove 124 provides a sliding track for the plug 114b of the locking member 110, so that the locking member 110 slides more smoothly and is less likely to break away from the mounting base 120.

More specifically, the inner side of each side wall 121 of the mounting base 120 has a concave slot 125 . The slot 125 extends vertically from the rear end of the chute 124 to the top of the side wall 121 , and is connected with the rear end of the chute 124 . The ends are connected for installation of the insertion portion 114 (Fig. 4A to Fig. 4B) of the locking member 110. In this way, the insertion portion 114 of the locking piece 110 is allowed to be vertically inserted into the sliding groove 124 . Moreover, the insertion portion 114 is engaged into the chute 124 along the slot 125 through its own elastic deformation, and it cannot easily exit the chute 124 vertically (of course, it is more difficult to exit the chute 124 longitudinally). In this way, accidental disassembly of the locking device 100 is further prevented.

The end plate 127 of the mounting base 120 is located between the rear ends of the two side walls 121 , which generally closes the rear end of the mounting base 120 and provides a resisting surface for the spring 130 .

The locking platform 126 is located at the front end of the mounting base 120 and has a semi-cylindrical shape. The locking platform 126 abuts against the lower surface of the first object 200 to fix the first object 200 . In other embodiments, the locking platform 126 may also have different cross-sectional shapes, such as square, trapezoidal, oval, etc.

The mounting portion 128 is located at the bottom surface of the mounting base 120 and protrudes downward from the bottom surface so as to Fixed to second object 300. The shape and position of the mounting portion 128 can be adjusted according to actual conditions. A mounting hole 129 is also provided in the center of the locking platform 126 so that the mounting base 120 can be fixed to the second object 300 through bolts. In some embodiments, the mounting part 128 and the mounting hole 129 may not be provided, but the mounting base 120 may be fixed to the second object 300 by welding.

The specific structure of the locking member 110 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 4C . The locking piece 110 includes a top plate 111, a first slide block 112, a second slide block 113, an insertion part 114, a locking part 115, an operating part 116, and a spring mounting part 117.

The top plate 111 of the locking member 110 is generally square in shape and extends in the longitudinal and transverse planes, covering the top of the mounting base 120 . More specifically, when the locking member 110 is in the locking position, the top plate 111 is generally aligned with the bottom plate of the mounting base 120 . In this way, the locking member 110 and the mounting base 120 together form a closed substantially square box-shaped structure. Except for the locking portion 115 and the locking platform 126 for locking the first object 200, the entire locking device 100 has almost no components extending outside the box-like structure, thereby minimizing obstruction of other nearby objects and conducive to a compact installation environment.

The two first slide blocks 112 are respectively connected below the front end of the top plate 111 and are slidably disposed below the two first guide parts 122 . The two second slide blocks 113 are respectively connected below the rear end of the top plate 111 and are slidably disposed below the two second guide parts 123 .

The positions of the first slide block 112 and the second slide block 113 and the longitudinal lengths of the first guide part 122 and the second guide part 123 may be set such that when the locking member 110 is in the locking position, the first guide part 122 and the second guide part 123 The guide portion 123 limits the locking member 110 vertically, that is, blocks above the first slide block 112 and the second slide block 113 respectively. However, when the locking member 110 is in the unlocking position, the first guide portion 122 and the second guide portion 123 will not vertically restrict the locking member 110 , that is, they will not block the first slider 112 and the second slider 113 . above. Such structure of the first guide portion 122 and the second guide portion 123 allows the locking device 100 to be assembled vertically. Because the assembly direction (vertical direction) of the locking member 110 is different from the moving direction (longitudinal direction) of the locking-unlocking movement, The locking piece 110 is not easily separated from the mounting base 120 during the locking-unlocking process. That is, stable operation of the locking device 100 is ensured while saving the number of components as much as possible.

Since there are two first slide blocks 112 , two second slide blocks 113 , two first guide parts 122 and two second guide parts 123 , there are as many as four locks between the locking member 110 and the mounting base 120 . points, and these four locking points are distributed along the longitudinal and transverse directions of the locking device 100 . Thanks to the arrangement of the above locking points, when the locking member 110 is in the locking position and clamps the first object 200 such as a circuit board, it can overcome the vertical displacement of the first object 200 when it is impacted or vibrated, thereby minimizing the number of parts. And provide the most stable and reliable locking function possible while allowing for quick assembly.

More specifically, in this embodiment, the two first sliders 112 and the two second sliders 113 are respectively arranged symmetrically along the transverse direction. The first slider 112 and the second slider 113 located on the same side are aligned longitudinally. However, it should be understood that according to actual requirements, the two first sliders 112 and the two second sliders 113 can be arranged asymmetrically in the transverse direction. For example, the first slider 112 on one side can be compared with the first slider 112 on the other side. Block 112 is further forward or further back. The first slider 112 and the second slider 113 located on the same side can also be staggered along the longitudinal direction. For example, the first slider 112 located on the same side can be arranged closer to the transverse inner side or closer to the transverse outer side than the second slider 113 . .

Each second slider 113 may include a second slider rear wall 113a and a second slider side wall 113b extending vertically downward from the top plate 111 respectively. The second slider rear wall 113a is located at the rear end of the top plate 111, and the second slider bottom wall 113c, the second slider rear wall 113a and the second slider side wall 113b together form a space open toward the front and outside. In this way, the second slider bottom wall 113c is supported from two different directions by the second slider rear wall 113a and the second slider side wall 113b, which is beneficial to the stable positioning of the second slider bottom wall 113c and prevents it from shaking. Moreover, when the locking member 110 is in the locked When the position is determined, the second slider rear wall 113a abuts the second guide member longitudinally, preventing the locking member 110 from continuing to slide forward beyond the locking position.

As mentioned above, the two insertion portions 114 of the locking member 110 are respectively inserted into the two slide grooves 124 of the mounting base 120 to limit the longitudinal movement of the locking member 110 .

More specifically, each insert 114 includes a support rod 114a and a plug 114b. The support rod 114a extends vertically downward from the top plate 111 of the locking member 110 and the plug 114b extends transversely outward from the lower end of the support rod 114a and is inserted into the slide groove 124. The support rod 114a has certain elasticity. When the locking member 110 is vertically assembled to the mounting base 120 , the support rod 114 a is laterally elastically deformed inward to allow the plug 114 b to be snapped into the slide groove 124 along the slot 125 .

The locking portion 115 extends forward from the front end of the top plate 111 and is semicircular and has a tapered top surface. When the locking member 110 is in the locking position, the locking portion 115 is located vertically above the locking platform 126 , so that the first object 200 can be clamped between the locking portion 115 and the locking platform 126 . The cross-sectional shape of the locking part 115 may correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the locking platform 126 , or may have a shape different from the locking platform 126 , such as square, trapezoidal, oval, etc.

When the first object 200 is vertically installed to the second object 300, the first object 200 can abut the tapered top surface of the locking portion 115, so that the locking portion 115 moves to the unlocking position against the biasing force of the spring 130, thereby The installation operation of the first object 200 is simplified.

An operating portion 116 may be provided on the upper surface of the top plate 111 , and the operating portion 116 may be formed into a shape that increases friction so that the user can push the locking member 110 longitudinally. The user can push the lock 110 backward, thereby allowing the first object 200 to move away from the second object 300 .

The spring mounting portion 117 is provided as a rod extending laterally at approximately the longitudinal center of the top plate 111 . The spring abutment portion 118 extends vertically downward from the top plate 111 and is located in front of the spring mounting portion 117 . Thanks to the structure of the spring mounting portion 117 and the spring resisting portion 118 , the spring 130 is more easily positioned on the locking piece 110 and is less likely to be displaced or even disengaged from the locking piece 110 .

The specific structure of the spring 130 is described with reference to FIG. 5 . The spring 130 is a torsion spring and includes: a first spring end 131 , a second spring end 132 , and a coil spring portion 133 . The first end 131 of the spring abuts the rear side of the spring abutment portion 118 of the locking member 110 . The second end 132 of the spring abuts the inner side of the end plate 127 of the mounting base 120 , and the end plate 127 is located between the rear ends of the two side walls 121 . The coil spring portion 133 is sleeved on the spring mounting portion 117 of the locking member 110 . As previously mentioned, spring 130 is preloaded to bias lock 110 toward the locked position.

The effect of the torsion spring compared to the compression spring 130 is that it allows a larger elastic force to be provided in a shorter stroke. Moreover, by increasing or decreasing the number of turns of the coil spring portion 133, the elastic force of the torsion spring can be easily adjusted according to actual needs.

The operation of the locking device 100 is described with reference to Figures 6A-6B.

As shown in FIG. 6A , when the locking device 100 is in the locking position, the plug 114b of the insertion part 114 is located at the front end of the chute 124 , the locking part 115 is located above the locking platform 126 , and the entire locking device 100 has a box-like structure. As shown in FIG. 6B , when the locking device 100 is in the unlocking position, the plug 114b of the insertion part 114 is located at the rear end of the slide groove 124 , and the locking part 115 is separated from above the locking platform 126 .

FIG. 7 shows an example of the locking device 100 being applied to the first object 200 and the second object 300 . In this example, the second object 300 is a larger plate located below and the first object 200 is a smaller plate located above. When the first object 200 is installed on the second object 300, one end of the first object 200 (the right end in the figure) is first plugged into the second object 300, and then the other end of the first object 200 (the left end in the figure) is inserted from above. The downward direction engages the locking device 100 and is fixed by the locking device 100 to the second object 300 .

It should be understood that the shapes and positions of the first object 200 and the second object 300 in the figure are only examples. The locking device 100 of the present application can be applied to the first object 200 and the second object 300 in any position and shape.

The structure and operation of the locking device 100 of the present application can be more clearly understood with reference to FIGS. 8A to 9C .

Particularly, as shown in FIG. 8C , when the locking device 100 is in the locking position, the locking portion 115 is located above the first object 200 . As shown in FIG. 9C , when the locking device 100 is in the unlocking position, the locking portion 115 avoids the top of the first object 200 .

To sum up, this application proposes a locking device that reduces the number of components of the locking device as much as possible and simplifies the assembly process of the locking device, while ensuring stable operation and resistance to disassembly of the locking device.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by way of example only. Many modifications, changes and substitutions will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.

110: Locking piece

120:Mounting base

130:Spring

Claims (10)

A locking device (100) for locking a first object (200) to a second object (300), the locking device (100) comprising: a mounting seat (120), fixed to the second object (300), the mounting seat (120) comprising two side walls (121) laterally opposite and defining the lateral appearance of the locking device (100); The locking piece (110) is disposed between the two side walls (121) of the mounting base (120) and can move longitudinally perpendicular to the transverse direction relative to the mounting base (120), so that it can be moved relative to the mounting base (120). The second object (300) moves between the locking position of locking the first object (200) and the unlocking position of unlocking the first object (200). The locking member (110) includes a top plate (111), so The top plate (111) covers the top end of the mounting base (120) that is open in a vertical direction perpendicular to the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction; and A spring (130) is provided between the mounting seat (120) and the locking piece (110), biasing the locking piece (110) toward the locking position, in: The mounting base (120) also includes: Two first guide portions (122) are respectively provided at the longitudinal front ends of the two side walls (121), and extend laterally inwardly from the corresponding side walls (121); and Two second guide portions (123) are respectively provided at the longitudinal rear ends of the two side walls (121), and extend transversely inwardly from the corresponding side walls (121); The locking member (110) also includes: Two first slide blocks (112) are respectively connected below the front end of the top plate (111) and are slidably provided below the two first guide parts (122); and Two second slide blocks (113) are respectively connected below the rear end of the top plate (111) and are slidably provided below the two second guide parts (123). The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two first guide parts (122), the two second guide parts (123), the two first slide blocks (112), and the two second slide blocks (113) are respectively arranged symmetrically along the transverse direction. The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein: Each said second slider (113) includes: The second slider rear wall (113a) and the second slider side wall (113b) respectively extend vertically downward from the top plate (111). The second slider rear wall (113a) is located on the top plate (111). ); and The second slider bottom wall (113c), the second slider rear wall (113a) and the second slider side wall (113b) together form a space open toward the front and outside. The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The first guide part (122) and the second guide part (123) located on the same side are aligned along the longitudinal direction; and The first slider (112) and the second slider (113) located on the same side are aligned along the longitudinal direction. The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two first guide parts (122), the two second guide parts (123), the two first slide blocks (112), and the two second slide blocks (113) are respectively arranged asymmetrically along the transverse direction; The first guide part (122) and the second guide part (123) located on the same side are staggered along the longitudinal direction; and The first slider (112) and the second slider (113) located on the same side are staggered along the longitudinal direction. The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein: A longitudinal hole is provided at the approximate longitudinal center of each side wall (121) of the mounting seat (120). extended chute (124); The locking member (110) also includes: Two insertion parts (114) are respectively inserted into the two slide grooves (124) to limit the longitudinal movement of the locking piece (110). The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein: Each of the inserts (114) includes: A support rod (114a) extends vertically downward from the top plate (111) of the locking member (110); and The plug (114b) extends transversely outward from the lower end of the support rod (114a) and is inserted into the chute (124). The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein: The inner side of each side wall (121) of the mounting base (120) has a concave slot (125). The slot (125) extends along the vertical direction from the rear end of the chute (124). Extends to the top of the side wall (121) and is connected with the rear end of the chute (124) for installation of the insertion part (114). The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The locking member (110) also includes: a spring mounting portion (117) provided as a rod extending in the transverse direction at the approximate longitudinal center of the top plate (111); A spring abutment portion (118) extends downward from the top plate (111) along the vertical direction and is located in front of the spring mounting portion (117); The spring (130) is a torsion spring and includes: The first end of the spring (131) abuts the spring abutment portion (118); The second end of the spring (132) abuts the inside of the end plate (127) of the mounting seat (120), The end plate (127) is located between the rear ends of the two side walls (121); and The coil spring part (133) is sleeved on the spring mounting part (117). The locking device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The mounting base (120) also includes: The locking platform (126) is located at the front end of the mounting base (120) and is semi-cylindrical; The locking member (110) also includes: The locking part (115) extends forward from the front end of the top plate (111), is semicircular and has a tapered top surface; When the locking piece (110) is in the locking position, the locking part (115) is located vertically above the locking platform (126), so that there is a gap between the locking part (115) and the locking platform (126). The first object (200) can be clamped between 126).

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