INTERFACE CARD FASTENER
The present invention relates to an interface card fastener, which is set in a computer system host or any other electronic device comprising expansion slots, comprising a bracket and a plurality of pivot assemblies. The bracket is set upon the frame above the expansion slots inside the chassis, and comprises a back frame engaged with the chassis and a plurality of the inner frames extended from the back frame. Each two inner frames define a fasten chamber, and the back frame comprises a horizontal extended L-shape hook in the appropriate position. The pivot assembly is set in the fastener chamber, which rotates between the fastening and the release positions of the interface card, and comprises a hook and a handle linked with the hook. To operate the fastener, pushing the handle directly to hook with the L-shape hook or unhook in interface card positioning, which is easy operating and stable positioning.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interface card fastener, which set in computer chassis or any other electronic devices comprising expansion interface card slots, especially to a device that can be easily pushed to fasten and pulled to release a single card with no further need of tools or hardware. The fastener in this present invention can be easily handled to fasten interface cards stably.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronics industries develop and upgrade soon. In a computer system, many different devices and peripherals are collocated to work. Nowadays most devices and peripherals are designed to “Plug-n-Play” compliant for more convenient use. Various kinds of interface cards are common used to upgrade a computer system to enhance efficacy. For example, interface cards, like sound cards, graphic cards, network cards, or many other multimedia interface cards, are used as a bridge to connect host and other hardware, thus interface cards are changed or swapped due to installation, replacement, or upgrade of computer systems from time to time. To make sure the interface cards are installed stably and fixed in card slots, there are several prior arts in this skill to fasten interface cards.
The most common traditional method utilizes a screw to fasten interface card into the slot. To screw interface card, user needs extra a screwdriver to work. Screwing is the most inconvenient work to swap interface card. Screw is small and cause risk to damage other electronic device like mainboard when falling. Magnetic screwdriver that common used in screwing also does not suit to screw in electronic device.
Most common prior arts in this skill attempted to fasten interface card without screw. In a prior art, as shown in
In the foregoing design of retainer 7, a purpose of screw free to fix the bulkhead 131 with the frame 14 is achieved, and interface cards swapping can be easily operated with no extra tool needed. However, the only single batten 71 presses all bulkheads 131 of interface cards 13 to fix. Once swapping single one of the interface cards 13, the batten 71 of the retainer 7 should be opened and all other cards are released. This will be a serious defect when utilizing this design in an interfaced card hot-swappable computer system, which most is server.
Another prior art is an interface card fixing device 8, as shown in
Compare with the retainer 7, the fixing device 8 can press and release each the bulkhead 131 independently with the gland 82, but the teeth of the rack will be abraded after repeat operations and the abrasion affects the fixing.
Therefore, a need exists for a fastener, which has simple structure and is easy to use, to secure the interface card in place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an interface card securing device, which is easy to handle and stably to secure the interface card.
To achieve the object, the present invention provides an interface card fastener to utilize in a computer system or other electronic devices comprising interface cards. The computer system or the electronic device comprises a mainboard set in a chassis, and a plurality of expansion slots on the mainboard. The chassis forms an interface card bay corresponding to each bulkhead of interface card and card slot to position. The fastener comprises a bracket and a plurality pivot assemblies. Said bracket is set on the upside of card bay in the inner chassis, which comprises a back frame against the backplane of the chassis and a plurality of inner frames extending toward inside the chassis. Each two inner frames define a fastener chamber, and inside the back frame in each the fastener chamber comprises a horizontal extended L-shape hook. The pivot assembly is set in the fastener chamber, and comprises a hook and a handle. The pivot assembly can be easily switched between a fastening position and a release position in the fastener chamber, and the fastener can fastening or release a single interface card simply with the handle pushing the hook into or pulling it out of the L-shape hook.
Each the inner frame comprises a bearing hole, which can set the pivot assembly as an axle center to rotate. The back frame below the L-shape hook comprises a prominent crosspiece, which positions the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly comprises two aprons on both sides to fasten the interface card preventing horizontal movement, and a press board, wherein also comprises a engagement body, to fasten the interface card preventing 2-dimensional vertical and horizontal movements.
Comparing with prior arts, the present invention discloses an interface card fastener, which positions cards more stably and operations easier. With a bracket and a plurality of pivot assemblies, this present design utilizes a handle, which drives a hook to fasten with or release from a L-shape hook of the bracket, to position and secure an interface card. With no complex structure and difficult operation, the present invention is durable and stably positioning, which can satisfy various applications with economic efficiency.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following, a better embodiment of this invention is described with figures for further details.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications intend to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. An interface card fastener, which is set in a computer system host or any other electronic device comprising interface card, comprising:
- a bracket, fitting in a chassis upon a frame of the chassis above a plurality of expansion slots, which comprises a back frame with the chassis engagement and a plurality of inner frames extending out from said back frame; each two inner frames define a fastener chamber, and inside the back frame in each said fastener chamber comprises a horizontal extended L-shape hook;
- a plurality of pivot assemblies, set and pivoted in said fastener chambers, which comprises a hook and a handle linked said hook, rotate in said fastener chambers respectively between a fastening or a release position of each the interface card;
- which is characterized in pushing the handle to hook said linked hook with said L-shape hook or to unhook in operating each the single interface card position.
2. The interface card fastener of claim 1, wherein said inner frame of the bracket comprises a bearing hole, which is for said pivot assembly set to pivot in the fasten chamber.
3. The interface card fastener of claim 1, wherein said pivot assembly comprises a pivot, which is set into said bearing hole of the bracket, to rotate in a appropriate angle.
4. The interface card fastener of claim 1, wherein said bracket comprises a prominent crosspiece in an appropriate place below the L-shape hook to limit the rotation of the pivot assembly.
5. The interface card fastener of claim 1, wherein said pivot assembly comprises two aprons on both sides, and a press board in the bottom, which said press board comprises a engagement body 524 in front, to position the interface card.
6. The interface card fastener of claim 1, wherein the maximum rotation angle of said pivot assembly is 90°.
7. The interface card fastener of claim 1, wherein said computer system host or any other electronic device comprises a chassis and a mainboard set in the chassis, said mainboard comprises a plurality of expansion slots for interface cards, and said chassis comprises a frame to engage a bulkhead of the interface card.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 27, 2004
Publication Date: Oct 20, 2005
Inventor: Yu-Lin Shih (Taipei City)
Application Number: 10/900,678