LATCH APPARATUS
A latch apparatus includes a holder, a locking member capable of being received in the holder and a driving member connecting to the locking member. The holder includes an accessing hole in one of the sidewalls thereof. The locking member includes a locking portion and is movably placed between a first position and a second position. When the locking member moves to the first position, the locking portion extends out of the holder via the holder accessing hole. When the locking member moves to the second position, the locking portion is received in the holder. The driving member is capable of be manipulated to slide and cause the movement of the locking member from the first position to the second position.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to latch apparatuses and, more particularly, to a latch apparatus for retaining a functional module to a chassis.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, an electronic device, such as a server, includes a chassis and a plurality of functional modules received in the chassis. For convenient maintenance, hot-plug functional modules are applied in servers more and more. Conventional approaches to retaining functional modules to the chassis, such as using screws, are not convenient for hot-plug functional modules because it is too tedious and time-consuming. Devices capable of retaining functional modules reliably and conveniently to a chassis are desired.
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The driving member 10 includes a main body 14, an operating portion 12 and a connecting portion 16. The operating portion 12 and the connecting portion 16 extends from opposite ends of the main body 14. The connecting portion 16 includes a pair of connecting panels offset from each other. A pair of shoulders 162 is respectively formed on distal ends of the connecting panels. A pair of sliding slots 164 is defined in the connecting panels near the shoulder 162 and aligned with each other. A pair of mounting holes 166 is defined in a middle of the corresponding connecting panels and aligned with each other. A reinforcing portion 168 is formed between the connecting panels and located near the main body 14. An engaging hole 1682 is defined in the reinforcing portion 168.
The locking member 20 includes a pair of posts 22 extending from opposite sides thereof configured to be received in the driving member sliding slot 164, and a pair of tabs 26 extending from the opposite sides thereof adapted to engage with the driving member shoulders 162. The posts 22 are arranged near a first end of the locking member 20. The tabs 26 are arranged at a middle of the locking member 20. The locking member 20 also includes a pivoting hole 24 and a wedge-shaped locking portion 28 arranged at a second end thereof.
The support 30 includes a pivoting portion 32 extending from a first end thereof configured to be received in the locking member pivoting hole 24, and a pivoting hole 34 defined in a second end thereof. The support 30 also defines a recessed portion 36 in a side edge thereof.
The holder 40 is built up by a pair of first sidewalls 41, a second sidewall 43 perpendicularly connecting to the first sidewalls 41 and an end wall 45 perpendicularly engaged with the first sidewalls 41 and the second sidewall 43. An end opposite to the end wall 45 and a side opposite to the second sidewall 43 are open. Therefore, a receiving room is defined in the holder 40 adapted to receive the driving member 10, the locking member 20 and the support 30. A pair of guiding slots 412 are defined in the first sidewalls 41 and aligned with each other. Each guiding slot 412 includes a sliding portion 4122 and a positioning portion 4124 communicating with each other. A neck portion 4126 with a width slightly less than that of the sliding portion 4122 is formed between the sliding portion 4122 and the positioning portion 4124. The first sidewalls 41 further define a pair of fixing holes 414 aligned with each other, and a pair of detents 416 in an end far away from the end wall 45. The second sidewall 43 includes an accessing hole 434 defined therein, a snapping portion 436 protruding therefrom, and two pairs of ears 431 respectively formed on opposite ends thereof. The end wall 45 includes a retaining portion 452 defined therein. A first engaging portion 437 and a second engaging portion 439 (shown in
The cover 50 includes a claw 52 perpendicularly extending from a first end, and a pair of engaging teeth 54 formed on a second end. A pair of limiting portions 56 extends from the middle of the cover 50 near the claw 52.
In the present invention, the first resilient member 60 is a coil spring with a pair of hooks 62 respectively extending from opposite ends thereof.
In the present invention, the second resilient 70 is a torque spring having a first arm 72 and a second arm 74 respectively extending from opposite ends thereof. The distal end of the first arm 72 is bent for engaging with the recessed portion 36 of the support 30.
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It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Claims
1. A latch apparatus comprising:
- a holder comprising a sidewall defining an accessing hole therein;
- a locking member capable of being received in the holder, comprising a locking portion and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the locking portion extends out of the holder via the holder accessing hole, and in the second position, the locking portion is received in the holder; and
- a driving member connecting to the locking member, and capable of be manipulated to slide and cause the movement of the locking member from the first position to the second position.
2. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking member is resiliently biased towards the first position.
3. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a resilient member resiliently biasing the locking member towards the first position.
4. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a support, wherein a first end of the support is capable of pivotably connected to the locking member and a second end of the support is pivotally engaged with the holder; the resilient member is a torque spring located near the second end of the support, a first arm of the resilient member is engaged with the support and a second arm of the resilient member fixed to the holder.
5. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving member further comprises a sliding slot defined in an end thereof, the locking member comprises a post pivotally and slidably received in the sliding slot.
6. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder further comprises at least one another wall defining a guiding slot therein, and a shaft fixed to the driving member, the shaft is slidably received in the guiding slot.
7. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the guiding slot comprises a sliding portion, a positioning portion and a neck portion formed between the sliding portion and the positioning portion.
8. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the driving member comprises at least one shoulder; the locking member comprises at least one tab protruding from a side thereof adapted to abut against the shoulder of the locking member.
9. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cover, wherein the holder comprises an opening configured to be covered by the cover.
10. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cover comprises a claw and a pair of engaging teeth formed on opposite ends thereof; the holder further comprises a retaining portion and pair of detents capable of engaging with the cover claw and engaging teeth, respectively.
11. The latch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cover comprises at least one limiting portion extending therefrom, and configured to abut against the support.
12. A functional module assembly adapted to be retained in a chassis defining a locking hole therein, the functional module assembly comprising:
- a functional module; and
- a latch mechanism attached to the functional module and comprising: a locking member configured to be biased to engage with the chassis locking hole; and a driving member connected to the locking member, and capable of be manipulated to slide with respect to the function module and enable the disengagement of the locking member from the chassis locking hole overcoming the biasing.
13. The functional module assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the latching mechanism further comprises a holder configured to be fixed to the functional module and receive the locking member.
14. The functional module assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the latching mechanism further comprises a torque spring received in the holder, and adapted to bias the locking member to extend out of the holder and engage with the chassis locking hole.
15. The functional module assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the locking member is pivotally connected to the driving member, and the locking member is capable of being pivoted to disengage from the chassis locking hole when the driving member slides.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 21, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 15, 2009
Applicants: HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD. (Shenzhen City), HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. (Tu-Cheng)
Inventors: JUN-XIONG ZHANG (Shenzhen City), XIN-HU GONG (Shenzhen City), MIN XU (Shenzhen City)
Application Number: 12/195,439
International Classification: A44B 19/00 (20060101); A47B 96/00 (20060101);