Abstract:
A support retaining structure for interface card includes a support frame, a hook and positioning structure, an active hook, and a fixing member, wherein the support frame, the hook and positioning structure, the active hook, and the fixing member are cooperated to each other in order to make the support and fixing structure be suitable for interface card with different dimensions, and the hook and positioning structure is able to easily disassembly from the support frame and assembly to the support frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a support-retaining structure for interface card; in particular, to a support-retaining structure applicable for interface cards of different dimensions and able to be easily disassembled and assembled. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A computer has expansion slots for connecting with different types of interface cards. The expansion slots are disposed on the motherboard in the main casing and have many different specifications. 
         [0005]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , a conventional interface card and its retaining structure fix an interface card  6  inside the main casing  7  by using screws. The main casing  7  has a motherboard. The motherboard has a plurality of expansion slots  71 , each of which can engage with an interface card  6 . Each of the interface cards  6  has a protruding plate  60  with a circuit board on the inner face of the protruding plate  60  and a connector connected to the circuit board on the outer face of the same for connecting with external devices. Additionally, one end of the protruding plate  60  is bent to form a fixing portion  62 . The fixing portion  62  is formed with a through hole. 
         [0006]    An interlocking base  8  is disposed in the main casing  7  at a position corresponding to the expansion slots  71 , a plurality of openings  81  corresponding to the expansion slots  71  is disposed on the interlocking base  8 , and a screw hole  82  is disposed next to each of the opening  81 , so that when an interface card  6  is engaged in an expansion slot  71 , the protruding plate  60  abuts the opening  81  such that the fixing portions  62  align with an end of the interlocking base  8 , and a screw  83  passes through the through hole of the fixing portion  62  to lock to the screw hole  82  such that the interface card  6  is fixed to the main casing  7 . 
         [0007]    Conventional interface cards are fixed on the circuit board, unable to be changed or modified. When changing different expansion functions, entire interface cards need to be changed, which is not environmentally friendly. As the function of the interface cards becomes more powerful, such as a multimedia circuit card, the thickness and length of the cards have to be constantly changed, and additionally, heat sinks and fans are installed, which increases considerable weight. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The object of the present disclosure is to provide a support-retaining structure for interface card which has an adjustable fixing structure for accommodating multimedia circuit cards of different dimensions and is easy to disassemble and assemble. 
         [0009]    A support-retaining structure for interface card includes a support frame, a hook-positioning structure, a movable hook, and a fixing member. The support frame includes a support-frame bottom portion, a front support structure, and a side support structure. The support-frame bottom portion has the shape of a flat plane and includes a first support-frame edge, a second support-frame edge, a third support-frame edge, a fourth support-frame edge and a fixing structure defining a plurality of retaining positions. The first support-frame edge and the third support-frame edge are opposite edges. The second support-frame edge and the fourth support-frame edge are opposite edges. The fixing structure is disposed proximal to the fourth support-frame edge. The front support structure is arranged on a first surface of the support-frame bottom portion, stands upright on the first support-frame edge, and has at least one protruding plate for locking with a computer casing. The side support structure is arranged on the first surface of the support-frame bottom portion, stands upright on the second support-frame edge, and is formed with at least one through slot for the connector pin of the interface card to pass through. 
         [0010]    The hook-positioning structure is a connected L-shaped structure including a horizontal portion and a vertical portion perpendicular to each other. The vertical portion is formed with a vertical-portion slot. 
         [0011]    The movable hook is an L-shaped structure including a retaining portion and a fastening portion extending perpendicularly from the retaining portion. The retaining portion has first and second retaining faces. The fastening portion has a fastening hole selectively corresponding to different positions on the vertical-portion slot. 
         [0012]    According to the dimensions of the interface card, the hook-positioning structure is retained at one of the retaining positions of the fixing structure, and at the same time the fixing member can fix the movable hook at a specific location on the vertical-portion slot by passing through the fastening hole of the movable hook and the vertical-portion slot. 
         [0013]    In order to further the understanding regarding the present disclosure, the following embodiments are provided along with illustrations to facilitate the disclosure of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded schematic diagram of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a support frame of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to the present disclosure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a hook-positioning structure of a support-retaining structure for interface card according to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a movable hook of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a screw of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating practical application of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to the present disclosure; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8A  to  FIG. 8D  are schematic diagrams of the support-retaining structure for interface card adjusted to retain interface cards of different lengths according to the present disclosure; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9A  to  FIG. 9B  are schematic diagrams of the support-retaining structure for interface card adjusted to retain interface cards of different thicknesses according to the present disclosure; 
           [0023]      FIG. 10A  to  FIG. 10C  are schematic diagrams showing easy disassembly of a hook-positioning structure of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0024]      FIG. 11A  to  FIG. 11C  are schematic diagrams showing easy assembly of a hook-positioning structure of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is a detailed schematic structural diagram of a hook-positioning structure fastened to the support frame according to a preferred embodiment of a support-retaining structure for interface card of the present disclosure; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of a conventional interface card and the corresponding fixing structure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    The aforementioned illustrations and following detailed descriptions are exemplary for the purpose of further explaining the scope of the present disclosure. Other objectives and advantages related to the present disclosure will be illustrated in the subsequent descriptions and appended drawings. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides a support-retaining structure  1  for interface card, which includes a support frame  11 , a hook-positioning structure  12  disposed on the support frame  11 , a movable hook  13  disposed at one end of the hook-positioning structure  12 , and a fixing member  14  for fixing the movable hook  13  on the hook-positioning structure  12 . The interface card of the present embodiment refer to a circuit board for expansion functions of a computer, such as a multimedia circuit card, network card, etc.; but the present disclosure is not limited hereto. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is an exploded schematic diagram of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. The hook-positioning structure  12  of the present embodiment is an L-shaped structure whose bottom portion has a free end removably fastened to different positions on the support frame  11 , such that interface cards of different lengths can be clamped between the support frame  11  and the hook-positioning structure  12 . The movable hook  13  is also an L-shaped structure, adjustably fastened by the fixing member  14  at different vertical positions on the hook-positioning structure  12 , such that interface cards of different thicknesses can be clamped between the support frame  11  and the movable hook  13 . Other elements of the present disclosure are described in more detail below. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a support frame of a support-retaining structure for interface card according to the present disclosure. The support frame  11  of the present embodiment includes a support-frame bottom portion  111 , a front support structure  112 , and a side support structure  113 . 
         [0031]    The support-frame bottom portion  111  has the shape of a flat plane and includes a first support-frame edge  1111 , a second support-frame edge  1112 , a third support-frame edge  1113 , a fourth support-frame edge  1114  and a fixing structure  1115 . The first support-frame edge  1111  and the third support-frame edge  1113  are opposite edges. In the present embodiment, the first support-frame edge  1111  and the third support-frame edge  1113  are arranged at the front and rear of the support frame  11  in the longitudinal direction. The second support-frame edge  1112  and the fourth support-frame edge  1114  are opposite edges. In the present embodiment, the second support-frame edge  1112  and the fourth support-frame edge  1114  are arranged along the two sides of the longitudinal direction. The fixing structure  1115  is proximal to the fourth support-frame edge  1114 , and relatively close to the third support-frame edge  1113 . The fixing structure  1115  includes a fixing-structure opening  11152 , a plurality of engagement holes  11153 , and a plurality of abutting holes  11151 . The fixing-structure opening  11152  is proximal and parallel to the fourth support-frame edge  1114 . The plurality of engagement holes  11153  is arranged on the side of the fixing-structure opening  11152  opposite to the fourth support-frame edge  1114 , and is parallel to the fourth support-frame edge  1114 . The plurality of abutting holes  11151  is arranged parallel to the fourth support-frame edge  1114  between the fixing-structure opening  11152  and the fourth support-frame edge  1114 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the front support structure  112  is arranged on a first surface A of the support-frame bottom portion  111 , and stands upright on the first support-frame edge  1111 . The front support structure  112  has at least one interface port  1120  such that the interface card  2  can connect to an external connector  9  (refer to  FIG. 7 ). Additionally, the front support structure  112  has at least one protruding plate  1122  for locking with the computer casing (not shown in the figures). The side support structure  113  is arranged on the first surface A of the support-frame bottom portion  111 , and stands upright on the second support-frame edge  1112 . The side support structure  113  has at least one through slot  1130  such that the connector pin (not shown in the figure) of the interface card (as shown in  FIG. 7 ) can to pass through the through slot  1130 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a hook-positioning structure of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. The hook-positioning structure  12  is a connected L-shaped structure including a horizontal portion  121  and a vertical portion  122  substantially perpendicular to each other. The horizontal portion  121  includes an extension portion  1211  and a locking portion  1212 . The extension portion  1211  is formed by extending a distance D outward from the intersection I of the horizontal portion  121  and the vertical portion  122 , then extending a distance h in a direction parallel to the vertical portion  122 , then the locking portion  1212  is formed by extending in a direction parallel to (the overall direction of) the extension portion  1211 , and finally two curved engagement portions  12121  are formed at the free end of the locking portion  1212 . 
         [0034]    When the hook-positioning structure  12  is connected to the fourth support-frame edge  1114  of the support-frame bottom portion  111 , the distance D of the extension portion  1211  of the horizontal portion  121  allows the horizontal portion  121  to cross the face opposite the first surface A; additionally, the distance h between the locking portion  1212  and the extension portion  1211  allows the locking portion  1212  to pass through the fixing-structure opening  11152  and lap on the first surface A, such that the curved engagement portions  12121  can engage the engagement holes  11153 . Moreover, the extension portion  1211  has an abutting portion  12111  for engaging with one of the abutting holes  11151  when the extension portion  121  crosses the face opposite the first surface A. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 12  the vertical portion  122  includes two fitting portions  1221 , a vertical-portion slot  1222  and two reinforcement walls  1223 . The two fitting portions  1221  are arranged at two sides of the vertical portion  122  and extend in a direction parallel to the horizontal portion  121 . The bottom end of the two fitting portions  1221  is distance d away from the intersection I. The vertical portion  122  has an inner face B facing the horizontal portion  121 . The vertical-portion slot  1222  is a long and narrow opening arranged in the center of the vertical portion  122 . The two reinforcement walls  1223  are positioned at two sides of the vertical portion  122 . When the hook-positioning structure  12  is connected to the fourth support-frame edge  1114 , the distance d between the two fitting portions  1221  and the intersection d allows the two fitting portions  1221  to clasp the fourth support-frame edge  1114  of the first surface A. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a movable hook of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. The movable hook  13  is an L-shaped structure including a retaining portion  131  and a fastening portion  132  extending perpendicularly from the retaining portion  131 . The retaining portion  131  has a first retaining face  1311   a  and a second retaining face  1311   b . The first retaining face  1311   a  is arranged at the inner side of the retaining portion  131  and faces the fastening portion  132 . The second retaining face  1131   b  is arranged at the outer side of the retaining portion  131 . The fastening portion  132  has a fastening-portion abutting face  1321  and a fastening hole  1322 . The fastening-portion abutting face  1321  is arranged on the outer side of the fastening portion  132 . The fastening hole  1322  is arranged at the center of the fastening portion  132 . The fastening-portion abutting face  1321  of the movable hook  13  conformingly fits on the inner face B of the vertical portion  122  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), so that the fastening hole  1322  can selectively correspond to different positions of the vertical-portion slot  1222 . At this moment, the first retaining face  1311   a  and the first surface A of the support-frame bottom portion  111  are two faces corresponding to each other as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 9B . Alternatively, the movable hook  13  can be flipped such that the second retaining face  1311   b  and the first surface A of the support-frame bottom portion  111  are two faces corresponding to each other as shown in  FIG. 9A . 
         [0037]    When the fastening hole  1322  corresponds to the vertical-portion slot  1222 , the fixing member  14  can simultaneously pass through the fastening hole  1322  and the vertical-portion slot  1222  for fastening. In the present preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the fixing member  14  is a screw, the inner surface of the fastening hole  1322  has screw thread for mating with the fixing member  14  such that the hook-positioning structure  12  and the movable hook  13  can tightly attach together. The fixing member  14  of the present embodiment can be made of metal, and the movable hook  13  can be made of elastic material such as plastic. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the interface card  2  can enter from the front support structure  112  to the top of the support-frame bottom portion  111 , by the engagement of the curved engagement portions  12121  to the plurality of engagement holes  11153  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The fixing member  14  can simultaneously pass through the fastening hole  1322  and the vertical-portion slot  1222 . By the cooperation of the front support structure  112  and the side support structure  113 , the support-retaining structure  1  for interface card of the present disclosure can accommodate interface cards of different dimensions, as shown in  FIG. 7 , a diagram of practical application of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to the present disclosure. 
         [0039]      FIG. 8A  to  FIG. 8D  are schematic diagrams of the support-retaining structure for interface card adjusted to retain interface cards of different lengths according to the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 8A , the engagement holes  11153  and the abutting holes  11151  engaged with the hook-positioning structure  12  are both closer to the front support structure  112 , so as to accommodate an interface card with shorter length. Additionally, in  FIG. 8B  to  FIG. 8D , the distances are progressively longer, showing that the present embodiment can accommodate interface cards of different lengths. 
         [0040]      FIG. 9A  to  FIG. 9B  are schematic diagrams of the support-retaining structure for interface card adjusted to retain interface cards of different thicknesses according to the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 9A , the movable hook  13  can be freely fastened on the hook-positioning structure  12  and the distance between the movable hook  13  and the first surface A is a relatively short distance S1 (the distance from the first surface A to the second retaining face  1311   b  of the retaining portion  131 ). Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 9B , the distance between the movable hook  13  and the first surface A is a relatively longer distance S2 (the distance from the first surface A to the first retaining face  1311   a  of the retaining portion  131 ). As such, the present disclosure can accommodate interface cards of different thicknesses. 
         [0041]      FIG. 10A  to  FIG. 10C  are schematic diagrams showing easy disassembly of a hook-positioning structure of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 10A , the hook-positioning structure  12  is arranged at a normal position on the support-frame bottom portion  111 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 10B , since the hook-positioning structure  12  is made of elastic material, the hook-positioning structure  12  can be tilted in the direction of the arrow of  FIG. 10B , and then a force can be exerted in the direction of the arrow shown in  FIG. 10C  to pull out the hook-positioning structure  12 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 11A  to  FIG. 11C  are schematic diagrams showing easy assembly of a hook-positioning structure of the support-retaining structure for interface card according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 11A , a force exerted in the direction of the arrow can provisionally lodge the hook-positioning structure  12  in the support-frame bottom portion  111 . Then, a turning force can be applied in the direction of the arrow shown in  FIG. 11B  to completely attach the hook-positioning structure  12  to the support-frame bottom portion  111  as shown in  FIG. 11C . 
         [0043]    In summary, the support-retaining structure for interface card of the present disclosure has the following improvements. The curved engagement portions and the abutting portion of the hook-positioning structure provided by the support-retaining structure for interface card cooperate with the engagement holes and the abutting holes of the support frame, such that the present disclosure can accommodate interface cards of different lengths. 
         [0044]    The vertical-portion slot of the hook-positioning structure provided by the support-retaining structure for interface card cooperates with the fastening hole of the movable hook and the screw, such that the present disclosure can accommodate interface cards of different thicknesses. 
         [0045]    The fitting portion of the vertical portion, and the extension portion and the locking portion of the horizontal portion, of the hook-positioning structure provided by the support-retaining structure for interface card cooperates with the abutting holes and the fixing-structure opening of the fixing structure of the support-frame bottom portion of the support frame to form a loosening-preventive structure for fixing the hook-positioning structure. 
         [0046]    The hook-positioning structure provided by the support-retaining structure for interface card is made of elastic material, so it can be tilted, pulled and pushed for easy disassembly and assembly. 
         [0047]    The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure; however, the characteristics of the present disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure delineated by the following claims.