Abstract:
An expansion card has at least one connector electrically coupled with at least one expansion slot of a server, and includes a shell defining at least one through slot, a main body, and a transmission element received in the shell. The transmission element includes a locating element, a connecting pole, and a fixing shaft. The connecting pole includes a head portion and a tail portion. The head portion defines a notch sleeving on the locating element. The tail portion extends outwards from the shell and defines a first hole. The fixing shaft is fixed on the shell and extends through the first hole. When the tail portion is pushed, the connecting pole rotates around the fixing shaft, the head portion drives the at least one connector to extends outwards or inwards from the at least one through slot, to electrically connected or disconnected to the at least one expansion slot.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an expansion card. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Expansion cards are inserted into expansion slots of servers for adding functionality to the servers. However, in some kinds of servers, the expansion slots are positioned on a sidewall parallel to the inserting direction of the expansion card and are not easy to be coupled with the expansion card. Therefore, it is very inconvenient to assemble the expansion cards to the servers or disassemble the expansion cards from the servers. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide an expansion card that can overcome the above-mentioned limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments should be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an expansion card and a mother-board, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the expansion card of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the expansion card of  FIG. 1 , taking off a top cover. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic, enlarged view of a portion IV of the expansion card of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic, exploded view of a main body and an outer frame of the expansion card of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a sliding block of the expansion card of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic, assembled view of a torsional spring and a buckle of the expansion card of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the expansion card of  FIG. 1 , in a first working state. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view of the expansion card of  FIG. 1 , in a second working state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1&amp;2 , an expansion card  100 , according to an embodiment, is inserted into two expansion slots  222  of a server  200  for adding functionality to the server  200 . The server  200  includes a mother-board  210  and a housing  220  positioned on the mother-board  210 . The housing  220  receives the expansion card  100 , and includes an inner sidewall  221  parallel to the inserting direction of the expansion card  100 . The two expansion slots  222  are positioned on the inner sidewall  221 . 
     The expansion card  100  includes a cuboid shell  10 , a main body  30 , an outer frame  50 , and a transmission element  70 . The main body  30 , the outer frame  50 , and the transmission element  70  are received in the shell  10 . 
     The shell  10  includes a top cover  11  and a bottom cover  13 . The top cover  11  includes a top plate  111  and a first sidewall  113  perpendicular to the top plate  111 . A locking assembly  115  is positioned on the first sidewall  113 . In this embodiment, the locking assembly  115  includes a rectangular fixing groove  116  passing through the first sidewall  113  and a rod  117  connecting between two opposite edges of the fixing groove  116 . 
     Also referring to  FIGS. 3&amp;4 , the bottom cover  13  includes a bottom plate  131 , a second sidewall  132 , a third sidewall  133  parallel to the second sidewall  132 , and a fourth sidewall  134  perpendicularly connected between the second sidewall  132  and the third sidewall  133 . The fourth sidewall  134  is parallel to the first sidewall  131 . The second sidewall  132  faces the inner sidewall  221  of the server  200 , and defines two through slots  132   a  passing through the second sidewall  132  and corresponding to the two expansion slots  222 . The bottom plate  131  positions two parallel rails  131   a  adjacent to the cross of the third sidewall  133  and the first sidewall  113 . The extending direction of each rail  131   a  is perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the third sidewall  133 . Each rail  131   a  is L-shaped, and includes a connecting portion  131   b  and a latching portion  131   c . The connecting portion  131   b  is fixed on the bottom plate  131 . The latching portion  131   c  is connected perpendicularly to the connecting portion  131   b , and bends towards the other rail  131   a.    
     The third sidewall  133  defines a pinhole  133   a  adjacent to the bottom plate  131 . The orthogonal projection of the pinhole  133   a  on the bottom plate  131  is between the two rails  131   a . The bottom plate  131  arranges two bars  135  in a straight-line along the lengthwise direction of the second sidewall  132 . The two bars  135  are cooperated with the second sidewall  132  to limit the sliding range of the main body  30 . The number of the bars  135  is not limited to this embodiment. 
     The main body  30  is received in the receiving space between the two bars  135  and the second sidewall  132 . Two connectors  31  are positioned on a surface of the main body  30  facing the two through slots  132   a , and can extend outwards from the two slots through  132   a  respectively, and thus to couple with the corresponding expansion slots  222 . 
     Also referring to  FIG. 5 , the outer frame  50  covers the outer sidewall of the main body  30  excluding a surface on which the two connectors  31  are positioned, and includes two parallel fixing arms  51  and a connecting arm  53  connecting between the two fixing arms  51 . The two fixing arms  51  are fixed on the main body  30 . The distance between a surface of the connecting arm  53  away from the main body  30  and a surface of the connector  31  away from the main body  30  is substantially equal to the distance between each bar  135  and the second sidewall  132 . The two fixing arms  51  contact with the top plate  111  and the bottom plate  131 , and thus the two connectors  31  can slide towards the second sidewall  132  and extend outwards from the two through slots  132   a . The surfaces of the two fixing arms  51  contacting with the top plate  111  and the bottom plate  131  are smooth to reduce the friction force between the outer frame  50  and the top plate  111 , and between the outer frame  50  and the bottom plate  131 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2&amp;6 , the transmission element  70  includes a cuboid sliding block  71 , a locating element  72 , a connecting pole  73 , a fixing shaft  701 , an I-shaped rotating shaft  718 , a buckle  74 , and a torsional spring  75 . Two opposite surfaces of the sliding block  71  along the lengthwise direction arrange a protrusion  711  respectively. Each protrusion  711  is received in a receiving space formed by the connecting portion  131   b  and the latching portion  131   c  of the corresponding rail  131   a , and thus the sliding block  71  can slide along the rails  131   a . The sliding block  71  arranges a pin  713  corresponding to the pinhole  133   a . When the sliding block  71  slides in the rails  131   a , the pin  713  can extends through the pinhole  133   a . The sliding block  71  further includes a top surface  715  away from the bottom plate  131  and a bottom surface  716  opposite to the top surface  715 . The bottom surface  716  defines a cutout  716   a  away from the pin  713 . One end of the sliding block  71  away from the pin  713  defines a through hole  717  passing through the top surface  715  and the bottom surface  716 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the locating element  72  includes a locating frame  721  and a locating shaft  723 . The locating frame  721  includes two parallel first plates  721   a  and a second plate  721   b  perpendicularly connected between the two first plates  721   a . The second plate  721   b  is fixed on a surface of the connecting arm  53  away from the main body  30  between the two bars  135 , and is adjacent to the fourth sidewall  134  with respect to the sliding block  71 . The locating shaft  723  is parallel to the second plate  721   b , and two opposite ends of the locating shaft  723  are respectively fixed on the two first plates  721   a.    
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the connecting pole  73  is substantially Z-shaped, and includes a head portion  731 , a tail portion  732 , and a neck portion  733  connected between the head portion  731  and the tail portion  732 . The head portion  731  and the tail portion  732  are not coplanar. Along the extending direction of the connecting pole  73 , the length of the head portion  731  is shorter than the length of the tail portion  732 . The head portion  731  defines a notch  731   a  away from the tail portion  732 . The notch  731   a  is U-shaped, and can sleeve on the locating shaft  723 . 
     The head portion  731  is loaded on the first plate  721   a  adjacent to the bottom plate  131 . The tail portion  732  extends toward the cross of the first sidewall  113  and the third sidewall  133 . The tail portion  732  is partially received in the cutout  716   a , and defines a first hole  702  and a second hole  732   a  perpendicularly passing through the tail portion  732 . The second hole  732   a  is coaxial with the through hole  717 . The first hole  702  is between the neck portion  733  and the second hole  732   a . The fixing shaft  701  is fixed on the bottom plate  131 , and extends through the first hole  702 . The rotating shaft  718  inserts into the through hole  717  and the second hole  732   a . The tail portion  732  away from the head portion  731  extends outwards from the shell  10 . The connecting pole  73  further includes a handle  735  fixed on one end of the tail portion  732  away from the head portion  731 . The handle  735  defines a first connecting hole  735   a  with an opening  735   b  facing the second sidewall  132 . The first connecting hole  735  passes through the handle  735  perpendicular to the bottom plate  131 . 
     The buckle  74  is hook-shaped, and is rotatably connected to the handle  735  through the torsional spring  75 , the elastic force of the torsional spring  75  makes the buckle  74  to hook on the rod  117  firmly. In particular, referring to  FIG. 7 , the buckle  74  includes a substantially triangle-shaped fixing portion  741  and a hook portion  742 . The fixing portion  741  has a first surface  741   a , a second surface  741   b , and a third surface  741   c  connected one by one. The hook portion  742  extends from an intersection of the first surface  741   a  and the third surface  741   c  along the direction parallel to the bottom plate  131  and bends towards the first surface  741   a . The fixing portion  741  defines a receiving groove  743  passing through the first surface  741   a  and the second surface  741   b  and parallel to the bottom plate  131 , and a second connecting hole  744  perpendicularly passing through the fixing portion  741  and communicating with the receiving groove  743 . The receiving groove  743  comprised an inner surface  743   a . The hook portion  742  faces the opening  735   b , the handle  735  is received in the receiving groove  743 , and the first connecting hole  735   a  is coaxial with the second connecting hole  744 . 
     The torsional spring  75  includes a connecting shaft  751  and an elastic sheet  752 . The elastic sheet  752  includes a ring  752   a  sleeved over the connecting shaft  751  and a resisting sheet  752   b  extending from the ring  752   a . The ring  752   a  is received in the receiving groove  743 . The resisting sheet  752   b  resists the inner surface  743   a  to provide an elastic force to push the buckle  74  towards the tail portion  732 . The connecting shaft  751  extends through the first connecting hole  735   a  and the second connecting hole  744 . When the buckle  74  is pulled towards the first sidewall  113 , the elastic sheet  752  provides the elastic force to push the buckle  74  towards the tail portion  732 . 
     Also referring to  FIGS. 8&amp;9 , in use, the expansion card  100  is inserted into the server  200  until one of the two fixing frames  51  contacts with the fourth sidewall  134 , at this time, the two connectors  31  are aligned with the two expansion slots  222  respectively. The handle  735  is moved towards the third sidewall  133 , the connecting pole  73  rotates around the fixing shaft  701 . The head portion  731  pushes the main body  30  to move towards the second sidewall  132  through the locating shaft  723 , and thus the two connectors  31  extend outward from the two through slots  132   a  respectively, and insert into the corresponding expansion slot  222 . The tail portion  732  pushes the sliding block  71  to move towards the third sidewall  133  through the rotating shaft  718 , and the pin  713  extends through the pinhole  133   a . Then the torsional spring  75  makes the buckle  74  to firmly hook on the rod  117 , and thus the main body  30  is fixedly received in the shell  10 . 
     When the expansion card  100  needs to be pulled out, the buckle  74  is separated from the rod  117 , the handle  735  is moved towards the second sidewall  132 , and the connecting pole  73  rotates around the fixing shaft  701 . The head portion  731  pulls the main body  30  to move towards the third sidewall  133  until the outer frame  50  contacts with the two bars  135 . It means the two connectors  31  have been separated from the corresponding expansion slots  222 , and comes back into the shell  10 . The tail portion  732  pulls the sliding block  71  to move towards the second sidewall  132 , and the pin  713  moves away from the pinhole  133   a  and comes back into the shell  10 . Then the expansion card  100  can be pulled out from the server  200 . 
     In other embodiment, the sliding block  71 , the rotating shaft  718 , and the rail  131   a  can be omitted. 
     It will be understood that the above particular embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiments thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.