Mounting apparatus for peripheral component interconnect card

A mounting apparatus for PCI card, includes a mounting bracket, a securing piece adapted to attach the PCI card to the mounting bracket, and an elastic securing member pivotally mounted on the blocking plate of the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket has a base and a blocking plate perpendicular to the base. An opening is defined in the mounting bracket adjacent to the blocking plate. The securing piece includes a first end and a second end perpendicular to the first end. The first end abuts and engages with the mounting bracket base, and the second end abut the blocking plate of the mounting bracket. The elastic securing member includes a pressing portion and an actuating portion. The actuating portion is resiliently received in the opening to force the pressing portion to sandwich the second end of the securing piece between the blocking plate and the pressing portion.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses, and particularly, to a mounting apparatus for a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) card.

2. Description of Related Art

PCI cards are widely used in computers. PCI is a kind of bus structure, which is used for connecting to modem cards, monitor cards, sound cards or other peripheral equipment. The conventional fixing manner for PCI cards usually involves screws. Such a manner not only requires screws but also a screwdriver, which is time-consuming and troublesome. Moreover, the screws are easily lost. If a screw falls on the printed circuit board (PCB), damage to the PCB may occur, especially when the computer is powered up. Furthermore, more and more components are needed to be installed in the computer. The space in the computer enclosure will be occupied by a mass of electronic components so that not enough space for operating a screwdriver will exist.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, an embodiment of a mounting apparatus for one or more PCI cards70. In the shown embodiment, two PCI cards70are used. The mounting apparatus includes a mounting bracket10, two securing pieces30configured for attaching the two PCI cards70to the mounting bracket10, and two elastic securing members50pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket10.

Referring also toFIGS. 2 and 3, the mounting bracket includes a rectangular base11. Two elongated rectangular slots12are defined in the base11. Two bridge portions14are formed on the base11adjacent one side of the elongated rectangular slots12. Each bridge portion defines a securing slot141. A mounting opening13is defined in the base11adjacent the elongated rectangular slots12. A blocking plate15, perpendicular to the base11, extends from the mounting opening13side edge adjacent the elongated rectangular slots12. Two protrusions16protrude from the blocking plate15. A plurality of pivot portions18is formed at a side of the blocking plate15. Each pivot portion18defines a pivot hole181. A receiving notch19is defined between every two adjacent pivot portions18. Two blocking tabs131protrude from another mounting opening13side edge opposite to the bent plate15.

Each of the securing pieces30includes an elongated rectangular base31configured to covering the corresponding elongated rectangular slot12. A first end33extends from one side of the elongated rectangular base31, and a second end35. A cutout351is defined at an edge of the second end35.

Referring toFIG. 3, each of the elastic securing members50includes a pressing portion51and an actuating portion55connected to the pressing portion51. The pressing portion51includes a pressing plate510, and an elastic tab512protruding out from the pressing plate510. A supporting wall52perpendicularly extends from one side edge of the pressing plate510. Two pivot tabs53, perpendicular to the pressing plate510and the supporting wall52, are bent from two opposite sides of the supporting wall52. Each pivot tab53defines a pivot hole531corresponding to the pivot portion pivot holes181. The actuating portion55includes an operating section58substantially parallel to the pressing plate510, and a substantially V-shaped connecting section56connecting the operating section58to the pressing plate510. The connecting section56includes a connecting wall561jointed to the pressing plate510, and a securing wall563connecting to the operating section58. The securing wall563is arranged at an obtuse angle relative to the operating section58. A wedge shaped blocking protrusion5631protrudes from the securing wall56, and another wedge shaped blocking protrusion581protrudes from the operating section58. A securing slot550is defined between the higher ends of the wedge shaped blocking protrusions5631and581located at a joint of the securing wall563and the operating section58. Two blocking bars59extend from two side edges of a joint between the pressing portion51and the actuating portion55. The two blocking bars59are perpendicular to the pressing plate510. The actuating portion55is formed between the two blocking bars59.

Referring toFIGS. 4-6, in assembly, the supporting walls52and pivot tabs53of the elastic securing members50are received in the cutouts19of the blocking plate15. A pivoting fastener60is inserted in the pivot portion pivot holes181and the pivot holes531in the pivot tabs53to pivotally attach the elastic securing members50to the blocking plate15. The PCI cards70are secured to corresponding securing pieces30. The securing piece bases31cover the corresponding elongated rectangular slots12. The first ends33of the securing pieces30are inserted in the securing slots141. The securing piece second ends35abut the blocking plate15via the mounting opening13. The blocking protrusions16are received in the cutouts351. Then, the elastic securing members50are pivoted to move close to the mounting bracket base11and are received in the mounting opening13. During reception of the elastic securing members50in the mounting opening13, the wedge shaped blocking protrusions5631on the securing walls563are biased by the blocking tabs131to force the securing walls563to move toward the pressing plates510. When the blocking tabs131of the mounting bracket base11slide over the wedge shaped blocking protrusions5631on the securing walls563and engage in the securing slots550, the elastic securing members50are securely mounted on the mounting bracket10. The pressing plates510abut against the securing piece second ends35. The elastic tabs512on the pressing plates510are deformed to tightly sandwich the second ends35between the blocking plate15and the pressing plate510.

In disassembly, the operating sections58of the elastic securing members50are pushed to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pressing plates510, and thereby elastically deform the actuating portion55. The securing walls563are caused to move close to the pressing plates510and the blocking protrusions131disengage from the corresponding securing slots550. Thus, the elastic members50can be pivoted to move away from the mounting bracket base11, and the pressing plates510no longer abut the securing piece second ends35. The securing pieces30and the PCI cards70can be easily removed from the mounting bracket10.