Information processing apparatus

An information processing apparatus includes a connector, a chassis main body, and a fixing portion. The connector has a connector main body and an attachment portion which has a hole for attachment. The fixing portion includes a pair of first locking portions and a projecting portion. The pair of first locking portions project from the chassis main body so as to be located on both sides of the connector when the connector is attached, and have a flange respectively which forms a void through which the attachment portion is inserted between the flange and the chassis main body. The projection portion projects from the chassis main body to an insertion path of the connector when the attachment portion is not inserted and is configured to be pushed by the attachment portion to retreat from the insertion path when the attachment portion is inserted.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus which includes a fixing portion of a connector.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

In an information processing apparatus such as a desktop-type personal computer (hereinafter, a personal computer), a printed circuit board, an optical disc drive, a hard disk drive, and the like that are built-in units are provided in a chassis. An optical disc drive (hereinafter referred to as an ODD in some cases) and a hard disk drive (hereinafter referred to as an HDD in some cases) are connected to the printed circuit board using a connection cable. A connector that can be fitted into a connection port of the ODD or HDD is attached to one end of this connection cable, and a connector that can be fitted into a connection port of the printed circuit board is attached to the other end thereof. The connector at the one end of the connection port is inserted into the connection port of the ODD or the HDD, and an electrical connection between the connection port and the ODD or the HDD is completed.

In the desktop-type personal computer, the connection port of the ODD or the HDD may be connected to the connector of the connection cable by sliding movement of the ODD or the HDD in some cases. At this time, the connector of the connection cable is fixed to a chassis in a main body of the personal computer. When the connector is fixed to the chassis, the connector is screwed to the chassis in the main body to withstand a load when the connector is inserted into the connection port by sliding movement of the HDD or the ODD. In order to connect an electronic device or the like to the connector as described above, a technology for fixing the connector of the connection cable itself to other members is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H6-45032 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-77133.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When a connector is screwed to a chassis, tightening work of a screw is performed after a female screw process is performed on the chassis. For this reason, there are many procedures to fix a connector and a cost increase occurs.

In one aspect, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of fixing a connector of a connection port with fewer procedures.

An information processing apparatus of an aspect of the present invention includes a connector, a chassis main body, and a fixing portion. The connector is configured to be inserted into a built-in unit. The connector has a connector main body and an attachment portion which has a hole for attachment formed on both sides of the connector main body in an insertion direction of the connector. The built-in unit is attachable to the chassis main body. The fixing portion is included in the chassis main body to fix the connector. The fixing portion includes a pair of first locking portions and a projecting portion. The pair of first locking portions project from the chassis main body so as to be located on both sides of the connector when the connector is attached, and have a flange respectively which forms a void through which the attachment portion is inserted between the flange and the chassis main body. The projecting portion is configured to fit into the hole of the attachment portion and is provided between the pair of first locking portions. The projection portion projects from the chassis main body to an insertion path of the connector when the attachment portion is not inserted into the void and is configured to be pushed by the attachment portion to retreat from the insertion path when the attachment portion is inserted into the void.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described in detail on the basis of a specific example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in the following embodiments, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a scale of these drawings is appropriately changed to facilitate understanding.

FIGS. 1A and 1Bshow an all-in-one desktop-type personal computer100(hereinafter, a personal computer100) which is an example of an information processing apparatus of the present embodiment. The personal computer100includes a display unit110, a resin chassis130, and a rear cover160. The personal computer100is capable of self-standing due to a leg161provided on the resin chassis130. In addition, the personal computer100is connected to input devices (not shown) such as a keyboard and a mouse, and is operated by a user.

Here, a personal computer of an information processing apparatus which is a comparative technology will be described with reference toFIGS. 2A to 3B.FIG. 2Ais a perspective view which shows an interior of a personal computer200which is a comparative technology. The personal computer200is, like the personal computer100ofFIG. 1, an all-in-one desktop-type personal computer, and the display unit210and a built-in unit240including a printed circuit board241are designed to be integrated. In the personal computer200of a comparative technology, as shown inFIG. 2A, the printed circuit board241, a hard disk drive242, and an optical disc drive243are attached to a metal chassis220as the built-in unit240. Then, for example, the printed circuit board241and the optical disc drive243are electrically connected by a connection cable245(a middle of the cable is omitted inFIG. 2A).

As shown inFIGS. 3A and 3B, a connector246is provided at an end portion of the connection cable245, and the connector246is connected to a connection port243aof the optical disc drive243. The connector246is a side lock type connector, and screwing attachment portions247are provided on both sides in an insertion direction (the direction of the arrow A inFIG. 3A) of the connector246on the connector main body246ahaving terminals. In addition, the connector246including the attachment portion247has a predetermined dimension D in a width direction with respect to an insertion direction thereof. As shown inFIG. 2B, a stud221for fixing the connector246is provided in the metal chassis220in the personal computer200of a comparative technology. The connector246is fixed to the metal chassis220by screwing the attachment portion247into the stud221.

The optical disc drive243(shown inFIG. 3A) will be slid in a C direction inFIG. 3Bwith respect to the connector246fixed to the metal chassis220. As shown inFIG. 3B, a terminal of the connector246is inserted into the connection port243aof the optical disc drive243when the optical disc drive243is slid, and the connection is completed.

In the comparative technology, the stud221is formed in the metal chassis220and a female screw process is performed thereon to screw the connector246into the metal chassis220. In addition, cost occurs due to procedures such as tightening work of a screw at the time of assembly.

A fixing portion of a connector, which is provided in the information processing apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference toFIGS. 4 to 8.

As shown inFIG. 4, the personal computer100includes a metal chassis120provided between the display unit110(refer toFIG. 1A) and the resin chassis130therein. In addition, the personal computer100includes a built-in unit140including a printed circuit board141, a hard disk drive142, and an optical disc drive143. The resin chassis130has a chassis main body130amade of a resin to which the built-in unit140is attached and a fixing portion150formed in the chassis main body130ato fix a connector146. As shown inFIG. 4, the optical disc drive143is attached to the chassis main body130a, and the optical disc drive143is connected to the printed circuit board141using a connection cable145(a path of the connection port in the middle is omitted inFIG. 4).

The connection cable145, like the connection cable245shown inFIG. 3A, is a connection cable having a side lock type connector146. The connector146has a connector main body146aincluding a terminal, and attachment portions147provided at both ends with respect to an insertion direction (the direction of the arrow A) of the connector146(refer toFIG. 6A). In addition, the connector146, like the connector246shown inFIG. 3A, has a predetermined dimension D in a width direction with respect to the insertion direction thereof. A hole148for attachment is formed in each of the attachment portions147at both ends.

The fixing portion150is for attaching the connector146to the resin chassis130, and is formed in the chassis main body130aas shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B. The fixing portion150includes a pair of first locking portions151having a flange152, a pair of projecting portions154, and a pair of second locking portions153.

The pair of first locking portions151are locking portions that restrict movement of the connector146by coming into contact with the attachment portions147on both sides thereof. The pair of first locking portions151are located on both sides of the connector146and project from the chassis main body130awhen the connector146is attached. The pair of first locking portions151are provided on the resin chassis130so as to be separated at the same dimension as a width D of the connector146such that the connector146can be inserted therebetween (FIG. 5B). The flange152is a flange extending from a top of each of the pair of first locking portions151to the inside of the pair of first locking portions151. The flange152is provided to allow a void through which the attachment portion147of the connector146is inserted between the flange152and the chassis main body130a(refer toFIG. 7B). If the connector146is inserted between the pair of first locking portions151, the flange152prevents the attachment portion147from separating from the resin chassis130. The connector146can be inserted into the void formed between the resin chassis130and the flange152in a direction of an arrow A ofFIG. 6.

As shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, each of the projecting portions154is provided at a tip portion of an arm155provided in a cantilevered state to extend from a center of the fixing portion150in a hole154bformed in the chassis main body130a. When the connector146is not inserted, each of the projecting portions154is made to project from the chassis main body130a.

The arm155is provided to be bendable, and the arm155bends when the connector146is inserted in the direction of the arrow A between the pair of first locking portions151. Thereby, the connector146can pass therethrough (refer toFIG. 7). That is, the projecting portion154is provided to be pushed in the chassis main body130a. When the connector146passes therethrough, the projecting portion154enters the hole148at a position of the hole148for attachment, and restricts movement of the connector146in the insertion direction (the direction of the arrow A). In the projecting portion154of the present embodiment, when the connector146is inserted, an inclined portion154ainclined with respect to the insertion direction of the connector146is formed for easy bending. At the time of the insertion of the connector146, a bottom of the connector146is brought into contact with the inclined portion154a, and thereby the projecting portion154is pushed in. That is, the projecting portion154can be pushed to retreat from an insertion path of the connector146.

Furthermore, the fixing portion150includes a second locking portion153. When the projecting portion154is fitted into the hole148of the attachment portion147, the second locking portion153is provided to be in contact with an end portion147aof the attachment portion147(refer toFIG. 6b) located at the top end in the insertion direction when the attachment portion147of the connector146is inserted into the void. As a result, the connector146is prevented from moving from a predetermined position in the insertion direction and is fixed to the resin chassis130as shown inFIG. 8. In addition, as shown inFIG. 6B, a flange153amay be provided in the second locking portion153. After the connector146is fixed to the resin chassis130, the optical disc drive143is slid in a direction of an arrow A ofFIG. 8, and the connector146is inserted into the connection port143aof the optical disc drive143.

The resin chassis130of the present embodiment is made of a resin, and the pair of first locking portions151and the second locking portion153of the fixing portion150are formed by molding. In the present embodiment, the pair of first locking portions151and the second locking portion153are formed to be integrated with the resin chassis130. However, for example, the first locking portions151and the second locking portion153may be provided as separate bodies. In addition, movement in the insertion direction of the connector146may be restricted only by the projecting portion154, and in this case, the second locking portion153may be omitted.

The fixing portion150may be formed in the metal chassis120, and in this case, the first locking portion151and the second locking portion153are formed by cutting a part of the metal chassis120.

The personal computer100includes the fixing portion150, and thereby it is possible to fix a connection connector by causing the connection connector to slide and move from one direction without forming a female screw such as a stud on the resin chassis130and without screwing it. That is, since the connection connector is fixed without a part such as a screw and without using a separate tool, it is possible to fix the connector with fewer procedures.

This application has been described in detail above, particularly with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. For easy understanding of this application, a specific form of this application is attached as follows.

(Attachment 1) An information processing apparatus includes a connector that is configured to be inserted into a built-in unit, and has a connector main body and an attachment portion which has a hole for attachment formed on both sides of the connector main body in an insertion direction of the connector, a chassis main body to which the built-in unit is attachable, and a fixing portion included in the chassis main body to fix the connector. The fixing portion includes a pair of first locking portions that project from the chassis main body so as to be located on both sides of the connector when the connector is attached, and have a flange respectively which forms a void through which the attachment portion is inserted between the flange and the chassis main body, and a projecting portion that is configured to fit into the hole of the attachment portion, that is provided between the pair of first locking portions, projecting from the chassis main body to an insertion path of the connector when the attachment portion is not inserted into the void, and that is configured to be pushed by the attachment portion to retreat from the insertion path of the connector when the attachment portion is inserted into the void.

(Attachment 2) The information processing apparatus according to attachment 1, in which the projecting portion has an inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the insertion direction.

(Attachment 3) The information processing apparatus according to claim1or2, in which, when the projecting portion is fitted into the hole of the attachment portion, the fixing portion further includes a second locking portion in contact with an end portion of the attachment portion located at a top end in an insertion direction when the attachment portion of the connector is inserted into the void.