Supporting mechanism and related electronic device capable of applying to rotation of a signal transmission holder

A supporting mechanism and a related electronic device can be adapted to apply to rotation of a signal transmission holder. The rotary supporting mechanism includes a base, a bracket, a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and a actuating component. The signal transmission holder is disposed on the bracket . Two end of the first connecting rod respectively pivot between the base and the bracket. A first end of the second connecting rod pivots to the bracket . Two ends of the third connecting rod respectively pivot to the base and a second end of the second connecting rod. The actuating component is rotatably disposed on the second connecting rod. A contacting portion of the actuating component is movably shifted between a first blocker and a second blocker of the third connecting rod since the second connecting rod rotates relative to the third connecting rod.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a supporting mechanism with a signal transmission holder and a related electronic device, and more particularly, to a supporting mechanism and a related electronic device capable of applying to rotation of a signal transmission holder by the four-bar linkage module.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A plurality of hard disk apparatuses (such as the storage module) is disposed inside the server as an array to increase information storage efficiency. In order to economize inner space of the server, to maintain preferred heat dissipating efficiency, and to conveniently assemble and/or disassemble the hard disk apparatus, the conventional server disposes a signal transmission holder inside the housing to electrically connect with lots of hard disk apparatuses simultaneously, instead of utilization of several transmission cables individually connected to the corresponding hard disk apparatus, so that the conventional server can economize amounts of the transmission cable, and has properties of low cost and easy assembly. However, the conventional server normally fixes the signal transmission holder on the bracket inside the housing by screws or bolts, or hangs the signal transmission holder on the bracket and then uses a blocker to press the signal transmission holder to avoid the signal transmission holder and the bracket from separation. The conventional fixing mechanism applied to the signal transmission holder as mentioned above has complicated operating procedure, and is unsuitable for the server with plenty of the hard disk apparatuses

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure provides a supporting mechanism and a related electronic device capable of applying to rotation of a signal transmission holder by the four-bar linkage module for solving above drawbacks.

According to the claimed disclosure, a supporting mechanism capable of applying to rotation of a signal transmission holder is disclosed. The supporting mechanism includes a base, a bracket, a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and an actuating component. The base includes a jointing portion. The signal transmission holder is disposed on the bracket . A lateral wall stretches from a side of the bracket. Two ends of the first connecting rod respectively pivot to the jointing portion and the lateral wall of the bracket. A first end of the second connecting rod pivots to the lateral wall of the bracket . The third connecting rod includes a first blocking portion and a second blocking portion. Two ends of the third connecting rod respectively pivot to the jointing portion and a second end of the second connecting rod. The actuating component is rotatably disposed on the second connecting rod. The second connecting rod is adapted to rotate relative to the third connecting rod to movably shift a contacting portion of the actuating component between the first blocking portion and the second blocking portion, so as to set position of the bracket relative to the base.

According to the claimed disclosure, the base further includes at least one constraining portion. A movement of the bracket is constrained by the constraining portion since the contacting portion leans against the first blocking portion.

According to the claimed disclosure, the bracket is separated from the constraining portion since the contacting portion leans against the second blocking portion.

According to the claimed disclosure, the second connecting rod includes a first restraining portion, and the second connecting rod further includes a second restraining portion. The first restraining portion leans against the second restraining portion to restrain relative rotation between the second connecting rod and the third connecting rod.

According to the claimed disclosure, the supporting mechanism further includes a recovering component disposed between the second connecting rod and the actuating component. A resilient recovering force of the recovering component drives the actuating component to slidably drift over the second connecting rod.

According to the claimed disclosure, the recovering component is a tension spring.

According to the claimed disclosure, an electronic device includes a holding frame, a signal transmission holder and a supporting mechanism. At least one storage module is detachably disposed on the holding frame. The supporting mechanism is capable of switching relative rotation between the holding frame and the signal transmission holder. The supporting mechanism includes a base, a bracket, a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and an actuating component. The base includes a jointing portion. The signal transmission holder is disposed on the bracket. A lateral wall stretches from a side of the bracket. Two ends of the first connecting rod respectively pivot to the jointing portion and the lateral wall of the bracket. A first end of the second connecting rod pivots to the lateral wall of the bracket. The third connecting rod includes a first blocking portion and a second blocking portion. Two ends of the third connecting rod respectively pivot to the jointing portion and a second end of the second connecting rod. The actuating component is rotatably disposed on the second connecting rod. The second connecting rod is adapted to rotate relative to the third connecting rod to movably shift a contacting portion of the actuating component between the first blocking portion and the second blocking portion, so as to set position of the bracket relative to the base.

The supporting mechanism of the present disclosure utilizes the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod, the third connecting rod and the lateral wall of the bracket to construct the four-bar linkage module. The signal transmission holder can be switched between the closed mode and the open mode by linkage function of the supporting mechanism, so the signal transmission holder can be conveniently assembled with and disassembled from the bracket. Comparing to the prior art, the supporting mechanism of the present disclosure can switch the signal transmission holder to the recumbent position for the open mode, so the user has sufficient working space to assemble and disassemble the signal transmission holder from the bracket. The signal transmission holder further can be switched to the upright position for the closed mode, to rapidly establish connection channel between the signal transmission holder and the storage modules inside the holding frame.

These and other objectives of the present disclosure will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer toFIG. 1.FIG. 1is an exploded diagram of an electronic device10according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device10includes a holding frame12, a signal transmission holder14and a supporting mechanism16. The electronic device10can be a server system. One or more storage modules (which can be the hard disk apparatus and not shown in figures) are detachably disposed on the holding frame12. An amount of the storage module depends on performance of the server system. The signal transmission holder14is a circuit board that has a plurality of connectors. When the holding frame12supports a plurality of storage modules, the signal transmission holder14can be assembled with the holding frame12to electrically connect to the plurality of storage modules on the holding frame12simultaneously. The supporting mechanism16, being a four-link assembly, can be utilized to switch the signal transmission holder14to an upright position to stand by a side of the holding frame12, or to switch the signal transmission holder14to a recumbent position for separating from the holding frame12.

The supporting mechanism16includes a base18, a bracket20, a first connecting rod22, a second connecting rod24, a third connecting rod26, an actuating component28and a recovering component30. The first connecting rod22, the second connecting rod24, the third connecting rod26, and a lateral wall201of the bracket20are assembled to construct a four-bar linkage module. The actuating component28is manually driven to contact against the third connecting rod26or to be separated from the third connecting rod26, and the four-bar linkage module can drive the bracket20whereon the signal transmission holder14is disposed to switch between the upright position and the recumbent position. The supporting mechanism16may include two four-bar linkage modules respectively disposed on opposite sides of the bracket20to share weight of the signal transmission holder14, or includes single four-bar linkage module disposed on one side or a middle location of the bracket20. Following illustration focuses on the embodiment with two four-bar linkage modules; however, amounts and location of the four-bar linkage module are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, which depend on design demand.

Please refer toFIG. 1toFIG. 4.FIG. 2is a diagram of the second connecting rod24according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 3is a diagram of the third connecting rod26according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 4is a diagram of the actuating component28according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The base18can be a bottom housing of the electronic device10. The base18includes several jointing portions32. An amount of the jointing portion32is designed according to amounts of the four-bar linkage module. The jointing portion32can be a protrusion or a sunken slot formed on the base18. The bracket20is adapted to support the signal transmission holder14. The bracket20can be rotatably switched relative to the base18(or the holding frame12) between the upright position and the recumbent position, so as to conveniently assemble and disassemble the signal transmission holder14from the storage modules of the holding frame12. In addition, the base18further can include one or more constraining portions34A,34B to constrain a movement of the bracket20. For example, the upper constraining portion34A can be adapted to downwardly press the bracket20, the lower constraining portion34B can be utilized to upwardly hold the bracket20and to contact against a side of the bracket20, and the bracket20can be stably set on the upright position.

The first connecting rod22is preferably made of high strength rigid material. Two ends of the first connecting rod22respectively pivot to the jointing portion32and a bottom of the bracket20. A first end241of the second connecting rod24pivots to a top of the bracket20, and the other end243of the second connecting rod24pivots to the third connecting rod26. The actuating component28is rotatably disposed on an axial hole36on the second connecting rod24. A folded plate portion38can be formed on a lateral side of the second connecting rod24to increase structural strength of the second connecting rod24. The second connecting rod24includes a first restraining portion40disposed on a position adjacent to the second end243. Two ends of the third connecting rod26respectively pivot to the jointing portion32and the second end243of the second connecting rod24. The third connecting rod26includes a second restraining portion42, a first blocking portion44and a second blocking portion46. The second end243is rotatably connected to a pivot hole48formed on a position adjacent by the second restraining portion42. The second restraining portion42is utilized to block the first restraining portion40, so as to restrain a rotating range between the second connecting rod24and the third connecting rod26.

Generally, the first restraining portion40can be a sunken structure formed on a main body of the second connecting rod24. The second restraining portion42, the first blocking portion44and the second blocking portion46can be folded structures disposed on different positions on a main body of the third connecting rod26. Further, elements of the supporting mechanism16, such as the base18, the bracket20, the first connecting rod22, the second connecting rod24, the third connecting rod26and/or the actuating component28, can have a protruding platen52formed on the own pivot position. The rotary shaft or the axial hole is preferably disposed on the protruding platen52to decrease contact area since the elements rotate, so as to decrease friction resistance and to increase operational fluency of the supporting mechanism16.

An end of the actuating component28pivots to the axial hole36on the second connecting rod24, and a contacting portion50is disposed on the other end of the actuating component28. The actuating component28further includes a handle54which can be manually applied to rotate the bracket20. Resilient recovering force of the recovering component30drives the contacting portion50of the actuating component28to slidably drift over the second connecting rod24. The recovering component30can be a tension spring. Two ends of the recovering component30are respectively disposed on a juncture A of the second connecting rod24and a juncture B of the actuating component28. When the contacting portion50leans against the first blocking portion44or the second blocking portion46, the actuating component28does not rotate relative to the second connecting rod24. When the contacting portion50is separated from the first blocking portion44(or the second blocking portion46), the actuating component28can freely rotate relative to the second connecting rod24so as to drive the second connecting rod24to rotate relative to the third connecting rod26, the first connecting rod22can be rotated accordingly, and the bracket20can be switched between the recumbent position and the upright position. Since the contacting portion50leans against the first blocking portion44(or the second blocking portion46), the bracket20stops its rotation and can be stably set on the upright position (or the recumbent position). It should be mentioned that the embodiment not only uses the tension spring to be the recovering component30for providing the resilient recovering force, but also can use any other resilient unit (such as the torsional spring) for replacement. Any resilient unit capable of pressing the actuating component28on the second connecting rod24belongs to scope of the recovering component30in the present disclosure.

Please refer toFIG. 5toFIG. 11.FIG. 5toFIG. 7are diagrams of the supporting mechanism16in different operational modes according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 8is a diagram of the signal transmission holder14disassembled from the bracket20according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 9toFIG. 11are enlarged diagrams of the supporting mechanism16shown inFIG. 5toFIG. 7. As shown inFIG. 5, the supporting mechanism16is switched to a closed mode, the bracket20is switched to the upright position relative to the base18, and the signal transmission holder14is disposed by the holding frame12to electrically connect with the storage modules on the holding frame12. As shown inFIG. 6andFIG. 7, the bracket20can be inclined from the upright position (which means the position substantially perpendicular to the base18) when the actuating component28is upwardly rotated, and rotation of the bracket20is stopped until the bracket20is switched to the recumbent position (which means the position substantially parallel to the base18); in the meantime, the supporting mechanism16is switched to an open mode and the signal transmission holder14can be easily assembled and disassembled. As shown inFIG. 8, the signal transmission holder14can be assembled with or disassembled from the bracket20by a screw/bolt locking manner or any other engagement manner.

As shown inFIG. 9, the contacting portion50of the actuating component28leans against the first blocking portion44of the third connecting rod26, to constrain rotation of the second connecting rod24relative to the third connecting rod26at a clockwise direction R1. The first restraining portion40of the second connecting rod24further contacts the second restraining portion42of the third connecting rod26to restrain rotation of the second connecting rod24relative to the third connecting rod26at a counterclockwise direction R2, so as to keep the supporting mechanism16at the closed mode (which equals the upright position) ; meanwhile, sides of the bracket20are buckled by the constraining portions34A,34B. As shown inFIG. 10, the actuating component28is manually driven to rotate at the counterclockwise direction R2, and the contacting portion50is separated from the first blocking portion44to rotate the second connecting rod24at the clockwise direction R1. The recovering component30drives contacting portion50to shift from the first blocking portion44to the second blocking portion46, so as to rotate the first connecting rod22and the third connecting rod26at the clockwise direction R1. That is, the bracket20can be switched from the closed mode (which equals the upright position) to the open mode (which equals the recumbent position), so the bracket20is separated from the constraining portions34A,34B. The bracket20can be set on the open mode since the contacting portion50leans against the second blocking portion46. As shown inFIG. 11, the bracket20is switched to the recumbent position, the third connecting rod26shores a positioning hole203formed on the bracket20, the bracket20does not rotate relative to the first connecting rod22and the second connecting rod24, and the bracket20can be stably set on the recumbent position.

The supporting mechanism of the present disclosure utilizes the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod, the third connecting rod and the lateral wall of the bracket to construct the four-bar linkage module. The signal transmission holder can be switched between the closed mode and the open mode by linkage function of the supporting mechanism, so the signal transmission holder can be conveniently assembled with and disassembled from the bracket. Comparing to the prior art, the supporting mechanism of the present disclosure can switch the signal transmission holder to the recumbent position for the open mode, so the user has sufficient working space to assemble and disassemble the signal transmission holder from the bracket. The signal transmission holder further can be switched to the upright position for the closed mode, to rapidly establish connection channel between the signal transmission holder and the storage modules inside the holding frame.