Abstract:
A mounting apparatus is adjusted to selectively mount a first expansion card or a second expansion card. The mounting apparatus includes a bracket, a retaining member fixed to the bracket, and a pivoting member pivotably attached to the retaining member. The pivoting member defines a first locking slot and a second locking slot. The pivoting member is pivotable along a first direction to limit the first expansion card. The pivoting member is pivotable along a direction opposing to the first direction to limit the second expansion card.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses and, more particularly, to a mounting apparatus for mounting expansion cards. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Tall expansion cards are generally installed in a chassis of an electronic device, such as a computer or a server, with a mounting apparatus engaging with the cover plates attached to first ends of the expansion cards. Top portions of the tall expansion cards always require mounting apparatuses. However, each predetermined mounting apparatus is uniquely designed for a particular kind of tall expansion cards only. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can 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 embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a mounting apparatus, together with a first expansion card and a second expansion card. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another perspective. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of the mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1  and the first expansion card. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3 , taken along the line IV-IV. 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing another state of use. 
         FIG. 6  is an assembled, isometric view of the mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1  and the second expansion card. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 6 , taken along the line VII-VII. 
         FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7 , but showing another state of use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exemplary embodiment of a mounting apparatus is provided to selectively mount a first expansion card  500  or a second expansion card  600  of a different size. The mounting apparatus includes a bracket  10 , a circuit board  20 , a retaining member  30 , a pivoting member  40 , and a clip  50 . The first expansion card  500  includes a main plate  501  and a plug  502 . The second expansion card  600  includes a main plate  601  and a plug  602 . The first expansion card  600  is taller than the second expansion card  600 . The circuit board  20  includes a socket  22 . 
     The bracket  10  includes a base wall  12 , and a sidewall  14  substantially perpendicularly extending up from one side of the base wall  12 . The circuit board  20  is mounted below the base wall  12 . The base wall  12  defines a through slot  122  through which the socket  22  of the circuit board  20  extends. The sidewall  14  defines three first mounting holes  142  in a first end of the sidewall  14 , and defines three second mounting holes  144  in a second end of the sidewall  14  opposite to the first end. 
     The retaining member  30  includes two parallel side plates  32  and a connecting plate  34  substantially perpendicularly connected between corresponding sides of the side plates  32 . A reinforcement plate  36  is substantially perpendicularly connected between bottom ends of the side plates  32 . Each side plate  32  defines a pivoting hole  38 . Two substantially L-shaped hooks  322  and a substantially resilient first tongue-shaped portion  324  between the hooks  322  are formed on an outer surface of one of the side plates  32 . A first tenon  326  is formed from a distal end of the first tongue-shaped portion  324 . A positioning post  328  is formed from an inner surface of one of the side plates  32 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The connecting plate  34  defines a locking hole  342 , a first through hole  344 , and a second through hole  346  in order from top to bottom. 
     The pivoting member  40  is substantially T-shaped, and includes a pressing portion  42  at a top of the pivoting member  40  and a pivoting portion  44  extending down from a middle of a bottom of the pressing portion  42 . The pressing portion  42  defines a first locking slot  422  and a second locking slot  424  at opposite ends of the pressing portion  42 . Two pins  442  extend from opposite sides of a lower portion of the pivoting portion  44 . The top of the first locking slot  422  is sealed, and the bottom of second locking slot  424  also sealed. A substantially C-shaped resilient portion  46  extends from a middle portion of the pivoting portion  44  to partially surround the pivoting portion  44 . The resilient portion  46  includes an operating section  462  formed at a middle portion of the resilient portion  46  opposite to the pivoting portion  44 , and a positioning section  464  formed at a distal end of the resilient portion  46  opposite to the pivoting portion  44 . In this embodiment, the positioning section  464  is a slot defined in the resilient portion  46 . 
     The clip  50  is substantially bar-shaped. Two substantially L-shaped hooks  522  and a resilient second tongue-shaped portion  524  between the hooks  522  are formed on a first side surface of the clip  50 . A second tenon  526  is formed from a distal end of the second tongue-shaped portion  524 . A clip slot  54  is defined in a second side surface of the clip  50  substantially perpendicularly connected to the first side surface. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in assembly, the circuit board  20  is attached to the base wall  12  of the bracket  10 , below the base wall  12 , with the socket  22  of the circuit board  20  extending through the through slot  122  of the base wall  12 . The pins  442  of the pivoting member  40  engage in the pivoting holes  38  of the side plates  32  respectively, to pivotably attach the pivoting member  40  to the retaining member  30 . The hooks  322  of the retaining member  30  are locked in two of the first mounting holes  142  of the sidewall  14 , then the retaining member  30  is slid down until the first tenon  326  of the first tongue-shaped portion  324  engages in the third first through holes  142  of the sidewall  14 . Therefore, the retaining member  30  is fixed to the sidewall  14 . The clip  50  is fixed to the sidewall  14  through the second mounting holes  144  of the sidewall  14 , and the hooks  522  and the second tenon  526  of the clip  50  has the same steps as described above. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 5 , to attach the first expansion card  500  to the bracket  10 , the plug  502  of the first expansion card  500  is plugged in the socket  22  of the circuit board  20 . A first end of the main plate  501  is received in the clip slot  54  of the clip  50 . The pivoting member  40  is pivoted up toward the second end of the main plate  501 , to make a conjunction of a second end and a top side of the main plate  501  engage in the first locking slot  422  of the pivoting member  40 , with the top of the first locking slot  422  pressing the top side of the main plate  501 . The positioning section  464  of the pivoting member  40  is locked to the positioning post  328  of the retaining member  30 , to avoid the pressing portion  42  releasing from the main plate  501 . Thus the first expansion card  500  is fixed to the bracket  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , to detach the first expansion card  500  from the bracket  10 , the operating section  462  of the pivoting member  40  is pressed to deform the resilient portion  46  to release the positioning section  464  from the positioning post  328  of the retaining member  30 . The pivoting member  40  is then pivoted down away from the first expansion card  500 , to release the pressing portion  42  from the main plate  501 . Therefore, the plug  502  of the first expansion card  500  is readily removed from the socket  22  of the circuit board  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , to attach the second expansion card  600  to the bracket  10 , the plug  602  of the second expansion card  600  is plugged into the socket  22  of the circuit board  20 . A first end of the main plate  601  is received in the clip slot  54  of the clip  50 . The pivoting member  40  is pivoted down, to make the resilient portion  46  extend through the first through hole  344  of the retaining member  30 , and one end of the pressing portion  42  extends through the second through hole  344  of the retaining member  30 . A conjunction of a second end and a top side of the main plate  601  is engaged in the second locking slot  424  of the pivoting member  40 , with the bottom (now on top) of the second locking slot  424  pressing the top side of the main plate  601 . A top side bounding the locking hole  342  of the retaining member  30  is engaged in the positioning section  464  of the pivoting member  40 , to stop the pressing portion  42  releasing from the main plate  601 . Thus the second expansion card  600  is fixed to the bracket  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , to detach the second expansion card  600  from the bracket  10 , the operating section  462  of the pivoting member  40  is pressed to deform the resilient portion  46  to release the positioning section  464  from the top side bounding the locking hole  342  of the retaining member  30 . The pivoting member  40  is then pivoted up, to release the pressing portion  42  from the main plate  601 . 
     In this embodiment, the clip  50  assists to the fixing of the expansion cards. It is possible to fix the expansion cards to the bracket  10  only using the retaining member  30  and the pivoting member  40 , and not use the clip  50 . 
     In alternative embodiments, the connecting plate  34  may defines a larger through hole to substitute the locking hole  342 , the first through hole  344 , and the second through hole  346 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of certain embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.