Abstract:
An expansion card retention assembly ( 100 ) is provided. The retention assembly includes an expansion frame ( 11 ) and a latching device ( 12 ). The expansion frame includes an expansion seat ( 111 ), and the expansion seat is configured for receiving an expansion card ( 20 ) therein. The latching device is positioned adjacent to one end portion of the expansion frame. The latching device includes a mounted member ( 14 ), a locking member ( 13 ), and a spring member. The mounted member is fixed relatively to the expansion frame. The locking member is operable to rotate away from the mounted member, so as to abut against an expansion card bracket of the expansion card toward the expansion seat of the expansion frame. The spring member is mounted between the mounted member and the locking member to bias the locking member away from the mounted member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to assemblies for securing a plurality of expansion cards in an electronic device enclosure. 
   DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART 
   With the development of information processing technology, electronic devices such as personal computers are now widely used. These electronic devices enable consumers to enjoy the convenience of high-tech services. Expansion cards such as network cards, sound cards, and small computer system interface cards (SCSIs) having special circuits that are widely used in the electronic devices to enhance or specialize their functions. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a typical retention assembly for securing an expansion card  40  to an electronic device enclosure  30  is shown. The enclosure  30  includes a main chassis  33 , and a side chassis  34  perpendicular to the main chassis  33 . A main circuit board  331 , for example a motherboard, is positioned on the main chassis  33 . The main circuit board  331  defines a plurality of expansion slots  3311 , and the expansion slots  3311  are aligned parallel to each other. The retention assembly includes an expansion frame  31  formed on the side chassis  34 , and a screw  32  that may be engaged in the expansion frame  31 . The expansion frame  31  defines a plurality of expansion seats  311  corresponding to the expansion slots  3311 . The expansion frame  31  includes a plurality of support platforms  312  located at one end of the expansion seats  311  corresponding to the expansion seats  311 . Each support platform  312  defines a screw hole  313 . The expansion card  40  includes an expansion card circuit board  41 , and an expansion card bracket  42  extending from one end of expansion card circuit board  41 . The expansion card bracket  42  has a flange  43  formed at an end thereof. A notch  44  is defined on the flange  43 . 
   In use, the expansion card  40  is received in the enclosure  30 , with the expansion card circuit board  41  inserted in the expansion slot  3311 , and the expansion card bracket  42  seated in the expansion seat  311 . The flange  43  of the expansion card  40  abuts against the corresponding support platform  312 , with the notch  44  aligned with the screw hole  313  correspondingly. The screw  32  passes through the notch  44  of the expansion card  40 , and is finally received in the screw hole  313  of the expansion frame  31 . Thus, the expansion card bracket  42  of the expansion card  40  is held steadily in the expansion frame  31 , and the expansion card  40  is held in the enclosure  30 . A plurality of expansion cards  40  can be received in the enclosure  30  in this way. The expansion card  40  can be removed after moving off the screw  32  from the enclosure  30 . 
   In the above retention assembly, the expansion cards  40  are directly secured in the enclosure  30  by using the screws  32 . Each expansion card  40  needs one screw  32 . Fastening or detachment of the screws  32  is unduly time-consuming and laborious. This retards the efficiency of installation and removal of the expansion cards  40 . These problems are multiplied in mass production facilities, and result in increased costs. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a new retention assembly, which can hold the surface contact card steadily in a portable electronic device. 
   SUMMARY 
   An expansion card retention assembly includes an expansion frame and a latching device. The expansion frame includes an expansion seat, and the expansion seat is configured for receiving an expansion card therein. The latching device is positioned adjacent to one end portion of the expansion frame. The latching device includes a mounted member, a locking member, and a spring member. The mounted member is fixed relatively to the expansion frame. The locking member is operable to rotate away from the mounted member, so as to abut against an expansion card bracket of the expansion card toward the expansion seat of the expansion frame. The spring member is mounted between the mounted member and the locking member to bias the locking member away from the mounted member. 
   Other novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Many aspects of the retention assembly 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 retention assembly. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a conventional retention assembly; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of a retention assembly having a latching device in accordance with a preferred embodiment; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged, exploded, isometric view of the latching device of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged, assembled, isometric view showing the latching device in a locked state of  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing the latching device in an unlocked state. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings in detail,  FIG. 2  shows a retention assembly  100  for an expansion card  20  incorporated in a computer/electronic device enclosure  10 . The computer enclosure  10  and the expansion card/adapter card  20  are taken here as an exemplary application for the purposes of describing details of the retention assembly  100  of the preferred embodiment. The computer enclosure  10  includes a main chassis  16 , and a side chassis  17  perpendicularly extending from an edge of the main chassis  16 . A main circuit board  161 , for example a motherboard, is positioned on the main chassis  16 . The main circuit board  161  defines a plurality of expansion slots  1611 , and the expansion slots  1611  are aligned parallel to each other. An expansion frame  11  is formed on the side chassis  17 . The expansion card  20  includes an expansion card circuit board  21 , an expansion card plug  22  extending from an end thereof and an expansion card bracket  23  extending from another end thereof. The expansion card bracket  23  has a tab  24  formed at an end thereof, and a flange  25  formed at an opposite end thereof. A notch  26  is defined on the flange  25 . The retention assembly  100  includes the expansion frame  11 , and a latching device  12  mounted adjacent to the expansion frame  11 . 
   The expansion frame  11  defines a plurality of expansion seats  111  corresponding to the expansion slots  1611 . Each expansion seat  111  is configured for receiving the expansion card bracket  23  of the expansion card  20 . The expansion frame  11  further defines a plurality of tab slots  112  corresponding to the expansion seats  111 , and the tab slots  112  are adjacent to an end of the expansion seats  111 . Each tab slot  112  is configured for receiving the tab  24  of the expansion card  20 . The expansion frame  11  includes a plurality of support platforms  113  corresponding to the expansion seats  111 , and the support platforms  113  locate at another end of the expansion seats  111 . Each support platform  113  is configured for holding the flange  25  of the expansion card  20 . Each support platform  113  defines a receiving hole  114 . The support platforms  113  cooperatively form a support surface (not labeled), and the support surface is substantially a top surface of the expansion frame  11 . The expansion frame  11  further includes a pair of sidewalls  115  connecting the support platforms  113 . Each sidewall  115  defines a first aperture  116 , and each first aperture  116  locates adjacent to the support platforms  113 . 
   Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the latching device  12  includes a locking member  13 , a mounted member  14 , and a hinge  15  connecting the locking member  13  and the mounted member  14 . 
   The locking member  13  includes a main board  131 , and a pair of symmetrical side boards  132  perpendicularly extending from two opposite ends of the main board  131  in a same direction. In alternative embodiments, one of the side boards  132  may be omitted. The main board  131  is substantially a rectangular board. A pair of symmetrical sleeves  133  are formed at a side of the main board  131 . In alternative embodiment, the number of the sleeve(s)  133  may be one, three, or more. Each sleeve  133  is substantially a hollow cylinder having a cylindrical axis lying on a planar surface parallel to the side of the main board  131 . A plurality of plates  134  extends perpendicularly from another side of the main board  131  in the direction corresponding to the side boards  132 . A plurality of bolts  135  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) extends from the main board  131  in the direction corresponding to the side boards  132 . The shape and quantity of the bolts  135  correspond to the receiving holes  114  of the expansion frame  11 . The side boards  132  are made of resilient material, for example plastic material. Each side board  132  is substantially a rectangular board. Each side board  132  is disposed with a first protrusion  136  on an inner surface thereof. The first protrusions  136  are received in the first apertures  116  of the expansion frame  11  correspondingly. Each side board  132  defines a second aperture  137 . The second aperture  137  may be a through hole, or a blind hole defined in an outer surface opposite to the inner surface of the side board  132 . 
   The mounted member  14  includes a main panel  141 , and a pair of symmetrical side panels  142  perpendicularly extending from two opposite ends of the main panel  141  in parallel directions. In alternative embodiment, one of the side panels  142  may be omitted. The main panel  141  is substantially a rectangular board. A pair of symmetrical sleeves  143  are formed at one side of the main panel  141 . In alternative embodiment, the number of the sleeve(s)  143  may be one, three, or more. The shape and size of the sleeves  143  correspond to the sleeves  133  of the locking member  13 . The side panels  142  are made of resilient materials, for example plastic materials. Each side panel  142  is substantially an arc-shaped board. Each side panel  142  is disposed with a second protrusion  144  on an inner surface thereof. The second protrusions  144  are received in the second apertures  137  of the locking member  13  correspondingly. 
   The hinge  15  includes a shaft  151 , a torsion spring  152 , and a pair of clips  153 . The shaft  151  is substantially cylindrical, and defines two recesses  1511  at opposite ends thereof, respectively. The torsion spring  152  is helical and preferably metallic, and two arms  1521  extend at opposite ends thereof. The clips  153  are substantially C-shaped, and are received in the recesses  1511  of the shaft  151 , correspondingly. 
   Referring also to  FIG. 4 , in assembly of the latching device  12 , the shaft  151  passes through one of sleeves  133  of the locking member  13 , one of the sleeves  143  of the mounted member  14 , the torsion spring  152 , the other sleeve  143  of the mounted member  14 , the other sleeve  133  of the locking member  13  in that order. The clips  153  are received in the recesses  1511  of the shaft  151  correspondingly, thereby preventing the shaft  151  from sliding out from the sleeves  133  and  143 . Thus, the locking member  13  is pivotably connected with the mounted member  14  via the hinge  15 . The mounted member  14  is attached (e.g. welded or screwed) to the side chassis  17  of the computer enclosure  10 , adjacent to the expansion frame  11 . The torsion spring  152  has a pre-torsional force. One of the arms  1521  abuts against the main board  131  of the locking member  13 , and the other of the arms  1521  abuts against the main panel  141  of the mounted member  14 . The locking member  13  abuts against the support platforms  113  of the expansion frame  11 . 
   In use, the locking member  13  is flipped towards the main panel  141  of the mounted member  14  by a first external force until the second protrusions  144  of the mounted member  14  are engaged in the corresponding second apertures  137  of the locking member  13 . At this time, the locking member  13  is fixed within the mounted member  14 , and is detached from the support platforms  113  of the expansion frame  11 . The torsion spring  152  is thereby coiled and accumulates potential energy. The expansion card  20  is received in the computer enclosure  10 , with the expansion card plug  22  inserted in the expansion slot  1611 , and the expansion card bracket  23  seated in the corresponding expansion seat  111 . At the same time, the tab  24  of the expansion card bracket  23  is received in the tab slot  112  correspondingly, the flange  25  of the expansion card bracket  23  abuts against the corresponding support platform  113 , with the notch  26  of the expansion card bracket  23  aligned with the receiving hole  114  correspondingly. A plurality of expansion cards  20  are received into the computer enclosure  10  in this way. In the illustrated embodiment, five expansion cards  20  are received into the computer enclosure  10 . 
   A second external force is applied on the locking member  13 , such that the second protrusions  144  of the mounted member  14  deforms and disengages with the second apertures  137  of the locking member  13 . The locking member  13  is automatically flipped/sprung out from the mounted member  14  by the torsional force of the torsion spring  152  until the locking member  13  abuts against the flanges  25  of the expansion cards  20 . The bolts  135  of the locking member  13  passes through the notches  26  of the expansion cards  20  correspondingly, and are finally received in the corresponding receiving holes  114  of the expansion frame  11 . The locking member  13  is pressed by a third external force until the first protrusions  136  of the locking member  13  are engaged in the corresponding first apertures  116  of the expansion frame  11 , with the plates  134  of the locking member  13  abutting against the expansion card brackets  23  of the expansion cards  20 . The latching device  12  can prevent the expansion card bracket  23  of the expansion card  20  from moving out of the expansion frame  11 . Thus, the expansion card bracket  23  of the expansion card  20  is held steadily in the expansion frame  11 , and the expansion card  20  is held steadily in the computer enclosure  10 . At this time, the latching device  12  is in a locked state. 
   Referring also to  FIG. 5 , to remove the expansion card  20 , the first external force is applied on the locking member  13 , such that the first protrusions  136  of the locking member  13  deforms and disengages with the first apertures  116  of the expansion frame  11 . The locking member  13  is rotated towards the main panel  141  until the second protrusions  144  of the mounted member  14  engages in the corresponding second apertures  137  of the locking member  13 . At this time, the locking member  13  is relatively fixed within the mounted member  14 , and the bolts  135  are pulled away from the flanges  25  of the expansion cards  20 . The torsion spring  152  is thereby coiled and accumulates potential energy. At this time, the latching device  12  is in an unlocked state. The expansion cards  20  are removed the computer enclosure  10  conveniently. 
   It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.