Abstract:
System and method aspects for insertion and retention of a daughter card in a motherboard include a latching device mounted on a daughter card, and a motherboard including a pair of posts, the pair of posts supporting reception of the latching device, wherein no standard industry backetry is needed to hold the daughter card on the motherboard. The latching device further includes a handle with connection arms mounted on a top edge of the daughter card, where the connection arms adjust position to allow insertion and removal of the daughter card. In one embodiment, the connection arms comprise spring action arms, and in another embodiment, the connection arms comprise lever action arms.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to daughter card insertion and retention in a computer system motherboard, and more particularly to daughter card insertion and retention without use of standard industry backetry.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In computer processing systems, the inclusion and addition of varying system enhancements is sometimes done with the use of daughter cards that are plugged into the motherboard of the computer. Usually, standard industry backetry, such as backetry that complies with the peripheral component interconnect (PCI) specifications, is available to retain the daughter card on the motherboard. However, at times, such standard backetry is not available. For example, standard industry backetry may not be in place due to the daughter card being plugged into the motherboard in an off specification location for various system requirements.  
         [0003]     Accordingly, a need exists for a card retention and insertion approach without use of standard industry backetry. The present invention addresses such a need.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     System and method aspects for insertion and retention of a daughter card in a motherboard are described. The aspects include a latching device mounted on a daughter card, and a motherboard including a pair of posts, the pair of posts supporting reception of the latching device, wherein no standard industry backetry is needed to hold the daughter card on the motherboard. The latching device further includes a handle with connection arms mounted on a top edge of the daughter card, where the connection arms adjust position to allow insertion and removal of the daughter card. In one embodiment, the connection arms comprise spring action arms, and in another embodiment, the connection arms comprise lever action arms.  
         [0005]     With the present invention, a straightforward and effective manner of providing insertion and retention of a daughter card in a motherboard is achieved. The invention is activated automatically through a single human interaction point as the card is being plugged and unplugged from the motherboard. The invention solves the problems of lost card guiding and card retention in a stand alone location. Additionally, the invention is designed for human factors intervention which is tool-less handling and single point pull-push activation. These and other advantages of the aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood in conjunction with the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a first embodiment of a card insertion and retention system in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0007]      FIGS. 3, 4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7  illustrate a second embodiment of a card insertion and retention system in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention relates to daughter card insertion and retention in a motherboard without use of standard industry backetry. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiments and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.  
         [0009]     In accordance with the present invention a card insertion and retention system is provided that utilizes a latching device mounted on top of a card in conjunction with post mounted on a motherboard. As described further hereinbelow, the latching device includes a handle with connection arms that adjust position for the insertion and removal of a daughter card. A first embodiment utilizes spring action arms and a second embodiment utilizes lever action arms.  
         [0010]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a daughter card  100  is shown in accordance with the first embodiment of the latching device mounted on a top edge of the daughter card  100  that includes a handle  102  and spring action arms  104 . The spring action arms  104  are attached to the handle  102  via an expanding spring member  106 . The expanding spring member  106  is situated between the handle  102  and the spring action arms  104 . The handle  102 , spring action arms  104 , and expanding spring member  106  are all part of one piece preferably made out of a plastic sufficient to balance the rigidity and spring attributes of the design. Two posts  108 ,  110  (e.g., made of plastic or spring steel) mounted on a motherboard  112  are also shown and receive side edges of the daughter card  100 .  
         [0011]     Prior to inserting the daughter card  100  into the posts  108 ,  110 , the latching device lays flat against the top of the card  100  and is essentially a static body. As the card  100  is put into the posts  108 ,  110 , the ends of the spring action arms  104  come into contact with snap portions of the posts  108 ,  110  substantially simultaneously. The snap portions move out of the way to receive the end portions of the spring action arms  104 . The latching device is attached at lever locations  114  via a roll pin or other suitable fastening device which goes through a hole in the daughter card  100  at the lever locations  114  and allows for the spring action arms  104  to rotate. Spring action arms  104  are flattened when the daughter card  100  is pushed into the motherboard. Member  106  is a limiter and card pusher. When pushing down on handle  102 , spring arms  104  flatten and touch limiter  106 , and the limiter  106  impinges on the card  100  top and pushes it in.  FIG. 2  illustrates the final position of the daughter card  100  fully inserted into the motherboard  112 .  
         [0012]     To remove the daughter card  100  from the motherboard  112 , the handle  102  is grasped and pulled upward. This action transfers the upward movement of the handle  102  to the expanding spring member  106  and ultimately to the spring action arms  104 . As the handle  102  is being pulled up, the spring action arms  104  bow up and the ends of the spring action arms  104  rotate downward. As the arms  104  rotate, the ends hit a shelf  116  on the posts  108 ,  110 , (as shown in the close-up portion of  FIG. 2 ) which helps cam the daughter card  100  out. The spring action arms  104  are tilted at an angle and have somewhat helped cam/lever the daughter card  100  out. The angle of the spring action arms  104  also allows them to slip past the snaps  118  of the posts  108 ,  110  that spring out of the way. If the spring action arms  104  do not attain this angle, they will not slip out from under the snaps  118  of the posts  108 ,  110 . By tuning the expanding spring member  106  to a force required to hold the spring action arms  104  down in position and by the spring stiff nature of the spring action arms  104 , the ends can remain locked/retained even if they experience a force caused by the daughter card  100  unseating during shipping.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of the latching device in accordance with the present invention. The latching device includes a handle  200  and lever action arms  202  mounted on top of a daughter card  204 . Two posts  206 ,  208  mounted on a motherboard  210  receive the edges of the daughter card  204 . The lever action arms  202  are mounted on the top outside edges of the daughter card  204  and include a lever end  212  and a slider end  214 , where the slider end  214  is the continuation of the lever end  212  under and through a portion of the handle  200 , which is hollow.  
         [0014]     The handle  200  is shown as a rigid member with two ends extending toward the lever action arms  202  with the hollow end of each handle extension receiving the slider ends  214  of the lever action arms  202 . The handle  200  is not attached to the card but is kept in place by the slider extensions of the lever action arms  202  whereby one lever action arm  202  is assembled to the daughter card  204  first, then the handle  200 , then the other lever action arm  202 . Done in that order the handle  200  is then trapped between the lever action arm  202  sliders. The lever action arms  202  are attached via a roll pin or other suitable fastening device which goes through a hole in the daughter card  204  at the lever pivot location  216 . The fastening must allow for the lever action arms  202  to rotate.  
         [0015]     As the card  204  is inserted into the board  210 , the lever ends  212  of the lever action arms  202  come into contact with the upright post snap features  218  of the two posts  206 ,  208  substantially simultaneously. The snap features  218  on the posts  206 ,  208  move out of the way via a spring cross section of the posts  206 ,  208 , which are made of a material such that the snap features  218  will spring out of the way, e.g., a plastic or spring steel design. Once the card  204  is seated all the way the snap features  218  ‘snap’ back into place and the latching device is retained.  FIG. 4  illustrates the latching device mounted to both the daughter card  204  and motherboard  210  with the daughter card  204  seated fully into the motherboard  210 . A pin in hole device between the handle  200  and the lever action arms  202  will stop the handle  200  from coming up when the handle  200  is all the way seated. The pin goes from the handle  200  into the sliders preventing them from sliding—thus locking the handle to the sliders and the sliders at the horizontal such that the card will not come out of the posts  206 ,  208  until the pin is disengaged. This pin in hole device allows for the locking or retention of the lever action arms  202  should the lever ends  212  see a force caused by the daughter card unseating during shipping.  
         [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the removal or retraction process is started by lifting on the handle  200  with the intention of removing the card  204 . The handle  200  lifts up, and at the same time, the lever action arms  202  start to rotate because the lever slider ends  214  are captured within the hollow ends of the handle  200 . The lever action arms  202  pivot about the pivot location  216  on the card  204 , and the handle hollows allow the rotation to occur while also allowing a sliding of the lever slider ends  214  within the handle hollows. Thus, as the handle  200  is lifted up, the slider ends  214  slide to a set distance whereby they are contained within the hollow and can slide no more (e.g. they bind up and stop the upward distance of the handle and the rotation of the pivot arms). At this point, the angle for disengagement from the snap features of the posts  206 ,  208  can begin. As the lever action arms  202  rotate, the tips of the lever action arms  202  hit a shelf  220  on the posts  206 ,  208  and help cam the card  204  out.  
         [0017]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the card  204  is starting to pull out of the posts  206 ,  208  on the motherboard  210 . At this time, the handle  200  has stopped all upward movement relative to the top of the card  204  via the slider ends  214  on the lever action arms  202  limiting the handle travel, since the tips of the slider ends  214  are not able to slide further as they bind against the handle bottom. The lever action arms  202  are tilted at an angle and have somewhat helped cam/lever the card  204  out. The angle of the lever action arms  202  also allows them to slip past the snap features  218  of the posts  206 ,  208 , with the snap features  218  bending or springing back out of the way. If the lever action arms  202  do not attain this angle, they will not slip out from under the snap features  218 .  
         [0018]     Once free from the posts  206 ,  208 , retraction can be completed.  FIG. 7  shows the card  204  and latching device free of the motherboard  210  and free of the posts  206 ,  208 . Insertion can now occur again completing the retraction and insertion cycle.  
         [0019]     Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.