Abstract:
A latch mechanism comprising a frame having an insertion axis therethrough. A first latch spring is disposed on the frame and is biased to an extended position. A handle is connected to the frame and is movable along the insertion axis between a first position and a second position. A first cam is disposed on the handle and moves the first latch spring to a retracted position as the handle moves toward the second position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application claims the benefit of, and incorporates by reference, provisional application Ser. No. 60/650,336, filed Feb. 4, 2005, and entitled “Push/Pull Mechanism.” This application is also a divisional application of application Ser. No. 11/232,280, filed Sep. 21, 2005 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,349,200, entitled “Latching Mechanism,” which application is incorporated by reference herein as if reproduced in full below. 

   BACKGROUND 
   Many computer systems are constructed as a collection of components that are assembled together within a single chassis or cabinet. The components are often arranged such that individual components can be installed into and removed from the chassis as needed for maintenance and service. In order to facilitate use, the components are often equipped with a handle or some other feature for handling the component and enabling installation into the computer system. 
   Another feature often found in these computer systems are latching mechanisms that securely connect the component to the chassis. The latching mechanisms are generally used to prevent unintentional removal of the components. The latching systems often operate independently of any handling features that the component may have. Thus, in many instances the latching and handling systems require two distinct motions, such as rotating and pulling, to unlatch and remove a component from a chassis. 
   One restriction on the design of component handling and latching systems is the space available within a chassis. With the development of smaller computer systems, space within a chassis may become limited and less space may be available for latching and handling systems. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows an assembly comprising an embodiment of latch mechanism constructed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  shows a computer system including the assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a latching mechanism disengaged from a receptacle; 
       FIG. 5  shows a schematic of an embodiment of a latching mechanism being inserted into a receptacle; 
       FIG. 6  shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a latching mechanism engaged with a receptacle; 
       FIG. 7  shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a latching mechanism being pulled out of a receptacle 
       FIG. 8  shows a partial view of a latch mechanism constructed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 9  shows a detail view of a portion of the latch mechanism of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE 
   Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, computer companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection, or through an indirect connection via other devices and connections. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , removable assembly  10  comprises electronic component  12  and latch mechanism  14 . Electronic component  12  is illustrated as a cooling fan but may be any electronic component used in a computer system, such as a power supply, disk drive, expansion card, or other device. Latch mechanism  14  comprises frame  16 , latch springs  18 , handle  20 , spacer  22 , and recoil spring  24 . Assembly  10  is held together by screws  26 . Assembly  10  also comprises connector mount  28  that is connected to frame  16  and supports a connector that is coupled to electronic component  12 . 
   Latch springs  18  comprise body  30 , engagement tabs  32 , and angled face  34 . Latch spring body  30  is disposed on frame  16  and extends into aperture  36  such that engagement tabs  32  project through the aperture. Latch springs  18  are constructed from sheet metal, plastic, or some other material that provides sufficient flexibility and resiliency so as to bias the latch spring to the position where engagement tabs  32  extend through aperture  36 . 
   Handle  20  comprises substantially parallel members  38  connected by gripping portion  40 . Each parallel member  38  comprises cam  42  and slot  44 . Parallel members  38  extend from gripping portion  40  along the sides of frame  16 . Handle  20  has a first position, see  FIGS. 1 and 4 , where cams  42  are disposed within apertures  36  on frame  16  and slots  44  are aligned with the apertures such that engagement tabs  32  of latch springs  18  extend through slots  44 . 
   Spacer  22  is connected to electronic component  12  and houses recoil spring  24  and retainer  46 . Retainer  46  extends through slot  48  in spacer  22  and engages lugs  50  on handle  20 . Recoil spring  24  is thus retained between spacer  22  and handle  20  so as to bias the handle to the first position. Recoil spring  24  may be a coiled spring, flat spring, elastomeric member, or some other resilient member. Handle  20  also has a second position, see  FIG. 7 , wherein handle  20  is pulled in direction  45 . As handle  20  is pulled to the second position, cams  42  engage angled face  34  so as to urge latch springs  18  inward and retract engagement tabs  32 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , assembly  10  is disposable in chassis  52  along insertion axis  54 . Chassis  52  supports an electronic component  56 , such as a motherboard, and comprises receptacle  58  that receives assembly  10 . Receptacle  58  comprises tab receiver  60  and connector plug  62 . When assembly  10  is fully inserted into chassis  52 , engagement tabs  32  engage receiver  60  to retain the assembly within the chassis and connector plug  62  engages a connector on connector mount  28  to electrically couple electronic component  12  to electronic component  56 . The position of latching mechanism  14  is shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   The interface of a latching mechanism  14  and corresponding receptacle  58  is detailed in  FIGS. 4-7 . In  FIG. 4 , latching mechanism  14  is shown outside of receptacle  58 . Handle  20  is in the first position where cams  42  are disposed within apertures  36  on frame  16  and slots  44  are aligned with the apertures such that engagement tabs  32  of latch springs  18  extend through slots  44 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the operation of latching mechanism  14  as it is slidably disposed within receptacle  58  in the direction indicated by arrow  64 . As the wall of receptacle  58  contacts engagement tabs  32 , latch spring  18  will deflect inward and allow assembly  10  to slide within receptacle  58 . 
   Once latching mechanism  14  is fully received within receptacle  58 , as is shown in  FIG. 6 , latch spring  18  moves engagement tabs  32  outward where they engage tab receiver  60 . The engagement of tabs  32  and receiver  60  prevents latching mechanism  14  from moving out of engagement with receptacle  58 . In order to disengage latching mechanism  14  from receptacle  58 , handle  20  is pulled along insertion axis  54  in the direction indicated by arrow  66 . As handle  20  is pulled, cam  42  engages angled face  34  so as to urge latch spring  18  inward. The inward movement of latch spring  18  retracts engagement tab  32  from receiver  60  and allows assembly  10  to be pulled along insertion axis  54  in the direction indicated by arrow  66 . 
   Referring back to  FIG. 3 , the installation of component assembly  10  into chassis  52  is achieved by simply inserting the component assembly along insertion axis  54  into receptacle  58 . The operation of latching mechanism  14  during this installation is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , latching mechanism  14  will automatically engage receptacle  58  as assembly  10  is inserted into the receptacle. To remove component assembly  10  from chassis  52 , the user only has to pull handle  20  to disengage latching mechanism as shown in  FIG. 7 . As handle  20  is pulled, latching mechanism  14  will disengage from receptacle  58  and assembly  10  will be pulled out of the receptacle. Once assembly  10  is removed from chassis  12 , handle  20  is released and recoil spring  24  returns handle  20  to the first position. 
   The operation of latching mechanism is transparent to the user in that it operates without requiring manipulation separate from that which is already taking place, i.e., the pushing and pulling of the handle to move the component. The latching mechanism may be disengaged directly by pulling the handle, or may be otherwise disengaged as the component is pulled out of the receptacle. Latching mechanism  14  also provides a system that takes up very little space. The components of latching mechanism  14  can be constructed from a sheet metal, molded plastic, or some other relatively thin material such that the total thickness of the latching mechanism can be minimized. The overall thickness used by a latching mechanism can be further reduced by utilizing a single latch spring or other engagement member. 
   Latching mechanism  14  may be used with a variety of electronic components that are removable from a computer system chassis. For example, embodiments of the latching mechanism can be used with removable power supplies, disk drives, expansion cards, fans, processor modules. In certain embodiments, the latching mechanism could be used in securing a chassis within a rack or other enclosure. The latching mechanism may engage any number of features to retain the component within a receptacle of a chassis or rack, including slots, grooves, pins, posts, or other members that allow the latching mechanism to engage the receptacle as the component is inserted into the receptacle. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , latch mechanism  100  comprises frame  102 , latch spring  104 , handle  106 , and recoil spring  108 . Latch spring  104  is coupled to frame  102  by fasteners  124  and further comprises spring body  110 , engagement tab  112 , angled face  114 , and cam surface  116 . Handle  106  comprises cam  118  and is slidably coupled to frame  102  by slots  120  that are engaged with retainers  122 . Recoil spring  108  is coupled to one end of handle  106 . 
   Frame  102  is operable for insertion along insertion axis  124  into a chassis or other receptacle (not shown). As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  frame  102  is integrated into the front side  126  of a rack-mountable chassis  128 . As chassis  128  is inserted into a rack, angled face  114  of latch spring  104  will contact the rack and deflect latch spring  104  inward. Once fully inserted into the chassis, engagement tab  112  will align with a receptacle and latch spring  104  will move the engagement tab  112  into engagement with the receptacle and chassis  128  will be secured within the rack. 
   To remove chassis  128  from the rack, handle  106  is pulled outward. As handle  106  moves, cam  118  engages cam surface  116  and urges latch spring  104  inward until engagement tab  112  is disengaged from the receptacle on the chassis. Chassis  128  can then be removed from the rack. Once handle  106  is released, recoil spring  108  returns handle  106  to a retracted position where cam  118  is disengaged from cam surface  116 . 
   The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.