Abstract:
An electronic device includes a casing with a side plate and encasing a power module. The power module includes a locking member, a sliding member, and an elastic member sandwiched between the base and the cover. The sliding member is movable relative to the locking member between a locked position in which the locking portion of the locking member is pushed by the elastic member to extend through the cover to be blocked by the side plate of the casing, and an unlocked position in which the locking member is pressed by the sliding member to withdraw from the side plate to allow removal of the power module from the casing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent application is related to a patent application Ser. No. 13/241,287, filed on Sep. 23, 2011, entitled “ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH EASILY DETACHABLE POWER MODULE”, assigned to the same assignee, and disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The disclosure relates to electronic devices, and particularly to an electronic device with an easily detachable power module. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    An electronic device, such as a desktop computer, tower computer, server, or the like, usually includes power modules for connecting to a power supply. The installation of the power module in a computer typically involves the use of screws. However, assembly and detachment of the power module require a tool, such as a screwdriver, rendering the processes cumbersome and time-consuming. 
         [0006]    What is needed, therefore, is an electronic device which can overcome the limitations described. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an assembled electronic device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a power module and a casing of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a view of part of the assembled power module of  FIG. 2 , shown from a different aspect. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the power module of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an inverted view of the power module of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a view of a sliding member of the power module of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the power module of  FIG. 3 , taken along a line XI-XI thereof, and showing the locking member of the power module in a locked position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7 , but showing the locking member in an unlocked position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Reference will be made to the drawing figures to describe the present electronic device in detail. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  100  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment includes a casing  10  and a power module  20  in the casing  10 . The electronic device  100  can be, for example, a server or a computer. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the casing  10  includes a bottom plate  11 , a top plate  13  and two side plates  15 ,  16  connecting the bottom plate  11  to the top plate  13 . A receiving room  17  is defined between the side plates  15 ,  16 . The side plate  15  defines a fixing hole  18  communicating with the receiving room  17 . The power module  20  is received in the receiving room  17 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , the power module  20  includes a base  21 , a cover  29 , two power connectors  25 , a sliding member  30 , and a locking member  50  with an elastic member  70  therein. In this embodiment, the elastic member  70  is a pressing spring. The cover  29  attaches to the base  21  so as to sandwich the connector  25 , the sliding member  30  and the locking member  50 . 
         [0019]    The cover  29  defines a through hole  290  therein. The base  21  includes a bracket  22  and a securing member  23  received in the bracket  22 . The bracket  22  includes a bottom wall  220  and two lateral walls  222  extending upwards from the two opposite sides of the bottom wall  220 . The bottom wall  220  has a protrusion  223  extending up from a central portion thereof. Each of the lateral walls  222  defines a through hole  226  therein. 
         [0020]    The securing member  23  is received in the bracket member  22  and defines a fixing hole  233  in the bottom surface thereof to receive the protrusion  223 . Two blocking portions  236  extend outwards from the two sides of the securing member  23  into the through holes  226  of the bracket member  22 . Thereby, the securing member  23  may be secured in the bracket member  22 . The securing member  23  defines a rectangular receiving groove  238  thereon and two U-shaped receiving grooves  237  flanking the receiving groove  238 . Two middle walls  231  extend respectively from a top surface of the securing member  23  on either side of the receiving groove  238 . The middle walls  231  are parallel. A connecting wall  239  connects the rear ends of the middle walls  231 . The connecting wall  239  defines a locating hole  240  communicating with the receiving groove  238 . A fixing member  80  is mounted in the locating hole  240 , an opening  81  is defined in an end of the fixing member  80 , facing the receiving groove  238 . An elastic portion  234  extends from the securing member  23  in the receiving groove  238  and away from the locating hole  240 . A latching portion  235  extends upwards from a free end of the elastic portion  234 . 
         [0021]    The connectors  25  are received in the receiving grooves  237 . Each of the connectors  25  includes a head portion  250  and an end portion  252 . The end portions  252  are received in the receiving grooves  237  of the securing member  23 . The head portions  250  are mounted beyond the front edge of the securing member  23 . The sliding member  30  is movably engaged between the power connectors  25 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the sliding member  30  includes a rectangular body  31 , an operating portion  32  and an inserting portion  33 . The operating portion  32  extends lengthways from an end of the body  31 , and the inserting portion  33  extends from the other end of the body  31  opposite to the operating portion  32 . The body  31  defines a lengthways slot  310  through the top and bottom thereof. The body  31  in the slot  310  has two parallel sidewalls  34  and a contact end  36  away from the operating portion  32 . The body  31  defines a concave portion  312  at the bottom surface near the inserting portion  33 . In this embodiment, the concave portion  312  is a transverse slit defined at a bottom surface of the body  31 . 
         [0023]    The locking member  50  is movably received in the receiving groove  238  of the securing member  23 . The locking member  50  includes a main body  51  and a locking portion  53  extending upwards from the main body  51 . The main body  51  is quadrate and defines a blind hole  52  at a bottom surface thereof to receive the elastic member  70 . The main body  51  has an inclined contact surface  55  at a top, rear end thereof. The contact surface  55  inclines downwards and outwards to face the contact end  36  of the sliding member  30 . 
         [0024]    Referring also to  FIG. 8 , in assembling the power module  20 , the securing member  23  is received in the bracket  22 . The end portions  252  of the connectors  25  are received in the receiving grooves  237  of the securing member  23 . The operating portion  32  of the sliding member  30  is mounted between the head portions  250  of the connectors  25 . The body  31  is mounted on the securing member  23 . The middle walls  231  are each received between the side plates  36  and the sidewalls  34  of the sliding member  30 . The sliding member  30  can accordingly slide along the middle walls  231 . The inserting portion  33  is movably received in the opening  81  of the fixing member  80 . In this embodiment, the fixing member  80  can be a locating device with a blocking portion (not shown) and a spring (not shown) therein. When the inserting portion  33  is initially pushed towards the fixing member  80 , the inserting portion  33  is received in the opening  81  and retained by the blocking portion of the fixing member  80 ; when the inserting portion  33  is pushed again towards the fixing member  80  at a second time, the inserting portion  33  is disengaged from the blocking portion and pushed by the spring of the fixing member  80  and separated away from the fixing member  80 . The elastic member  70  is received in the blind hole  52  of the main body  51  of the locking member  50  and sandwiched between the securing member  23  and the locking member  50 . The locking portion  53  extends through the slot  310  of the sliding member  30  and near the operating portion  32 . When the cover  29  is fastened on the base  21 , the locking portion  53  extends through the through hole  290  by an upper elastic force by the elastic member  70 . 
         [0025]    Referring also to  FIG. 7 , in a first (closed) state of the power module  20 , the locking member  50  is in a locked position when the front end of the sliding member  30  is coplanar with the front ends of the head portions  250  of the connectors  25 . In the first state, the elastic member  70  pushes the locking member  50  upwards from a bottom of the securing member  23  and to cause the locking portion  53  to protrude upwards through the through hole  290  and beyond a top surface of the cover  29 . When the power module  20  needs to be unlocked (a second state), the operating portion  32  is pushed inwards to make the inserting portion  33  slide towards the fixing member  80 . The inserting portion  33  is pushed back by the fixing member  80  and separated away from the fixing member  80 . The sliding member  30  slides to the front ends of the head portions  250 . The sliding member  30  is then pulled outwards to bring the contact end  36  to the contact surface  55  and press down the contact surface  55 . The locking portion  53  follows the main body  51  down and is disengaged from the through hole  290  of the cover  29 . Simultaneously, the latching portion  235  of the securing member  23  is elastically engaged in the concave portion  312  of the sliding member  30 . Thus, the locking member  50  is unlocked, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0026]    Referring again to  FIGS. 1-3 , in use, the power module  20  is received in the receiving room  17  of the casing  10  in the first (closed) state. The locking portion  53  of the locking member  50  protrude beyond the cover  29  and are locked in the fixing hole  18  of the side plates  15  to secure the power module  20  in the casing  10 . In disassembly, the power module  20  is turned in the second state with the locking member  50  unlocked by operating the sliding member  30 . The locking portion  53  is disengaged from the fixing hole  18  of the side plates  15 ; thus, the power module  20  can be withdrawn from the casing  10 . Without using any tools, the power module  20  can be fixed to and disassembled from the electronic device  100 . 
         [0027]    As described above, when a user or operator uses finger pressure to operate the sliding member  30 , the power module  20  can be driven to slide from the casing  10 . Therefore, the attachment and detachment of the power module  20  for this electronic device is very user-friendly. 
         [0028]    It is to be further understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of the embodiment(s), together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiment(s), the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail, especially in the 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.