Abstract:
A casing structure having a removable base frame includes a casing and a base frame. The casing includes a bottom plate, wall plates, and a bracket disposed on the bottom plate. A top stopper is erected on the bracket. The base frame has a frame plate for disposing the base frame astride the wall plates. The base frame is also disposed with a mounting plate corresponding to the top stopper. The mounting plate has a rotatable push-actuated member. When the push-actuated member rotates and is pressed against the top stopper, the base frame is pushed up and removed from the casing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 097213514 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Jul. 30, 2008 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a casing structure having a removable base frame, and more particularly to a casing structure having a removable base frame applicable to an expansion card. 
     2. Related Art 
     In recent years, the number of Internet users is growing at a multiplying rate every year. Companies and other organizations set up their own websites and servers one after another, hoping that the customers can know the products and features of the companies without appearing in person, thereby bring infinite business opportunities for the companies. 
     Currently, a common server includes a mainboard, and one or more expansion cards are inserted on the mainboard according to users&#39; specific requirements to perform specific functions. For example, a network card is installed on the mainboard of a server, such that the server functions as a web page server. After the web page server receives an instruction request from a client, the website server replies to the instruction sent by the client program. 
     As the cost of the servers increase and the available space reduces, most servers are mostly arranged uniformly in a cabinet in use, which are referred to as rack-mounted servers, so as to minimize the space occupied by the servers. In addition, since the servers are designed according to international standards, the planar dimensions are uniform, so the servers can be connected with or manage other equipment conveniently. 
     According to height, the servers are categorized into a variety of specifications such as 1 U (1 U=1.75 inch=44.45 mm) servers, 2 U servers, and 3 U servers. However, limited by the space of the rack and the current state of technology, 1 U servers are still the mainstream of the market. Therefore, the expansion card certainly cannot be easily inserted into or pulled out from the mainboard of the server as in an ordinary personal computer. 
     A conventional method for installing an expansion card on a mainboard of a server is to use both hands to simultaneously apply a force on two side of an expansion card module, so as to insert the expansion card into a connection port of the mainboard, and then secure the expansion card module on an electronic apparatus with screws. When it is desired to pull out the expansion card, the screws need to be screwed off first, and then a force is exerted on the expansion card module to pull out the expansion card module. Another conventional installation method is to fix the expansion card below a fixing module first. Then fixing module is in a suitcase-like form and is provided with a handle at an upper side. When the expansion card needs to be inserted into or pulled out from the connection port, a force is then exerted on the handle to insert or pull out the expansion card. 
     However, the prior art has the following problems. When it is desired to pull out the expansion card module, one end of the expansion card module may be under a relatively large force and the other end may be under a relatively small force due to an uneven force exerted by the user, such that the end under the relatively large force is first pulled out from the connection port. Thus, the expansion card is released from the connection port at an inclination angle rather than in a completely horizontal direction, or the user exerts a lateral force rather than a force perpendicular to the mainboard, either of which results in abnormal contact of the golden fingers of the expansion card with the connection port, thereby resulting in the damage of the golden fingers and abnormal operation of the expansion card after being installed on the mainboard. Furthermore, when the expansion card module is installed, additional screws are needed to secure the expansion card module to the electronic apparatus, thereby resulting in inconvenience in disassembly, assembly, and maintenance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     For the conventional expansion card module, when the expansion card is inserted into or pulled out from the connection port, the golden fingers of the expansion card are easy to be damaged due to improper operations, resulting in abnormal operation of the expansion card. Furthermore, screws are needed to secure the expansion card module to the electronic apparatus, resulting in a low speed of disassembly, assembly, and maintenance. 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a casing structure having a removable base frame. The casing structure includes a casing and a base frame. The casing includes a bottom plate, a plurality of wall plates, and a bracket. The wall plates are erected at a periphery of the bottom plate to form an accommodating space. The bracket is disposed on the bottom plate, and top stoppers are erected on the bracket. The base frame is provided with a frame plate disposed astride the wall plates. The base frame is provided with a mounting plate at a position corresponding to the top stoppers. Push-actuated members are pivoted on the mounting plate. The push-actuated members can rotate relative to the mounting plate, and is provided with an urging portion at one end. When the push-actuated members are at a retracted position, a pitch exists between the urging portion and the top stoppers. When the push-actuated members are at a removing position, the urging portion is pressed against the top stoppers to push up the base frame by a distance. 
     The efficacy of the casing structure having a removable base frame of the present invention lies in that, the bracket is disposed on the bottom plate, the top stoppers are erected on the bracket, and the mounting plate is disposed relatively above the top stoppers. When the push-actuated members rotate, the urging portion is pressed against the top stoppers, such that the mounting plate is displaced relative to the bracket, thereby releasing the base frame from the casing. Therefore, screw fixation can be omitted, thereby allowing an easy and fast disassembly and improving the convenience in assembly and maintenance. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a base frame according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a mounting plate according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the mounting plate according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic assembly view according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic disassembly view according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is another schematic disassembly view according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is still another schematic disassembly view according to the first embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. The following embodiments are intended to describe the present invention in further detail, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. 
     The casing structure having a removable base frame provided in the present invention is applicable to electronic apparatuses such as personal computers, notebooks, industrial computers, and servers that need additional expansion cards such as sound cards and network cards on mainboards thereof to realize specific functions. In the detailed description of the present invention below, the server is used as the preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, the accompanying drawings are for the purpose of reference and illustration only, and are not intended to limit the present invention. 
       FIGS. 1 to 5  are schematic assembly views according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , a casing structure having a removable base frame of the present invention includes a casing  10  and a base frame  20 . 
     The casing  10  includes a bottom plate  11 , a plurality of wall plates  12 , and a bracket  13 . The wall plates  12  are disposed at a periphery of the bottom plate  11  and perpendicular to the bottom plate  11 , so as to form an accommodating space. The bracket  13  is fixed on the bottom plate  11 . The base frame  20  is provided with a mounting plate  21 . When the base frame  20  is disposed in the accommodating space, the mounting plate  21  is relatively above the bracket  13 . 
     A mainboard  30  is installed on the bottom plate  11 . The bracket  13  includes two side sheets  131  and a rod  132 . The side sheets  131  are respectively located at two sides of the rod  132 , and relatively lower than the rod  132 . The side sheets  131  are provided with through holes  133 . The mainboard  30  is provided with the same number of through holes  31  with the through holes  133 . The bottom plate  11  is provided with fixing holes  111  relative to the through holes  133  and the through holes  31 , such that screws  14  are passed through the through holes  133  and the through holes  31  to fix the bracket  13  to the bottom plate  11  and above the mainboard  30 . Recesses on two ends of the rod  132  are respectively provided with top stoppers  134  erected on the rod  132 . The top stoppers  134  are arc-shaped. 
     The base frame  20  is further provided with a frame plate  22 . The frame plate  22  is disposed astride the wall plates  12 . The frame plate  22  is provided with a plurality of inserting plates  221  inserted into jacks  121  of the wall plates  12  to fix the base frame  20  on the wall plates  12  without using additional fixing members such as screws to fix the frame plate  22 . 
     The mounting plate  21  is connected to a sheet  222  of the frame plate  22  and can thus be installed on the wall plates  12  together with the frame plate  22 . The mounting plate  21  is located relatively above the top stoppers  134 . The mounting plate  21  is provided with push-actuated members  211  at both sides. The mounting plate  21  is further provided with through holes  212 . The push-actuated members  211  are provided with pivots  2111  at positions corresponding to the through holes  212 . The pivots  2111  are pivotally disposed in the through holes  212 , such that the push-actuated members  211  can rotate relative to the mounting plate  21 . 
     The mounting plate  21  is provided with a plurality of fixing holes  213  on both sides. The fixing holes  213  are used to install an expansion card  40  on the mounting plate  21 . The expansion card  40  is provided with the same number of through holes  41  as the fixing holes  213 , such that the fixing members such as the screws  14  are passed through the through holes  41  to fix the expansion card  40  to the fixing holes  213 , thereby fixing the expansion card  40  to the mounting plate  21 . After the expansion card  40  is installed on the mounting plate  21 , an expansion card module  42  may then be installed on the expansion card  40  if  40  if necessary. When the expansion card  40  is inserted into a connection port  32  of the mainboard  30 , the inserting plates  221  are inserted into the jacks  121  at the same time, such that the base frame  20  is disposed astride the wall plates  12 . 
     The mounting plate  21  is provided with an accommodating groove  214  at the side not facing the bottom plate  11 . When at a retracted position, the push-actuated members  211  can be placed flat in the accommodating groove  214  without protruding from a surface of the mounting plate  21 , thereby minimizing the height of the casing structure of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 6 to 8  are schematic views of operations according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 6 to 8 , the push-actuated members  211  are provided with urging portions  2112  for pressing the top stoppers  134 , and are provided with push-actuated portions  2113  at the other ends relative to the urging portions  2112 . The mounting plate  21  is further provided with openings  215 . A width of the bracket  13  equals to those of the openings  215 . Therefore, when the base frame  20  is disposed astride the wall plates  12 , not only the mounting plate  21  is located above the bracket  13 , but also the top stoppers  134  can extend into the mounting plate  21  via the openings  215 , such that the urging portions  2112  can contact the top stoppers  134  when the push-actuated members  211  are rotated. 
     Contact angles between the urging portions  2112  and the top stoppers  134  are not right angles, such that when the urging portions  2112  are pressed against the top stoppers  134 , the pressing force is upward and perpendicular to the bracket  13  and the lateral force parallel to both ends of the side sheets  131  are reduced, thereby preventing the generation of a lateral force perpendicular to both ends of the side sheets  131 . When the push-actuated members  211  are at the retracted position, pitches exist between the top stoppers  134  and the urging portions  2112 , which prevents displacement interference between the urging portions  2112  and the top stoppers  134  due to the manufacturing error when the expansion card  40  is inserted into the connection port  32 , thereby avoiding the situation that the expansion card expansion card  40  cannot be completely inserted into the connection port  32 . The push-actuated portions  2113  are [-shaped structures, which enable a user to exert a pulling force on the push-actuated portions  2113  to drive the push-actuated members  211  to rotate, thereby enabling the urging portions  2112  to press against the top stoppers  134 . The mounting plate  21  on two sides of the push-actuated portions  2113  is provided with slots wider than two sides of the urging portions  2112 , which allows fingers of the user to easily reach into the [-shaped structures without being caught by the mounting plate  21 . 
     After the urging portions  2112  are brought into contact with the top stoppers  134  by rotating the push-actuated members  211  by an angle, when the user continues to exert a pulling force to rotate the push-actuated members  211  by a larger angle, no displacement occurs to the bracket  13  since it is fixed on the bottom plate  11 . Therefore, a counter force against the urging portions  2112  is generated. Since the push-actuated members  211  are installed on the mounting plate  21 , the base frame  20  can be pushed up to a height A by the urging portions  2112  pressing against the top stoppers  134 , such that the base frame  20  is at a removing position. The height A is greater than a length of golden fingers of the expansion card  40  clamped by the connection port  32 , such that the expansion card  40  is released from the connection port  32 . The user exerts a pulling force on the two push-actuated portions  2113  at the same time, so as to enable the expansion card  40  to be released from the connection port  32  in a horizontal manner. Moreover, when the urging portions  2112  are pressed against the top stoppers  134 , an upward force perpendicular to the bracket  13  is generated. In this manner, the lateral force can be reduced, and the golden fingers can thus be prevented from damage. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic view according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 9 , this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that, wall plates  12  (not shown in the figure) of the electronic apparatus in this embodiment are higher, and thus the expansion card  40  installed is also relatively higher. Therefore, by properly changing the heights of the accommodating groove  214  and the top stoppers  134 , such that the top stoppers  134  extend into the accommodating groove  214  via the openings  215 , and the urging portions  2112  of the push-actuated members  211  are pressed against the top stoppers  134 , the casing structure having a removable base frame of the present invention can be applied to electronic apparatuses having various heights. The detailed operation is similar to that of the first embodiment, and the details will not be described herein again. 
     The efficacy of the casing structure having a removable base frame provided in the present invention lies in that, the expansion card is fixed to the casing upon being inserted into the connection port, since the base frame is disposed astride the wall plates. When it is desired to remove the expansion card, the base frame can be horizontally pushed up by a distance by using the push-actuated members to press against the urging portions, thereby releasing the expansion card from the connection port. Therefore, damage of the golden fingers caused by improper operations can be avoided, and screw fixation is omitted, thereby allowing an easy and fast disassembly and improving the convenience in assembly and maintenance.