Abstract:
A computer system with a fixing module for riser card thereof is provided. By allowing the bottom side of the supporting pillar and the bottom parts of the two opposite sides of the supporting pillar engaging with each other, the riser card is supported by stress from all directions around it. Therefore, enough supporting strength is efficiently provided within a limited space and the riser card is prevented from being bended and having deformation because of the heavy weight.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates to a computer system applied for processing electronic data, and more particularly, to a computer system with a fixing module providing enough supporting strength to the riser card thereof. 
   2. Related Art 
   In computer system, the most primary constituent is the motherboard which carries multiple electric components thereon. Among these electric components, a processing unit is the most important one, i.e. a central processing unit (CPU) manages the main processing and calculating work of all kinds of data, which is the so-called “heart” of a computer system. Despite a CPU is the main managing component, it still can not function normally without coordinating with other periphery electric components. 
   Basically, a computer system is primarily constituted of four parts, CPU, memory, hard disc, and graphic card. A CPU dominates the calculation, and the programs waited to be executed are “temporarily” stored in a memory which is considered the first storage unit when its playing role is the compared with a hard disc&#39;s. Only when the data waited to be processed by CPU has not been loaded in a memory, the system will enter and search in a hard disc. Therefore, the hard disc plays the role of “auxiliary memory.” However, after the computer is shutdown, the content stored in system memory will disappear along with electricity cutoff. In other words, the content in a memory is under a temporary-stored status, unlike a hard disc, the data inside is stored permanently. 
   While a memory has a higher and higher capacity, besides the original role of systematizing and storing software, it has been started to be utilized by other hardware components in order to achieve the purpose of lowering cost and raising efficiency, i.e. the interface structure of AGP or PCI Express is designed to store image material by using the system memory through Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) so as to accelerate the processing speed and performance of video data. 
   Generally speaking, the number of memory slots is limited in a computer system. For a common personal computer, 3 memory slots are the maximum and the extendable capacity is thus limited. The extendable performance is clearly not enough for some systems like working stations or super computers. Later, the so-called riser card is developed. Please refer to  FIG. 1 . The riser card  11  is inserted into the slot of common PCI interface and has multiple slots  12 . Usually the riser card  11  has 8 slots for extended memories. However, unlike a common PCI interface, when all the slots  12  are inserted with memories, the riser card  11  will be bended and the shape thereof will be deformed due to the memory has a certain height and weight, and the supporting strength provided from the insertion of the riser card  11  into the PCI interface slot is not enough. A design of additional fixing module is then needed. However, the space between the slots of PCI interface is too small to allow a changeable design. Therefore, how to improve the fixing module for riser card has become a critical issue for those skilled in the art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   To solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a computer system with a fixing module for riser card thereof, which provides enough supporting strength for the riser card in a limited space so as to prevent from the instability of the computer system once the riser card is bended and has deformation, caused by mounting memories on the riser card and the weight generated thereby. 
   In accordance with the fixing module for riser card disclosed in the present invention, the fixing module includes two supporting pillars, a fixing fragment, and two fixing components. The two supporting pillars are respectively disposed at two sides of the riser card. Each supporting pillar includes at least one fixing opening secured with the riser card, two opposite sides, and a bottom side. The bottom side of the supporting pillar and the bottom parts of the two opposite sides are engaged with each other. Meanwhile, the bottom side has a securing hole. The fixing fragment is disposed at the bottom side of the motherboard and has securing openings respectively disposed at two sides of the fixing fragment, which are disposed corresponding to the securing holes on the bottom sides of the two supporting pillars. The two fixing components respectively pass through the securing openings, the motherboard, and the securing holes on the bottom sides of the two supporting pillars so as to fix the two supporting pillars and the riser card onto the motherboard. 
   In accordance with the computer system disclosed in the present invention, the system comprises a motherboard, two riser cards, four supporting pillars, two fixing fragments, and four fixing components. The motherboard includes at least two slots for interface card and each slot has two through holes respectively disposed at two sides of the slot. The riser card is inserted into the slots and mounted thereon. The four supporting pillars are respectively disposed at two sides of the two riser cards. Each supporting pillar includes at least one fixing opening secured with the riser card, two opposite sides, and a bottom side. The bottom side of the supporting pillar and the bottom parts of the two opposite sides are engaged with each other. Meanwhile, the bottom side has a securing hole. The two fixing fragments are disposed at the bottom side of the motherboard and has securing openings respectively disposed at two sides of the fixing fragment, which are disposed corresponding to the securing holes on the bottom sides of the two supporting pillars. In addition, each fixing fragment is mounted at the same sides of the two riser cards and connected to the two riser cards. The four fixing components respectively pass through the securing openings, the through holes of the motherboard, and the securing holes on the bottom sides of the two supporting pillars so as to fix the four supporting pillars and the riser card onto the motherboard. 
   In accordance with another fixing module for riser card disclosed in the present invention, the fixing module comprises a fixing pillar, a fixing fragment, and two fixing components. The fixing pillar has a U-shape and two supporting pillars respectively formed at two ends of the fixing pillar. The supporting pillar is correspondingly disposed at two sides of the riser card. Each supporting pillar includes at least one fixing opening secured with the riser card, two opposite sides, and a bottom side. The bottom side of the supporting pillar and the bottom parts of the two opposite sides are engaged with each other. Meanwhile, the bottom side has a securing hole. The fixing fragment is disposed at the bottom side of the motherboard and has securing openings respectively disposed at two sides of the fixing fragment, which are disposed corresponding to the securing holes on the bottom sides of the two supporting pillars. The two fixing components respectively pass through the securing openings, the motherboard, and the securing holes on the bottom sides of the two supporting pillars so as to fix the two supporting pillars and the riser card onto the motherboard. 
   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. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing a riser card according to the prior art; 
       FIG. 2A  is a schematic view showing the riser card fixed onto the motherboard by the fixing module according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2B  is an exploded view showing the riser card fixed onto the motherboard by the fixing module according to the present invention; 
       FIGS. 3A-3C  are schematic views showing the supporting pillars according to varied preferred embodiments of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing the fixing fragment fixed on the motherboard according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing a single riser card fixed onto the motherboard by the fixing module according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 6A-6B  are schematic views showing two riser cards fixed onto the motherboard by the fixing module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing two riser cards fixed onto the motherboard by the fixing module according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the computer system with fixing module for riser card thereof disclosed in the present invention, please refer to  FIGS. 2A and 2B . The computer system includes the motherboard  20 , riser card  30 , and the fixing module. The motherboard  20  has two slots  21 ,  22  for interface card and other relevant connectors  23 . Generally, the slots  21 ,  22  are for PCI interface cards. The riser card  30  has multiple memory slots  31  for mounting memories thereon. 
   The fixing module includes two supporting pillars  41 ,  42 , the fixing fragment  50 , and two fixing components  61 ,  62 . The two supporting pillars  41 ,  42  are respectively disposed at two sides of the riser card  30  and both inserted into the slot  22 . The two supporting pillars  41 ,  42  mounted at the corresponding position on the bottom side of the motherboard  20  through the fixing fragment  50  and are further fixed by the fixing components  61 ,  62 . 
   The supporting pillar  41  is taken as an example for further detailed explanation. Please refer to  FIG. 3A . The supporting pillar  41  at least one fixing opening  411  for fixing elements like screws passing through and securing the supporting pillar  41  with the riser card  30  at two sides thereof. The two opposite sides, as shown in the drawing, are the first side  412  and the second side  413 . The bottom side  414  of the supporting pillar  41  and the bottom parts of the two opposite sides  412 ,  413  are engaged with each other. Meanwhile, the bottom side  414  has a securing hole  4141  for the fixing component  61  passing through so as to fix the supporting pillar  41  onto the motherboard  20 . The first side  412  and the second side  413  have widths gradually wider towards the bottom parts thereof. The bottom side of the supporting pillar  41  and the bottom parts of the first side  412  and the second side  413  are engaged with each other scraggly, as shown in the drawing. The bottom part of first side  412  has a protruding shape  4121  protruded downwards, while the second side  413  has a protruding shape  4131  protruded downwards. The bottom side  414  has two indenting sides respectively corresponding to the first side  412  and the second side  413  and having matching sizes so as to be engaged with the protruding shapes  4121 ,  4131  tightly. Therefore, when the riser card  30  is possibly bended and deformed because of having memories mounted thereon, it can be fixed by these scraggy and engaged-with-each-other structures in order to prevent from the deformation of the riser card  30 . A similar variation can be made, please refer to  FIGS. 3B and 3C . The bottom side  414  could have a protruding shape  4142  at one side ( FIG. 3B ), or two protruding shapes  4142 ,  4143  at two sides ( FIG. 3C ). And the first side  412  or/and the second side  413  have indenting sides corresponding to the protruding shapes  4142 ,  4143 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the fixing fragment  50  had a shape of long strip, and is disposed at the bottom side of the motherboard and corresponding to the two supporting pillars  41 ,  42 . In addition, the fixing fragment  50  has two securing openings  51 ,  52  respectively disposed at two sides so that the two fixing components  61 ,  62  respectively pass through the securing hole  4141  on the bottom side  414  of the two supporting pillars  41 ,  42 , the motherboard  20 , and the securing openings  51 ,  52  at two sides of the fixing fragment  50  and the two supporting pillars  41 ,  42  are thus fixed. The fixing components  61 ,  62  are fixing elements like screws or rivets. Additionally, in order to increase the fixing strength, the fixing fragment  50  further has an auxiliary opening  53  mounted at the middle of the fixing fragment  50  for further fixing and combining the fixing fragment  50  onto the motherboard  20 . 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, please refer to  FIG. 6A . The riser cards  71 ,  72  could be respectively inserted into the two slots  21 ,  22  for interface card. The fixing manner is the same with what is described in the above and therefore is not repeated here. While the mounting manner of the fixing fragments  73 ,  74  is shown in  FIG. 6B . The fixing fragments  73 ,  74  could be respectively fixed through the securing hole  4141  at the same sides of the two riser cards  71 ,  72  and then the fixing fragments  73 ,  74  connects the two riser cards  71 ,  72 . Similarly, the riser card could be multiple ones that are fixed by the fixing fragments at the same sides, and the rest fixing manners are the same with what is described in the above. Similarly, enough supporting strength is efficiently provided within a limited space and the riser card is prevented from being bended and deformed when having memories mounted thereon. 
   Certainly, the supporting pillars of the two riser cards  71 ,  72  could have another varied structure, as shown in  FIG. 5 . Otherwise, as shown in  FIG. 7 , two fixing pillars  83 ,  84  are provided. Two supporting pillars are respectively formed and extended from two ends of each fixing pillar so as to fix the two riser cards  71 ,  72  at the same side. 
   The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.