Abstract:
A fixing mechanism for fixing expansion cards in place includes a fixing assembly, a clamping element opposite to the fixing assembly, and a connection element. A side of the clamping element away from the fixing assembly defines a recess for receiving the expansion card. The connection element is hinged to the fixing assembly and the clamping element. When the connection element is rotated relative to the fixing assembly and the clamping element, the clamping element is moved towards or away from the fixing assembly to adjust a distance between the fixing assembly and the clamping element.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure generally relates to fixing mechanisms for fixing expansion cards and the mechanisms being used in servers. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A server may include a case, a circuit board located in the case, and a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) expansion card such as video card or sound card. The circuit board defines PCI slots, and the expansion card includes PCI plugs corresponding to the PCI slots. The PCI plugs are located in the PCI slots, and then the expansion card is attached to the circuit board. However, if the expansion card suffers shock or impact, the expansion card is easily disconnected from the circuit board. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of an exemplary fixing mechanism and server can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the exemplary fixing mechanism and sever. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a fixing mechanism applied in a server, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the fixing mechanism shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the server shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the server in a state of use shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of part V shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a server  100  according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. The server  100  includes a case  10 , a circuit board  20  located in the case  10 , an expansion card module  30  mounted on the circuit board  20 , and a fixing mechanism  40 . The fixing mechanism  40  is attached to the case  10  and acts upon the expansion card module  30 . 
         [0013]    The case  10  includes two opposite sidewalls  12  and a bottom wall  14 . The opposite sidewalls  12  are perpendicularly connected to the bottom wall  14 . One sidewall  12  defines a plurality of cutouts  122  for engaging with the expansion card module  30 . The bottom wall  14  defines two screw holes  142 . The circuit board  20  includes a plurality of slots  22  for plugging in expansion cards. 
         [0014]    The expansion card module  30  includes a fastening element  32  and two expansion cards  34 . The two expansion cards  34  are parallel and are fixed to the connection element  32 . Each expansion card  34  includes two opposite first flanges  342 , two opposite second flanges  344 , and a plug  346 . The first flange  342  is longer than the second flange  344 . The plug  346  extends from the first flange  342  and is adjacent to the second flange  344 . 
         [0015]    Also referring to  FIG. 2 , the fixing mechanism  40  includes a fixing assembly  42 , a clamping element  44 , two connection elements  46 , two first shafts  48 , and two second shafts  49 . Each connection element  46  is hinged to the fixing assembly  42  through the first shaft  48  and each is hinged to the clamping element  44  through the second shaft  49 . 
         [0016]    The fixing assembly  42  includes a support plate  422  and two frames  424  located on the support plate  422 . Each frame  424  includes a main portion  4244  and two opposite bent portions  4242  perpendicular to the main portion  4244 . Each bent portion  4242  defines a through hole  4246 . The two through holes  4246  are coaxial. The main portions  4244  are distanced from each other and are mounted on the support plate  422 . 
         [0017]    The clamping element  44  includes a base portion  442  and four joint sections  444  protruding from an inner surface of the base portion  442 . A joint section  444  is located at each of the four corners of the base portion  442 . An outer surface of the base portion  442  is opposite to the inner surface and defines two recesses  446 . Each joint section  444  includes two opposite joint plates  4444 , and a space  4446  is defined between the two joint plates  4444 . Each joint plate  4444  defines a shaft hole  4442 . A first axis L 1  is defined through the four shaft holes  4442  which are aligned with each other. A second axis L 2  is defined through the other four shaft holes  4442  which are also aligned with each other. The first axis L 1  is parallel to the second axis L 2 . 
         [0018]    Each connection element  46  includes two opposite protrusions  462  and two opposite fixing plates  464 . The two protrusions  462  are located at one side of the connection element  46 , and the two opposite fixing plates  464  are located at opposite sides of the connection element  46 . Each protrusion  462  defines a first hinge hole  4622 , and the two first hinge holes  4622  are coaxial. Each fixing plate  464  defines a second hinge hole  4642 , and the two second hinge holes  4642  are coaxial. 
         [0019]    The first shaft  48  includes a rod  482 , an end portion  484  and a screw portion  486 . The end portion  484  is located at an end of the rod  482 , and the screw portion  486  is located at the other end of the rod  482 . A cross sectional area of the end portion  484  is larger than a cross sectional area of the rod  482 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 5 , the server  100  is assembled as follows: 
         [0021]    The two protrusions  462  of each connection element  46  are received between two bent portions  4242  of the frame  424 , so that the first hinge holes  4622  are aligned with the through holes  4246 . The first shaft  48  is inserted into the through holes  4246  and the first hinge holes  4622  until the end portion  484  abuts the bent portion  4242 . The connection element  46  can be rotated relative to the frame  424  around the first shaft  48 . 
         [0022]    The two fixing plates  464  of the connection element  46  are received in the two spaces  4446  along the first axis L 1  with the second hinge holes  4642  aligned with the shaft holes  4442 . The two fixing plates  464  of the other connection element  46  are received in the two spaces  4446  along the second axis L 2  with the second hinge holes  4642  aligned with the shaft holes  4442 . One second shaft  49  is inserted into the second hinge holes  4642  and the shaft holes  4442  along the first axis L 1 , and the other second shaft  49  is inserted into the second hinge holes  4642  and the shaft holes  4442  along the second axis L 2 . The base portion  442  can be rotated relative to connection elements. 
         [0023]    The screw portion  486  of each first shaft  48  is threadedly engaged with a screw hole  142  of the bottom wall  14 . The plug  346  of each expansion card  34  engages with a slot  22  of the circuit board  20 . A corner of the expansion card  34  is received in the cutout  122  of the sidewall  12 . The clamping element  44  is pulled away from the support plate  422  until the first flange  342  of each expansion card  34  is received in a recess  446 . The assembly process of the server  100  is thus completed. 
         [0024]    The first flange  342  of the expansion card  34  is mounted to the circuit board  20  through the plug  346 . The opposite first flange  342  of the expansion card  34  is mounted to the fixing mechanism  40 . The expansion card  34  is locked in place in the server  100 . The clamping element  44  can be pulled away from the support plate  422  to fasten the expansion card  34  in place or be pulled adjacent to the support plate  422  to allow the expansion card  34  to be removed. Thus, the clamping element  44  is easy to operate. 
         [0025]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the exemplary disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of exemplary disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.