Patent Publication Number: US-2009218825-A1

Title: Latch device for a card insertion module of a case

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a card insertion module assembly, especially to a latch device for a card insertion module of a case which is used in an industrial computer to conveniently fix and start a panel of the industrial case for easy assembly and low manufacturing costs. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With the development of data processing technology, computers are generally used in offices or factories for processing and storing large amounts of data. In computers, circuit boards are generally assembled in cases, and frame boards of the cases are fixed on the cases via bolts, screws and so on. Alternatively, side boards of the cases are fixed on the cases via fasteners. However, since products are thinner and thinner, smaller and smaller, the design of the products is more difficult. The bolt fixing methods have the shortcomings as follows: 
     In space aspects, because of continuing miniaturization of products, space, in cases must be reduced, so the difficulty and blind spots of design come out. In assembly aspects, bolts and screws must be detached or assembled one by one with tools, so the assembly operation is complicated. In cost aspects, a large quantity of screws are needed, so the assembly of the cases is more difficult and the costs are high. So the conventional bolt fixing methods are inconvenient for use in space aspects, assembly aspects or cost aspects. 
     Hence, there exist much inconvenience and shortcomings in the above conventional fixing methods. The inventors of the present invention believe that the shortcomings described above are able to be improved and finally suggest the present invention which is of a reasonable design and is an effective improvement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a latch device for a card insertion module of a case for conveniently fixing a panel of an industrial computer. The present invention forms a plurality of holding grooves on a bracket and a plurality of holding structures corresponding to the holding grooves on an elastic member. Basing on the engagement of the hold grooves and the holding structures, the elastic member is fixed on the bracket to limit a motion rod in a passage, so that the motion rod can move relatively to the elastic member and a restricting structure can move and be limited relatively to a restricting piece, whereby the present invention can unlatch or latch the panel of the industrial case and start a power supply. 
     Another object of the present invention is to reduce the difficulty of assembly and reduce manufacturing costs, and keep the elastic member on the bracket and prevent the elastic member from sliding down or falling off even if the motion rod moves frequently, via the engagement of the holding grooves of the bracket and the holding structures of the elastic member. 
     To achieving the above-mentioned objects, a latch device for a card insertion module of a case in accordance with the present invention is provided. The latch device for a card insertion module of a case includes a bracket, a motion rod, a latch assembly and an elastic member. The bracket has a passage and a receiving groove corresponding to the passage. The motion rod passes through the passage of the bracket and includes a restricting structure. The latch assembly is pivotedly mounted on the bracket and located in the passage, and the latch assembly may be pushed to be rotatably received in or separated from the receiving groove via the movement of the motion rod. The elastic member is mounted on the bracket and correspondingly received in the passage for limiting the motion rod to moving in the passage. The elastic member has a restricting piece corresponding to the restricting structure. The bracket has a plurality of holding grooves and the elastic member has a plurality of holding structures corresponding to the plurality of holding grooves, and the elastic member may be stably mounted on the bracket to limit the motion rod in the passage via the engagement of the holding grooves and the holding structures. 
     Accordingly, when the motion rod moves relatively to the elastic member, the restricting structure may move and be limited relatively to the restricting piece, so that the latch assembly rotates relatively to the receiving groove. Basing on the engagement of the holding grooves and the holding structures, the present invention can simplify the assembly and reduce manufacturing costs, and keep the elastic member on the bracket and prevent the elastic member from sliding down or falling off even if the motion rod moves frequently. 
     To further understand technical contents and efficacy of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings related the present invention. It is believed that the objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood deeply. However, the drawings are only to be used as references and explanations, not to limit the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention, from another angle; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view of the latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled perspective view of the latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention, from another angle; 
         FIG. 5  is a planar schematic view of the assembled latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the assembled latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention, in an unlatch state; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the assembled latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention, in a latch state; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the assembled latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention, in a power-on state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1-5  illustrating an embodiment of a latch device for a card insertion module of a case according to the present invention. The present invention is assembled on a fixed plate seat (not shown) on a back side of an industrial case for unlatching or latching a panel of the industrial case and starting a power supply. The latch device for a card insertion module of a case includes a bracket  1 , a motion rod  2 , a latch assembly  3  and an elastic member  4 . 
     The bracket  1 , which is made of a metal material, has a passage  10 , a receiving groove  11  corresponding to the passage  10 , a plurality of holding grooves  12  corresponding to the passage  10  and a pivot hole  13  corresponding to the passage  10 , which are formed in the bracket  1 . The passage  10  is narrow and long for receiving the motion rod  2 . The receiving groove  11  extending through the bracket  1  is arc-shaped for receiving the latch assembly  3 . The holding grooves  12  are used for fixing the elastic member  4 . The latch assembly  3  may be pivotedly connected with the pivot hole  13 . 
     The motion rod  2 , which is made of a medal material, is shaped like a rectangular strip. The motion rod  2  correspondingly passes through the passage  10  of the bracket  1  and may reciprocatingly move a distance in the passage  10 . The motion rod  2  includes a handle portion  20  and a motion rod portion  21 . Users can easily hold the handle portion  20  in order to push and pull the motion rod  2  effectively. The motion rod portion  21  is movably received in the passage  10  and includes a restricting structure  210  and a pushing structure  215 . The curved restricting structure  210  is formed on the front end of the motion rod portion  21  and has a raising arc-shaped surface  211  formed on a surface thereof, which has a first raising segment  212 , a second raising segment  213  and a third raising segment  214 . The three raising segments  212 ,  213 ,  214  are arranged at intervals to form a multi-segment. restricting structure. The pushing structure  215  is formed on the back end of the motion rod portion  21  and includes a pushing member  216  and an opening slot  217 . The pushing member  216  is shaped like a long strip for colliding with a power switch (not shown) for the panel and pushing the latch assembly  3 . The opening slot  217  is narrow and long for engaging with the latch assembly  3  to drive the latch assembly  3 . Accordingly, under the action of the pushing structure  215 , the latch assembly  3  can be driven to be rotatably received in or separated from the receiving groove  11 . 
     The latch assembly  3 , which is made of a metal material, is pivotedly mounted on the bracket  1  and located in the passage  10 . The latch assembly  3  can be driven to rotate to be separated from or received in the receiving groove  11  via the movement of the motion rod portion  21  of the motion rod  2  in the passage  10 . The latch assembly  3  includes a latch portion  30  and a pivoted portion  31 . The latch portion  30  has an arc-shaped hamulus structure, corresponding to the shape of the receiving groove  11 , to be received in the receiving groove  11 . Two rotating pivot shafts  310 ,  311  are respectively formed on two side surfaces of the pivoted portion  31 , wherein the rotating pivot shaft  310  pivotedly engages with the pivot hole  13  of the bracket  1  and the other rotating pivot shaft  311  is movably disposed in the opening slot  217  of the pushing structure  215 , so that the latch portion  30  of the latch assembly  3  can rotate about the two rotating pivot shafts  310 ,  311 . 
     Furthermore, the latch assembly  3  also has a motion surface  300  which is an inclined plane formed on one side of the latch portion  30 . An elastic assembly  5  is disposed between the motion surface  300  and the passage  10  of the bracket  1 . Since the motion surface  300  is an inclined plane, the elastic assembly  5  can be inclinedly disposed on the motion surface  300  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ). Basing on elasticity of the elastic assembly  5 , the latch assembly  3  can be driven to be effectively received in or separated from the receiving groove  11  via the movement of the motion rod  2  and the rotation of the rotating pivot shaft  310 ,  311  during rotation, so it is avoided that dead spots arise between the elastic assembly  5  and the latch assembly  3 , which causes that the latch assembly  3  cannot rotate and be latched successfully. 
     The elastic member  4  is mounted on the bracket  1  and correspondingly received in the passage  10  to limit the relative movement of the motion rod portion  21  of the motion rod  2  in the passage  10 . The elastic member  4  has a restricting piece  40  and a plurality of holding portions  41 . The restricting piece  40  corresponds to the restricting structure  210  of the motion rod portion  21  and has a raising portion  400  corresponding to the raising arc-shaped surface  211  of the restricting structure  210 , which may be relatively limited on the first, the second and the third raising segments  212 ,  213 ,  214 . 
     Accordingly, when the motion rod portion  21  of the motion rod  2  moves relatively to the elastic member  4 , the first, the second and the third raising segments  212 ,  213 ,  214  of the raising arc-shaped surface  211  of the restricting structure  210  move relatively to the raising portion  400  of the restricting piece  40 . The first, the second and the third raising segments  212 ,  213 ,  214  are selectively limited on the raising portion  400 , so that the motion rod portion  21  is limited in one position of an unlatch position, a latch position and a power supply position to unlatch or latch the panel in the industrial case, start the power supply and so on. 
     In the present invention, the plurality of holding portions  41  engage with the plurality of holding grooves  12  correspondingly so that the elastic member  4  is mounted on the bracket  1  and received in the passage  10  effectively and stably and the motion rod portion  21  of the motion rod  2  is effectively limited in the passage  10  to form a predetermined position (such as the unlatch position, the latch position or the power supply position). 
     Thus, besides unlatching, latching the panel of the industrial case and starting a power supply effectively, the present invention further can reduce the difficulty of assembly, reduce manufacturing costs, keep the elastic member  4  on the bracket  1  even if the motion rod  2  moves frequently, and greatly reduce the possibility of the elastic member  4  sliding down or falling off. When the motion rod- 2  moves relatively to the elastic member  4 , the restricting structure  210  can move and is limited relatively to the restricting piece  40  thereby the present invention can unlatch or latch the panel of the industrial case and start the power supply. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 6-8  illustrating the assembled latch device for a card insertion module of a case of the present invention in an unlatch state, a latch state and a power-on state. As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the motion rod portion  21  of the motion rod  2  moves an unlatch distance A relatively to the bracket  1 , the motion rod  2  is limited in the unlatch position via the engagement of the restricting piece  40  and the restricting structure  210 . With the movement of the pushing member  216  of the pushing structure  215  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), the elastic assembly  5  is compressed (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) and the latch assembly  3  is indirectly pushed to rotate into the receiving groove  11 , whereby the latch assembly  3  is in the unlatch state. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the motion rod portion  21  of the motion rod  2  moves a latch distance B relatively to the bracket  1 , the motion rod  2  is limited in the latch position via the engagement of the restricting piece  40  and the restricting structure  210  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). Under the action of the restoring force of the elastic assembly  5  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ), the latch assembly  3  is detached from the receiving groove  11 . So the latch assembly  3  is in the latch state. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the motion rod portion  21  of the motion rod  2  moves a power supply distance C relatively to the bracket  1 , the motion rod  2  is limited in the power supply position via the engagement of the restricting piece  40  and the restricting structure  210  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). The pushing member  216  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) of the pushing structure  215  of the motion rod portion  21  collides with the switch on the panel of the industrial case so that the panel is in the power-on state. 
     Consequently, the features of the present invention are as follows: 
     (1) Basing on the engagement of the holding grooves and the holding structures, the elastic member is stably mounted on the bracket to ensure that the motion rod is limited in particular positions in the passage and moves relatively to the elastic member, thereby unlatching or latching the panel and controlling the state of the power supply. 
     (2) The present invention can unlatch or latch the panel of the industrial case and start the power supply effectively to reduce the difficulty of assembly and reduce manufacturing costs. 
     (3) Whether the motion rod moves frequently or not, the elastic member can be kept on the bracket, thereby greatly reducing the possibility of sliding down or falling off. 
     (4) The motion surface of the latch assembly is an inclined plane, so the latch assembly can be effectively received in or separated from the receiving groove during rotation under the influence of the elasticity of the elastic assembly, thereby avoiding that dead spots arise between the elastic assembly and the latch assembly. 
     What are disclosed above are only the specification and the drawings of one of preferred embodiments of the present invention and it is therefore not intended that the present invention be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various equivalent changes may be made depending on the specification and the drawings of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention.