Patent Publication Number: US-2010124014-A1

Title: Retaining device for peripheral card

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to retaining devices and, particularly, to a retaining device for peripheral card. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     When new or additional connectors are needed on a computer, a peripheral card having the appropriate connector is installed on the computer motherboard. The peripheral card is inserted in a slot on the motherboard and a bracket on the card is screwed to the computer case for stability of the card. Such a fixing manner not only requires screws but also a screwdriver, this is time-consuming and troublesome, and screws may be misplaced or lost. Moreover, if a screw inadvertently falls on the motherboard and the computer is not properly grounded or when the power is on, damage may occur. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a retaining device for peripheral card to overcome or at least mitigate the above-described problem. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present retaining device for peripheral card can be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present retaining device for peripheral card. In the drawings, all the views are schematic. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a retaining device for peripheral card according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the retaining device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a bracket of the retaining device of  FIG. 1  viewed from another side. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a retaining device  10  for securing a peripheral card  20  to a computer housing (not shown), according to an exemplary embodiment, is shown. The retaining device  10  includes a retaining plate  100  for fastening the peripheral card  20 , a bracket  200  secured to or a part of a computer housing, and a mounting apparatus  300 . The peripheral card  20  is rectangular with a connecting portion (not shown) protruding from one side thereof. 
     The retaining plate  100  is substantially L-shaped, including an elongated base  110 , a blocking tab  120  perpendicularly extending from an end of the elongated base  110 , and an inserting terminal  130  extending from the other end of the elongated base  110 . The blocking tab  120  defines a cutout  122  with an opening facing towards a direction perpendicular to the peripheral card  20 . 
     The bracket  200  includes a front surface  201  facing the retaining plate  100 , and a top surface  202  connecting with the front surface  201 . The front surface  201  is substantially parallel to the elongated base  110  of the retaining plate  100 , and the top surface  202  is substantially parallel to the blocking tab  120  of the retaining plate  100 . The front surface  201  defines a number of slots  201   a  extending along a direction perpendicular to the top surface  202  for receiving the elongated base  110  of the retaining plate  100 . The front surface  201  also defines a number of positioning holes  201   b  at the bottom end thereof away from the top surface  202  corresponding to the slots  201   a . Each positioning hole  201   b  is located on the extending direction of the corresponding slot  201   a . The positioning hole  201   b  is used for receiving the inserting terminal  130  of the retaining plate  100 . The bracket  200  also includes a number of positioning posts  230  located on the top surface  202  corresponding to the slots  201   a . The positioning post  230  is used for latching with the cutout  122  of the retaining plate  100 . 
     The bracket  200  includes a first latching member  210  and a second latching member  220  located at two opposite ends of the top surface  202 , respectively. The first latching member  210  is substantially L-shaped, including a first upright plate  212  and a first horizontal plate  214  extending from an end of the first upright plate  212  away from the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 . The first upright plate  212  is substantially perpendicular to the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 , and the first horizontal plate  214  is substantially parallel to the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 . A latching protrusion  212   a  extends from a surface of the first upright plate  212  facing away from the second latching member  220 . The second latching member  220  is substantially L-shaped, including a second upright plate  222  and a second horizontal plate  224  extending from an end of the second upright plate  222  away from the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 . The second upright plate  222  is substantially perpendicular to the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 , and the second horizontal plate  224  is substantially parallel to the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 . Further referring to  FIG. 3 , the second upright plate  222  defines a through hole  222   a.    
     The mounting apparatus  300  includes a resilient pressing strip  330 , a first latching portion  310 , and a second latching portion  320 . The pressing strip  330  can be flat or curved towards the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 . The first latching portion  310  and the second latching portion  320  extend from two ends of the pressing strip  330  respectively. 
     The first latching portion  310  latches with the first latching member  210  of the bracket  200 . The first latching portion  310  includes a third upright plate  314 , a third horizontal plate  316 , and a fourth upright plate  312  extending from an end of the pressing strip  330  in sequence. The third upright plate  314 , the third horizontal plate  316 , and the fourth upright plate  312  cooperatively define a recess  319  for receiving the first latching member  210 . The fourth upright plate  312  defines a latching hole  312   a  for latching with the latching protrusion  212   a  of the first latching member  210 . Two blocking plates  318  extend towards the top surface  202  from two opposite ends of the third horizontal plate  316  for preventing the first latching member  210  from moving along a direction perpendicular to the front surface  201  of the bracket  200 . 
     The second latching portion  320  latches with the second latching member  220  of the bracket  200 . The second latching portion  320  includes an inserting plate  322  and two bending plates  324 . The inserting plate  322  is inserted into the through hole  222   a  of the second upright plate  222  of the second latching member  220 . The two bending plates  324  bend towards a direction away from the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 , and abut the second horizontal plate  224  of the second latching member  220 . 
     In assembly, the retaining plate  100  with the peripheral card  20  secured thereon is placed on the front surface  201  of the bracket  200 . The inserting terminal  130  of the retaining plate  100  is inserted into the corresponding positioning slot  201   b  defined on the front surface  201  of the bracket  200 , and the blocking tab  120  is attached to the top surface  202  of the bracket  200  with the cutout  122  of the blocking tab  120  latching with the positioning post  230  of the bracket  200 . Then the mounting apparatus  300  will be mounted on the top surface  202  of the bracket  200 . The first latching portion  310  and the second latching portion  320  latch with the first latching member  210  and the second latching member  220  respectively. Therefore, the resilient pressing strip  330  can prevent the retaining plate  100  from being pulled out. Accordingly, the peripheral card  20  can be secured properly. 
     While certain embodiments have been described and exemplified above, various other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure. The invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described and exemplified, and the embodiments are capable of considerable variation and modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.