Patent Publication Number: US-8535091-B2

Title: Fixing apparatus for connector

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for fixing a connector. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In an electronic device, some connectors, such as serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) connectors, are mounted to a sidewall of an enclosure of the electronic device with screws. However, those screws are usually small and difficult to handle, and the installation of the connectors in the computer is tedious. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments 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 present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawing, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a fixing apparatus together with a connector, wherein the fixing apparatus includes a fastener. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the fastener of  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another perspective. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but viewed from another perspective. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 , an exemplary embodiment of a fixing apparatus is provided to fix a connector  10 . The fixing apparatus includes a fixing plate  20  and a fastener  30  mounted to the connector  10 . 
     The connector  10  includes a substantially rectangular main body  12 , a block  13  protruding from the front surface of the main body  12 , a connecting portion  14  protruding from the front surface of the block  13 , and a plurality of cables  16  connected to the rear side of the main body  12 . A through hole  121  is defined in the main body  12  adjacent to an end of the block  13 . Two spaced protrusions  132  extend up from the top of the block  13 , and two spaced protrusions  132  extend down from the bottom of the block  13 . 
     The fixing plate  20  is a part of a sidewall of an electronic device enclosure. A substantially rectangular opening  21  is defined in the fixing plate  20 . Two notches  23  are defined in the fixing plate  20  communicating with the top side of the opening  21 , and two notches  23  are defined in the fixing plate  20  communicating with the bottom side of the opening  21 . A positioning hole  25  is defined in the fixing plate  20  adjacent to an end of the opening  21 . 
     The fastener  30  includes a mounting member  31 , a latching member  33  slidably connected to the mounting member  31 , and a resilient member  35 . In the embodiment, the resilient member  35  is a compression spring. The mounting member  31  includes a substantially cylindrical sleeve  312 , and an end wall  314  covering the rear end of the sleeve  312 . A through slot (not shown) is defined in a middle of the end wall  314 . The latching member  33  includes a shaft  331 , and an operation portion  335 . The shaft  331  includes a latching portion  332  on the front end of the shaft  331 . A diameter of a cross section of the latching portion  332  is greater than a diameter of a cross section of the other part of the shaft  331 . The rear end of the shaft  331  is extended through the resilient member  35 , the sleeve  312 , and the through slot of the end wall  314 , and engages with the operation portion  335  outside the end wall  314 . The resilient member  35  is received in the sleeve  312 , with opposite ends of the resilient member  35  abutting against the latching portion  332  and the inner side of the end wall  314 , respectively. 
     The front end of the sleeve  312  is fixed to the rear side of the main body  12 , with the latching portion  332  aligning with the through hole  121 . In an original status, the front end of the latching portion  332  is extended through the through hole  121  and exposed out of the front surface of the main body  12  under a resilient force of the resilient member  35 . In the embodiment, the main body  12  is made of plastic, and the sleeve  312  is made of metal, the sleeve  312  is fixed to the rear side of the main body  12  by hot melt. In other embodiments, the sleeve  312  may be fixed to the main body  12  by latches of threaded portions. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in assembly, the connector  10  is placed behind the fixing plate  20 , to allow the four protrusions  132  to respectively align with the four notches  23 , and to allow the latching portion  332  to be arranged adjacent to the positioning hole  25 . The connector  10  is moved forwards. The connecting portion  14  and the block  13  are extended through the opening  21 , and the protrusions  132  are extended through the notches  23 , respectively. The main body  12  engages with the rear surface of the fixing plate  20 . The latching portion  332  abuts against the fixing plate  20  and is moved backwards. The resilient member  35  is deformed. The connector  10  is longitudinally slid along the opening  21 , to allow the latching portion  332  to move towards the positioning hole  25 , and to allow the protrusions  132  to stagger with the corresponding notches and engage with the front surface of the fixing plate  40 . When the latching portion  132  aligns with the positioning hole  25 , the resilient member  35  is restored to push the latching portion  332  to move forwards and engage in the positioning hole  25 . Thereby, the connector  10  is fixed to the fixing plate  20 . 
     To detach the connector  10  from the fixing plate  20 , the operation portion  335  is pulled backwards, to allow the latching portion  332  to disengage from the positioning hole  25 . The connector  10  is slid, to allow the protrusions  132  to move towards the corresponding notches  23 . When the protrusions  132  respectively align with the notches  23 , the connector  10  is moved backwards to be detached from the fixing plate  20 . 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and the functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.