Patent Abstract:
An interface device includes a circuit assembly, a fastening member having the circuit assembly accommodated and fastened inside; and a housing receiving the fastening member assembled inside. The fastening member removably secures the interface device to a periphery of a server. A server employing the present interface device is also described.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to interface devices, and particularly to an interface device for servers and a server employing the interface device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Servers usually have multiple interfaces, such as networking interfaces and audio and video interfaces, and universal serial bus (USB) interfaces. In use, cables are inserted into the interfaces to transfer data in and out of the servers. For example, when a se er needs to connect to a network, one end of the network cable connects with the networking interface of the server, with the other end of the network cable extending out of a frame of the server. However, because the networking interfaces are usually located at the middle position inside the servers, long network cables are employed and are usually bent at a right-angle. Moreover, the network cables extending from the inside of the server may block a radiator outlet of the server, thus reducing a radiating efficiency of the server. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawing like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an interface device assembled to a server in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the interface device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the interface device of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the interface device of  FIG. 2  viewed from another angle. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a fastening member of an interface device in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an interface device assembled to a server in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a first exemplary embodiment of an interface device  100  assembled to a server  200 . The server  200  includes a server body  220  and a frame  240 . The interface device  100  is mounted to the server body  220 . The server body  220  is fastened to the frame  240 . 
         [0014]    The interface device  100  may be a networking interface, an audio and video interface, or a USB interface. In the exemplary embodiment, the interface device  100  is a networking interface. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the interface device  100  includes a circuit assembly  10 , a fastening member  30 , and a housing  50 . The circuit assembly  10  is positioned within the fastening member  30 . The fastening member  30  is assembled to the housing  50 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the circuit assembly  10  includes a circuit board  12  and at least one connector  14  attached to the circuit board  12 . The circuit board  12  defines a first through hole  122  and defines two notches  124  through an edge portion thereof. In the exemplary embodiment, the circuit assembly  10  has two connectors  14 . The two connectors  14  are network connectors. The two connectors  14  are secured on and conductively connected to the circuit board  12 . 
         [0017]    The fastening member  30  accommodates and fastens the circuit assembly  10  therein. The fastening member  30  includes a sidewall  322 , two end wall  324 , a back wall  342 , and a tab  344 . The sidewall  322 , the end walls  324 , the back wall  342 , and the tab  344  may be integrally formed together. 
         [0018]    The end walls  324  are opposite to each other and connect with two opposite ends of the sidewall  322 , respectively. Each end wall  324  defines a first assembling hole  326  and has a clasp  328  extending from an end away from the sidewall  322  and bending towards the sidewall  322 . The clasps  328  are opposite to each other. The clasps  328  engage in the notches  124  of the circuit board  12  to secure the circuit board  12  between the end walls  324 . 
         [0019]    The back wall  342  has two ends connecting with the two end walls  324 , respectively, and an edge portion connecting with the sidewall  322 , thereby the back wall  342 , the end walls  324 , and the sidewall  322  cooperatively forming a receiving space  37  for receiving the circuit assembly  10 . The back wall  342  defines a post  36  and a second through hole  346 . The post  36  protrudes from the back wall  342  and extends toward the receiving space  37 . In assembly, the post  36  extends through the first through hole  122  of the circuit board  12  and engages with a screw nut (not shown) to further secure the circuit assembly  10 . The second through hole  346  is defined in a portion of the post  36  close to the sidewall  322 , facilitating wires (not shown) extending through the second through hole  346  to conductively connect the circuit assembly  10  and a main board of the server  200 . The tab  344  extends substantially perpendicularly from an edge portion of the back wall  342  away from the sidewall  322  and extends along a direction away from the receiving space  37 . The tab  344  defines at least one securing hole  348  for removably securing the fastening member  30  on the server body  220  by a screw screwed therein, for example. 
         [0020]    The housing  50  is substantially a rectangular box having an open end  56 . The housing  50  includes two securing boards  52  opposite to each other and three side boards  54  connecting with and located between the securing boards  52 . Each securing board  52  defines a second assembling hole  522  in a position corresponding to the first assembling hole  326 . The first assembling holes  326  and the second assembling holes  522  are used for assembling the housing  50  to the fastening member  30  by screws. One of the securing boards  52  defines at least one opening  542  corresponding to the at least one connector  14 . In the exemplary embodiment, two openings  542  are defined in one of the securing boards  52 . When the fastening member  30  and the circuit assembly  10  are assembled inside the housing  50 , the at least one connector  14  of the circuit assembly  10  is exposed from the at least one opening  542 ; the second through hole  346  of the fastening member  30  is exposed from the open end  56 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , to assemble the interface device  100 , the circuit assembly  10  is positioned in the receiving space  37  of the fastening member  30 , with the clasps  328  engaging in the notches  124  of the circuit board  12  and the post  36  engaging in the first through hole  122 . Then, the fastening member  30  receiving the circuit assembly  10  is positioned in the housing  50  through the open end  56 , with the at least one connector  14  exposed from the at least one opening  542 , the second through hole  346  exposed from the open end  56 , and the first assembling holes  326  aligned with the second assembling holes  522 . Screws are screwed into the first assembling holes  326  and the second assembling holes  522 . The tab  344  of the fastening member  30  is fastened to a sidewall of the server body  220 . The server body  220  is mounted to the frame  240  with the at least one connector  14  located near the frame  240  and facing outside of the frame  240 . Thus, when connecting network cables to the at least one connectors  14 , the network cables extend only a short distance from the outside to reach the at least one connector  14  and do not need to be bent. Moreover, short network cables do not block a radiator outlet of the server  200 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show a second exemplary embodiment of an interface device  100 . Unlike the first embodiment, the fastening member  30  of the second exemplary embodiment further includes an assembling board  38  and an operation portion  39 . The assembling board  38  is substantially L-shaped and includes a first portion  382  and a second portion  384 . The first portion  382  connects with a lower end of the tab  344  and is substantially parallel to the tab  344 . The second portion  384  extends perpendicularly from an end of the first portion  382  and is substantially parallel to the back wall  342 . The assembling board  38  secures the fastening member  30  to the frame  240  by screws. Thus, the interface device  100  is further secured to the frame  240 . Accordingly, the interface device  100 , the server body  220 , and the frame  240  can be assembled together by the fastening member  30  further including the assembling board  38 , without any additional assembling mechanism for assembling the server body  220  and the frame  240  required. 
         [0023]    The operation portion  39  connects with a lower end of the second portion  384 . The operation portion  39  includes a peripheral wall  391  and an operation space  393  surrounded by the peripheral wall  391 . The operation space  39  is used for separating the server body  220  from the frame  240  by putting a finger in the operation space  393  and pulling the operation portion  39 . When it is required to separate the server body  220  from the frame  240  for some purpose, such as inspection or repair, finger pulling the operation portion can easily separate the entire server body  220  from the frame  240  under the condition that the assembling board and the frame being disassembled. 
         [0024]    It should be understood, that one of the clasp  328  and post  36  can be omitted if the circuit assembly  10  can be tightly secured in the fastening member  30  without the clasp  328  or the post  36 . 
         [0025]    It is to be understood, however, that even through numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of assembly and function, 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 the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7