Patent Abstract:
A server rack assembly includes a rack, a chassis, and a locking device. The rack has two side plates each defining a receiving slot. The chassis receives an electronic component, and is received between the side walls. The locking device includes a bracket, a locker, and two elastic members. The bracket is positioned at an end of the chassis and adjacent to the receiving slot. The locker is fixed to the center of the bracket. The two elastic members are fixed to two opposite ends of the bracket. Each elastic member includes a protrusion and a locking piece at two opposite ends thereof. The elastic member is capable of rotating between a first position where the locker locks the locking piece and the protrusion is received in the receiving slot, and a second position where the locker unlocks the locking piece and the protrusion is released from the receiving slot.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to rack assemblies and, particularly, to a rack assembly for housing electronic components of a server. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Servers usually include a server rack assembly and a number of rack-mount computers. The rack assembly generally includes a rack and a number of removable chassis for receiving the rack-mount computers. In assembly, the chassis is housed in the rack and is fixed to the rack with a locking device. However, electrical connections between the rack-mount computers received in the chassis and connection ports of the rack may not be properly established due to improper assembly or vibrations after the assembly. As a result, the server may not work properly. 
         [0005]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new server rack assembly, which can overcome the above-mentioned limitations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the present disclosure should 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 disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric, assembled view of a server rack assembly, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the server rack assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a locking device of the server rack assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top, cross-sectional view of the server rack assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing another state of the server rack assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a server rack assembly  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment, is for housing a computer  40 . The rack assembly  100  includes a rack  10 , a chassis  20 , and a locking device  30 . 
         [0014]    The rack  10  includes a bottom plate  113 , two side plates  114 , a top plate  111 , and a back plate  112 . In the present embodiment, the bottom plate  113 , two side plates  114 , and the back plate  112  is one-piece or integrally formed. The two side plates  114  each extend upwards from two opposite ends of the bottom plate  113  and define a receiving slot  115  at an end thereof. The top plate  111  is connected to the two side plates  114  with screws (not shown), opposing the bottom plate  113 . The back plate  112  contacts an end of each of the side plates  114  that is distant from the receiving slot  115  and forms a number of first connection ports  121  thereon. The rack  10  defines a first cavity  14  for receiving the chassis  20 . The first connection ports  121  are located between the two side plates  114 , received in the first cavity  14 . 
         [0015]    The chassis  20  includes a bottom wall  215 , two side walls  216  extending upwards from two opposite ends of the bottom wall  215 , a top wall  213 , and a back wall  214  extending downwards from an end of the top wall  213 . In the present embodiment, the bottom wall  215  and two side walls  216  are one-piece or integrally formed, the top wall  213  and the back wall  214  is also one-piece or integrally formed. The back wall  214  defines a number of connection slots  2141  corresponding to the first connection parts  121  of the rack  10 . The top wall  213  is connected to two side walls  216 , opposing the bottom wall  215 , with the back wall  214  connected to an end of each side wall  216 . The chassis  20  defines a second cavity  217  for housing the computer  40 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the locking device  30  is connected to the end of the chassis  20  that is opposite to the back wall  214 . The lock device  30  includes a bracket  221 , a locker  227  fixed to the center of the bracket  221 , and two elastic members  228 , each of which is fixed at the corresponding opposite ends of the bracket  221 . 
         [0017]    The bracket  221  includes a first plate  225  for sealing the second cavity  217  and a second plate  226  substantially perpendicularly connected to an edge of the first plate  225 . The first plate  225  defines two first slots  2251 , two second slots  2252 , and two third slots  2253 . The first slots  2251 , the second slots  2252 , and the third slots  2253  are substantially symmetrical with respect to the center of the first plate  225 . The first slots  2251  are positioned between the second slots  2252 . The second slots  2252  are positioned between the third slots  2253 . The third slots  2253  are formed at an edge of the first plate  225 , adjacent to the second plate  226 . The second plate  226  forms two strip slots  2263  whose lengthwise direction is substantially perpendicular to the first plate  225 . 
         [0018]    The locker  227  is fixed to the center of the first plate  225  and includes two shafts  2273 , a helical spring  2271  interconnecting the two shafts  2273 , and a shell  2272  receiving the shafts  2273  and the helical spring  2271 . In detail, the shaft  2273  includes a main body  2274 , two positioning portions  2275  substantially parallel to each other, an operating portion  2276 , a locking portion  2277 , and a connecting portion  2278 . The positioning portion  2275  and the operating portion  2276  extend outwards from two opposite sides of the main body  2274 . The locking portion  2277  and the connecting portion  2278  extend from two opposite ends of the main body  2274 . The helical spring  2271  engages with both connecting portions  2278 . The shell  2272  includes a rectangular bottom plate  2279  and four side plates  2280  surrounding the bottom plate  2279 . The bottom plate  2279  defines four positioning slots  2281  along the lengthwise direction thereof, corresponding to the positioning portions  2275 . 
         [0019]    In assembly, the positioning portions  2275  are inserted through the corresponding positioning slots  2281  of the shell  2272 , while the operating portion  2276  protrudes out of the first slot  2251  of the first plate  225 . The two shafts  2273  and the helical spring  2271  are received in the shell  2272 . The shell  2272  is fixed to the first plate  225  with screws (not labled). In this situation, the shaft  2273  is capable of moving along the positioning slot  2281  when the operating portion  2276  is operated. In a normal state (no external force is applied to the operating portion), the locking portion  2277  seals the second hole  2252 . 
         [0020]    The elastic member  228  includes a hook  222 , an elastic piece  223 , a first rivet  2241 , and a second rivet  2242 . The hook  222  includes a substantially rectangular rotating board  2221 , a protrusion  2222 , a block  2223 , a resisting portion  2224 , and a locking piece  2225 . The protrusion  2222  extends from a first end (not labeled) of the rotating board  2221 . The block  2223  protrudes from the first end of the rotating board  2221 , and is adjacent to the protrusion  2222 . The resisting portion  2224  extends upwards from an edge of the rotating board  2221 . The locking piece  2225  includes an operating plate  2226  and a locking plate  2227 . The operating plate  2226  extends upwards from a second end (not labeled) opposite to the first end of the rotating board  2221 . The locking plate  2227  substantially perpendicularly extends from the edge of the operating plate  2226  that is away from the protrusion  2222 . The locking plate  2227  defines a locking slot  2228  therethrough, corresponding to the locking portion  2277  of the shaft  2273 . The rotating board  2221  forms a fixing hole  2229  between the protrusion  2222  and the resisting portion  2224 . 
         [0021]    The elastic piece  223  includes a fixing portion  2231  and an elastic portion  2232 . The fixing portion  2231  is substantially “FIG.  8 ” shaped. The elastic portion  2232  is substantially “L” shaped, slanting outward from the middle of the fixing portion  2231 . In assembly, the first rivet  2241  is mounted on the second plate  226 , near the strip slot  2263 . The second rivet  2242  runs through the strip slot  2263  and is mounted to the fixing hole  2229 , with the fixing portion  2231  of the elastic piece  223  intervened between the first and second rivets  2241  and  2242 . In this case, the elastic portion  2232  of the elastic piece  223  is resisted at the third slot  2253  of the first plate  225 , and partially protrudes out of the third slot  2253 . Meanwhile, guided by the second rivet  2242 , the hook  222  can move along the strip slot  2263 . The locking device  30  is connected to the chassis  20  by screws (not labeled). 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , in operation, the computer  40  is received in the second cavity  217  of the chassis  20 . Then the top wall  213  and the back wall  214  cover the computer  40 , with a number of second connection parts  41  of the computer  40  extending out of the connection slots  2141 . The chassis  20  is then arranged in the first cavity  14  of the rack  10 , thereby the second connection parts  41  are connected to the first connection ports  121  of the rack  10 . After that, an external force pushes the operating plate  2226 , so that the hook  222  rotates about the second rivet  2242 . The locking plate  2227  then passes through the second slot  2252 , and is locked in the locker  227  by the engagement of the locking portion  2277  and the locking slot  2228 . Meanwhile, the resisting portion  2224  seals the third slot  2253 , the protrusion  2222  is then engaged with the receiving slot  115  of the rack  10 . Thereby, the computer  40 , the lock device  30  and the chassis  20  is locked in the rack  10 . 
         [0023]    In this situation, the elastic portion  2232  of the elastic piece  223  resists the resisting portion  2224  of the hook  222 , generating a force between the elastic piece  223  and the resisting portion  2224 . As the hook  222  engages with the receiving slot  115 , which makes it unable to move along the direction shown as the arrow  50 , and the second rivet  2242  can move along the strip slot  2263 , the force generated by the elastic piece  223  then forces the locking device  30  and the chassis  20  to move along the strip slot  2263 , opposite to the arrow  50 . Therefore, when vibration or inaccuracy in the process of fixing the chassis  20  into the rack  10  occurs, the chassis  20  will move towards the first connection ports  121  automatically, which ensures a reliable connection between the first and the second connection ports  121  and  41 . 
         [0024]    Also referring to  FIG. 5 , when taking out the chassis  20 , the two operating portions  2276  of the two shafts  2273  are pushed towards each other. Then the locking portion  2277  slides out of the locking slot  2228  of the hook  222 . Resisted by the elastic portion  2232  of the elastic piece  223 , the resisting portion  2224  bounces off the third slot  2253 , which makes the locking plate  2227  come out of the second slot  2252  automatically. During the locking plate  2227  coming out of the second slot  2252 , the block  2223  of the hook  222  resists the end of the receiving slot  115  away from the locking device  30 . Under the counterforce of the side wall  216 , the chassis  20  can be easily taken out of the rack  10 . 
         [0025]    It should be understood that the chassis  20  could also be used for housing other electronic components, not limited to computers  40 . 
         [0026]    It will be understood that the above particular embodiments is shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiment thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7