Patent Abstract:
The computer includes a chassis, a motherboard, and an add-on card fixing mechanism. The motherboard is fastened to the chassis. The add-on card fixing mechanism is attached, yet removable from, the motherboard by first and second couplers located on the motherboard and add-on card fixing mechanism respectively. Add-on cards can be installed into the add-on card fixing mechanism. The add-on card fixing mechanism can then be attached to the motherboard. The add-on card fixing mechanism can then be actuated in such a way as to electrically and mechanically connect the add-on cards to the motherboard. Finally, the add-on card fixing mechanism can be actuated to remove the add-on cards and allow removal of the add-on card fixing mechanism from the motherboard.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a computer, and more particularly, to a computer with a removable add-on card fixing mechanism. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Computers are indispensable electronic products in modern life and are very popular with consumers. In order to make computers more useful and fulfill the various requirements of consumers, manufacturers have developed many different kinds of function-adding add-on cards. These add-on cards electrically connect to a computer through standardized slots on the computer motherboard and extend the function and capability of the computer. As new technologies are developed day-by-day and the requirements of consumers increase just as rapidly, computers are becoming lighter, thinner, and smaller. This means that computer designers and users must install more and more add-on cards into smaller computers. Add-on cards come in many different standards and sizes. If these add-on cards are installed vertically inside the computer, perpendicular to the motherboard, the size of the computer will be larger than if the add-on cards are installed in a horizontal manner, parallel to the motherboard. So to minimize the overall size and bulkiness of the computer many designers choose to do the latter. 
     Please refer to FIG.  1 . FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art computer  10 . The computer  10  comprises a chassis  12 , a motherboard  14 , a processor  16 , a power supply  18 , and a riser card  20 . The motherboard  14  is fixed on the chassis  12 . The processor  16  is fixed on the motherboard  14  for controlling the operations of the computer  10 . The power supply  18  is fixed on the chassis  12  for providing electrical power to the computer  10 . The riser card  20  is vertically installed on and electrically connected to the motherboard  14 . The riser card  20  comprises at least a slot  24  for receiving an add-on card  22  so that the add-on card  22  can electrically connect to the motherboard  14  through the riser card  20 . The add-on card  22  is a network card, a video card, a RAID card, or any other type of function-adding card. 
     In order to accommodate flat shaped computer cases, the computer  10  shown in FIG. 1 uses the riser card  20  as an interface between the motherboard  14  and the add-on card  22 . The add-on card  22  is horizontally inserted into the slot  24  of the riser card  20  so that the add-on card  22  can electrically connect to the motherboard  14  through the riser card  20 . Although this assembly method can decrease the overall height of the computer  10 , it is inconvenient for operating staff or users to assemble. The computer  10  further comprises other electronic components installed on the motherboard  14 . Operating staff or users must exert a horizontal force directly on to the add-on card  22  each time it is inserted into or removed from the slot  24  of the riser card  20 . As it is easy to accidentally touch the electronic components on the motherboard  14  or on the add-on card  22  when inserting or removing the add-on card  22  electronic components are easily damaged. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a computer with a removable add-on card fixing mechanism, so as to solve the above mentioned problems. 
     The claimed invention, briefly summarized, discloses a computer. The computer comprises a chassis, a motherboard, at least a first coupler, and a fixing mechanism. The motherboard fixed on the chassis has a connecting port installed at one side of the motherboard along a first direction. The first coupler is formed on the chassis. The fixing mechanism comprises a housing, a first slot, at least a second slot, an active shaft and at least a second coupler. The housing is disposed along the first direction. The first slot is installed at a first side of the housing along the first direction and detachably connected to the connecting port. The second slot is installed at the first side of the housing along the first direction. The second slot is electrically connected to the first slot for electrically connecting an add-on card with the fixing mechanism. The active shaft is installed at a second side of the housing along the first direction. The active shaft has at least one supporting rod fixed at one end of the active shaft. The supporting rod is pivot connected to the housing so that the active shaft and the supporting rod can rotate about a rotation axis parallel to the first direction. The second coupler is formed at a bottom end of the supporting rod corresponding to a position of the first coupler for engaging with the first coupler. 
     It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the claimed invention computer comprises a detachable fixing mechanism. When users want to add an add-on card into the computer, users can first insert the add-on card into the second slot or the third slot on the riser card of the fixing mechanism. Users then attach the fixing mechanism to the computer chassis and rotate the active shaft about a rotation axis so as to move the fixing mechanism forward to connect the first slot with the connecting port. The claimed invention computer can be used to easily add an add-on card inside the computer. The assembly process is simple and time saving. Users do not need to exert force on the add-on card directly. The electronic components on the add-on card or on the motherboard are not touched when adding or detaching an add-on card and, therefore, the electronic components are not damaged. 
    
    
     These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art computer. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a present invention computer. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagram (looking in a second side direction) of a first slot, a second slot and a third slot shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged diagram (looking in a first side direction) of the first slot, the second slot and the third slot shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention computer in which the fixing mechanism shown in FIG. 2 is disposed on the chassis. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view (looking in the first direction) of the fixing mechanism and the motherboard in which the second couplers are engaged with the first couplers. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view (looking in the first direction) of the fixing mechanism and the motherboard in which the first slot of the fixing mechanism is connected onto the motherboard. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view (looking in the second side direction) of the lock and the power supply in which the lock is shown rotating from an unlocked position to a locked position. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the present invention computer in which the fixing mechanism is fixed on the computer. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to FIG. 2, FIG.  3  and FIG.  4 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a present invention computer  30 . FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagram (looking in a second side  46  direction) of a first slot  54 , a second slot  56  and a third slot  58  shown in FIG.  2 . FIG. 4 is an enlarged diagram (looking in a first side  44  direction) of the first slot  54 , the second slot  56  and the third slot  58  shown in FIG.  2 . The computer  30  comprises a chassis  32 , a motherboard  34 , and a fixing mechanism  50 . The motherboard  34  fixed on the chassis  32  has a connecting port  36  installed at one side of the motherboard  34  along a first direction  42 . Two first couplers  38  are formed on the chassis  32 . The computer  30  further comprises a processor  66  and a power supply  68 . The processor  66  is installed on the motherboard  34  for controlling the operations of the computer  30 . The power supply  68  is installed on the chassis  32  at the second side  46  of the housing  52  for providing electrical power to the computer  30 . 
     The fixing mechanism  50  of the present invention is detachable and is installed on the chassis  32 . The fixing mechanism  50  comprises a housing  52 , a riser card  53 , a first slot  54 , a second slot  56 , a third slot  58 , and an active shaft  60 . The active shaft  60  has two supporting rods  62  fixed at two ends of the active shaft  60 . The housing  52  is disposed on the chassis  32  along the first direction  42 . The riser card  53  is fixed under the housing  52  along the first direction  42 . The first slot  54  is installed at the first side  44  of the riser card  53  along the first direction  42 , and detachably connected to the connecting port  36  of the motherboard  34 . The second slot  56  and the third slot  58  are respectively installed at the first side  44  and the second side  46  of the riser card  53  along the first direction  42 . The second slot  56  and the third slot  58  are respectively connected to the first slot  54  for receiving the add-on card  48  so that the add-on card can electrically connect to the motherboard  34  through the first slot  54 . The add-on card  48  can be a network card, a video card, a RAID card, or any other type of add-on card. The active shaft  60  is installed at the second side  46  of the housing  52  along the first direction  42 . The supporting rods  62  are pivot connected to the housing  52  so that the active shaft  60  and the supporting rods  62  can rotate about a rotation axis  64  parallel to the first direction  42 . The second couplers  40  are formed at the bottom ends of the supporting rods  62  corresponding to positions of the first couplers  38  for engaging with the first couplers  38 . The housing  52  further comprises a lock  70  pivot connected to the second side  46  of the housing  52 . The lock  70  can rotate about a rotation axis  76  along an arrow direction  78 . 
     Please refer to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 along with FIG.  2 . FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention computer  30  in which the fixing mechanism  50  shown in FIG. 2 is disposed on the chassis  32 . FIG. 6 is a side view (looking in the first direction  42 ) of the fixing mechanism  50  and the motherboard  34  in which the second couplers  40  are engaged with the first couplers  38 . FIG. 7 is a side view (looking in the first direction  42 ) of the fixing mechanism  50  and the motherboard  34  in which the first slot  54  of the fixing mechanism  50  is inserted onto the motherboard  34 . When users want to add an add-on card  48  to the computer  30 , users can first insert the add-on card  48  into the second slot  56  or the third slot  58  on the riser card  53  of the fixing mechanism  50 . Users then connect the first slot  54  on the riser card  53  of the fixing mechanism  50  to the connecting port  36  of the motherboard  34 . When users want to attach the first slot  54  on the riser card  53  of the fixing mechanism  50  to the motherboard  34 , users can first dispose the fixing mechanism  50  on the chassis  32  so as to make the second couplers  40  engage with the first couplers  38 , as shown in FIG.  6 . Users then rotate the active shaft  60  about the rotation axis  64  so as to move the fixing mechanism  50  along the first side  44  direction to connect the first slot  54  on the riser card  53  with the connecting port  36  of the motherboard  34 , as shown in FIG.  7 . Therefore, the add-on card  48  inserted into the second slot  56  or the third slot  58  on the riser card  53  can electrically connect to the motherboard  34  through the first slot  54  on the riser card  53 . When users want to detach the fixing mechanism  50  from the motherboard  34 , users can rotate the active shaft  60  about the rotation axis  64  so as to move the fixing mechanism  50  along the second side  46  direction to separate the first slot  54  from the connecting port  36 . Users can then remove the fixing mechanism  50  from the computer  30  to add or exchange different add-on cards  48 . 
     Please refer to FIG.  8  and FIG.  9 . FIG. 8 is a side view (looking in the second side  46  direction) of the lock  70  and the power supply  68  in which the lock  70  rotates about the lock rotation axis  76  from an unlocked position  72  to a locked position  74 . FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the present invention computer  30  in which the fixing mechanism  50  is fixed on the computer  30 . As shown in FIG. 9, the lock  70  is disposed between the housing  52  and the power supply  68 . When the first slot  54  of the fixing mechanism  50  is connected to the connecting port  36 , the lock  70  can be rotated to the locked position  74  such that the lock  70  is between the housing  52  and a side wall  69  of the power supply  68  so that the side wall  69  of the power supply  68  can support the fixing mechanism  50  through the lock  70 . The lock  70  ensures that the first slot  54  can firmly connect to the connecting port  36 , as shown in FIG.  9 . Conversely, when users want to remove the fixing mechanism from the motherboard  34 , users can rotate the lock  70  to the unlocked position  72  so that the lock  70  is no longer positioned between the housing  52  and the side wall  69  of the power supply  68 . Users can then detach the fixing mechanism  50  from the motherboard  34 . 
     The lock  70  of the embodiment mentioned above can be positioned between the housing  52  and the side wall  69  of the power supply  68 , however, the present invention is not limited by this. Only if the side wall  69  can support the fixing mechanism  50  through the lock  70  is the side wall  69  to be included in the present invention. 
     Please continuously refer to FIG.  2  and FIG.  9 . In contrast to the prior art computer  10 , the present invention computer  30  comprises a detachable fixing mechanism  50 . When users want to add an add-on card  48  into the computer  30 , users can first insert the add-on card  48  into the second slot  56  or the third slot  58  on the riser card  53  of the fixing mechanism  50 . Users then attach the fixing mechanism  50  onto the motherboard  34  by connecting the first slot  54  of the fixing mechanism  50  to the connecting port  36  of the motherboard  34 . Finally, the lock  70  is rotated to the locked position  74  ensuring a firm connection between the first slot  54  and the connecting port  36 . Conversely, when users want to exchange an add-on card  48 , users can first rotate the lock  70  to the unlocked position  72 . Users then detach the fixing mechanism  50  from the motherboard  34 . Therefore, the present invention computer  30  makes it easier and quicker to add or replace add-on cards  48  inside the computer  30 . The assembly process is simple. Users do not need to exert force on the add-on card  48  directly. Electronic components are not touched when attaching or detaching the fixing mechanism  50  onto the motherboard  34  or when utilizing the fixing mechanism  50  and, therefore, the electronic components are not damaged. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6