Patent Description:
Currently, the rotating button of a PCI-E connector is located at the end of the connector. By pressing the rotating button, the expansion card inserted in the PCI-E connector may be lifted. However, with the advancement of technology, the motherboard are inserted with high-efficiency heat sinks or elements with new functions, making it difficult for users to directly press the rotating button of the PCI-E connector, causing difficulties in use.

<CIT> relates to a circuit board including a connector having a circuit module latch that may include a latch frame and pivot-able ejector assembly coupled to the latch frame. <CIT> relates to a parallel-plugged planar sandwich arrangement for a computer system including a first printed circuit board having a first electrical connector on a surface thereof, and a second printed circuit board having a second electrical connector on a surface thereof.

The disclosure provides a circuit board module capable of driving a rotating button of a connector with a remote button.

The following disclosure serves a better understanding of the present invention. A circuit board module of the disclosure includes a circuit board body, a connector, a press button, a bracket, and a linkage. The connector is disposed on the circuit board body, and includes a base and a rotating button rotatably disposed on the base. The press button is located on the circuit board body and away from the connector. The bracket is disposed on the circuit board body and includes a first limiting portion. The linkage is located between the rotating button and the press button, and includes a second limiting portion corresponding to the first limiting portion, a first segment, and a second segment linked to the first segment. The first segment extends along a first axis and is linked to the rotating button. The second segment extends along a second axis and is linked to the press button. One of the second limiting portion and the first limiting portion extends along the first axis, so that the first segment is movably disposed on the bracket along the first axis. In response to the press button being pressed, the second segment of the linkage is driven, and the first segment is linked to move along the first axis, and the rotating button is pulled to rotate relative to the base.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the press button includes a first abutment area facing the second segment, the second segment includes a second abutment area corresponding to the first abutment area, and at least one of the first abutment area and the second abutment area is inclined.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, one of the second limiting portion and the first limiting portion is a first elongated hole or a first elliptical hole extending along the first axis, the other one of the second limiting portion and the first limiting portion is a first protruding post, and the first protruding post is located in the first elongated hole or the first elliptical hole.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first protruding post is an elliptical column, a long column, or a cylinder, and the length of the first elongated hole or the first elliptical hole is greater than the maximum width of the first protruding post.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the rotating button includes a second protruding post, the first segment includes a second elongated hole or a second elliptical hole, and the second protruding post is located in the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole, so that the rotating button is linked to the first segment.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, in response to the press button not being pressed, the second protruding post is close to one end in the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole, and in response to the press button being pressed, the second protruding post is close to the other end in the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole extends along a third axis, and the third axis has a component in a normal direction of the circuit board body.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the press button is movably disposed on the bracket along a third axis, the bracket comprises a stopper, the press button comprises a slider, and the stopper restricts a movement of the slider in the third axis.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the circuit board module further includes an elastic member disposed between the bracket and the press button.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, in response to the press button being pressed along a third axis, the entire linkage is driven to move along the first axis, and then the rotating button is pulled to rotate in the direction of the circuit board body.

Based on the above, the press button of the circuit board module of the disclosure is located on the circuit board body and away from the connector. The linkage is located between the rotating button and the press button. The first segment of the linkage extends along the first axis and is linked to the rotating button. The second segment of the linkage extends along the second axis and is linked to the press button, so that the rotating button may be driven by the press button through the linkage. In addition, one of the first limiting portion of the bracket and the second limiting portion of the linkage extends along the first axis, so that the first segment is movably disposed on the bracket along the first axis. In other words, the bracket restricts the movement of the linkage along the first axis. In response to the press button being pressed, the second segment of the linkage is driven, and the first segment is linked to move along the first axis, and then the rotating button is pulled to rotate the rotating button relative to the base. Therefore, the rotating button of the connector may be smoothly driven by a remote button.

<FIG> is a partial schematic diagram of a circuit board module according to an embodiment of the disclosure. In <FIG>, a circuit board module <NUM> of this embodiment includes a circuit board body <NUM>, a connector <NUM>, a press button <NUM>, a bracket <NUM>, and a linkage <NUM> (<FIG>). The connector <NUM> is disposed on the circuit board body <NUM>. The connector <NUM> includes a base <NUM> and a rotating button <NUM> rotatably disposed on the base <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the connector <NUM> is, for example, a PCI-E connector, but the type of the connector <NUM> is not limited thereto. The connector <NUM> is suitable to be inserted with a graphics card (not shown). Since the graphics card generates high heat during operation, it is usually equipped with large-sized heat sink fins and fans, which may easily cover the rotating button <NUM>, which makes it difficult for the user to remove the graphics card by turning the rotating button <NUM> directly.

In this embodiment, the press button <NUM> is located on the circuit board body <NUM> and away from the connector <NUM>. The press button <NUM> is closer to an edge <NUM> of the circuit board body <NUM> than the rotating button <NUM> is. Specifically, the bracket <NUM> is disposed on the circuit board body <NUM>. The press button <NUM> is movably disposed on the bracket <NUM> along a third axis A3, and the press button <NUM> is located on the edge <NUM> of the circuit board body <NUM>.

Since the edge <NUM> of the circuit board body <NUM> tends not to be configured with a large element, the press button <NUM> may be prevented from being shielded by other components by arranging the press button <NUM> on the edge <NUM> of the circuit board body <NUM>. The press button <NUM> may be linked to the rotating button <NUM>. Therefore, the user may rotate the rotating button <NUM> by pressing the press button <NUM> away from the connector <NUM>.

It is worth mentioning that, in this embodiment, the bracket <NUM> is L-shaped, and the rotating button <NUM> and the press button <NUM> are located at different ends of the L-shaped bracket <NUM>. In other words, the press button <NUM> is not directly disposed on the straight line stretching from the connector <NUM> to the edge <NUM> of the circuit board body <NUM>. Instead, it is disposed in an area steering clear from the connector <NUM> extending directly to the edge <NUM> of the circuit board body <NUM>. In other words, the rotating button <NUM> and the press button <NUM> steer clear on from each other along the first axis A1.

Although only the elements related to this disclosure are shown in <FIG>, there are many components on the circuit board body <NUM> in practice. The press button <NUM> may be disposed in a location outside the circuit layout according to the element configuration of the circuit board body <NUM>, so that the configuration of the press button <NUM> on the circuit board body <NUM> is more flexible.

<FIG> is a schematic perspective cross-segmental view of the press button, the bracket, the linkage, and part of the connector when the press button of <FIG> has not been pressed. <FIG> is a schematic bottom view of the press button, the bracket, the linkage, and part of the connector when the press button of <FIG> has not been pressed.

In <FIG>, the linkage <NUM> is located between the rotating button <NUM> and the press button <NUM>, and the press button <NUM> allows the rotating button <NUM> to move through the linkage <NUM>. The linkage <NUM> includes a first segment <NUM> and a second segment <NUM> linked to the first segment <NUM>. In this embodiment, the first segment <NUM> is fixed to the second segment <NUM>, and the first segment <NUM> and the second segment <NUM> are, for example, integrated. In other embodiments, the first segment <NUM> may also be screwed to the second segment <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the first segment <NUM> of the linkage <NUM> extends along a first axis A1 and is linked to the rotating button <NUM>, and the second segment <NUM> of the linkage <NUM> extends along a second axis A2 and is linked to the press button <NUM>. In this embodiment, the first axis A1 is perpendicular to the second axis A2, so that the linkage <NUM> is L-shaped, but the relative relationship between the first axis A1 and the second axis A2 is not limited thereto.

As may be seen from the left side of <FIG>, the press button <NUM> includes a first abutment area <NUM> facing the second segment <NUM>, and the second segment <NUM> includes a second abutment area <NUM> corresponding to the first abutment area <NUM>. In this embodiment, the first abutment area <NUM> is inclined. The inclined first abutment area <NUM> may be adapted to change the direction of movement.

<FIG> is a three-dimensional cross-segmental schematic diagram of the press button, the bracket, the linkage, and part of the connector when the press button of <FIG> is pressed. <FIG> is a schematic bottom view of the press button, the bracket, the linkage, and part of the connector when the press button of <FIG> is pressed. In <FIG>, when the press button <NUM> is pressed along the third axis A3, the inclined first abutment area <NUM> pushes the edge <NUM> of the second abutment area <NUM> of the second segment <NUM> to drive the second segment <NUM> of the linkage <NUM>, and the second segment <NUM> is moved toward the first axis A1 (leftward) as shown in <FIG>.

Since the first segment <NUM> is linked to the second segment <NUM>, the first segment <NUM> is to be driven by the second segment <NUM> to move along the first axis A1 (leftward). In other words, the entire linkage <NUM> moves along the first axis A1, and as shown in <FIG>, the rotating button <NUM> is pulled to rotate relative to the base <NUM>. The rotating button <NUM> then rotates in the direction of the circuit board body <NUM> (<FIG>).

It should be noted that since the press button <NUM> and the rotating button <NUM> are steering clear from each other in the first axis A1, in order to prevent the linkage <NUM> from rotating when the first abutment area <NUM> of the press button <NUM> pushes against the second abutment area <NUM> of the second segment <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, in this embodiment, the bracket <NUM> includes a first limiting portion <NUM>. The linkage <NUM> includes a second limiting portion <NUM> corresponding to the first limiting portion <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the first limiting portion <NUM> of the bracket <NUM> is, for example, a first protruding post, and the first protruding post is an elliptical column, a long column, or a cylinder. The second limiting portion <NUM> is, for example, a first elongated hole or a first elliptical hole extending along the first axis A1. The first protruding post is located in the first elongated hole or the first elliptical hole, and the length L of the first elongated hole or the first elliptical hole is greater than the maximum width W of the first protruding post, so that the first segment <NUM> is movably disposed on the bracket <NUM> along the first An axis A1.

In this way, when the first abutment area <NUM> of the press button <NUM> pushes against the second abutment area <NUM> of the second segment <NUM> of the linkage <NUM>, the linkage <NUM> is guided by the bracket <NUM> and moves only along the first axis A1 without rotating, and the rotating button <NUM> is thus driven more stably.

In addition, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the circuit board module <NUM> further includes an elastic member <NUM> disposed between the bracket <NUM> and the press button <NUM>. The elastic member <NUM> may be adapted to accumulate elastic potential energy after the press button <NUM> is pressed, and lift the press button <NUM> up after the user releases their hand.

Furthermore, the bracket <NUM> further includes a stopper <NUM>, the press button <NUM> includes a slider <NUM>, and the stopper <NUM> restricts the movement of the slider <NUM> in the third axis A3, so as to prevent the press button <NUM> from being separated from the bracket <NUM> after the elastic member <NUM> lifts the press button <NUM>.

<FIG> is a partial side view of the linkage and part of the connector of <FIG> before and after actuation. In <FIG>, the linkage <NUM> and the rotating button <NUM> before actuation are represented by solid lines, whereas the linkage <NUM> and the rotating button <NUM> after actuation are represented by dashed lines. In this embodiment, the rotating button <NUM> includes a second protruding post <NUM>, the first segment <NUM> includes a second elongated hole or a second elliptical hole <NUM>, and the second protruding post <NUM> is located in the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole <NUM>, so that the rotating button <NUM> is linked to the first segment <NUM>.

It may be seen from <FIG> that the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole <NUM> extends along the third axis A3, which is different from the first axis A1 and the second axis A2, and the third axis A3 has a component in the normal direction D of the circuit board body <NUM>. Since the rotating button <NUM> rotates after being driven, the second protruding post <NUM> of the rotating button <NUM> also rotates correspondingly, and there is a moving component in the normal direction D of the circuit board body <NUM>.

Therefore, the extension direction (the third axis A3) of the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole <NUM> has a component in the normal direction D of the circuit board body <NUM>, and the second protruding post <NUM> may move in the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole <NUM> during the rotation of the rotating button <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, when the press button <NUM> has not been pressed, the second protruding post <NUM> is close to one end (for example, the upper end) in the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole <NUM>. When the press button <NUM> is pressed, the second protruding post <NUM> is close to the other end (for example, the lower end) in the second elongated hole or the second elliptical hole <NUM>. In other words, such a design prevents the linkage <NUM> from interfering with the rotation of the rotating button <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the third axis A3 is the same as the normal direction D of the circuit board body <NUM>, but in other embodiments, the third axis A3 may also only have a component in the normal direction of the circuit board body <NUM>.

<FIG> is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of a circuit board module according to another embodiment of the disclosure. The main difference between this embodiment of <FIG> and the embodiment of <FIG> is that, the second abutment area 155a of the second segment <NUM> in this embodiment is also inclined and corresponds to the first abutment area <NUM> of the press button <NUM>. When the press button <NUM> is pressed, the inclined first abutment area <NUM> pushes the inclined second abutment area 155a, and drives the second segment <NUM> of the linkage <NUM> to move the second segment <NUM> leftward.

Claim 1:
A circuit board module (<NUM>), comprising:
a circuit board body (<NUM>);
a connector (<NUM>), disposed on the circuit board body (<NUM>) and comprising a base (<NUM>) and a rotating button (<NUM>) rotatably disposed on the base (<NUM>);
a press button (<NUM>), located on the circuit board body (<NUM>) and away from the connector (<NUM>);
a bracket (<NUM>), disposed on the circuit board body (<NUM>) and comprising a first limiting portion (<NUM>); and
a linkage (<NUM>), located between the rotating button (<NUM>) and the press button (<NUM>), and comprising a second limiting portion (<NUM>) corresponding to the first limiting portion (<NUM>), a first segment (<NUM>), and a second segment (<NUM>) linked to the first segment (<NUM>),
wherein the first segment (<NUM>) extends along a first axis (A1) and is linked to the rotating button (<NUM>), the second segment (<NUM>) extends along a second axis (A2) and is linked to the press button (<NUM>), and one of the second limiting portion (<NUM>) and the first limiting portion (<NUM>) extends along the first axis (A1), so that the first segment (<NUM>) is movably disposed on the bracket (<NUM>) along the first axis (A1),
wherein in response to the press button (<NUM>) being pressed, the second segment (<NUM>) of the linkage (<NUM>) is driven, and the first segment (<NUM>) is linked to move along the first axis (A1) and pull the rotating button (<NUM>), and the rotating button (<NUM>) is pulled to rotate relative to the base (<NUM>),
wherein
the press button (<NUM>) is located on an edge (<NUM>) of the circuit board body (<NUM>),
the press button (<NUM>) is closer to the edge (<NUM>) of the circuit board body (<NUM>) than the rotating button (<NUM>) is, the first axis (A1) and the second axis (A2) are perpendicular to a normal line of the circuit board body (<NUM>) so that in a direction parallel to a top surface of the circuit board body (<NUM>), the first segment (<NUM>) of the linkage (<NUM>) extends along the first axis (A1) and the second segment (<NUM>) of the linkage (<NUM>) extends along the second axis (A2).