Exit apparatus for computer modules

Details Exit apparatus for computer modules Exit apparatus for computer modules

2002-02-07

2003-10-28

King, Anita (Department: 3632)

Supports: cabinet structure

For particular electrical device or component

Housing for computer or computer related equipment

C248S027300, C312S223100, C361S689000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06637846

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exit apparatus for computer modules, and more particularly to an exit apparatus for computer modules that simplify the conventionally complicated exit apparatus to effectively reduce the manufacturing process, increase the sensitivity, and prevent elastic elements from fatigue.
2. Description of Related Art
Based upon the prior art, a module-loading tray is disposed in a computer or other audio/video products to provide an electric loop that connects modules or cartridges with the mainframe. However, users have to manually insert modules in the module-loading tray when operating the modules, and manually retrieve modules out of the module-loading tray after finishing the operation. The design of manually inserting and retrieving modules not only leads to inconvenient operation, but also makes the modules and mainframes susceptible to damage.
Consequently, improvements have been made regarding the design of module-loading tray with an exit apparatus for inserting and retrieving modules more conveniently.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional exit apparatus
1
in a notebook computer. The exit apparatus
1
disposed in the module-loading tray
10
of the computer comprises a first lever
11
, a first elastic member
12
, a second lever
13
and a second elastic member
14
. One end of the first elastic member
12
joins a lug
110
located on the underside of the first lever
11
and forms a free end; the other end of the first elastic member
12
joins a lug
100
located on the module-loading tray
10
and forms a fixed end. The first lever
11
is held within a sliding groove
102
, which constrains the motion of the first lever
11
to forward and backward direction. A laminated spring
111
is disposed on the left side of the first lever
11
, and two sliding rails
103
and
104
are formed on the left side of the sliding groove
102
with a divider
105
dividing the sliding rail
103
and
104
. When the first lever
11
is pushed along the sliding groove
102
toward direction A, the laminated spring
111
is channeled by the divider
105
to slide through the sliding rail
103
; on the other hand, when the first lever
11
is pulled out of the sliding groove
102
toward direction B, the divider
105
thus channels the laminated spring
111
to slide through the sliding rail
104
.
One end of the second elastic member
14
joins a lug
130
located on the second lever
13
and forms a free end; the other end of the second elastic member
14
joins a lug
101
located on the module-loading tray
10
and forms a fixed end. The second lever
13
is held within a sliding groove
102
, which constrains the motion of the second lever
13
to left and right direction.
When the first lever
11
receives a pushing force in direction A, it receives at the same time an elastic recoiling force in direction B from the first elastic member
12
since the first elastic member
12
is extended. Meanwhile, since one end of the second elastic member
14
is fixed by the lug
101
of the module-loading tray
10
and the other end of the second elastic member
14
is compressed by the lug
130
of the second lever
13
toward direction D, there exists an elastic recoiling force in direction C. Therefore, a hook
131
on the right side of the second lever
13
moves toward left and finally hooks a concavity
112
on the right side of the first lever
11
, and then the exit apparatus
1
achieves a state of equilibrium.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a module
15
has a concavity
151
on one side, when the user pushes a protruding section
132
of the second lever
13
to move the second lever
13
toward direction D, the hook
131
is released from the concavity
112
of the first lever
11
. Therefore, the first lever
11
is released and slides toward direction B, then the laminated spring
111
slides through the sliding rail
104
and hooks on the concavity
151
of the module
15
, and then the user can pull the first lever
11
and bring out the module
15
from the module-loading tray
10
.
In conclusion, the foregoing exit apparatus
1
contains parts with complicated structures, thus raising the production cost considerably, and leading to difficult maintenance. Furthermore, when the exit apparatus
1
of prior art is under the state of equilibrium, the elastic members therein are kept extended, a condition that causes the elastic members to lose elasticity and sensitivity in the long run. Eventually, the modules might not even be able to be pulled out when released.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an exit apparatus for computer modules, particularly an exit apparatus, disposed in module-loading trays of computers or other audio/video products. The exit apparatus includes a first lever that connects with a first elastic member, and a second lever that connects with a second elastic member. The two ends of the first elastic member are joined with the first lever and the module-loading tray respectively, thus the first lever is able to move rectilinearly within a sliding groove of the module-loading tray by the pulling force of the first elastic member. The two ends of the second elastic member are joined with the second lever and the module-loading tray respectively, thus the second lever is able to move horizontally within another sliding groove of the module-loading tray by the pulling force of the first elastic member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an exit apparatus for computer modules, wherein the rear end of the first lever buckles loosely with a dragging plate, whereof the rear end forms a hooking section. When a module is placed inside the module-loading tray, the hooking section at the end of the dragging plate comes in contact with the module and the module is pushed backwards along with the dragging plate, to the inside of the module-loading tray. At this time the user pushes the first lever into the module-loading tray, the first elastic member is under compression and the protruding section of the second lever locks with the concavity of the first lever, thus achieving the state of equilibrium. When the protruding section of the second lever is pulled out of the concavity of the first lever, the first elastic member is released, thus generating an elastic recoiling force that the first lever is moved for a short distance, and when the first lever is pulled out and the dragging plate is pulled out accordingly, thus the user can retrieve a module from the module-loading tray.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5208116 (1993-05-01), Joh
patent: 5220520 (1993-06-01), Kessoku
patent: 5510957 (1996-04-01), Takagi
patent: 5823644 (1998-10-01), Suh et al.
patent: 6129430 (2000-10-01), Wu
patent: 6450727 (2002-09-01), Lu
patent: 6490155 (2002-12-01), Han et al.
patent: 6510051 (2003-01-01), Kim

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