Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-12
2003-02-04
Martin, David (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S796000, C361S798000, C361S801000, C361S802000, C361S756000, C361S752000, C361S753000, C211S041170, C220S004020, C248S200000, C248S222520, C248S223310, C248S225110, C248S225210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06515867
ABSTRACT:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application claims priority to Taiwan application no. 090116413, entitled “Screw-less Fixing Structure,” filed on Jul. 4, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a screw-less fixing structure, and more particularly, to a screw-less fixing structure for mounting the add-on card onto a Personal Computer without using screw and screwdriver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Personal computer has become more and more popular, and is no longer an advanced technical tool for the professional persons to rely on for solving highly sophisticated problems. Also, when the user learn more about using the PC, he will learn more about the hardware of the PC as well. Therefore, the user's behavior has been changed from the conventional type of simply buying and using a PC to the modern type of buying the hardware parts and assembling a PC of his own. In addition, in the fast growing computer industry, new hardware is developed and marketed at a rapid speed, and it is often necessary to upgrade the “old” PC to a more advanced level. Such being the circumstances, it may be preferable for a user to upgrade his PC by himself since this is cheaper and easier than buying a new PC.
Accordingly, a PC is required to be easily assembled/disassembled so as to facilitate a user to upgrade his PC by himself. Among all of the hardware of a PC, add-on cards, such as the display card, the video card and the network card, are the most common ones to be upgraded. According to the prior art, a method of upgrading the add-on card is described as follows.
Please refer to
FIG. 1
, which is a perspective view showing a conventional arrangement of an add-on card in a PC. Typically, a PC has a slot fixing module
101
disposed on the inner side of a back plate of the PC. The slot fixing module
101
has a plurality of fixing slots
102
(usually seven slots) for fixing the add-on card
110
. It can be seen that there is a bracket
111
disposed on one end of the add-on card
110
, and a fixing sheet
112
is bent outward to form at one end of the bracket
111
for attaching to the fixing plane
104
of the slot fixing module
101
. For assembling the add-on card
110
onto the PC, users have to insert the add-on card
110
into the slot (not shown) on the motherboard. At the same time, the bracket
111
covers the fixing slot
102
, and the connect portion (not shown) of the add-on card
110
can be exposed to connect with the peripherals such as a display unit, a speaker, or the like. There is a screw hole
103
formed on the fixing plane
104
, and correspondingly there is a U-shape portion formed in the fixing sheet
112
so that the screw hole
103
can mate with the U-shape portion when the fixing sheet
112
attaches to the fixing plane
104
. Accordingly, the users can apply a screwdriver and use a screw to fasten the add-on card
110
to the slot fixing module
101
.
According to the above description, an add-on card can be successfully mounted to the slot fixing module; however, a screwdriver and a screw are required for the assembly and disassembly of an add-on card. It is also very inconvenient to mount the add-on card in such a manner, particularly the screw is so tiny and may be easily lost, and the user's hand may be slashed if he is not a skilled person. All of these disadvantages show that the prior art is not user-friendly and cause difficulties when upgrading the add-on card.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a screw-less fixing structure for fixing the add-on card onto a PC that is more convenient and user-friendly.
A PC includes a back plate and a slot fixing module. The slot fixing module (it is a standard specification specified by INTEL), which is installed inside the PC, has a fixing plane and a plurality of slots for fixing the add-on card. The add-on card includes a bracket, and one end of the bracket is bent to form a fixing sheet. For fixing the add-on card, the fixing sheet is attached to the fixing plane, and the bracket is covered on the slot.
The screw-less fixing structure comprises a support plate, a rotational pressing plate, a positioning device, and a spring wire. The support plate is fixed on the back plate and has two pivot seats at two opposed edges The rotational pressing plate is pressed on the fixing plane against the add-on card. The rotational pressing plate has two protrusion pivots and the arched bearing. The two protrusion pivots of the rotational pressing plate are pivotally coupled to the two pivot seats of the support plate, so that the rotational pressing plate can pivot relative to the support plate for switching between the releasing state and the tightening state. The spring wire has a first hook pivot formed at one end and a second hook pivot formed at the other end. The two hook pivots of the spring wire pivotally couples to the arched bearing of the rotational pressing plate such that the spring wire can pivot relative to the rotational pressing plate and can be coupled to the positioning device for fastening the rotational pressing plate in the tightening state.
When a user attempts to replace an old add-on card with a new one, he needs only to release the screw-less fixing structure by grasping and pulling the handling portion of the spring wire, replace the old add-on card with the new one, and finally tighten the screw-less fixing structure by grasping and pushing the spring wire to reach the tightening state. In the above procedures for replacing the add-on card, the user does not need any additional tool nor screw so that the present invention has the advantages of safe, fast, easy and convenient to use.
These and other attributes of the present invention will become more clear upon a thorough study of the following description of the preferred embodiments for carrying out the invention, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5694291 (1997-12-01), Feightner
patent: 5757618 (1998-05-01), Lee
patent: 5982627 (1999-11-01), Haughton et al.
patent: 6320760 (2001-11-01), Flamm et al.
Kang-Chih Peng
Sheng-Hsiung Cheng
Aopen Inc.
Bednarek Michael D.
Martin David
Shaw Pittman LLP
Tran Thanh Yen
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