MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR EXPANSION CARDS

Abstract

An exemplary mounting apparatus for an expansion card with an end plate includes a mounting bracket, and a retaining member slidably attached to the bracket. The mounting bracket includes a supporting panel having a protruding bridge extending therefrom, and a pair of flanges defining a pair of slanting railways therein. The retaining member includes a hook depending from a retaining wall, and a pair of sliding bars extending from a pair of sidewalls. The sliding bars slide along the railways to sandwich the end plate of the expansion card between the supporting panel and the retaining wall. The hook engages with the protruding bridge to lock the retaining member to the mounting bracket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a mounting apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with a plurality of expansion cards, the mounting apparatus including a retaining member;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the retaining member of FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are assembled views of FIG. 1, respectively showing the expansion cards in fixed and unfixed states; and

FIG. 5 is an assembled view of FIG. 1, with a chassis of an electronic device.

Claims

1. A mounting apparatus for an expansion card having an end plate, the mounting apparatus comprising: a mounting bracket comprising a supporting panel, and a pair of flanges extending from the supporting panel, a pair of railways defined in the flanges, the supporting panel comprising a first locking portion; anda retaining member comprising a retaining wall, and a pair of sidewalls extending from the retaining wall, a pair of sliding bars extending from the sidewalls to be slidably received in the railways, wherein when the sliding bars reach ends of the railways, the retaining wall and the supporting panel sandwich the end plate of the expansion card therebetween, the retaining member comprising a second locking portion engaging with the first locking portion.

2. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the railways are slantwise defined in the flanges of the mounting bracket with respect to the supporting panel thereof.

3. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a side panel perpendicular to the supporting panel, a plurality of slots is defined in the side panel and communicates with a part of the supporting panel.

4. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the supporting panel of the mounting bracket comprises a plurality of locating tips extending from sides of the slots.

5. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the retaining wall of the retaining member comprises a plurality cutout defined in an edge portion thereof, corresponding to the locating tips of the mounting bracket.

6. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the retaining wall of the retaining member comprises a plurality of positioning protrusions depending therefrom, corresponding to the slots of the mounting bracket.

7. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining member comprises a connecting wall perpendicularly disposed between the sidewalls.

8. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first locking portion is a protruding bridge extending from the supporting panel of the mounting bracket, the second locking member is a hook depending from the retaining wall of the retaining member.

9. A computer enclosure comprising: a chassis comprising a side plate;a mounting bracket configured for holding end plates of expansion cards thereon, the mounting bracket being attached to the chassis;a retaining member slidably attached to the mounting bracket and cooperating with the mounting bracket for sandwiching the end plates of the expansion cards therebetween; anda fixing member engagingly fixing the retaining member to the mounting bracket to retain the end plates of the expansions cards on the mounting bracket, the side plate abutting the retaining member to keep the retaining member in a locked state.

10. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a supporting panel, the retaining member comprises a retaining wall retaining the end plates of the expansion cards on the supporting panel.

11. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a pair of flanges extending from the supporting panel, a pair of railways is defined in the flanges, the retaining member comprises a pair of sidewalls extending from the retaining wall, a pair of sliding bars extends from the sidewalls to slidably be received in the railways.

12. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the railways are slantingly defined in the flanges of the mounting bracket respective to the supporting panel thereof.

13. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the retaining member comprises a connecting wall perpendicularly disposed between the sidewalls, the connecting wall is perpendicular to the retaining wall to abut the side plate of the chassis.

14. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the fixing member comprises a protruding bridge extending from the supporting panel of the mounting bracket, and a hook depending from the retaining wall of the retaining member.

15. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a side panel perpendicular to the supporting panel, a plurality of slots is defined in the side panel and communicates with a part of the supporting panel.

16. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the supporting panel of the mounting bracket comprises a plurality of locating tips extending from sides of the slots.

17. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the retaining wall of the retaining member comprises a plurality cutout defined in an edge portion thereof, corresponding to the locating tips of the mounting bracket.

18. The mounting apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retaining wall of the retaining member comprises a plurality of positioning protrusions depending therefrom, corresponding to the slots of the mounting bracket.

19. An apparatus for mounting an expansion card in a computer chassis, comprising: a mounting bracket including a side panel, and a supporting panel extending perpendicularly outward from the side panel; anda retaining member movably attached to the mounting bracket via a sliding railway, the retaining member being movable between a locked position and an unlocked position along the sliding railway, the locked position being where the retaining member urges an end plate of the expansion card against the supporting panel, the unlocked position being where the retaining member disengages from the end plate, the sliding railway extending slantwise with respect to the supporting panel.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the supporting panel has an inner side portion connected with the side panel and an opposite free outer side portion, and the sliding railway ascends from a first position substantially above the inner side portion to a second position substantially above the outer side portion.