1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to quick release bracket technology and more particularly, to a quick release bracket assembly, which allows movement of a positioning plate on the surface of a bracket relative to a locating device between a locking position and an unlocking position, facilitating quick mounting and dismounting.
2. Description of the Related Art
When mounting a sliding rail in a housing of a computer server, the sliding rail is connected to a bracket, and then the bracket is fastened to the inside of the housing of the computer server. After installation, sliding rails and brackets are disposed at different elevations inside the housing of the computer housing. When detaching one sliding rail and the associating bracket from the housing of the computer server, the sliding rail and the associating bracket cannot be detached in the vertical direction. According to the conventional technique, the dismounting operation is performed from the front side of the bracket. This front dismounting design is complicated and inconvenient to install.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a quick release bracket assembly, which has a simple structure and allows movement of a positioning plate on the surface of a bracket relative to a locating device between a locking position and an unlocking position, facilitating quick mounting and dismounting.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a quick release bracket assembly, which utilizes the locking hole of the positioning plate and the locking device at the positioning plate to achieve different locking status between the locking device and the positioning plate after positioning between the positioning plate and the locating device, widening the range of applications.
To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a quick release bracket assembly comprises a bracket, a locating device affixed to one end of the bracket, a positioning plate slidably coupled to the bracket and movable toward or away from the locating device, and a locking device movably mounted at the positioning plate and providing a spring member for pulling the positioning plate in direction toward said locating device. In installation in a rack, pull the positioning plate away from the locating device, and then attach the locating device to the rack, and then release the hand from the positioning plate for enabling the positioning plate to be pulled back by the spring member into engagement with the locating device. Similarly, when detaching the bracket from the rack, the user simply needs to pull the positioning plate in direction away from the locking device, facilitating dismounting.
Further, the bracket comprises a position-limit slot. The position-limit slot defines a plurality of position-limit protrusions and a plurality of position-limit grooves alternatively arranged along one side edge thereof. The positioning plate comprises a locking hole. The locking hole defines a displacement groove, a first positioning groove disposed in communication with the displacement groove at one lateral side, and a second positioning groove disposed in communicaiton with the first positioning groove at an opposite side. By selectively positioning the locating member of the locking device in the first positioning groove or second positioning groove, the positioning plate is locked to the bracket to hold the locating device and the positioning plate firmly at two opposite sides of the rack.
Referring to
The bracket 1 comprises a plurality of locating holes 11 and a position-limit slot 12. The position-limit slot 12 defines a plurality of position-limit protrusions 121 and a plurality of position-limit grooves 122 alternatively arranged along one side edge thereof.
The locating device 2 comprises a base frame 21, and a plurality of locating rods 22 located at a top surface of the base frame 21. The base frame 21 is fixedly mounted at one side of the bracket 1 in such a manner that the locating rods 22 extend in direction toward the position-limit slot 12 of the bracket 1. Further, the locating rods 22 are stepped rod members, each ach comprising a first locating rod portion 221 outwardly extended from the base frame 21 and having a relatively larger outer diameter, and a second locating rod portion 22 axially outwardly extended from the first locating rod portion 221 remote from the base frame 21 and having a relatively smaller outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the first locating rod portion 221.
The positioning plate 3 comprises a base panel 31, a positioning panel 32 extended from the base panel 31 at right angles, a plurality of elongated sliding slots 33 and a locking hole 34 located in the base panel 31, a second positioning protruding portion 36 raised from the surface of the base panel 31 at a location remote from the locking hole 34, and a plurality of positioning holes 35 located in the positioning panel 32 corresponding to the locating rods 22 of the locating device 2. Pivot bolts 8 are respectively inserted through the elongated sliding slots 33 of the base panel 31 and affixed to the respective locating holes 11 of the bracket 1 to secure the positioning plate 3 to the bracket 1 and to keep the positioning holes 35 in alignment with the respective locating rods 22 of the locating device 2, allowing movement of the positioning plate 3 toward or away from the locating device 2. The locking hole 34 defines a displacement groove 341, a first positioning groove 342 disposed in communication with the displacement groove 341 at one lateral side and relatively closer to the positioning panel 32, and a second positioning groove 343 disposed in communicaiton with the first positioning groove 342 at an opposite side and at a location relatively farther from the positioning panel 32.
The locking device 4 comprises a spring member 41, a locking plate 42 and a locating member 43. The locating member 43 comprises a stop head 431, a locating shank 432 perpendicularly extended from the top head 431, and a mounting portion 433 located at a distal end of the locating shank 432 remote from the stop head 431. The locking plate 42 is supported on the surface of the base panel 31 of the positioning plate 3, comprising a mounting hole 421 and a first positioning protruding portion 422. The mounting portion 433 of the locating member 43 is fixedly fastened to the mounting hole 421 of the locking plate 42. The stop head 431 of the locating member 43 is stopped at a bottom surface of the bracket 1. The locating shank 432 of the locating member 43 is inserted through the position-limit slot 12 of the bracket 1 and the locking hole 34 of the positioning plate 3. The spring member 41 has two opposite ends thereof respectively connected to the first positioning protruding portion 422 of the locking plate 42 and the second positioning protruding portion 36 of the base panel 31 of the positioning plate 3 to pull the positioning plate 3 in direction toward the locating device 2.
Referring to
Referring to
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6935711 | Naue | Aug 2005 | B1 |
7703734 | Chen | Apr 2010 | B2 |
8408506 | Yu | Apr 2013 | B2 |
8550416 | Yu | Oct 2013 | B2 |
20090261699 | Yu | Oct 2009 | A1 |