1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a socket and a motherboard using the socket, and in particular to a latch structure of the socket.
2. Related Prior Art
Electrical sockets for mounting a plurality of circuit board cards on a motherboard are well known in the industry. The circuit board cards may be interface cards, adapter cards or other types of circuit board, such as single in-line memory modules (SIMM) or dual inline memory modules (DIMM). The circuit board cards may also be test boards or other types of board with specific functions. In order to ensure that the circuit board cards are maintained in position in the sockets and well electrically engaging with contacts of the sockets, a number of latches are provided on ends of the sockets.
A conventional motherboard, prior to that patent, is equipped with a number of memory sockets that are arranged side by side and spaced apart on the circuit board. In doing so, gaps between each two memory sockets are unused and become a waste of the motherboard. For this, some techniques are provided to solve the forgoing problems as following.
With the miniaturization of the electronic devices, dimensions of the circuit boards installed in the electronic devices are confined more or less. The electronic devices may be desktop computers, laptop computers, server computers or the like. Due to the tight space limits, the conventional server motherboard 9, as shown in
As shown in
However, it is necessary for the motherboard 9 to preserve an interval W between the two adjacent memory sockets 90 in order to allow the opposed latches 901 of the memory sockets 90 to be completely pulled to the respective open positions, as shown in
It is an object of the invention to provide a socket to improve the space utilization of a motherboard. The socket includes a housing and a first latch. The housing includes a first side plate and a second side plate. The first and second side plates are parallel to each other and co-define an elongated slot therebetween for reception of a board and two enlarged end openings at opposite ends of the slot. The first latch includes a first axle, a first body and a first fastening portion. The first axle is received in one of the end openings of the housing and pivotably coupled to the housing. The first body has one end joined to the first axle adjacent to the first side plate and space from the second side plate of the housing and the other end to the first fastening portion. The first fastening portion is constructed for engagement with the board. In particular, the lateral width of the first axle of the first latch located in the end opening in the direction along the width the first side plate of the housing is larger than that of the first body of the first latch in the same direction.
Preferably, the lateral width of the first body is equal to or smaller than half of that of the first axle located in the end opening.
Moreover, the socket further includes a second latch having a second axle, a second body and a second fastening portion. The second latch is pivotably coupled to the housing at the other end of the slot. The second body has one end joined to the second axle and the other end to the second fastening portion. The second fastening portion is constructed for engagement with the board. In addition, the lateral width of the second body of the second latch in the direction along the width the second side plate of the housing is smaller than that of the other end opening of the housing in the same direction.
The first body and second body are staggered in position so that the two sockets can be arranged end to end on a circuit board and put as closer as required, and thereby save space and maximize the space utilization of the circuit board.
It is another object of the invention to provide a motherboard using at least two aforementioned sockets. The motherboard includes a circuit board, a first socket and a second socket. The first and second sockets are arranged end to end on the circuit board and both use to the aforementioned socket in structure.
Further, since the first and second sockets are identical in structure, the injection mould cost for making the sockets can be reduced and the sockets can be assembled on the motherboard in a more convenient way.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated by review of the following detailed description of the invention.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
Referring now to
The housing 1 includes a first side plate 11 and a second side plate 12. The first side plate 11 and second side plates 12 are parallel to each other and co-define an elongated slot 10 therebetween for reception of a board 4 (
As shown in
In contrast,
In particular, since the lateral width W1 of the first body 21 from the first side plate 11 is smaller than the lateral width W2 of the end opening 101 of the housing 1 and also the lateral width W3 of the second body 31 from the second side plate 12 is smaller than the lateral width W4 of the other end opening 102 of the housing 1, the first and second bodies 21, 31 of the socket are staggered in position. In doing so, two aforementioned sockets can be arranged end to end on a circuit board to save space, as will be discussed later.
In concerned with the injection mould cost, the first and second latches 2, 3 may be identical to each other in structure. On the other hand, the socket may be equipped with only one latch, either the first latch 2 or the second latch 3, rather than two latches so as to keep the cost down further.
In this embodiment, the lateral width W1 of the first body 21 in the direction along the width of the first side plate 11 equals one half of the lateral width W2 of the end opening 101 of the housing 1 in the same direction; and also the lateral width of the second body 31 in the direction along the width W3 of the second side plate 12 equals one half of the lateral width W4 of the other end opening 102 of the housing 1 in the same direction. In other words, the total lateral width (W1+W3) of the first and second bodies 21, 31 equals the width (W2 or W4) of the either end opening 101 or 102 of the housing 1.
With reference to
The first housing 1a of the first socket includes a first side plate 11a and a second side plate 12a parallel to the first side plate 11a. The first and second side plates 11a, 11b define a first elongated slot 10a therebetween for reception of a first board (not shown) and an enlarged end opening 101a at one end of the first slot 10a. On the other hand, the first latch 2a of the first socket includes a first axle 20a, a first body 21a and a first fastening portion 22a. The first axle 20a is received in the end opening 101a of the first housing 1a and pivotably coupled to the first housing 1a. The first body 21a has its lower end joined to the first axle 20a and the upper end to the first fastening portion 22a. Similar to the first fastening portion 22 of
The second housing 1b of the second socket includes a third side plate 11b and a fourth side plate 12b parallel to the third side plate 11b. The third side plate 11b and the fourth side plate 12b define a second elongated slot 10b therebetween for reception of a second board (not shown) and an enlarged end opening 102a at one end of the second slot 10b. On the other hand, the second latch 3b of the second socket includes a second axle (not shown, but similar to the second axle 30 of
Similarly, the first latch 2a and second latches 3a may be identical to each other in structure in concerned with the injection mould cost. Preferably, the lateral width of the first body 21a of the first latch 2a in the direction along the width of the first side plate 11a equals one half of the lateral width of the end opening 101a of the housing 1a. In addition, the lateral width of the second body 31b of the second latch 3b from the fourth side plate 12b of the second housing 1b equals one half of the lateral width of the end opening 102b of the second housing 1b. In other words, the total lateral width of the first and second bodies 21a, 31b equals the width of the end opening 101a or 102b.
It should be noted that the first and second latches 2a, 3b are not limited to specific configuration as disclosed above, but may be formed in other types of construction as long as they are staggered. For example, the lateral width of the first body may equal two third of the lateral width of the end opening of the first opening, and the lateral width of the second body may equal one third of the lateral width of the end opening of the second housing such that the first and second bodies are staggered and will not be blocked by each other when the first and second latches are pulled to the open positions. Alternatively, the first body may be formed of two branches, and the second body, staggered with respect to the branches of the first body, can pass through the tunnel defined between the two branches of the first body while the first and second latches are pulled to the open positions.
As shown in
It will be appreciated that although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended in the claims to cover such modifications which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/906,621, filed on Oct. 18, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,277,235 now allowed.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12906621 | Oct 2010 | US |
Child | 13596602 | US |