Patent Application
20060225271
The present invention relates to daughter card insertion and retention in a computer system motherboard, and more particularly to daughter card insertion and retention without use of standard industry backetry.
In computer processing systems, the inclusion and addition of varying system enhancements is sometimes done with the use of daughter cards that are plugged into the motherboard of the computer. Usually, standard industry backetry, such as backetry that complies with the peripheral component interconnect (PCI) specifications, is available to retain the daughter card on the motherboard. However, at times, such standard backetry is not available. For example, standard industry backetry may not be in place due to the daughter card being plugged into the motherboard in an off specification location for various system requirements.
Accordingly, a need exists for a card retention and insertion approach without use of standard industry backetry. The present invention addresses such a need.
System and method aspects for insertion and retention of a daughter card in a motherboard are described. The aspects include a latching device mounted on a daughter card, and a motherboard including a pair of posts, the pair of posts supporting reception of the latching device, wherein no standard industry backetry is needed to hold the daughter card on the motherboard. The latching device further includes a handle with connection arms mounted on a top edge of the daughter card, where the connection arms adjust position to allow insertion and removal of the daughter card. In one embodiment, the connection arms comprise spring action arms, and in another embodiment, the connection arms comprise lever action arms.
With the present invention, a straightforward and effective manner of providing insertion and retention of a daughter card in a motherboard is achieved. The invention is activated automatically through a single human interaction point as the card is being plugged and unplugged from the motherboard. The invention solves the problems of lost card guiding and card retention in a stand alone location. Additionally, the invention is designed for human factors intervention which is tool-less handling and single point pull-push activation. These and other advantages of the aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood in conjunction with the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
The present invention relates to daughter card insertion and retention in a motherboard without use of standard industry backetry. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiments and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.
In accordance with the present invention a card insertion and retention system is provided that utilizes a latching device mounted on top of a card in conjunction with post mounted on a motherboard. As described further hereinbelow, the latching device includes a handle with connection arms that adjust position for the insertion and removal of a daughter card. A first embodiment utilizes spring action arms and a second embodiment utilizes lever action arms.
Referring to
Prior to inserting the daughter card 100 into the posts 108, 110, the latching device lays flat against the top of the card 100 and is essentially a static body. As the card 100 is put into the posts 108, 110, the ends of the spring action arms 104 come into contact with snap portions of the posts 108, 110 substantially simultaneously. The snap portions move out of the way to receive the end portions of the spring action arms 104. The latching device is attached at lever locations 114 via a roll pin or other suitable fastening device which goes through a hole in the daughter card 100 at the lever locations 114 and allows for the spring action arms 104 to rotate. Spring action arms 104 are flattened when the daughter card 100 is pushed into the motherboard. Member 106 is a limiter and card pusher. When pushing down on handle 102, spring arms 104 flatten and touch limiter 106, and the limiter 106 impinges on the card 100 top and pushes it in.
To remove the daughter card 100 from the motherboard 112, the handle 102 is grasped and pulled upward. This action transfers the upward movement of the handle 102 to the expanding spring member 106 and ultimately to the spring action arms 104. As the handle 102 is being pulled up, the spring action arms 104 bow up and the ends of the spring action arms 104 rotate downward. As the arms 104 rotate, the ends hit a shelf 116 on the posts 108, 110, (as shown in the close-up portion of
The handle 200 is shown as a rigid member with two ends extending toward the lever action arms 202 with the hollow end of each handle extension receiving the slider ends 214 of the lever action arms 202. The handle 200 is not attached to the card but is kept in place by the slider extensions of the lever action arms 202 whereby one lever action arm 202 is assembled to the daughter card 204 first, then the handle 200, then the other lever action arm 202. Done in that order the handle 200 is then trapped between the lever action arm 202 sliders. The lever action arms 202 are attached via a roll pin or other suitable fastening device which goes through a hole in the daughter card 204 at the lever pivot location 216. The fastening must allow for the lever action arms 202 to rotate.
As the card 204 is inserted into the board 210, the lever ends 212 of the lever action arms 202 come into contact with the upright post snap features 218 of the two posts 206, 208 substantially simultaneously. The snap features 218 on the posts 206, 208 move out of the way via a spring cross section of the posts 206, 208, which are made of a material such that the snap features 218 will spring out of the way, e.g., a plastic or spring steel design. Once the card 204 is seated all the way the snap features 218 ‘snap’ back into place and the latching device is retained.
Referring to
As shown in
Once free from the posts 206, 208, retraction can be completed.
Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
