Card retention apparatus for a computer system

• US 6,256,191 B1
• Filed: 05/18/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Curlee, James Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US09/314,729
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/683, 361/684, 361/686, 361/736, 361/740, 361/748, 361/785, 361/787
• US Class Current: 361/679.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1409 by lever-type mechanisms

Abstract

A card retention apparatus has an enclosure including an attachable cover. A connector having a card seated in the connector is mounted in the enclosure. A card retaining member is connected to extend from the enclosure into contact with the card. The card retaining member urges the card into seated engagement with the connector. A resilient member is mounted between the card retaining member and the cover for providing a retention force. The card retaining member is engaged with the card and moved into a biased position when the cover is mounted onto the enclosure, the movement to the biased position acting on the spring to establish a retention force that is applied on the card.

Claims

1. A card retention apparatus for a computer system comprising:

an enclosure;

a connector having a card seated therein mounted in the enclosure;

a card retaining member connected to extend from the enclosure into contact with the card, the card retaining member urging the card into seated engagement with the connector;

the enclosure further includes a cover and a resilient member is coupled between the card retaining member and the enclosure for providing a retention force applied on the card; and

the card retaining member is pivotally attached to the cover.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the resilient member is a torsion-type spring.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the resilient member is a compression-type spring.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card retaining member is engaged against the card and moved into a biased position when the cover is mounted onto the enclosure, the movement to the biased position acting on the resilient member to establish a retention force that is applied on the card.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card retaining member is a rocker arm.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card retaining member includes an integral spring member and wherein the cover includes a flange that deflects the spring member for establishing a retention force.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the enclosure further includes a chassis mounted thereto, the card retaining member being mounted to the chassis.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a resilient member coupled between the card retaining member and the chassis for providing a retention force.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the card retaining member is resiliently mounted to the chassis thereby establishing a retention force applied to the card, the retention force maintaining the card in seated engagement with the connector.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the chassis includes a bracket, the card retaining member being attached to the bracket.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the enclosure includes a cover, wherein the card retaining member includes an integral spring member and wherein the cover deflects the spring member for establishing a retention force.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover includes a bracket, the card retaining member being attached to the bracket.

13. A computer system comprising:

an enclosure including a cover attachable thereon;

a connector having a card seated therein mounted in the enclosure;

a microprocessor mounted in the enclosure coupled to the card;

an input coupled to provide input to the microprocessor;

a mass storage coupled to the microprocessor;

a display coupled to the microprocessor by a video controller;

a memory coupled to provide storage to facilitate execution of computer programs by the microprocessor;

a card retaining member connected to extend from the enclosure into contact with the card, the card retaining member urging the card into seated engagement with the connector; and

the card retaining member is pivotally attached to the cover.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein a resilient member is coupled between the card retaining member and the cover.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the card retaining member is engaged with the card and moved into a biased position when the cover is mounted onto the enclosure, the movement to the biased position acting on the spring to establish a retention force that is applied on the card.

16. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the resilient member is a torsion-type spring.

17. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the spring is a compression-type spring.

18. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the retaining member is a rocker arm.

19. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the card retaining member includes an integral spring member and the cover deflects the spring member for establishing a retention force.

20. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the enclosure further includes a chassis mounted thereto, the card retaining member being mounted to the chassis.

21. The computer system of claim 20 further including a resilient member coupled between the card retaining member and the chassis.

22. The computer system of claim 21 wherein the resilient member is a spring member integral with the card retaining member and wherein the cover includes a flange that deflects the spring member for establishing a retention force.

23. The computer system of claim 20 wherein the chassis includes a bracket, the card retaining member being attached to the bracket.

24. A computer system comprising:

an enclosure including a cover attachable thereon;

a connector having a card seated therein mounted in the enclosure;

a microprocessor mounted in the enclosure coupled to the card;

an input coupled to provide input to the microprocessor;

a mass storage coupled to the microprocessor;

a video controller coupled to the microprocessor;

a memory coupled to provide storage to facilitate execution of computer programs by the microprocessor;

a card retaining member connected to extend from the enclosure into contact with the card, the card retaining member urging the card into seated engagement with the connector; and

the cover includes a bracket, the card retaining member being attached to the bracket.

25. In a computer system, a card retention apparatus comprising:

an enclosure including a cover attachable thereon;

a connector having a card seated therein mounted in the enclosure; and

means pivotally attached to the cover for retaining the card in seated connection with the connector, said means being attached to the enclosure and extending therefrom into contact with the card, the means for retaining urging the card into seated engagement with the connector.

26. A computer system card retention apparatus comprising:

an enclosure including a cover attachable thereon;

a connector mounted in the enclosure, the connector being capable of receiving a card therein, the card having a terminal end opposite an end mountable in the connector; and

a card retaining member pivotally attached to the cover and resiliently connected to extend from the enclosure to a position proximate a location corresponding to the terminal end of the card mountable in the connector, the card retaining member urging the card into seated engagement with the connector when the card is seated in the connector.

27. A method for retaining a card in a connector comprising the steps of:

providing an enclosure with a cover attachable thereon;

mounting in the enclosure a connector having a card seated therein;

pivotally attaching a card retaining member to the cover, the card retaining member being resiliently connected to extend from the cover in alignment with the card; and

attaching the cover onto the enclosure whereby the card retaining member urges the card into seated engagement with the connector.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of attaching the cover onto the enclosure includes the step of compressing the card retaining member between the card and the cover, the card retaining member being compressed into a biased position whereby a retention force is applied to the card.