Rack-mounted KVM module with positioning mechanism

• US 7,675,742 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Inventors: Shih, You-Lin, Wu, Sui-An
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Hung V
• Application Number:
  US11/359,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20070195496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/688, 361724-727, 361/679.05, 361/679.11, 361/679.09, 361/679.3, 361/679.15, 211/26, 211/150, 211/134, 211/26.2, 248/222.12, 248/278.1, 248/188.6, 248/346.01, 312/334.1, 312/334.4, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/208.1, 455/566, 455/575.4, 455/552.1, 455/575.8, 345/163, 345/169, 345/1.3, 400/489, 108/143, 108/50.01
• US Class Current: 361/679.08
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements

Abstract

A rack-mounted KVM module is configured for a server rack. An L-shaped supporting frame, which has a vertical plane and a horizontal plane, is coupled to the sever rack. A flat panel display is coupled to the vertical sliding rail to move along the L-shaped supporting frame horizontally. A keyboard module is coupled to the horizontal sliding rail to move along the L-shaped supporting frame horizontally. A positioning mechanism is disposed in the horizontal sliding rail. The positioning mechanism consists mainly of an outer rail, an inner rail, a link bracket, a latch and a positioning switch. The latch is swiveled to engage a notch of the latch in a block portion of the outer rail or to remove the notch thereof from the block portion to respectively lock or unlock a fixed position when the link bracket is slid along the inner rail by moving the positioning switch.

Claims

1. A KVM module configured for a server rack, the KVM module comprising:

a flat panel display;

a keyboard module, having a housing;

a cursor control device;

a KVM switch for coupling the flat panel display, the keyboard module and the cursor control device to at least one computer;

an L-shaped supporting frame secured on the server rack, wherein the L-shaped supporting frame comprises a vertical plane and a horizontal plane perpendicularly connected to the vertical plane;

a first sliding rail secured on the vertical plane of the L-shaped supporting frame, wherein the flat panel display slides along the first sliding rail;

a second sliding rail secured on the horizontal plane of the L-shaped supporting frame, wherein the keyboard module slides along the second sliding rail, and the keyboard module and the flat panel display slide respectively or in parallel directions;

positioning switches fixed on two opposite sides of the second sliding rail, at least one of the positioning switch exposed by an opening on a top side of the housing, wherein the positioning switches are used to lock or unlock a fixed position of the keyboard module; and

a positioning mechanism disposed in the second sliding rail for providing the fixed position of the keyboard module, the positioning mechanism comprising;

an inner rail;

a latch pivotally connected with the inner rail; and

a link bracket for linking the positioning switch with the latch such that the latch is swiveled with respect to the link bracket to lock or unlock the fixed position of the keyboard module when the link bracket is driven by the moving positioning switch to slide along the inner rail.

2. The KVM module of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism further comprises:

an outer rail, having a block portion, wherein the latch is swiveled to engage or disengage the block portion in order to respectively lock or unlock the fixed position of the keyboard module.

3. The KVM module of claim 2, wherein the outer rail is fixed to the server rack.

4. The KVM module of claim 1, wherein the inner rail is fixed to a bottom side of the housing.

5. The KVM module of claim 1, wherein the keyboard module further comprises at least one roller configured on the top side of the housing for supporting the flat panel display.

6. The KVM module of claim 5, wherein the roller is positioned between the housing and the inner rail, and part of the roller is exposed by another opening on the top side of the housing.

7. The KVM module of claim 1, wherein the keyboard further comprises a linking plate to link the keyboard with the flat panel display while drawing out the keyboard.

8. The KVM module of claim 1, wherein the cursor control device is a mouse, a touch pad, a track ball or a touch screen.

9. A sliding keyboard module comprising:

an L-shaped supporting frame, having a vertical plane and a horizontal plane perpendicularly connected to the vertical plane;

a vertical sliding rail secured on the vertical plane of the L-shaped supporting frame, wherein the vertical sliding rail is used for being coupled to an object, so that the object is capable of moving along the L-shaped supporting frame;

a horizontal sliding rail secured on the top of the horizontal plane of the L-shaped supporting frame;

a keyboard module coupling to the horizontal sliding rail to move along the L-shaped supporting frame horizontally, wherein the keyboard module and the object slide respectively or in parallel directions;

a positioning mechanism disposed in the horizontal sliding rail, the positioning mechanism comprising;

an outer rail, having a block portion;

an inner rail, sliding along the outer rail;

a positioning switch, secured on the link bracket and exposed by a first opening of the inner rail and a second opening on the top side of the keyboard module;

a latch pivotally connected with the inner rail, the latch having a notch, wherein the latch is swiveled to engage the notch thereof in the block portion or to disengage the notch thereof from the block portion to respectively lock or unlock a stopped sliding relation between the inner rail and the outer rail;

a link bracket, sliding along the inner rail for linking the positioning switch with the latch such that the latch is swiveled with respect to the link bracket when the link bracket is driven by moving the positioning switch to slide along the inner rail; and

positioning switches fixed on two opposite sides of the second sliding rail, at least one of the positioning switch exposed by an opening on a top side of the housing, wherein the positioning switches are used to lock or unlock a fixed position of the keyboard module.

10. The sliding keyboard module of claim 9, wherein the L-shaped supporting frame further couples to a server rack.

11. The sliding keyboard module of claim 9, wherein the block portion is disposed at an end of the outer rail.

12. The sliding keyboard module of claim 9, wherein the outer rail is fixed to a server rack.

13. The sliding keyboard module of claim 9, wherein the inner rail is fixed to a bottom side of the keyboard module.

14. A sliding keyboard module comprising:

a horizontal sliding rail;

a keyboard module coupling to the horizontal sliding rail to move horizontally;

a positioning mechanism disposed in the horizontal sliding rail for providing a fixed position for the keyboard module; and

positioning switches fixed on two opposite sides of the horizontal sliding rail and movably disposed within the keyboard module and at least one of the positioning switch exposed by an opening on a top side of the keyboard module, wherein the exposed positioning switch is used to slide with respect to the horizontal sliding rail to lock or unlock the fixed position of the keyboard module.

15. The sliding keyboard module of claim 14, wherein the positioning mechanism further comprises:

an outer rail, having a block portion;

an inner rail, sliding along the outer rail;

a latch pivotally connecting with the inner rail and swiveling to engage or disengage the block portion of the outer rail in order to respectively lock or unlock a stopped sliding relation between the inner rail and the outer rail such engaging or disengaging the fixed position of the keyboard module; and

a link bracket for linking the positioning switch with the latch such that the latch being swiveled by the positioning switch.

16. The sliding keyboard module of claim 15, wherein the latch further has a notch, and the latch is swiveled to engage the notch thereof in the block portion or to disengage the notch thereof from the block portion to respectively lock or unlock the stopped sliding relation between the inner rail and the outer rail.

17. The sliding keyboard module of claim 15, wherein the block portion is disposed at an end of the outer rail.

18. The sliding keyboard module of claim 15, wherein the outer rail is fixed to a server rack.

19. The sliding keyboard module of claim 15, wherein the inner rail is fixed to a bottom side of the keyboard module.