Latch and spring assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10019028-B2
Application number	US-201514607386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 28, 2015
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

One aspect of the invention discloses an apparatus for mating computing device structures. The apparatus comprises one or more rotatable latches, the one or more rotatable latches each including a respective screw mechanism housed within the one or more rotatable latches. The apparatus further comprises one or more spring assemblies, the one or more spring assemblies each including a respective thread assembly housed within the one or more spring assemblies. The respective thread assemblies comprise threading that is capable of receiving a corresponding screw mechanism of the one or more rotatable latches.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for mating computing device structures, the apparatus comprising:
one or more rotatable latches, the one or more rotatable latches each including a respective screw mechanism housed within the one or more rotatable latches, wherein the one or more rotatable latches are coupled to a pluggable electronic device;
one or more spring assemblies, the one or more spring assemblies each including a respective thread assembly housed within the one or more spring assemblies, wherein the one or more spring assemblies are coupled to an air moving assembly (AMA);
wherein the respective thread assemblies comprise threading that is capable of receiving a corresponding screw mechanism of the one or more rotatable latches, and wherein the respective screw mechanisms are floating screws that are housed within an opening in the one or more rotatable latches;
wherein the AMA is a supporting structural enclosure that includes an opening that is capable of housing and enclosing at least a portion of the pluggable electronic device when the one or more rotatable latches are in a closed position and the respective screw mechanisms of the one or more rotatable latches are threaded into corresponding thread assemblies housed within the one or more spring assemblies;
the one or more rotatable latches including a claw portion;
one or more claw catching structures, wherein the one or more claw catching structures are receiving features for the claw portions when the one or more rotatable latches are in a closed position, and wherein the one of more claw catching structures are coupled to a pluggable electronic device; and
wherein the AMA supporting structure enclosure houses and encloses at the portion of the pluggable electronic device when the one or more rotatable latches are: (i) in a closed position and engaged to respective instances of the one or more spring assemblies utilizing respective floating screws and respective thread assemblies, (ii) in a closed position while having the respective claw portions of the one or more rotatable latches being engaged to respective claw catching structures that are coupled to the AMA, and (iii) providing a mechanical load on mating electronic connectors of the pluggable electronic device and another electronic device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pluggable electronic assembly device is a power supply.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rotatable latches coupled to the pluggable electronic device further comprises a pivot point coupling each of the one or more rotatable latches to the pluggable electronic device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more spring assemblies coupled to the AMA further comprises at least one spring mount coupling each of the one or more spring assemblies to the AMA.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more spring assemblies are comprised of one or more leaf springs.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 :
wherein the one or more spring assemblies are comprised of one or more leaf springs; and
wherein the at least one spring mount couples each of the one or more spring assemblies aligned horizontally to the AMA.

7. An apparatus for mating computing device structures, the apparatus comprising:
one or more rotatable latches, the one or more rotatable latches each including a respective floating screw mechanism housed within the one or more rotatable latches, wherein the one or more rotatable latches are coupled to a pluggable electronic device;
one or more spring assemblies, the one or more spring assemblies each including a respective thread assembly housed within the one or more spring assemblies, wherein the one or more spring assemblies are coupled to an air moving assembly (AMA);
wherein the respective thread assemblies comprise threading that is capable of receiving a corresponding floating screw mechanism of the one or more rotatable latches;
wherein the AMA is a supporting structural enclosure that includes an opening that is capable of housing and enclosing at least a portion of the pluggable electronic device when the one or more rotatable latches are in a closed position and the respective floating screw mechanisms of the one or more rotatable latches are threaded into corresponding thread assemblies housed within the one or more spring assemblies;
wherein the one or more spring assemblies are capable of deforming in response to advancing a corresponding floating screw mechanism into the respective thread assembly;
the one or more rotatable latches including a claw portion;
one or more claw catching structures, wherein the one or more claw catching structures are receiving features for the claw portions when the one or more rotatable latches are in a closed position, and wherein the one of more claw catching structures are coupled to a pluggable electronic device; and
wherein the AMA supporting structure enclosure houses and encloses at the portion of the pluggable electronic device when the one or more rotatable latches are: (i) in a closed position and engaged to respective instances of the one or more spring assemblies utilizing respective floating screw mechanisms and respective thread assemblies, (ii) in a closed position while having the respective claw portions of the one or more rotatable latches being engaged to respective claw catching structures that are coupled to the AMA, and (iii) providing a mechanical load on mating electronic connectors of the pluggable electronic device and another electronic device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more spring assemblies are comprised of one or more leaf springs.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein advancing the corresponding floating screw mechanism into the respective thread assembly further comprises: the one or more rotatable latches being in a closed position and screwing the respective floating screw mechanism into the respective thread assembly, engaging the corresponding floating screw mechanism into the respective thread assembly, which provides a load on the one or more spring assemblies.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
the one or more rotatable latches including a claw portion; and
one or more claw catching structures, the one or more claw catching structures comprising receiving features that are capable of receiving and engaging the claw portions when the one or more rotatable latches are in a closed position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one of more claw catching structures are coupled to a pluggable electronic device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 :
wherein the one or more rotatable latches are capable of providing a mechanical advantage capable of overcoming a resistance force for mating the pluggable electronic device to a second electronic device; and
wherein the second electronic device includes electronic connectors corresponding to receiving electronic connectors of the pluggable electronic device.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more rotatable latches, being in a closed position and engaged to respective instances of the one or more spring assemblies utilizing respective floating screws and respective thread assemblies, are capable of providing the mechanical load on mater electronic connectors of the pluggable electronic device and a second electronic device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 :
wherein the receiving features of the claw catching structures include an opening that allows respective claw portions of the one or more rotatable latches to engage the receiving features of the claw catching structures, while also having a portion of the res

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Loparco John J
• Olson David C
• Peets Michael T
• Torok John G
• White Wade H
• Zapotoski Mitchell L

Classifications

• H05K7/1405

  by clips or resilient members, e.g. hooks · CPC title

• H05K7/1411 Primary

  for securing or extracting box-type drawers · CPC title

• H05K7/1492

  having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications · CPC title

• H05K7/1401

  comprising clamping or extracting means (H05K7/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/16 Primary

  Constructional details or arrangements · CPC title