Latch and spring assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9547334-B2
Application number	US-201615014273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2016
Priority date	Jan 28, 2015
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

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:
two rotatable latches, the two rotatable latches each including a respective screw mechanism housed within the two rotatable latches, wherein the respective screw mechanisms are floating screws that are housed within an opening in the two rotatable latches;
wherein the two rotatable latches are coupled to a pluggable electronic device, and wherein the pluggable electronic assembly device is a power supply;
wherein the two rotatable latches coupled to the pluggable electronic device further comprises a pivot point coupling each of the two rotatable latches to the pluggable electronic device;

two spring assemblies, the two spring assemblies each including a respective thread assembly housed within the two spring assemblies;
wherein the two spring assemblies are coupled to an air moving assembly (AMA), and wherein the two spring assemblies are comprised of one or more leaf springs;
wherein the two spring assemblies coupled to the AMA further comprises at least one spring mount coupling each of the two spring assemblies to the AMA, and wherein the at least one spring mount couples each of the two spring assemblies aligned horizontally and substantially parallel to the AMA;

wherein the respective thread assemblies comprise threading that is capable of receiving a corresponding screw mechanism of the two 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 two rotatable latches are in a closed position and the respective screw mechanisms of the two more rotatable latches are threaded into corresponding thread assemblies housed within the two spring assemblies;
the two rotatable latches each including a claw portion;
two claw catching structures, wherein the two claw catching structures are receiving features for the claw portions when the two rotatable latches are in a closed position;
wherein the two claw catching structures are coupled to the AMA, and wherein the receiving features of the claw catching structures include an opening that allows respective claw portions of the two rotatable latches to engage the receiving features of the claw catching structures, while also having a portion of the respective claw portion of the two rotatable latches be positioned through the opening included in the receiving features of the claw catching structures;
wherein the two rotatable latches: (i) being in a closed position and engaged to respective instances of the two spring assemblies utilizing respective floating screws and respective thread assemblies and (ii) being in a closed position while having the respective claw portions of the two rotatable latches being engaged to respective claw catching structures that are coupled to the AMA, provide a substantially constant mechanical pre-load on mating electronic connectors of the pluggable electronic device and another electronic device, wherein the another electronic device is a computing device that is capable of utilizing and connecting to the pluggable electronic device; and
wherein the AMA supporting structure enclosure houses and encloses at the portion of the pluggable electronic device when the two rotatable latches are: (i) in a closed position and engaged to respective instances of the two spring assemblies utilizing respective floating screws and respective thread assemblies, (ii) in a closed position while having the respective claw portions of the two rotatable latches being engaged to respective claw catching structures that are coupled to the AMA, and (iii) providing the substantially constant mechanical pre-load on mating electronic connectors of the pluggable electronic device and the another electronic device.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F1/16 Primary

  Constructional details or arrangements · CPC title

• H05K7/1405

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

• H05K7/1401

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

• H05K7/1407

  by turn-bolt or screw member · CPC title

• H05K7/1411 Primary

  for securing or extracting box-type drawers · CPC title