Modular elements employing latches with flexure bearings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9686883-B2
Application number	US-201414584613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Dec 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

Modular elements employing latches with flexure bearings are disclosed. A modular element may include a chassis body supporting electronic components. The body is in communication with a latch and a control member of the modular element. The modular element is removable from or secured to an enclosure using the latch. The latch may engage the enclosure and may remain engaged by being secured by interfacing with a catch of an arm of the control member. By connecting the arm to the control body with a flexure bearing, the flexure bearing may urge the catch into a detent of the latch to secure the latch and keep the modular element secured to the enclosure. The latch may be disengaged from the control member by removing the catch from the detent. In this manner, the modular element is efficiently secured and removed from the enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular element removable from an enclosure during an unlocked mode and secured in the enclosure during a locked mode, the modular element comprises:
a chassis body supporting electronic components;
at least one latch in pivotable communication with the chassis body and configured to be engaged with the enclosure during the locked mode; and
a control member including a control body in slidable communication with the chassis body between a first position during the locked mode and a second position during the unlocked mode, the control member also includes:
at least one control arm connected to the control body by at least one living hinge of the control member; and
at least one push member extending from the control arm and in communication with a respective protrusion extending from the chassis body, wherein the at least one control arm extends from the living hinge in a first direction, and wherein the at least one push member extends from the control arm in a second direction away from the control body, wherein the first direction is different from the second direction;

wherein upon movement of the control body to the first position, the at least one living hinge secures the at least one latch by urging a control catch of the at least one control arm within a detent of the at least one latch, and wherein upon application of a disengagement force to the control member, the control body of the control member is urged to the second position and the respective protrusion resists the movement of the at least one push member by flexing the living hinge and disengaging the control catch of the at least one control arm from the detent.

2. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein the control body, the at least one control arm, and the at least one push member, and the at least one latch move within a geometric plane.

3. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein the living hinge comprises plastic, metal or aluminum.

4. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein when in the unlocked mode the at least one latch is configured to receive an installation force to rotate the at least one latch relative to the chassis body and place the detent of the at least one latch proximate to the control catch of the at least one control arm.

5. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein the at least one latch communicates with the chassis body through at least one spindle configured to provide relative rotational motion therebetween.

6. The modular element of claim 5 , wherein the spindles comprise cylindrically-shaped protrusions extending from the chassis body and interfacing with circular-shaped holes of the at least one latch.

7. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein the modular element includes a linear slide to connect the control body to the chassis body and enable the control body to move linearly between the first position and the second position.

8. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein the electronic components include at least one of: semiconductor-based information storage devices, semiconductor-based processor devices, electrical connectors, and fiber optic connectors.

9. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein the chassis body includes a first side and a second side opposite of the first side, wherein the electronic components are disposed at the first side and the at least one latch, and the control member are disposed on the second side.

10. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein the at least one living hinge includes a neutral position which is disposed to urge the control catch of the at least one control arm within the detent when the control catch is adjacent to the detent.

11. The modular element of claim 1 , wherein the at least one living hinge includes a neutral position and is urged away from the neutral position and disengages the control catch from the detent by the application of the disengagement force to the control member.

12. An electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure;
a modular element removable from the enclosure, wherein the modular element includes:
a chassis body supporting electronic components;
at least one latch in pivotable communication with the chassis body and configured to be engaged with the enclosure during the locked mode; and
a control member including a control body in slidable communication with the chassis body between a first position during the locked mode and a second position during the unlocked mode, the control member also includes at least one control arm connected to the control body by at least one living hinge of the control member,
wherein upon movement of the control body to the first position, the at least one living hinge secures the at least one latch by urging a control catch of the at least one control arm within a detent of the at least one latch,

wherein the control member includes at least one push member extending from the control arm and in communication with a respective protrusion extending from the chassis body, wherein the at least one control arm extends from the living hinge in a first direction, and wherein the at least one push member extends from the control arm in a second direction away from the control body, wherein the first direction is different from the second direction, and
wherein upon application of a disengagement force to the control member, the control body of the control member is urged to the second position and the respective protrusion resists the movement of the push member by flexing the living hinge and disengaging the control catch of the at least one control arm from the detent.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the control body, the at least one control arm, and the at least one push member, and the at least one latch move within a geometric plane.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the living hinge comprises plastic, metal or aluminum.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein when in the unlocked mode the at least one latch is configured to receive an installation force to rotate the at least one latch relative to the chassis body and place the detent of the at least one latch proximate to the control catch of the at least one control arm.

16. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the modular element includes a linear slide to connect the control body to the chassis body and enable the control body to move linearly between the first position and the second position.

17. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one latch communicates with the chassis body through at least one spindle configured to provide relative rotational motion therebetween.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the spindles comprise cylindrically-shaped protrusions extending from the chassis body and interfacing with circular-shaped holes of the at least one latch.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Butterbaugh Matthew A
• Eckberg Eric A
• Sassano Camillo
• Schultz Kevin L
• Shurson Scott A

Classifications

• H05K7/1409 Primary

  by lever-type mechanisms · CPC title

• H05K7/1487

  Blade assemblies, e.g. blade cases or inner arrangements within a blade · CPC title

• H05K7/1489 Primary

  characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays (H05K7/1491 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/1488

  Cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and support structures · CPC title

• H05K5/0221

  Locks; Latches · CPC title