Locking mechanism, operation method thereof and electronic system

Abstract

The present application relates to a locking mechanism and a method of operating the same and an electronic system, the locking mechanism (1) comprising a fixed part (10) and a rotatable part (20) rotatably connectable to the fixed part (10) wherein the rotatable part (20) comprises a cylindrical portion (230) extending in a vertical direction (Z) and a stop portion (240) protruding from at least a portion of an upper portion of the cylindrical portion (230), the fixed part (10) comprises a cylindrical part (110) extending in the vertical direction (Z), and the cylindrical part (110) is arranged on the outer side of the columnar part (230) of the rotatable part (20) in a sleeving mode so that the columnar part (230) can rotate relative to the cylindrical part (110), and therefore the locking mechanism (1) can be switched between the locking position (A) and the unlocking position (B).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electronic systems, in particular to a locking mechanism for a printed circuit board and an electronic system comprising such a locking mechanism. The present invention also relates to a method for operating such a locking mechanism. Background Art

[0002] This section provides background information related to the present application but this information does not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] Electronic systems (e.g., smart phones, tablet computers, desktop computers, digital cameras) can be manufactured as a collection of independent electronic components that are connected together by electrical connectors. For example, known electronic systems have a circuit board commonly referred to as a "motherboard". Many electronic components are mounted on the motherboard. For example, in a server, the motherboard may include a processor and support chips. Other electronic components such as solid-state memory can be mounted on another circuit board separate from the motherboard, which is commonly referred to as a "daughter card" or "subassembly". One end of the daughter card can be inserted into a slot of an electrical connector mounted on the motherboard so as to be electrically connected to the electronic components on the motherboard. The other end of the daughter card also needs to be fixed relative to the motherboard, otherwise the connection between the daughter card and the electrical connector is easy to loosen, resulting in an unstable connection between the daughter card and the motherboard, thereby affecting the performance of transmitting signals and / or power between the daughter card and the motherboard.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a locking mechanism that is easy to operate and reliable to fix the other end of the daughter card relative to the mainboard. Summary of the invention

[0005] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0006] In view of the problems existing in the above conventional technologies, there is a need to improve the relevant locking mechanism to overcome or alleviate all or at least part of the above technical problems.

[0007] The present application provides a locking mechanism, which may include a fixed component and a rotatable component that can be rotatably connected to the fixed component, wherein the rotatable component may include a columnar portion extending in a vertical direction and a stop portion protruding from at least a portion of an upper portion of the columnar portion, and the fixed component may include a cylindrical portion formed to extend in the vertical direction, and the cylindrical portion may be sleeved on the outer side of the columnar portion of the rotatable component so that the columnar portion can rotate relative to the cylindrical portion, thereby enabling the locking mechanism to switch between a locked position and an unlocked position.

[0008] The locking mechanism provided by the present application is small in size, simple and compact in structure, and easy to operate. The user can quickly install and disassemble the locking mechanism without using additional tools. In addition, the locking mechanism is reusable, which has cost-saving benefits. The user can flexibly control the locking mechanism so that the locking mechanism can switch between the locked position and the unlocked position, and the operation efficiency is high.

[0009] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the rotatable component may include a distal end provided with a stop portion, a proximal end opposite to the distal end, and a connecting flange portion provided between the distal end and the proximal end, a guide portion may be provided at the upper portion of the connecting flange portion, the guide portion including a guide surface extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction and a first stop portion and a second stop portion extending in the vertical direction, and the guide portion may be formed as a semi-annular step portion; the cylindrical portion may include a protrusion, and during the rotation of the columnar portion relative to the cylindrical portion, the protrusion is capable of moving along the guide surface between the first stop portion and the second stop portion, and when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position, the protrusion abuts against the first stop portion; when the locking mechanism is in the locked position, the protrusion abuts against the second stop portion.

[0010] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the first stopper and the second stopper may be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the columnar portion.

[0011] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the connecting flange portion may include a groove disposed near the second stopper, the groove extending through the connecting flange portion in a vertical direction.

[0012] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the stopper of the rotatable component may protrude in a horizontal direction toward the side where the guide portion is located, and be tapered in a direction away from the rotation axis of the rotatable component.

[0013] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the cylindrical portion can be formed to have a roughly square shape, the central axis of the cylindrical portion and the rotation axis of the columnar portion can coincide, the cylindrical portion can include a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall in a lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the protrusion can be arranged at the central portion of the upper edge portion of the first side wall and extend toward the inner side of the cylindrical portion.

[0014] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the cylindrical portion may include a third side wall and a fourth side wall opposite to the third side wall in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the lateral direction, the third side wall may be provided with a first cantilever portion and a second cantilever portion, the first cantilever portion and the second cantilever portion may both extend along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction and be spaced apart from each other, and the first cantilever portion may be arranged above the second cantilever portion in the vertical direction.

[0015] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the first cantilever portion and the second cantilever portion may have the following cross-sectional shapes in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction: semicircular, trapezoidal, fan-shaped, square, or irregular shape.

[0016] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the fixed component may also include a first elastic leg portion extending downward in the vertical direction at the central portion of the first side wall, and a second elastic leg portion extending downward in the vertical direction at the central portion of the second side wall, the first elastic leg portion and the second elastic leg portion are mirror images with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the transverse direction and passes through the transverse center axis of the fixed component, and the rotatable component may be provided with a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion associated with the first elastic leg portion and the second elastic leg portion.

[0017] When the lock mechanism is in the unlocked position or the locked position, one of the first elastic leg portion and the second elastic leg portion is engaged with the first engagement portion, and the other of the first elastic leg portion and the second elastic leg portion is engaged with the second engagement portion.

[0018] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the first elastic leg portion may include a first end portion connected to the lower edge portion of the first side wall, a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and an arched portion arranged between the first end portion and the second end portion, and when the locking mechanism is in an unlocked position or a locked position, the second end portion of the first elastic leg portion cooperates with the first engaging portion or the second engaging portion of the rotatable component.

[0019] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the second end of the first elastic leg-shaped portion may be provided with a first concave portion, and the second end of the second elastic leg-shaped portion may be provided with a second concave portion; and the first engaging portion of the rotatable component may include a first convex portion arranged near the proximal end, and the second engaging portion of the rotatable component may include a second convex portion arranged near the proximal end, and the first convex portion and the second convex portion are arranged to be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotatable component, wherein, when the locking mechanism is in a locked position or an unlocked position, one of the first concave portion and the second concave portion engages with the first convex portion, and the other of the first concave portion and the second concave portion engages with the second convex portion.

[0020] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a strip-shaped portion extending downward in the vertical direction may be formed at the lower edge portion of the fourth side wall of the cylindrical portion, and during the rotation of the rotatable part relative to the fixed part, the free end of the strip-shaped portion can contact the first convex portion or the second convex portion and slide through the first convex portion or the second convex portion.

[0021] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a plurality of protruding ribs are provided near the proximal end of the rotatable component, the plurality of protruding ribs are arranged in a circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the columnar portion of the rotatable component and protrude outward in the radial direction, and in a projection of the locking mechanism perpendicular to the vertical direction, the plurality of protruding ribs are provided radially inner than the cylindrical portion.

[0022] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the column portion may include a mounting portion disposed between the connecting flange portion and the protruding rib in a vertical direction, and the connecting flange portion and the protruding rib extend beyond an outer circumferential surface of the mounting portion in a radial direction.

[0023] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the rotatable component may be configured to be electrically insulating, and the stationary component may be configured to be electrically conductive.

[0024] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, an electronic system is provided, which may include: a first printed circuit board; a second printed circuit board; and a locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism may be configured to hold the first printed circuit board to the second printed circuit board in a releasable manner, wherein the first printed circuit board may include a recess provided at a first end of the first printed circuit board for inserting the locking mechanism, and the second printed circuit board may include an opening for inserting the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism may be rotatably switched between a locked position and an unlocked position, in which the locking mechanism may be inserted through the recess of the first printed circuit board and the opening of the second printed circuit board and is non-removable relative to the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board to hold the first end of the first printed circuit board fixed relative to the second printed circuit board; in the unlocked position, the locking mechanism may be removably inserted through the recess of the first printed circuit board and the opening of the second printed circuit board, and the first end of the first printed circuit board is not fixed relative to the second printed circuit board.

[0025] Through the electronic system provided by the present application, the user can use the locking mechanism to keep the first printed circuit board fixed relative to the second printed circuit board in a releasable manner without the need for additional tools and / or processes, and the operation process is simple and reliable. The locking mechanism can be easily installed and disassembled, and can be reused, saving manufacturing materials and reducing costs. In addition, the locking mechanism can ensure the connection stability and efficient signal transmission between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board.

[0026] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the locking mechanism may include a rotatable component, the rotatable component may include a columnar portion extending in a vertical direction and a stopper portion protruding from at least a portion of an upper portion of the columnar portion, the rotatable component can be rotated so that at least a portion of the stopper portion extends beyond a recess in a horizontal direction on an upper surface of the first printed circuit board to prevent the first end portion of the first printed circuit board from moving in a vertical direction, thereby placing the locking mechanism in a locked position, and the rotatable component can be rotated so that the stopper portion is away from the upper surface of the first printed circuit board, thereby placing the locking mechanism in an unlocked position.

[0027] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the locking mechanism may include a fixing component, the fixing component may include a cylindrical portion formed to extend along a vertical direction, the cylindrical portion may be sleeved on the outside of the columnar portion of the rotatable component so that the columnar portion can rotate relative to the cylindrical portion, and the cylindrical portion is arranged between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board when the locking mechanism is inserted through a recess of the first printed circuit board and an opening of the second printed circuit board.

[0028] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a rotatable component may include a distal end provided with a stopper, a proximal end opposite to the distal end, and a connecting flange portion provided between the distal end and the proximal end, a guide portion may be provided at an upper portion of the connecting flange portion, the guide portion may include a guide surface extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction and a first stop portion and a second stop portion extending in the vertical direction, and the guide portion is formed as a semi-annular step portion. The cylindrical portion may include a protrusion, during rotation of the columnar portion relative to the cylindrical portion, the protrusion can move between the first stop portion and the second stop portion along the guide surface, when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position, the protrusion can abut against the first stop portion, and when the locking mechanism is in the locked position, the protrusion can abut against the second stop portion.

[0029] In the electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the first stopper and the second stopper may be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the column portion.

[0030] In the electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the connecting flange portion may include a groove disposed near the second stopper, the groove extending through the connecting flange portion in a vertical direction.

[0031] In the electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the stopper of the rotatable component protrudes in a horizontal direction toward the side where the guide portion is located, and is tapered in a direction away from the rotation axis of the rotatable component.

[0032] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the cylindrical portion may include a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall in a lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the protrusion may be arranged at a central portion of an upper edge portion of the first side wall and extend toward the inner side of the cylindrical portion.

[0033] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the cylindrical portion may include a third side wall and a fourth side wall opposite to the third side wall in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the lateral direction, the third side wall may be provided with a first cantilever portion and a second cantilever portion, the first cantilever portion and the second cantilever portion both extend along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction and are spaced apart from each other, and the first cantilever portion is arranged above the second cantilever portion in the vertical direction, wherein the first cantilever portion may include a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the second cantilever portion may include a third surface opposite to the second surface of the first cantilever portion, and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, and when the locking mechanism is inserted through the recess of the first printed circuit board and the opening of the second printed circuit board, the first surface of the first cantilever portion may abut against the lower surface of the first printed circuit board, and the fourth surface of the second cantilever portion may abut against the upper surface of the second printed circuit board.

[0034] In the electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the first cantilever portion and the second cantilever portion may have the following cross-sectional shapes in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction: semicircular, trapezoidal, fan-shaped, square, or irregular shape.

[0035] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the fixed component may also include a first elastic leg extending downward in a vertical direction at a central portion of the first side wall, and a second elastic leg extending downward in a vertical direction at a central portion of the second side wall, the first elastic leg and the second elastic leg being mirror images with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the transverse direction and passes through a transverse center axis of the fixed component, and the rotatable component may be provided with a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion associated with the first elastic leg and the second elastic leg, and when the locking mechanism is in an unlocked position or a locked position, one of the first elastic leg and the second elastic leg engages with the first engaging portion, and the other of the first elastic leg and the second elastic leg engages with the second engaging portion.

[0036] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the first elastic leg-shaped portion may include a first end connected to the lower edge portion of the first side wall, a second end opposite to the first end, and an arched portion arranged between the first end and the second end, and when the locking mechanism is in an unlocked position or a locked position, the second end of the first elastic leg-shaped portion may cooperate with the first engaging portion or the second engaging portion of the rotatable component.

[0037] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the second end of the first elastic leg-shaped portion may be provided with a first concave portion, and the second end of the second elastic leg-shaped portion may be provided with a second concave portion; the first engaging portion of the rotatable component may include a first convex portion provided at the proximal end, and the second engaging portion of the rotatable component may include a second convex portion provided at the proximal end, and the first convex portion and the second convex portion may be arranged to be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotatable component, wherein, when the locking mechanism is in a locked position or an unlocked position, one of the first concave portion and the second concave portion engages with the first convex portion, and the other of the first concave portion and the second concave portion engages with the second convex portion.

[0038] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a strip-shaped portion extending downward in a vertical direction may be formed at a lower edge portion of the fourth side wall of the cylindrical portion, and during rotation of the rotatable portion relative to the fixed portion, the free end portion of the strip-shaped portion may be able to contact the first convex portion or the second convex portion and slide through the first convex portion or the second convex portion.

[0039] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a plurality of protruding ribs may be provided near the proximal end of the rotatable component, the plurality of protruding ribs being arranged in a circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion of the columnar portion of the rotatable component and protruding outward in a radial direction, and when the locking mechanism is inserted through the opening of the second printed circuit board, the upper surfaces of the protruding ribs in the vertical direction at least partially contact the lower surface of the second printed circuit board.

[0040] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the columnar portion may include a mounting portion corresponding to an opening of the second printed circuit board, the mounting portion may be disposed between the connecting flange portion and the protruding rib in the vertical direction, the inner surface of the opening of the second printed circuit board includes a plurality of rotation limiting portions capable of contacting an outer circumferential surface of the mounting portion, at least one rotation limiting portion is formed to have an arc shape, and a dimension of the mounting portion in the vertical direction may be set to correspond to a thickness of the second printed circuit board.

[0041] In an electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the opening of the second printed circuit board may have a first elongated portion and a second elongated portion perpendicular to the first elongated portion, and when the locking mechanism is inserted through the opening of the second printed circuit board and is in an unlocked position or a locked position, the dimension of the locking mechanism in the lateral direction may correspond to the dimension of the first elongated portion in the lateral direction, and in a projection of the electronic system perpendicular to the vertical direction, the strip portion of the fixing component is arranged in the second elongated portion of the opening.

[0042] In the electronic system according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the rotatable component may be configured to be electrically insulated, and the fixed component may be configured to be electrically conductive;

[0043] The first printed circuit board may include a first conductive portion disposed on a lower surface of the first printed circuit board and adjacent to the recess, and when the locking mechanism is inserted through the recess of the first printed circuit board and the opening of the second printed circuit board, the first surface of the first cantilever portion of the fixing member engages with the first conductive portion and establishes electrical contact with the first conductive portion.

[0044] The second printed circuit board may include a second conductive portion disposed on an upper surface of the second printed circuit board and adjacent to the opening, and when the locking mechanism is inserted through the recess of the first printed circuit board and the opening of the second printed circuit board, the fourth surface of the second cantilever portion of the fixing component may engage with the second conductive portion and establish electrical contact with the second conductive portion.

[0045] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a method for operating a locking mechanism is provided, which may include: providing a first plate and providing a recess at a first end of the first plate; providing a second plate and providing an opening in the second plate; providing a locking mechanism, which can be switched between a locked position and an unlocked position in a rotatable manner; aligning the locking mechanism with the recess of the first plate and the opening of the second plate in a vertical direction; rotating the locking mechanism to an unlocked position, and inserting the locking mechanism through the recess of the first plate and the opening of the second plate, and rotating the locking mechanism to a locked position so that the locking mechanism is non-removable relative to the first plate and the second plate, thereby keeping the first end of the first plate fixed relative to the second plate.

[0046] By the method of operating the locking mechanism provided by the present application, the user can use the locking mechanism to keep the first plate fixed relative to the second plate in a releasable manner without the need for additional tools and / or processes, and the operation process is simple and reliable. The locking mechanism can be conveniently installed and disassembled, and can be reused. For example, the locking mechanism can be easily removed from an opening of the second plate and installed in another opening of the second plate, thereby allowing cooperation with first plates of different lengths.

[0047] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a method for operating a locking mechanism, wherein providing a locking mechanism may include: configuring the locking mechanism to include a rotatable component, the rotatable component including a columnar portion extending in a vertical direction and a stop portion protruding from at least a portion of an upper portion of the columnar portion; rotating the locking mechanism to a locked position includes: rotating the rotatable component so that at least a portion of the stop portion extends beyond a recess in a horizontal direction on an upper surface of a first plate to prevent the first end portion of the first plate from moving in a vertical direction, thereby placing the locking mechanism in a locked position, and rotating the locking mechanism to an unlocked position may include: rotating the rotatable component so that the stop portion is away from the upper surface of the first plate, thereby placing the locking mechanism in an unlocked position.

[0048] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a method for operating a locking mechanism, wherein providing a locking mechanism may include: configuring the locking mechanism to include a fixing component, the fixing component including a cylindrical portion formed to extend along a vertical direction, sleeved on the outside of the columnar portion of the rotatable component, and inserting the locking mechanism through the recess of the first plate and the opening of the second plate may include: arranging the cylindrical portion between the first plate and the second plate.

[0049] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a method for operating a locking mechanism, wherein providing a locking mechanism may include: configuring a rotatable component to include a guide portion arranged along an outer circumferential portion of the rotatable component, the guide portion including a guide surface extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to a vertical direction, the guide portion including a first stop portion and a second stop portion extending in a vertical direction; and configuring a fixed component to include a protrusion extending toward an inner side of the fixed component; and rotating the locking mechanism to a locked position includes: rotating the rotatable component relative to the fixed component so that the protrusion moves along the guide surface away from the first stop portion until the protrusion abuts against the second stop portion.

[0050] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a method for operating a locking mechanism, wherein providing a locking mechanism may include: configuring the cylindrical portion of the locking mechanism to include a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall in a lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the protrusion being arranged at a central portion of an upper edge portion of the first side wall; and configuring the cylindrical portion of the fixing component to include a third side wall and a fourth side wall opposite to the third side wall in a horizontal direction, the third side wall being provided with a first cantilever portion and a second cantilever portion both extending along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction and spaced apart from each other, the first cantilever portion being arranged above the second cantilever portion in the vertical direction, the first cantilever portion including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the second cantilever portion including a third surface opposite to the second surface of the first cantilever portion and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface; and inserting the locking mechanism through the recess of the first plate and the opening of the second plate may include: placing the first surface of the first cantilever portion against the lower surface of the first plate; and placing the fourth surface of the second cantilever portion against the upper surface of the second plate.

[0051] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a method for operating a locking mechanism may include: while keeping the first end of the first plate fixed relative to the second plate, rotating the locking mechanism to an unlocked position to remove the locking mechanism from the recess of the first plate and the opening of the second plate.

[0052] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a method for operating a locking mechanism may include: configuring the first board as a first printed circuit board, and configuring the second board as a second printed circuit board. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application can be more easily understood by referring to the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In all the drawings, the same or corresponding technical features or components will be represented by the same or corresponding reference numerals. In the drawings, the sizes and relative positions of the components are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0054] Figure 1 is a perspective schematic diagram of an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0055] Figure 2 is a perspective exploded schematic diagram of an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0056] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a first printed circuit board of an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0057] Figure 4 is a schematic top view of an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application when in an unlocked position.

[0058] Figure 5 is a schematic top view of an electronic system in a locked position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0059] Figure 6 is a schematic side view of an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0060] Figure 7 is a perspective schematic diagram of a locking mechanism of an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0061] Figure 8 is a perspective schematic diagram of a locking mechanism of an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, viewed from another perspective.

[0062] Fig. 9 is a perspective schematic diagram of a fixing component of a locking mechanism according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0063] Fig.10 is a perspective schematic diagram of a fixing component of a locking mechanism according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, viewed from another perspective.

[0064] Fig.11 is a perspective schematic diagram of a rotatable component of a locking mechanism according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0065] Fig.12 is a perspective schematic diagram of a rotatable component of a locking mechanism according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, viewed from another perspective.

[0066] Fig.13 is a side view schematic diagram of an electronic system in a locked position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, wherein only a portion of a second printed circuit board and a locking mechanism are shown.

[0067] Fig.14 The electronic system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application is along Fig.13 Schematic cross-sectional view taken along section line CC in , wherein only a portion of the second printed circuit board and the locking mechanism are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0068] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings by means of exemplary embodiments. It should be noted that the exemplary embodiments of the present application are intended to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to easily implement the present application, and the various embodiments of the present application can be implemented in many different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments described in the present application. Accordingly, the following detailed description of the present application is only for illustrative purposes and is by no means a limitation of the present application. In addition, the same figure numbers are used in the various drawings to represent the same components. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only for the purpose of convenience of description and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or relative order.

[0069] It should also be noted that, for the sake of clarity, not all features of the actual specific implementation are described and shown in the specification and drawings, and in order to avoid unnecessary details obscuring the technical solution that the present application focuses on, only the device structure closely related to the technical solution of the present application is described and shown in the drawings and the specification, while other details that are not closely related to the technical content of the present application and are known to those skilled in the art are omitted.

[0070] Next, an exemplary embodiment of the electronic system and the locking mechanism thereof according to the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of clarity and simplicity of description, the lateral direction Y, the horizontal direction X, and the vertical direction Z are marked in the figure. The lateral direction Y, the horizontal direction X, and the vertical direction Z are perpendicular to each other. The vertical direction Z generally refers to the insertion direction of the locking mechanism through the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board. The horizontal direction X generally refers to the longitudinal direction of the first printed circuit board or the second printed circuit board.

[0071] It should be understood that the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", "front", "back", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0072] The locking mechanism according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application can be used to hold the subassembly to the electronic system and release the subassembly from the electronic system without additional tools and / or processes. The subassembly (also referred to as the first printed circuit board in the text) may include an add-in card that can be used for various functions, such as a solid-state drive (SSD) card, a wireless communication card, a radio frequency module, etc. One end of the add-in card can be inserted into an electrical connector mounted on a second printed circuit board (such as a mainboard), and the other end of the add-in card is on the distal side of the electrical connector. The technical aspects described herein can allow for holding and releasing add-in cards of various sizes without additional tools and / or processes.

[0073] Some embodiments of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these embodiments are not intended to limit the present application in any way.

[0074] Figures 1 to 6 The electronic system 100 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application is schematically shown. Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the electronic system 100 includes a first printed circuit board 3 , a second printed circuit board 5 , an electrical connector 7 and a locking mechanism 1 .

[0075] The first printed circuit board 3 may also be referred to as a "first printed circuit board" or a "first PCB", which may be, for example, a daughter card or a plug-in card such as a solid state drive (SSD) card, a wireless communication card, or a radio frequency module. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first printed circuit board 3 may include a first end 31, a second end 32 opposite to the first end 31, an upper surface 3a and a lower surface 3b. The upper surface 3a and the lower surface 3b may be opposite to each other and substantially parallel. The first printed circuit board 3 may also include a conductive portion (e.g., a conductive pad) 33 disposed at or near an edge of the first printed circuit board 3 at the second end 32, and may include a notch 301 disposed at a substantially central position of the first end 31. The notch 301 may extend from the upper surface 3a through the first printed circuit board 3 to the lower surface 3b.

[0076] The second printed circuit board 5 may also be referred to as a "second printed circuit board" or a "second PCB", which may be, for example, a main board. Figure 2 As shown, the second printed circuit board 5 may include an upper surface 5a and a lower surface 5b. The upper surface 5a and the lower surface 5b may be opposite to each other and substantially parallel. The second printed circuit board 5 may also include a conductive portion disposed on the upper surface 5a. The conductive portion may be, for example, a conductive pad or a conductive through hole. As will be described in detail below, the conductive portion is configured to be connected to the electrical connector 7. The second printed circuit board 5 may also include at least one opening 501.

[0077] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 Two openings 501 and 502 are shown in FIG. It should be understood that the number of openings can be set to one, two or more openings can be set, and the structures of the multiple openings can be the same, but at different distances from the electrical connector. As will be described in detail below, the second printed circuit board 5 is provided with multiple openings so that the second printed circuit board 5 can be matched with daughter cards of different lengths. Each opening 501 can extend from the upper surface 5a through the second printed circuit board 5 to the lower surface 5b. In other words, each opening 501 extends through the second printed circuit board 5.

[0078] The electrical connector 7 may be configured to connect the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5 to achieve signal and / or power transmission between the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5 are configured to be arranged in an orientation substantially parallel to each other, so that the upper surface 5a of the second printed circuit board 5 and the lower surface 3b of the first printed circuit board 3 face each other and are substantially parallel, and the lower surface 5b of the second printed circuit board 5 and the upper surface 3a of the first printed circuit board 3 are opposite to each other and are substantially parallel.

[0079] like Figure 2 As shown, the electrical connector 7 may include a housing 71, a plurality of conductive terminals 72 disposed in the housing 71, a mounting joint 73, and a mating joint 74. The electrical connector 7 may be configured to be mounted on the upper surface 5a of the second printed circuit board 5 at the mounting joint 73, so that the plurality of conductive terminals 72 establish electrical connections with the conductive portions on the upper surface 5a at the mounting joint 73. For example, in the case where the conductive portion of the second printed circuit board 5 is a conductive pad, the plurality of conductive terminals 72 may be soldered on the conductive pad by surface mounting technology. In addition, in the case where the conductive portion of the second printed circuit board 5 is a conductive through hole, the plurality of conductive terminals 72 may be press-fitted into the conductive through hole.

[0080] The electrical connector 7 can also be configured to mate with the first printed circuit board 3 at the mating engagement portion 74, so that the plurality of conductive terminals 72 establish electrical connection with the conductive portion 33 of the first printed circuit board 3 at the mating engagement portion 74. In some embodiments, the housing 71 of the electrical connector 7 may include a slot 71a at the mating engagement portion 74, and the contact portions of the plurality of conductive terminals 72 may be exposed in the slot 71a. The second end 32 of the first printed circuit board 3 can be inserted into the slot 71a of the electrical connector 7, so that the contact portions of the plurality of conductive terminals 72 establish electrical contact with the conductive portion 33 of the first printed circuit board 3. In this way, the electrical connector 7 can mechanically and electrically connect the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5 to achieve signal and / or power transmission between the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5. The electrical connector 7 can hold the second end 32 of the first printed circuit board 3 relative to the second printed circuit board 5.

[0081] It should be understood that although the electrical connector 7 is shown as a single-piece connector, the specific form of the electrical connector 7 is not limited thereto. For example, the electrical connector 7 may be a two-piece connector including a plug connector and a socket connector. In addition, it should be understood that the electrical connector 7 may include any suitable mechanism or feature that facilitates fixing the electrical connector 7 on the second printed circuit board 5, and / or any suitable mechanism or feature that facilitates connecting the first printed circuit board 3 to the electrical connector 7.

[0082] The locking mechanism 1 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application can be configured to hold the first printed circuit board 3 to the second printed circuit board 5 and release the first printed circuit board 3 from the second printed circuit board 5. Such a locking mechanism 1 can help to reliably hold the first printed circuit board 3 to the second printed circuit board 5, to improve the connection stability between the first printed circuit board 3, the electrical connector 7 and the second printed circuit board 5, and to achieve the assembly of the first printed circuit board 3 to the second printed circuit board 5 and the disassembly of the first printed circuit board 3 from the second printed circuit board 5.

[0083] The locking mechanism 1 can retain the first end 31 of the first printed circuit board 3 to the second printed circuit board 5 in a releasable manner, and the second end 32 of the first printed circuit board 3 is electrically connected to the second printed circuit board 5 through the electrical connector 7, thereby improving the connection reliability and stability of the first printed circuit board 3, the electrical connector 7 and the second printed circuit board 5.

[0084] It should be understood that the locking mechanism according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application can be used to lock two first and second plates arranged parallel to each other, and the first and second plates are not limited to the printed circuit boards described in the exemplary embodiment.

[0085] In such Figures 1 to 6 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the locking mechanism 1 can be rotatably positioned in a locking position A (eg Figure 5 as shown) and unlocked position B (as shown Figure 4 The locking mechanism 1 can be switched between the locking position A and the unlocking position B, in which the locking mechanism 1 is inserted through the recess 301 of the first printed circuit board 3 and the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5 and is non-removable relative to the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5 to keep the first end 31 of the first printed circuit board 3 fixed relative to the second printed circuit board 5; and in the unlocking position B, the locking mechanism 1 can be removably inserted through the recess 301 of the first printed circuit board 3 and the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5, and the first end 31 of the first printed circuit board 3 is not fixed relative to the second printed circuit board 5.

[0086] like Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, the locking mechanism 1 includes a rotatable component 20, the rotatable component 20 includes a columnar portion 230 extending in the vertical direction and a stopper 240 protruding from at least a portion of the upper portion of the columnar portion 230, and the rotatable component 20 can be rotated so that at least a portion of the stopper 240 extends beyond the notch 301 in the horizontal direction on the upper surface of the first printed circuit board 3 to prevent the first end 31 of the first printed circuit board 3 from moving in the vertical direction Z, so that the locking mechanism 1 is in the locking position A. The rotatable component 20 can be rotated so that the stopper 240 is away from the upper surface of the first printed circuit board 3, so that the locking mechanism 1 is in the unlocking position B.

[0087] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the first printed circuit board 3 can be fixed to the second circuit board 5 and the first printed circuit board 3 (e.g., a subassembly) can be removed from the second printed circuit board 5 (e.g., a main board) by rotating the rotatable component 20 of the locking mechanism 1 without the need for additional tools and / or processes. The locking mechanism according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application is compact and occupies a small volume, and generally has a small profile, such as a profile of approximately 4.3 mm×4.3 mm×6.7 mm.

[0088] In the related art, the locking mechanism 1 is usually fixed to the second printed circuit board (such as the main board) by, for example, threaded connection or welding, and a tool that occupies a large space is used to fix the locking mechanism to the main board. The fixing operation is complicated and not easy to disassemble after fixing. In addition, the locking mechanism in the related art cannot be reused and cannot be adapted to sub-assemblies with different lengths. Compared with the above-mentioned related art, the locking mechanism of the present application is convenient for users to operate, can achieve efficient installation and disassembly, and can be reused, making full use of production resources and reducing costs. The connection stability and efficient signal transmission between the first printed circuit board 3, the electrical connector 7 and the second printed circuit board 5 can be ensured by the locking mechanism 1. In addition, the locking mechanism of the present application can be suitable for keeping the first printed circuit board of different lengths fixed to the second printed circuit board.

[0089] In some exemplary embodiments, Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the locking mechanism 1 includes a fixing component 10, which includes a cylindrical portion 110 formed to extend along the vertical direction Z, the cylindrical portion 110 is sleeved on the outside of the columnar portion 230 of the rotatable component 20, so that the columnar portion 230 can rotate relative to the cylindrical portion 110, and the cylindrical portion 110 is arranged between the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5 when the locking mechanism 1 is inserted through the recess 301 of the first printed circuit board 3 and the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5.

[0090] In some exemplary embodiments, Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, the rotatable component 20 includes a distal end 202 provided with a stopper 240, a proximal end 204 opposite to the distal end 202, and a connecting flange portion 207 provided between the distal end 202 and the proximal end 204, and a guide portion 21 is provided at an upper portion of the connecting flange portion 207, the guide portion 21 includes a guide surface 270 extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction Z and a first stopper 210 and a second stopper 211 extending in the vertical direction, and the guide portion 21 is formed as a semi-annular step portion.

[0091] The cylindrical portion 110 includes a protrusion 111, which can move between the first stop portion 210 and the second stop portion 211 along the guide surface 270 during the rotation of the columnar portion 230 relative to the cylindrical portion 110. When the locking mechanism 1 is in the unlocking position B, the protrusion 111 engages with the first stop portion 210, and when the locking mechanism 1 is in the locking position A, the protrusion 111 engages with the second stop portion 211.

[0092] In some exemplary embodiments, the first stopper 210 and the second stopper 211 are spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the columnar portion 230 .

[0093] In some exemplary embodiments, the connecting flange portion 207 includes a groove 29 disposed near the second stop portion 211 (see Fig.11 ), the groove 29 extends through the connecting flange portion 207 in the vertical direction. During the assembly of the rotatable component 20 with the fixed component 10, the groove 29 of the rotatable component 20 is configured to be inserted through the protrusion 111, that is, the protrusion 111 moves from the lower portion of the groove 29 toward the upper portion of the groove 29 and then enters the guide surface 270 of the guide portion 21. This configuration prevents the protrusion 111 from damaging the outer peripheral surface of the rotatable component 20 during the assembly and separation of the rotatable component 20 with the fixed component 10.

[0094] In some exemplary embodiments, the stopper 240 of the rotatable component 20 protrudes toward the side where the guide portion 21 is located in the horizontal direction X, and is tapered in a direction away from the rotation axis of the rotatable component 20. For example, in one example, the stopper 240 has a teardrop shape in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction. The configuration of the stopper occupies less space and is convenient for the operator to perform manual operation.

[0095] It should be understood that the structure of the stopper 240 is not limited to the structure shown in the figure, but can be adjusted according to the specific situation. For example, the stopper can be formed as a fan-shaped knob, a polygonal knob, a pointer-shaped knob, a special-shaped knob, etc.

[0096] In some exemplary embodiments, Figures 9 to 12 As shown, the cylindrical portion 110 is formed to have a substantially square shape, and the central axis of the cylindrical portion 110 coincides with the rotation axis E of the columnar portion 230. The cylindrical portion 110 includes a first side wall 11 and a second side wall 12 opposite to the first side wall 11 in a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the vertical direction Z, and the protrusion 111 is provided at a central portion of an upper edge portion of the first side wall 11 and protrudes toward the inner side of the cylindrical portion 110.

[0097] In addition, the cylindrical portion 110 includes a third side wall 15 and a fourth side wall 16 opposite to the third side wall 15 in a horizontal direction X perpendicular to the vertical direction Z and the lateral direction Y, and the third side wall 15 is provided with a first cantilever portion 17 and a second cantilever portion 19, and the first cantilever portion 17 and the second cantilever portion 19 both extend along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z and are spaced apart from each other, and the first cantilever portion 17 is arranged above the second cantilever portion 19 in the vertical direction.

[0098] like Fig. 9As shown, the first cantilever portion 17 includes a first surface 171 and a second surface 173 opposite to the first surface, and the second cantilever portion 19 includes a third surface 191 opposite to the second surface of the first cantilever portion 17, and a fourth surface 193 opposite to the third surface 191. When the locking mechanism 1 is inserted through the notch 301 of the first printed circuit board 3 and the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5, the first surface 171 of the first cantilever portion 17 abuts against the lower surface 3b of the first printed circuit board 3, and the fourth surface 193 of the second cantilever portion 19 abuts against the upper surface 5a of the second printed circuit board 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cantilever portion 17 and the second cantilever portion 19 have a semicircular shape in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The spacing between the first cantilever portion 17 and the second cantilever portion 19 can be set to be equal to the spacing between the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5.

[0099] In the illustrated embodiment, the first cantilever portion 17, the second cantilever portion 19 and the third side wall 15 can be formed as an integral part, for example, by stamping and bending a metal blank. It should be understood that the two cantilever portions and the third side wall 15 can be formed independently of each other and the two cantilever portions are connected to the third side wall 15 in a detachable manner. In addition, the spacing between the first cantilever portion 17 and the second cantilever portion 19 can be set to be adjustable.

[0100] It should be understood that the size, spacing, position and arrangement of the first cantilever portion 17 and the second cantilever portion 19 are not limited to the specific embodiments shown in the figure, and can be adjusted according to actual conditions. For example, the first cantilever portion 17 and the second cantilever portion 19 of the present application have the following cross-sectional shapes in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction Z: trapezoidal, fan-shaped, square or irregular.

[0101] In some exemplary embodiments, Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the fixing component 10 further includes a first elastic leg 112 extending downwardly in the vertical direction at the central portion of the first side wall 11, and a second elastic leg 114 extending downwardly in the vertical direction at the central portion of the second side wall 12, the first elastic leg 112 and the second elastic leg 114 being mirror images with respect to a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction Y and passing through the transverse center axis of the fixing component 10. In some examples, the first elastic leg 112 is formed as an integral piece with the first side wall 11, and the second elastic leg 114 is formed as an integral piece with the second side wall 12.

[0102] It should be understood that the number, position and arrangement of the elastic leg portions of the fixing component 10 are not limited to the specific embodiments shown in the figures and can be adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0103] The rotatable component 20 is provided with a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion associated with the first elastic leg portion 112 and the second elastic leg portion 114. When the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position or the locked position, one of the first elastic leg portion 112 and the second elastic leg portion 114 engages with the first engagement portion, and the other of the first elastic leg portion 112 and the second elastic leg portion 114 engages with the second engagement portion. With this configuration, when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position or the locked position, the rotatable component 20 can be held fixed relative to the fixed component 10 to prevent undesired rotation of the rotatable component 20.

[0104] In some exemplary embodiments, the first elastic leg portion 112 includes a first end portion connected to the lower edge portion of the first side wall 11, a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and an arch portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, and when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position or the locked position, the second end portion of the first elastic leg portion 112 cooperates with the first engaging portion or the second engaging portion of the rotatable component 20. The second elastic leg portion 114 may have a structure substantially the same as that of the first elastic leg portion 112. The arch portion disposed on each elastic leg portion facilitates the absorption of shock and vibration, facilitates the reliable engagement of the elastic leg portion with the rotatable component 20, and improves the structural stability of the locking mechanism.

[0105] In some exemplary embodiments, Figures 7 to 12 As shown, the second end of the first elastic leg-shaped portion 112 is provided with a first concave portion 102, and the second end of the second elastic leg-shaped portion 114 is provided with a second concave portion 104. The first engaging portion of the rotatable component 20 includes a first convex portion 205 provided at the proximal end 204, and the second engaging portion of the rotatable component 20 includes a second convex portion 206 provided at the proximal end 204, and the first convex portion 205 and the second convex portion 206 can be arranged to be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotatable component 20. When the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position or the unlocked position, one of the first concave portion 102 and the second concave portion 104 is engaged with the first convex portion 205, and the other of the first concave portion 102 and the second concave portion 104 is engaged with the second convex portion 206.

[0106] It should be understood that the engagement method of the elastic leg portion and the rotatable component 20 of the present application is not limited to this. When the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position or the unlocked position, the first elastic leg portion and the second elastic leg portion can cooperate with the rotatable component 20 in any other suitable manner to keep the rotatable component 20 fixed in place relative to the fixed component 10.

[0107] In some exemplary embodiments, a strip portion 161 extending downward in the vertical direction is formed at the lower edge portion of the fourth side wall 16 of the cylindrical portion 110, and during the rotation of the rotatable component 20 relative to the fixed component 10, the free end of the strip portion 161 can contact the first convex portion 205 or the second convex portion 206 and slide through the first convex portion 205 or the second convex portion 206.

[0108] For example, in the process of switching the locking mechanism 1 from the unlocking position B to the locking position A, when the locking mechanism 1 is initially in the unlocking position B, the protrusion 111 of the fixing member 10 abuts against the first stopper 210 of the guide 21, the first concave portion 102 of the first elastic leg 112 engages with the second convex portion 206, and the second concave portion 104 of the second elastic leg 114 engages with the first convex portion 205. When the operator starts to rotate the rotatable member 20 relative to the fixing member 10 in the counterclockwise direction F (see FIG. 2 ), the locking mechanism 1 is locked. Figure 4 ) rotates, the first stopper 210 moves away from the protrusion 111, the first concave portion 102 is disengaged from the second convex portion 206, and the second concave portion 104 is disengaged from the first convex portion 205. When the rotatable component 20 rotates 90 degrees relative to the fixed component 10, the free end of the strip 161 contacts the first convex portion 205 and generates a small amount of resistance, so that the operator feels the resistance and receives the information that the rotatable component 20 is switching positions. Under the action of the force continuously applied by the operator, the strip 161 slides past the first convex portion 205. The rotatable component 20 continues to rotate counterclockwise relative to the fixed component 10 until the protrusion 111 abuts against the second stopper 211 of the guide portion 21 (rotated about 180 degrees relative to the unlocked position), so that the locking mechanism is in the locked position. In the locking position A, the first concave portion 102 of the first elastic leg portion 112 is engaged with the first convex portion 205, and the second concave portion 104 of the second elastic leg portion 114 is engaged with the second convex portion 206 (eg, Figure 7 ). In the process of switching the locking mechanism 1 from the unlocked position B to the locked position A, the strip 161 provides the operator with information about the rotation state of the rotatable component 20. If the operator does not feel the strip 161 touching the corresponding convex portion, the operator can determine that the rotatable component 20 may be disengaged from the mounting component 10. In this case, the operator can adjust the operation in time and perform additional inspections on the locking mechanism 1. It should be understood that the process of operating the locking mechanism 1 from the locked position A to the unlocked position B is opposite to the locking process described above.

[0109] In some exemplary embodiments, Figure 6 , Figure 8 , Fig.11 and Fig.12As shown, a plurality of protruding ribs 209 are provided near the proximal end 204 of the rotatable component 20, and the plurality of protruding ribs 209 are arranged in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion of the columnar portion 230 of the rotatable component 20, and protrude outward in the radial direction. When the locking mechanism 1 is inserted through the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5, the upper surfaces of the plurality of protruding ribs 209 in the vertical direction at least partially contact the lower surface of the second printed circuit board 5, thereby tightly holding the lower surface of the second printed circuit board 5 to the protruding ribs 209. In some exemplary embodiments, in a cross section of the locking mechanism 1 perpendicular to the vertical direction Y, the plurality of protruding ribs 209 are provided on the radial inner side of the cylindrical portion 110. In other words, the outer contour shape of the plurality of protruding ribs 209 does not extend beyond the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 110 in the radial direction.

[0110] exist Fig.11 and Fig.12 In the illustrated embodiment, three protruding ribs 209 are shown, two of which are disposed on opposite sides of the columnar portion 230 in the transverse direction Y and are mirrored with respect to a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction Y and passing through the rotation axis E of the columnar portion 230. It should be understood that the size, number, position and arrangement of the protruding ribs are not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and may be adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0111] In some exemplary embodiments, Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, the columnar portion 230 includes a mounting portion 208 corresponding to the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5, and the mounting portion 208 is disposed between the connecting flange portion 207 and the protruding rib 209 in the vertical direction. Fig.13 and Fig.14 As shown, the inner surface of the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5 includes a plurality of rotation limiting portions 53 in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the mounting portion 208, at least one of the rotation limiting portions 53 is formed to have an arc shape, and the size of the mounting portion 208 in the vertical direction is set to correspond to the thickness of the second printed circuit board 5, for example, approximately equal to the thickness of the second printed circuit board 5.

[0112] exist Fig.14 In the illustrated embodiment, the inner surface of the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5 includes three rotation limiting portions, which limit the range of motion of the columnar portion 230 of the rotatable component 20 so that the columnar portion 230 of the rotatable component 20 does not deviate during the rotation process. It should be understood that the number, position and arrangement of the rotation limiting portions of the opening 501 are not limited to the illustrated specific embodiments and can be adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0113] In some exemplary embodiments, Fig.14 As shown, the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5 is formed to have a substantially T-shape and has a first elongated portion and a second elongated portion perpendicular to the first elongated portion. When the locking mechanism 1 is inserted through the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5 and is in the unlocked position or the locked position, the dimension of the locking mechanism 1 in the lateral direction Y corresponds to the dimension of the first elongated portion in the lateral direction Y, and in the projection of the electronic system 100 perpendicular to the vertical direction Y, the strip 161 of the fixing member 10 is arranged in the second elongated portion of the opening 501.

[0114] In some exemplary embodiments, the rotatable component 20 is configured to be electrically insulating, and the fixed component 10 is configured to be electrically conductive. For example, the fixed component 10 can be formed of a conductive material such as copper or stainless steel. The rotatable component 20 can be made of an insulating material. Insulating materials suitable for manufacturing the rotatable component 20 include, but are not limited to, plastic, nylon, liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), high temperature nylon or polyphenylene oxide (PPO) or polypropylene (PP).

[0115] In some exemplary embodiments, the first printed circuit board 3 may include a first conductive portion 320 disposed on a lower surface of the first printed circuit board 3 (see Figure 3 ), the first conductive portion 320 is disposed adjacent to the notch 301. Figure 6 As shown, when the locking mechanism 1 is inserted through the notch 301 of the first printed circuit board 3 and the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5 , the first surface 171 of the first cantilever portion 17 of the fixing component 10 engages with the first conductive portion 320 and establishes electrical contact with the first conductive portion 320 .

[0116] In some exemplary embodiments, the second printed circuit board 5 includes a second conductive portion 520 disposed on the upper surface of the second printed circuit board 5 and adjacent to the opening 501 (see Figure 2 ). When the locking mechanism 1 is inserted through the notch 301 of the first printed circuit board 3 and the opening 501 of the second printed circuit board 5, the fourth surface 193 of the second cantilever portion 19 of the fixing member 10 engages with the second conductive portion 520 and establishes electrical contact with the second conductive portion 520. In some examples, one of the first conductive portion 320 and the second conductive portion 520 may be formed to have a trapezoidal, fan-shaped, square, semicircular, or annular shape.

[0117] In this way, the conductive portion 320 of the first printed circuit board 3 and the second conductive portion 520 of the second printed circuit board 5 can be electrically connected together by using the fixing component 10. The first cantilever portion 17 and the second cantilever portion 19 of the fixing component 10 are designed to have a large contact area with the corresponding circuit board, thereby improving the connection reliability. In addition, this configuration can provide a grounding path between the first printed circuit board 3 and the second printed circuit board 5 to achieve a design to avoid electromagnetic interference (EMI design).

[0118] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present application, a method for operating a locking mechanism is provided, which may include: providing a first plate, providing a recess 301 at a first end of the first plate; providing a second plate, providing an opening 501 in the second plate; providing a locking mechanism 1, which can be switched between a locking position A and an unlocking position B in a rotatable manner; aligning the locking mechanism 1 with the recess 301 of the first plate and the opening 501 of the second plate in a vertical direction Z; rotating the locking mechanism 1 to the unlocking position B, and inserting the locking mechanism 1 through the recess 301 of the first plate and the opening 501 of the second plate, and rotating the locking mechanism 1 to the locking position A, so that the locking mechanism 1 is non-removable relative to the first plate and the second plate, thereby keeping the first end 31 of the first plate fixed relative to the second plate.

[0119] In some exemplary embodiments of the present application, providing the locking mechanism 1 may include configuring the locking mechanism 1 to include a rotatable component 20 including a columnar portion 230 extending in a vertical direction and a stopper 240 protruding from at least a portion of an upper portion of the columnar portion 230 .

[0120] Rotating the locking mechanism 1 to the locked position A may include: rotating the rotatable component 20 so that at least a portion of the stop portion 240 extends beyond the recess 301 in the horizontal direction on the upper surface of the first plate to prevent the first end 31 of the first plate from moving in the vertical direction Z, thereby placing the locking mechanism 1 in the locked position, and rotating the locking mechanism 1 to the unlocked position B may include: rotating the rotatable component 20 so that the stop portion 240 is away from the upper surface of the first plate, thereby placing the locking mechanism 1 in the unlocked position.

[0121] In some exemplary embodiments of the present application, providing a locking mechanism 1 may include: configuring the locking mechanism 1 to include a fixing component 10, the fixing component 10 includes a cylindrical portion 110 formed to extend along a vertical direction Z, sleeved on the outside of the columnar portion 230 of the rotatable component 20, and inserting the locking mechanism 1 through the recess 301 of the first plate and the opening 501 of the second plate includes: arranging the cylindrical portion 110 between the first plate and the second plate.

[0122] In some exemplary embodiments of the present application, providing a locking mechanism 1 may include: configuring the rotatable component 20 to include a guide portion 21 arranged along the outer circumferential portion of the rotatable component 20, the guide portion 21 including a guide surface 270 extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction Z, the guide portion 21 including a first stop portion 210 and a second stop portion 211 extending in the vertical direction; and configuring the fixed component 10 to include a protrusion 111 extending toward the inner side of the fixed component 10; and rotating the locking mechanism 1 to a locked position may include: rotating the rotatable component 20 relative to the fixed component 10 so that the protrusion 111 moves away from the first stop portion 210 along the guide surface 270 until the protrusion 111 abuts against the second stop portion 211.

[0123] In some exemplary embodiments of the present application, providing a locking mechanism may include: configuring the cylindrical portion 110 of the locking mechanism 1 to include a first side wall 11 and a second side wall 12 opposite to the first side wall 11 in a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the vertical direction Z, wherein the protrusion 111 is disposed at a central portion of an upper edge portion of the first side wall 11; and configuring the cylindrical portion 110 of the fixing component 10 to include a third side wall 15 and a fourth side wall 16 opposite to the third side wall 15 in a horizontal direction X, wherein the third side wall 15 is provided with a first cantilever portion 17 and a second cantilever portion 18 both extending along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z and spaced apart from each other. The cantilever portion 19, the first cantilever portion 17 is arranged above the second cantilever portion 19 in the vertical direction, the first cantilever portion 17 includes a first surface 171 and a second surface 173 opposite to the first surface, the second cantilever portion 19 includes a third surface 191 opposite to the second surface of the first cantilever portion 17 and a fourth surface 193 opposite to the third surface; and inserting the locking mechanism 1 through the recess 301 of the first plate and the opening 501 of the second plate includes: the first surface 171 of the first cantilever portion 17 is pressed against the lower surface of the first plate; and the fourth surface 193 of the second cantilever portion 19 is pressed against the upper surface of the second plate.

[0124] In some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the method may include: while keeping the first end 31 of the first plate fixed relative to the second plate, rotating the locking mechanism 1 to the unlocking position B to remove the locking mechanism 1 from the recess 301 of the first plate and the opening 501 of the second plate.

[0125] In some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the method may include: configuring the first board member as a first printed circuit board 3 , and configuring the second board member as a second printed circuit board 5 .

[0126] In some exemplary embodiments of the present application, the method may include: providing a first conductive portion 320 on the lower surface of the first printed circuit board 3, the first conductive portion 320 being arranged adjacent to the recess 301; providing a second conductive portion 520 on the upper surface of the second printed circuit board 5, the second conductive portion 520 being arranged adjacent to the opening 501; wherein inserting the locking mechanism 1 through the recess 301 of the first plate and the opening 501 of the second plate includes: engaging the first surface 171 of the first cantilever portion 17 of the fixing component 10 with the first conductive portion 320 and establishing electrical contact with the first conductive portion 320; and engaging the fourth surface 193 of the second cantilever portion 19 of the fixing component 10 with the second conductive portion 520 and establishing electrical contact with the second conductive portion 520.

[0127] Through the method for operating the locking mechanism provided by the present application, the user can use the locking mechanism to keep the first plate fixed relative to the second plate in a releasable manner without the need for additional tools and / or processes, and the operation process is simple and reliable. The locking mechanism can be conveniently installed and disassembled, and can be reused. For example, the locking mechanism can be easily removed from an opening of the second plate and installed in another opening of the second plate, so that it can be matched with first plates of different lengths.

[0128] It should be understood that the method of operating the locking mechanism of the present application is not limited to the method described in the above specific embodiments, and the various steps described only involve a non-exhaustive enumeration and have no specific order. Those skilled in the art can adjust the order of the steps according to actual conditions.

[0129] Although the present application has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described and shown in detail herein. Various changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope defined by the claims of the present application.

[0130] The features mentioned and / or shown in the above description of the exemplary embodiments of the present application may be combined in the same or similar manner into one or more other embodiments, combined with the features in other embodiments or substituted for the corresponding features in other embodiments. The technical solutions obtained by these combinations or substitutions shall also be deemed to be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism, the locking mechanism (1) comprising a fixed component (10) and a rotatable component (20) rotatably connected to the fixed component (10), wherein: The rotatable component (20) includes a columnar portion (230) extending along a vertical direction (Z) and a stopper portion (240) protruding from at least a portion of an upper portion of the columnar portion (230); the fixed component (10) includes a cylindrical portion (110) formed to extend along the vertical direction (Z); the cylindrical portion (110) is sleeved on the outer side of the columnar portion (230) of the rotatable component (20), so that the columnar portion (230) can rotate relative to the cylindrical portion (110), thereby enabling the locking mechanism (1) to switch between a locked position (A) and an unlocked position (B).

2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The rotatable component (20) comprises a distal end (202) provided with the stopper (240), a proximal end (204) opposite to the distal end (202), and a connecting flange (207) provided between the distal end (202) and the proximal end (204), a guide portion (21) being provided at an upper portion of the connecting flange (207), the guide portion (21) comprising a guide surface (270) extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z) and a first stopper (210) and a second stopper (211) extending in the vertical direction, and the guide portion (21) being formed as a semi-annular step portion; The cylindrical portion (110) includes a protrusion (111), and during the rotation of the columnar portion (230) relative to the cylindrical portion (110), the protrusion (111) can move between the first stop portion (210) and the second stop portion (211) along the guide surface (270), and when the locking mechanism (1) is in the unlocking position (B), the protrusion (111) abuts against the first stop portion (210); when the locking mechanism (1) is in the locking position (A), the protrusion (111) abuts against the second stop portion (211).

3. The locking mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: The first stopper (210) and the second stopper (211) are spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the columnar portion (230).

4. The locking mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: The connecting flange portion (207) includes a groove (29) disposed near the second stopper portion (211), the groove extending through the connecting flange portion (207) in the vertical direction.

5. The locking mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The stopper (240) of the rotatable component (20) protrudes in the horizontal direction (X) toward the side where the guide portion (21) is located, and is tapered in a direction away from the rotation axis (E) of the rotatable component (20).

6. The locking mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The cylindrical portion (110) is formed to have a substantially square shape, the central axis of the cylindrical portion (110) coincides with the rotation axis of the columnar portion (230), the cylindrical portion (110) includes a first side wall (11) and a second side wall (12) opposite to the first side wall (11) in a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z), and the protrusion (111) is arranged at the central portion of the upper edge portion of the first side wall (11) and extends toward the inner side of the cylindrical portion.

7. The locking mechanism according to claim 6, wherein: The cylindrical portion (110) includes a third side wall (15) and a fourth side wall (16) opposite to the third side wall (15) in a horizontal direction (X) perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z) and the transverse direction (Y), the third side wall (15) being provided with a first cantilever portion (17) and a second cantilever portion (19), the first cantilever portion (17) and the second cantilever portion (19) both extending along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z) and spaced apart from each other, and the first cantilever portion (17) being provided above the second cantilever portion (19) in the vertical direction.

8. The locking mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: The first cantilever portion (17) and the second cantilever portion (19) have the following cross-sectional shapes in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z): semicircular, trapezoidal, fan-shaped, square, or irregular.

9. The locking mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: The fixed component (10) further comprises a first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) extending downwardly along the vertical direction at a central portion of the first side wall (11), and a second elastic leg-shaped portion (114) extending downwardly along the vertical direction at a central portion of the second side wall (12), the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) and the second elastic leg-shaped portion (114) being mirror images with respect to a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction (Y) and passing through a transverse central axis of the fixed component (10), the rotatable component (20) being provided with a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion associated with the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) and the second elastic leg-shaped portion (114), When the locking mechanism (1) is in the unlocking position or the locking position, one of the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) and the second elastic leg-shaped portion (114) is engaged with the first engaging portion, and the other of the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) and the second elastic leg-shaped portion (114) is engaged with the second engaging portion.

10. The locking mechanism according to claim 9, wherein: The first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) includes a first end portion connected to the lower edge portion of the first side wall (11), a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and an arched portion arranged between the first end portion and the second end portion. When the locking mechanism is in the unlocking position or the locking position, the second end portion of the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) cooperates with the first engaging portion or the second engaging portion of the rotatable component (20).

11. The locking mechanism according to claim 10, wherein: The second end of the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) is provided with a first concave portion (102), and the second end of the second elastic leg-shaped portion (114) is provided with a second concave portion (104); and The first engaging portion (231) of the rotatable component (20) includes a first convex portion (205) arranged near the proximal end (204), and the second engaging portion (233) of the rotatable component (20) includes a second convex portion (206) arranged near the proximal end (204), and the first convex portion and the second convex portion are arranged to be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotatable component (20), wherein, when the locking mechanism is in the locking position or the unlocking position, one of the first concave portion (102) and the second concave portion (104) engages with the first convex portion (205), and the other of the first concave portion (102) and the second concave portion (104) engages with the second convex portion (206).

12. The locking mechanism according to claim 11, wherein: A strip portion (161) extending downwardly along the vertical direction is formed at the lower edge portion of the fourth side wall (16) of the cylindrical portion (110), and during the rotation of the rotatable component (20) relative to the fixed component (10), the free end of the strip portion (161) is capable of contacting the first convex portion (205) or the second convex portion (206) and sliding through the first convex portion or the second convex portion.

13. The locking mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: A plurality of protruding ribs (209) are provided near the proximal end portion (204) of the rotatable component (20), and the plurality of protruding ribs are arranged in a circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the columnar portion (230) of the rotatable component (20) and protrude outward in a radial direction. In a projection of the locking mechanism perpendicular to the vertical direction, the plurality of protruding ribs are provided on the radial inner side of the cylindrical portion (110).

14. The locking mechanism according to claim 13, wherein: The columnar portion (230) includes a mounting portion (208) disposed between the connecting flange portion (207) and the protruding rib (209) in the vertical direction, and the connecting flange portion (207) and the protruding rib (209) extend beyond the outer circumferential surface of the mounting portion (208) in the radial direction.

15. The locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The rotatable part (20) is designed to be electrically insulating, and the stationary part (10) is designed to be electrically conductive.

16. An electronic system, the electronic system (100) comprising: A first printed circuit board (3); A second printed circuit board (5); as well as Locking mechanism (1), The locking mechanism (1) is configured to hold the first printed circuit board (3) to the second printed circuit board (5) in a releasable manner, wherein the first printed circuit board (3) comprises a recess (301) arranged at a first end (31) of the first printed circuit board (3) for inserting the locking mechanism (1), The second printed circuit board (5) comprises an opening (501) for inserting the locking mechanism (1), characterized in that the locking mechanism (1) can be switched between a locking position (A) and an unlocking position (B) in a rotatable manner, in which, in the locking position (A), the locking mechanism (1) is inserted through the recess (301) of the first printed circuit board (3) and the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5) and is non-removable relative to the first printed circuit board (3) and the second printed circuit board (5) to keep the first end (31) of the first printed circuit board (3) fixed relative to the second printed circuit board (5); in the unlocking position (B), the locking mechanism (1) can be inserted through the recess (301) of the first printed circuit board (3) and the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5) in a removable manner, and the first end (31) of the first printed circuit board (3) is not fixed relative to the second printed circuit board (5).

17. The electronic system according to claim 16, wherein: The locking mechanism (1) comprises a rotatable component (20), the rotatable component (20) comprising a columnar portion (230) extending in a vertical direction and a stopper portion (240) protruding from at least a portion of an upper portion of the columnar portion (230), the rotatable component (20) being capable of being rotated such that at least a portion of the stopper portion (240) extends beyond the recess (301) in a horizontal direction on an upper surface of the first printed circuit board (3) to prevent the first end portion (31) of the first printed circuit board (3) from moving in a vertical direction (Z), thereby placing the locking mechanism (1) in the locking position (A), and the rotatable component (20) being capable of being rotated such that the stopper portion (240) is away from the upper surface of the first printed circuit board (3), thereby placing the locking mechanism (1) in the unlocking position (B).

18. The electronic system according to claim 17, wherein: The locking mechanism (1) comprises a fixing component (10), the fixing component (10) comprising a cylindrical portion (110) formed to extend along the vertical direction (Z), the cylindrical portion (110) being sleeved on the outer side of the columnar portion (230) of the rotatable component (20) so that the columnar portion (230) can rotate relative to the cylindrical portion (110), and when the locking mechanism (1) is inserted through the recess (301) of the first printed circuit board (3) and the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5), the cylindrical portion (110) is arranged between the first printed circuit board (3) and the second printed circuit board (5).

19. The electronic system according to claim 18, wherein: The rotatable component (20) comprises a distal end (202) provided with the stopper (240), a proximal end (204) opposite to the distal end (202), and a connecting flange (207) provided between the distal end (202) and the proximal end (204), a guide portion (21) being provided at an upper portion of the connecting flange (207), the guide portion (21) comprising a guide surface (270) extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z) and a first stopper (210) and a second stopper (211) extending in the vertical direction, and the guide portion (21) being formed as a semi-annular step portion; as well as The cylindrical portion (110) includes a protrusion (111) which is movable along the guide surface (270) between the first stopper (210) and the second stopper (211) during rotation of the columnar portion (230) relative to the cylindrical portion (110). When the locking mechanism (1) is in the unlocking position (B), the protrusion (111) abuts against the first stopper (210), and when the locking mechanism (1) is in the locking position (A), the protrusion (111) abuts against the second stopper (211).

20. The electronic system according to claim 19, wherein: The first stopper (210) and the second stopper (211) are spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the columnar portion (230).

21. The electronic system according to claim 19, wherein: The connecting flange portion (207) includes a groove (29) disposed near the second stopper portion (211), the groove extending through the connecting flange portion (207) in the vertical direction.

22. The electronic system according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein: The stopper portion (240) of the rotatable component (20) protrudes in the horizontal direction (X) toward the side where the guide portion (21) is located, and is tapered in a direction away from the rotation axis of the rotatable component (20).

23. The electronic system according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein: The cylindrical portion (110) includes a first side wall (11) and a second side wall (12) opposite to the first side wall (11) in a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z), and the protrusion (111) is arranged at the central part of the upper edge of the first side wall (11) and extends toward the inner side of the cylindrical portion.

24. The electronic system according to claim 23, wherein: The cylindrical portion (110) comprises a third side wall (15) and a fourth side wall (16) opposite to the third side wall (15) in a horizontal direction (X) perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z) and the transverse direction (Y), the third side wall (15) being provided with a first cantilever portion (17) and a second cantilever portion (19), the first cantilever portion (17) and the second cantilever portion (19) both extending along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z) and spaced apart from each other, and the first cantilever portion (17) being provided above the second cantilever portion (19) in the vertical direction, The first cantilever portion (17) comprises a first surface (171) and a second surface (173) opposite to the first surface, the second cantilever portion (19) comprises a third surface (191) opposite to the second surface of the first cantilever portion (17), and a fourth surface (193) opposite to the third surface, and when the locking mechanism (1) is inserted through the recess (301) of the first printed circuit board (3) and the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5), the first surface (171) of the first cantilever portion (17) abuts against the lower surface of the first printed circuit board (3), and the fourth surface (193) of the second cantilever portion (19) abuts against the upper surface of the second printed circuit board (5).

25. The electronic system of claim 24, wherein: The first cantilever portion (17) and the second cantilever portion (19) have the following cross-sectional shapes in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z): semicircular, trapezoidal, fan-shaped, square, or irregular.

26. The electronic system of claim 24, wherein: The fixing component (10) further comprises a first elastic leg portion (112) extending downwardly along the vertical direction at a central portion of the first side wall (11), and a second elastic leg portion (114) extending downwardly along the vertical direction at a central portion of the second side wall (12), wherein the first elastic leg portion (112) and the second elastic leg portion (114) are mirror images with respect to a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction (Y) and passing through a transverse central axis of the fixing component (10), The rotatable member (20) is provided with a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion associated with the first elastic leg portion (112) and the second elastic leg portion (114), When the locking mechanism (1) is in the unlocking position or the locking position, one of the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) and the second elastic leg-shaped portion (114) is engaged with the first engaging portion, and the other of the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) and the second elastic leg-shaped portion (114) is engaged with the second engaging portion.

27. The electronic system according to claim 26, wherein: The first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) includes a first end portion connected to the lower edge portion of the first side wall (11), a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and an arched portion arranged between the first end portion and the second end portion. When the locking mechanism is in the unlocking position or the locking position, the second end portion of the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) cooperates with the first engaging portion or the second engaging portion of the rotatable component (20).

28. The electronic system according to claim 27, wherein: The second end of the first elastic leg-shaped portion (112) is provided with a first concave portion (102), and the second end of the second elastic leg-shaped portion (114) is provided with a second concave portion (104); the first engaging portion of the rotatable component (20) includes a first convex portion (205) arranged at the proximal end portion (204), and the second engaging portion (233) of the rotatable component (20) includes a second convex portion (206) arranged at the proximal end portion (204), and the first convex portion and the second convex portion are arranged to be spaced 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotatable component (20), wherein when the locking mechanism is in the locking position or the unlocking position, one of the first concave portion (102) and the second concave portion (104) engages with the first convex portion (205), and the other of the first concave portion (102) and the second concave portion (104) engages with the second convex portion (206).

29. The electronic system of claim 28, wherein: A strip portion (161) extending downwardly along the vertical direction is formed at the lower edge portion of the fourth side wall (16) of the cylindrical portion (110), and during the rotation of the rotatable component (20) relative to the fixed component (10), the free end of the strip portion (161) is capable of contacting the first convex portion (205) or the second convex portion (206) and sliding through the first convex portion or the second convex portion.

30. The electronic system according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein: A plurality of protruding ribs (209) are provided near the proximal end portion (204) of the rotatable component (20), and the plurality of protruding ribs are arranged in a circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the columnar portion (230) of the rotatable component (20) and protrude outward in a radial direction, and when the locking mechanism (1) is inserted through the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5), the upper surface of the protruding ribs (209) in the vertical direction at least partially contacts the lower surface of the second printed circuit board (5).

31. The electronic system of claim 30, wherein: The columnar portion (230) includes a mounting portion (208) corresponding to the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5), the mounting portion (208) being arranged between the connecting flange portion (207) and the protruding rib (209) in the vertical direction, the inner surface of the opening of the second printed circuit board (5) including a plurality of rotation limiting portions (53) capable of contacting the outer circumferential surface of the mounting portion (208), at least one of the rotation limiting portions (53) being formed to have an arc shape, and the size of the mounting portion (208) in the vertical direction being arranged to correspond to the thickness of the second printed circuit board (5).

32. The electronic system of claim 29, wherein: The opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5) has a first elongated portion and a second elongated portion perpendicular to the first elongated portion, and when the locking mechanism (1) is inserted through the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5) and is in the unlocked position or the locked position, the size of the locking mechanism (1) in the transverse direction (Y) corresponds to the size of the first elongated portion in the transverse direction (Y), and in a projection of the electronic system perpendicular to the vertical direction, the strip portion (161) of the fixing component (10) is arranged in the second elongated portion of the opening (501).

33. The electronic system of claim 24, wherein: The rotatable component (20) is configured to be electrically insulating, and the fixed component (10) is configured to be electrically conductive; The first printed circuit board (3) comprises a first conductive portion (320) disposed on a lower surface of the first printed circuit board (3) and adjacent to the recess (301), and when the locking mechanism (1) is inserted through the recess (301) of the first printed circuit board (3) and the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5), the first surface (171) of the first cantilever portion (17) of the fixing member (10) engages with the first conductive portion (320) and establishes electrical contact with the first conductive portion (320); The second printed circuit board (5) comprises a second conductive portion (520) arranged on the upper surface of the second printed circuit board (5) and adjacent to the opening (501), and when the locking mechanism (1) is inserted through the recess (301) of the first printed circuit board (3) and the opening (501) of the second printed circuit board (5), the fourth surface (193) of the second cantilever portion (19) of the fixing component (10) engages with the second conductive portion (520) and establishes electrical contact with the second conductive portion.

34. A method for operating a locking mechanism, wherein: The method comprises: Providing a first plate, providing a notch (301) at a first end of the first plate; providing a second plate, providing an opening (501) in the second plate; A locking mechanism (1) is provided, wherein the locking mechanism (1) can be switched between a locking position (A) and an unlocking position (B) in a rotatable manner; aligning the locking mechanism (1) with the recess (301) of the first plate and the opening (501) of the second plate in a vertical direction (Z); The locking mechanism (1) is rotated to the unlocked position (B), and the locking mechanism (1) is inserted through the recess (301) of the first plate and the opening (501) of the second plate, and the locking mechanism (1) is rotated to the locked position (A), so that the locking mechanism (1) is non-removable relative to the first plate and the second plate, and the first end (31) of the first plate is kept fixed relative to the second plate.

35. A method for operating a locking mechanism according to claim 34, wherein: Providing a locking mechanism (1) includes: configuring the locking mechanism (1) to include a rotatable component (20), the rotatable component (20) including a columnar portion (230) extending in a vertical direction and a stopper (240) protruding from at least a portion of an upper portion of the columnar portion (230); Rotating the locking mechanism (1) to the locking position (A) comprises: rotating the rotatable component (20) so that at least a portion of the stopper (240) extends beyond the recess (301) in a horizontal direction on the upper surface of the first plate to prevent the first end (31) of the first plate from moving in a vertical direction (Z), thereby placing the locking mechanism (1) in the locking position (A); and Rotating the locking mechanism (1) to the unlocking position (B) comprises: rotating the rotatable component (20) so that the stopper (240) is away from the upper surface of the first plate, thereby placing the locking mechanism (1) in the unlocking position (B).

36. A method for operating a locking mechanism according to claim 35, wherein: Providing a locking mechanism (1) comprises: configuring the locking mechanism (1) to include a fixing component (10), the fixing component (10) including a cylindrical portion (110) formed to extend along the vertical direction (Z), the cylindrical portion (110) being sleeved on the outer side of the columnar portion (230) of the rotatable component (20), and Inserting the locking mechanism (1) through the recess (301) of the first plate and the opening (501) of the second plate comprises arranging the cylindrical portion (110) between the first plate and the second plate.

37. A method for operating a locking mechanism according to claim 36, wherein: A locking mechanism (1) is provided, comprising: configuring the rotatable component (20) to include a guide portion (21) provided along an outer circumferential portion of the rotatable component (20), the guide portion (21) including a guide surface (270) extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z), the guide portion (21) including a first stop portion (210) and a second stop portion (211) extending in the vertical direction; and configuring the fixed component (10) to include a protrusion (111) extending toward the inner side of the fixed component (10); and Rotating the locking mechanism (1) to the locking position comprises rotating the rotatable component (20) relative to the fixed component (10) so that the protrusion (111) moves away from the first stop portion (210) along the guide surface (270) until the protrusion (111) abuts against the second stop portion (211).

38. A method for operating a locking mechanism according to claim 37, wherein: Providing a locking mechanism comprises: configuring the cylindrical portion (110) of the locking mechanism (1) to include a first side wall (11) and a second side wall (12) opposite to the first side wall (11) in a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z), the protrusion (111) being provided at a central portion of an upper edge portion of the first side wall (11); and The cylindrical portion (110) of the fixing member (10) is configured to include a third side wall (15) and a fourth side wall (16) opposite to the third side wall (15) in a horizontal direction (X), the third side wall (15) being provided with a first cantilever portion (17) and a second cantilever portion (19) both extending along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction (Z) and spaced apart from each other, the first cantilever portion (17) being provided above the second cantilever portion (19) in the vertical direction, the first cantilever portion (17) including a first surface (171) and a second surface (173) opposite to the first surface, the second cantilever portion (19) including a third surface (191) opposite to the second surface of the first cantilever portion (17) and a fourth surface (193) opposite to the third surface; and Inserting the locking mechanism (1) through the recess (301) of the first plate and the opening (501) of the second plate comprises: abutting the first surface (171) of the first cantilever portion (17) against the lower surface of the first plate; and abutting the fourth surface (193) of the second cantilever portion (19) against the upper surface of the second plate.

39. The method for operating a locking mechanism according to claim 34, wherein: The method comprises: while keeping the first end (31) of the first plate fixed relative to the second plate, rotating the locking mechanism (1) to the unlocked position (B) to remove the locking mechanism (1) from the recess (301) of the first plate and the opening (501) of the second plate.

40. A method for operating a locking mechanism according to any one of claims 34 to 39, wherein: The method comprises: constructing the first board component into a first printed circuit board (3), and constructing the second board component into a second printed circuit board (5).

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