Electronic assembly and electronic apparatus

Abstract

An electronic component is disclosed for mounting in a housing of an electronic device. The electronic component includes an electronic device, a limiting member, and a fixing member. The fixing member includes a stop structure that protrudes from a surface of the fixing member perpendicular to a first direction. When the electronic device is mounted in the housing along the first direction and is in a fixed position, the limiting member is partially embedded in the electronic device and partially embedded in the housing, and the stop structure prevents the electronic device from disengaging from the housing along a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic component and an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic component that is easy to assemble and disassemble, and an electronic device comprising the same electronic component. Prior Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, and artificial intelligence (AI), electronic devices with massive information processing capabilities play an indispensable role. Generally, multiple different and / or identical electronic devices can be installed in the chassis or rack of an electronic device to achieve the desired functions. Taking a server as an example, a server contains various electronic devices such as a motherboard, central processing unit (CPU), memory, chipset, hard drive, network card, power supply, and fan, providing powerful computing capabilities and the ability to store large amounts of data to meet the needs of users.

[0003] Traditionally, electronic devices are secured to the housing or frame of electronic devices using screws. However, screw fastening can result in chipped screws and damage to the device. Furthermore, to provide a stable fastening relationship, multiple screws are often required for a single device. As the number of devices increases, more fastening steps are needed, significantly increasing the time required for assembling and repairing electronic equipment. Therefore, improving the way electronic devices are mounted on electronic equipment to reduce the likelihood of damage and save time on assembly and repair is a continuous goal for industry players. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic component is provided for mounting in a housing of an electronic device. The electronic component includes an electronic device, a limiting member, and a fixing member. The fixing member includes a stop structure. The stop structure protrudes from a surface of the fixing member perpendicular to a first direction. When the electronic device is mounted in the housing along the first direction and is in a fixed position, the limiting member is partially embedded in the electronic device and partially embedded in the housing, and the stop structure prevents the electronic device from disengaging from the housing along a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0005] According to another embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device is provided, comprising a housing and an electronic component. The electronic component is mounted on the housing. The electronic component includes an electronic device, a limiting member, and a fixing member. The fixing member includes a stop structure. The stop structure protrudes from a surface of the fixing member perpendicular to a first direction. When the electronic device is mounted on the housing along the first direction and is in a fixed position, the limiting member is partially embedded in the electronic device and partially embedded in the housing, and the stop structure prevents the electronic device from disengaging from the housing along a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0006] Compared to prior art, the electronic components of the present invention use limiting members and fixing members to fix the electronic device to the housing. Compared to using screws to lock the electronic device to the housing, the electronic components of the present invention have the advantages of easy assembly and disassembly, and can avoid damage to the electronic device due to broken screws. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electronic component and a housing in an assembled state according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded view of the electronic components and casing in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a partial exploded view of the electronic components in Figure 1, used to illustrate the assembly of the electronic components. Figure 4 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the electronic components in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the electronic components and the housing in the separated state in Figure 1, used to illustrate the assembly of the electronic components and the housing. Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the cross-section along section line A-A' in Figure 1. Figure 7 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the limiting component in Figure 1. Figure 8 is a perspective view of an electronic component and housing in an assembled state according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is an exploded view of the electronic components and housing in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a partial exploded view of the electronic components and housing in Figure 8, used to illustrate the assembly of the electronic components and housing. Figure 11 is a perspective view of an electronic device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0008] The foregoing description and other technical contents, features, and effects of this invention will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. To make the content of this invention clearer and easier to understand, the following drawings are simplified schematic diagrams, and the elements therein may not be drawn to scale. Furthermore, the number and size of the elements in the drawings are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. The directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as up, down, left, right, front, back, bottom, and top, are only for reference to the directions in the drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the invention. In addition, in the following embodiments, the same or similar elements will be referred to by the same or similar reference numerals.

[0009] The following description of "the first feature is formed on or above the second feature" can refer to "the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact" or "there are other features between the first feature and the second feature" so that the first feature and the second feature are not in direct contact.

[0010] This invention uses terms such as "first," "second," etc., to describe elements, regions, layers, and / or sections. However, it should be understood that these terms are only used to distinguish one element, region, layer, and / or section from another, and do not inherently imply or represent any prior ordinal number of the element, nor do they represent the arrangement order of one element with another, or the order of manufacturing methods. Therefore, without departing from the scope of the specific embodiments of this invention, the first element, region, layer, and / or section discussed below may also be referred to as the second element, region, layer, and / or section. These terms in the claims may not be the same as those in the specification, and may be replaced by "first," "second," "third," etc., according to the order of element declaration in the claims.

[0011] In this invention, for ease of explanation, some diagrams are used in conjunction with the XYZ rectangular coordinate system for description. In the following text, the first direction is exemplified by the +Y direction, and the second direction by the -Y direction. When a direction is perpendicular to either the first or second direction, the direction can be any direction on the XZ plane, such as the +X direction, -X direction, +Z direction, -Z direction, or other directions on the XZ plane.

[0012] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the electronic component 3 and the housing 20 in an assembled state according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded view of the electronic component 3 and the housing 20 in Figure 1. The present invention provides an electronic component 3 for mounting on the housing 20 of an electronic device. The electronic component 3 includes an electronic device 30, a limiting member 32, and a fixing member 34. The limiting member 32 may include a first part 320 and a second part 322 sequentially arranged along a first direction (e.g., the +Y direction). The fixing member 34 includes a stop structure 354. The stop structure 354 protrudes perpendicularly to the first direction (for example, protruding parallel to the Z direction) from the surface S3 of the fixing member 34. When the electronic device 30 is installed in the housing 20 along the first direction and is in a fixed position, as shown in Figure 1, the first part 320 of the limiting member 32 is embedded in the electronic device 30, the second part 322 of the limiting member 32 is embedded in the housing 20, and the stop structure 354 stops the electronic device 30 from disengaging from the fixing member 34 along the second direction opposite to the first direction (for example, the -Y direction). Since the fixing member 34 is fixed to the housing 20 at this time, it can also be regarded as the stop structure 354 stopping the electronic device 30 from disengaging from the housing 20 along the second direction opposite to the first direction (for example, the -Y direction). Therefore, the stop structure 354 can provide a limiting function for the electronic device 30 parallel to the first direction, and the limiting member 32 can provide a limiting function for the electronic device 30 perpendicular to the first direction. The electronic device 30 can be fixed to the housing 20 without using screws, which can avoid the defects caused by using screws, such as broken threads, damage to the electronic device 30, and time-consuming assembly.

[0013] In detail, the electronic device can be an electronic device equipped with at least one electronic device. For example, the electronic device may be equipped with electronic device 30, and optionally with other electronic devices, the number of electronic device 30 and other electronic devices can be independent of each other as one or more. For example, the electronic device may be a personal computer or a server, and electronic device 30 may be one of the electronic devices in the personal computer or server, such as a power supply, memory, or fan, but is not limited thereto. The type and number of electronic devices 30 can be adjusted according to the type of electronic device. For ease of explanation, in this embodiment, electronic device 30 is used as a fan, and housing 20 is a housing in the electronic device specifically designed to house the fan. However, this is only an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0014] The housing 20 may include a back plate 210, a top plate 212, a bottom plate 214, and a side plate 216. The back plate 210, top plate 212, bottom plate 214, and side plate 216 together define an accommodating space 228 for accommodating the electronic device 30. The back plate 210 has a cutout 218 and a fitting portion 220. The cutout 218 includes multiple through holes (not otherwise labeled) corresponding to a fan, allowing airflow generated by the fan to pass through. The fitting portion 220 is used to accommodate the second part 322 of the limiting member 32, providing a limiting function of the limiting member 32 perpendicular to the first direction. The number of fitting portions 220 corresponds to the number of limiting members 32; here, there are four limiting members 32 and four fitting portions 220, and the four fitting portions 220 are located at the four corners of the back plate 210. The fitting portion 220 is illustrated here as a through hole.

[0015] The top plate 212 and the bottom plate 214 may be further provided with a second engaging structure 222. When the electronic device 30 is in a fixed position (see Figure 1), the second engaging structure 222 can engage with the first engaging structure 362 of the limiting member 32. Here, the second engaging structure 222 is illustrated as a slot.

[0016] The electronic device 30 has a first surface S1 and a second surface S2 facing each other in a first direction. When the electronic device 30 is in a fixed position, the stop structure 354 abuts against the first surface S1, and the back plate 210 of the housing 20 abuts against the second surface S2, thereby preventing the electronic device 30 from moving along a direction parallel to the first direction (i.e., the first and second directions). The electronic device 30 has a fitting portion 310 formed on the side facing the limiting member 32. The fitting portion 310 is used for the first portion 320 of the limiting member 32 to be fitted therein, providing a limiting function of the limiting member 32 perpendicular to the first direction. The number of fitting portions 310 corresponds to the number of limiting members 32; here, there are four fitting portions 310, located at the four corners of the side of the electronic device 30 facing the limiting member 32. The fitting portion 310 is illustrated here as a through hole.

[0017] The fastener 34 is illustrated herein as a spring sheet, i.e., a sheet-like structure with elasticity. The fastener 34 may be made of elastic materials such as metal or plastic. In this embodiment, the fastener 34 may include a support plate 342 and two clamping plates 344 disposed opposite each other at the upper and lower ends of the support plate 342, and may optionally include two side plates 346 disposed opposite each other at the left and right ends of the support plate 342.

[0018] The support plate 342 is used for the second surface S2 of the electronic device 30 to abut against. The support plate 342 has holes 340 and fitting portions 352. The holes 340 correspond to the fan and are used to allow airflow generated by the fan to pass through. The fitting portions 352 are used for the fitting of the limiting member 32 to provide a limiting function perpendicular to the first direction. The number of fitting portions 352 corresponds to the number of limiting members 32. Here, there are four fitting portions 352, located at the four corners of the support plate 342. The fitting portions 352 are illustrated here as through holes. It is worth mentioning that the present invention does not limit the number and arrangement of the aforementioned fitting portions and limiting members. For example, the number of fitting portions and limiting members may also be two, respectively located at opposite corners of the support plate, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0019] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along section line A-A' in Figure 1, and Figure 7 is a perspective view of the limiting member 32 in Figure 1. The limiting member 32 includes a first part 320 and a second part 322. The first part 320 is a rod-shaped structure, and the second part 322 is a cap-shaped structure. The second part 322 includes an annular groove 324, which is located on the side of the second part 322 adjacent to the first part 320. The fixing member 34 is correspondingly embedded in the annular groove 324, allowing the limiting member 32 to be fixed to the fixing member 34. The annular groove 324 restricts the displacement of the limiting member 32 relative to the fixing member 34 in a first direction.

[0020] The first part 320 has a diameter R1, the second part 322 has a diameter R2, and the limiting member 32 has a diameter R3 at the corresponding annular groove 324. The diameter R2 is greater than the diameter R3, and the diameter R3 is greater than the diameter R1. In this embodiment, the aperture of the fitting portion 220 of the housing 20 is substantially equal to the diameter R2, or the aperture of the fitting portion 220 of the housing 20 is slightly larger or slightly smaller than the diameter R2. The aperture of the fitting portion 352 of the fastener 34 is substantially equal to the diameter R3, or the aperture of the fitting portion 352 of the fastener 34 is slightly larger or slightly smaller than the diameter R3. The aperture of the fitting portion 310 of the electronic device 30 is substantially equal to the diameter R1, or the aperture of the fitting portion 310 of the electronic device 30 is slightly larger or slightly smaller than the diameter R1. When the electronic device 30 is in a fixed position, there is no gap or almost no gap between the limiting member 32 and the fitting portions 220, 352 and 310, which is beneficial to restrict the displacement of the limiting member 32 perpendicular to the first direction.

[0021] The limiting member 32 may further include a constricted portion 326 disposed at the end of the first portion 320 away from the second portion 322, and the diameter of the constricted portion 326 gradually decreases in the direction away from the second portion 322. In this way, when assembling the electronic component 3, it is beneficial to reduce the accuracy of the alignment between the fitting portion 310 of the electronic device 30 and the limiting member 32, thereby improving assembly efficiency.

[0022] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. The two side plates 346 are bent relative to the bearing plate 342, which can help limit the lateral displacement of the electronic device 30 relative to the fixing member 34 in the direction perpendicular to the first direction (that is, the displacement parallel to the X-axis).

[0023] Two clamping plates 344 are bent relative to the support plate 342. Each clamping plate 344 includes a fixed end 368 and a free end 369 facing each other. The fixed end 368 is connected to the support plate 342, and each clamping plate 344 can pivot up and down relative to the support plate 342 (here, pivoting along the Z-axis). Each clamping plate 344 may include an elastic body 341 and a movable arm 348. The movable arm 348 is integrally connected to the elastic body 341 in a manner that allows it to pivot relative to the elastic body 341 (here, pivoting along the Z-axis). In detail, the movable arm 348 extends outward from the elastic body 341 along a second direction, and a gap G is formed between the movable arm 348 and the elastic body 341.

[0024] The two clamping plates 344 may each be provided with a stop structure 354. The stop structure 354 is disposed on the elastic body 341 and is far from the fixed end 368 (i.e., closer to the free end 369). This facilitates the elastic body 341 to swing relative to the electronic device 30 in a less strenuous manner, thereby causing the stop structure 354 to abut or dismount from the electronic device 30. The stop structure 354 is disposed on the inward-facing surface S3 of the clamping plate 344. The stop structure 354 may include a guide portion 356 and a stop portion 358 arranged sequentially along a first direction. The inclination degree of the guide portion 356 is less than that of the stop portion 358. The aforementioned "inclination degree of the guide portion 356" refers to the inclination degree of the guide portion 356 relative to the surface S3, and the aforementioned "inclination degree of the stop portion 358" refers to the inclination degree of the stop portion 358 relative to the surface S3.

[0025] The two clamping plates 344 may each include an operating part 360 disposed on the elastic body 341. Here, the operating part 360 may be integrally formed on the elastic body 341. The operating part 360 can be operated to cause the elastic body 341 to tilt relative to the electronic device 30, thereby causing the stop structure 354 to disengage from the electronic device 30. For details on this part, please refer to the relevant description below.

[0026] The two clamping plates 344 may be further provided with a first engaging structure 362. The first engaging structure 362 is provided on the movable arm 348, and the first engaging structure 362 can swing up and down relative to the elastic body 341 as the movable arm 348 swings. The first engaging structure 362 is provided on the outer surface S4 of the clamping plate 344. Here, the first engaging structure 362 is exemplified as a hook, and the hook may include a guide part 364 (see Figure 3) and a stop part 366 (see Figure 3) arranged sequentially along the second direction, and the inclination degree of the guide part 364 is less than the inclination degree of the stop part 366. The aforementioned "inclination degree of the guide part 364" refers to the inclination degree of the guide part 364 relative to the surface S4, and the aforementioned "inclination degree of the stop part 366" refers to the inclination degree of the stop part 366 relative to the surface S4.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first engaging structure 362 is a hook, and the second engaging structure 222 is a slot. However, this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the first engaging structure 362 can be a slot, and the second engaging structure 222 can be a hook. The hooks can be respectively disposed on the inward-facing surfaces of the top plate 212 and the bottom plate 214, thus achieving the function of the first engaging structure 362 and the second engaging structure 222 engaging with each other. In other words, whether one of the first engaging structure 362 and the second engaging structure 222 is a hook and the other is a slot, both fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0028] The two clamping plates 344 may further include release parts 350 disposed on the movable arm 348. Here, the release parts 350 may be integrally formed on the movable arm 348. As shown in Figure 1, when the electronic device 30 is in the fixed position, the release parts 350 protrude from the housing 20 along a first direction. The release parts 350 can be operated to cause the movable arm 348 to tilt relative to the housing 20, thereby causing the first engaging structure 362 to disengage from the second engaging structure 222. For details on this part, please refer to the relevant description below.

[0029] In this embodiment, the stop structure 354 can be integrally formed on the elastic body 341, and the first engaging structure 362 can be integrally formed on the movable arm 348. For example, the stop structure 354 and the first engaging structure 362 can be formed by stamping on the elastic body 341 and the movable arm 348 respectively. This helps to reduce the number of parts in the fastener 34. Furthermore, the fastener 34 can be formed entirely by stamping. For example, a metal spring can be provided, and then the fastener 34 can be obtained by stamping, cutting, bending, forming and other steps. That is, the fastener 34 is an integrally formed structure. This helps to simplify the manufacturing process of the fastener 34 and further reduce the number of parts in the fastener 34.

[0030] In this embodiment, there are four stop structures 354 and four first engaging structures 362, and the upper and lower clamping plates 344 are respectively provided with two stop structures 354 and two first engaging structures 362. The number of second engaging structures 222 corresponds to the number of four first engaging structures 362. There are four limiting members 32, and the number of fitting portions 220, 310, and 352 corresponds to the number of limiting members 32. However, this is only an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments, the upper and lower clamping plates 344 may each be provided with only one stop structure 354 and one first engaging structure 362. As another example, there may be two limiting members 32, which may be diagonally arranged on the electronic device 30, the fixing member 34, and the housing 20. In other words, the number and arrangement position of the aforementioned components can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs.

[0031] The method of mounting the electronic device 30 onto the housing 20 is described below. First, the electronic component 3 is assembled, and then the electronic component 3 is mounted onto the housing 20. Referring to Figure 3, first, the limiting member 32 is mounted onto the fixing member 34. Here, the limiting member 32 is inserted through the fitting portion 352, and the fixing member 34 is correspondingly embedded into the annular groove 324 of the limiting member 32 (see Figure 7), thereby fixing the limiting member 32 onto the fixing member 34. Mounting the limiting member 32 onto the fixing member 34 only needs to be done once, and thereafter, the limiting member 32 can remain mounted onto the fixing member 34.

[0032] Next, the electronic device 30 is mounted on the fixing member 34 along the direction of arrow A11 (i.e., the first direction). During the movement of the electronic device 30, when the electronic device 30 contacts the guide portion 356 of the stop structure 354, the electronic device 30 pushes against the guide portion 356, causing the upper elastic body 341 to deflect in the direction of arrow A12 (in this example, the +Z direction) and the lower elastic body 341 to deflect in the direction of arrow A13 (in this example, the -Z direction). When the electronic device 30 continues to move along the direction of arrow A11 and leaves the guide portion 356 to contact the stop portion 358, the elastic force of the elastic body 341 will cause the upper elastic body 341 to deflect in the opposite direction to arrow A12 and the lower elastic body 341 to deflect in the opposite direction to arrow A13, so that the upper and lower elastic bodies 341 return to their original positions. At the same time, the first part 320 of the limiting member 32 will be correspondingly embedded in the fitting part 310 of the electronic device 30. As shown in Figure 4, when the electronic component 3 is assembled, the stop structure 354 abuts against the first surface S1 of the electronic device 30, thereby preventing the electronic device 30 from disengaging from the fixing member 34 along the second direction, and the limiting member 32 restricts the electronic device 30 from displacement perpendicular to the first direction.

[0033] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the electronic component 3 is installed on the housing 20 along the direction of arrow A14 (i.e., the first direction). During the movement of electronic component 3, when the guide part 364 (see Figure 4) of the first engaging structure 362 of electronic component 3 contacts the housing 20, the guide part 364 is pushed by the housing 20, causing the upper movable arm 348 to deflect in the direction of arrow A15 (in this example, the -Z direction) and the lower movable arm 348 to deflect in the direction of arrow A16 (in this example, the +Z direction). When electronic component 3 continues to move until the first engaging structure 362 begins to enter the second engaging structure 222 (in this example, the hook enters the slot), the elasticity of the movable arm 348 will cause the upper movable arm 348 to deflect in the opposite direction of arrow A15 and the lower movable arm 348 to deflect in the opposite direction of arrow A16, until the first engaging structure 362 is fully engaged in the second engaging structure 222 (in this example, the hook is fully engaged in the slot). The upper and lower movable arms 348 return to their original positions. At this time, the first engaging structure 362 engages with the second engaging structure 222. Simultaneously, the second part 322 of the limiting member 32 will be embedded into the fitting part 220 of the housing 20. As shown in Figure 1, when the electronic component 3 and the housing 20 are assembled, the first engaging structure 362 and the second engaging structure 222 engage with each other, and the stop part 366 of the first engaging structure 362 (see Figure 4) abuts against the housing 20 to prevent the electronic component 3 from detaching from the housing 20 along the second direction, and the limiting member 32 restricts the displacement of the electronic component 3 perpendicular to the first direction.

[0034] When the electronic device 30 needs repair or replacement, the disassembly method is as follows. Referring to Figure 1, a downward force F1 and an upward force F2 can be applied to the upper and lower release parts 350 respectively, causing the upper and lower release parts 350 to deflect downwards and upwards respectively. This causes the first engaging structure 362 to disengage from the second engaging structure 222. Then, the electronic component 3 can be pulled away from the housing 20 along the second direction, thus removing the electronic component 3 from the housing 20. Next, referring to Figure 4, an upward force F3 and a downward force F4 can be applied to the upper and lower operating parts 360 respectively, causing the upper and lower elastic bodies 341 to deflect upwards and downwards respectively. This causes the stop structure 354 to disengage from the electronic device 30. Then, the electronic device 30 can be pulled away from the fixing member 34 along the second direction, thus removing the electronic device 30 from the fixing member 34, as shown in Figure 3.

[0035] As can be seen from the above, the elastic body 341 of the present invention is configured to swing relative to the electronic device 30, thereby causing the stop structure 354 to abut or dismount from the electronic device 30. The movable arm 348 of the present invention is configured to swing relative to the housing 20, thereby causing the first engaging structure 362 to engage or dismount from the second engaging structure 222.

[0036] As can be seen from the above description, the electronic device 30 of the present invention is fixed to the housing 20 by the limiting member 32 and the fixing member 34 without the need for screws, which has the advantage of easy assembly and thus enables rapid assembly. When disassembling the electronic device 30, only an upward or downward force needs to be applied to the release part 350 and the operating part 360, along with a pulling action, to remove the electronic device 30 from the housing 20, without the need to remove each locking screw, which has the advantage of easy disassembly and thus enables rapid disassembly. In addition, the gap G formed between the movable arm 348 and the elastic body 341 helps to reduce the force required to deflect the release part 350 during disassembly, further achieving the effect of saving effort.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a perspective view of electronic component 3A and housing 20A in an assembled state according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 9 is an exploded view of electronic component 3A and housing 20A in Figure 8. The difference between electronic component 3A and electronic component 3 is that the structure of fastener 34A and housing 20A is different from the structure of fastener 34 and housing 20.

[0038] In this embodiment, the electronic component 3A includes four fasteners 34A. Each fastener 34A may include an elastic body 341A, a fixing part 347A, and an operating part 360A. The fixing part 347A is disposed at the fixed end 368A of the elastic body 341A, and the operating part 360A is disposed at the free end 369A of the elastic body 341A. That is, the fixing part 347A, the elastic body 341A, and the operating part 360A may be arranged sequentially along a first direction.

[0039] The fastener 34A is fixed to the housing 20A by the fixing part 347A. Here, the fixing part 347A is exemplified to include two rivet structures 345A, and the housing 20A has holes 226 corresponding to the rivet structures 345A for fixing the rivet structures 345A. However, it is not limited to this, the fastener 34A can be fixed to the housing 20A by other fixing means such as riveting, welding or the like.

[0040] The elastic body 341A can be made of a material that provides elasticity, such as metal or plastic. The elastic body 341A includes a fixed end 368A and a free end 369A that are opposite each other. The fixed end 368A is connected to the fixed part 347A. Each elastic body 341A can pivot relative to the fixed part 347A or the housing 20A by using the fixed end 368A as a pivot (here, it is shown to pivot along the Z-axis).

[0041] Each fixing member 34A may include a stop structure 354A, which protrudes perpendicularly to the first direction from the surface S3 of the fixing member 34A. Specifically, the stop structure 354A is disposed on the elastic body 341A and is located away from the fixed end 368A (i.e., closer to the free end 369A). This facilitates the use of less effort to allow the elastic body 341A to oscillate relative to the electronic device 30, thereby causing the stop structure 354A to abut against or dismount from the electronic device 30. In other words, one end of the fixing member 34A is fixed to the housing 20A, and the other end of the fixing member 34A is provided with the stop structure 354A.

[0042] A stop structure 354A is disposed on the inner surface S3 of the elastic body 341A. Here, the stop structure 354A is integrally formed into the elastic body 341A, and bends downward from both sides of the elastic body 341A, protruding perpendicularly in the first direction from the surface S3 of the fixing member 34A. The stop structure 354A may include a guide portion 356A and a stop portion 358A sequentially disposed along the first direction, and the inclination degree of the guide portion 356A is less than the inclination degree of the stop portion 358A.

[0043] The operating part 360A can be deflected relative to the elastic body 341A in a direction away from the surface S3. The operating part 360A is disposed on the elastic body 341A in a manner that allows it to swing relative to the elastic body 341A. For example, the operating part 360A can swing relative to the elastic body 341A with the free end 369A of the elastic body 341A as a pivot. The operating part 360A can be operated to cause the elastic body 341A to swing relative to the electronic device 30, thereby causing the stop structure 354A to disengage from the electronic device 30. For details on this part, please refer to the relevant description below. The connecting part 343A connects the operating part 360A and the elastic body 341A. The fixing member 34A is a complete sheet metal part, and it is folded back in the operating part 360A to avoid excessively sharp sheet metal edges causing cuts.

[0044] The housing 20A includes a slot 224, which corresponds to a stop structure 354A. When the electronic device 30 is in a fixed position, as shown in Figure 8, the stop structure 354A passes through the slot 224 and abuts against the electronic device 30.

[0045] In this embodiment, the stop structure 354A can be formed by stamping the elastic body 341A. This helps to reduce the number of parts in the fastener 34A. Furthermore, the fastener 34A can be entirely formed by stamping. For example, a metal spring can be provided, and then the fastener 34A can be obtained by stamping, cutting, bending, and forming steps. The rivet structure 345A of the fastener 34A is formed when the fastener 34A is fixed to the housing 20A. That is, the fastener 34A is a one-piece structure. This simplifies the manufacturing process of the fastener 34A and further reduces the number of parts in the fastener 34A.

[0046] In this embodiment, there are four fasteners 34A, with two fasteners 34A disposed on the top plate 212 of the housing 20A and the other two fasteners 34A disposed on the bottom plate 214 of the housing 20A. Each fastener 34A has two stop structures 354A and two pull stud structures 345A. There are four limiting members 32, and the number of fitting portions 220 and 310 corresponds to the number of limiting members 32. However, this is merely an example, and the invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments, the top plate 212 and the bottom plate 214 may each have only one fastener 34A, and each fastener 34A may have only one stop structure 354A and one pull stud structure 345A. As another example, in other embodiments, there may be two limiting members 32, which may be diagonally disposed on the electronic device 30 and the housing 20A.

[0047] The method of mounting the electronic device 30 onto the housing 20A is described below. Referring to Figure 10, firstly, the limiting member 32 and the fixing member 34A are mounted onto the housing 20A. Here, the second part 322 of the limiting member 32 (see Figure 7) is fitted into the fitting part 220 of the housing 20A, and the housing 20A is correspondingly embedded into the annular groove 324 of the limiting member 32 (see Figure 7), thereby fixing the limiting member 32 onto the housing 20A. The fixing member 34A is then fixed to the hole 226 of the housing 20A using a rivet tool (such as a rivet gun) to form a rivet structure 345A. In addition, the stop structure 354A protrudes through the slot 224 and onto the inward-facing surfaces of the top plate 212 and the bottom plate 214. The mounting of the limiting member 32 and the fixing member 34A onto the housing 20A only needs to be performed once, and thereafter, the limiting member 32 and the fixing member 34A can remain mounted onto the housing 20A.

[0048] Next, the electronic device 30 is installed on the housing 20A along the direction of arrow A21 (i.e., the first direction). During the movement of the electronic device 30, when the electronic device 30 contacts the guide portion 356A of the stop structure 354A (see Figure 9), the electronic device 30 pushes against the guide portion 356A, causing the upper elastic body 341A to deflect in the direction of arrow A22 (in this example, the +Z direction) and the lower elastic body 341A to deflect in the direction of arrow A23 (in this example, the -Z direction). When the electronic device 30 continues to move along the direction of arrow A21 and leaves the guide portion 356A to contact the stop portion 358A, the elastic force of the elastic body 341A will cause the upper elastic body 341A to deflect in the opposite direction of arrow A22 and the lower elastic body 341A to deflect in the opposite direction of arrow A23, so that the upper and lower elastic bodies 341A return to their original positions. At the same time, the first part 320 of the limiting member 32 corresponds to the fitting part 310 of the embedded electronic device 30.

[0049] As can be seen from the above, when the electronic device 30 is installed in the housing 20A along the first direction and is in a fixed position, as shown in Figure 8, the first part 320 of the limiting member 32 is embedded in the electronic device 30, the second part 322 of the limiting member 32 is embedded in the housing 20A, and the stop structure 354A prevents the electronic device 30 from disengaging from the fixing member 34A along a second direction opposite to the first direction; that is, the stop structure 354A prevents the electronic device 30 from disengaging from the housing 20A along a second direction opposite to the first direction. Furthermore, when the electronic device 30 is in the fixed position, the stop structure 354A abuts against the first surface S1 of the electronic device 30, and the housing 20A abuts against the second surface S2 of the electronic device 30.

[0050] When the electronic device 30 needs repair or replacement, the disassembly method is as follows. Referring to Figure 8, an upward force F5 and a downward force F6 can be applied to the upper and lower operating parts 360A respectively, causing the upper and lower elastic bodies 341A to swing upward and downward respectively. This causes the stop structure 354A to disengage from the electronic device 30, and the electronic device 30 can then be pulled away from the housing 20A along the second direction, thus removing the electronic device 30 from the housing 20A, as shown in Figure 10. In this invention, the method of applying the upward force F5 and the downward force F6 to the upper and lower operating parts 360A only requires manual force application to the operating parts 360A, without the need for other tools.

[0051] As can be seen from the above description, the electronic device 30 of the present invention is fixed to the housing 20A by the limiting member 32 and the fixing member 34A without the need for screws, which has the advantage of easy assembly and thus enables rapid assembly. When disassembling the electronic device 30, only an upward or downward force needs to be applied to the operating part 360A and a pulling action is required to remove the electronic device 30 from the housing 20A, without the need to remove each locking screw, which has the advantage of easy disassembly and thus enables rapid disassembly.

[0052] In the two embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 10, the electronic device 30 is a fan, and the housing 20 or 20A can be manufactured using a housing specifically designed for fans in electronic devices. The fitting portions 310 and 220 can be holes for locking the fan and the original housing with screws, allowing the fan to be fixed to the original housing. This invention can replace the original screws with a non-threaded limiting member 32, add a fixing member 34 or 34A, and then process a second engaging structure 222 on the original housing corresponding to the fixing member 34 to form the housing 20, or process a slot 224 and a hole 226 on the original housing corresponding to the fixing member 34A to form the housing 20A, thus achieving screwless assembly. In other words, the electronic components 3 and 3A of this invention can be applied to existing electronic devices and housings without eliminating them, which helps reduce manufacturing costs.

[0053] As previously stated, the electronic device 30 being a fan is merely an example; the electronic device 30 can be any electronic device in the electronic equipment. Furthermore, the housings 20 and 20A being housings specifically designed for housing the fan in the electronic equipment are also merely examples; when the electronic device 30 is an electronic device different from a fan, the housings 20 and 20A can also be dedicated housings for that electronic device. In other embodiments, the electronic equipment may comprise only a single housing, and the housings 20 and 20A may be part of that single housing, that is, the housings 20 and 20A may be integrally formed into a single housing.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 11, which is a perspective view of an electronic device 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device 1 includes a housing 20' and electronic components 3'. The electronic components 3' are mounted on the housing 20' and are mainly installed inside the housing 20', therefore indicated by dashed lines. In this embodiment, the electronic device 1 further includes a main housing 2, with the housing 20' detachably disposed on the main housing 2, and the number of housings 20' and electronic components 3' is four. For example, the housing 20' can be a dedicated housing for a fan, with the fan disposed within the housing 20' to provide heat dissipation for other electronic devices within the electronic device 1. However, this is not limited to this; in other embodiments, the housing 20' can be integrally formed on the main housing 2, or the housing 20' can be a dedicated housing for other electronic devices. The number and placement of the housings 20' can also be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs. For example, the housing 20' can be housing 20, in which case the electronic components 3' can be electronic component 3; or, the housing 20' can be housing 20A, in which case the electronic components 3' can be electronic component 3A. For details regarding electronic device 1, housing 20' and electronic component 3', please refer to the relevant descriptions of electronic device 1, electronic component 3, 3A and housing 20, 20A above, which will not be repeated here.

[0055] Compared to prior art, the electronic components of the present invention use limiting members and fixing members to fix the electronic device to the housing. Compared to using screws to lock the electronic device to the housing, the electronic components of the present invention have the advantages of easy assembly and disassembly, and can avoid damage to the electronic device due to broken screws. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of the claims of the present invention shall be covered by the present invention.

[0056] 1: Electronic devices 2: Main shell 3,3A,3': Electronic components 20,20A,20': Shell 30: Electronic devices 32: Limiting component 34, 34A: Fasteners 210: Backplate 212: Top Plate 214: Base Plate 216,346: Side panels 218: Openwork section 220,310,352: Chimeric part 222: Second engagement structure 224: Grooving 226,340: Holes 228: Storage space 320: Part 1 322: Part Two 324: Annular groove 326: Narrowing section 341, 341A: Elastic body 342: Support plate 343A: Connecting part 344: Clamping plate 345A: Tack brace structure 347A: Fixing part 348: Movable Arm 350: Unlocking the control section 354, 354A: Stop structure 356, 356A, 364: Guiding unit 358, 358A, 366: Stop section 360, 360A: Operation Unit 362: First engagement structure 368, 368A: Fixed end 369, 369A: Free end A, A', X, Y, Z: Direction A11, A12, A13, A14, A15, A16, A21, A22, A23: Arrows F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6: Force G: Gap R1, R2, R3: Diameter S1: First surface S2: Second surface S3, S4: Surface

Claims

1. An electronic component for mounting in a housing of an electronic device, the housing including a second engaging structure, the electronic component comprising: an electronic device; a limiting member including an annular groove; and a fixing member including a stop structure, an elastic body, an operating part, a movable arm, and a first engaging structure, wherein the stop structure is disposed on the elastic body and protrudes from a surface of the fixing member perpendicular to a first direction; when the electronic device is mounted in the housing along the first direction and is in a fixed position, the limiting member is partially embedded in the electronic device and partially embedded in the housing, the fixing member is correspondingly embedded in the annular groove, such that the limiting member is non-removably disposed in the fixing member, and the first engaging structure engages with the second engaging structure. The structures are interlocked, and the stop structure prevents the electronic device from disengaging from the housing along a second direction opposite to the first direction. The operating part is integrally formed with the elastic body and protrudes from the elastic body. The operating part can be operated to cause the elastic body to deflect relative to the electronic device, thereby causing the stop structure to disengage from abutting the electronic device. The width of the operating part is smaller than the width of the elastic body. The movable arm is integrally formed with the elastic body and protrudes from the elastic body. The width of the movable arm is smaller than the width of the elastic body, and the first interlocking structure is provided on the movable arm.

2. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a first surface and a second surface opposite each other in the first direction, and when the electronic device is in the fixed position, the stop structure abuts against the first surface and the housing abuts against the second surface.

3. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the stop structure includes a guide portion and a stop portion sequentially arranged along the first direction, and the inclination degree of the guide portion is less than the inclination degree of the stop portion.

4. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the elastic body can oscillate relative to the electronic device to cause the stop structure to abut against the electronic device.

5. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the stop structure is integrally formed on the elastic body.

6. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the operating part is integrally connected to the elastic body in a manner that allows it to oscillate relative to the elastic body.

7. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein one of the first engaging structure and the second engaging structure is a hook, and the other of the first engaging structure and the second engaging structure is a slot.

8. The electronic component as claimed in claim 7, wherein the latch includes a guide portion and a stop portion arranged sequentially along the second direction, and the inclination of the guide portion is less than the inclination of the stop portion.

9. The electronic component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable arm is integrally connected to the elastic body in a manner that allows it to oscillate relative to the elastic body.

10. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the fixing member further includes a release portion disposed on the movable arm, the release portion being operable to cause the movable arm to deflect relative to the housing, thereby causing the first engaging structure to disengage from the second engaging structure.

11. The electronic component as described in claim 10, wherein the release portion is integrally formed on the movable arm, and when the electronic device is in the fixed position, the release portion protrudes from the housing along the first direction.

12. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein a gap is formed between the movable arm and the operating part.

13. The electronic component as described in claim 1, wherein the fastener includes a support plate and two clamping plates disposed opposite each other at two ends of the support plate, the two clamping plates being bent relative to the support plate, and each of the two clamping plates being provided with a stop structure.

14. An electronic device comprising: an electronic component as described in any one of claims 1 to 13; and the housing.

15. An electronic component for mounting in a housing of an electronic device, the electronic component comprising: an electronic device; a limiting member including an annular groove; and a fixing member including a stop structure, a fixing portion, an elastic body, and an operating portion, wherein the fixing member is fixed to the housing via the fixing portion, the stop structure is disposed on the elastic body and protrudes from a surface of the fixing member perpendicular to a first direction toward the electronic device, when the electronic device is mounted in the housing along the first direction and is in a fixed position, the limiting member is partially embedded in the electronic device and partially embedded in the housing, the housing is correspondingly embedded in the annular groove, such that the limiting member is non-removably disposed in the housing, and the stop structure prevents the electronic device from detaching from the housing along a second direction opposite to the first direction, the operating portion is disposed on the elastic body and deflected relative to the elastic body in a direction away from the electronic device, and the operating portion can be operated to cause the elastic body to deflect relative to the electronic device, thereby causing the stop structure to disengage from abutting the electronic device.

16. The electronic component as claimed in claim 15, wherein the housing includes a slot through which the stop structure abuts against the electronic device when the electronic device is in the fixed position.

17. The electronic component as described in claim 15, wherein the fixing member has the fixing part at one end and the operating part at the other end.

18. The electronic component as claimed in claim 15, wherein the stop structure includes a guide portion and a stop portion sequentially disposed along the first direction, and the inclination of the guide portion is less than the inclination of the stop portion.

19. An electronic device comprising: an electronic component as described in any one of claims 15 to 18; and the housing.

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