Fixing device for printed circuit boards

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The invention pertains to a fixing device and, in particular, to a fixing device that fixes a printed circuit board (PCB) onto a shell to provide the functions of vibration reduction and circuit grounding.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] With the tremendous advance in technologies, computers are widely used in all kinds of businesses. Therefore, high-level server uses become more popular. To ensure the stability and reliability of the high-level servers, the problems of electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) have received a lot of attention in recent years.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the effect of fixing a PCB to a shell, a conventional means is proposed, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Take a common PCB 8 (computer mother board) as an example. A conductive fixing pillar 9 fixed on a shell 100 penetrates through a ground pad (the through hole 80) on the PCB 8. An adjacent clamping hole 81 then holds the neck 90 of the pillar 9, achieving the goals of both fixing and electric conduction.

[0006] FIGS. 3 and 4 show another conventional method. First, the elastic washer 104 goes through a ground pad 103 on a PCB 102 and snaps the PCB 102 through a groove. A fixing pillar 105 is then inserted through the same ground pad 103 and pushed to the side, so that the neck of the fixing pillar 105 is held onto the ground pad 103. Finally, the tail of a mask 101 is hooked with the tail of the ground pad 103. An opening above it is provided for the elastic washer 104 to hole the mask 101 and the fixing pillar 105, thereby fixing the PCB 102 onto the shell 100.

[0007] However, good EM wave shielding effect and lower costs are hard to simultaneously achieve. Although the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is cheap in its cost, there may be sliding when external vibrations occur. The elastic washer in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a larger contact area with the PCB, providing a better grounding and mask fixing; however, the structure and thus the assembly procedure are complicated. Moreover, one has to reserve extra space when designing the PCB, making the cost increase inevitable.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention discloses a fixing device for PCB's. The fixing device is comprised of available elements in the industry without special orders. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be lowered.

[0009] An objective of the invention is to prevent EMI, providing a better shielding function.

[0010] Another objective of the invention is to provide an elastic device to reduce vibrations.

[0011] The disclosed fixing device for PCB's is comprised of a shaft, an elastic washer, and a fixing pillar. The shaft and the fixing pillar are commonly used fixing elements in the industry. The shaft goes through in order the PCB and the elastic washer, and is finally fixed inside a fixture base. The shaft and the elastic washer are conductive. They are connected to the ground through the conductive fixing pillar installed in a computer shell, thereby preventing EMI. The elastic part has a bowl shape and a slit. The elastic part is divided into several blocks and becomes deformable and elastic. The PCB is sandwiched between the elastic washer and the shaft. When the PCB receives external vibrations, the elastic part provides a good buffer to absorb the vibrations.

[0028] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, showing a first embodiment of the invention, a fixing device for PCB's of the invention is comprised of a shaft 1, an elastic washer 2, and a fixing pillar 3.

[0029] With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the shaft 1 has a head 10 and a connected neck 11. The outer diameter of the head 10 is larger than that of the neck 11. The head 10 goes through an through hole 80 of the PCB 8. A clamping hole 81 holds the neck 11. A post 12 goes through the elastic washer 2 and is fixed inside the fixing pillar 3. The post 12 contains a fixing hole 13 engraved with threads.

[0030] With reference to FIG. 8, the elastic washer 2 has a bowl shape, a junction surface 22, and a through hole 21 for the shaft 1 to go through. The elastic part 20 is connected to the junction surface 22 and contains several slits 202, which divides the elastic part 20 into several claws 201. Since the elastic washer 2 is divided into several claws 201 and deformable, it is thus able to provide an elastic force.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 9, the fixing pillar 3 contains a base 31 and a contact surface 30. The fixing pillar 3 is fixed on the shell via the base 31. The contact surface 30 is connected to the elastic part 20 of the elastic washer 2 and therefore to the ground. In other words, the junction surface 22 of the elastic washer 2 is connected to the PCB, and the elastic part 20 of the elastic washer 2 touches the fixing pillar 3 fixed on the shell. The grounding effect prevents the system from EMI. The contact surface 30 of the fixing pillar 3 has an insert hole 32 for accommodating the post 12 of the shaft 1. The screw 7 is driven into the shaft 1 through the fixing hole 13 engraved with threads in the post 12. Also, the shaft 1 or the fixing pillar 3 can fix by a nail rather than using the screw 7, no showing in FIGS.

[0032] With reference to FIG. 10, a second embodiment of the invention, the disclosed fixing device for a PCB consists of an elastic washer 4, a fixing pillar 5, and a shaft 6.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 11, the shaft 6 has a head 60 along with a connected neck 61 and a post 62. The outer diameter of the head 60 is greater than that of the neck 61. Threads are formed on the surface of the post 62.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 12, the elastic washer 4 has a bowl shape with its opening facing upward and is made of a conductive material. The elastic washer 4 contains a bowl-shaped elastic part 41 and a connected junction surface 42. A through hole 43 is formed at the center of the junction surface 42. The elastic part 41 has a plurality of slits 412 for dividing the elastic part 41 into several claws 411. Therefore, the elastic part 41 becomes deformable and elastic.

[0035] With reference to FIG. 13, the fixing pillar 5 has a threaded hole 50, a connected contact surface 51, and a base 52. The base 52 is used to fix the fixing pillar 5 onto the shell. The contact surface 51 touches the junction surface 42 of the elastic washer 4. The shaft 6 goes through the through hole 43 and enters the fixing pillar 5. The elastic part 41 has an extended horizontal surface 40 for direct contact with the PCB. The threaded hole 50 accommodates the post 62. As stated, the extended surface 40 of the elastic washer 4 touches the PCB, and the junction surface 42 of the elastic washer 4 is connected with the contact surface 51 of the fixing pillar 5. Therefore, the system is connected to the ground, preventing EMI.

[0036] With reference to FIG. 14, a third embodiment of the invention, a fixing device for PCB's according to the invention contains an elastic 110, a fixing pillar 3, and a shaft 1. The elastic 110 is a spiral, elastic and conductive element.

[0037] The shaft 1 includes a head 10, a connected neck 11, and a post 12. The post 12 contains a fixing hole 13 engraved with threads. The outer diameter of the head 10 is greater than that of the neck 11. The head 10 goes through the through hole 80 of the PCB 8. A clamping hole 81 holds the neck 11. The post 12 goes through the elastic 110 and is fixed inside the fixing pillar 3.

[0038] The fixing pillar 3 contains a base 31 and a contact surface 30. The fixing pillar 3 is fixed onto the shell via the base 31. A screw 7 goes through an insert hole 32 to combine with the fixing hole 13, thereby fixing the shaft on the fixing pillar 3.

[0039] One end of the elastic 110 is in contact with the PCB 8, and the other end with the contact surface of the fixing pillar 5. Moreover, the elastic 110 and the fixing pillar are both conductive elements. Therefore, they can provide the grounding effect and prevent EMI.

[0040] Comparing FIGS. 12 and 8, one sees that the elastic washer 4 is similar to the elastic washer 2 in the first embodiment. The difference is in that the elastic washer 4 in the second embodiment has the opening facing upward while the elastic washer 2 in the first embodiment has the opening facing downward. The elastic washer 4 in the second embodiment further contains an extended surface 40, which has the same function as the junction surface 22 of the elastic washer 2 in the first embodiment. They are in direct contact with the PCB.

[0041] According to the disclosed fixing device for printed circuit boards, its shaft and fixing pillar are well known to the field and can be readily obtained. Both the elastic and elastic washer have simple structures that can be easily prepared. Not only can the invention achieve the objectives of absorbing external impacts and providing a good grounding effect, it further has the advantages of simple assembly and a lower manufacturing cost. Therefore, it is a great improvement over the prior art.