Stabilizing apparatus for electronic device

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to stabilizers, and more particularly to a stabilizer attached to a server cabinet for preventing the cabinet from moving.

[0003] 2. Description of related art

[0004] A large device, such as a server, is too weighty to move easily from one place to another place. Typically, wheels are attached to the bottom of the device to make it easier to move but may lead to the device being unstable and too easily moved.

[0005] Conventional stabilizers for a device include feet screwed into a bottom portion thereof. When the device needs to be moved, the feet are screwed in far enough to lose contact with a supporting surface for the device. When the device needs to be stably settled in place, the feet are unscrewed enough to firmly contact the supporting surface. Thus, the device is settled. Although the feet can stabilize the device, it is inconvenient for users to screw and unscrew the feet at the bottom of the device.

[0006] What is needed, therefore, is a stabilizing apparatus which is attached to a device for conveniently preventing the device from moving.

[0007] An exemplary stabilizing apparatus for preventing a server cabinet from moving, includes two mounting members oppositely mounted to the cabinet, two support members slidably mounted to the mounting members respectively, an operating member, and two locating assemblies. Each locating assembly is mounted to a corresponding support member, the operating member, and a corresponding mounting member. The operating member moves down to drive the corresponding locating assemblies respectively to move the corresponding support members down, until the support members stand on a supporting plane.

[0008] Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a stabilizing apparatus for preventing a device from moving includes a girder 20, two mounting members 30, two support members 40, two locating assemblies, and an operating member 50. In this embodiment, the device is a server cabinet 10. The server cabinet 10 includes a bottom wall (not labeled), two opposite sidewalls 14, and a plurality of wheels 12 mounted to the bottom wall.

[0015] Referring also to FIG. 3, the girder 20 is generally cannular-shaped and has a rectangular cross section. The girder 20 includes two parallel side plates 212, a bottom plate 214 connecting bottoms of the side plates 212, and a top plate 216 connecting tops of the side plates 212. A mounting piece 22 extends from each end of each side plate 212. Two mounting holes 222 are defined in each mounting piece 22. A rectangular opening 24 is defined in the top plate 216. Two through holes 25 are defined in a side plate 212 in the vicinity of the opening 24. A protrusion 26 protrudes up from the bottom plate 214, corresponding to the opening 24. A pole 28 extends up from the protrusion 26.

[0016] Each mounting member 30 includes an upright mounting plate 32, and a cantilever 34 perpendicularly extending from the mounting plate 32. A plurality of mounting holes and a plurality of fixing holes are defined in the mounting plate 32. A female connecting portion 36 is formed at the free end of the cantilever 34. A pole 38 extends down from the cantilever 34 in the vicinity of the female connecting portion 36.

[0017] Each support member 40 includes a columnar main body 42, and a foot 44 mounted to a bottom of the main body 42. A sliding slot 422 is defined in the main body 42 along an axial direction of the main body 42. A male connecting portion 424 is formed at an upper portion of the main body 42.

[0018] The operating member 50 includes a handle 52, and a sliding portion 54 mounted to a bottom of the handle 52. A through hole 542 is defined in the sliding portion 54 from top to bottom. Two female connecting portions 544 extend outward from opposite ends of a lower portion of the sliding portion 54.

[0019] Each locating assembly includes an arm 60, and two pivot members 70 pivotably connected to each other. The arm 60 is connected to a conjunction of the two pivot members 70. Each arm 60 includes a female connecting portion 62, and a male connecting portion 64 formed at two opposite ends thereof, respectively. Each pivot member 70 includes a female connecting portion 72, and a male connecting portion 74 formed at two opposite ends thereof, respectively.

[0020] Referring also to FIG. 4, in assembly, the main body 42 of each supporting member 40 slidably fits about the sliding pole 38 of a corresponding mounting member 30 via the sliding slot 422 thereof. The two pivot members 70 of each locating assembly are pivotably mounted to each other via the female connecting portion 72 of one of the two pivot members 70 and the male connecting portion 74 of the other one of the two pivot members 70. Two free ends of each two combined pivot members 70 are respectively pivotably mounted to the female connecting portion 36 of a corresponding mounting member 30 and the male connecting portion 424 of a corresponding supporting member 40. The sliding portion 54 of the operating member 50 is put into the opening 24 of the girder 20. The pole 28 of the girder 20 is inserted into the through hole 542 of the sliding portion 54. The arms 60 are received in the girder 20. Each arm 60 is connected to a conjunction of two corresponding pivot members 70 via the female connecting portion 62 thereof to form one of the locating assemblies. The male connecting portion 64 of each arm 60 is connected to a corresponding female connecting portion 544 of the sliding portion 54. The through holes 25 of the girder 20 are defined for a tool, such as a screwdriver passing through to mount the male connecting portions 64 of the arms 60 to the corresponding female connecting portions 544 of the operating member 50. Two rivets (not shown in figure) extend through the corresponding mounting holes 222 of each mounting piece 22 and engage in the corresponding mounting holes of a corresponding mounting plate 32 for mounting the mounting member 30 to a corresponding end of the girder 20. A plurality of rivets (not shown in figure) extends through the fixing holes of the mounting plates 32 to respectively mount the mounting members 30 to the sidewalls 14 of the device 10.

[0021] Referring also to FIG. 5, when the device 10 needs to be moved to another position, the handle 52 of the operating member 50 is moved up. The sliding portion 54 drives the adjacent end of each of the arms 60 to move up. Each of the arms 60 drives two corresponding pivot members 70 to reduce an angle between the two pivot members 70. The pivot members 70 drive the corresponding supporting members 40 to move up, until the feet 44 of the supporting members 40 depart from a supporting plane, such as the floor. Thus, the device 10 is easily to be moved via the wheels 12.

[0022] Referring also to FIG. 6, when the device 10 needs to be stably settled, the handle 52 of the operating member 50 is moved down to drive the arms 60 to move down. Each arm 60 drives two corresponding pivot members 70 to increase the angle between the two pivot members 70. The pivot members 70 drive the corresponding supporting members 40 to move down, until the angle between the two pivot members 70 is about 180 degrees. Thus, the feet 44 of the supporting members 40 stand on the floor. Therefore, the device 10 is prevented from moving.

[0023] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.