# US 9,519,317 B2 · Locking component, locking device and host securing an interface card > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,317 B2 - Document ID: US9519317B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/869,284 - Filed: 2015-09-29 - Published: 2016-03-31 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-29 - Assignees: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. - Applicants: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. - Inventors: Kai Chung Hou; Zhi Da Huang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519317B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/186: Securing of expansion boards in correspondence to slots provided at the computer enclosure - F16B 2/10: using pivoting jaws - F16B 2/12: using sliding jaws - G06F 1/185: Mounting of expansion boards - H05K 7/1409: {by lever-type mechanisms} - H05K 7/1485: {Servers; Data center rooms, e.g. 19-inch computer racks} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A locking component, a locking device and a host comprising the locking device are disclosed. The host comprises a card slot which extends along a second direction for inserting an interface card in a first direction which is substantially perpendicular to the second direction. The locking component includes a locking element and a pivot element. The locking element includes two opposite sliding slots each of which has a first and a second slide portion connecting each other. The locking element is adapted for sliding in the second direction such that the first and second slide portions of each sliding slot maintain a distance. The pivot element is adapted for passing through the sliding slots to be disposed at a host such that the locking element is pivotable about the pivot element. Upon positioning the pivot element at the first slide portions, the locking element is rotatable from an open position to an intermediate position. Upon sliding the locking element along the second direction to move the pivot element from the first slide portions to the second slide portions, the locking element is movable from the intermediate position to a lock position to lock the interface card. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A locking device, comprising: two opposite retaining elements coupled to a rigid housing of a host; a pivot element secured between the two opposite retaining elements; and a locking element including two opposite sliding slots, each sliding slot having first and second slide portions in communication with each other, wherein each sliding slot is angled relative to a second direction between the first and second slide portions, wherein the pivot element extends through the sliding slots; wherein upon disposing the pivot element in the first slide portions of the locking element, the locking element is pivotable about the pivot element from an open position to an intermediate position, and wherein upon sliding the locking element along the second direction to move the pivot element from the first slide portions to the second slide portions of the locking element, the locking element is movable from the intermediate position to a lock position to lock an interface card that has been inserted in a first direction into a card slot of the host, wherein the card slot extends along the second direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The locking component of claim 1, further comprising: an elastic element secured to the locking element, wherein upon disposing the locking element in the lock position, the elastic element is deformed to increase frictional force between the pivot element and the second slide portions of the locking element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The locking component of claim 2, wherein the elastic element is a spring piece or a spring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The locking component of claim 1, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The locking component of claim 1, wherein the two opposite sliding slots are located near a distal end of the locking element, and wherein the distal end of the locking element is angled relative to the second direction toward the interface card. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The locking component of claim 1, wherein a distance between the pivot element and the interface card prevents the locking element from pivoting about the pivot element when the locking element is in the lock position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The locking component of claim 1, wherein the pivot element has a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The locking component of claim 1, wherein the locking element is narrower than the interface card. ### Claim 9 A locking device, comprising: two opposite retaining elements coupled to a rigid housing of a host, wherein each retaining element has a sliding slot having first and second slide portions in communication with each other, wherein each sliding slot is angled relative to a second direction between the first and second slide portions; and a locking element having two opposite pivot elements, each pivot element extending into one of the sliding slots such that the locking element is pivotable about the pivot element; wherein upon positioning the locking element so that the pivot element is positioned in the first slide portions of the retaining elements, the locking element is pivotable from an open position to an intermediate position, and wherein upon sliding the locking element along the second direction to move the pivot element from the first slide portions to the second slide portions, the locking element is movable from the intermediate position to a lock position to lock an interface card that has been inserted in the first direction into a card slot of the host, wherein the card slot extends along the second direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The locking device of claim 9, further comprising: an elastic element secured to the locking element, wherein upon disposing the locking element in the lock position, the elastic element is deformed to increase friction force between the pivot element and the second slide portions of the retaining elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The locking device of claim 10, wherein the elastic element is a spring piece or a spring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The locking component of claim 9, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The locking component of claim 9, wherein the two opposite pivot elements are located near a distal end of the locking element, and wherein the distal end of the locking element is angled relative to the second direction toward the interface card. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The locking component of claim 9, wherein a distance between the sliding slots and the interface card prevents the locking element from pivoting about the pivot element when the locking element is in the lock position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The locking component of claim 9, wherein the pivot element has a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The locking component of claim 9, wherein the locking element is narrower than the interface card. ### Claim 17 A host, comprising: a rigid housing; a circuit board securing within the rigid housing; a card slot in the circuit board, extending along a second direction, the card slot being for inserting an interface card in a first direction which is substantially perpendicular to the second direction; a locking device which comprises: two opposite retaining elements coupled to the rigid housing; a pivot element secured between the two opposite retaining elements; and a locking element including two opposite sliding slots, each sliding slot having first and second slide portions in communication with each other, wherein each sliding slot is angled relative to a second direction between the first and second slide portions, wherein the pivot element extends through the sliding slots; wherein upon disposing the pivot element in the first slide portions of the locking element, the locking element is pivotable about the pivot element from an open position to an intermediate position, and wherein upon sliding the locking element along the second direction to move the pivot element from the first slide portions to the second slide portions of the locking element, the locking element is movable from the intermediate position to a lock position to lock the interface card into the card slot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The host of claim 17, further comprising: an elastic element secured to the locking element, wherein upon positioning the locking element in the lock position, the elastic element is deformed against the pivot element such that the friction force between the pivot element and the second slide portions increases. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The host of claim 18, wherein the elastic element is a spring piece or a spring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The host of claim 17, wherein the interface card has an end portion that is disposed along a supporting portion of the rigid housing when the interface card is inserted into the card slot, and wherein the locking element secures the end portion of the interface card against a supporting portion of the rigid housing when the locking element is in the lock position.