Adapter assembly and device

{
  "publication_number": "US10008791B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Adapter assembly and device",
  "abstract": "An adapter assembly is used to attach a module having a mating interposed portion to an attachment member having a mating fixing portion. The adapter assembly comprises a main member having a fixed portion and an interposed portion, a fixing member, a first interposing member having a first interposing portion and a second interposing member having a rotation stopper and a second interposing portion. When the module is attached to the attachment member, the fixed portion is interposed and fixed between the fixing member and the mating fixing portion, and the mating interposed portion is interposed and held between the interposed portion pressed by the first interposing portion and the second interposing portion. During the attachment process of the module, the rotation stopper prevents the second interposing member from being rotated relative to the module.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An adapter assembly used to attach a module to an attachment member which comprises a connector and a mating fixing portion apart from each other in a predetermined direction, the module having a connection portion and a mating interposed portion which are located at opposite ends thereof in the predetermined direction, respectively, the connection portion being connected to the connector under an attached state where the module is attached to the attachment member, the mating interposed portion being located between the connector and the mating fixing portion in the predetermined direction under the attached state, wherein: the adapter assembly comprises a main member made of conductor, a fixing member, a first interposing member and a second interposing member; the main member has a fixed portion and an interposed portion; the interposed portion is formed with a passing hole; the first interposing member has a first interposing portion; the second interposing member has a rotation stopper and a second interposing portion; one of the first interposing member and the second interposing member is formed with a male thread, and a remaining one of the first interposing member and the second interposing member is formed with a female thread; under the attached state, the fixed portion of the main member is interposed and fixed between the fixing member and the mating fixing portion of the attachment member; under the attached state, the male thread passes through the passing hole of the main member and is screwed into the female thread, the first interposing portion of the first interposing member is pressed against the interposed portion of the main member, and the interposed portion and the second interposing portion of the second interposing member interpose and hold the mating interposed portion of the module therebetween; and when the male thread is screwed into the female thread, the rotation stopper of the second interposing member is brought into contact with the module to prevent the second interposing member from being rotated relative to the module.",
    "2. The adapter assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein: the fixed portion of the main member is formed with a fixation hole; and under the attached state, one of the fixing member and the mating fixing portion is partially located inside the fixation hole.",
    "3. The adapter assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein: the main member has a flat-plate portion of a flat-plate shape; the fixed portion of the main member is provided to the flat-plate portion and has a projecting portion; the projecting portion projects from the flat-plate portion in an upper-lower direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and under the attached state, the fixing member is brought into abutment with the projecting portion.",
    "4. The adapter assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein: the main member has a rotation preventer; and when the male thread is screwed into the female thread, the rotation preventer is brought into contact with the module to prevent the main member from being rotated relative to the module.",
    "5. The adapter assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein: the main member has the two rotation preventers; the interposed portion of the main member is located between the two rotation preventers in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and when the male thread is screwed into the female thread, each of the rotation preventers is brought into contact with an edge of the module in the predetermined direction to prevent the main member from being rotated relative to the module.",
    "6. The adapter assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein: the first interposing member is formed with the male thread; and the second interposing member is formed with the female thread.",
    "7. The adapter assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein: the second interposing member has a neck portion, a thick portion and a vertical portion; the neck portion is formed with the female thread; the second interposing portion of the second interposing member has a plate shape; a size of the thick portion in an upper-lower direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction is larger than another size of the second interposing portion in the upper-lower direction; and the vertical portion is located between the thick portion and the second interposing portion and works as the rotation stopper.",
    "8. The adapter assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein: the neck portion of the second interposing member is smaller than the passing hole of the main member in a plane perpendicular to the upper-lower direction; and under the attached state, the neck portion is, at least in part, located inside the passing hole.",
    "9. A device comprising an adapter assembly, a module and an attachment member, wherein: the adapter assembly is used to attach the module to the attachment member; the attachment member comprises a connector and a mating fixing portion apart from each other in a predetermined direction; the module has a connection portion and a mating interposed portion which are located at opposite ends thereof in the predetermined direction, respectively; the connection portion is connected to the connector under an attached state where the module is attached to the attachment member; the mating interposed portion is located between the connector and the mating fixing portion in the predetermined direction under the attached state; the adapter assembly comprises a main member made of conductor, a fixing member, a first interposing member and a second interposing member; the main member has a fixed portion and an interposed portion; the interposed portion is formed with a passing hole; the first interposing member has a first interposing portion; the second interposing member has a rotation stopper and a second interposing portion; one of the first interposing member and the second interposing member is formed with a male thread, and a remaining one of the first interposing member and the second interposing member is formed with a female thread; under the attached state, the fixed portion of the main member is interposed and fixed between the fixing member and the mating fixing portion of the attachment member; under the attached state, the male thread passes through the passing hole of the main member and is screwed into the female thread, the first interposing portion of the first interposing member is pressed against the interposed portion of the main member, and the interposed portion and the second interposing portion of the second interposing member interpose and hold the mating interposed portion of the module therebetween; and when the male thread is screwed into the female thread, the rotation stopper of the second interposing member is brought into contact with the module to prevent the second interposing member from being rotated relative to the module.",
    "10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein: in an upper-lower direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the fixed portion of the main member of the adapter assembly has a lower end that is located at a position same as that of a lower end of the module."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to an adapter assembly which is used to attach a module such as a solid state drive (SSD) to an electronic apparatus. For example, this type of adapter assembly is disclosed in JP 2016-51814A (Patent Document 1), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Referring to FIGS. 26 and 27, Patent Document 1 discloses an adapter assembly 90 which comprises an attachment member (main member) 910, a coupling member 920 (male screw) and a coupling member 930 (male screw). The main member 910 has an opening 912 which is formed with a female thread. The adapter assembly 90 is used to attach a module 94 such as an SSD to a wall portion 98 of an electronic apparatus 96. When the module 94 is attached to the wall portion 98, the coupling member 920 is first used to attach the adapter assembly 90 to the module 94, and the coupling member 930 is subsequently used to screw the adapter assembly 90 to the wall. The thus-attached module 94 is grounded to the wall portion 98.\n\nWhen the adapter assembly 90 is attached to the module 94, the coupling member 920 is screwed into and fixed to the opening 912 of the main member 910. As a result, an end of the module 94 is interposed between a head of the coupling member 920 and an end of the main member 910 and is held by the adapter assembly 90. Referring to FIGS. 26 and 27, when the coupling member 920 is screwed into the opening 912, the end of the module 94 receives a rotational force along a rotation direction of the coupling member 920 in addition to another force along an axial direction of the coupling member 920.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01R 12/7047",
    "F16B 35/06",
    "F16B 5/02",
    "G06F 1/185",
    "H01R 12/7011",
    "H01R 12/73"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 1/18",
    "H01R 12/70",
    "H01R 12/73",
    "H05K 5/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS IND LTD",
    "JAE TAIWAN LTD"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "MASUMOTO TOSHIO",
    "KATAYANAGI MASAYUKI"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-12-20",
  "publication_date": "2018-06-26",
  "grant_date": "2018-06-26",
  "priority_date": "2017-02-17",
  "application_number": "US-201715848455-A",
  "family_id": "62598954",
  "citations": [
    "JP2016051809A",
    "JP2016051814A",
    "US2009193646A1",
    "US2011116229A1",
    "US2016066450A1",
    "US6459587B1",
    "US9414508B2",
    "US9760120B2"
  ]
}