COMPUTER ENCLOSURE
An exemplary computer enclosure includes a chassis, a latch member, and a cover plate. The chassis includes a rear panel, and an opening. The cover plate covers the opening and depends a flange with a pair of holes defined therein. The rear panel defines a pair of slots therein. The latch member is pivotably attached to the rear panel and includes a pair of spaced resilient arms. A pair of grooves and a pair of hooks are formed at opposite ends of the resilient arms. The grooves of the latch member engage with the rear panel adjacent the slots and the hooks movably engage in the through holes of the flange of the cover plate when the resilient arms are deformed.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer enclosures, and more particularly to a computer enclosure which has a cover plate that can be independently and readily secured to the computer enclosure by a latch member.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical contemporary personal computer enclosure accommodates a number of electronic devices therein. The enclosure needs to be opened on a number of occasions for a variety of reasons, such as for replacing a defective electronic device with a new one. Therefore, the enclosure should be able to be readily opened and subsequently reassembled.
A conventional computer enclosure includes a base, side panels, and a top panel. The side panels and the top panel are respectively secured to the base of the enclosure with separate securing elements. A plurality of locking slots is defined in the base. A plurality of locking tabs is formed on the side panels and the top panel, for engagement into the locking slots of the base. Screws are then used to secure the side panels and the top panel to the base.
A tool is required for installation and removal of the screws. This is unduly inconvenient and time-consuming. An example of the above-mentioned mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,540.
What is needed is to provide a computer enclosure having a cover plate which can be independently and readily secured thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn exemplary computer enclosure includes a chassis, a latch member, and a cover plate. The chassis includes a rear panel, and an opening. The cover plate covers the opening and has a tab depending therefrom with a pair of holes defined therein. The rear panel defines a pair of slots therein. The latch member is pivotably attached to the rear panel and includes a pair of spaced resilient arms. A pair of grooves and a pair of hooks are formed at opposite ends of the resilient arms. The grooves of the latch member engage with the rear panel adjacent the slots and the hooks movably engage in the holes of the tab of the cover plate when the resilient arms are deformed.
Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
Referring also to
The latch member 30 includes a handle beam 32, a pair of spaced resilient arms 34 extending from one side of the handle beam 32, and a pair of fixing blocks 36 extending from ends of the resilient arms 34. A cutout 322 is defined in the handle beam 32, facing the resilient arms 34 and the fixing blocks 36. A pair of grooves 342 is defined between the handle beam 32 and the resilient arms 34. A pair of clutching hooks 344 extends from ends of the resilient arms 34, communicating with upper portions of the fixing blocks 36. Each of the fixing blocks 36 generally has a triangular outside configuration. Each of the fixing blocks 36 includes a pair of shafts 362 extending in an opposite alignment from a front portion thereof, and an abutting portion 364 with rounded configuration formed at a rear end thereof.
Referring also to
Referring also to
Referring also to
In disassembling the cover plate 50 from the chassis 10, the latch member 30 is rotated outward, with the resilient arms 34 depressed to disengage the groove 342 from the rear panel 14. The abutting portions 364 of the latch member 30 gradually contact and abut the bent piece 526 of the cover plate 50 upward so that the depending portion 524 of the flange 52 slides upward along the depending portion 143 of the rear panel of the chassis 10. The folded portion 522 of the flange 52 is moved away from the bent flange 142 of the chassis 10 so that the cover plate 50 is tilted upward at one end. Thus, the cover plate 50 is ready to be removed from the chassis 10.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments.
Claims
1. A computer enclosure comprising:
- a chassis defining an opening and comprising a rear panel, the rear panel comprising at least one slot defined therein;
- a latch member pivotably mounted to the rear panel adjacent said at least one slot, the latch member comprising at least one resilient arm extending through said at least one slot of the chassis, said at least one resilient arm comprising a groove, and a hook, the groove releasably engaging with the rear panel at said at least one slot; and
- a cover plate covering the opening of the chassis and comprising a flange depending therefrom corresponding to the rear panel, at least one through hole defined in the flange, the hook of the at least one resilient arm releasably engaging in said at least one through hole so as to lock the cover plate to the chassis.
2. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch member further comprises a handle beam, and a fixing block extending from opposite ends of said at least one resilient arm.
3. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the groove is defined in said at least one resilient arm near the handle beam, the hook extends from said at least one resilient member near the fixing block.
4. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixing block comprises a pair of shafts extending in opposite alignment, the rear panel of the chassis comprises a pair of ears each defining a pivoting hole therein below said at least one slot, the shafts are pivotably received in the pivoting holes.
5. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fixing block further comprises an abutting portion with rounded configuration formed at an end far away the shafts, the cover plate further comprises a bent piece extending perpendicularly from the flange, the abutting portion movably abuts against the bent piece.
6. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear panel of the chassis comprises a pair of spaced guiding plates extending inward through said at least one slot to sandwich said at least one resilient arm therebetween.
7. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chassis further comprises a pair of side panels, a pair of bent flanges with depending portions extends from the side panels respectively, the cover plate comprises a pair of tabs extending from side edges thereof to engage with the depending portions.
8. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chassis further comprises a front panel, a bent flange extends from the front panel, a plurality of splits is defined in the bent flange, the cover plate comprises a plurality of clasps extending therefrom to engage in the splits of the chassis.
9. A computer enclosure comprising:
- a chassis defining an opening and comprising a rear panel, the rear panel comprising at least one slot defined therein;
- a latch member pivotably attached to the rear panel, and comprising at least one resilient arm, and at least one fixing block extending from an end of said at least one resilient arm, said at least one resilient arm and fixing block movably extending into the chassis through said at least one slot, a groove defined in the latch member to movably receive the rear panel around said at least one slot therein, a hook formed from the latch member with a distance away from the groove along a rotating path of the latch member, an abutting portion formed from said at least one fixing block; and
- a cover plate covering the opening of the chassis and comprising a flange depending therefrom, the flange comprising at least one through hole to engagingly receive the hook of the latch member, and a bent piece extending from the flange to engage with the abutting portion of the latch member.
10. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the latch member further comprises a handle beam, and a fixing block extending from opposite ends of said at least one resilient arm.
11. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the groove is defined in latch member between said at least one resilient arm and the handle beam, the hook extends from said at least one resilient member adjacent the fixing block.
12. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fixing block comprises a pair of shafts extending in opposite alignment, the rear panel of the chassis comprises a pair of ears each defining a pivoting hole therein below said at least one slot, the shafts are pivotably received in the pivoting holes.
13. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the rear panel of the chassis comprises a pair of spaced guiding plates extending into said at least one slot to sandwich said at least one resilient arm therebetween.
14. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the chassis further comprises a pair of side panels, a pair of bent flanges with depending portions extends from the side panels respectively, the cover plate comprises a pair of tabs extending from side edges thereof to engage with the depending portions.
15. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the chassis further compries a front panel, a bent flange extends from the front panel, a plurality of splits is defined in the bent flange, the cover plate comprises a plurality of clasps extending therefrom to engage in the splits of the chassis.
16. A computer enclosure comprising:
- a chassis defining an opening and including a first panel, the first panel defining a slot therethrough;
- a latch member pivotably mounted to the first panel adjacent the slot, the latch member including a first latch portion located at an inside of the first panel, and a first resilient arm extending from the first latch portion to an outside of the first panel through the slot, the first resilient arm including a locking groove portion configured for engaging with the first panel at the slot so as to lock the latch member in a locked position, the latch member being allowed to pivot away from the locked position upon disengaging of the locking groove portion from the first panel at the slot; and
- a second panel detachably mounted to the chassis for covering the opening, the second panel including a flange extending therefrom with a second latch portion formed thereon, the second latch portion engaging with the first latch portion in a manner so as to retain the second panel to the chassis when the latch member is in the locked position.
17. The computer enclosure of claim 16, wherein one of the first and second latch portion is a latching slot, and the other of the first and second latch portion is a hook releasably engaged in the latching slot.
18. The computer enclosure of claim 16, wherein the latch member further comprises another latch portion and another resilient arm configured in substantially a same manner as the first latch portion and the first resilient arm, and a handle beam connected between outer ends of the first resilient arm and the another resilient arm.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 28, 2006
Publication Date: Sep 13, 2007
Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. (Taipei Hsien)
Inventors: Yang-Ming Lin (Shenzhen), Xiao-Zhong Jing (Shenzhen)
Application Number: 11/309,799
International Classification: A47B 97/00 (20060101);