Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-10
2001-01-23
Bryant, David P. (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C029S525010, C024S563000, C248S300000, C361S689000, C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176001
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is directed toward a method for removably mounting a computer component to a chassis.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Computer components such as floppy disk drives, hard disk drives, CD-ROM drives and the like are typically manufactured separately from the computer housing or chassis and are then mounted in the computer chassis during final assembly. The chassis may take the form of a floor-mounted “tower” unit or a desk-mounted unit. In either case, the chassis has a slot positioned to receive the component. Two brackets are mounted to the component so that when the component is inserted into the slot, the brackets engage the slot and secure the component therein. The component is inserted into the chassis slot when the computer is assembled, and may later be removed for servicing or replacement.
FIG. 1
illustrates a conventional computer chassis
10
having an aperture
20
sized to receive a floppy disk drive
30
. A bracket
40
is attached to each side of the floppy disk drive
30
. Each bracket
40
has a clip
42
in which a transverse channel
43
is formed. The transverse channel
43
engages an edge of the aperture
20
to prevent the floppy disk drive
30
from unintentionally sliding out of the aperture.
In one conventional installation, the bracket
40
is attached to the disk drive
30
by inserting a dimple
44
of the bracket into a first threaded hole
36
of the disk drive. A screw
50
is then passed through a hole
45
in the bracket
40
and threaded into a second threaded hole
38
of the disk drive
30
. In one alternate conventional installation, the screw
50
is eliminated and the dimple
44
alone secures the bracket
40
to the disk drive
30
. In another alternate conventional installation, the dimple
44
is replaced with a hole (not shown), and the screw
50
is passed through the hole and threaded into the first threaded hole
36
of the disk drive
30
to attach the bracket
40
to the disk drive.
The conventional methods for attaching the bracket
40
to the disk drive
30
suffer from several drawbacks. Where the screw
50
is threaded through the second threaded hole
38
, the head of the screw may catch on an edge of the aperture
20
as the disk drive
30
is inserted into the aperture. As a result, the aperture
20
may not completely receive the disk drive
30
and the disk drive may move about within the aperture, possibly causing damage to the chassis or the disk drive. Alternatively, if the screw
50
catches on the aperture
20
and the disk drive
30
is nevertheless forced into the aperture
20
, metal chips may be stripped from the head of the screw and may damage components within the computer chassis. The damaged screw
50
may also make removal of the bracket
40
for servicing difficult.
Where the screw
50
is eliminated, the dimple
44
only loosely secures the bracket
40
to the disk drive
30
, possibly allowing the disk drive to move about within the aperture
20
. Where the screw
50
is threaded through the first threaded hole
36
, the screw may again catch on the aperture
20
. Furthermore, threading or unthreading the screw
50
to install or remove the bracket
40
is a time consuming operation.
In addition to the foregoing drawbacks, the clip
42
may not adequately engage the chassis
10
. As a result, the disk drive
30
may move within the aperture
20
, possibly causing damage to the chassis or the disk drive, as discussed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed, in part, toward a method for removably mounting a computer component to a chassis. The computer component has a first surface with a first aperture extending therein and a second surface having a second aperture extending therein. In one embodiment, the method comprises inserting a first protrusion of an attachment assembly into the first aperture of the component and inserting a second protrusion of the attachment assembly into the second aperture of the component. The method may further comprise resisting motion of the first protrusion out of the first aperture by engaging the second protrusion with the second aperture. The method may still further comprise resisting pivotal motion of the assembly about the first protrusion by engaging the second protrusion with the second aperture.
In another embodiment, the method comprises engaging a first portion of the attachment assembly with a first surface of the computer chassis facing the first portion, and engaging a second portion of the assembly with a second surface of the chassis facing the second portion and facing opposite the first surface of the chassis. The method may further comprise inserting the component into an aperture of the chassis and biasing the component toward a surface of the aperture.
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Bryant David P.
Micron Electronics Inc.
Perkins Coie LLP
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