Computer enclosure incorporating drive brackets

Details Computer enclosure incorporating drive brackets Computer enclosure incorporating drive brackets

2002-06-17

2004-06-22

Lea-Edmonds, Lisa (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S689000, C312S223200, C312S257100, C248S694000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06754071

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer enclosures, and particularly to computer enclosures incorporating drive brackets.
2. Related Art
Various data storage devices are installed in computers for communication and handling of data. Such devices include, for example, hard disk drives, floppy disk drives, and CD-ROM drives.
In a conventional computer, a data storage device is attached in a drive bracket. The combined data storage device and drive bracket is then attached to a computer enclosure. The drive bracket is secured to the computer enclosure with screws. However, many components are compactly arranged in a limited space inside the computer enclosure. Attachment with screws is therefore unduly inconvenient and complicated.
Therefore, pivotable drive brackets have been developed. Taiwan Patent Application No. 88221950 discloses a pivotable drive bracket attaching a data storage device to a computer enclosure. The drive bracket has circular pivots on opposite sides thereof. The computer enclosure provides circular holes in a front plate thereof. The pivots can rotate in the holes to pivotably attach the data storage device to the computer enclosure. However, circular pivots in circular holes can rotate as much as 360 degrees. Stopping components are thus required to limit rotation of the drive bracket, and thereby provide correct positioning of the data storage device within the enclosure. These extra components complicate the structure of the computer enclosure and increase to costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure which has a drive bracket readily attaching a data storage device to the computer enclosure in a simple manner.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a computer enclosure in accordance with the present invention comprises a cage and a drive bracket for pivotably attaching a pair of data storage devices to the cage. The cage comprises a front panel, a pair of side panels, and a pair of supporting walls parallel to the side panels. The front panel defines a pair of windows for providing external access to the data storage devices. Each supporting wall has a horizontal rim extending from a top edge thereof. A guideway is defined in the supporting wall. A guiding entrance is defined through a middle portion of the horizontal rim, thus separate it into a front part and a rear part. The guiding entrance is in communication with the guideway. The front part comprises a slanted protrusion. The drive bracket comprises a pair of receiving spaces for accommodating the data storage devices therein, and a pair of side plates each having a railway. Each railway defines a cutout. The railways are slidable along the guideways between a first position in which the protrusions are inserted into the cutouts and the data storage devices are partly received in the cage and a second position in which the data storage devices are fully received in the cage.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which:


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