Supports: cabinet structure – For particular electrical device or component
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2001-08-07
Hansen, James O. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
For particular electrical device or component
C312S332100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270174
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a case for accommodating electronic equipment, and more particularly to a case for accommodating a hard disk drive (HDD) adapted to be removably mounted in a computer such as a server or a workstation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, it has been desired to reduce the size of an HDD as a kind of external storage device for a computer and also to increase the capacity of the HDD. A method for increasing the capacity of the HDD is to increase the number of magnetic disks to be mounted on a spindle. In a recent HDD, the spacing between disks to be mounted has been reduced with the increase in the number of disks. It is expected that a future HDD will have a higher capacity and a higher speed, so that there is a possibility that when a head mounted in a disk drive, tracing a certain track on a disk is minutely vibrated, the head may encroach on the adjacent tracks on the disk to cause off-track trouble such as data misreading or data garbling. This off-track trouble is also caused by vibrations of a spindle motor and other components mounted in the disk drive.
A host computer such as a server or a workstation is connected through a communication network such as a local area network (LAN) to many subordinate computers, and adopts a so-called active disk drive unit which can be easily inserted into and removed from a shelf for accommodating the disk drive unit in the condition where the power to the host computer is on. The active disk drive unit is composed of a disk drive such as a hard disk drive and a case for accommodating the disk drive therein. The active disk drive unit is inserted into or removed from the shelf accommodated in the host computer as required without powering off the host computer.
A conventional case for an active disk drive is formed of integrally molded plastic, and has a plurality of resilient portions. In the condition where the case accommodating the active disk drive is inserted in the shelf, the resilient portions of the case abut against guide rails formed on the inner surface of the shelf to thereby absorb the vibrations by utilizing a spring action of plastic. However, in such a conventional vibration absorbing method utilizing a spring action of plastic, the play of the active disk drive unit with respect to the guide rails of the shelf cannot be completely absorbed, and this play may amplify the vibrations of the head due to the vibrations of the spindle motor or a cooling fan in the computer. As a result, the head off-track trouble cannot be eliminated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a case for electronic equipment which can completely absorb the play of an active electronic equipment unit with respect to the guide rails of the shelf.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a case for electronic equipment, comprising a main frame for accommodating the electronic equipment so that the electronic equipment is removably fitted within the main frame, the main frame including a first surface having a first pressure portion, a second surface having a second pressure portion, and a plate connecting the first surface and the second surface; a first fit plate slidably mounted on the first surface, the first fit plate having a third pressure portion; a second fit plate slidably mounted on the second surface, the second surface having a fourth pressure portion; a first fit lever pivotably mounted to the plate so as to be operatively connected to the first fit plate; and a second fit lever having a first end portion pivotably mounted to the plate so as to be operatively connected to the second fit plate and a second end portion pivotably and slidably connected to the first fit lever; the first and second fit levers being movable between a first position where the third and fourth pressure portions of the first and second fit plates are separated from the first and second pressure portions of the first and second surfaces, respectively, and a second position where the third and fourth pressure portions of the first and second fit plates are brought into pressure contact with the first and second pressure portions of the first and second surfaces, respectively, by sliding the first and second fit plates.
Preferably, the first pressure portion of the first surface comprises a plurality of first pressure portions spaced at equal intervals, and the third pressure portion of the first fit plate comprises a plurality of third pressure portions spaced at equal intervals with the same pitch as that of the first pressure portions. Similarly, the second pressure portion of the second surface comprises a plurality of second pressure portions spaced at equal intervals, and the fourth pressure portion of the second fit plate comprises a plurality of fourth pressure portions spaced at equal intervals with the same pitch as that of the second pressure portions. The plate is composed of a first plate and a second plate opposed to each other, wherein when the first and second fit levers are moved to the second position, the first and second fit levers are received between the first and second plates.
The electronic equipment is accommodated in the case to provide an electronic equipment unit. The electronic equipment unit is inserted into or removed from a shelf mounted in a computer. The shelf has a plurality of guide rails for guiding insertion and removal of the electronic equipment unit with respect to the shelf. When the electronic equipment unit is fully inserted into the shelf, the first and second fit levers are moved to the second position. In concert with this movement, the first and second fit plates are slid to make pressure contact of the pressure portions of the first fit plate and the first surface and pressure contact of the pressure portions of the second fit plate and the second surface. As a result, the first and second fit plates are moved away from the first and second surfaces, respectively, thereby increasing the distance between the first and second fit plates to forcibly press the first and second fit plates on the inner surface of the shelf. Accordingly, the play of the electronic equipment unit with respect to the shelf can be completely eliminated.
In removing the electronic equipment unit from the shelf, the first and second fit levers are moved to the first position, so that the pressure portions of the first and second fit plates are separated from the pressure portions of the first and second surfaces, respectively. As a result, the distance between the first and second fit plates is reduced to thereby allow easy removal of the electronic equipment unit from the shelf.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a case for electronic equipment, comprising a main frame for accommodating the electronic equipment so that the electronic equipment is removably fitted within the main frame, the main frame including a first surface, a second surface having a first pressure portion, and a plate connecting the first surface and the second surface; a fit plate slidably mounted on the second surface, the fit plate having a second pressure portion; and a fit lever pivotably mounted to the plate so as to be operatively connected to the fit plate; the fit lever being movable between a first position where the second pressure portion of the fit plate is separated from the first pressure portion of the second surface and a second position where the second pressure portion of the fit plate is brought into pressure contact with the first pressure portion of the second surface by sliding the fit plate.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention and the manner of realizing them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will best be understood from a study of the following description and appended claims with reference to the attached drawings showing some preferred embodiments of the i
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Fujitsu Limited
Hansen James O.
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