Expanded – threaded – driven – headed – tool-deformed – or locked-thr – Threaded fastener locked to a discreet structure – Nut – and means to engage substructure on its opposite faces...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-15
2004-06-08
Saether, Flemming (Department: 3679)
Expanded, threaded, driven, headed, tool-deformed, or locked-thr
Threaded fastener locked to a discreet structure
Nut, and means to engage substructure on its opposite faces...
C211S026000, C211S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06746193
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to rack-mounted computer assemblies and more specifically to a device for use with rack-mounted equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Rack-mounted computer assemblies are typically utilized throughout the computer industry.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional rack-mounted computer assembly configuration. The configuration comprises a first railing portion
10
and a second railing portion
11
directly opposite the first railing portion
10
. The railing portions are coupled to a rack
12
wherein a computer assembly
14
is slidably mounted within the railing portions
10
,
11
.
Currently there are two types of rack mounting implementations, a square-hole implementation and a round-hole implementation. FIG.
2
(
a
) shows the square-hole implementation
20
. The square-hole implementation
20
includes a rack
12
′ wherein the rack
12
′ includes a plurality of square holes
26
. Each of the plurality of square holes
26
are for receiving a nut assembly
21
. The nut assembly
21
comprises a nut
22
wherein the nut
22
is attached to a coupling element
24
. The coupling element
24
comprises locking elements
25
for locking the nut assembly
21
to the rack
12
′ when coupling the nut assembly
21
to the rack
12
′ as shown.
Please refer now to FIG.
2
(
b
). FIG.
2
(
b
) shows the round-hole implementation
50
. The round-hole implementation
50
includes a rack
12
″ wherein the rack
12
″ includes a plurality of round holes
58
. Each of the plurality of round holes
58
are for receiving a nut assembly
51
. The nut assembly
51
comprises a nut
54
wherein the nut
54
is attached to a mounting clip
52
. The mounting clip
52
also includes circular apertures
53
,
56
. (Not shown in the figure is a flange element that acts as a positioner when the assembly
51
is utilized in conjunction with the round-hole implementation
50
.) Accordingly, the nut assembly
51
is clipped to the rack
12
″ as shown thereby allowing threaded fasteners to be utilized to couple computer equipment to the rack
12
″.
Because computer manufacturers utilize both square-hole and round-hole type rack configurations, both types of nut assemblies
21
,
51
must be supplied with computer products/rack mounted equipment in order to properly accommodate each type of rack configuration. Consequently, whichever type of nut assembly that is not needed, is subsequently discarded. This is an extremely wasteful process.
Therefore, what is needed is a device that accommodates both types of configurations. The device should be simple, cost effective and capable of being easily adapted to current technology. The present invention addresses such a need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A device for use with rack-mounted equipment is disclosed. The device comprises a threaded portion and a clip element coupled to the threaded portion whereby the device is capable of being utilized in conjunction with a plurality of rack configurations.
Through the use of the present invention, both square-hole and round-hole rack configurations can be accommodated with one device. This results in a significant reduction in the cost of computer/rack-mounted equipment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2278790 (1942-04-01), Langmaid
patent: 2394729 (1946-02-01), Tinnerman
patent: 2633886 (1953-04-01), Tinnerman
patent: 2681679 (1954-06-01), Poupitch
patent: 2875805 (1959-03-01), Flora
patent: 3126039 (1964-03-01), Fiddler
patent: 3138187 (1964-06-01), Jaworski
patent: 3783922 (1974-01-01), Petrus
patent: 4375933 (1983-03-01), Hassler
patent: 5172608 (1992-12-01), Schultz
patent: 6230903 (2001-05-01), Abbott
patent: 6270281 (2001-08-01), Ruusuvuori
Saether Flemming
Sawyer Law Group
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