Supports: cabinet structure – For particular electrical device or component – Housing for computer or computer related equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-30
2001-05-15
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
For particular electrical device or component
Housing for computer or computer related equipment
C361S788000, C361S801000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231139
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer enclosure, and particularly to a computer enclosure incorporating a pivotable fixing cover for fixing a slot cover to be attached thereto.
2. The Related Art
As computer's functions increase, computers are being equipped with more and more devices and expansion cards. Motherboards today normally mount a plurality of expansion connectors thereon for receiving expansion cards, thereby expanding the computer's functions. Correspondingly, computer enclosures are required to define a plurality of slots for providing accesses to the expansion cards. Examples of such computer enclosures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,744,006, 4,979,075 and 5,121,295. An expansion card is fixed in a conventional enclosure using a bolt. Thus, the assembly operation for adding new expansion cards is complicated and time-consuming.
Referring to
FIG. 1
of the attached figures, a computer enclosure
100
is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application No. 88201721 which was filed on Feb. 2, 1999 by the present applicant and includes a rear panel
102
and a fixing cover
104
attached to the rear panel
102
. The rear panel
102
defines a plurality of expansion slots
105
for providing accesses to expansion cards
106
. A fixing plate
108
is stamped from the rear panel
102
adjacent to an end of the expansion slots
105
and forms a plurality of protrusions
110
. Each expansion card
106
includes a slot cover
112
forming a bent portion
114
for abutting against the fixing plate
108
. Each bent portion
114
defines a cutout
115
for engaging with the protrusion
110
of the fixing plate
108
thereby positioning the expansion card
106
. The fixing cover
104
forms a plurality of spring tabs
116
for pressing the bent portion
114
of the slot cover
112
thereby fixing the expansion card
106
. A pair of through holes
118
is defined in the fixing cover
104
and a pair of screw holes
120
is correspondingly defined in the rear panel
102
. A pair of bolts
122
extends through the through holes
118
and threadedly engages with the screw holes
120
thereby fixing the fixing cover
104
to the rear panel
102
. However, attaching the fixing cover
104
to the rear panel
102
by bolts
122
is complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure having a pivotable fixing cover for facilitating assembly or disassembly of an expansion card.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure having a movable fastener for facilitating fixing or detaching a fixing cover thereof
To fulfil the objects mentioned above, a computer enclosure in accordance with the present invention is adapted to mount a slot cover having a bent portion. The computer enclosure comprises a rear panel, a fastener movably attached to the rear panel, and a fixing cover pivotably mounted to the rear panel and engaging with the fastener. The rear panel has a fixing plate for abutment of the bent portion of the slot cover. The fixing cover has a plurality of spring fingers for pressing the fixing plate of the rear panel. The bent portion of the slot cover is secured between a spring finger and the fixing plate thereby fixing the slot cover.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment according to attached drawings of the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5640309 (1997-06-01), Carney et al.
patent: 5673175 (1997-09-01), Carney et al.
patent: 5694291 (1997-12-01), Feightner
patent: 5822196 (1998-10-01), Hastings et al.
patent: 5936835 (1999-08-01), Astier
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Wilkens Janet M.
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