Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Coupling part or mating part extending into panel opening
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-30
2004-11-09
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Coupling part or mating part extending into panel opening
C174S066000, C220S003800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06814613
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of mechanical construction, and more particularly to an improved connector reveal for an electronic component case. The predominant current usage of the present inventive improved connector reveal is in the construction of a computer monitor case, wherein it is desirable to have a means to quickly and inexpensively affix a case subpart to the case.
BACKGROUND ART
In the construction of electronic component devices, such as computers, computer monitors, and the like, it is frequently required to have electrical connectors which are accessible from the outside of the case. It is known in tho art to attach such connectors to a body subpanel, sometimes a recessed body panel, such that such body panel can be constructed as a separate subcomponent which is affixed to the case during the final assembly thereof. In the prior art, it has frequently been difficult to align such subpanel to the rest of the case such that the subpanel aligns nicely with the surrounding case. A poorly aligned subpanel has often been the result.
In an effort to better cosmetically align such case subpanels in an aperture in the case provided therefore, it has been the practice to try to more precisely manufacture the parts such that they fit together with greater precision. However, such precision manufacturing can be quite expensive and, indeed, there are limits to how precisely and reliably plastic parts can be manufactured. Therefore, while significant expense has been incurred in an effort to solve this problem, a reliable and inexpensive solution has thus far evaded practitioners in the field.
While it would be desirable to have an inexpensive and reliable method and/or apparatus for affixing a body subpanel, or the like, within an aperture provided therefore such that such subpanel is nicely aligned and centered within the aperture, no such method and/or apparatus has existed in the prior art.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for easily and inexpensively affixing a case subpanel within an aperture in the case.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will result in a subpanel being consistently centered in an aperture provided therefor.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a computer component housing having a reveal which is nicely aligned in relation to a surrounding panel.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a computer component housing which is inexpensive to produce, both in time and material.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a component housing subpart which is easily affixed to the remainder of the component housing.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a component housing subpart which is rugged in construction.
Briefly, an embodiment of the present invention is a computer monitor having a case made up of several component parts. One of such parts, a “tub” in this present example, has an aperture therein provided for accepting a subpanel. The subpanel is adapted for containing a plurality of electrical connectors such that the electrical connectors can be accessed from outside the housing by an end user. A structural grid within the housing has a flexible portion with a grid screw aperture therein, the screw aperture is adapted for accepting a self tapping screw which is passed through a subpanel screw aperture in the subpanel and screwed into the grid screw aperture such that the flexible portion of the grid is caused to flex toward the subpanel, thereby holding the subpanel in place by spring tension. The subpanel has a beveled outer lip for preventing the subpanel from being drawn within the tub, and further for providing a self centering effect within the aperture provided in the tub.
An advantage of the present invention is that a housing subpanel is quickly and easily affixed to a component housing.
A further advantage of the present invention is that a housing subpanel is inexpensive to manufacture.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a housing subpanel and associated housing need not be constructed to extremely tight tolerances.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that the subpanel reveal is well aligned within an aperture provided therefor.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the subpanel reveal is well secured within the aperture provided therefor.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of the description of modes of carrying out the invention, and the industrial applicability thereof, as described herein and as illustrated in the several figures of the drawing. The objects and advantages listed are not an exhaustive list of all possible advantages of the invention. Moreover, it will be possible to practice the invention even where one or more of the intended objects and/or advantages might be absent or not required in the application
REFERENCES:
patent: 3636236 (1972-01-01), Smith
patent: 3816679 (1974-06-01), Hotchkiss
patent: 3902625 (1975-09-01), Schmidhuber
patent: 4334630 (1982-06-01), Bergin
patent: 6064005 (2000-05-01), Raasch
Apple Computer Inc.
Henneman & Saunders
Henneman, Jr. Larry E.
Paumen Gary
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