Door assembly for an optical drive

Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure

Reexamination Certificate

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Reexamination Certificate

active

06816448

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to computers and, more particularly, to a door assembly and actuator assembly for covering and actuating an optical drive.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Until recently, almost all home personal computers had beige cases. The same was true for computer monitors. However, more recently, personal computers including the computer cases and computer monitors have become fashion accessories for the home and office.
For example, a computer
100
is depicted in
FIG. 1A
, having a computer case
110
is made from a colorful plastic, such as blue, green or violet. However, the exterior surfaces of components such as an optical compact disc read-only memory CD-ROM drive are still manufactured from a beige plastic material. These components are manufactured in high quantities and are typically available in the standard beige exterior.
In order to still be able to use the standard optical CD-ROMs and harmonize the entire appearance of the computer
100
, it is necessary to cover the CD-ROM drive yet still allow the CD drive to be able to open. Other optical drives such as a DVD, a DVD-ROM, a CDRW and a DVDRW also have trays which open and need to be covered to harmonize the appearance of the computer case.
Referring again to
FIG. 1A
, a CD door assembly
120
is depicted covering a standard CD-ROM
130
(see FIG.
1
B). The CD door assembly
120
includes a CD door
122
, and an actuating bar assembly
124
pivotably mounted to the CD door
122
. The actuating bar assembly
124
includes an exterior activating button
126
to be pressed by a user and an interior actuating portion
128
for making contact with a CD button
132
which is part of the standard CD-ROM
130
. As depicted in
FIG. 1A
, CD door assembly
120
is in a closed position. When a user wants to open the standard CD-ROM
130
, the user presses on the actuating button
126
causing the actuating bar
124
to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction as depicted in FIG.
1
B. The pivoting action of the actuating bar
124
causes the actuating portion
128
to come into contact with the CD button
132
. Once the CD button
132
is actuated, the CD tray
134
will move against the bias of a spring load return
140
causing the CD door assembly
120
to pivot from the vertical closed position depicted in
FIG. 1
into a horizontal open position as depicted in FIG.
1
B. Ramps
136
,
138
are provided on the interior of the CD door
122
to facilitate the door
122
moving to the open horizontal position depicted in FIG.
1
B. The spring load return
140
is attached to the actuating bar
124
and urges both the actuating bar
124
and the door
122
towards the closed normal position depicted in FIG.
1
A.
There are several possible drawbacks to the described CD door assembly
120
. The first disadvantage is that the actuating bar assembly
124
rotates with the door
122
such that when the CD tray
134
is in the open position, it is necessary to push CD tray
134
in a direction towards the standard CD-ROM
130
in order to close the CD tray
134
. It is much more desirable to use the CD button
132
to cause the CD tray
134
to retract. Also, because the actuating bar assembly
124
has rotated approximately 90°, the actuating bar
124
is not in a position to carrying light emitted by the LED
124
. Another difficulty with the CD door assembly
120
is that the actuating bar
124
is not fully supported along its length and is only cantilevered from and supported by a single pivot point. Because there is only a single pivot point, the actuating bar assembly may sag over time, and there may be excessive stress on the single pivot point causing breakage of the actuating bar assembly at the pivot point.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a door for covering an optical drive which pivots independently of an actuating bar assembly so that the actuating bar is used to actuate the CD-ROM drive when the CD tray is in the open position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an actuating bar which can be used to actuate the optical drive to retract the CD tray when the CD tray is in an open position.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an actuating bar having a spring bias independent of a spring bias for the door assembly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an actuating bar having a guiding feature which guides and supports the actuating bar throughout pivotal movement.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an actuating bar assembly that can carry light emitted by the optical drive when the optical drive is in the open position.
The present invention is directed to a door assembly and separate actuating assembly for covering a standard optical drive, such as a CD-ROM. The CD door is molded of a plastic of a color matching the rest of a computer case. The actuator bar is made of a clear plastic capable of carrying light. The door is pivotably mounted to the case and has a separate spring return. The actuating bar is separately mounted to the computer case at a pivotal mounting portion and has an integral plastic spring to return the actuating bar to its normal position. A guide feature is provided at an opposite end of the actuating bar from the pivotal mounting portion to guide the actuating bar and to provide support.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a door assembly for an optical drive. The optical drive has at least one LED and an actuating button. A tray holder is movable between an operating position to an open position. The door assembly is mountable to a computer case. A door is pivotably mounted to the computer case and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. A biasing mechanism is associated with the door for pivoting the door into the closed position from the open position when the tray holder moves from the open position to the operating position. A clear actuator is pivotably mounted to the computer case and is pivotable from a normal position to an actuating position in contact with the actuating button. The actuator has an integral spring biasing the actuator towards the normal position. When the actuator is brought into the actuating position and the at least one LED emits light, the actuator carries the light outwardly to be visible outside the computer case.
The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are achieved by an actuator assembly for an optical drive mounted in a computer case. The optical drive has at least one LED, an actuator button and a tray holder movable between an operating position and an open position. The actuator assembly includes a clear body portion extending horizontally and pivotably mounted to the computer case along a vertical axis. A spring portion biases the body portion in a direction away from the optical drive.
The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a method of actuating an optical drive in a computer case. The optical drive has at least one LED, an actuator button and a tray holder movable between an operating position and an open position. The computer case has a door assembly mounted to the computer case and an actuator assembly mounted to the computer case. The method includes pivoting the actuator assembly from a normal position to an actuating position in contact with the actuating button along a first axis against a bias of a biasing mechanism. Following the pivoting step, the door assembly pivots along a second axis while the actuator remains in the first axis.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its severa

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