Electronic apparatus

Details Electronic apparatus Electronic apparatus

2002-12-19

2004-06-08

Martin, David (Department: 2841)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S752000, C361S689000, C361S740000, C361S816000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06747877

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus,
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic apparatuses such as computers used in companies, etc. tend to be kept in operation for twenty-four successive hours to meet customer demands. If such apparatus are out of service due to breakdowns, customers may experience serious problems.
Makers of electronic apparatuses deal with the above problem by preparing redundant units for principal attachment units to be attached to electronic apparatuses.
For example, makers design electronic apparatuses so that apparatus bodies can store two of each principal attachment unit. Therefore, even if one of the redundant units is damaged, the electronic apparatus can keep working with the other unit.
In this case, the damaged attachment unit is replaced with a new one while the electronic apparatus is kept working.
After the damaged attachment unit is removed from the body of the electronic apparatus, the location where this attachment unit was stored becomes a hollow slot. Connector pins, circuits, and other electrified portions through which electricity flows are exposed in this hollow slot.
If a replacement worker touches an electrified portion when reaching out his/her hand into the hollow slot, he/she might get an electric shock, or a short-circuit may occur causing malfunctioning of the electronic apparatus, a power-down, etc.
Safety standards organizations such as UL (UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES INC.) in the United States impose regulations against such dangers.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H8-8259 discloses a technique for closing an opening of a hollow slot while an attachment unit is removed from the body of an electronic apparatus.
The technique of the above publication closes an opening
201
of a hollow with a shutter
202
, as shown in FIG.
10
. And the closing shutter
202
is attracted to the body by a permanent magneto
203
.
The permanent magneto
203
is provided to prevent the shutter
202
from swinging due to wind caused by a cooling fan set inside the body. Therefore, the shutter
202
can be easily opened with a hand, and the like,
In other words, even with the use of the technique disclosed in the above publication, the covering of the electrified portions by the shutter
202
can-not be maintained. Accordingly, the technique of the above publication can-not sufficiently prevent a hand or foreign materials from entering the hollow slot.
Thus, the technique of the above publication can-not prevent the occurrence of an electric shock, a short-circuit, a malfunction of the electronic apparatus, a power-down, etc. due to the invasion of a hand or foreign materials into the hollow slot.
The content of the above indicated Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H8-18259 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus in which attachment units can be replaced safely.
To achieve the above object, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention is an electronic apparatus having at least one storage room for storing an attachment unit, the apparatus comprising:
a shelter structure which shelters an electrified portion which is inside the at least one storage room from outside, in a case where the attachment unit is not stored in the at least one storage room; and
a maintaining structure which maintains a state where the shelter structure shelters the electrified portion, in a case where the attachment unit is not stored in the at least one storage room,
wherein: the shelter structure comprises a plate which is set inside the at least one storage room, for sheltering the electrified portion from outside; and
the maintaining structure prevents the plate from shifting from a sheltering position at which the electrified portion can be sheltered from outside, by an externally applied force.
According to this invention, attachment units can be replaced safely.
The plate may swing on its one side, fall down in a case where the attachment unit is stored in the at least one storage room, and stand in a case where the attachment unit is not stored in the at least one storage room in order to shelter the electrified portion from outside.
The shelter structure may comprise a spring for standing up the plate in a case where the attachment unit is taken out from the at least one storage room.
The shelter structure may comprise a stopper which stops the plate being stood up by the spring at the sheltering position.
The maintaining structure may comprise a book which prevents the plate from being fallen down by an external force by hooking at least a part of the plate thereon.
The hook may be positioned at outside of an area over the plate in a case where the attachment unit is stored in the at least one storage room.
The hook may be set on a one end of a swinging member capable of swinging on its other end, may be positioned at the area over the plate by swinging of the swinging member in a case where the attachment unit is taken out from the at least one storage room, and may be displaced from the area over the plate in a case where the attachment unit is stored into the at least one storage room.
The maintaining structure may comprise a protrusion which is set at the middle of the swinging member, for controlling swinging of the swinging member.
The protrusion may be positioned in a path along which the attachment unit moves, in a case where the attachment unit is not stored in the at least one storage room.
The swinging member may swing when the protrusion is pushed outwardly from inside of the at least one storage room by the attachment unit, and thus cause the hook to be displaced from the area over the plate, in a case where the attachment unit is stored into the at least one storage room.
The swinging member may be formed of a plate spring, and cause the hook to be positioned at the area over the plate by swinging due to its own elasticity, in a case where the attachment unit is taken out from the at least one storage room.
The maintaining structure may comprise a cover plate which covers the protrusion positioned in the path of the attachment unit in order to prevent the protrusion from being pushed by mistake.
The hook may be positioned at the area over the plate after the plate shelters the electrified portion, in a case where the attachment unit is taken out from the at least one storage room.
The plate may be fallen down by the attachment unit after the hook is displaced from the area over the plate, in a case where the attachment unit is stored into the at least one storage room.
The plate may be a meshed plate.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6377451 (2002-04-01), Furuya
patent: 6563714 (2003-05-01), Chang
patent: 633 669 (1982-12-01), None
patent: 08-018259 (1996-01-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 1996, No. 5, May 31, 1996 & JP 08 018259 A (NEC Eng. Ltd.), Jan. 19, 1996 (abstract).

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