Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-19
2001-01-16
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S724000, C361S725000, C312S223100, C312S223200, C312S223600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175502
ABSTRACT:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an equipment arrangement for cabinets in network technology with at least one slide-in module for a keyboard, a monitor and a device for controlling a computer or server.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
For cabinets in network and automation technology and in particular for switch, computer and server cabinets it is known to place keyboards in slide-in modules, which are horizontally adjustable by means of telescopic rails and which can be extracted for data entry.
Generally a keyboard module has a height of one height unit (HU) of the 19 inch design. In addition, in computer and server cabinets there must be a further slide-in module for a signal switch, which permits a separate control of several computers or servers. The signal switch module generally has a height of one to three height units. At least one visual display unit is also required in a computer or server cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,032 discloses an equipment arrangement for a computer cabinet having several computers, in which a keyboard and a flat screen as a visual display unit are located in a slide-in module, which has a height of one height unit of the 19 inch design. Between the keyboard in a front area of the module and the flat screen in a rear area of the module is formed a partition. A discriminator for the selection of a computer is placed behind the flat screen.
The discriminator, which is controlled by a selector unit, connects the keyboard and the flat screen to the selected computer. The selector unit can be constituted by the keyboard, but also by a keypad or a rotary switch, which are then positioned behind the partition and in the vicinity of the flat screen.
The rear arrangement of the discriminator can be disadvantageous, e.g. for conversion and maintenance work. The complicated, separate arrangement of the selector unit and the discriminator in front of and behind the adjustable flat screen is also disadvantageous.
3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to create an equipment arrangement which permits a particularly advantageous arrangement of a keyboard as an input unit, a monitor/flat screen as the visual display unit and a device for controlling and selecting a computer or server in a computer or server cabinet, which simultaneously increases the usable cabinet volume and ensures an easy operation of the equipment assembly and the server or computer.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by an equipment arrangement with a keyboard, a monitor/flat screen and a device for controlling and selecting a computer and/or server, in which the device for controlling and selecting a computer and/or server is a signal switch. In the case of a common slide-in module having one height unit, the signal switch is positioned between the keyboard and the monitor/flat screen, the keyboard being located in a front area and the monitor/flat screen in a rear area of the slide-in module. As the signal switch is positioned between the keyboard and the flat screen, a reliable, troublefree connection between the keyboard, signal switch and monitor/flat screen is possible. According to the invention the keyboard and monitor/flat screen can also be placed in a common slide-in module with a height of 1.5 to 2 height units or in each case in an individual module with a height of in each case approximately one height unit, the monitor/flat screen being located in the common module having approximately two height units above the keyboard. In the case of single or individual slide-in modules for the keyboard and monitor/flat screen, they can be directly superimposed or be arranged with a spacing of one or more height units.
In the slide-in position of the slide-in module, the keyboard, monitor/flat screen and signal switch are received by each module respectively. In the extracted or slide-out operating position, the monitor/flat screen can be inclined or vertical.
The term monitor/flat screen covers screens of limited construction depth, e.g. flat picture tubes with cathode ray deflection, scanning flat screens, plasma, LED, electroluminescent and LCD screens. Generally a flat screen has a depth of approximately 24 mm. Said flat screen is placed in a horizontal position, e.g. behind the keyboard and the signal switch or above the keyboard and when the slide-in module is extracted it is brought into an operating position, e.g. being folded out or put upright or pivoted up about a horizontal, preferably front axis.
In the almost vertical operating position the monitor/flat screen should be secured by an end stop. It is also appropriate to secure the slide-in module against unintentional sliding in. It is advantageous if one device ensures both the retention of the monitor/flat screen in the operating position and also the stopping of the module in the slid-out position.
The arrangement of a keyboard, a signal switch and a flat screen in one place, as well as advantageously a handrest in a front area of the common slide-in module requires an approximate cabinet depth or module depth of roughly 700 mm. Such a module depth exists with computer cabinets in the server sector.
In the case of a common slide-in module of 1.5 to max 2 height units of the 19 inch design for a keyboard and a flat screen positioned above it, appropriately the signal switch is located behind the keyboard. A handrest can be located in front of the keyboard. The flat screen is appropriately articulated to a rear joint or hinge and can be folded out. Generally the angle in the folded out operating position is up to approximately 130°. This equipment layout or arrangement merely requires a depth of approximately 300 to 400 mm.
A keyboard and a monitor/flat screen can also be placed in two individual slide-in modules. It is advantageous to locate a signal switch in the individual module for the keyboard. The signal switch can be arranged directly behind the keyboard, but also in side areas and in a vertical arrangement.
The individual slide-in modules, which have a height of one height unit (1 HU), can be directly superimposed in a cabinet or rack. However, the possibility also exists of spacing the individual modules by one or more height units.
Particularly in the variant with a common slide-in module of roughly one or two height units, a monitor/flat screen can be removed from the common module for the operating position and placed on a higher holding fixture or an extraction plate.
It is also advantageous if the monitor/flat screen module also contains a device for pivoting the monitor/flat screen about a vertical axis. This pivoting device can e.g. be placed in swing-down manner in a side area of the module. It can also be advantageous if, besides the vertical adjustment, there is a slope adjustment for the monitor/flat screen.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5196993 (1993-03-01), Herron et al.
patent: 5388032 (1995-02-01), Gill et al.
patent: 6078495 (2000-06-01), Cipolla et al.
Keil Christian
Klein Alexander
Mueller Peter
Schaerer Erwin
Duong Hung Van
Evenson, McKeown, Edwards & Lenahan P.L.L.C.
Knuerr-Mechanik fuer die Elektronik Aktiengesellschaft
Picard Leo P.
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