Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-10
2002-04-16
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C361S724000, C312S223100, C312S223200, C248S065000, C248S073000, C439S053000, C439S928100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06373694
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the art of fastening devices and more particularly to a fastening device for hard disk having improved characteristics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional fastening device for hard disk is shown in FIG.
1
. The fastening device is configured on a frame
1
having a plurality of pairs of opposed grooves
10
. Each groove
10
on one side of the frame
1
has an expanded opening
102
on one end opposite to the openings of the frame for installing hard disks. An extension member
12
is projected laterally from one side of the frame adjacent to the side of the expanded openings
102
, and a pair of slots
122
are disposed on the opposed sides of extension member
12
. A block member
2
is installed on frame
1
at the side covering the expanded openings
102
. A pair of snapping members
22
disposed on the opposed sides of block member
2
are engaged with slots
122
so as to secure block member
2
to frame
1
. A plurality of latched members
24
are respectively disposed on block member
2
at the positions facing the expanded openings
102
, and a spring
26
provided in a hole of block member
2
. Also, a plurality of pairs of projections
32
disposed on either side of hard disk
3
(e.g., top and bottom sides as shown) for cooperating with grooves
10
.
In fastening hard disk
3
to frame
1
, insert hard disk
3
into frame
1
through the openings thereof with projections
32
sliding along grooves
10
until projections
32
pass over latched members
24
. At this moment, projections
32
are secured in expanded openings
102
by latched members
24
. This procedure may repeat until a desired number of hard disks
3
are mounted in frame
1
.
In removing hard disk
3
from frame
1
, it is necessary to first move block member
2
toward extension member
12
to compress spring
26
for releasing projections
32
from latched members
24
. Block member
2
will return to its original position by virtue of the elastic force of spring
26
after hard disk
3
is removed from frame
1
. Then, projections
32
of the rest hard disks are again secured by the latched members
24
.
However, the previous design suffered from several disadvantages. For example, all projections
32
become disengaged from latched members
24
when only removing one hard disk
3
from frame
1
by moving block member
2
. This may cause other hard disks
3
to drop from frame
1
. Also, there are gaps between snapping members
22
and slots
122
. Such gaps may deviate block member
2
from the correct course while moving which in turn may cause block member
2
to squeeze therebetween. It is inconvenient and troublesome. Further, the engagement of block member
2
and frame
1
is not secured, and spring
26
is not easily fastened between frame
1
and block member
2
. Moreover, the projection of extension member
12
makes frame
1
difficult to mount in an electronic apparatus, resulting in an increase of manufacturing time and cost. This adversely affects the competence in the market.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a fastening device for hard disk. The fastening device is configured on a frame to have a plurality of pairs of opposed grooves, a block member installed on one side of the frame with grooves disposed thereon having a plurality of latched members corresponding to the grooves. In fastening hard disk to frame, insert hard disk into frame with projections of hard disks sliding along grooves until one projection contacts the latched member to be secured therein.
In one aspect of the present invention, projection of each hard disk is individually secured and released by operating the corresponding latched member. The advantage is that other hard disks may not drop from frame while the projection of one hard disk is released by pushing the corresponding latched member prior to removing the hard disk from frame.
In another aspect of the present invention, snapping members of block member are engaged with slots of frame for securing block member to frame, resulting in a decrease of assembly time.
In still another aspect of the present invention, block member is not moveable on frame such that a space required for sliding block member on frame is eliminated, resulting in a reduction of the size of frame and thus the cost thereof.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5306079 (1994-04-01), Liu
patent: 5332306 (1994-07-01), Babb et al.
patent: 5340340 (1994-08-01), Hastings et al.
patent: 5510955 (1996-04-01), Taesang
patent: 5668696 (1997-09-01), Schmitt
patent: 5717570 (1998-02-01), Kikinis
patent: 6058016 (2000-05-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 6122173 (2000-09-01), Felcman et al.
patent: 6188571 (2001-02-01), Roganti et al.
patent: 6201692 (2001-03-01), Gamble et al.
patent: 6288902 (2001-09-01), Kim et al.
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Foster David
Inventec C'orporation
Picard Leo P.
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