Hinged-bezel system for use with electronic devices

Details Hinged-bezel system for use with electronic devices Hinged-bezel system for use with electronic devices

2001-11-02

2003-12-09

Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3676)

Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,

Hinge

Including means to fasten leaf to member

C361S724000, C312S223200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06658700

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to bezels and electronic devices, and, in particular, to a hinged-bezel system for an electronic device contained within an equipment enclosure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically, electronic devices are housed in standardized equipment enclosures. Many equipment enclosures include an outer housing that is supported by an inner rack. The inner rack commonly comprises a substantially rectilinear metal frame including several vertical columns, each provided with a plurality of mounting and alignment holes that permit the mounting of various components to the inner rack.
Many equipment enclosures also include a removable bezel that forms an aesthetic front face for the enclosure. The bezel may also shield internal components from environmental contaminants, such as moisture and dust, as well as shield the environment from noise generated by components within the enclosure. Removing the bezel provides access to components mounted within the enclosures in order to repair, replace, inspect, and perform maintenance tasks on the components.
Currently, many different designs are employed to attach bezels to equipment enclosures. Most bezel designs require complete removal of the bezel in order to provide access to electronic components through the front of the equipment enclosure. Some bezel designs employ a hinge to open the bezel, thus allowing access to the interior of the equipment enclosure without complete removal of the bezel. However, pivot-location problems plague current hinged-bezel designs. The optimal pivot location is along the extreme front edge of the enclosure. However, electronic devices often fit snugly into equipment enclosures, with the front of the electronic devices flush with the openings of the equipment enclosures. Optimal pivot location obstructs, or shadows, the vertical column of the rack that the pivot lies upon, thus prohibiting the anchoring of one edge of the electronic device to the rack. Insufficiently anchored electronic devices are prone to damage when moved, and fail to comply with certain shake, vibration, drop, and earthquake standards.
Some current hinged-bezel designs have attempted to place the pivot in less than optimal locations to allow complete anchoring of the electronic device to the equipment enclosure, and also to avoid shadowing rack rails. However, pivots not placed along the extreme edge of the front face of the equipment enclosure either protrude beyond the front face of the enclosure, thereby reducing the types of racks available for mounting, or fail to open fully, thus requiring complete bezel removal for access to some components within the equipment enclosure. For these reasons, designers, manufacturers and consumers of electronic devices have recognized the need for a hinged-bezel system for an equipment enclosure, capable of providing unobstructed access to components within an equipment enclosure without removal of the bezel, while providing accessible mounts for anchoring the electronic device to the inner rack of the equipment enclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hinged-bezel systems for equipment enclosures. One embodiment of the present invention allows for unobstructed access to components through the front face of an equipment enclosure without removing a bezel, while still allowing for the complete anchoring of an electronic device within the equipment enclosure.
The hinged-bezel system comprises a hinged bezel, a clamp plate, and a comb. The bezel hinge fastens to the clamp plate attached to the front edge of the vertical length of one side of the electronic device. The clamp plate extends beyond the plane of the front face of the electronic device. Thus, the bezel hinge is attached to the electronic device while also being extended outward, via the clamp plate, from the face of the electronic device. By extending the bezel hinge outward, the bezel can swing open far enough to allow full access to the various components within the equipment enclosure.
The comb, attached to a vertical column near the front face of the equipment enclosure, contains several fingers that extend outward from the front face of the equipment enclosure. When the electronic device is placed into the equipment enclosure, the fingers on the comb slide underneath several guide channels on the clamp plate. A locking screw passes through a hole in one finger of the comb, and into a nut pressed into one of the guide channels of the clamp plate, thus anchoring the electronic device to the equipment enclosure.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4717216 (1988-01-01), Hornak
patent: 5624170 (1997-04-01), Hasty
patent: 5926916 (1999-07-01), Lee et al.
patent: 6038892 (2000-03-01), Schmitt
patent: 6064568 (2000-05-01), Schmitt
patent: 6130822 (2000-10-01), Della Fiora et al.
patent: 6478392 (2002-11-01), Gan et al.
patent: 6519140 (2003-02-01), Kim et al.

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