Latch mechanism for a housing

Details Latch mechanism for a housing Latch mechanism for a housing

2000-01-12

2001-10-02

Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)

Supports: cabinet structure

For particular electrical device or component

Housing for computer or computer related equipment

C312S265600, C292S128000, C292SDIG003

Reexamination Certificate

active

06296334

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a housing having a chassis, a cover and a front panel such as a personal computer, and more particularly to a mechanism for latching and releasing the front panel and the cover with and from the chassis.
2. The Related Art
As development of computer has advanced, this industrial field is more and more professionalized and divided into computer housing manufacturer, monitor manufacturer, PCB manufacturer, drive manufacturer and so on. Components from these different manufacturers are then transferred to a system manufacturer and assembled into a finished product there. During the assembly, a computer housing is usually disassembled and reassembled several times to subsequently assemble each component in it. Thus, how to simplify the assembly of the computer housing now becomes a problem to be hastily resolved.
A conventional computer generally comprises a front panel, a U-shaped cover and a chassis, wherein the front panel and the cover are respectively mounted on the chassis. As Taiwan Patent Application No. 85202167 discloses, opposite sides of a front panel integrally define two hooks respectively for engaging corresponding slots in side walls of a chassis thereby mounting the front panel to the front of the chassis. Then a cover is mounted on the chassis and latched with the side walls of the chassis. The problem is that when to remove the front panel, the cover must be removed first to provide accessible space, which is quite inconvenient and inefficient.
Taiwan patent application No. 81209656 also disclosed the mounting of a computer front panel. Upper and lower edges of the front panel define hooks to respectively latch its cover and chassis. The lower edge further defines a slanted surface on which there are openings corresponding to the lower hooks for facilitating accessing the lower hooks. Thus, the cover does not need to be removed first when to remove the front panel as the lower hooks can be released from the openings. However, the problem is that the lower hooks can not be determined their positions by eye vision and results in inefficiency. Moreover, the openings can not prevent dust and moisture.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved latch mechanism for a housing for readily assembling and disassembling the housing without the shortcomings of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch mechanism for simply assembling and disassembling a housing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a housing having a front panel, a cover and a chassis, wherein assembling and disassembling the housing only includes one operation procedure.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide simplified construction of a latch mechanism.
In accordance with the present invention, a computer housing has a front panel, a cover and a chassis, wherein the front panel and the cover are connected together. A mechanism for latching and releasing the front panel and the cover with and from the chassis include a match opening defined in a side of the front panel, a latch member, a spring and a locking hole defined in the chassis. The latch member has an arm extending towards the chassis terminating in a hooked portion to engage the locking hole. The latch member and the spring are received in the matching opening and are movable between a locked position where the arm is locked in the locking hole and a released position where the arm disengages the locking hole. The spring urges against the base to retain the latch member in the locked position.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:


REFERENCES:
patent: 5713647 (1998-02-01), Kim
patent: 5751545 (1998-05-01), Jung
patent: 5785398 (1998-07-01), Park
patent: 5823644 (1998-10-01), Suh et al.
patent: 5825626 (1998-10-01), Hulick et al.
patent: 6074028 (2000-06-01), Ho
patent: 6108196 (2000-08-01), Jung
patent: 6134116 (2000-10-01), Hoss et al.

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