Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2001-09-11
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C361S724000, C312S216000, 36
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288894
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to electronic systems and in particular to offset wheels for an electronic system housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems are information handling electronic systems which can be designed to give independent computing power to one user or a plurality of users. Computer systems may be found in many forms including, for example, mainframes, minicomputers, workstations, servers, personal computers, internet terminals, notebooks, and embedded systems. Computer systems include desk top, floor standing, rack mounted, or portable versions. A typical computer system includes at least one system processor, associated system memory and control logic, and peripheral devices that provide input and output for the system. Examples of peripheral devices include display monitors, keyboards, mouse-type input devices, floppy and hard disk drives, CD-ROM drives, printers, network capability card circuits, terminal devices, modems, televisions, sound devices, voice recognition devices, electronic pen devices, and mass storage devices such as tape drives, CD-R drives, or DVDs.
Some computer system chassis are mounted on wheels to reduce the physical exertion required in moving the chassis. However, because the height of a chassis may be greater than the width of the chassis, the wheel base of the chassis may be wider than the width of the chassis. With some systems, the wheels are required to be located at least three inches outside the perimeter the base of the chassis.
Locating chassis wheels outside of the base perimeter of a chassis may present problems for a user who desires to position multiple chassis as close to one another as possible in that wheels prevent the chassis from being placed side-by-side in an aligned configuration. What is needed is a way to provide an electronic system chassis with a wide wheel base and yet allow multiple chassis to be located next to each other in an aligned configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been discovered that providing electronic system housing chassis with offset wheels allows chassis with wide wheel bases to be located adjacent to each other in an aligned configuration.
In one aspect of the invention, a computer system includes a processor, a memory operably coupled to the processor, and a chassis. The processor and memory are housed in the chassis. The chassis has a base. The computer system includes a plurality of wheels physically coupled to the chassis to support the chassis. The plurality of wheels includes a first set of wheels located at a front portion of the chassis and a second set of wheels located at a back portion of the chassis. The first set of wheels includes a first wheel located out from the base of the chassis on a first side and a second wheel located out from the base of the chassis on a second side opposing the first side. The first wheel is horizontally offset from the second wheel along a dimension generally parallel to the first and second sides. The second set of wheels includes a third wheel located out from the base of the chassis on the first side and a fourth wheel located out from the base of the chassis on the second side. The third wheel is horizontally offset from the fourth wheel along the dimension.
In another aspect of the invention, a housing assembly for an electronic system includes a chassis for housing electronic components and a bracket coupled the chassis. The bracket has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion extends out past a first side of the chassis. The second end portion extends out past a second side of the chassis. The second side opposes the first side. The first end portion is horizontally offset from the second end portion along a dimension generally parallel to the first and second sides. The housing assembly also includes a first caster attached to the first end portion of the bracket and a second caster attached to the second end portion of the bracket. The first caster and the second caster provide support for the chassis.
In another aspect of the invention, a computer system includes a processor, a memory operably coupled to the processor, and a chassis. The processor and memory are housed in the chassis. The computer system includes a bracket coupled to the chassis. The bracket has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion extends out past a first side of the chassis. The second end portion extends out past a second side of the chassis. The second side opposes the first side. The first end portion is horizontally offset from the second end portion along a dimension generally parallel to the first and second sides. The computer system also includes a first wheel coupled to the first end portion of the bracket and a second wheel coupled to the second end portion of the bracket. The first wheel and the second wheel provide support for the chassis.
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Ty R. Schmitt and Andrew Wilks; “Stabilizing Pedestal For Computer System Tower Units”; Filed May 2, 1997; US Serial No.: 08/850,313; 11 Pages of Specification; and 4 Sheets of Drawings. (Copy Not Enclosed).
Dell USA L.P.
Dolezal David G.
Duong Hung Van
Picard Leo P.
Skjerven Morrill & MacPherson LLP
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