Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-13
2003-01-28
Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06512671
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a peripheral apparatus for a personal computer arranged adjacent to a casing of the personal computer and electrically connected to the personal computer, and in particular to a peripheral apparatus constructed by packaging therein an electrical unit capable of being installed in the casing of the personal computer.
As well known, various kinds of peripheral apparatuses can be connected with the personal computer.
Recently, a recording medium, a data compressing format, and an error correcting method are developed, respectively. The recording medium is recordable data and has large recording-capacity. The data compressing format has high compression-rate. The error correcting method is capable of accurately correcting error of recorded data. With these development, a storage apparatus for recording/reproducing data to/from such recording medium as a CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable), a CD-RW (CD-ReWritable), a DVD-RAM (Digital Versatile Disc-Random-Access Memory), or a DVD-RW is beginning to very spread.
Recently, a recording medium, a data compressing format, and an error correcting method have been developed, respectively. The recording medium is capable of recording data and has a large recording capacity. The data compressing format has a high compression rate. And the error correcting method is capable of correcting errors in the recorded data. With these developments, storage apparatuses for recording/reproducing data to/form a recording medium such as a CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable) a CD-RW (CD-ReWritable), a DVD-RAM (Digital Versatile Disc-Random-Access Memory), or a DVD-RW are becoming very popular.
More concretely, the USB includes not only USB 1.x but also USB 2.x which is upper compatible with the USB 1.x. The USB 2.x can perform a transmission of the data with much higher speed than the USB 1.x. Therefore, the USB 2.x is favorable as the interface for the storage apparatus. Furthermore, as the next generation interface high in transmitting speed, an IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 1394 (IEEE 1394 interface) is also developed.
The peripheral apparatus using the next generation such as the USB performs the following merits.
1. The user of the personal computer can use the peripheral apparatus easily without much experience of the use of the personal computer. This is caused by unnecessary of using an enhanced interface board necessary for a SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) and of setting of an ID (Dentity) number necessary for the SCSI.
2. It is possible to connecting/disconnecting the peripheral apparatus to the personal computer if the personal computer or an operating system is working (this is called as “hot-plugging”). Therefore, the inexperienced user can use the peripheral apparatus easily.
3. The USB makes the personal computer to be sufficient to interface with various kinds of the peripheral apparatus. Therefore, the personal computer can be reduced in size because it is sufficient for the personal computer to have less number or kind of the connector for interfacing.
Because of the merits 1 and 2 and because the personal computer tends to have less number of the storage apparatus caused by the merit 3, a greater number of users of the personal computer tend to use the peripheral apparatus using the next generation interface including the storage apparatus. Because the greater number of users use the peripheral apparatus, the peripheral apparatus is requested to be still easily used. Furthermore, the peripheral apparatus is requested to be designed so as to match a design of the personal computer, taste of the user, or an interior design of a room where the peripheral apparatus is arranged and so as to be refined as so called. For example, the personal computer of a desk-top type/a notebook type designed and manufactured by Apple Computer which is called as “iMac/iBook” has the USB and less number of storage means. The personal computer is easily used and has a casing (body) mainly made from resin and colored with a color selected by the user when the user buys the personal computer from various colors provided by a maker. The colors include a translucent or a skeleton color added pigment. The user of such personal computer requests for the peripheral apparatus to be still easily used and to be designed so as to match the design of the personal computer, the taste of the user, or the interior design of the room and so as to be refined.
On the other hand, from the standpoints of manufacture and performance of the peripheral apparatus, it is preferable that the peripheral apparatus is excellent in cost-performance ratio and can be efficiently manufactured in a short time. Furthermore, it is also preferable that the peripheral apparatus is sufficiently provided with measures of electric noise-absorbing and heat-radiation. Still, it is preferable that the peripheral apparatus can prevent the user from mistaking the use of the peripheral apparatus.
Conventionally, the peripheral apparatus, in particular, the storage apparatus is designed so as to use as possible many parts in common with an interior unit installed in the personal computer. As regards a CD-R drive for example, a CD-R drive unit having a disc-tray loading mechanism, a disc rotating mechanism, and optical head carriage drive mechanism as mechanism parts and an electric circuit without the interface and a power supply as electric parts is often designed so as to be used as both of the peripheral apparatus and the interior unit.
The electrical unit used as both of the peripheral apparatus and the interior units as mentioned above generally has a lower chassis made from metal which mounts thereon the mechanism parts and the electric circuit parts (The electrical unit may also have an upper chassis made from metal.). Furthermore, the electrical unit mostly as a front panel made from resin and attached to a front portion of the lower and/or upper chassises. The front panel is provided with a slot for projecting an eject-button therethrough and a hole for inserting and removing the recording medium therethrough and has a main surface worn makeup. The front panel is outwardly exposed from the personal computer or the peripheral apparatus.
The peripheral apparatus generally has the electrical unit mentioned above, the interface portion, the power supply, and a metal casing made from metal and worn makeup for containing the electrical unit, the interface portion, and the power supply therein. A front portion of the metal casing in a depth direction is opened. The front panel is attached to the front portion of the metal casing so as to cover the front portion. Generally, there are concretely three types of attaching the front panel to the peripheral apparatus as follows:
1. A type has a first front panel used for the electrical unit used as both of the peripheral apparatus and the interior unit and a second front panel used for the peripheral apparatus only. The second front panel is provided with a square hole and can expose the first front panel through the square hole so that main surfaces of the first and the second front panels are located on same location as each other.
2. Another type has a third front panel used for both of the peripheral apparatus and the interior unit or for the peripheral apparatus only. The third front panel has a cap shape. When the third panel is directed so that an opening thereof faces rearwardly in the depth direction, the third front panel can contain the front portion of the metal casing and can cover the casing.
3. The other type has the first front panel used for the electrical unit used as both of the peripheral apparatus and the interior unit, a resin casing having lower and upper pieces capable of separating to each other, and a front holder attached to a front portion of the resin casing. The front holder covers the front portion of the resin casing.
For example, the type 3 has lower and upper pieces for covering an electrical unit and a front holder. If the lower and the upper piec
Ogasawara Manabu
Okano Yoshihiro
Chang Yean-Hsi
Frishauf Holtz Goodman & Chick P.C.
Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd.
Schuberg Darren
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