Supports: cabinet structure – For particular electrical device or component – Housing for computer or computer related equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-27
2001-01-30
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
For particular electrical device or component
Housing for computer or computer related equipment
C361S727000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179397
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved structure for connecting the rack of the main circuit board in a computer housing, and particularly to a rack with a slidable structure that facilitates convenient assembly during manufacturing.
2. The Related Art
The assembly of computers is an extremely competitive industry where the most successful competitors often have the most expeditious assembly process. Cheaper and cheaper computer hardware and software continues to be developed, increasing the relative importance of the cost of assembly, and providing an increased portion of profit margin from new developments in assembly. A conventional computer housing is shaped like a box enclosed by bottom, top, front, rear and a side panels, its interior containing subsystem components, such as disk drives, a CD-ROM, a motherboard, and a switching power supply. A front panel is adapted to expose the face of Floppy Disk Drives (FDD) and Compact Disc Drives (CD), and a rear panel is adapted to accommodate inputs and outputs, while a side panel is adapted to fix the motherboard thereon. Such a housing is adapted for assembling in a single assembly line. Since assembly can be very complicated and involve numerous components in such a computer, especially for multi-media computers, quality control on the single assembly line can be difficult. When problems occur in one of the assembly links, the entire assembly line may be halted.
Further, due to the compact, internal space of the computer and the packed arrangement of the components in the computer, the assembly of a motherboard is the most time-consuming workstation and the most likely to cause delays in the assembly line as a result of inefficiency.
The present invention overcomes the above disadvantages by providing an improved structure for connecting the main circuit board rack in the computer housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure for connecting a main circuit board rack in a computer housing, thereby allowing the computer housing to be manufactured in two assembly lines, the main circuit board being assembled to the rack at one workstation to form a module, and then being slidably assembled into the computer housing on a main assembly line, thereby increasing manufacturing efficiency, elevating productivity, and yielding better control over quality, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved structure for guidingly engaging and securing a main circuit board within a computer housing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a main circuit board rack for being mounted in a computer housing by self-guiding interengagements collaborating with only one fastener.
A structure for mounting a main circuit board in a computer housing according to the present invention includes a main circuit board rack, a rail formed on the drive cage of the computer housing, posts defined on the bottom panel of the computer housing and on the rack, and slots defined in the rail and on the rack. The upper and the lower edges of the rack are respectively bent into an upper flange and a lower flange for respectively contacting the rail and the bottom panel. The lower flange has slots to engage the posts of the bottom panel. The upper flange has posts to engage the slots of the rail. Each of the slots is in the shape of an L and includes a guiding portion and a main portion to provide the corresponding post with self-guiding interengagement therein.
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: 5159528 (1992-10-01), Murphy
patent: 5242061 (1993-09-01), Lin
patent: 5564804 (1996-10-01), Gonzalez et al.
patent: 5708563 (1998-01-01), Cranston, III et al.
patent: 5865518 (1999-02-01), Jarret et al.
patent: 5913581 (1999-01-01), Stephan et al.
patent: 6030062 (2000-02-01), Chen et al.
Chen José V.
Chung Wei Te
Fisher Michael J.
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
LandOfFree
Structure for connecting main circuit board rack within... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Structure for connecting main circuit board rack within..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Structure for connecting main circuit board rack within... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2556833