Abstract:
A computer or component system according to which a first cover is attached to a chassis, and a second cover is adapted to replace the first cover. Rack mount hardware is mounted on one of the covers for engaging a corresponding member in a rack system when the chassis is mounted in the rack system, and the other cover is free of any rack mount hardware, so that it can be used on a desktop.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a computer and method for configuring same, and more particularly, to such a computer and method in which the computer is adapted for rack mounting and for use on a desktop, or the like. 
     In large installations involving a plurality of computers, such as mini-tower or mid-tower computers, the individual computers are usually placed on a rack mount system formed by a cabinet having a plurality of vertically stacked shelves. Because a rack mount system may only be a certain height (based on industry standards and safety considerations), the amount of available space for mounting each computer is limited especially when a shelf is used for each computer. This problem is especially acute in connection with systems that require a relatively large number of computers because the cumulative space taken up by the shelves is significant. 
     To overcome these problems, slide assemblies have been developed that mount each computer to the rack system without the need for shelves. These slide assemblies include a pair of telescoping rails with one rail of each pair being attached to a cover of the computer and one rail of the other pair being attached to an opposed cover of the computer. The other rails of each pair are attached to the rack system, and ball bearings extend between the telescoping rails of each pair to permit slidable movement between the rails to enable the computer to slide between a retracted and an extended position. This eliminates the need for shelves and thus saves considerable space in the rack system, especially in connection with systems that contain a relatively high number of computers. 
     However, mounting the rails directly to the computer in this manner is undesirable because of the resulting screw holes and cosmetic blemishes that are left on the covers of the computer that receive the rails. This, of course, renders the computer unsightly if the rails are removed when it is desired to use the computer on a desktop, or the like. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure, therefore, provides a system and method according to which a component, such as a computer, is rack mountable without the use of shelves, yet can easily be reconfigured for desktop use without any of the above problems. 
     To this end, a computer, or component, system is provided and includes a first cover attached to a chassis, and a second cover adapted to replace the first cover. Rack mount hardware is mounted on one of the covers for engaging a corresponding member in a rack system when the chassis is mounted in the rack system, and the other cover is free of any rack mount hardware, so that it can be used on a desktop. 
     A major advantage is achieved with the system and method of the present disclosure because the computer can be used in an environment outside of the rack system, such as on a desktop, without any cosmetic blemishes on any of the covers being visible, yet can easily be reconfigured for use in a rack system without the need for shelves. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the computer of an embodiment of the present disclosure, shown in a partially extending position in a rack mount system. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, exploded view of the computer of FIG. 1, including a cover having rack mount hardware mounted thereto. 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the computer of FIG. 2 but with the computer extending in a upright position out of the rack system, and with the cover of FIG. 2 replaced by a different cover. 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of some of the components of the computer of FIGS.  1 - 3 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the reference numeral  10  refers, in general, to a rack system which is designed to store a plurality of computers, one of which is shown in general by the reference numeral  12 . The rack system  10  is formed by four spaced upright members  14   a - 14   d  which form the corners of the system. A top frame assembly  16   a  and a bottom frame assembly  16   b  are respectively attached to the upper ends and the lower ends of the members  14   a - 14   d , and a plurality of front plates  17  extend between, and are attached to, the members  14   a  and  14   d . The above attachments can be made in any known manner such as by using fasteners, or the like. The plates  17  extend in a spaced relationship and each plate extends between each pair of adjacent computers that reside in the rack system  10 . 
     The computer  12  is oriented in a horizontal position in the rack system  10  to minimize the amount of vertical space that it occupies. The computer  12  includes a rigid internal chassis, shown in general by the reference numeral  18  in FIG. 2, which is in the form of a weldment, preferably formed by riveted pieces of sheet metal, in a conventional manner. 
     Two spaced parallel covers  19  and  20  (FIG. 2) extend over the chassis  18  and normally form top and bottom covers, respectively, but which form side covers, or walls, in this horizontal orientation. A front cover  22 , which is in the form of a bezel, extends over the front of the chassis  18  and two covers  24   a  and  24   b  (FIG. 2.) extend over corresponding portions of the chassis to form the top and bottom covers, respectively, in the horizontal orientation of the computer  12 . The covers  19 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24   a  and  24   b  are connected to the  18  in a manner to be described. 
     The computer  12  is attached to the upright members  14   a  and  14   b  and to the upright members  14   c  and  14   d  by rack mount hardware including a slide assemblies  26  and  28 , respectively. The assemblies  26  and  28  enable the computer to be moved between a retracted position within the rack system to an extended position shown in FIG.  1 . The slide assembly  26  includes a rail  26   a  attached to the cover  19  of the computer  12 , and a rail  26   b  (FIG. 1) attached to the members  14   a  and  14   b . These attachments can be made in any conventional manner such as by inserting fasteners through aligned holes in the rail  26   a  and the cover  19 , and though aligned holes in the rail  26   b  and the members  14   a  and  14   b.    
     The rails  26   a  and  26   b  are disposed in a telescoping relation, and it is understood that ball bearings (not shown) extend between the rails to permit slidable movement between the rails. It is understood that the slide assembly  26  can be provided with a locking mechanism (not shown) to lock the computer  12  in an extended position and which can be manually released to permit the computer to slide to its retracted position within the rack system  10 . Because the slide assembly  26  is conventional and, for example, can be of the type manufactured by General Devices of Indianapolis, Ind. and is well documented in their promotional materials which are incorporated by reference, it will not be described in any further detail. The slide assembly  28  includes a rail  28   a  (FIG. 2) attached to the cover  20 , and a rail  28   b  (FIG. 1) attached to the members  14   c  and  14   d , and because it is identical to the slide assembly  26 , it will not be described in detail. 
     A pair of angle iron brackets  30   a  and  30   b  are mounted to the covers  19  and  20 , respectively, of the computer  12  near the front end thereof by fasteners (not shown) that extend though aligned openings in the brackets and the covers. The brackets  30   a  and  30   b  each receive a pair of captive thumbscrews  32  that extend in corresponding openings in the upright members  14   a  and  14   c , respectively to lock the computer  12  in its retracted position in the system  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, an inwardly-directed flange  19   a  is formed along one longitudinal edge portion of the cover  19 , preferably by bending the corresponding edge portion inwardly. Two openings  19   b  extend through the flange  19   a  for receiving fasteners (not shown) that also extend through corresponding openings formed in the chassis  18 , to secure the cover  19  to the chassis  18 . In this context, it is understood that tabs, or fingers, (not shown) can be provided on the underside of the cover  19  which engage in corresponding slots formed in the chassis  18  to guide and further secure the cover  19  to the chassis. The covers  20 ,  24   a  and  24   b  can be attached to the chassis  18  in a similar manner. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, another cover  34  is provided that does not have a rail, such as rail  26   a , mounted thereto, and can be used in place of the cover  19  when the computer is not mounted in the rack system but rather is oriented in a vertical, upright position for use on a desktop, or the like, as shown in FIG.  3 . To this end, the cover  34 , like the cover  19 , is provided with an inwardly-directed flange  34   a  having two openings, similar to the flange  19   a  of the cover  19 , for receiving fasteners to connect the cover  34  to the chassis  18  in the manner described above in connection with the cover  19 . 
     Thus, the computer  12  could be shipped with the cover  34  attached to the chassis  18  for normal use on a desktop, or the like, as shown in FIG. 3 with the cover forming the upper, or top cover. However, a mounting kit could also be provided which would include the rail  26   b  and the bracket  30   b , and the cover  19  with the rail  26   a  and the bracket  30   a  attached thereto. Therefore, if the user wanted to reconfigure the computer for use in the rack system  10  as shown in FIG. 1, the cover  34  would be removed from the chassis  18  and the cover  19 , with the rail  26   a  and the mounting bracket  30   a  attached thereto, would be connected to the chassis  18  in the manner described above. In this context, the cover  20  would be shipped without the rail  28   a  and the bracket  30   b  attached thereto consistent with the desktop use of the computer  12 , but could be converted for use in the rack system  10  by attaching the rail  28   b  and the bracket  30   b  thereto. 
     If it is later desired to convert the computer  12  back to desktop use, the cover  19  would be replaced by the cover  34  and the rail  28   a  and the bracket  30   b  would simply be removed from the cover  20 . Although, this latter removal would expose the holes in the cover  20  that receive the fasteners for securing the rail  28   a  and the bracket  30   b  thereto, this is of no consequence because, in the upright, desktop, position of FIG. 3, the cover  20  is located at the bottom of the chassis  18  and is thus not visible. 
     Another possibility would be to ship the computer  12  with the covers  19  and  20  attached to the chassis  18 , and with the rails  26   a  and  26   b , as well as the brackets  30   a  and  30   b , respectively attached thereto in the manner described above. In this configuration, the computer  12  could easily be installed in the rack system  10  by mating the rails  26   a  and  28   a  with their corresponding rails  26   b  and  28   b  on the rack system and sliding the computer into the rack system. Of course, in the event it is later desired to use the computer  12  in a desktop environment, the cover  19  would be replaced by the cover  34 , and the rail  28   a  and the bracket  30   b  would be removed from the cover  20 , as discussed above. The computer  12  could then be placed in its vertical position shown in FIG. 3 with the non-blemished cover  34  at the top of the chassis. 
     The components contained in the chassis of the computer  12  are shown in FIG.  4 . More particularly, a motherboard  40  is mounted in the interior of the chassis  18  of the computer in any known manner, and a processor  42 , a plurality of memory modules  44 , and two input/output (I/O) devices  46  are mounted on the motherboard  40 . Two buses  48   a  and  48   b  are also provided on the motherboard  40  and connect the processor  42  to the memory modules  44  and to the input/output devices  46 , respectively. A power supply  50  is connected to the motherboard  40 , and a pair of cable assemblies  52   a  and  52   b  connect the motherboard to a hard drive assembly  54  and a disk drive unit  56 , respectively. Also, other components, electrical traces, electrical circuits and related devices (not shown) are provided in the chassis of the computer  12 . Because these are all conventional, they will not be described in any further detail. 
     The present embodiments thus enjoys several advantages. For example, all the space-efficiency advantages of a rack mount system are retained without utilizing shelves which conserves space and thus allows a maximum number of computers to be installed in a rack system. Further, the computer can be quickly installed in, and removed from the rack system and the interchangeable covers allow the computer to be used in a variety of settings including a desktop, without any cosmetic blemishes. 
     It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the present embodiments. For example, features of the embodiments discussed are equally applicable to components other than computers. Also, a replacement for the cover  20  could also be provided which has rack mount hardware mounted thereto. Therefore, when it is desired to reconfigure the computer  12  for use in the rack system  10 , the covers  34  and  20  would be replaced by the cover  19  and by the above-mentioned replacement for the cover  20 , as described above. Additionally, the slide assemblies  26  and  28  can be attached to other covers of the computer chassis within the scope of the embodiments. 
     It is understood that other modifications, changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the disclosure will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.