Abstract:
A mounting device, for mounting a bezel ( 50 ) to cover an opening of a chassis ( 10 ) which is received in a cabinet ( 4 ), includes a pair of sliding units ( 20 ), a locking plate ( 30 ) attached to the chassis and the cabinet, and a pair of bent plates attached to opposite ends of the bezel. The sliding unit includes a horizontal member ( 22 ) attached to the chassis, a vertical member attached to the bezel, and a sliding member horizontally movably attached to the horizontal member and vertically movably attached to the vertical member. The bezel is movable from a first position in which the bent plates are engaged with the locking plates and the bezel covers the opening to a second position in which the bezel is moved away from the opening without detached from the chassis. Electronic components mounted in the chassis are therefore movable through the opening for maintenance.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a device for mounting a bezel to a chassis, and particularly to a bezel mounting device that allows convenient maintenance of electronic components within a chassis such as a computer chassis. 
   2. Related Art 
   A server assembly typically comprises a cabinet and a plurality of chassis accommodated within the cabinet. Electronic devices are mounted in each of the chassis. A bezel is often attached to the cabinet in a front of each chassis via screws. However, it is complicated and time-consuming to use screws. 
   To solve the above mentioned problem, a kind of detachable locking device has been developed. Taiwan Patent Issue No. 482370 discloses a detachable locking device for attaching a bezel to a front wall of a chassis of a server. The bezel defines a pair of through holes on each of opposite sides thereof. The front wall defines a plurality of screw holes corresponding to the through holes of the bezel. Screws are extended through the through holes to engage in the screw holes. A pair of latches is formed on opposite sides of the front wall for engaging with the bezel. Use of the latches can reduce the number of the screws. However, some screws are still needed to secure the bezel to the chassis. This makes it inconvenient to secure or detach the bezel to or from the chassis. Furthermore, the bezel is usually detached from the chassis when electronic components mounted within the chassis require maintenance. The bezel is liable to be misplaced or mishandled in some way while it remains a separate part. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a bezel mounting device for a chassis which allows convenient maintenance of electronic components within the chassis. 
   To achieve the above-mentioned object, a bezel mounting device of the present invention comprises a pair of sliding units, a pair of locking plates attached to opposite side plates of a chassis and a cabinet which receives the chassis therein, and a pair of bent plates attached to opposite ends of a bezel. The sliding units each comprises a horizontal member attached to a corresponding side plate of the chassis, a vertical member attached to a corresponding end of the bezel, and a sliding member horizontally movably attached to the horizontal member and vertically movably attached to the vertical member. Each locking plate defines a locking aperture. Each bent plate forms a protrusion. The bezel is movable from a first position in which the protrusions are engaged in the locking apertures and the bezel covers the opening of the chassis to a second position in which the protrusions are disengaged from the locking apertures and the bezel is moved away from the opening of the chassis without detached from the chassis. Electronic components mounted in the chassis are therefore movable through the opening for maintenance. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a bezel mounting device in accordance with the present invention, together with a bezel, a chassis on which a data storage device is mounted, and a cabinet housing the chassis therein; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a vertical member of the bezel mounting device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a sliding member of the bezel mounting device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the bezel of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of an encircled portion VII of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIGS. 8-9  are similar to  FIG. 5 , but show successive stages in detaching the bezel from the cabinet; 
       FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 9 , but viewed from another aspect; and 
       FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of an encircled portion XI of  FIG. 10 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  shows a bezel mounting device in accordance with the present invention for mounting a bezel  50  to a chassis  10 . The chassis  10  is mounted in a cabinet  4 . The cabinet  4  comprises a pair of sidewalls  5 . Each sidewall  5  has a rail  16  secured thereon. The rail  16  comprises a bent tab  18  formed in a front portion thereof. A screw aperture  19  is defined in a middle of the bent tab  18 . The chassis  10  comprises a bottom plate  11  and a pair of side plates  12 . The bottom plate  11  and the side plates  12  cooperatively define an opening (not labeled) therebetween at a front of the chassis  10 . A storage device  3  is mounted on a front portion of the bottom plate  11 . Each side plate  12  forms a projection  124  on an inside of a front portion thereof. A pillar  126  is inwardly formed from each side plate  12  in front of the projection  124 . The pillar  126  has a same height as the projection  124 . The pillar  126  is hollow and has an internal thread. A plurality of screw holes  122  is defined in the front portion of each side plate  12 . 
   The bezel mounting device comprises a pair of sliding units  20 , a pair of locking plates  30 , and a pair of bent plates  40 . Each sliding unit  20  comprises a horizontal member  22 , a sliding member  24 , and a vertical member  26 . The horizontal member  22  comprises a body  222 , and a pair of flanges  224  extending from opposite top and bottom edges of the body  222  respectively. The body  222  and the flanges  224  cooperatively define a sliding space therebetween. A locking hole  226  is defined in a rear portion of the horizontal member  22 , for fittingly receiving a corresponding projection  124  of the chassis  10 . A through hole  228  is defined in a front portion of the horizontal member  22 , for extension of a screw  2  therethrough to engage in a corresponding pillar  126  of the chassis  10 . The sliding member  24  is for being slidably received in the sliding space of the horizontal member  22 . 
   Referring also to  FIGS. 2-3 , the sliding member  24  comprises a body  242 , a bent section  246  extending from one end of the body  242 , and an extension section  248  extending from the bent section  246 . The extension section  248  is parallel to and offset from the body  242 . An elongate groove  244  is defined in the body  242 , for slidingly receiving the screw  2  therein. The vertical member  26  comprises a base  262 , a bent plate  266  extending from a vertical side edge of the base  262 , and a pair of flanges  268  extending from opposite top and bottom edges of the base  262  respectively. A slot  264  is defined in the base  262 . The slot  264  comprises a pair of symmetrical V-shaped portions in opposite ends thereof respectively. Accordingly, a shoulder  269  is formed in the base  262  at a bottom of a top one of the V-shaped portions, and another shoulder  269  is formed in the base  262  at a top of a bottom one of the V-shaped portions. A pair of inclined walls  261  is formed in the base  262  between the opposite ends of the slot  264  and the shoulders  269 , respectively. A pair of locking holes  267  is defined in the bent plate  266 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , each locking plate  30  is for attaching to an outside of a corresponding side plate  12  of the chassis  10 . The locking plate  30  comprises a body  31 , a bent portion  32  extending from an upper portion of a front edge of the body  31 , an elastic portion  34  extending from a lower portion of the front edge of the body  31 , and an operation portion  36  extending from the elastic portion  34 . A plurality of through holes  311  is defined in the body  31 , for extension of a corresponding number of screws  7  therethrough. A through aperture  322  is defined in the bent portion  32 , for extension of a captive screw  1  therethrough to engage in the screw aperture  19  of a corresponding rail  16 . A locking aperture  342  is defined in the elastic portion  34 . The bent plates  40  are for attaching to opposite ends of the bezel  50  respectively. Each bent plate  40  has an L-shaped cross section, and comprises a first part  42  and a second part  44 . An elastic tab  48  is formed in a bottom portion of the first part  42 . A protrusion  482  is formed on a free end of the elastic tab  48 . A pair of posts  46  (see  FIG. 7 ) is formed on an inside of the second part  44 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , the bezel  50  comprises a front wall  52  and a pair of opposite sidewalls  54 . A pair of locking holes  56  is defined in each of opposite ends of the front wall  52 , the locking holes  56  corresponding to the posts  46  of the bent plates  40 . A pair of posts  58  (see also  FIG. 7 ) is formed on an inside of each of the opposite ends of the front wall  52 , the posts  58  corresponding to the locking holes  267  of the vertical members  26 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5-7 , in assembly, the locking plates  30  are attached to the outsides of the side plates  12  of the chassis  10 , with the screws  7  being extended through the through holes  311  of the locking plates  30  to engage in the screw holes  122  of the chassis  10 . The combined chassis  10  and locking plates  30  is attached to the cabinet  4  between the rails  16 . The captive screws  1  are extended through the through apertures  322  of the locking plates  30  and engaged in the screw apertures  19  of the rails  16 . The horizontal members  22  of the sliding units  20  are attached to the insides of the side plates  12  of the chassis  10 , with the projections  124  of the chassis  10  fittingly extending through the locking holes  226  of the horizontal members  22 . The sliding members  24  are slidably received in the sliding spaces of the horizontal members  22 . The screws  2  are extended through the grooves  244  of the sliding members  24  and the through holes  228  of the horizontal members  22  and engaged in the pillars  126  of the chassis  10 . The bent plates  40  are attached to the opposite ends of the bezel  50  respectively. The posts  46  of the bent plates  40  are received in the locking holes  56  of the bezel  50 . The vertical members  26  of the sliding units  20  are attached to an inside of the front wall  52  of the bezel  50 , with the posts  58  of the bezel  50  being received in the locking holes  267  of the vertical members  26 . The extension section  248  of each sliding member  24  is extended through the slot  264  of a corresponding vertical member  26 , and is received in a space formed between the bases  262 , the flanges  268  of the vertical members  26  and a corresponding sidewall  54  of the bezel  50  (see  FIG. 7 ). The bent section  246  of each sliding member  24  is received in the top V-shaped portion of the slot  264  of the corresponding vertical member  26 . The protrusions  482  of the bent plates  40  are received in the locking apertures  342  of the locking plates  30 . Thus, the bezel  50  is firmly secured to the chassis  10  and the cabinet  4 , and covers the opening of the chassis  10 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 8-11 , when the data storage device  3  requires maintenance, the operation portions  36  of the locking plates  30  are pulled outwardly. The protrusions  482  of the bent plates  40  are released from the locking apertures  342  of the locking plates  30 . The bezel  50  is thus drawn forward away from the chassis  10  until the screws  2  reach front ends of the grooves  244 . The bezel  50  is then moved upwardly. The vertical members  26  of the sliding units  20  move upwardly relative to the sliding members  24  until the bent sections  246  of the sliding members  24  reach bottom ends of the slots  264  of the vertical members  26 . The bezel  50  is then tilted toward the chassis  10 . The vertical members  26  are tilted relative to the sliding members  24  until the inclined walls  261  abut the bent sections  246  of the sliding members  24 . In this position, the bottom shoulders  269  of the vertical members  26  are supported on the bent sections  246  of the sliding members  24 . The bezel  50  is thus located above and away from the opening of the chassis  10 . The data storage device  3  is then removed from the chassis  10  through the opening. After maintenance, the data storage device  3  is put back in the chassis  10 . The bezel  50  is secured to the chassis  10  by a process substantially the reverse of the above-described process. 
   In the present invention, when the data storage device  3  requires maintenance, the bezel  50  can be moved away from the opening of the chassis  10  to provide access to the data storage device  3  without the need for detachment of the bezel  50  from the chassis  10 . The bezel  50  cannot be misplaced, and is not subject to the vicissitudes of a separately stored part. 
   It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present example and embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.