Abstract:
A mounting assembly for a front panel of a computer enclosure includes a chassis ( 30 ), two positioning members ( 20 ) attached to the chassis ( 30 ) and a front panel ( 10 ) adapted to be slidably mounted to the two positioning members ( 20 ). Each positioning member ( 20 ) has at least one guiding groove ( 22 ) therein. The front panel ( 10 ) has a locking portion ( 16 ) at each end thereof. The locking portion ( 16 ) engages with the guiding groove ( 22 ) for securing the front panel ( 10 ) on the chassis ( 30 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a mounting assembly for a front panel of a computer enclosure, and more particularly to a mounting assembly for a front panel of a computer enclosure for demounting or mounting a front panel conveniently.  
         [0003]     2. Background of the Invention  
         [0004]     With the advancement of science and technology, our modern society is closely linked to computer. More and more computer users hope to detach a computer enclosure conveniently for checking malfunction of hardware and repairing interior components of a computer. However, nowadays, with the tide of miniature computer enclosure, computer users are of inconvenience in operation in incommodious computer enclosure. In addition, an expanded function of the computer enclosure is also limited. Therefore, it is required that a front panel should be demounted conveniently from a chassis. A typical mounting assembly is that a front panel is directly riveted to a chassis or a front panel is integratedly molded with a chassis. However, the front panel can not be detached when necessary for installation or removal of other electronic components, which probably causes damage of the electronic components due to insufficient room.  
         [0005]     Generally, that the front panel can not be detached can bring much trouble when computer users assemble or disassemble electronic components in incommodious computer enclosure. This also inevitably increases the assembly time. As a result, production efficiency is reduced to a certain degree. Understandably, some attempts have been taken to introduce the enclosure without screws.  
         [0006]     What is needed, therefore, is a mounting assembly for a front panel of a computer enclosure facilitating assembly and disassembly in a chassis.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     A mounting assembly for a front panel of a computer enclosure in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a chassis, two positioning members attached to the chassis and a front panel adapted to be slidably mounted to the two positioning members. Each positioning member has at least one guiding groove thereon. The front panel has a locking portion at each end thereof. The locking portion is engaged with the guiding groove for securing the front panel on the chassis.  
         [0008]     Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a mounting assembly for a front panel of a computer enclosure in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention including a front panel, two positioning members and a chassis;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged, isometric view of the positioning member of  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is an pre-assembled isometric view of  FIG. 1 , but without the front panel;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an assembled isometric view of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a mounting assembly for a front panel of a computer enclosure in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention including a front panel and a positioning member. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mounting assembly for a front panel of a computer enclosure in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a front panel  10 , two positioning members  20 , a chassis  30  and a plurality of screws  40 .  
         [0015]     The front panel  10  is bent inwardly and vertically to form a flange  11  at a top and bottom edges thereof, and the front panel  10  is also bent at opposite sides to form a flange  12  connected with the flange  11 . Each flange  12  is formed to have a locking portion, and the locking portion is a generally L-shaped opening  16  in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The lower flange  11  defines an aperture  18  therein.  
         [0016]     The chassis  30  includes a bottom panel  31 , two opposite side panels  32  and a rear panel  34 . A stopping tab  312  extends upwardly from the bottom panel  31  of the chassis  30 . The stopping tab  312  is formed to have an elastic arcuate protrusion  314 . Each side panel  32  of the chassis  30  is bent inwardly and vertically to form a flange  322 . Two through holes  324  are defined in the flange  322 . Moreover, a cutout  326  is defined in the flange  322  between the two through holes  324 .  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a generally T-shaped block  21  extends from an inner surface of the positioning member  20 . Thereby, two guiding grooves  22  are defined in the positioning member  20 . The positioning member  20  also defines two screw holes  24  at a front surface thereof. Moreover, a hook  26  is formed on the positioning member  20  between the two screw holes  24 .  
         [0018]     Referring also to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , before the front panel  10  is mounted to the chassis  30 , the hook  26  of the positioning member  20  is received into the cutout  326 . Then the screw holes  24  is in alignmemt with the through holes  324  of the flange  322 . Subsequently, two screws  40  are extended through the through holes  324  and engage in the screw holes  24  of the positioning member  20 . Therefore, the positioning member  20  is fixed to the flange  322 .  
         [0019]     In assembly of the front panel  10 , the opening  16  of the flange  12  of the front panel  10  is in alignmemt with the guiding groove  22 . Then, the front panel  10  is lowered to have the edges of the opening  16  sliding along the guiding groove  22 . Simultaneously, the stopping tab  312  of the bottom panel  31  of the chassis  30  extends through the aperture  18  of the front panel  10 . Thus, the elastic arcuate protrusion  314  abuts against the front panel  10 . Therefore, the front panel  10  is prevented from moving in a front-to-back direction. Then, when the cover (not shown) is mounted on the chassis  30 , the front panel  10  is consequently secured on the chassis  30 .  
         [0020]     In disassembly of the front panel  10 , at first, the cover is demounted from the chassis  30 . Then, when the front panel  10  is lifted, the edges of the opening  16  of the front panel  10  move upwardly along the guiding groove  22  of the positioning member  20 . Finally, the edges of the opening  16  disengages from the guiding groove  22 . In this manner, the front panel  10  is taken out from the chassis  30  for access to other components.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a mounting assembly in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the front panel  10 ′, a positioning member  20 ′ and the chassis  30 . In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, aforementioned members such as the chassis  30  and a plurality screws  40  are the same to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, therefore, the label of members is not changed and follows the label of members of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]     The front panel  10 ′ is bent inwardly and vertically to form a flange  11 ′ at a top and bottom edges thereof, and the front panel  10 ′ is also bent at opposite sides to form a flange  12 ′ connected with the flange  11 ′. Each flange  12 ′ is formed to have a locking portion, and the locking portion is two opposite generally L-shaped protruding tabs  16 ′ in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The lower flange  11 ′ defines an aperture  18 ′ therein.  
         [0023]     The positioning member  20 ′ is excavated to form a generally T-shaped guiding groove  22 ′ therethough. The positioning member  20 ′ also defines the same two screw holes (not labeled) as the two screw holes  24  in the first embodiment of the present invention. The positioning member  20 ′ is also formed to have the same a hook (not labeled) as the hook  26  in the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]     Before the front panel  10 ′ is mounted to the chassis  30 , a way for fixing the positioning member  20 ′ to the chassis  30  is the same to the way for fixing the positioning member  20  to the chassis  30 .  
         [0025]     In assembly of the front panel  10 ′, the two protruding tabs  16 ′ of the front panel  10 ′ are in alignmemt with the generally T-shaped guiding groove  22 ′. Then, the front panel  10 ′ is lowered to have the two protruding tabs  16 ′ sliding along the guiding groove  22 ′. Simultaneously, the stopping tab  312  of the bottom panel  31  of the chassis  30  extends through the aperture  18 ′ of the front panel  10 ′. Thus, the elastic arcuate protrusion  314  abuts against the front panel  10 ′. Therefore, the front panel  10 ′ is prevented from moving in a front-to-back direction. Then, when the cover (not shown) is mounted on the chassis  30 , the front panel  10 ′ is consequently secured on the chassis  30 .  
         [0026]     In disassembly of the front panel  10 ′, the cover (not shown) is firstly demounted from the chassis  30 . Then, when the front panel  10 ′ is lifted, the protruding tabs  16 ′ of the front panel  10 ′ move upwardly along the guiding groove  22 ′ of the positioning member  20 ′. As a result, the protruding tabs  16 ′ disengage with the guiding groove  22 ′. In this manner, the front panel  10 ′ is taken out from the chassis  30  for access to other components.  
         [0027]     While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of preferred embodiment thereof, and while the preferred embodiment has been described in considerable details, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific details and illustrative example shown and described.