Abstract:
A computer enclosure includes a base ( 10 ), a retaining clip ( 20 ), and a support plate ( 40 ). The base includes a top plate ( 14 ), a bottom plate ( 16 ), and a side plate ( 12 ) connecting with the top plate and the bottom plate. The retaining clip is secured to the side plate. The support plate is secured between the top plate and the bottom plate of the base, and spaced from and opposite to the retaining clip. The support plate together with the retaining clip can be adapted to receive at least one data storage device. A plurality of securing clips ( 41 ) is formed on the retaining clip and the support plate for locating the at least one data storage device thereon.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to computer enclosures, and more particularly to a computer enclosure having a simple drive bracket for accommodating data storage devices, such as hard disk drives, floppy disk drives, CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory) drives, etc. 
     2. General Background 
     A typical computer enclosure includes a base, a cover, and a front bezel secured to a front end of the base. The base includes a side plate, a top plate, a bottom plate, a rear plate, and a front plate. The top plate, the bottom plate, the rear plate, and the front plate are formed at adjacent edges of the side plate, thereby forming an opening. The cover is used to cover the opening, and facilitates preventing EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) leaking from the computer enclosure. 
     Furthermore, a drive bracket is usually installed into the base adjacent to the front plate, and accommodates a plurality of data storage devices therein. The drive bracket is generally secured to the base with a plurality of screws or stakes, and usually includes a bottom wall, and a pair of sidewalls extending from the bottom wall. Another kind of drive bracket includes a first bracket body and a second bracket body. Both the first and second bracket bodies are used to accommodate different data storage devices. The second bracket body is usually secured to a bottom wall of the first bracket body, which is secured to the base. 
     However, the typical computer enclosure usually has a complicated structure, more particularly it has a drive bracket with a complicated structure, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost and the amount of manufacturing material thereof. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a computer enclosure having a simple structure, more particularly having a simple drive bracket which reduces the manufacturing cost and the amount of manufacturing material thereof. 
     SUMMARY 
     A computer enclosure includes a base, a retaining clip, and a support plate. The base includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate connecting with the top plate and the bottom plate. The retaining clip is secured to the side plate. The support plate is secured between the top plate and the bottom plate of the base, and spaced from and opposite to the retaining clip. The support plate together with the retaining clip can be adapted to receive at least one data storage device. 
     Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with attached drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a computer enclosure in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computer enclosure including a front bezel, a base having a retaining clip, and a support plate secured to the base; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged, isometric view of the retaining clip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged, isometric view of the support plate of  FIG. 1 , and viewed from another aspect; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but viewed from another aspect; and 
         FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 4 , and showing a cover secured to the base. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 6 , an enclosure of an electronic device like a computer includes a base  10 , a support plate  20 , a front bezel  50 , and a cover  60 . 
     The base  10  is generally U-shaped, and includes a side plate  12 , a top plate  14 , a bottom plate  16 , and a rear plate  18 . The top plate  14  and the bottom plate  16  are perpendicularly bent from opposite edges of the side plate  12  in a same direction. The rear plate  18  is fixed at a rear end of the base  10  with fasteners  191 , such as screws, as shown in  FIG. 5 . A mounting flange  124  extends outwardly from a front edge of the side plate  12 , and defines a plurality of screw holes  125  therein. A plurality of posts  126  each having a screw hole is provided at an inner surface of the side plate  12 . A bent flange  142  and a positioning flange  144  extend downwardly from adjacent edges of the top plate  14 , respectively. The bent flange  142  defines a mounting hole  143  at an end thereof. The positioning flange  144  defines a plurality of positioning holes  145  therein. A concave portion  147  with a through hole defined therein is formed on the positioning flange  144  adjacent to a front end thereof. A plurality of spaced resilient fingers  149  is formed on the positioning flange  144  by stamping, for preventing EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) leaking from the base  10 . A bent flange  162  and a positioning flange  164  extend upwardly from adjacent edges of the bottom plate  16 , respectively. The bent flange  162  defines a mounting hole  163  at an end thereof. The positioning flange  164  defines a plurality of positioning holes  165  therein. A plurality of spaced resilient fingers  169  is formed on the positioning flange  164  by stamping, for preventing EMI leaking from the base  10 . Two through holes (not visible) are defined in the bottom plate  16  adjacent to the positioning flange  164 . The rear plate  18  has a support flange  182  connecting with the positioning flanges  144 ,  164  of the top plate  14  and the bottom plate  16 . A plurality of spaced resilient fingers  184  is formed on the support flange  182  by stamping, for preventing EMI leaking from the base  10 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 2 , a retaining clip  20  is secured to the inner surface of the side plate  12  of the base  10 , and includes a generally U-shaped main portion  22 , and a pair of support portions  24 . Two pairs of parallel securing clips  222  performing as a first retainer respectively protrude perpendicularly from the main portion  22 . A concave portion  224  having a through hole  226  is formed on the main portion  22  between the clips of each pair of securing clips  222 . The support portions  24  extend perpendicularly from opposite ends of the main portion  22  respectively, and each support portion  24  defines a cutout  242  therein. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the support plate  40  is secured between the top plate  14  and the bottom plate  16 . A width of the support plate  40  is generally the same as the length of a hard disk drive or a floppy disk drive. A plurality of securing clips  41  and a pair of locating clips  42  performing as a second retainer respectively protrude perpendicularly from a top portion of the support plate  40 . The securing clips  41  correspond to the securing clips  222  of the support plate  20  for supporting CD-ROM drives. The locating clips  42  lie below the securing clips  41  for supporting the floppy disk drive. A length of each locating clip  42  is shorter than that of each securing clip  41 . A plurality of through holes  44  is defined in the support plate  40 . A convex portion  43  is formed at an end portion of the support plate  40 , corresponding to the convex portion  147  of the positioning flange  144  of the top plate  14 . A screw hole  432  is defined in the convex portion  43 . A plurality of mounting clips  45  extends outwardly from a sidewall of the support plate  40 . Each mounting clip  45  defines a screw hole  452  therein. A pair of screw holes  46  is defined in opposite end portions of the sidewall of the support plate  40 , corresponding to the mounting holes  143 ,  163  of the bent flanges  142 ,  162  of the bottom plate  14  and the top plate  16 . The support plate  40  further defines a pair of screw holes (not visible) in a bottom wall thereof, corresponding to the through holes of the bottom plate  16 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the front bezel  50  is made from EMI-proof material. A plurality of openings (not labeled) is defined in the front bezel  50  for the CD-ROM drives and the floppy disk drive inserting therethrough. Each of the openings is covered with a bezel cover  51 . The front bezel  50  includes a top wall  52  and a pair of sidewalls  54 . A plurality of through holes  542  is defined in the sidewalls  52 , corresponding to the screw holes  125  of the side plate  12  and the screw holes  452  of the support plate  40  respectively. 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in assembly, the retaining clip  20  is located on the inner surface of the side plate  12 , with the cutouts  242  engaging with two posts  126 , thereby aligning the through holes  226  of the concave portions  224  with the screw holes of the other two posts  126 . Two screws  30  are engaged in the screw holes of the post  126  through the through holes  226 , thereby securing the retaining clip  20  to the side plate  12 . 
     The support plate  40  is placed between the top plate  14  and the bottom plate  16 . The support plate  40  abuts against the positioning flanges  144 ,  164 . The through hole of the concave portion  147  of the positioning flange  144  is aligned with the screw hole  432  of the concave portion  43 , and then a screw  194  is mounted therein. The screw holes  46  of the sidewall of the support plate  40  are aligned with the mounting holes  143 ,  163  of the top plate  14  and the bottom plate  16 , and then two screws (not shown) are mounted therein. The screw holes of the bottom wall of the support plate  40  are aligned with the through holes of the bottom plate  16  respectively, and two screws  196  are mounted therein, as best shown in  FIG. 5 . The support plate  40  is thus secured to the base  10 , and an opening  19  is formed and surrounded by the base  10  and the support plate  40 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     In assembly of the front bezel  50 , a plurality of screws  198  is engaged in the screw holes  452  of the mounting clip  45  of the support plate  40 , through the through holes  542  of the front bezel  50 . The front bezel  50  is thus mounted to the base  10 . Then a cover  60  is attached to the base  10  above the support plate  40 , through a plurality of hooks (not visible) locked into the positioning holes  145 ,  165  of the top plate  14  and the bottom plate  16 . The cover  60  is mechanically and electrically in contact with the resilient fingers  149 ,  169 ,  184  of the top plate  14 , the bottom plate  16 , and the rear plate  18  respectively, thereby preventing EMI leaking from the base  10 . 
     In use, the cover  60  is disassembled from the base  10 . The bezel cover  51  is removed from the bezel  50 . Then the CD-ROM drive can be inserted through the opening of the bezel  50 , and positioned between the corresponding securing clips  222 ,  41  of the retaining clip  20  and the support plate  40 . Two screws (not shown) are engaged in the CD-ROM drive, through the through opening  44  defined between the two securing clips  41  for stably fixing the CD-ROM drive. The installation of the floppy disk drive is similar to that of the CD-ROM drive, except that the floppy disk drive is supported on the locating clips  42  of the support plate  40  and the edge of the opening of the front bezel  50 . And a plurality of screws is engaged in the floppy disk drive through the through hole  44  below the locating clips  42 , thereby securing the floppy disk drive to the base  10 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of preferred embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the preferred embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.