Stand for installing plurality of box bodies

A stand for installing a plurality of box bodies is capable of reducing a space needed for installing the plurality of box bodies in parallel and preventing interference with heat radiation of each box body. A stand 5 for installing a plurality of each box bodies 81 in parallel includes a pair of outer stands 51, 51 holding the box bodies 81 disposed on the outer sides from the sides of outer surfaces of the box bodies 81, a middle stand 52 disposed between these outer stands 51, 51 and holding both of the box bodies 81, 81 adjacent to each other from the face-to-face sides thereof, and a connection mechanism detachably connecting the stands 51 52.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a stand for installing a plurality of box bodies and more particularly to a stand suitable when using peripheral devices to a computer in a way that places them vertically.

A box body of each of the peripheral devices to the computer is, in the great majority of cases, formed substantially in a rectangular parallelopiped shape. Further, the box body has been increasingly thinned and downsized over the recent years. In the case of vertically installing such a thin type box body, it is required that a fall-down thereof be prevented. It is therefore general to secure the stand to the bottom of the box body.

FIG. 8shows a conventional stand1. This stand1includes a recessed portion12for accommodating the bottom of a box body11in a peripheral device10to the computer, and legs13,13protruding sideways from both sides of this recessed portion12and each taking substantially a triangular shape in section. A size of each of the legs13,13is determined depending on the box body11.

In the case of using a plurality of peripheral devices10, as shown inFIG. 9, the stands1,1are secured to the box bodies11,11of the peripheral devices10,10. Then, it is an ordinary way that the box bodies11,11are disposed in parallel by making the stands1,1proximal to each other.

Further,FIG. 10shows another conventional stand2. This stand2includes a pair of arms21,21rotatably fitted by screws to a bottom surface of the box body11in the peripheral device10.

This stand2is structured so that the arms21,21can be taken in and out of the box body11depending on situations. For example, in the case of installing the plurality of box bodies11in parallel, the arms21,21are accommodated on the side of the box body11, whereby an interval between the box bodies11,11can be decreases (refers to, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.6-350261).

The conventional stand1described above has, however, a problem in which a space necessary for installation increases when installing the plurality of box bodies11,11in parallel. This is because the legs13,13of the stand1largely protrude sideways of the box body11, resulting in an increase in the interval between the box bodies11,11.

As described above, in the case of installing the plurality of box bodies11,11in parallel, the interval between the box bodies11,11is reduced, and hence, as illustrated inFIG. 11, it is also considered that the stand1is removed from the box body11and the box body11is placed erectly.

In this case, however, the box body11might fall down, and besides an excessively small interval between the box bodies11,11might interfere with radiation of the box bodies11,11.

This problem arises also in a case where the arms21,21of the stand2described above are accommodated on the side of the box body11, and the plurality of box bodies11are disposed in parallel. A further problem is that this stand2is structured to rotatably fit the arms21,21to the box body11, and therefore its configuration becomes complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the present invention, which was devised to obviate the problems described above, to provide a stand for installing a plurality f box bodies, which is capable of reducing a space needed for installing a plurality of box bodies in parallel and preventing interference with radiation of the box body.

To accomplish the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a stand for installing a plurality of box bodies in parallel, includes a pair of outer stands holding the box bodies disposed on the outer sides from the sides of outer surfaces of the box bodies, a middle stand disposed between the pair of outer stands and holding both of the box bodies adjacent to each other from the face-to-face sides thereof, and a connection mechanism detachably connecting the stands.

Thus, according to the present invention, the plurality of box bodies are integrally held, and hence the entire width of the stand has at least a dimension obtained by adding width of all the box bodies. Therefore, the entire width of the stand can be decreased by reducing the interval between the box bodies to the greatest possible degree.

Further, even when the number of the box bodies that should be installed changes, it is possible to immediately correspond to this change by adjusting the number of the middle stands for use.

Herein, an interval of a portion, for holding the box body, of the middle stand may be set to an interval larger than a gap needed for heat radiation, at which the box bodies adjacent to each other are installed. In this case, it is feasible to prevent the box bodies from interfering with heat radiation each other.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the plurality of box bodies are integrally held, and hence the entire width becomes comparatively large for a height of the box body. It is therefore possible to prevent the box body from falling down even when reducing the interval between the box bodies.

Accordingly, the entire width of the stand can be decreased by reducing the interval between the box bodies to the greatest possible degree, whereby a space needed for installing the plurality of box bodies can be reduced and can be thus saved.

Moreover, since the interval of the portion, for holding the box body, of the middle stand is set equal to or larger than a gap necessary for heat radiation of the box bodies adjacent to each other, it is feasible to prevent the box bodies from interfering the heat radiation each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the embodiment, the present invention is applied to a stand for a family network server (a home server) defined as a peripheral device to a computer.

FIG. 1illustrates a stand5to which the present invention is applied. This stand5is structured with a plurality of family network servers8installed in parallel and in a state of vertically placed thereon. A box body81of each of the family network servers8is configured thin substantially in a rectangular parallelopiped shape.

The stand5includes a pair of outer stands51,51for supporting the outer surfaces of the box bodies81,81disposed on the outsides among the plurality of box bodies81, . . . installed in parallel, a middle stand52, interposed between the pair of outer stands51,51, for supporting the face-to-face surfaces of the box bodies81,81adjacent to each other, and a connection mechanism53(seeFIG. 5) for connecting the stands51,52to each other.

Next, the above-described respective constituting elements will be explained. The outer stand51is formed of a resin. This outer stand51has, as shown inFIG. 2, a recessed portion55taking substantially an L-shape in section, of which one side end is opened to accommodate a part of the bottom of the box body81, and a leg56taking substantially a triangular shape in section and protruding sideways of this recessed portion55.

Further, this outer stand51includes a set screw58protruding into the recessed portion55from a bottom surface55aof the recessed portion55, an engagement member60and an engagement hole61both of which are formed on and in a connection surface59for connection with the middle stand52, and a projection62and a guide hole63both of which are formed on and in the connection surface59.

The bottom surface55aof the recessed portion55is formed such that the substantially half thereof is comparatively wide, but the remaining half is narrowed. The set screw58is rotatably secured to a wide area of the bottom surface55a.

The engagement member60and the engagement hole61, as will be explained later on, constitute the connection mechanism53. The engagement member60is formed on the connection surface59defined by the wide area of the bottom surface55a. Further, the engagement hole61is formed in the connection surface59defined by the narrow area of the bottom surface55a.

The projection62and the guide hole63are fitted together when connecting the respective stands51,52to each other. Lateral deviations of the stands51,52are thereby prevented. The projection62is formed in the vicinity of the engagement hole61. Further, the guide hole63is formed in the vicinity of the engagement member60. The projection62and the guide hole63are each formed substantially in a circular shape in section.

Next, the middle stand52will be explained. This middle stand52includes the recessed portions55,55provided on both sides, each taking a substantially L-shape in section, of which the outsides are opened in order to accommodate the face-to-face surfaces of the box bodies81,81adjacent to each other, and a partition member66formed between the recessed portions55,55.

Further, this middle stand52includes the rotatable set screw58protruding into the recessed portion55from the bottom surface55aof the recessed portion55, the engagement member60and the engagement hole61that are formed on and in the connection surface59for connecting with the outer stand51, and the projection62and the guide hole63that are formed on and in the connection surface59.

The recessed portion55, the set screw58, the engagement member60, the engagement hole61, the projection62and the guide hole63of the middle stand52, are the same as those of the outer stand51, and hence the detailed explanations thereof are omitted.

The bottom surface55aof the recessed portion55of the middle stand52is, however, formed in a shape opposite to the shape of the bottom surface55aof the recessed portion55of the outer stand51connected to the middle stand52. With this configuration, as shown inFIG. 3, the outer stand51and the middle stand52can be connected together with no gap therebetween.

Slip prevention rubber plates67are, as illustrated inFIG. 4, bonded to the bottom surfaces of the outer stand51and of the middle stand52. Further, the reference numeral58ainFIG. 4is the head of the set screw58.

Note that a gap may be formed partially or entirely between the outer stand51and the middle stand52or between the middle stands51in the case of connecting the plurality of middle stands52.

Next, the connection mechanism53for connecting the outer stand51and the middle stand52together will be explained. Note that the connection mechanisms53are provided on both side ends of the connection surface59of each of the stands51,52, however, one of these two mechanisms53will be herein described.

This connection mechanism53includes, as shown in FIG.5(a), of the outer stand51and the middle stand52that should be connected together, the engagement member60formed on the connection surface59of the middle stand52and the engagement hole61formed in the connection surface59of the outer stand51.

The engagement member60thereof protrudes to a proper length from the connection surface59. This engagement member60is formed substantially in a square shape in section. Further, a projection68projecting downwards is provided at the tip of the engagement member60.

The engagement hole61is formed wide enough to admit the engagement member60into the hole61itself. Further, the bottom of the engagement hole61is formed with an engagement portion61awith which the projection68of the engagement member60engages.

When connecting the outer stand51and the middle stand52together, as shown in FIG.5(b), the respective connection surfaces59thereof are set facing to each other. At this time, the bottom surface55aof the recessed portion55of the middle stand52is set shifted slightly upwards from the bottom surface55aof the recessed portion55of the outer stand51.

Next, the engagement member60of the middle stand52is inserted into the engagement hole61of the outer stand51. Subsequently, the middle stand52is moved downwards. Then, the projection68of the engagement member60engages with the engagement portion61aof the engagement hole61.

Consequently this contrivance, the outer stand51and the middle stand52are connected together with no gap, thereby the stands51,52do not come off unpreparedly. Moreover, the bottom surfaces55aof the recessed portions55of the respective stands51,52are flush with each other.

Next, an operation of the stand5for installing the plurality of box bodies will be discussed. Now assuming that, as shown inFIG. 6, the two box bodies81,81are installed in parallel, the single middle stand52is connected to between the pair of outer stands51,51.

Then, the recessed portions55,55provided on both sides of the middle stand52get integral with the recessed portion55of the outer stand51, thereby forming accommodating portions69,69taking substantially a C-shape in section. This accommodating portion69accommodates the bottom of the box body81. The bottom of the box body81is fixed to the stand5by the set screw58.

At this time, an entire width B of the stand5is larger more than twice a width b of the box body81and is considerably large for a height of the box body81. It is therefore possible to surely prevent the box bodies81,81from falling down.

Further, the outer stand51and the middle stand52are connected together with no gap within the bottom surface of the box body81, and besides there is no level difference between the connecting portions, whereby the box body81can be stably held.

Moreover, as described above, the entire width B of the stand5is at least twice the width b of the box body81and is therefore enough to prevent the box body81from falling down. Accordingly, there is no necessity of increasing an interval w (a width of the partition member66) between the box bodies81,81, and this interval w can be reduced to as small as possible.

Thereby, it enables the entire width B of the stand5to be reduced, whereby the space needed for installing the plurality of box bodies81in parallel can be made smaller than that for prior art and can be thus saved.

Further, if it is required that a gap for heat radiation be formed between the box bodies81,81adjacent to each other, the width w of the partition member66is set approximately the same as or larger than the gap needed for the heat radiation between the two box bodies81,81. With this arrangement, the gap between the box bodies81,81can be kept constant and might not be decreased for some reason, wherein each box body81,81does not interfere with the heat radiation of the opposite box body81.

Note that the embodiment discussed above has dealt with the case of installing two box bodies81in parallel, however, if three or more pieces of box bodies81are disposed in parallel, there are prepared the middle stands52in the number less by one than the number of the box bodies81. Then, these middle stands52are connected to between the pair of outer stands51,51.

For example, as illustrated inFIG. 7, in the case of installing three box bodies81in parallel, the two middle stands52,52are connected to between the pair of outer stands51,51. The method is the same for installing four or more pieces of box bodies81in parallel.

Thus, in the case of installing three or more box bodies81in parallel, the plurality of the same middle stands52are used, and therefore the parts can be utilized in common. Further, even when the number of the box bodies81that should be installed changes, it is possible to correspond to this change simply by adjusting the number of the middle stands52for use.

Moreover, with this stand5, the accommodating portion69formed between the outer stand51and the middle stand52accommodates the bottom of the box body81, and there is no necessity of moving the respective components of the stand5with respect to the box body81, whereby the configuration can be simplified.

Note that the embodiment discussed above has dealt with the case of installing the plurality of box bodies81each having the same shape and the same size, however, the present invention can be applied to a case of installing the plurality of box bodies having different shapes and different sizes.

Moreover, the embodiment discussed above has dealt with the case where the present invention is applied to the stand for installing the family network server8, however, the present invention can be applied to the stands for installing, other than the server8, peripheral devices to the computer and a variety of devices.