Computer frame assembly

A computer frame assembly including a case having a front face on which a panel is secured thereon. The panel includes a plurality of slots. The case includes a sidewall having an inner surface and at least two substantially U-shaped tracks running along the length of the inner surface of the sidewall and an open end of which at least one flange having at least one hole is defined therein. The computer frame assembly includes a frame 3 having an outer side. The outer side includes an outer surface. At least two pairs of rollers are mounted on the outer surface of the outer side of the frame and are rotatably received in the tracks so that the frame can be slidably inserted or removed from the case. The frame includes at least one positioning hole defined on the back face of the frame. The holes of the flange correspond to the positioning holes of the back face of the frame, such that when the respective holes are aligned, the frame and the case are aligned as well and secured together by fasteners. The computer frame assembly includes hinges that are mounted on the outer side of the frame and configured for pivotably mounting a power supply or a floppy disk drive or other computer peripheral.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a computer frame assembly, and more 
particularly to a computer frame assembly enabling a user to easily and 
readily separate a case from a base. 
2. Description of Related Art 
Referring to FIG. 1, normally, the heart of a desktop computer is protected 
in a frame assembly including a frame (4) having a CD ROM and a plurality 
of operational hardware mounted thereon, a substantially three-sided or 
U-shaped case (5) threadedly connected to the frame (4) and a base (6) 
securely connected to the frame (4) and having a plurality of ports 
mounted thereon for receiving cartridges therein. 
As the duration and the number of operations for using the computer 
increase, the likelihood of the computer malfunctioning also increases. In 
order to proceed with the maintenance of the computer, the operator has to 
separate the case (5) from the frame (4). However, due to the shape of the 
case (5), with an open side, the case (5) is easily deformed (it becomes 
overly expanded) when it is separated from the frame (4). Therefore, 
during reassembly, the operator not only needs to maintain the 
expanded/deformed case (5) in shape, but also align the respective 
fastening holes of the case (5) to the frame (4) so that fasteners such as 
screws can securely connect the case (5) to the frame (4) together. This 
process wastes time and is labor intensive. 
It is noted from the above description that an improvement to the current 
computer frame assembly is needed. 
The present invention provides an improved computer frame assembly to 
mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The main objective of the invention is to provide a computer frame assembly 
that allows a user to easily and readily separate the case from the frame. 
In one aspect of the invention, the frame assembly constructed in 
accordance with the present invention comprises a case having a panel 
provided on a front face thereof and peripherally defining therein a 
plurality of slots, a bottom having at least two substantially U-shaped 
tracks defined therein and an open end and a frame slidably received in 
the case and having at least two pairs of rollers mounted on a bottom 
thereof and rotatably received in the tracks, a plurality of positioning 
holes defined in a back face thereof and a plurality of hinges mounted on 
the bottom. With such an arrangement, the frame is able to be slidably 
removed from the case and the user is able to easily proceed with 
maintenance, after which the frame is easily returned to the case in the 
same sliding manner. 
Other advantages and features of the invention will be better understood 
with reference to the following drawings and the detailed description 
thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a computer frame assembly constructed in 
accordance with the present invention is shown. The computer frame 
assembly comprises a case (1) having a panel (2) securely provided on a 
front face thereof and peripherally defining therein a plurality of slots 
(13), a least one sidewall (12) having at least two spaced apart and 
substantially U-shaped tracks (120) running along the horizontal length of 
the sidewall (12) and an open end (not numbered), and a frame (3) having 
at least two pairs of rollers (34) mounted on the outer side (3A) of the 
frame (3) and rotatably received in the tracks (120) so that the frame (3) 
can be slidably inserted or removed from the case (1). The frame (3) 
includes a plurality of positioning holes (33) defined in a back face (3B) 
thereof and a plurality of hinges (35) mounted on the outer side (3A) of 
the frame (3). At the open end of the case (1), a plurality of flanges 
(10) are formed inwardly to form inward surfaces for the back face (3B) of 
the frame (3) to rest on. The flanges (10) have a plurality of holes (11), 
each flange hole (11) defined to correspond to one of the plurality of 
positioning holes (33) of the back face (3B) of the frame (3). With such 
an arrangement, the frame (3) is able to be slidably received in the case 
(1) via the rollers (34) rotatably received in the U-shaped track (120), 
as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, after the alignment between the plurality 
of holes (11) of the case (1) and the respective plurality of positioning 
holes (33) of the frame (3), the frame (3) and the case (1) can be 
securely combined, preferably by screws (not numbered) threadedly inserted 
into the aligned holes (11) and the positioning holes (33). 
The hinges (35) are used to pivotally connect a floppy disk drive (31) and 
a power supply (32) to the outer side (3A) of the frame (3), such that 
either the floppy disk (31) or the power supply (32) can be accessed 
easily for maintenance, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Furthermore, a 
plurality of projections (36) are formed on a front face (3C) of the frame 
(3) substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of outer side (3A) 
correspondingly fit into each one of the plurality of slits (14) defined 
in the panel (2). After the frame (3) is received in the case (1), the 
projections (36) extend into corresponding slits (14) of the case (1) and 
form a friction fit therein. 
It is to be noted from the description above that the computer frame 
assembly of the invention permits easy assembly and disassembly of the 
frame (3) from the case (1), and maintenance work to the power supply (32) 
or the floppy disk drive (31) can be initiated by pivoting the power 
supply (32) or the floppy disk drive (31) along the hinges (35), as shown 
in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics 
and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the 
foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function 
of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be 
made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of 
parts withing 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. It should also be noted that those skilled in the art are able 
to make amendment, alternations and changes according to the detailed 
description of the preferred embodiment. However, those alterations, 
changes and/or amendments should also be included in the principle of the 
invention as claimed in the appended claims. 
The present invention is by no means restricted to the above-described 
preferred embodiments, but covers all variations that might be implemented 
by using equivalent functional elements or devices that would be apparent 
to a person skilled in the art, or modifications that fall within the 
spirit and scope of the amended claims.