Abstract:
A computer having a chassis having an opening for access to an optical storage drive unit. The optical storage drive unit is actuated by a button attached to a door on a front cover of the computer. The door is perforated by a hole enabling a user to push this button, which either directly pushes the operational button on the drive or pushes a linking part that then pushes an operational button on the drive to open the door and extend a tray out. If, for some reason, the button on the door is not aligned well with the button on the drive, only the door needs to be replaced as opposed to the entire front cover or the entire chassis.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. &#39;119 from my application COMPUTER filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Dec. 5, 2001 and there duly assigned Serial No. 76647/2001. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates in general to a computer, and more particularly, to a computer improved in a structure for sliding a tray for an optical storage unit adjacent a casing. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In order to present a fine appearance and to protect an optical storage unit such as a CD-ROM (compact disk read only memory) drive, a DVD (digital versatile disk) drive, a CD-RW (compact disk rewritable) drive, etc. from dust, a conventional computer includes a door. The door has a power switch disposed thereon. If the computer also has a drive for a CD-ROM, DVD and/or a CD burner, the drive for operating these optical disks is located within the computer chassis or frame or casing. To access the drive, a door is disposed on the front cover. In addition, the front cover has a separate button located near the door to open the door and extend a tray outward in front of the front cover enabling a user to insert or remove a CD disk or a DVD disk. This same button is also used to retract the tray to within the drive and to close the door covering the drive to protect the optical disk from accumulating unwanted dust. 
     The button on the front cover that actuates the door and the tray is a button that resides on the front cover that can be actuated by the user. The button pushed by the user pushes another button located on the drive to actuate the tray and the door. However, if for some reason the button actuated by the user is not perfectly aligned with the button on the drive itself, the drive and the door and the tray will be rendered inoperable. In such a scenario, the entire chassis needs to be replaced so that the button and the button hole on the front cover aligns perfectly with a button disposed on the outside of the drive used to read or write to a CD disk or a DVD disk. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved design for user actuation of an optical disk drive. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a design for a computer so that when the button on the front cover of the computer is misaligned with the operational button on the optical disk drive, the repair of the computer will be less drastic than requiring replacement of the entire computer chassis or even replacement of the entire front cover or panel. 
     These and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished by the provision of a computer having a casing having a door that can swing open and expose the optical storage unit and cause the optical storage unit to extend a tray allowing a user to remove and/or insert an optical storage disk where the button that the user presses to actuate the tray and the door is attached to the rear side of the door instead of being attached to the computer chassis or the front cover. The door for the optical storage unit is easily removable from the front cover or the chassis, allowing for easy and inexpensive repair should the button for door and tray actuation should become misaligned with an operational button on the optical storage unit. 
     Preferably, on the door is provided a button through hole through which the button pushing part is exposed, and the computer further comprises a supporting bar having a first end coupled to the button pushing part and a second end pivoted upon the rear of the door so as to elastically restore the button pushing part so that the first end is repositioned in the through hole after actuation. 
     Preferably, the computer further includes an elastic member restoring the door from the open position to the closed position, and the elastic member is comprised of a coil spring having a first end coupled to the door and a second end coupled to the casing. 
     In a separate embodiment, the button pushing part is disposed on an angled portion of the front panel near the side of the computer chassis, the computer further includes a link part provided between the button pushing part and the operation button and linking the movement of the button pushing part to the push of the operation button, and the link part is comprised of a push lever positioned between the button pushing part and the operation button; and a lever supporting part fixed on the casing and guiding the push lever. The link part of the computer further includes a spring provided at the push lever and restoring the push lever in a direction opposite to a pushing direction, and a stopper or screw for preventing the spring from a breakaway. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a computer; 
     FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b  are section views of a tray to be slid out of the casing of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a computer system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a casing for the computer according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded-perspective view of a main part of FIG. 4; 
     FIGS. 6 a  and  6   b  are section views of a tray to be slid out of the casing of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view schematically showing a casing of a computer according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing side casings and a front casing of the casing of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a rear view of the front casing of FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 10 is a section view of a tray to be slid out of the casing of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The computer system equipped with the door, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a main body  101  including a casing  110  and a plurality of hardware components such as an optical storage unit  111 , etc. accommodated in the casing  110 , and a monitor (not shown) outputting a video signal received from the main body  101  thereon. The optical storage unit  111  such as a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, a CD-RW drive, etc. is comprised of a tray  113  in which an optical disk is put, and an operation button  115  operating the tray  113  to be slid out of the casing  110 . The casing  110  is comprised of a front panel  120  having an opening  125  through which an auxiliary storage unit such as the optical storage unit  111 , etc. is inserted, a rear panel  140  having a plurality of connector slots  141  through which peripheral units are connected to the main body  101 , a supporting panel  130  forming a floor and a side wall between the front and rear panels  120  and  140 , and a plate cover (not shown) having an inverted AU@ shape and forming a housing space together with the front, rear and supporting panels  120 ,  140  and  130 , thereby forming an outer appearance. 
     The front panel  120  is combined with a front casing  150 . On the center area of the front casing  150  are, as shown in FIG. 1, provided a power switch  151  for turning on the computer system and a reset switch  153 . Further, at a position corresponding to the opening  125  on the front casing  150  are separately provided a door  160  rotatably opened and closed according as the tray  113  is slid out of and into the casing  110 , and a button pushing part  170  through which the operation button  115  is pushed so as to slide the tray  113  out of or into the casing  110 . 
     The door  160  is made of plastics, and rotatably covers and uncovers the opening  125  according as the tray  113  is slid out of and into the casing  110 . Thus, the door  160  protects the optical storage unit  111  from dust by covering it. Herein, in the door  160  and the front casing  150  are provided hinge projections (not shown) and hinge grooves (not shown), respectively, so that the door  160  is rotatably combined to the front casing  150  by means of the hinge projections and the hinge grooves. 
     Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b , at the rear of the door  160  is provided a coil spring  163  having a first end coupled to the rear of the door  160  and a second end coupled to the inside of the front casing  150 , thereby restoring the door  160  from the open position to the closed position. As shown in FIG. 1, the button pushing part  170  is made of plastics separately from the door  160 , and has a front part exposed to the outside of the front casing  150  and a rear part adjacent to the operation button  115  of the optical storage unit  111 . Therefore, if the front part of the button pushing part  170  is pushed, the rear part of the button pushing part  170  pushes the operation button  115 , thereby allowing the tray  113  to be slid out of the casing  110 . 
     With this configuration, in the computer, if the button pushing part  170  is pushed, the rear part of the button pushing part  170  pushes the operation button  115 , and then the tray  113  is slid out of the casing  110 , rotating the door  160  from the closed position to the open position (refer to FIG. 2 b ). Further, if the tray  113  is pushed in an insertion direction, the tray  113  is slid into the casing  110 . Herein, the door  160  is restored from the open position to the closed position by the coil spring  163 . However, in the computer of FIGS. 1-2 b , because the button pushing part  170  and the door  160  are, as shown in FIG. 1, separately manufactured, and because the button pushing part is exposed to a user through a hole in the chassis and not a hole in the door and because the button pushing part is attached to the computer chassis and not the door, the whole chassis must be replaced if the button pushing part is not aligned with the operational button. The button pushing part  170  may not push the operation button  115  of the optical storage unit  111  when the above-described components are not fitted in their precise positions. Further, the whole casing  110  should be replaced by a different one because the button pushing part  170  becomes useless when the optical storage unit  111  is not accommodated in the casing  110 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, a computer system according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a main body  1  including a casing  10  and a plurality of hardware components such as an optical storage unit  11 , etc. accommodated in the casing  10 , and a monitor  3  outputting a video signal received from the main body  1  thereon. The optical storage unit  11  such as a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, a CD-RW drive, etc. is comprised of a tray  13  in which an optical disk is put, and an operation button  15  operating the tray  13  to be slid out of the casing  10 . The casing  10  is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprised of a front panel  20  having an opening  25  through which an auxiliary storage unit such as the optical storage unit  11 , etc. is inserted, a rear panel  30  having a plurality of connector slots  31  through which peripheral units are connected to the main body  1 , a supporting panel  27  forming a floor and a side wall between the front and rear panels  20  and  30 , and a plate cover  40  having an inverted AU@ shape and forming a housing space together with the front, rear and supporting panels  20 ,  30  and  27 , thereby forming an outer appearance. The front panel  20  is combined with a front casing  50 . On the center area of the front casing  50  are provided a power switch  51  for turning on the computer system and a reset switch  53 . Further, at a position corresponding to the opening  25  on the front casing  50  is provided a door  60  rotatably opened and closed according as the tray  13  is slid out of and into the casing  10 . 
     The door  60  is made of plastics, and, as shown in FIG. 5, includes hinge projections  61  each protruded from opposite comers thereof, and a button through hole  65  through which a button pushing part  70  (to be described later) is protruded. The hinge projections  61  are each combined to hinge grooves  55  provided in the front casing  50 , thereby allowing the door  60  to rotatably cover and uncover the opening  25  according as the tray  13  is slid out of and into the casing  10 . As shown in FIG. 5, at the rear of the door  60  is provided a coil spring  63  having a first end coupled to the rear of the door  60  and a second end coupled to the inside of the front casing  50 , thereby restoring the door  60  from the open position to the closed position. 
     The button pushing part  70  is made of elastic plastics like the door  60 , and, as shown in FIG. 5, comprised of a push part  71  exposed to the outside of the door  60  through the button through hole  65 , a contact part  73  provided at the backside of the push part  71  for pushing the operation button  15 , and a supporting bar  75  extended from the contact part  73  and pivoted upon the rear of the door  60 . Herein, the supporting bar  75  and the door  60  can be combined by cold welding, or etc. 
     Thus, if a user pushes the push part  71  of the button pushing part  70  exposed to the outside through the button through hole  65  so as to slide the tray  13  out of the casing  10 , the contact part  73  incorporated with the push part  71  simultaneously pushes the operation button  15  of the optical storage unit  11  (see FIG. 6 a ). Then, the tray  13  is, as shown in FIG. 6 b , slid out of the casing  10 . Thereafter, if a user stops pushing the push part  71 , the supporting bar  75  pivoted upon the rear of the door  60  elastically restores the button pushing part  70  to an original position. 
     With this configuration, the casing  10  for the computer according to the present embodiment, if the button pushing part  70  exposed to the outside through the button through hole  65  is pushed so as to slide the tray  13  out of the casing  10 , the contact part  73  of the button pushing part  70  pushes the operation button  15 . Then, the tray  13  is slid out of the casing  10 , rotating the door  60  from the closed position to the open position (refer to FIG. 6 b ). Then, if pushing the push part  71  is stopped, the button pushing part  70  is elastically restored to the original position by means of the supporting bar  75 . 
     Further, if the tray  13  is pushed in an insertion direction, that is, inside the casing, the tray  13  is slid into the casing  10 . At this time, the door  60  is restored from the open position to the closed position by means of the coil spring  63 . As described above, the button pushing part  70  is mounted on the door  60 , not on the front casing  50 , so that the button pushing part  70  can push the operation button  15  of the optical storage unit  11  without wrong operation, and also it is economical because only the door  60 , not the whole casing  10 , is replaced by a different one when the optical storage unit is not accommodated in the casing  10 , while maintaining a fine appearance and protecting the optical storage unit  11  from dust. 
     FIG. 7 schematically shows a casing for computer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The casing is different from the casing according to the first embodiment in a casing  10   a  which is comprised of left and right casings  41  and  42  forming opposite side walls, and a front casing  50   a  combined to the left and right casings  41  and  42 . The left and right casings  41  and  42  have angled parts  41   a  and  42   a  bent at a predetermined angle to the front casing  50   a , and on the angled part  41   a  of the left casing  41  is provided an opening  43  through which the tray  13  is slid out of and into the casing  10   a.  On the center area of the front casing  50   a  are provided a power switch  51   a  for turning on the computer system and a reset switch  53   a.  Further, on the front casing  50  is provided a door  60   a  covering and uncovering the opening  43  according as the tray  13  is slid out of and into the casing  10   a.    
     The door  60   a  is made of plastics and disposed at a predetermined angle to correspond to the angled part  41   a  of the left casing  41  so as to cover the opening  43 , and includes hinge projections  61   a  for being combined to the front casing  50   a , a twist coil spring (not shown) for restoring the door  60   a  to the original position, like the coil spring  63  of the first embodiment, and a button through hole  65   a  through which a button pushing part  70   a  is protruded. 
     The button pushing part  70   a  is made of plastics like the door  60   a , and, as shown in FIG. 8, comprised of a push part  71   a  exposed to the outside of the door  60   a  through the button through hole  65   a , a contact part  73   a  provided at the backside of the push part  71   a , and a supporting bar  75   a  extended from the contact part  73  and having a lower end pivoted upon the rear of the door  60 . 
     Between the button pushing part  70   a  and the operation part  15  is provided a link part  80  linking the movement of the button pushing part  70   a  to the push of the operation button  15 . The link part  80  is comprised of a push lever  81  positioned between the contact part  73   a  of the button pushing part  70   a  and the operation button  15 , and a lever supporting part  86  guiding the push lever  81 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the push lever  81  is comprised of a rail block  82  having one end being in contact with the contact part  73   a  and moving along a guiding rail  87  (to be described later) of the lever supporting part  86 , a pushing pin  83  extended from the rail block  82  and spaced from the operation button  15  at a predetermined distance for pushing the operation button  15  in response to pushing of a user, and a projection through hole  84  provided thereon and allowing a projection  88  of the lever supporting part  86  to pass there through. As shown in FIG. 9, the lever supporting part  86  is comprised of the guiding rail  87  extended from the front casing  50   a  at a position adjacent to the door  60   a  and guiding the push lever  81 , accommodating the rail block  82  of the push lever  81 , and the projection  88  and guiding the push lever  81 , being inserted in the projection through hole  84 . At the rear of the projection  88  inserted in the through hole  84  are provided a spring  89  restoring the push lever  81  to the original position, and a screw  90  employed as a stopper for preventing the spring  89  from a breakaway. 
     With this configuration, if the push part  71   a  of the button pushing part  70   a  is pushed so as to slide the tray  13  out of the casing  10   a,  the contact part  73   a  incorporated with the push part  71   a  simultaneously pushes the push lever  81 . Then, the push lever  81  moves toward the operation button  15  along the lever supporting part  86  extended from the rear of the front casing  50   a , and pushes the operation button  15 . Herein, if pushing the button pushing part  70   a  is stopped, the push lever  81  is elastically restored to the original position by means of the spring  89  put on the projection  88 . Simultaneously, the button pushing part  70   a  is also elastically restored to the original position by means of the supporting bar  75   a.  Thus, when the button pushing part is spaced from the operation button at a predetermined distance, the link part for linking the movement of the button pushing part to the push of the operation button is provided there between, thereby enabling the tray  13  to be slid out of and into the casing  10   a.    
     Further, if the tray  13  is pushed in an insertion direction, that is, inside the casing, the tray  13  is slid into the casing  10   a.  At this time, the door  60   a  is restored from the open position to the closed position by means of the coil spring  63 . As described above, the button pushing part  70   a  is mounted on the door  60   a , not on the front casing  50   a , so that the button pushing part  70   a  can push the operation button  15  of the optical storage unit  11  without wrong operation, and also it is economical because only the door  60   a , not the whole casing  10   a , is replaced by a different one when the optical storage unit is not accommodated in the casing  10   a , while maintaining a fine appearance and protecting the optical storage unit  11  from dust. Also, unlike the first embodiment, the door  60   a  is disposed on an angled portion  41   a  between side casing  41  and front casing  50   a  for better external appearance. 
     As described above, there is provided a computer comprising a door rotatable between open and closed positions according as a tray is slid out of and into a casing, and a button pushing part provided on the door, so that the button pushing part of the door can push an operation button of the optical storage unit without wrong operation. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purpose, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.