Abstract:
A computer including a casing mounted with an auxiliary memory unit having at least one fixing hole. The computer also comprises a fixing bracket accommodating and supporting the auxiliary memory unit, and having a through hole corresponding to a fixing hole of the auxiliary memory unit. A fixing member of the computer has a fixing projection inserted into the through hole of the fixing bracket and the fixing hole of the auxiliary memory unit to fasten the auxiliary memory unit on the fixing bracket. Thus, the computer has an auxiliary memory unit that is removably fastened on a fixing bracket without a screwdriver.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2001-71843, filed Nov. 19, 2001, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates in general to a computer, and more particularly, to a computer for coupling auxiliary memory units to a fixing bracket. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, a computer is classified as a tower type (e.g., a stand type) or a desktop type, according to a shape of a casing of the computer. 
     Casings of both the tower type and desktop type computers, include a front panel forming a front part of the casing, a rear panel forming a rear part of the casing and having slots for a plurality of connectors, and a cover forming a housing space together with the front and rear panels. For the desktop type computer casing, the width of the casing is greater than the height thereof. In the tower type computer casing, the height is greater than the width. Hereinafter, the tower type computer casing will be described. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, a computer system includes a main body  101  having a casing  110 , a plurality of hardware components such as an auxiliary memory unit  121  accommodated in the casing  110 , and a monitor (not shown) displaying a picture thereon, on the basis of a picture signal received from the main body  101 . 
     The casing  110  includes a front panel  120  having openings  125  through which the auxiliary memory unit  121  (e.g., a CD-ROM drive, a floppy disk drive, etc.) is received. The casing  110  also includes a rear panel  140  having a plurality of slots  141  through which peripheral units such as the monitor are connected, a supporting panel  130  combining the front panel  120  with the rear panel  140  and forming a floor for the casing, and side walls between the front and rear panels  120  and  140 . A cover  150  of the casing  110  forms a housing space together with the front, rear and supporting panels  120 ,  140  and  130 . 
     A front of the front panel  120  has a power switch (not shown), a reset switch (not shown), and on a rear thereof, a fixing bracket  160  supporting the auxiliary memory unit  121 . 
     The fixing bracket  160  is made of steel and, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, has a box shape. A front end of the fixing bracket  160  is positioned on the front panel  120 , and a rear end thereof, is positioned over a middle of the supporting panel  130 . Further, side walls of the fixing bracket  160  are formed with a plurality of through holes  162  corresponding to screw holes  123  formed on the auxiliary memory unit  121  so that the auxiliary memory unit  121  is fastened on the fixing bracket  160  with bolts  127 . Thus, the fixing bracket  160  selectively accommodates the auxiliary memory unit  121 . 
     However, in the conventional computer casing, a screwdriver is needed to fasten and remove auxiliary memory units against a fixing bracket. Consequently, bolts used to fasten the auxiliary memory units on the fixing bracket are lost because the bolts are comparatively small. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a computer in which an auxiliary memory unit is removably fastened on a fixing bracket without a screwdriver. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a computer including a casing mounted with an auxiliary memory unit having at least one fixing hole, a fixing bracket accommodating and supporting the auxiliary memory unit in the casing, and having a through hole corresponding to the fixing hole of the auxiliary memory unit, and a fixing member having a fixing projection inserted into the through hole of the fixing bracket and the fixing hole of the auxiliary memory unit so as to fasten the auxiliary memory unit on the fixing bracket. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, the computer includes a guiding groove on a surface of the fixing bracket and guiding the fixing member. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the computer includes a fastening device removably fastening the fixing member on the fixing bracket. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the fastening device has a pivot supporting part supporting a first end of the fixing member on the casing and a rotation part fastened on the fixing bracket by pivoting a second end of the fixing member on the pivot supporting part. The pivot supporting part has a holding part on the casing and a latch part that is on the fixing member and latched on the holding part. The rotation part has a hook holder on the fixing bracket and a hook on the fixing member to be locked in and released from the hook holder. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the fixing member has a first part having the fixing projection and the latch part, and a second part removably coupled to the first part and having the hook. The first and second parts include a hook hole and a hook projection, respectively, which are removably coupled to each other along a lengthwise direction. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, the first part is made of metal and the second part is made of a plastic material having elasticity. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the second part includes a handle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the conventional computer casing; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view illustrating the computer casing of FIG. 1 mounted with an auxiliary memory unit; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a computer system, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a computer casing of the computer system shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fixing bracket of the computer system shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a fixing member of the computer system shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the computer system shown in FIG. 3 mounted with an auxiliary memory unit; 
     FIGS. 8A-8C are perspective views of a fixing member, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of the computer mounted with an auxiliary memory unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals to like elements throughout. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body  1  including a casing  10 , a plurality of hardware components such as an auxiliary memory unit  21  accommodated in the casing  10 , and a monitor  3  displaying a picture thereon on the basis of a picture signal received from the main body  1 . Herein, the auxiliary memory unit  21  includes a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, a hard disk drive, or a floppy disk drive, which has a plurality of fixing holes  23  on the sides thereof (see FIG.  4 ). 
     The casing  10  includes a front panel  20  having an opening  25  through which the auxiliary memory unit  21  is inserted. The casing  10  also includes a rear panel  40  having a plurality of slots  41  through which peripheral units such as the monitor are connected, a supporting panel  30  combining the front panel  20  with the rear panel  40  and forming a floor for the casing, side walls between the front and rear panels  20  and  40 , and a cover  50  having an inverse “U” shape and forming a housing space together with the front, rear and supporting panels  20 ,  40  and  30 . 
     A front of the front panel  20  has a power switch  27 , a reset switch  29  (see FIG.  3 ), and on a rear thereof, a fixing bracket  60  supporting the auxiliary memory unit  21 . 
     The fixing bracket  60  is made of metal such as steel, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, has a box shape. A front end  61   a  of the fixing bracket  60  is positioned on the front panel  20 , and a rear end  61   b  thereof, is positioned over a middle of the supporting panel  30 . Further, side walls of the fixing bracket  60  have a plurality of through holes  62 , and a guiding groove  63  guiding a fixing member  70 . 
     The through holes  62  are elongated holes formed at the side walls at positions corresponding to the fixing holes  23  of the auxiliary memory unit  21  which is accommodated in the fixing bracket  60 . Thus, the fixing holes  23  are engaged with fixing projections  73  of the fixing member  70 , thereby fixing the auxiliary memory unit  21  on the fixing bracket  60  (see FIG.  6 A). 
     The casing  10  further includes the fixing member  70  to removably fasten the auxiliary memory unit  21  on the fixing bracket  60  without a screwdriver. 
     As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the fixing member  70  has a bar shape as one body, including a main bar  71 , and a pair of fixing projections  73  protruded from a surface of the main bar  71  and spaced from each other at a predetermined distance. Thus, the fixing projections  73  of the fixing member  70  are coupled to the fixing holes  23  of the auxiliary memory unit  21  accommodated in the fixing bracket  60 , and are released from the fixing holes  23  so that the auxiliary memory unit  21  is locked to and released from the fixing bracket  60 , respectively. 
     To prevent the fixing member  70  from being separated from the fixing bracket  60  when the fixing projections  73  of the fixing member  70  are coupled to the fixing holes  23  of the auxiliary memory unit  21 , a fastening device is provided. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, the fastening device has a pivot supporting part  80  supporting a first end of the fixing member  70  on the casing  10  and a rotation part  90  fastened on the fixing bracket  60  by pivoting a second end of the fixing member  70  on the pivot supporting part  80 . 
     The pivot supporting part  80  has a holding part  81  formed in the front panel  20  and a latch part  75  located at the first end of the fixing member  70  and inserted in the holding part  81 . Thus, the latch part  75  of the fixing member  70  is latched on the holding part  81  of the front panel  20 , so that the first end of the fixing member  70  is supported by the pivot supporting part  80 . 
     The rotation part  90  has a hook holder  91  on the fixing bracket  60  and a hook  77  at the second end of the fixing member  70  to be locked in and released from the hook holder  91 . Thus, the hook  77  is locked in the hook holder  91  after the latch part  75  is latched on the holding part  81  so that the fixing member  70  is fastened on the fixing bracket  60 , thereby preventing separation of the fixing member  70 . 
     The process of fastening the auxiliary memory unit  21  on the fixing bracket  60  without bolts is described below. 
     First, the auxiliary memory unit  21  is accommodated in the fixing bracket  60 . Then the latch part  75  of the fixing member  70  is latched on the holding part  81  and the fixing projections  73  are inserted in the fixing holes  23  by pushing a handle  74  on the second end part of the fixing member  70  toward the fixing bracket  60 . The second end of the fixing member  70  is pivoted on the pivot supporting part  80 . 
     Simultaneously, the hook  77  of the fixing member  70  is locked in the hook holder  91  of the fixing bracket  60 , thereby fastening the fixing member  70  on the fixing bracket  60 . Further, the fixing projections  73  are coupled to the fixing holes  23  of the auxiliary memory unit  21 , thereby fastening the auxiliary memory unit  21  on the fixing bracket  60  (see FIG.  7 ). 
     The process of removing the auxiliary memory unit  21  from the fixing bracket  60  is performed in a reverse order to the fastening order. Therefore, the auxiliary memory unit  21  is removed from the fixing bracket  60  without a screwdriver. 
     FIGS. 8A-8C are perspective views of a fixing member  70   a , according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 8A-8C, the fixing member  70   a  is not made as one body. That is, for example, the fixing member  70   a  has a first part  71   a  and a second part  76   a  removably combined to the first part  71   a.    
     The first part  71   a  is made of metal such as steel in a bar shape. The first part  71   a  has a main bar  72   a , a pair of fixing projections  73   a , protruded from a surface of the main bar  72   a  and spaced from each other at a predetermined distance, a latch part  74   a  to be latched on the holding part  81  of the fixing bracket  60 , and hook holes  75   a  removably coupled to the second part  76   a.    
     The latch part  74   a  is located at a first end of the main bar  72   a  and functions as a pivot by being latched on the holding part  81 . The hook holes  75   a  adjacent to a second end of the main bar  72   a , are removably coupled to the hook projections  77   a  of the second part  76   a , thereby removably combining the first part  71   a  with the second part  76   a  (see FIG.  9 ). 
     The second part  76   a  is made of plastic material having elasticity. At one end of the second part  76   a , the hook projections  77   a  are removably coupled to the hook holes  75   a  of the first part  71   a . At the other end of the second part  76   a , there is a hook  78   a  to be locked in the hook holder  91  of the fixing bracket  60  and a handle  79   a  which is bent from the hook  78   a.    
     The process of fastening the auxiliary memory unit  21  on the fixing bracket  60  without bolts is described below. 
     First, as shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C, the hook projections  77   a  of the second part  76   a  are combined to the hook holes  75   a  of the first part  71   a . Thereafter, the auxiliary memory unit  21  is accommodated in the fixing bracket  60 , and then, as shown in FIG. 9, the latch part  74   a  of the first part  71   a  is latched on the holding part  81  of the front panel  20 . 
     Then, the fixing projections  73   a  are inserted in the fixing holes  23  by pushing the handle  79   a  of the second part  76   a  toward the fixing bracket  60 . The second end of the fixing member  70   a  is pivoted on the pivot supporting part  80 . 
     Simultaneously, the hook  78   a  of the second part  76   a  is locked in the hook holder  91  of the fixing bracket  60 , thereby fastening the fixing member  70   a  on the fixing bracket  60 . Further, the fixing projections  73   a  are coupled to the fixing holes  23  of the auxiliary memory unit  21 , thereby fastening the auxiliary memory unit  21  on the fixing bracket  60  (see FIG.  9 ). 
     The process of removing the auxiliary memory unit  21  from the fixing bracket  60  is performed in a reverse order to the fastening order. 
     Thus, the fixing member  70   a  includes the first and second parts  71   a  and  76   a , so that the auxiliary memory unit  21  is removably fastened on the fixing bracket  60  without a screwdriver. 
     In the above description, the fastening device includes the pivot supporting part  80  and the rotation part  90 . However, the fastening device may be accomplished by using a pair of hooking structures. 
     Therefore, the present invention provides a computer in which an auxiliary memory unit is removably fastened on a fixing bracket without a screwdriver by a fixing member having fixing projections. 
     Although a few preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.