Abstract:
Described is a bezel for an electronics enclosure. The bezel frame includes a frame, first and second plunger mechanisms, a shuttle, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a cam disposed in a path of lateral movement of the first plunger mechanism. The cam is located between that plunger mechanism and a tab of the shuttle. The orientation of the cam determines the extent of lateral movement of the plunger mechanisms. In one orientation, the cam restricts the lateral movement of the first plunger mechanism and urges the shuttle into a position that restricts the lateral movement of the second plunger mechanism. Consequently, neither plunger mechanism is able to move far enough laterally to disengage from a mounting structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates generally to bezels for electronics enclosures. More particularly, the invention relates to a locking mechanism for securing bezels of an electronics enclosure to a rack or mounting structure. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Electronics equipment is often mounted in racks or other such structures. Bezels attached to the mounting structures protect the front-facing portion of the equipment and allow technical personnel access to the equipment for maintenance and repair. Typically, the mounting structure includes vertical rails with latches to which the bezel is mounted. Latches of the bezel attach to the latches on the vertical rails. 
   A locking mechanism, often located midway along the length of the bezel, is often used to prevent unauthorized removal of the bezel from the rails. When locked, the locking mechanism prevents personnel from operating the bezel latches to release the electronics equipment from the rail latches. 
   Equipment manufacturers often include a badge or identity plate having the manufacturer&#39;s name or logo on the front side of the bezel. Sometimes the badge is located near the middle of the bezel. The location of the locking mechanism, if located near the center of the bezel, can interfere with this desired presentation of the badge. Consequently, if the badge is to remain centrally located, the location of the locking mechanism should be displaced to one side of the bezel. The displacement of the locking mechanism, however, can pose a difficulty in ensuring that the latch mechanisms on opposite sides of the bezel can be locked. Thus there remains a need for a bezel that includes a locking mechanism displaced from the front center of the bezel and can limit operation of both latch mechanisms when the bezel is locked. The present invention satisfies this need and provides additional advantages. 
   SUMMARY 
   In one aspect, the invention features a bezel for an electronics enclosure. The bezel includes a bezel frame. A first plunger mechanism and a second plunger mechanism are moveably attached at opposite ends of the bezel frame for lateral movement between a latched position in which that plunger mechanism can engage a respective latch on an electronics enclosure and an unlatched position in which that plunger mechanism can be disengaged from the respective latch. A shuttle has a first tab and a second tab connected at opposite ends of an elongated member. The shuttle is moveably attached to the bezel frame such that each tab is near a respective one of the first and second plunger mechanisms. 
   A locking mechanism has a cam disposed in a path of the lateral movement of the first plunger mechanism between the first plunger mechanism and the first tab of the shuttle. The cam has a first orientation when the locking mechanism is in an unlocked state and a second orientation when the locking mechanism is in a locked state. The first orientation allows sufficient lateral movement of each plunger mechanism for that plunger mechanism to attain the unlatched position. The second orientation causes the cam to contact the first tab of the shuttle and urge the shuttle laterally towards the second plunger mechanism so that the second tab restricts the lateral movement of the second plunger mechanism to keep the second plunger mechanism in the latched position while the cam restricts the lateral movement of the first plunger mechanism to keep the first plunger mechanism in the latched position. 
   In another aspect, the invention features a bezel for an electronics enclosure. The bezel comprises a bezel frame, a first plunger mechanism and a second plunger mechanism moveably attached at opposite ends of the bezel frame for latching and unlatching the bezel, a shuttle having an elongated member extending along a length of the bezel frame, and a locking mechanism having a cam located between the first plunger mechanism and a first part of the shuttle. The cam has an orientation that restricts lateral movement of the first plunger mechanism and urges a second part of the shuttle into a position that restricts the lateral movement of the second plunger mechanism. 
   In still another aspect, the invention features a data storage enclosure comprising a bezel attached to a mounting structure. The bezel includes a bezel frame, a first plunger mechanism and a second plunger mechanism moveably attached at opposite ends of the bezel frame for latching the bezel to and unlatching the bezel from the mounting structure, a shuttle having an elongated member extending along a length of the bezel frame, and a locking mechanism having a cam located between the first plunger mechanism and a first part of the shuttle. The cam has an orientation that restricts lateral movement of the first plunger mechanism and urges a second part of the shuttle into a position that restricts the lateral movement of the second plunger mechanism. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and further advantages of this invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate like structural elements and features in various figures. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of an embodiment of a bezel constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a back view of the bezel of  FIG. 1  with an attached EMI shield. 
       FIG. 3A  is a back view of the bezel of  FIG. 2  without the EMI shield. 
       FIG. 3B  is an exploded back view of the bezel of  FIG. 3A . 
       FIG. 4  is a detailed view of the button portion of the left plunger mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the latch and button portions of the left plunger mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a detailed view of a portion of the shuttle according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 7A  is a detailed view of a portion of the bezel in an unlocked configuration according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 7B  is a detailed view of the portion of the bezel of  FIG. 7A  when in a locked configuration. 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded front view of an electronics enclosure with the bezel of  FIG. 3A . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In brief overview, the present invention features a bezel for an electronics enclosure  140  ( FIG. 8 ), such as a data storage enclosure. At opposite ends of the bezel are plunger mechanisms for attaching the bezel to an equipment mounting structure. A single locking mechanism prevents personnel from operating the plunger mechanisms to remove the bezel from the mounting structure. The locking mechanism, however, does not prevent the bezel from being attached to the mounting structure when locked. The locking mechanism of the invention is offset from the middle of the bezel to prevent interference with a manufacturer&#39;s badge and the general aesthetic presentation of the equipment. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a front side of a bezel  10 , constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. The front side of the bezel  10 , also called a front panel or faceplate, faces away from the components within the electronics enclosure and is visible to personnel in the vicinity of the enclosure. The other (rear) side of the bezel  10  faces the internal components of the electronics enclosure and is described below in connection with  FIG. 2 . The bezel  10  includes a bezel frame  12  of a generally rectangular shape. The bezel frame  12  has an outer surface  14  curved about a vertical axis behind the plane of the page. The bezel frame  12  is made, for example, by molding plastic material into the illustrated shape. 
   The outer surface  14  includes a badge  18  that can include any variety of information including, for example, the manufacturer&#39;s name, the product name or a logo. Airflow openings  22  in the outer surface  14  provide a means to draw a cooling airflow through the bezel frame  12  and into the electronics enclosure. The airflow openings  22  include two horizontal openings  22 A and distinctive sloped openings  22 B. Additional openings  26  accept light pipes which conduct light from status lights, such as emitting diodes (LEDs), mounted inside the electronics enclosure. Other embodiments have fewer or more airflow openings  22  and light pipe openings  26  than those shown. In other embodiments, the size, position and orientation of the openings  22 ,  26  in the bezel frame  12  are different. 
   A key port  28  of a locking mechanism of the invention is provided along the outer surface  14  to accept a key for locking or unlocking the bezel  10  from the mounting structure, as described herein. A pair of buttons  30  protrudes horizontally through openings in the curved outer surface  14  of the bezel frame  12 . Personnel depress both buttons  30  to remove the bezel  10  from the equipment mounting structure. The buttons  30  do not need to be depressed to mount the bezel  10 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a back view of the bezel frame  12  with an attached EMI shield  34 . The EMI shield  34  is fabricated from an electrically conductive material and has a honeycomb array of openings  38  sized to pass the cooling airflow and to prevent EMI leakage. The openings  38  extend across the rectangular shape of the EMI shield  34  but are only shown in two regions for clarity. A plurality of snaps arranged in two rows extends from a back surface  42  of the bezel  10 . Each snap includes a stem attached at one end to the back surface  42  and a hook  46  at the other end of the stem. A spring (not shown) is disposed near each stem to apply a compressive force between the bezel frame  12  and the EMI shield  34 . The height of each stem is such that the hook  46  extends through a respective opening in the EMI shield  34 . The hooks  46  operate in conjunction with the springs to secure the EMI shield  34  to the bezel frame  12 . A resilient EMI gasket  50  made of electrically conductive material is affixed to the periphery of the EMI shield  34 . The EMI gasket “fills” any gap between the EMI shield  34  and the electronics enclosure when the bezel  10  is latched to the equipment mounting structure. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B ,  FIG. 3A  is a back view of the bezel  10  unobstructed by the EMI shield  34 , and  FIG. 3B  is an exploded view of the bezel  10  showing the EMI shield  34  relative to the bezel components. The bezel  10  includes a left plunger mechanism  54 A and a right plunger mechanism  54 B (generally  54 ), a locking mechanism  58  and a shuttle  62 . As used herein, relative terms such as left, right, top, bottom, horizontal, and vertical, are arbitrary, chosen for the purpose of clearly describing the invention, and not intended to limit the operation of the bezel  10  to any particular position or orientation. 
   Each plunger mechanism  54 A,  54 B includes, respectively, a button portion  66 A,  66 B and a latch portion  70 A,  70 B. Each button portion  66 A,  66 B includes the button  30  that extends through the curved outer surface  14  of the bezel frame  12 , an upper tab  74 A,  74 B, and a lower tab  78 A,  78 B. Each latch portion  70 A,  70 B includes a post  82 A,  82 B supporting a spring coil  86 A,  86 B and washer  90 A,  90 B, and a lip  94 A,  94 B extending from a latch body  98 A,  98 B. 
   The shuttle  62  includes a left tab  102 A and a right tab  102 B near the ends of an elongated member  106 . The shuttle  62  is attached along a bottom edge  110  of the bezel frame  12  and is moveable along the bottom edge  110  as described below. The locking mechanism  58  is attached to the back surface  42  of the bezel frame  12  as described below and includes a cam  60  (i.e., pawl) disposed between the lower tab  78 A of the left plunger mechanism  54 A and the left tab  102 A of the shuttle  62 . The locking mechanism  58  extends through the bezel frame  12  such that personnel can operate the lock using a key from the front side of the bezel  10 . The locking mechanism  58  can be maintained in an unlocked state, allowing the plunger mechanisms  54  and shuttle  62  to move laterally. Conversely, the locking mechanism  58  can be locked such that movement of the plunger mechanisms  58  is restricted. 
     FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of the button portion  66 A of the plunger mechanism  54 A. A keyhole opening  112 A accepts a pedestal extending from the back surface  42  of the bezel frame  12 . The pedestal includes a stem portion (not shown) and a rectangular shaped top portion  106 A which captures the button portion  66 A when disposed in the slot of the opening  112 A.  FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of the latch portion  70 A of the plunger mechanism  54 A. The post  86 A is inserted through an opening in a rib  114  (see  FIG. 3A ) and the spring coil  86 A is compressed to permit the latch portion  70 A to engage the button portion  66 A, and to allow a pedestal  118 A to extend through the broad end of a keyhole opening  122 A in the lip  94 A. The slotted portions of the keyhole openings  112 A,  122 A constrain the plunger mechanism  54 A to move only horizontally. Advantageously, assembly of the plunger mechanisms  54  requires no separate fasteners (e.g., screws) or tools, and assembly time is reduced. 
     FIG. 6  is a back view of a portion of the bezel frame  12  illustrating the attachment of the shuttle  62 . The shuttle  62  is positioned over the bottom edge of the bezel frame  12  so that four pedestals  126  (only two shown) are directly beneath the broad end of four keyhole openings  130  (only two shown) in the elongated member  106  of the shuttle  62 . The shuttle  62  is then lowered onto the bottom edge  110  and moved laterally so that the pedestals  126  capture the shuttle  62 . Motion of the shuttle  62  is thereby restricted to a limited length of the slotted portion of the keyhole openings  130 . 
     FIG. 7A  illustrates the locking mechanism  58  in more detail. The locking mechanism  58  includes the cam  60  and a mounting plate  64  (see  FIG. 3B ) with two openings (not shown) to receive attachment screws  134 . A cutout  138  in the lower tab  78 A of the plunger mechanism  54 A allows a tool (e.g., screwdriver) to access one of the attachment screws  134 . 
     FIG. 7A  also shows the bezel  10  of the invention in a locked state. When the locking mechanism  58  becomes locked, the cam  60  rotates into a horizontal orientation. When rotated into the horizontal orientation, the cam  60  wedges between the lower tab  78 A of the left plunger mechanism  54 A and the left tab  102 A, causing the shuttle  62  to move laterally towards the right plunger mechanism  54 B. Consequently, the right tab  102 B of the shuttle  62  moves close to or comes into contact with the lower tab  78 B of the right plunger mechanism  54 B. 
   The location of the right tab  102 B operates to restrict any leftward movement of the right plunger mechanism  54 B. If a user depresses the button  30  of the right plunger mechanism  54 B, the lower tab  78 B immediately contacts the right tab  102 B of the shuttle  62  and attempts to move the shuttle  62  towards the left. The shuttle  62  cannot move much to the left, however, because the left tab  102 A presses against the cam  60 . As a result, the right plunger mechanism  54 B does not move far enough to the left to disengage from the latch  142 B ( FIG. 8 ) on the mounting structure. Also, because the cam  60  is disposed in the path of movement of the left plunger mechanism  54 A, between the lower tab  78 A and the left tab  102  A of the shuttle  62 , the horizontal orientation of the cam  60  restricts the possible range of lateral motion for the left plunger mechanism  54 A. As a result, the left plunger mechanism  54 A is unable to move far enough to the right to disengage from the corresponding latch  142 A ( FIG. 8 ) on the mounting structure. 
   In one embodiment, referring to  FIG. 8 , a locked bezel  10  can still be attached to the latches  142 A,  142 B (generally  142 ) on a mounting structure. In this embodiment, the edge  146  ( FIG. 3 ) at one end of each latch portion  70  opposite the post  82  is beveled (e.g., at approximately a 45 degree angle). Typically, the latches  142  of the mounting structure have a leading edge  144  that is also beveled (at an angle complementary to the end of angle of the latch portion  70 ). As the bezel  10  is moved towards the mounting structure, the beveled edge  144  contacts the beveled latches  142  on the mounting structure. Urging the bezel  10  further results in a small lateral movement of the plunger mechanisms  54  as the mounting latches  142  push against and wedge behind the beveled edges  144 . The plunger mechanisms  54  snap back into position after the lips  94  pass by the latches  142  of the mounting structure, thereby securing the bezel  10  to the mounting structure (in a locked state). 
     FIG. 7B  shows the bezel  10  of the invention in an unlocked state. When unlocked, the cam  60  is vertically oriented. This vertical orientation permits the left plunger mechanism  54 A to move far enough to the right, when its button  30  is depressed, to disengage from the corresponding latch on the mounting structure. In addition, the vertical orientation permits the shuttle  62  lateral movement towards the left. As a result, the right plunger mechanism  54 B can move far enough to the left, when its button  30  is depressed, to disengage from its respective latch on the mounting structure. Accordingly, the ability to fully depress the buttons  30  allows the bezel  10  to be removed from the mounting structure. 
   While the invention has been shown and described with reference to specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.