Abstract:
A computer housing includes a front plate, a front panel and a fixing mechanism for the front panel. The front plate has at least two holes. The front panel has at least two engaging slots corresponding to the holes. The fixing mechanism includes two hooking plates and at least two springs. The hooking plates are slidably disposed on an inner side of the front plate. Each of the hooking plates has at least one hook passing through the hole to limit the hooking plate slidably between a first position and a second position. The spring connects the hooking plate and the front plate. The elasticity of the spring enforces the hooking plate and the hook abuts one edge of the hole to maintain the hooking plate on the first position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to computer housing, and more particular to a computer housing having a front panel of the computer housing that can be easily assembled and detached. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional way to attach a front panel to a computer housing is by forming several hooks on the front panel to directly engage a plurality of corresponding slots arranged on a front plate of the computer housing.  FIG. 1  shows a conventional coupling mechanism for the front panel of the computer housing. The front panel  1  has several hooks  2  formed on two lateral sides thereof . Each end of the hooks  2  is bent outward and has a slanted surface  3 . When the hooks  2  of the front panel  1  are pushed toward corresponding several slots  5  formed on two lateral sides of the front plate of the housing  4 , the slanted surface  3  abuts the slot  5  to deform elastically. When the hooks  2  enter the slots  5  completely, the hooks  2  would spring back to tightly engage the slots  5 , thus the front panel  1  is mechanically coupled to the housing  4 . 
     In such a structure, the front panel needs several hooks  2  to attach with the computer housing in an engagement. When removing the front panel, a side board of the housing need to be removed first and pulls the hooks of the front panel one by one away from the housing, then the front panel can be removed from the housing. Thus, making the removal of the front panel rather inconvenient. Moreover, the hooks may be broken at a root part thereof because of improper exerting force during the uninstalling operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to provide a computer housing having a novel coupling mechanism for fixing a front panel thereof, so as to enable time and effort-saving assembly or detachment of the front panel. Particularly, for assembling the front panel, the front panel is aligned with a front plate of the computer housing and pushed toward the front plate, and the assembly will be completed automatically by hooks and engaging slots. When detaching the front panel, a release button disposed on the computer housing may be pressed to disengage the coupling mechanism, thereby detaching the front panel from the front plate. 
     One aspect of the present invention provides a computer housing including a front plate, a front panel and a fixing mechanism. The front plate has at least two holes respectively on two sides thereof The front panel has at least two engaging slots respectively corresponding to the at least two holes. The fixing mechanism includes two hooking plates and at least two springs. The hooking plates are slidably disposed on an inner side of the front plate of the computer housing respectively. Each of the hooking plates has at least one hook corresponding to one of the at least two holes, and the hooks respectively pass through the at least two holes to limit the two hooking plates to slide between a first position and a second position. Each of the springs connects the hooking plates of the fixing mechanism and the front plate of the computer housing and being pre-stretched to make the hooks abutting against an upper edge of the at least two holes to maintain the two hooking plates in the first position. 
     When the engaging slots of the front panel are respectively aligned with the holes on the front plate of the computer housing upon installation and the front panel is pushed toward the front plate of the computer housing, the hooks of the fixing mechanism may be biased from a first position toward a second position (disengaged position) and thus allowed to enter the corresponding engaging slots. The springs connecting the fixing mechanism and the computer housing will then pull the hooking plates back to the first position (engaged position), thus causing the hooks of the fixing mechanism to latch onto the corresponding holes on the front plate of the computer housing through the engaging slots of the front panel, thereby fixing the front panel onto the computer housing. On the other hand, when the two hooking plates are moved from the first position to the second position through the manipulation of a pre-arranged release button, the latch is released and thereby allowing the front panel to be removed from the front plate. 
     For further understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description illustrating the embodiments and examples of the present invention. The description is for illustrative purpose only and is not intended to limit the scope of the claim. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a conventional computer housing; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective assembled view of a computer housing of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a partial enlarged view of a fixing mechanism of the computer housing of the invention; 
         FIG. 4B  is a partial enlarged view of the computer housing of the invention, which shows a spring connecting a hooking plate and a front plate; 
         FIGS. 5 to 7  respectively illustrate the side views during a front panel assembled to the front plate, which show variation of the position of first or second hooking plate of the fixing mechanism with respect to the front plate of the computer housing and the first or second engaging plate; 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  respectively illustrate the side views during a front panel detached from the front plate, which show variation of the position of the first or second hooking plate of the fixing mechanism with respect to the front plate of the computer housing and the first or second engaging plate; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective cross-sectional view of a button of the invention; 
         FIG. 11  is another perspective cross-sectional view of a button of the invention; and 
         FIG. 12  shows another embodiment of a central connecting element of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a computer housing  100  according to the instant disclosure includes a front panel  10 , an outer casing  20 , a housing body  30  and a fixing mechanism  40 . 
     The outer casing  20  is assembled onto an outer surface of the housing body  30 . The front panel  10  is fixed to a front plate  32  of the housing body  30  by the fixing mechanism  40 . The structure is described as follows. 
     The housing body  30  includes a front plate  32 , a top plate  34 , a rear plate  36 , a bottom plate  38  and lateral plates  39 . The fixing mechanism  40  is slidably assembled on the front plate  32 . The front plate  32  includes a front portion  322 , a first lateral portion  324  and a second lateral portion  326 . The front portion  322  connects the first lateral portion  324  and the second lateral portion  326 . The first lateral portion  324  faces the second lateral portion  326 . A plurality of holes  327  are formed respectively on the front portion  322  close to the first lateral portion  324  and the second lateral portion  326 . In  FIG. 3 , five holes  327  corresponding to hooks  47  of the fixing mechanism  40  are respectively formed on locations of the front portion  322  respectively near to the first lateral portion  324  and the second lateral portion  326 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4A , the fixing mechanism  40  includes a first hooking plate  42 , a second hooking plate  44 , a central connecting element  46  and a spring  48 . The first and second hooking plates  42  and  44  are stripe-shaped and have respective flanges  421  and  441  respectively vertical to the surfaces thereof A plurality of hooks  47  protrude respectively from the flanges  421  and  441  and respectively perpendicular to the flanges  421  and  441 . The hooks  47  correspond to the holes  327  on the front portion  322 . 
     The structure of the hook  47  is shown in  FIG. 5  in detail. The hook  47  has a hook portion  471 , a first slanted surface  472  and a second slanted surface  473 . The hook portion  471  is a vertical protrusion of the hook  47  and faces the flanges  421  and  441  with a predetermined distance. The first slanted surface  472  is formed on the back side of the hook portion  471 , and the second slanted surface  473  is formed under the first slanted surface  472 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4A , the central connecting element  46  connects the first hooking plate  42  and the second hooking plate  44  to form a U-shaped structure and move the first and second hooking plates  42  and  44  synchronously. 
     The first hooking plate  42  and the second hooking plate  44  are respectively slidably disposed on respective inner sides of the first lateral portion  324  and the second lateral portion  326 . The spring  48  is an extension spring which is respectively assembled between the first hooking plate  42  and the front portion  322  near to the first lateral portion  324  and between the second hooking plate  44  and the front portion  322  near to the second lateral portion  326 . One end of the spring  48  is fixed to the front portion  322  near to the first lateral portion  324  or the front portion  322  near to the second lateral portion  326 , and the other end of the spring  48  is fixed to the first hooking plate  42  or the second hooking plate  44 (shown in  FIG. 4B ), whereby the spring  48  biases the first and second hooking plates  42  and  44 . A button  50  is disposed between the top plate  34  and the outer case  20  and connected to the central connecting element  46 . The outer case  20  has an opening  9  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) through which the button  50  protrudes to be pushed by the user. The button  50  can be pushed to move the first and second hooking plates  42  and  44 . The structure of the button  50  is described below in detail. 
     The front panel  10  has a first engaging plate  12  corresponding to the first hooking plate  42  and a second engaging plate  14  corresponding to the second hooking plate  44 . The first and second engaging plates  12  and  14  are assembled respectively on an inner side of the front panel  10 . A plurality of engaging slots  17  corresponding to the holes  327  and the hooks  47  are respectively formed on the first and second engaging plates  12  and  14 . A respective slope  18  extends forward from the first and second engaging plates  12  and  14  at the lower edge of the respective engaging slot  17 . 
     The hook  47  passes through the hole  327  of and moves or slides between a first position A (shown in  FIG. 5 ) limited by the upper edge of the hole  327  opposite to the slope  18  and a second position B (shown in  FIG. 8 ) limited by the slope  18 . The springs  48  are pre-stretched to respectively pull the first hooking plate  42  and the second hooking plate  44  by the elastic force, whereby the respective hooks  47  thereof abut against the upper edges of the respective holes  327  and are maintained in the first position A, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 to 9 , since the first engaging plate  12  and the second engaging plate  14  are fixed onto the front panel  10 , for the sake of clarity, the front panel  10  is omitted and the first engaging plate  12  and the second engaging plate  14  are used to represent the front panel  10 . When the front panel  10  is assembled to the computer housing  100 , the front panel  10  is moved toward and is to be pressed onto the front plate  32  in such a manner that the engaging slots  17  of the first engaging plate  12  and the second engaging plate  14  are respectively aligned with the respective holes  327  of the first hooking plate  42  and the second hooking plate  44 . Specifically, when the front panel  10  is moved and pushed toward the front plate  32  (as shown by a right arrow in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ), the upper edges of the respective engaging slots  17  push against the first slanted surfaces  472  of the respective hooks  47  to move the first hooking plate  42  and the second hooking plate  44  downward (as as shown by the downward arrow in  FIG. 6 ) and away from the first position A. At this time, the spring  48  is thus pulled, as shown in  FIG. 6  to an extent that the hook  47  passes through the engaging slot  17 . Then, the hook  47  is pulled back to the first position A by the resilient force of the spring  48  such that the hook portion  471  of the hook  47  abuts against the engaging slot  17 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . In addition, several positioning posts (not shown) disposed on the inner side of the front panel  10  are respectively inserted into several extruding holes (not shown) formed on the front plate  32  so as to assist positioning of the front panel  10 . Thereby, the front panel  10  is combined to the front plate  32 . 
     When the front panel  10  is to be removed, the button  50  is pushed to move the first hooking plate  42  and the second hooking plate  44  from the first position A to the second position B as shown in  FIG. 8 . At this time, the hook portion  471  is aligned with both the engaging slot  17  and the hole  327  to release the engagement of the hook  47  with the engaging slot  17  and the hole  327 . At this time, the spring  48  is pulled to have a resilient force applied on the first and second hooking plates  42  and  44  respectively afterwards, and the second slanted surface  473  of the hook  47  abuts against the slope  18  to product a repulsive force as shown in a left arrow in  FIG. 8  to spontaneously separate the front panel  10  from the front plate  32  as shown in  FIG. 9 . Thus, the front panel  10  may be easily detached from the front plate  32 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the button  50  includes a main body  52 , a compression spring  54  and a latch mechanism  56 . One end of the compression spring  54  is fixed to the main body  52  and the other end of the compression spring  54  is fixed to the central connecting element  46 . When the main body  52  is pressed, the compression spring  54  is pushed and biases the central connecting element  46  to move the first and second hooking plates  42  and  44  from the first position A to the second position B. 
     The latch mechanism  56  includes a rotatable element  561  and an extension element  562  connected to the rotatable element  561 . The rotatable element  561  is rotatably disposed in a depression  522  of the main body  52 . The extension element  562  extends from the rotatable element  561  through a hole  523  to beneath the main body  52 . In this embodiment, the extension element  562  is L-shaped and the main body  52  has an abutting portion  521  abutting against the outer case  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the abutting portion  521  is separated from the central connecting element  46  at a short distance. The extension element  562  is moved between the abutting portion  521  and the central connecting element  46  along with the rotation of the rotatable element  561 . At this time, the main body  52  is obstructed by the extension portion  562  and cannot be pressed so as to achieve the purpose of lock up. The latch mechanism  56  may lock up the button  50  to avoid improper operation and theft. 
     In addition, the central connecting element  46  has another embodiment shown in  FIG. 12 . The central connecting element  46  is respectively connected to the first hooking plate  42  by a fixing elements  461  (such as a screw) and to the second hooking plate  44  by a fixing element  462 . A pivot shaft  463  is disposed at the center of the central connecting element  46 . A lower end of one spring  48  is connected to the second hooking plate  44  and an upper end thereof is connected to the front plate  32 . An upper end of another spring  48  is connected to the first hooking plate  42  and a lower end thereof is connected to the front plate  32 . When the button  50  is pushed, the second hooking plate  44  is moved downward and the central connecting element  46  is rotated counterclockwise about the pivot shaft  463  to move the first hooking plate  42  upward. 
     In addition to the above-mentioned embodiments, the central connecting element can be eliminated, and handles are respectively disposed on the first and second hooking plates. The handles exposed from the outer case are pressed to respectively move the first and second hooking plates from the first position A to the second position B. 
     The invention has the following advantages. 
     The front panel is assembled or detached without any tool, whereby the labor and time for assembly and maintenance are saved. 
     It is very easy to replace or assemble a fan filter or storage device via the front plate due to the simple and convenient operation of assembly or detachment of the front panel. 
     Since the button has a latch mechanism, the button of the front panel is also provided with a burglarproof function. 
     This invention is applicable to a slim front panel design to enhance the higher rigidity of the front panel. 
     The description above only illustrates specific embodiments and examples of the present invention. The present invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the present invention, provided they fall within the scope of the present invention as defined in the following appended claims.