Abstract:
A panel assembly includes a panel and an installation module for securing an end of the panel to an enclosure. The installation module includes a positioning member secured to the panel, an operation member including a blocking portion is slidably mounted in the positioning member, and a mounting member slidably mounted in the positioning member and defining a mounting slot. The operation member is slidably positioned in an unlocked position, where the blocking portion is aligned with the mounting slot, and the mounting member is slidable relative to the panel to be engaged in a locking hole defined in the enclosure. In a locked position, the blocking portion staggers the mounting slot, and the mounting member is blocked by the blocking portion and prevented from sliding relative to the panel, so as to secure the panel assembly to the chassis.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to panel assemblies, and particularly to a panel assembly used in a server. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In many servers, a first end of a panel assembly is rotatably mounted to an enclosure of each server. However, a second end of the panel assembly is generally secured to the enclosure by screws, which requires a screw driver to secure the screws to the panel assembly. Disassembly or reassembly of the panel assembly can be tedious and inconvenient. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of one embodiment of a panel assembly. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of an installation module of the panel assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from a different aspect. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of the panel assembly of  FIG. 1 , showing an operation member in a locked position. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a circled portion V of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but viewed from a different aspect. 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is another assembled, isometric view of the panel assembly of  FIG. 1 , but showing the operation member in an unlocked position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7 , but viewed from a different aspect. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of a panel assembly. The panel assembly includes a panel  10  and an installation module  200 . 
         [0014]    The panel  10  defines a through hole  11  and an opening  13 . In one embodiment, the through hole  11  is rectangular. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  show the installation module  200  includes a positioning member  20 , an operation member  30 , a limiting member  50 , a mounting member  60 , and a sliding member  70 . 
         [0016]    The positioning member  20  includes a bottom plate  21 , a rear plate  23 , two side plates  25 , and a positioning plate  27  extending from the bottom plate  21 . In one embodiment, the bottom plate  21  is substantially perpendicular to the rear plate  23 , the positioning plate  27  is substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate  21 , and the positioning plate  27  is substantially parallel to the rear plate  23 . The bottom plate  21  defines a positioning hole  211  and a slot  213 . The positioning hole  211  corresponds to the through hole  11 , and the slot  213  corresponds to the opening  13 . The rear plate  23  defines two installation slots  231 . A side flange  251  extends from a top edge of each side plate  25  towards another side plate  25 . The positioning plate  27  defines a first positioning slot  271  and a second positioning slot  272 . In one embodiment, an extending direction of the first positioning slot  271  is substantially parallel to an extending direction of the second positioning slot  272 , and each extending direction of the first positioning slot  271  and the second positioning slot  272  is substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate  21 . A positioning flange  275  extends from a top edge of the positioning plate  27 . The positioning flange  275  defines a cutout  2751 . A side of the positioning member  20  defines a limiting hole  218 . 
         [0017]    The operation member  30  includes an operation plate  31 , a first flange  33  extending from a first edge of the operation plate  31 , and a second flange  35  extending from a second edge of the operation plate  31 . In one embodiment, the first flange  33  is substantially parallel to the second flange  35  and substantially perpendicular to the operation plate  31 . An operation piece  311  extends from a top surface of the operation plate  31 . The first flange  33  and the second flange  35  extend from a bottom surface of the operation plate  31 . The first flange  33  defines two nicks  331 , and the first flange  33  includes an elastically deformable positioning piece  335  between the two nicks  331 . A positioning protrusion  3351  protrudes from the positioning piece  335 . A blocking portion  352  extends from a top edge of the second flange  35  away from the first flange  33 . The blocking portion  351  includes a blocking piece  3513 . The blocking piece  3513  includes a blocking plane  3515 . In one embodiment, a cross section of the blocking piece  3513  is trapeziform, and the blocking plane  3515  is a slanted plane of the trapeziform. 
         [0018]    The limiting member  50  includes a base  51 , a positioning block  53  extending from a first side of the base  51 , and an installation block  52  extending from a second side of the base  51 . The positioning block  53  can be inserted into the limiting hole  218 . The installation block  52  can be secured to the bottom plate  21 . The base  51  defines two receiving holes  511 , and the receiving holes  511  do not extend through the base  51 . Two limiting blocks  55  extend from the base  51 . A sliding slot  57  is defined between the two limiting blocks  55 . A limiting flange  551  extends from a top edge of each limiting block  55 . 
         [0019]    The mounting member  60  includes a mounting portion  61 , a mounting wall  63 , and two sidewalls  65  connected to the mounting portion  61  and the mounting wall  63 . The mounting portion  61  defines a limiting slot  611  and a mounting slot  613 . A resisting block  615  is located in the mounting slot  613 . A mounting post  616  is located on the mounting portion  61 . Two mounting blocks  631  extend from the mounting wall  63  away from the mounting portion  61 . 
         [0020]    The sliding member  70  includes a sliding plate  71 , a resisting portion  73  extending from the sliding plate  71 , and two elastically deformable hooks  75  extending from the resisting portion  73 . 
         [0021]    The installation module  200  further includes two resilient members  80 . In one embodiment, each resilient member  70  is a compression spring. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 4-8  show that in assembly, the positioning member  20  is secured to the panel  10  by a plurality of first screws  100 . The positioning hole  211  is aligned with the through hole  11 , and the slot  213  is aligned with the opening  13 . The operation member  30  is placed between the positioning flange  275  and the bottom plate  21 . The operation piece  311  extends out of the positioning hole  211  and the through hole  11 , and the positioning protrusion  3351  is engagingly received in the first receiving slot  271 . Each sidewall  65  is slidably received between the side flange  251  and the bottom plate  21 . The mounting block  631  extends out of the installation slot  231 . A first end of the resilient member  80  abuts the mounting portion  61  with the mounting post  616  received therein. The positioning block  53  is inserted in the limiting hole  218 . A second end of the resilient member  80  is received in the receiving hole  511 . The installation block  52  is secured to the bottom plate  21  by a second screw  90 . Thus, the operation member  30  is located between the positioning plate  27  and the limiting member  50 , the limiting flange  551  abuts a top edge of the second flange  35 , the positioning flange  275  abuts a top edge of the first flange  33 , the blocking portion  351  is received in the sliding slot  57 , and the blocking piece  3513  extends out of the sliding slot  57  and is aligned with the limiting slot  611 . The hook  75  is engaged in the mounting slot  613 . The resisting portion  73  abuts the resisting block  615 , so that the sliding member  70  is secured to the mounting member  60 . In this position, the resilient member  80  is in an initial state, the operation member  30  is in an unlocked position, and the mounting member  60  is in a movable position and is slidable relative to the panel  10 . 
         [0023]    When the operation member  30  is in the unlocked position and the mounting member  60  is in the movable position, the panel  10  can be secured to an enclosure (not shown). In assembly, a first end of the panel  10 , which is opposite to the installation module  200 , is rotatably positioned on the enclosure. When a second end of the panel  10  abuts the enclosure, the panel  10  is pressed downwards to slide the mounting member  60  towards the limiting member  50 , and the limiting member  50  presses the resilient member  80  until the mounting block  631  is moved in the installation slot  231 . In this position, the resilient member rebounds to slide the mounting member  60  away from the limiting member  50 , and the mounting block  631  is locked into a locking hole defined in the enclosure. The operation piece  311  is pulled to elastically deform the positioning piece  335  until the positioning protrusion  3351  is aligned with the second positioning slot  272 . In this position, the positioning piece  35  rebounds to engage the positioning protrusion  3351  in the second positioning slot  272 , and the blocking piece  3513  and the limiting slot are staggered, so that the mounting member  60  is blocked from sliding by the blocking plane  3515 . In this position, the operation member  30  is in a locked position, the mounting member  60  is in a secured position, and the panel assembly can be secured to the enclosure. 
         [0024]    In disassembly, the operation member  30  is slid to the unlocked position, and each of the mounting member  60  and the sliding member  70  is slidable relative to the panel  10 . The sliding member  70  is slid towards the limiting member  50  through the sliding plate  71 , and the sliding member  70  slides the mounting member  60  towards the limiting member  50  to elastically deform the resilient member  80 . The mounting block  631  is disengaged from the locking hole, and the panel assembly is rotatable for removal from the enclosure. The resilient member  80  is released, and the mounting member  60  is in the movable position. 
         [0025]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and the arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.