Abstract:
An optical disc drive enclosure for enclosing an optical disc drive, the optical disc drive enclosure comprises a cover and a panel. The cover comprises a top wall with at least one catch formed on a lower surface of the top wall. The panel is secured to a front of the cover, and comprises at least one fastener formed on a top thereof. The fastener defines a hole with the catch being latchingly engaged therein.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to optical disc drive enclosures, and particularly to an optical disc drive enclosure for a front-loading optical disc drive. 
   2. Related Art 
   An optical disc drive has become a standard feature of a personal computer system, for recording information and/or playing music and/or video recordings. Various optical discs usable in such optical disc drives include CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read Only Memory discs), CD-RWs (Compact Disc Rewritable discs), DVD-ROMs (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory discs), etc. 
   A typical optical disc drive module (“disc drive”) mainly includes a tray for receiving and carrying an optical disc, a spindle motor for rotating the optical disc, a pickup unit for reading information contained in the optical disc, and a frame for supporting the above-mentioned components. The disc drive is completely received in an optical disc drive enclosure. A conventional disc drive enclosure includes an upper cover, a lower cover, and a front panel. The assembled upper cover, lower cover, and front panel cooperatively define an inner space. The disc drive is received in the inner space. The front panel is generally formed of a plastic material. The front panel defines an opening for allowing a tray to extend out therethrough. A tray panel is engaged in the opening. A slot is formed at a back of the front panel, between the tray panel and a top edge of the front panel. The front panel is mechanically coupled to the upper cover. 
   However, the above-described disc drive assembly has some problems. The most serious of these problems stems from the rapid development of information technology, which has promoted the advancement of the technology of optical disc drives. One important advancement is that the driving speed of optical disc drives is becoming faster and faster. 
   In the above-described disc drive, the disc is loaded on a tapered portion of a spindle motor, and the disc is then held on the spindle motor by a magnetic clamp. Only a small portion of the disc around a center hole contacts the tapered portion of the spindle motor. At high drive speeds, internal stresses are concentrated around the center hole portion of the disc. The internal stresses may cause the disc to crack or shatter. This is particularly the case for inferior quality optical discs. Debris of the cracked disc may strike and damage the tray panel. The debris may even cause the tray panel to disengage from the front panel, whereby the debris may spatter out from the front panel and injure a user. 
   Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
   SUMMARY 
   Briefly described, one embodiment of the disc drive enclosure, among others, can be implemented as described herein. 
   An optical disc drive enclosure for enclosing an optical disc drive, the optical disc drive enclosure comprises a cover and a panel. The cover comprises a top wall with at least one catch formed on a lower surface of the top wall. The panel is secured to a front of the cover, and comprises at least one fastener formed on a top thereof. The fastener defines a hole with the catch being latchingly engaged therein. 
   Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an optical disc drive enclosure in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a cover of the disc drive enclosure of  FIG. 1 , viewed from a bottom aspect; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged, isometric view of a panel of the disc drive enclosure of  FIG. 1 , viewed from another aspect; and 
       FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from a bottom aspect and without showing a bottom wall of the cover of the disc drive enclosure. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , an optical disc drive enclosure  100  for receiving an optical disc drive module (not shown) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a cover  10 , and a panel  30  fastened to a front of the cover  10 . The cover  10  is for covering various internal mechanisms such as optical disc drive modules (not shown) and PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards, not shown) of the optical disc drive modules. Preferably, the cover  10  is formed of a single metal sheet by a punching process. Alternatively, the panel  30  can be made of a plastic material by an injection molding process. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the cover  10  includes a horizontal top wall  12 , two parallel side walls  14  respectively depending from opposite lateral sides of the top wall  12 , and a bottom wall (not shown) attached to the side walls  14 . 
   An extension of the top wall  12 , including a first blocking hem portion  160  and a pair of second blocking hem portions  190 , depends from a front edge (not labeled) of the top wall  12 . The first and second blocking hem portions  160 ,  190  are for blocking debris of a cracked disc from coming out of the enclosure  100  in the event of a spinning disc cracking. The first blocking hem portion  160  and the second blocking hem portions  190  are interspaced by a pair of cutouts  170 . A pair of catches  120  is respectively formed on an inner surface (not labeled) of the top wall  12 , spatially corresponding to the pair of cutouts  170 . Each catch  120  has a slanted portion (not labeled) slanted toward the corresponding cutout  170 . Another extension of the top wall  12 , including a pair of opposite tabs  180 , extends from edge portions (not labeled) of the top wall  12  adjacent the side walls  14 . A recess  140  with a hole  142  defined therein is defined in each side wall  14 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 3 , an enlarged, rear view of the panel  30  is illustrated. The panel  30  includes a substantially rectangular main plate  32 . A width of the main plate  32  is substantially equal to a width of the top wall  12 . A height of the main plate  32  is substantially equal to a height of each side wall  14 . A tray opening (not labeled) is defined in the main plate  32 , for a tray (not shown) of the optical disc drive to extend out therethrough. A tray panel  31  is engaged in the tray opening. A bottom flange  33 , a top flange  34 , and a pair of side flanges  35  are respectively formed on the main plate  32 , extending rearward from a bottom edge, a top edge, and side edges of the main plate  32  respectively. The flanges  33 ,  34 ,  35  are interconnected with each other. 
   A pair of bottom arms  38  with bottom catches  380  formed thereon extends rearward from the main plate  32  of the panel  30 , adjacent the bottom flange  33 . A side arm  37  with a side catch  370  formed thereon extends rearward from the main plate  32  of the panel  30 , adjacent the side flanges  35 . A distance between the bottom arms  38  is equal to a distance between a pair of bottom holes defined in a bottom wall (not shown) of the cover  10 . A rear portion of each of the bottom and side catches  380 ,  370  is slanted. A plurality of strengthening ribs (not labeled) is formed at a back of each side arm  37  and each bottom arm  38 . 
   Similar to the bottom arms  38 , a pair of fasteners  36 , as an extension of the panel, extends rearward from a strip  39  formed on the back of the main plate  32 . Each fastener  36  includes a sloping portion  360  at a distal end thereof, and an opening  362  defined in a center thereof. The location of the openings  362  of the fasteners  36  correspond to the catches  120  of the cover  10 . Each of the sloping portions  360  is slanted rearward. The strip  39  is parallel to and spaced from the top flange  34 . A slot (not labeled) is defined between the top flange  34  and the strip  39 . In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of strengthening ribs is formed on each fastener  36 , opposite from the corresponding sloping portion  360 . 
   During assembly, the bottom wall is attached to the side walls  14  by fastening means such as screws. Then, the panel  30  is pressed to engage with a front portion of the cover  10 . During this process, the side arms  37  and the bottom arms  38  are deformed inward. The side catches  370  and the bottom catches  380  gradually slide into the side holes  142  and the bottom holes. Meanwhile, the fasteners  36  are deformed inward. The sloping portions  360  of the fasteners  26  slide along the slanted portions of the catches  120  respectively, whereupon the catches  120  of the top wall  12  are latchingly engaged in the openings  362  of the fasteners  36 . Thus, the panel  30  is firmly fixed to the cover  10 . 
   Also referring to  FIG. 4 , in assembly, the bottom arms  38  are securely engaged with the bottom wall, with the bottom catches latchingly engaged in the bottom holes defined in the bottom wall. The side arms  37  are securely engaged with the side walls  14 , with the side catches latchingly engaged in the holes  142 . The fasteners  36  are securely engaged with the top wall  12 , with the catches  120  latchingly engaged in the openings  362  thereof. The tabs  180  abut against the main plate of the panel  30 , covering corresponding portions of the slot defined between the top flange  34  and the strip  39 . 
   When a disc is rotated in the optical disc drive at high speed, internal stresses are concentrated in the disc around a center hole thereof. This may cause severe cracking or even shattering of the disk. In the illustrated embodiment, by means of the fastener on the panel, the panel is securely attached to the top wall of the cover. Therefore, disengagement of the panel from the cover due to scattering debris can be avoided. In addition, because the bottom edges of the first and second hems  160 ,  190  are substantially flush with the top of the tray opening of the panel  30 , scattering debris flying toward the panel  30  can be completely blocked by the first and second metal blocking hem portions  160 ,  190 . Thus, the debris does not directly impact the plastic panel  30 . Any injury to a user due to scattering debris can be completely avoided. 
   It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments, including any preferred embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementation of the principles of the invention, and are merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and be protected by the following claims.