Abstract:
An apparatus for inserting a computer component into, and removing the computer component from, a bay of a computer, includes a first frame member adapted for movement between retracted and extended positions. The first frame member has a pull bar adapted for grasping by a user for moving the first frame member to at least the extended position. A first locking member is adapted for movement with the computer component and a second locking member is stationary with respect to the first frame member. The first and second locking members are mutually engageable when the first frame member is in the retracted position for preventing movement of the computer component out of the bay. Movement of the first frame member from the retracted position toward the extended position causes the first and second locking members to disengage and release the computer component from the bay.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not Applicable.  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
         [0002]    Not Applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0004]    This invention relates to computers, and more particularly to ejection bay structures for portable computers for receiving and ejecting computer components such as floppy drives, hard drives, batteries, and the like.  
           [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0006]    Portable computers, such as laptop and notebook computers, typically have one or more drive bays for interchangeably receiving computer components, such as floppy drives, hard drives, CD and DVD drives, batteries, LAN communication devices, modems, RAM memory, FAX communication devices, and so on. Often, it is difficult for the user to readily and easily swap and/or remove components from the bays. Typically, a peripheral component, such as a floppy disk or hard drive, is retained in a drive frame by a spring-loaded latch that is mounted in the computer adjacent the bay. A release button extends out of the computer housing and is operable to release the latch when pressed in order to remove the peripheral component. When the release button is pressed, the drive frame moves toward the bay opening under bias force to thereby expose a portion of the drive frame outside of the computer housing. The drive can then be pulled out of the bay. This method forces a user to use both hands to eject the drive, e.g. one hand to activate the release button and the other hand to pull the drive.  
           [0007]    It would therefore be desirable to provide a drive bay mechanism that reduces or eliminate exposure of the drive frame and requires only one hand to eject the drive or other computer component.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for inserting a computer component into, and removing the computer component from, a bay of a computer, includes a first frame member adapted for movement between retracted and extended positions. The first frame member has a pull bar adapted for grasping by a user for moving the first frame member to at least the extended position. A first locking member is adapted for movement with the computer component and a second locking member is stationary with respect to the first frame member. The first and second locking members are mutually engageable when the first frame member is in the retracted position for preventing movement of the computer component out of the bay. Movement of the first frame member from the retracted position toward the extended position causes the first and second locking members to disengage and release the computer component from the bay.  
           [0009]    According to a further aspect of the invention, a portable computer comprises a computer housing and a bay formed in the computer housing. A first frame member is located in the bay and moveable between retracted and extended positions with respect to the computer housing. The first frame member has a pull bar adapted for grasping by a user for moving the first frame member to at least the extended position. A computer component is removably positioned in the first frame member and a first locking member is connected to the computer component. A second locking member is stationary with respect to the first frame member. The first and second locking members are mutually engageable when the first frame member is in the retracted position for preventing movement of the computer component out of the bay. Movement of the first frame member from the retracted position toward the extended position causes the first and second locking members to disengage and release the computer component from the bay. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    Embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a portable computer incorporating a drive bay assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a front perspective exploded view of the drive bay assembly and a computer drive device for installation in the drive bay assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the portable computer taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the drive bay assembly and computer drive device in an assembled condition;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the drive bay assembly in a rest or home position according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of a retention mechanism that forms part of the drive bay assembly, with the retention mechanism in a locked position;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of the drive bay assembly in an ejection position;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the retention mechanism in an unlocked position;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the drive bay assembly and the computer drive device similar to FIG. 4, with the computer drive device in an ejected position; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 is an enlarged top plan view of the retention assembly during insertion of the drive device into the drive bay assembly. 
     
    
       [0021]    Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like parts throughout the drawing figures are represented by like numerals.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    Referring now to the drawings, and to FIG. 1 in particular, a portable computer  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as a laptop or notebook computer, has a housing  12  comprising a base portion  14  and a deck portion  16  connected to the base portion. A display screen  18  is pivotally connected to the housing  12 . A computer component  20 , shown here as a floppy disk drive, is accessible from a side  22  of the base portion  14 , and is removably installed in a drive bay assembly  30  (FIG. 2) of the computer  10 . The deck portion  16  preferably includes a keyboard assembly  24 , a touch pad  25  for directing cursor movement on the display screen  18 , selector buttons  26 , and a control button  28  adjacent the selector buttons that can be actuated in one of four directions to control cursor movement.  
         [0023]    As shown in FIG. 2, the drive bay assembly  30  includes an upper frame  32  and a lower frame  34  that receives the upper frame. Preferably, the upper frame  32  is stamped and formed from sheet metal and the lower frame  34  is formed of a molded plastic material. The drive  20  is received in the upper frame  32 , as will be described in greater detail below.  
         [0024]    The drive  20  includes a drive housing  40  that is preferably secured within a housing frame  42 . The drive  20  is of well known construction and includes an opening  44  at a forward end of the housing  40  that receives a floppy disk (not shown) and a plug-in connector  46  at a rearward end of the housing  40  that electrically connects the drive  20  to a mating connector (not shown) inside the computer  10 . An ejection button  48  is provided at the forward end of the housing  40  for ejecting the floppy disk. Although the drive  20  is shown and described as a floppy disk drive, it is to be understood that other computer components, such as hard drives, CD drives, DVD drives, batteries, LAN communication devices, modems, RAM memory, FAX communication devices, and so on, can be adapted for mounting in the drive bay assembly  30 .  
         [0025]    The housing frame  42  includes a front wall or bezel  50 , a rear wall  52 , and side walls  54 ,  56  extending between the bezel  50  and the rear wall  56 . The bezel  50  together with the rear wall  52  and side walls  54 ,  56  encompass the drive housing  40 . Preferably, a portion  58  of the bezel  50  extends beyond the side wall  56  and an upper wall  60  extends between the bezel portion  58  and the side wall  56 . The housing frame  42  is preferably constructed of molded plastic material, although other materials and forming processes can be used. A locking member or catch  62  (shown in hidden line) is preferably integrally formed in the side wall  56  below the upper wall  60  and includes a ramped surface  64  that extends at an acute angle from the side wall  56  and a locking surface  66  that extends between the ramped surface and the side wall  56 . Preferably, the locking surface  66  is perpendicular to the side wall  56 .  
         [0026]    The upper frame  32  includes a front wall or pull bar  70 , a rear wall  72 , and side walls  74 ,  76  extending between the pull bar  70  and the rear wall  72 . The pull bar  70  together with the rear wall  72  and side walls  74 ,  76  encompass a substantial portion of the drive housing  40  and housing frame  42 .  
         [0027]    As shown in FIG. 3, the pull bar  70  is preferably constructed of an inner reinforcing bar portion  78  and an outer aesthetic bar portion  80  that conforms in shape to the base portion  14 . Preferably, the reinforcing bar portion  78  is constructed of metal and the aesthetic bar portion  80  is constructed of plastic and attached to the bar portion  78  through heat staking or other well known fastening techniques.  
         [0028]    Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, the rear wall  72  of the upper frame  32  includes an elongate opening  82  that receives the connector  46  of the drive  20  when the drive is installed in the upper frame  32 . The side wall  76  has a side wall portion  84  that protrudes outwardly from a longitudinal center of the upper frame  32 . A tab  86  is connected to an upper edge of the side wall portion  84  and extends inwardly toward the longitudinal center of the upper frame  32 . A boss  88  (shown in hidden line in FIG. 6) extends downwardly from the tab  86 . The function of the boss  88  will be described in greater detail below. Spaced pins  90  and  91  extend outwardly from each side wall  74 ,  76  and engage the lower frame  34 , as will be described in greater detail below. The pins  90  include a shaft  94  with an inner end connected to its associated side wall  74 ,  76  and a head  92  at an outer free end of the shaft. A hook  96  extends generally outwardly from each side wall  74 ,  76  rearwardly of the pins  90  for receiving a forward end of a spring  98 .  
         [0029]    The lower frame  34  includes a bottom wall  100  with side walls  102 ,  104  that extend along opposite longitudinal edges of the bottom wall  100 . The side wall  104  has a side wall portion  106  that protrudes outwardly from a longitudinal center of the lower frame  34 . Each side wall  102 ,  104  has spaced longitudinally extending slots  108  and  110  that open to an upper edge  112  of the side walls. The slots  108  and  110  are sized to receive the shaft  94  of the pins  90  and  91 , respectively, when the upper frame  32  is mounted in the lower frame  34 . The pins  90  and  91  cooperate with the slots  108  and  110 , respectively, to guide sliding movement of the upper frame  32  in the longitudinal direction with respect to the lower frame  34 . A peg  114  extends outwardly from each side wall  102 ,  104  at a rearward end thereof for receiving and holding a rearward end of the spring  98 . The spring  98  biases the upper frame  32  to a retracted rest position.  
         [0030]    With additional reference to FIG. 6, a locking mechanism  120  is connected to the bottom wall  100  adjacent the side wall portion  106 . The locking mechanism  120  has a compartment  122  that houses a latch  124  and a slide  126  connected to the latch  124 , preferably through a coil spring  128 . The latch  124  includes a ramped surface  130  that is adapted to contact the ramped surface  64  of the catch  62  (FIG. 10) during insertion of the drive  20  into the computer  10  and a stop surface  132  that is adapted to contact the locking surface  66  of the catch  62  for holding the drive  20  in the computer. The slide  126  has a camming surface  134  (shown in hidden line) that is normally in contact with the boss  88  of the upper frame  32 .  
         [0031]    The lower frame  34  is preferably mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB)  140  (FIG. 4) through fasteners (not shown) that extend through mounting openings  142  (FIG. 2) in bottom wall  100  of the lower frame  34  and corresponding openings (not shown) in the PCB  140  in a well-known manner. It will be understood that other means for mounting the lower frame  34  to the portable computer  10  can be provided.  
         [0032]    During use of the drive  20 , the upper frame  32  is in the retracted or rest position and the drive  20  is initially located in the upper frame, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with the drive  20  electrically connected to the computer  10  through the connector  46 . The drive  20  is also mechanically locked in the drive bay assembly  30  due to interference between the stop surface  132  of the latch  124  and the locking surface  66  of the catch  62 , as shown most clearly in FIG. 6. In this position, a gap  150  (FIG. 5) is located between the rear wall  52  of the housing frame  42  and the rear wall  72  of the upper frame  32 .  
         [0033]    When it is desirous to remove the drive  20  from the computer  10 , the pull bar  70  can be grasped by positioning one or more fingers in a depression  152  (FIG. 3) formed in the bottom wall of the base portion  14  and pulling the pull bar outwardly from the side  22  of the computer  10 . As the pull bar  70  moves outwardly, the upper frame  32  moves outwardly against bias from the springs  98  to close the gap  150  between the rear wall  52  of the housing frame  42  and the rear wall  72  of the upper frame  32 , as shown in FIG. 7. Simultaneously, the boss  88  (FIG. 6) travels with the upper frame  32  against the camming surface  134  of the slide  126  to move the latch  124  away from the catch  62 , as shown in FIG. 8. Preferably, the camming surface  134  is angled to provide relatively quick disengagement of the latch  124  and catch  62  with relatively little movement of the upper frame  32  toward the extended position. Further outward movement of the upper frame  32  causes the rear wall  72  to bear against the rear wall  52  of the housing frame and move the drive  20  a relatively small distance out of the computer  10 . Upon release of the pull bar  70 , the upper frame  32  will return to its retracted position inside the computer  10  and a sufficient portion of the drive  20  will be exposed for grasping and removal, as shown in FIG. 9.  
         [0034]    During insertion of the drive  20  in the drive bay assembly  30 , as shown in FIG. 10, the ramped surface  64  of the catch  62  will contact and slide against the ramped surface  130  of the latch  124  and push the latch away from the drive  20  under bias force from the spring  128 . When the catch  62  clears the latch  124 , the latch will spring back under bias force from the spring  128  to its extended position as shown in FIG. 6, to thereby lock the drive  20  in the drive bay assembly  30 . In this position, the plug-in connector  46  (FIG. 4) of the drive  20  is electrically connected to a mating connector (not shown) inside the computer  10 . The drive  20  is thus ready for use.  
         [0035]    It will be understood that the terms forward, rearward, upper, lower, outwardly, inwardly, and their respective derivatives and equivalent terms as may be used throughout the specification refer to relative, rather than absolute orientations and/or positions.  
         [0036]    While the invention has been taught with specific reference to the above described embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. By way of example, the position of the catch  62  and latch  124  can be reversed, such that the catch  62  is stationary with respect to the computer  10  and the latch  124  is mounted for movement with the drive  20 . Thus, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.