Patent Publication Number: US-2011074260-A1

Title: Computer casing

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to electronic device housings, and particularly, to computer casings having a hard disk bracket. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional computer casing defines an internal space, in which equipment and components, such as a power supply, a main board, a hard disk, and so on, are sequentially mounted from top to bottom. 
     The conventional computer casing includes a case and a hard disk bracket fixed in the case. The case includes a top plate, a bottom plate, a front plate, a rear plate, and two side plates. The front plate and the rear plate are positioned between the top plate and the bottom plate. The hard disk bracket is fixed to the front plate. Such plates are frequently thin to meet consumer demands for a lightweight casing. However, such thin plates are easily deformed, affecting the mechanical strength of the case. Accordingly, the hard disk is likely to suffer damage from external impact and motion. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and all the views are schematic. 
         FIG. 1  is a partial, assembled, isometric view of an embodiment of a computer case. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of section III of the computer case shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of section IV of the computer case shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of a computer casing  100  includes a case  10 , a hard disk bracket  50 , and a reinforcement member  60 . The case  10  includes a top plate  11 , a bottom plate  12 , a rear plate  13  and a front plate  14 . The hard disk bracket  50  is fixed to the front plate  14  in the case  10 . The reinforcement member  60  fixedly interconnects the rear plate  13  and the front plate  14 . The mechanical strength of the case  10  is enhanced by the reinforcement member  60 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the rear plate  13  defines a cutout  131  in a middle portion of an edge thereof. The rear plate  13  further defines two separate engaging grooves  132  in an outer surface of the rear plate  13  communicating with the cutout  131 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the front plate  14  defines a cutout  141  in a middle portion of an edge of the front plate  14 . The front plate  14  further defines an engaging groove  143  in an outer surface of the front plate  14  communicating with the cutout  141 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  again, the hard disk bracket  50  is a substantially rectangular case into which the hard disk (not shown) can be fixed. The hard disk bracket  50  includes a latching portion  51  in an edge of a side thereof. The latching portion  51  defines a latching hole  512 . In the illustrated embodiment, the latching portion  51  is a sheet extending substantially perpendicularly from a side of the hard disk bracket  50 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , the reinforcement member  60  includes a rod body  61  and a forking portion  63 . The forking portion  63  extends from an end of the rod body  61 . The rod body  61  includes a first fixing portion  612  and a connecting portion  613 . The first fixing portion  612  extends substantially perpendicularly from an end of the rod body  61  opposite to the forking portion  63 . The connecting portion  613  extends substantially perpendicularly from a side of the rod body  61 . The forking portion  63  can be any shape, such as C-shaped, U-shaped, or V-shaped. The forking portion  63  includes two second fixing portions  631  extending substantially perpendicularly from two free ends of the forking portion  63  respectively. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the first fixing portion  612  is a sheet defining a threaded hole (not labeled). The connecting portion  613  is a latching sheet engaging the latching hole  512  of the hard disk bracket  50 . The forking portion  63  is V-shaped. The second fixing portion  631  is a sheet defining a threaded hole (not labeled). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , the connecting portion  613  engages with the latching hole  512  of the latching portion  51  of the hard disk bracket  50  to fix the reinforcement member  60  to the case  10 . The forking portion  63  of the reinforcement member is received in the cutout  131  of the rear plate  13 . The second fixing portions  631  are received in the engaging grooves  132  of the rear plate  13 . The rod body  61  of the reinforcement member  60  is received in the cutout  141  of the front plate  14 . The first fixing portion  612  is received in the engaging groove  143  of the front plate  14 . Finally, the fixing potion  612  and the second fixing portions  631  of the reinforcement member  60  are correspondingly fixed to the front plate  14  and the rear plate  13  by fasteners (not shown). 
     The reinforcement member  60  fixedly interconnects the front plate  14  and the rear plate  13  to increase the structural strength of the computer casing  100 . The reinforcement member  60  is fixed to the hard disk bracket  50  at the same time to minimize agitation of the hard disk. The reinforcement member  60  is also fixed to the case  10  to increase stability thereof. 
     It is to be understood that the reinforcement member  60  can fixedly interconnect the top plate  11  and the bottom plate  12 . 
     Finally, while the present disclosure has been described with reference to particular embodiments, the description is illustrative of the disclosure and is not to be construed as limiting the disclosure. Therefore, various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.