Patent Publication Number: US-2013228664-A1

Title: Supporting apparatus for computer enclosure

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to supporting apparatus, and particularly to a supporting apparatus for supporting a computer enclosure. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Personal computers generally includes two types: tower computers and desktop computers. Due to the trend towards miniaturization, a tower computer is made thinner than before. Because of this, the tower computer may be unstable once it has been positioned. It is important to provide stands for supporting the tower computer in a more stable manner. 
     A conventional stand such as a stand disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,278, includes two coupled supporting members. Each supporting member includes a dove-tail shaped protrusion to couple with a recess of the other supporting member. However, a clamping ledge is integrally formed from each supporting member. Therefore, before the stand is assembled to the computer chassis, the stand occupies a rather large space, which is inconvenient to transport or pack. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present 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 present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a partially exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a supporting apparatus, together with a partial computer enclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an inverted view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 1 , shows a first state of use. 
         FIG. 4  is an inverted view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but shows a second state of use. 
         FIG. 6  is an inverted view of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is an assembled, isometric view of two of the supporting apparatus and a whole of the computer enclosure of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. 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. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2 , show an exemplary embodiment of a supporting apparatus for supporting a computer enclosure  300  which is wholly shown in  FIG. 7 . The computer enclosure  300  includes a rectangular bottom wall  302 . Four projecting portions  304  protrude out from four corners of the bottom wall  302 . A middle of each projecting portion  304  defines a screw hole  305 , and a plurality of latching holes  307  surrounding the screw hole  305 . The supporting apparatus includes four holders  100 . Each holder  100  includes a supporting member  20 , an attaching member  40 , a positioning member  60 , and a screw  80 . 
     The supporting member  20  is substantially rectangular, and includes an arc-shaped rotating portion  22  formed at a first end of the supporting member  20 , and a supporting portion  24  formed at a second end of the supporting member  20  opposite to the rotating portion  22 . A middle of the rotating portion  22  defines a stepped hole  221 , and the stepped hole  221  includes a first hole  226  extending through a top surface of the rotating portion  22 , and a second hole  222  extending through a bottom surface of the rotating portion  22  and communicating with the first hole  226 . A diameter of the first hole  226  is less than a diameter of the second hole  222 . 
     A cutout  225  is defined in a wall hole  222   a  of the second hole  222 , extending through a quarter of the wall hole  222   a  of the second hole  222 . The cutout  225  includes a first end  225   a  and a second end  225   b  opposite to the first end  225   a . A bottom surface of the rotating portion  22  defines an arc-shaped avoiding slot  224  communicating with the cutout  225 . Two opposite semi-cylindrical first projections  227  protrude out from a wall hole  226   a  of the first hole  226 , extending along a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the rotating portion  22 . Two opposite semi-cylindrical second projections  228  protrude out from the wall hole  226   a  of the first hole  226 , extending along the direction perpendicular to the top surface of the rotating portion  22 . Two adjacent first and second projections  227  and  228  respectively align with the corresponding first end  225   a  and second end  225   b  of the cutout  225 . 
     The attaching member  40  includes a cylindrical main body  42  and a cylindrical raised portion  44  protrudes up from a middle of a top surface of the main body  42 . A diameter of the main body  42  is substantially equal to the diameter of the second hole  222 . A stopping bar  422  extends out from a circumference of the main body  42 . Two opposite latching holes  424  are defined in the top surface of the main body  42 , adjacent to the raised portion  44 . A middle of a top surface of the raised portion  44  defines a through hole  442  extending through the main body  42 . A plurality of pins  444  protrudes up from the top surface of the raised portion  44 , surrounding the through hole  442 . 
     The positioning member  60  includes a ring-shaped locating body  62 , two opposite resilient protrusions  64  protruding out from a circumference of the locating body  62 , and two opposite latching blocks  66  extending down from the locating body  62 . A height of the locating body  62  is substantially equal to a depth of the first hole  226 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-7 , in assembly, the latching blocks  66  are inserted into the corresponding latching holes  424 , from the top surface of the main body  42 . The raised portion  44  is received in the locating body  62 . The main body  42  is rotatably received in the second hole  222 , and the locating body  62  is rotatably received in the first hole  226 , from a bottom of the supporting member  20 . The stopping bar  422  is slidably received in the cutout  225  and is blocked between the first end  225   a  and the second end  225   b . The first and second projections  227  and  228  are capable to be slidably passed through the corresponding protrusions  64  or may be blocked by the corresponding protrusions  64 . The pins  444  are inserted into the corresponding latching holes  307  from a bottom of the bottom wall  302 . The screw  80  extends through the through hole  442 , to be screwed into the screw hole  305 . The first protrusions  227  are blocked between the protrusions  64 , and the stopping bar  422  is blocked by the second end  225   b.    
     When the computer enclosure  300  needs to be supported by the holders  100 , each supporting member  20  is rotated out from the bottom wall  302  about the attaching member  40  and the positioning member  60 . The first projections  227  are slidably passed through the corresponding protrusions  64 , and the stopping bar  422  is rotated from the second end  225   b  to the first end  225   a , until the second projections  228  are passed through and blocked by the corresponding protrusions  64 , and the stopping bar  422  is blocked by the first end  225   a . At this time, the supporting portion  24  is exposed out of the bottom wall  302  to be substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the bottom wall  302 , and can readily and stably support the computer enclosure  3000 . 
     When the computer enclosure  300  needs to be transported or packed, each supporting member  20  is rotated into a contour of the bottom walls  302 . The second projections  228  are slidably passed through the corresponding protrusions  64 , and the stopping bar  422  is rotated from the first end  225   b  to the second end  225   a , until the first projections  227  are passed through and blocked by the corresponding protrusions  64 , and the stopping bar  422  is blocked by the second end  225   a . At this time, each supporting portion  24  is located within the contour of the bottom wall  302  for saving space. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the present disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.