Patent Publication Number: US-2009231806-A1

Title: Casing for a Server

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a casing for a server. More particularly, the present invention relates to a casing which can be combined with other casings. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     As the information technology proceeds, an information handling system is used in more and more occasions. Both individuals and companies can handle, save or transmit information through the information handling system. There are more and more users combining pluralities of servers in the increasing need of information handling system to save or transmit information. 
     In general, the servers are usually disposed in the server rack when the information handling system includes pluralities of servers. Please refer to  FIG. 1  for a prior server rack. On each side of the server rack  10  are pluralities of holes  11 , allowing users to fasten a slide  12  on parts of the holes  11  so as to install a server  100  on the slide  12 . In order to enhance the capability of the information handling system, the users just have to install more servers, connecting these servers with each other. 
     Moreover, as the information technology proceeds, the users are longing for the size curtailment of the servers for the convenience of transport. However, it would make the servers with smaller width unsuitable for the present server rack  10 , which means the users have to purchase another server rack with different dimensions, resulting in the increment of the cost. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide the present server rack  10  with the capability of installing servers with smaller dimensions without purchasing new server racks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a casing for a server, which can be combined alongside with other casings, so as to install more servers on the server rack. 
     In one aspect of the invention, the casing includes a casing body and a slide, wherein one side of the casing body disposed pluralities of fastening-pins. Each fastening-pin includes a head and a body, wherein the radial dimension of the heads is bigger than the radial dimension of the bodies. On the opposite side of the casing body dispose pluralities of first holes, which correspond to those fastening-pins. In addition, the slide is installed in a slippery manner inside the casing body near the first holes, wherein the slide has pluralities of second holes and the end of the slide extends out of the casing body. The bore diameter of the front of the second holes is bigger than the radial dimension of the heads, and the bore diameter of the rear of the second holes is smaller than the radial dimension of the heads. Moreover, the rear of the second holes and the first holes are in the corresponding positions. 
     The present casing further includes at least a barrier while the slide further includes at least a third hole. In addition, the barrier extends through the third hole. As the slide is pulled backward till the barrier contacts the edge of the terminal of the third hole, the front of the second holes and the first holes are then in the corresponding positions. 
     In the present casing, a screw is installed in the end of the slide so as to screw the slide to the rear of the casing body. In addition, the side wall of the screw has pluralities of grooves, so as to increase the friction between the screw and the fingers of users. 
     In the present casing, the fastening-pin is a screw. 
     In the present casing, the bore diameter of the front of the first holes is smaller than the radial dimension of the heads of the fastening-pin, and the bore diameter of the rear of the first holes is bigger than the radial dimension of the heads of the fastening-pin, wherein the front of the first holes and the fastening-pin are in the corresponding positions. In addition, as the slide is pulled backward till the barrier contacts the edge of the terminal of the third hole, the front of the second holes and the rear of the first holes are then in the corresponding positions. 
     The present casing further includes a carrier installed in the rear of the casing body. 
     The present casings for a server can be combined alongside with each other and then installed on the server rack. That is to say, servers with smaller width are still suitable for the present server rack with the help of the casings of the invention, which means there is no need to purchase another server rack with different dimensions. In addition, the present casing makes it possible to install more servers on the server rack. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a her understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a prior server rack. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a casing of the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of a casing. 
         FIG. 4A  is an internal perspective view of a casing. 
         FIG. 4B  is a partial explosive view of a casing. 
         FIG. 5  is an internal perspective view of a casing after the slide is pulled backward. 
         FIG. 6A  to  FIG. 6C  show the combination process of two casing. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of casings with lock elements. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  for a perspective view of a casing of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the casing  200  is a casing for a server. The casing  200  includes a casing body  210 . On one side of the casing body  210  disposed pluralities of fastening-pins  211 . The fastening-pin is a screw in the present embodiment. Each fastening-pin  211  includes a head  211   a  and a body  211   b.  The radial dimension of the heads  211   a  is bigger than the radial dimension of the bodies  211   b.  In addition, a carrier  230  on where a power supply  240  disposed can be installed in the rear of the casing body  210 . The power supply  240  is fastened by a fastening mechanism  232  of the carrier  230 . Moreover, the power supply  240  provides the electronic components (not depicted) in the casing  200  with sufficient power through wire (not depicted). The power supply  240  is disposed outside the casing body  210 , which means there is more room inside the casing body  210  for electronic components. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  simultaneously, wherein the  FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of a casing. On the opposite side of the casing body  210  dispose pluralities of first holes  212 . The bore diameter of the front  212   a  of the first holes  212  is smaller than the radial dimension of the heads  211   a  of the fastening-pins  211 , and the bore diameter of the rear  212   b  of the first holes  212  is bigger than the radial dimension of the heads  211   a  of the fastening-pins  211 . In the present embodiment, the front  212   a  of the first holes  212  and the fastening-pins  211  are in the corresponding positions. That is to say, the position of the front  212   a  of the first holes  212  and the position of the fastening-pins  211  are substantially the same in the X-axis and the Z-axis direction. 
     Then, refer to  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  for an internal perspective view and a partial explosive view of a casing respectively. A slide  220  is installed in a slippery manner inside the casing body  210  near the first holes  212 , wherein a screw  221  is installed in the end of the slide  220  so as to screw the slide  220  to the rear of the casing body  210 . There are still pluralities of second holes  222  corresponding to the first holes  212 . In the present embodiment, the front  212   a  of the first holes  212  and the rear  222   b  of the second holes  222  are in the corresponding positions. That is to say, the position of the front  212   a  of the first holes  212  and the position of the rear  222   b  of the second holes  222  are substantially the same in the X-axis and the Z-axis direction. Moreover, the bore diameter of the front  222   a  of the second holes  222  is bigger than the radial dimension of the heads  211   a  of the fastening-pins  211 , and the bore diameter of the rear  222   a  of the second holes  222  is smaller than the radial dimension of the heads  221   a  of the fastening-pins  211 . 
     Moreover, please refer to  FIG. 5  for an internal perspective view of a casing after the slide is pulled backward. As the screw  221  loosened, the users can slide the slide  220  back and forth inside the casing body  210 . In addition, the side wall of the screw  221  has pluralities of grooves so as to increase the friction between the screw  221  and the fingers of users. That is to say, the users can loosen the screw  221  barehanded without any help of a screwdriver. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  once again. There are still pluralities of barriers  213  installed on the internal surface of the casing body  210 . The slide  220  further includes pluralities of third holes  214 . The barriers  213  extend through the third holes  214 . Now please refer to  FIG. 4A ,  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 5  simultaneously. When the slide  220  is pulled backward till the barriers  213  contact the edge of the terminals of the third holes  214 , the front  222   a  of the second holes  222  and the rear  212   b  of the first holes  212  are in the corresponding positions. 
     The following paragraphs describe how to combine two casings of the present embodiment alongside. Please refer to  FIG. 6A  to  FIG. 6C  for the combination process of two casing. Please refer to  FIG. 6A  first. A casing  200  and a casing  200 ′ are two identical casings. Before the combination, the rear  212   b  of the first holes  212  of the casing  200  (as depicted in  FIG. 3  or  FIG. 4B ) and the fastening-pin  211 ′ of the casing  200 ′ must be in the corresponding positions. Next, the casings  200  and  200 ′ are drawn near to each other so as to extend the fastening-pins  211 ′ of the casing  200 ′ through the first holes  212 . 
     Then, please refer to  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 6B  simultaneously. To extend the fastening-pins  211 ′ through the second holes  222 , the users have to slide the slide  220  backward till the barriers  213  contact the terminals of the third holes. Then, the front  222   a  of the second holes  222  and the rear  212   b  of the first holes  212  are in the corresponding positions, with the result that the fastening-pins  211 ′ extend through the first holes  212  of the casing  200  as well as the second holes  222  of the slide  220  at the same time. 
     Moreover, please refer to  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 6C . As the fastening-pins  211 ′ extend through the second holes  222 , the users can move the casing  200  backward while pull the slide  200  forward to preliminerily combine the two casings  200  and  200 ′. Then, screw the screw  210  to the rear of the casing body  210 . Meanwhile, the rear  222   b  of the second holes  222  and the fastening-pin  211 ′ are in the corresponding positions. Because the bore diameter of the rear  222   b  of the second holes  222  is smaller than the radial dimension of the heads  211   a ′ of the fastening-pins  211 , the heads  211   a ′ of the fastening-pins  211  are then stuck inside the casing body  210  with the result that the casings  200  and  200 ′ are combined fast. 
     Then, refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 7  for casings with lock elements. After combining the casings  200  and  200 ′, the users have to install lock elements to dispose the casing assembly on the server rack  10 . On both side of the combination of the casings  200  and  200 ′ are pinholes  216  on where the lock elements  250  and  250 ′ are installed respectively. In addition, the noses  250   a,    250   a ′ of the lock elements  250 ,  250 ′ have pluralities of pinholes  250   b,    250   b ′. After installing the lock elements  250 ,  250 ′ on the casings  200 ,  200 ′, the users can lock the casings  200 ,  200 ′ to the server rack  10  depicted in  FIG. 1 . Moreover, the users can also use other fastening means, such as a slide, to install the casings  200  and  200 ′ on the server rack. 
     Several points for attention, the present embodiment depicts the combination of two casings, yet those skilled in the art can combine more servers together if necessary. Moreover, there is no need to purchase another server rack with different dimensions when servers with smaller width are to be installed. As the casings are combined fast, the casings can be installed on the server rack. In addition, the users can install more servers on the server rack by using the present casing. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.