Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5327683?dq=5708422
Timestamp: 2017-05-28 17:26:40
Document Index: 644291352

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 22', 'arts 22', 'arts 22', 'arts 22', 'arts 22', 'arts 22', 'arts 22']

Patent US5327683 - Modular front panel of a computer housing - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA modular front panel of a computer housing includes a one-piece panel frame and rectangular first and second wall units. The panel frame is formed as a rectangular looped frame which confines a rectangular opening. The first wall unit is received fittingly in a first portion of the rectangular opening....http://www.google.com/patents/US5327683?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5327683 - Modular front panel of a computer housingAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS5327683 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/090,656Publication dateJul 12, 1994Filing dateJul 13, 1993Priority dateJul 13, 1993Fee statusLapsedPublication number08090656, 090656, US 5327683 A, US 5327683A, US-A-5327683, US5327683 A, US5327683AInventorsVincent ChuOriginal AssigneeVincent ChuExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (4), Referenced by (7), Classifications (4), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetModular front panel of a computer housing
US 5327683 AAbstract
A modular front panel of a computer housing includes a one-piece panel frame and rectangular first and second wall units. The panel frame is formed as a rectangular looped frame which confines a rectangular opening. The first wall unit is received fittingly in a first portion of the rectangular opening. The second wall unit is formed with a number of function key openings and is received fittingly in a second portion of the rectangular opening. The first and second wall units are secured detachably to the panel frame in the first and second portions of the rectangular opening. The remaining portion of the rectangular opening is allocated for disk drives.
1. A modular front panel of a computer housing, comprising:a one-piece panel frame formed as a rectangular looped frame which confines a rectangular opening that includes first, second and third portions; a rectangular first wall unit fittingly received in said first portion of said rectangular opening; a rectangular second wall unit formed with a number of function key openings and fittingly received in said second portion of said rectangular opening; and a retaining means for securing detachably said first and second wall units to said panel frame in said first and second portions of said rectangular opening; whereby, said third portion of said rectangular opening is allocated for disk drives. 2. The modular front panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panel frame has two horizontal inner side surfaces and each of said first and second wall units has two horizontal edges which are in contact with a respective one of said inner side surfaces, said retaining means comprising:a number of first retaining units formed on each of said inner side surfaces; a second retaining unit being formed on each of said horizontal edges of said first wall unit and engaging detachably a selected one of said first retaining units; and a third retaining unit being formed on each of said horizontal edges of said second wall unit and engaging detachably a selected one of said first retaining units. 3. The modular front panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of said first retaining units and said second retaining unit is a retaining projection, and the other one of said first retaining units and said second retaining unit is a retaining groove that receives said retaining projection.
4. The modular front panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of said first retaining units and said third retaining unit is a retaining projection, and the other one of said first retaining units and said third retaining unit is a retaining groove that receives said retaining projection.
5. The modular front panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first and second wall units have adjoining vertical edges which are respectively formed with fourth and fifth retaining units that are engaged to connect said first and second wall units.
6. The modular front panel as claimed in claim 5, wherein one of said fourth and fifth retaining units is a retaining projection, and the other one of said fourth and fifth retaining units is a retaining groove that receives said retaining projection.
7. The modular front panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first wall unit includes first and second wall parts which have adjoining horizontal edges that are respectively formed with sixth and seventh retaining units, said sixth and seventh retaining units being engaged to connect said first and second wall parts.
The invention relates to a front panel of a computer housing, more particularly to a modular front panel of a computer housing.
The appearance of the front panel of a computer housing is usually selected in accordance with the manufacturer's wishes. For example, the location, number and size of the disk drives installed may vary for each manufacturer, thereby resulting in differences in the appearances of the front panels of different brands of computer housings. Since the front panel of a conventional computer housing is a unitary molded piece, a new mold must be prepared whenever the design of a current front panel is to be modified. The new mold entails a relatively large cost and requires a relatively long period, typically forty-five days, to prepare the same. This can prevent immediate mass production of newly designed front panels. In order to satisfy more costumers, some manufacturers tend to produce computer housings which have front panels that differ in appearance. Since a specific mold is needed for each type of front panel, the manufacturing costs are increased while the production time is prolonged. Furthermore, a mold replacing step should be performed whenever fabrication of one type of front panel is to be interrupted in order to initiate fabrication of another type of front panel, thereby resulting in a great deal of inconvenience.
Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a modular front panel of a computer housing which has an appearance that can be varied so as to suit the manufacturer's wishes.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a modular front panel of a computer housing which is easy and economical to fabricate when compared to the prior art.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a modular front panel of a computer housing which is easy to assemble.
Accordingly, the modular front panel of the present invention is to be used in a computer housing and includes a one-piece panel frame and rectangular first and second wall units. The panel frame is formed as a rectangular looped frame which confines a rectangular opening. The first wall unit is received fittingly in a first portion of the rectangular opening. The second wall unit is formed with a number of function key openings and is received fittingly in a second portion of the rectangular opening. The first and second wall units are secured detachably to the panel frame in the first and second portions of the rectangular opening. The remaining portion of the rectangular opening is allocated for disk drives.
The panel frame has two horizontal inner side surfaces, and each of the first and second wall units has two horizontal edges which are in contact with a respective one of the inner side surfaces. A number of first retaining units is formed on each of the inner side surfaces. A second retaining unit is formed on each of the horizontal edges of the first wall unit and engages detachably a selected one of the first retaining units. A third retaining unit is formed on each of the horizontal edges of the second wall unit and engages detachably a selected one of the first retaining units.
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of a modular front panel of a computer housing in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of a modular front panel of a computer housing in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of a modular front panel of a computer housing in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fourth preferred embodiment of a modular front panel of a computer housing in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fifth preferred embodiment of a modular front panel of a computer housing in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first preferred embodiment of a modular front panel of a computer housing in accordance with the present invention is shown to comprise a one-piece panel frame 1, a first wall unit 2 and a second wall unit 3.
The panel frame 1 includes two horizontal side bars 10 and two vertical side bars 11 which are interconnected to form a rectangular looped frame that confines a rectangular opening 12. Each of the horizontal side bars 10 has an inner side surface which is formed with a number of first retaining units 13. In this embodiment, the first retaining units 13 are retaining grooves.
The first wall unit 2 is a rectangular wall member and is fittingly received in a first portion of the rectangular opening 12 such that the horizontal edges of the first wall unit 2 are in contact with the inner side surface of a respective one of the horizontal side bars 10. Each of the horizontal edges of the first wall unit 2 is formed with a second retaining unit 20 that engages detachably a selected one of the first retaining units 13 in order to secure the first wall unit 2 to the panel frame 1 in the first portion of the rectangular opening 12. In this embodiment, the second retaining unit 20 is a retaining projection.
The second wall unit 3 is a rectangular wall member which is formed with a number of function key openings 300. The second wall unit 3 is fittingly received in a second portion of the rectangular opening 12 and is disposed adjacent to the first wall unit 2. The second wall unit 3 has horizontal edges that are in contact with the inner side surface of a respective one of the horizontal side bars 10. Each of the horizontal edges of the second wall unit 3 is formed with a third retaining unit 30 that engages detachably a selected one of the first retaining units 13 in order to secure the second wall unit 3 to the panel frame 1 in the second portion of the rectangular opening 12. In this embodiment, the third retaining unit 30 is a retaining projection.
Note that a third portion of the rectangular opening 12 is available after the first and second wall units 2, 3 have been secured to the panel frame 1 in order to form the modular front panel of the present invention. The third portion of the rectangular opening is allocated for disk drives (not shown).
The second preferred embodiment of a modular front panel according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. The first and second wall units 2', 3' have adjoining vertical edges which are respectively formed with fourth and fifth retaining units 21, 31. In this embodiment, the fourth retaining units 21 are retaining grooves, while the fifth retaining units 31 are retaining projections. The fifth retaining units 31 engage the fourth retaining units 21 in order to strengthen the connection among the first and second wall units 2', 3' and the panel frame 1
The third preferred embodiment of a modular front panel according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 4. The first wall unit 2" includes first and second wall parts 22, 23 which have adjoining horizontal edges which are respectively formed with sixth and seventh retaining units 221, 231. The sixth and seventh retaining units 221, 231 are engaged to connect the first and second wall parts 22, 23. The first and second wall parts 22, 23 permit further variations in the appearance of the front panel so as to suit the manufacturer's wishes.
Note that the front surfaces of the first and second wall parts 22, 23 may be decorated in accordance with the manufacturer's wants. For example, the front surfaces of the first and second wall parts 22, 23 may be respectively formed with vertically and horizontally extending decorative grooves, as shown in FIG. 5, or may be smooth and plain surfaces, as shown in FIG. 6. This illustrates how front panels that differ in appearance can be produced easily and conveniently.
It has thus been shown that by simply varying the arrangement of the first and second wall parts 22, 23 or the positions of the first and second wall units 2, 3 on the panel frame 1, different types of front panels can be produced without the need for preparing a new mold. A new mold is required only when it is desired to fabricate different second wall units 2 or different first and second wall parts 22, 23. This reduces considerably the costs incurred for the new mold, and facilitates immediate mass production of newly designed front panels. Moreover, the front panel of the present invention is easy to assemble due to the use of retaining projections and retaining grooves in attaching the first and second wall units 2, 3 onto the panel frame 1.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3703787 *Jul 13, 1971Nov 28, 1972Gomez Juan Francisco ZendejasPermanent, safety, inner doors for freight carsUS3915530 *Sep 18, 1974Oct 28, 1975Westinghouse Electric CorpInsertable filler arrangement for reducing opening sizeUS4928450 *Aug 30, 1988May 29, 1990Rutledge F WaynePanel system for windowsUS5176435 *Nov 19, 1990Jan 5, 1993Interchangeable Design Systems, Inc.Interchangeable modular furniture system* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5644477 *Oct 20, 1994Jul 1, 1997Unisys CorporationFrame carrier and modular cover panel systemUS5870282 *May 6, 1997Feb 9, 1999Apple Computer, Inc.Reconfigurable enclosure panel for a mobile computerUS6125033 *Jan 15, 1999Sep 26, 2000Apple Computer, Inc.Reconfigurable enclosure panel for a mobile computerUS6288892Mar 13, 1997Sep 11, 2001Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AktiengesellschaftFront covering for a computer housingDE19904004C1 *Feb 2, 1999Apr 20, 2000Udo WagenerTwo stroke internal combustion engine has pistons with inlet valves mounted in piston crownsWO1997010539A1 *Jul 16, 1996Mar 20, 1997Apple Computer, Inc.Reconfigurable enclosure panel for a mobile computerWO1997034217A1 *Mar 13, 1997Sep 18, 1997Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AgFront covering for a computer housing* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification49/463International ClassificationG06F1/18Cooperative ClassificationG06F1/181European ClassificationG06F1/18ELegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJan 26, 1998SULPSurcharge for late paymentJan 26, 1998FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Feb 6, 2002REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedJul 12, 2002LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesSep 10, 2002FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20020712RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services