Computer enclosure incorporating peripheral device module

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to computer enclosures, and more particularly to a computer enclosure incorporating a peripheral device module therein.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] Many computer systems, including personal computers, workstations, servers, and embedded systems are designed to have multiple peripheral devices included therein. Such peripheral devices include, for example, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) drives, hard disk drives, and floppy disk drives. There have been numerous attempts at making such components of a computer easily replaceable and interchangeable. In particular, modular data storage device assemblies have been adapted to be mounted to computer enclosures.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,184 discloses a modular data storage assembly comprising a housing enclosure that is designed to fit into an expansion bay. The housing enclosure defines an internal open area and a front opening. A plurality of guide members mounted in the housing enclosure defines a plurality of hard disk drive bays in the open area. A plurality of individual plug-in data storage devices is adapted to be slid along the guide members into respective hard disk drive bays. The housing enclosure has exterior dimensions corresponding to interior dimensions of the expansion bay, such that the housing enclosure is operatively mountable in the expansion bay by inserting the housing enclosure therein as a self-contained unit. However, the structures of the components of the data storage assembly are unduly complicated. Furthermore, the mounting procedure is cumbersome and time consuming.

[0006] For the above reasons, an improved mounting apparatus for peripheral device modules is desired.

[0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure having a simple structure such that peripheral device modules can be easily installed thereinto and removed therefrom.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned object, a computer enclosure in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cage and a peripheral device module. The cage includes a main body, and a bezel mounted at a front portion of the main body. The bezel defines an opening. The main body includes a pair of lateral support plates. Each support plate defines a plurality of fastening units therein. The peripheral device module includes a housing and a plurality of carriers received in the housing. The housing includes a plurality of protrusions on each of opposite sides thereof, with each protrusion defining a locking hole therein. The protrusions of each side of the housing correspond to through holes and slots of a selected fastening unit of a corresponding support plate of the cage. A plurality of fasteners (not labeled) is extendable through the selected fastening units to engage with the protrusions, thereby securing the peripheral device module to the cage.

[0009] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a computer enclosure and a peripheral device module, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect;

[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded, isometric view of a housing of the peripheral device module of FIG. 1; and

[0013] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, exploded view of the peripheral device module of FIG. 1.

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a computer enclosure incorporating a peripheral device module in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a cage 30 and the peripheral device module 40.

[0015] The cage 30 comprises a main body 32, and a bezel 31 mounted at a front portion of the main body 32. The bezel 31 defines an opening 33 for receiving the peripheral device module 40 therethrough. A plurality of evenly-spaced first lock members 331 is provided at opposite lateral sides of a front portion of the main body 32, with certain of the first lock members 331 being disposed at opposite lateral sides of the opening 33. The main body 32 comprises a pair of parallel lateral support plates 34. The support plates 34 cooperatively define a space (not labeled) therebetween for slidingly and then engagingly receiving the peripheral device module 40 therein. A plurality of fastening units is defined in the support plates 34. Each fastening unit comprises a pair of through holes 341 positioned diagonally relative to each other, and a pair of slots 342 positioned diagonally relative to each other. In addition, each fastening unit has its through holes 341 and slots 342 arranged differently relative to the through holes 341 and slots 342 of an adjacent fastening unit. That is, fastening units having either of two kinds of arrangements of through holes 341 and slots 342 are arranged along a length of each support plate 34 in alternating fashion.

[0016] Referring also to FIGS. 3-4, the peripheral device module 40 is adapted to be secured to the cage 30. The peripheral device module 40 has a generally parallelepiped-shaped construction, and comprises a housing 41 and a plurality of carriers 42 received in the housing 41. Each carrier 42 comprises a drive bracket 421 for accommodating a data storage device (not shown) therein. The housing 41 comprises a U-shaped plate 44, a rear plate 45, a top plate 46 and a front frame 47. The U-shaped plate 44, rear plate 45, top plate 46 and front frame 47 cooperatively define a space therebetween for receiving the carriers 42 therein. The front frame 47 defines a plurality of second lock members 471, for engaging with the first lock members 331 of the cage 30. A plurality of spaced protrusions 48 is stamped outwardly from opposite lateral sides (not labeled) of the U-shaped plate 44. Each protrusion 48 defines a locking hole 481 therein, corresponding to a respective through hole 341 or a respective slot 342 of the support plate 34 of the cage 30. Fasteners (not shown) are extendable through selected fastening units of the support plates 34 of the cage 30 to engage with the protrusions 48 thereby securing the peripheral device module 40 to the cage 30.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, in assembly, the rear plate 45, top plate 46 and fromt frame 47 are respectively secured to a rear portion, a top portion and a front portion of the U-shaped plate 44 to form the housing 41. A plurality of carriers 42 is inserted into the housing 41 from the front frame 47 and retained therein by engagement between the locking projection 422 of the carrier 42 and the recess 461 of the top plate 46. Thus the peripheral device module 40 is assembled. The peripheral device module 40 is inserted into the cage 30 through the opening 33 of the bezel 31. The first lock members 331 of the cage 30 are engaged with the second lock members 471 of the periperal device module 40. Then the fasteners (not shown) are extended through selected fastening units of the cage 30 to engage in the locking holes 481 of the protrusions 48, thereby securing the peripheral device module 40 to the cage 30.

[0018] It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present example and embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.