Computer enclosure incorporating a latch

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention is related to a computer enclosure, and particularly to a computer enclosure having a latch fixed to a chassis for readily attaching/detaching a hood to/from the chassis.

[0004] 2. The Related Art

[0005] Recent trends in the computer industry include using two or more subcontractors to assemble a computer. Generally, a computer enclosure is manufactured at a first site where labor cost is low, after which other components may be assembled in the computer enclosure to finalize the computer system at a second site where labor cost is high. During the procedure of assembling the computer, a hood of the computer enclosure is attached to and then detached from a chassis of the computer enclosure several times. For a conventional computer enclosure, the hood is fixed to the chassis of the computer enclosure by bolts, so the assembling/disassembling of the hood to/from the chassis is time-consuming and laborious.

[0006] To counter the above problem, a hood is attached to a chassis of a computer enclosure without bolts, as disclosed in Taiwan patent application No. 82212635. The hood of the computer enclosure forms two pairs of tabs and a pair of lips at stacked flanges on opposite sides thereof. The chassis of the computer enclosure has a pair of side flanges each defining a pair of slots for receiving the tabs of the hood. Thus, the lips of the hood abut against the side flanges of the chassis and the tabs of the hood engagingly extend through the slots of the chassis thereby fixing the hood to the chassis. However, the hood is fixed to the chassis so tightly that it requires a larger than normal force to detach the hood from the chassis. Furthermore, to apply the force to the hood is complicated. So detaching the hood from the chassis of the computer enclosure is complicated.

[0007] In another example disclosed in Taiwan patent application No. 86211252, a hood is readily attached to a chassis of a computer enclosure. A pair of actuating protrusions and two pairs of fingers respectively at opposite sides of the protrusions are formed at opposite sides of the hood. The chassis forms a pair of tabs for each pair of fingers, each pair of tabs engaging with the corresponding pair of fingers of the hood, thereby fixing the hood to the chassis. However, the hood is outwardly deformed during disengagement of the fingers from the tabs. Thus, the hood becomes deformed and no longer closely fits the chassis after being assembled and disassembled several times. The resulting gap between the hood and the chassis furthermore results in an increased EMI (electromagnetic interference) problem.

[0008] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure having a latch for facilitating assembling/disassembling a hood to/from a chassis of the computer enclosure.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure having a latch for facilitating assembling/disassembling a hood to/from a chassis which prevents the hood of the computer enclosure from being deformed, thereby conserving EMI protection offered by the hood.

[0010] To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a computer enclosure comprises a chassis and a hood attached to the chassis. The chassis has a latch resiliently and pivotably attached thereto. The latch forms a protrusion and an ejector. The hood has a fixing tab defining a fixing hole for engagingly receiving the protrusion of the latch therein thereby fixing the hood to the chassis. The fixing tab forms a bent end for ejection by the ejector of the latch thereby detaching the hood from the chassis.

[0011] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of a computer enclosure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in the accompanying draw in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a computer enclosure of the present invention showing a hood and a chassis;

[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the chassis of FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line of IV—IV of FIG. 3;

[0016] FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 3 showing that a latch of the chassis is depressed to disengage with the hood; and

[0017] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 1 showing that the latch of the chassis is pivoted outward from the chassis and the hood is detached from the chassis.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 1, a computer enclosure 2 of the present invention includes a chassis 4 and a hood 6 attached to the chassis 4. The hood 6 has a rear flanges 8 from which a fixing tab 10 (shown by dash line) extends. The fixing tab 10 forms a bent end 12 and defines a fixing hole 14. The chassis 4 includes a rear panel 16 and a latch 18 fixedly and pivotably attached to the rear panel 16. It should be noted that a portion of the rear panel 16 is cut away in FIG. 1 for showing the latch 18.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the rear panel 16 of the chassis 4 defines an opening 20 and forms a supporting tab 22 extending from a bottom edge of the opening 20 for supporting the latch 18. A through hole 24 is defined in the supporting tab 22. The latch 18 includes a body 26 and an actuating arm 28 extending from the body 26. A protrusion 30 extends from the body 26 for engaging with the fixing hole 14 of the hood 4. An ejector 32 perpendicularly extends from the body 26 for pushing the bent end 12 of the hood 4. A receiving hole 34 is defined in the body 26 for aligning with the through hole 24 of the supporting tab 22. A lip 36 perpendicularly extends from the body 26 and is substantially perpendicular to the actuating arm 28 of the latch 18. A spring 38 defines a slot 40 and has two pin-shaped ends 42 for respectively abutting against the lip 36 of the body 26 and the rear panel 16 of the chassis 4. A bolt 44 has a cap 46 for being received in the receiving hole 34 of the latch 18 and a post 48 extending from the cap 46 for threadedly engaging with a nut 50.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the body 26 of the latch 18 extends through the opening 20 of the rear panel 16 of the chassis 4. The spring 38 is secured between the body 26 and the supporting tab 22 of the rear panel 16 with both pin-shaped ends 42 respectively abutting against the lip 36 of the latch 18 and the rear panel 16 of the chassis 4. The bolt 44 extends through the receiving hole 34 of the latch 18, the slot 40 of the spring 38 and the through hole 24 of the supporting tab 22, and then threadedly engages with the nut 50. Thus, the latch 18 is fixedly and pivotably attached to the supporting tab 22 of the rear panel 16 of the chassis.

[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the hood 6 is attached to the chassis 4 with the fixing tab 10 thereof extending through the opening 20 of the chassis 4. The rear flange 8 of the hood 6 closely abuts against the rear panel 16 of the chassis 4 for providing an effective EMI shield. The protrusion 30 of the latch 18 is engagingly received in the fixing hole 14 of the hood 6 to fix the hood 6 to the chassis 4. Thus, the hood 6 is readily attached to the chassis 4 of the computer enclosure 2.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 4-6, in disassembly, the actuating arm 28 of the latch 18 is depressed along a direction A to disengage the protrusion 30 from the fixing hole 14 of the hood 6. Then the latch 18 is outwardly pivoted about the bolt 44 away from the rear panel 16 with the ejector 32 contacting and pushing the bent end 12 of the hood 6 until the fixing tab 10 of the hood 6 is moved out of the opening 20 of the chassis 4. Thus, the hood 6 is readily detached from the chassis 4.

[0023] It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.