Cover mechanism

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cover mechanisms on a front panel of a computer chassis, more particularly a pivotal cover mechanism on a front panel of a computer chassis that allows users to install or remove computer peripherals quickly without removing the front panel and the cover mechanism.

2. General Background

With the continuous innovative development of technologies, the speed of upgrading computer peripherals and equipments tends to be faster. For example, a user needs to replace a low-speed VCD drive with a high-speed VCD drive or a DVD drive, or add another hard disk with more memory capacity, etc. For these upgrades, it is necessary to open the computer chassis for the installation. If a user needs to change or install a hardware device that does not involve any panel operation, the user just needs to open the chassis and mounts the equipment onto the rack inside the chassis, and finally connects the power and bus cable to complete the installation.

If a user needs to install or change a hardware device such as a VCD drive or a detachable hard disk drive that involves panel operation, it is necessary to remove the front panel. Since the front panel includes a plurality of bay slots, a cover for covering the surface of the bay slot and preventing foreign substance or dust. Therefore, if it is necessary to expose the operating panel of such device on the front panel, the cover corresponding to such device must be removed. Therefore, in addition to the foregoing installation procedure for device that does not involve panel operation, it also requires the procedure of removing and reinstalling the front panel and the cove. Such repeated removing and reinstalling procedure is a waste of time. Furthermore, the cover may be lost easily if it is removed and not used for a long time, and the evenness and artistic look of the front panel may also be affected.

What is needed, therefore, is a cover mechanism which allows users to install or remove computer peripherals without removing the front panel and the cover.

In a preferred embodiment, a cover mechanism includes a bezel,a latch, and a cover movably attached to the bezel. The cover includes a pair of tabs formed thereon, each with a shaft extending therefrom. The bezel includes a plurality of tabs extending therefrom each with a pivoting hole to engage with the shaft of the cover. The latch is slidably attached to the cover to engage with the bezel.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are exploded, isometric views of a cover mechanism in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention together with a bezel, but viewed in different views;

FIG. 3 is an assembled view of a cover and a latch member of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 1 , but partially been cut off;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a circled portion V of FIG. 4 ; and

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are schematic views of the cover mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention respectively in two different states.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a cover mechanism of an electronic device like a computer in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cover 20 attached to a bezel 10 of the electronic device, and a latch member 30 .

The bezel 10 is often rectangular, and mounted on a front surface of a computer chassis (not shown). The bezel 10 includes a recess 12 defined therein. The recess 12 further comprises an opening 13 , and a pair of channels 15 defined besides the opening 13 . The opening 13 is for mounting internal devices of the computer, for example, read/write devices such as storage drivers (not shown) and I/O interface components (not shown). A pair of first tabs 142 extends rearwardly from an inner side 14 of the bezel 10 , beside the channels 15 . Each of the first tabs 142 defines a pivoting hole 144 therein. The opening 13 includes an engaging portion 16 formed at a top portion of the opening 13 . Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 5 , the engaging portion 16 defines a latch slot 162 therein. A vertical wall 164 and a horizontal wall 16 are separately formed around the latch slot 162 . A passage 17 is defined in a bottom portion of the recess 12 .

The cover 20 includes a pair of second tabs 22 extending perpendicularly from two longwise ends thereof. A shaft 222 extends outwardly from an outer side of each of the second tabs 22 . A cutout 24 is defined in a top portion of the cover 20 . A bracket 26 forms on the inner surface of the cover 20 , according to the cutout 24 . The bracket 26 includes a bottom panel 264 , and a back panel 262 . A notch 266 is defined in the back panel 262 . Referring also to FIGS. 6 and 7 , an arced portion 27 is formed in a bottom portion of the cover 20 .

The latch member 30 is movably received in the bracket 26 of the cover 20 . The latch member 30 includes a main plate 31 , a pair of resilient legs 36 extending downwardly from two ends of the main plate 31 , and an operating plate 32 extending perpendicular from a top edge of the main plate 31 . A latch bar 322 extends upwardly from the operating plate 31 . Referring also to FIG. 5 , the latch bar 322 includes an engaging wall 324 formed in a front portion thereof. An edge 326 is formed at the top end of the engaging wall 324 . A hook 34 extends from the main plate 31 , can slidably engaging in the notch 266 of the cover 20 .

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6 , in assembly, the latch member 30 is fixed in the bracket 26 of the cover 20 , with the resilient legs 36 contacting with the bottom panel 264 thereof and the hook 34 slidably engaging in the notch 266 . The second tabs 22 of the cover 20 are extended through the channels 15 of the bezel 10 , with the pivoting shafts 222 engaging in the pivoting holes 144 of the bezel 10 . The latch bar 322 is received in the latch slot 162 of the bezel 10 . The engaging wall 324 of the latch bar 322 of the latch member 30 abuts the vertical wall 164 of the engaging portion 16 of the bezel 10 , for preventing a forward movement of the cover 20 rotating about the shafts 222 . The edge 326 of the latch bar 322 of the latch member 30 engagingly abuts the horizontal wall 166 of the engaging portion 16 of the bezel 10 , for preventing a backward movement of the cover 20 rotating about the shafts 222 . A gap 19 is defined between the arced portion 27 of the cover 20 and the bezel 10 , for providing a space for the cover 20 at a beginning rotating around the shaft 222 thereof.

Referring also to FIG. 7 , to open the cover 20 , the operating plate 31 of the latch member 30 is depressed. The resilient legs 36 are deformed and the latch bar 322 of the latch member 30 disengages from the latch slot 162 of the bezel 10 . The operating plate 32 is drawn to rotate the cover 20 about the pivoting shafts 222 thereof. The opening 13 is exposed. To close the cover 20 , the operating plate 31 of the latch member 30 is pushed to rotate the cover 20 move back to the bezel 10 . Then the latch bar 322 of the latch member 30 engages with the engaging portion 16 of the bezel and the legs 36 of the latch member 30 are depressed until the latch bar 322 is locked in the latch slot 162 .

It is believed that the present embodiment and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiment of the invention.