Patent Application
20120133257
1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to casings of electronic devices, and more particularly to a side plate assembly used in a casing.
2. Description of Related Art
An electronic device, such as a computer or a server, usually includes a casing for accommodating components of the electronic device. The components typically include a central processing unit (CPU), a circuit board, a hard disk drive and an optical disk drive. The casing includes a cage, and two side plates mounted at two opposite lateral sides of the cage. Each side plate is made of a thin metal sheet. When the electronic device is in operation, the components of the electronic device such as the hard disk drive or the optical disk drive can cause the side plate to vibrate, generating unwanted noise.
What is needed, therefore, is a side plate assembly to overcome the described limitations.
Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views.
Referring to
The side plate 10 includes a rectangular flat main portion 11, and two mounting portions 12 at two opposite sides of the main portion 11. Each mounting portion 12 is L-shaped, and has a flange 121 parallel to the main portion 11. The flange 121 defines an elongated through hole 122 in a middle thereof. The flange 121 further defines a rectangular positioning hole 123 therein adjacent to the through hole 122. The reinforcing member 20 is arranged at a middle of a side of the side plate 10. Two ends of the reinforcing member 20 are connected to the two mounting portions 12 of the side plate 10, respectively. An inner side of the reinforcing member 20 abuts the main portion 11 of the side plate 10.
Referring also the
The main body 21 has a substantially hollow rectangular cross section. The main body 21 includes a bottom plate 211 facing the main portion 11 of the side plate 10, and a top plate 212 opposite to the bottom plate 211. A resilient element is provided between the bottom plate 211 of the main body 21 and the main portion 11 of the side plate 10, to enhance the pressing force therebetween. In this embodiment, the resilient element includes a plurality of resilient sheets 213 arranged along a longitudinal axis of the reinforcing member 20 and evenly spaced from each other. The resilient sheets 213 are integrally formed with the reinforcing member 20 as a single monolithic piece. The resilient sheets 213 protrude from the bottom plate 211 of the main body 21 towards the main portion 11 of the side plate 10. Each resilient sheet 213 is curved, and has a side connected to the bottom plate 211 of the main body 21. The top plate 212 defines an elongated opening 214 therein along the longitudinal axis of the reinforcing member 20.
Each clasping portion 22 includes a leg 221 extending from an end of the top plate 212 towards the bottom plate 211. The leg 221 forms a hook 222 thereon. The reinforcing member 20 forms two positioning pieces 223 thereon, corresponding to the positioning holes 123 of the two mounting portions 12 of the side plate 10. Each positioning piece 223 depends outwardly from a lateral side of the top plate 212 of the main body 21 at a position adjacent to a corresponding clasping portion 22.
In assembly, the two positioning pieces 223 of the reinforcing member 20 are received in the positioning holes 123 of the two mounting portions 12 of the side plate 10, respectively. The reinforcing member 20 is pressed downwardly towards the side plate 10, causing the clasping portions 22 to enter the through holes 122 and descend. The latching hooks 222 of the two clasping portions 22 contract when compressed in the through holes 122 of the two mounting portions 12, and then rebound to abut bottom surfaces of the flanges 121 after they pass through the through holes 122. Thus, the reinforcing member 20 is connected to the side plate 10 by the clasping portions 22 latching the mounting portions 12. The resilient sheets 213 are compressed to enhance force between the bottom plate 211 of the main body 21 and the main portion 11 of the side plate 10.
In the side plate assembly 100, the side plate 10 is reinforced by providing the reinforcing member 20 at one side of the side plate 10. When the side plate assembly 100 is used in a casing of an electronic device, vibration transmitted to the side plate 10 from components of the electronic device such as a hard disk drive or an optical disk drive is depressed or even eliminated altogether. Therefore the electronic device is apt to have minimal operating noise. In addition, the reinforcing member 20 is connected to the side plate 10 via the two clasping portions 22 buckled with the two mounting portions 12, respectively. Thus, the side plate assembly 100 is simply assembled.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99141312 | Nov 2010 | TW | national |
