Device mounting and retention assembly

• US 20030222555A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mansueto, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,021,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/330.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1411 for securing or extracting box-type drawers

Abstract

A device mounting and retention mechanism is disclosed, comprising a guide disposed on a device so that the guide is capable of slidably moving along a guide channel so that a retention mechanism may engage the guide thereby providing a restraining force and ground for the device. A device retention assembly is also disclosed, comprising a guide mounted on a device so that the guide is capable of slidably moving along a guide channel disposed on a housing so that the retention mechanism is capable of flexibly engaging the guide, thereby providing a restraining force. A device mounting assembly is also disclosed, comprising a first guide mounted on a device and a second guide mounted on a device wherein a guide channel is formed so as to selectively accept the first guide and exclude the second guide.

Claims

1. A device retention assembly, comprising:

a guide;

a guide channel;

a retention mechanism;

wherein the guide is disposed on a device so that the guide is capable of slidably moving along the guide channel so that the retention mechanism may engage the guide therein providing a restraining force and electrical ground for the device.

2. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism flexibly engages the guide.

3. The device retention assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a spring.

4. The device retention assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a first grasping structure and a second grasping structure so as to engage the guide.

5. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism is integrally formed in the housing.

6. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism further comprises a release portion.

7. The device retention assembly as described in claim 6, wherein the release portion is formed so as to increase the ease at which the device is manually released from the housing.

8. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, further comprising:

a second guide mounted on a device;

wherein the retention mechanism is capable of selectively engaging the first guide and excluding the second guide.

9. The device retention assembly as described in claim 8, wherein the retention mechanism selectively engages the first guide to promote proper installation of a device.

10. The device retention assembly as described in claim 9, wherein the retention mechanism selectively engages the first guide so as to promote complete installation of a device.

11. The device retention assembly as described in claim 9, wherein the retention mechanism selectively engages the guide so as to promote correct orientation of the device.

12. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the guide is formed so as to increase cooling of the device.

13. The device retention assembly as described in claim 12, wherein the cooling of the device is increased by exposing greater surface area of the device.

14. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the guide is formed so as to be able to be mounted on a device by utilizing a mounting hole.

15. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the guide is formed as an integral part of the device.

16. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the guide is formed as a post.

17. The device retention assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the guide is substantially flat.

18. The device retention assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the guide is substantially rounded.

19. The device retention assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the guide is substantially circular.

20. The device retention assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the guide is square.

21. The device retention assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the guide is formed as a rail.

22. The device retention assembly as described in claim 21, wherein the guide includes a protrusion so that the retention mechanism may engage the guide.

23. A device retention assembly, comprising:

a device;

a guide mounted on the device;

a housing;

a guide channel disposed on the housing;

a retention mechanism capable of flexibly engaging the guide disposed on the housing;

wherein the guide is mounted on a device wherein the guide is capable of slidably moving along the guide channel so that the retention mechanism may engage the guide therein providing a restraining force.

24. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the retention mechanism is capable of providing a ground for the device.

25. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the retention mechanism is formed as a spring.

26. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a first grasping structure and a second grasping structure so as to engage the guide.

27. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the retention mechanism is an integral part of the housing.

28. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the retention mechanism further comprises a release portion.

29. The device retention assembly as described in claim 28, wherein the release portion is formed so as to increase the ease at which the device is manually released from the housing.

30. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, further comprising:

a second guide mounted on a device;

wherein the retention mechanism is capable of selectively engaging first guide and excluding second guide.

31. The device retention assembly as described in claim 30, wherein the retention mechanism selectively engages the first guide to promote proper installation of a device.

32. The device retention assembly as described in claim 31, wherein the retention mechanism selectively engages the first guide so as to promote complete installation of a device.

33. The device retention assembly as described in claim 31, wherein the retention mechanism selectively engages the first guide so as to promote correct orientation of a device.

34. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the guide is formed so as to increase cooling of the device.

35. The device retention assembly as described in claim 34, wherein the cooling of the device is increased by exposing greater surface area of the device.

36. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the guide is formed so as to be able to be mounted on a device by utilizing a mounting hole.

37. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the guide is formed as an integral part of the device.

38. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the guide is formed as a post.

39. The device retention assembly as described in claim 38, wherein the guide is substantially flat.

40. The device retention assembly as described in claim 38, wherein the guide is substantially rounded.

41. The device retention assembly as described in claim 38, wherein the guide is substantially circular.

42. The device retention assembly as described in claim 38, wherein the guide is square.

43. The device retention assembly as described in claim 23, wherein the guide is formed as a rail.

44. The device retention assembly as described in claim 43, wherein the guide includes a protuberance so that the retention mechanism may engage the guide.

45. A device mounting assembly, comprising:

a first guide mounted on a device;

a second guide mounted on a device;

a housing;

a guide channel disposed on the housing;

wherein the guide channel is formed so as to selectively accept the first guide and exclude the second guide.

46. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 45, wherein the first guide and second guide are disposed on the device.

47. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 45, further comprising a second device wherein the first guide is disposed on the first device and the second guide is disposed on the second device.

48. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 47, wherein the guide channel is formed so as to selectively accept the first device and exclude the second device.

49. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 45, wherein the first guide channel is formed in a complementary shape of the first guide.

50. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 45, wherein the first guide channel is formed in a complementary size of the first guide.

51. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 50, wherein the first guide channel is formed in a complementary width of the first guide.

52. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 50, wherein the first guide channel is formed in a complementary height of the first guide.

53. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 45, wherein the first guide channel and second guide channel are formed so as to be disposed at a differing relative positions in the housing so as to bias the device towards the correct front-to-back orientation.

54. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 45, further comprising a retention mechanism.

55. A device mounting assembly, comprising:

a first means for guiding a device disposed on a device;

a second means for guiding a device disposed on a device;

a housing;

a means for receiving a guide means disposed on the housing;

wherein the receiving means is formed so as to selectively accept the first guide means and exclude the second guide means.

56. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 55, wherein the first guide means and second guide means are disposed on the device.

57. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 55, further comprising a second device wherein the first guide means is disposed on the first device and the second guide means is disposed on the second device.

58. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 57, wherein the receiving means is formed so as to selectively accept the first guide means and exclude the second guide means thereby selectively accepting the first device and excluding the second device.

59. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 55, wherein the first receiving means is formed in a complementary shape of the first guide means so as to selectively accept the first guide means and exclude the second guide means.

60. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 55, wherein the first receiving means is formed in a complementary size of the first guide means so as to selectively accept the first guide and exclude the second guide.

61. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 60, wherein the first receiving means is formed in a complementary width of the first guide means so as to selectively accept the first guide means and exclude the second guide means.

62. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 60, wherein the first receiving means is formed in a complementary height of the first guide means so as to selectively accept the first guide means and exclude the second guide means.

63. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 55, wherein the first receiving means and second receiving means are formed so as to be disposed at differing relative positions in the housing so as to bias the device towards the correct front-to-back orientation.

64. The device mounting assembly as described in claim 55, further comprising a means for retaining a device.