Support tray with fold-away handles

• US 20070258226A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ong, Brett, Tosh, Andrew, De Meulenaere, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,595,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/801
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1429 for circuits carrying a CPU and adapted to receive expansion cards

Abstract

A support tray with fold-away handles is disclosed. When the support tray (which may be used to support a printed circuit board) is installed into a computer chassis, the handles are put into an upright position in which the handles extend above the support tray. In this position, the handles can be held by a user to easily lower the support tray into the chassis. When the support tray is not installed in a chassis (e.g. when the support tray is being shipped), the handles are put into a fold-away position in which the handles are situated underneath the support tray. This enables the support tray to maintain a low profile when the handles are not in use.

Claims

1. A support tray, comprising:

a rigid base having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a first edge, and a second edge;

a first handle rotatably attached to the base along the first edge; and

a second handle rotatably attached to the base along the second edge;

wherein the first and second handles can be rotated into an upright position in which the first and second handles extend above the top surface of the base; and

wherein the first and second handles can also be rotated into a fold-away position in which the first and second handles are situated beneath the base and contact the bottom surface of the base.

2. The support tray of claim 1, wherein the first handle is rotatably attached to the base in such a manner that the first edge stops the first handle from rotating beyond the upright position towards the top surface of the base, thereby preventing the first handle from falling onto the top surface of the base.

3. The support tray of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more structures for defining one or more retaining slots beneath the base along the first edge.

4. The support tray of claim 3, wherein the first handle has one or more stubs at a first end of the first handle, and wherein the one or more stubs are inserted into the one or more retaining slots to attach the first handle to the base and to enable the first handle to rotate around an axis formed by the first edge.

5. The support tray of claim 1, wherein the base comprises an opening, and wherein the first handle comprises a clip that clips onto a side of the opening when the first handle is in the fold-away position to secure the first handle to the base.

6. The support tray of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of attachment structures protruding from the top surface of the base for enabling a printed circuit board to be attached thereto.

7. The support tray of claim 6, wherein at least one of the attachment structures is hollow and threaded to enable a screw to be inserted therein.

8. The support tray of claim 1, wherein the first handle comprises a flap having a cutout portion therein.

9. The support tray of claim 8, wherein the flap has a bend therein that bends outward away from the base when the first handle is in the upright position.

10. The support tray of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more hooks protruding from the bottom surface of the base for attaching to one or more corresponding structures of a computer chassis when the support tray is installed in the computer chassis.

11. The support tray of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a third edge, and wherein the support tray further comprises:

an extension portion situated along the third edge, the extension portion having a cutout portion therein to be used as a handle for carrying the support tray.

12. The support tray of claim 11, further comprising:

a cam attached to the extension portion for facilitating installation of the support tray into a computer chassis, wherein the cam, when closed, pushes against a wall of the computer chassis to secure the support tray to the computer chassis.

13. A support tray, comprising:

a rigid base having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a first edge, and a second edge;

a plurality of attachment structures protruding from the top surface of the base for enabling a printed circuit board to be attached thereto, at least one of the attachment structures being hollow and threaded to enable a screw to be inserted therein;

a first handle rotatably attached to the base along the first edge; and

a second handle rotatably attached to the base along the second edge;

wherein the first and second handles can be rotated into an upright position in which the first and second handles extend above the top surface of the base;

wherein the first and second handles can also be rotated into a fold-away position in which the first and second handles are situated beneath the base and contact the bottom surface of the base; and

wherein the first and second handles are rotatably attached to the base in such a manner that the base stops the first and second handles from rotating beyond the upright position towards the top surface of the base, thereby preventing the first and second handles from falling onto the top surface of the base.

14. The support tray of claim 13, wherein the base comprises a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first handle comprises a first clip and the second handle comprises a second clip, wherein the first clip clips onto a side of the first opening when the first handle is in the fold-away position to secure the first handle to the base, and wherein the second clip clips onto a side of the second opening when the second handle is in the fold-away position to secure the second handle to the base.

15. The support tray of claim 13,

wherein the first handle comprises a first flap having a cutout portion therein, the first flap having a bend that bends outward away from the base when the first handle is in the upright position;

and

wherein the second handle comprises a second flap having a cutout portion therein, the second flap having a bend that bends outward away from the base when the second handle is in the upright position.

16. The support tray of claim 13, further comprising:

one or more hooks protruding from the bottom surface of the base for attaching to one or more corresponding structures of a computer chassis when the support tray is installed in the computer chassis.

17. The support tray of claim 13, wherein the base further comprises a third edge, and wherein the support tray further comprises:

an extension portion situated along the third edge, the extension portion having a cutout portion therein to be used as a handle for carrying the support tray; and

a cam attached to the extension portion for facilitating installation of the support tray into a computer chassis, wherein the cam, when closed, pushes against a wall of the computer chassis to secure the support tray to the computer chassis.

18. An assembly, comprising:

a rigid base having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a first edge, and a second edge;

a plurality of attachment structures protruding from the top surface of the base, at least one of the attachment structures being hollow and threaded to enable a screw to be inserted therein;

a printed circuit board attached to the attachment structures;

a first handle rotatably attached to the base along the first edge; and

a second handle rotatably attached to the base along the second edge;

wherein the first and second handles can be rotated into an upright position in which the first and second handles extend above the top surface of the base; and

wherein the first and second handles can also be rotated into a fold-away position in which the first and second handles are situated beneath the base and contact the bottom surface of the base.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the first and second handles are rotatably attached to the base in such a manner that the base stops the first and second handles from rotating beyond the upright position towards the top surface of the base, thereby preventing the first and second handles from falling onto the top surface of the base.

20. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the base comprises a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first handle comprises a first clip and the second handle comprises a second clip, wherein the first clip clips onto a side of the first opening when the first handle is in the fold-away position to secure the first handle to the base, and wherein the second clip clips onto a side of the second opening when the second handle is in the fold-away position to secure the second handle to the base.

21. The assembly of claim 18,

wherein the first handle comprises a first flap having a cutout portion therein, the first flap having a bend that bends outward away from the base when the first handle is in the upright position;

and

wherein the second handle comprises a second flap having a cutout portion therein, the second flap having a bend that bends outward away from the base when the second handle is in the upright position.

22. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the first handle comprises a first tab, wherein the second handle comprises a second tab, wherein the first tab, when the first handle is rotated into the upright position, slips under the printed circuit board to hold the first handle in the upright position, and wherein the second tab, when the second handle is rotated into the upright position, slips under the printed circuit board to hold the second handle in the upright position.

23. The assembly of claim 18, further comprising:

one or more hooks protruding from the bottom surface of the base for attaching to one or more corresponding structures of a computer chassis when the assembly is installed in the computer chassis.

24. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the base further comprises a third edge, and wherein the assembly further comprises:

an extension portion situated along the third edge, the extension portion having a cutout portion therein to be used as a handle for carrying the assembly; and

a cam attached to the extension portion for facilitating installation of the assembly into a computer chassis, wherein the cam, when closed, pushes against a wall of the computer chassis to secure the assembly to the computer chassis.