Methods and apparatus for snap-together computer construction

• US 5,392,192 A
• Filed: 03/22/1993
• Issued: 02/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnston, John E., Titzler, David H., Dunn, C. Lorenzo, Yuan, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/035,007
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/204, 312/263, 312/265, 312/265.1, 312/265.6, 312/257.1, 312/348.3, 312/348.4, 200/330, 200/331, 174/35 R, 174/35 GC, 361/679, 361/829, 361/683-686, 361/831, 361/724-727, 361/816, 361/818, 361/832, 364/708.1, 29/467, 29/469, 29/830-832, 439/607, 439/609
• US Class Current: 361/679.58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49904 Assembling a subassembly, then assembling with a second subassembly

Abstract

A modular enclosure for personal computer systems substantially comprises a 5-sided steel chassis, a plastic subassembly tray, a plastic detachable back panel, and a 4-sided plastic top cover including an integrally formed front panel. The internal subassembly tray comprises appropriately formed bays designed to receive various system subassemblies, each bay having an integrally formed subassembly retaining means to bear against and retain a subassembly placed in the bay. Top side and rear electromagnetic interference (EMI) shields are fitted and secured to the interior portions of the plastic topcover and rear panel so as to peripherally contact the chassis when the topcover and rear panel are installed. The internal subassembly tray is lowered into the interior region of the chassis and snapped into place at the front portion thereof. The rear panel is then positioned and secured to the chassis. A plurality of subassemblies, including disk drives and main circuit board may be secured in the subassembly tray and chassis, and interconnected via an appropriately sized subassembly and main cable bundles. Front EMI shields are snapped in place onto the chassis. Tab members disposed in the lower front edge of the topcover assembly are positioned into tab-receiving slots in the lower front edge of the chassis. The topcover assembly is rotated downward until the top side EMI shield contacts the top rim of the steel chassis, and thereafter secured onto the base assembly by engaging large cover-mounting snaps, formed in the top cover, into complimentary hooks formed in the rear panel secured to the rear portion of the chassis-tray assembly. Line power to a power supply is switchably engaged by a frontally disposed button on the topcover assembly through an actuator to an internal power supply switch.

Claims

1. In a personal computer system including a main processor board intercommunicating with at least one modular, internal peripheral subassembly, a computer enclosure comprising:

a base assembly, further comprising;

a chassis having a floor and first, second, third, and fourth sides, and having an interior region disposed therebetween; and

a subassembly tray mounted to said chassis within said interior region, said subassembly tray comprising a plurality of bays, one of said bays removably receiving said modular, internal peripheral subassembly;

a rear panel assembly detachably mounted to said base assembly, further comprising;

a rear panel having a first arrangement of connector openings; and

a rear EMI shield mounted to said rear panel, said rear EMI shield having a second arrangement of connector openings substantially similar to said first arrangement of connector openings; and

,

a topcover assembly detachably mounted to said base assembly, further comprising;

a topcover having an integral front panel; and

a top EMI shield mounted to said topcover.

2. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an electrically passive actuator member slideably coupled to said floor between an electrically passive button, disposed on said front panel of said topcover assembly, and an electrically active switch, disposed on one of said subassemblies within said interior region.

3. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said chassis comprises an electrically conductive material and functions as a base EMI shield.

4. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said computer enclosure has associated with it a product design factor including product identity which is substantially alterable by interchanging only said rear panel and topcover assemblies with a different rear panel assembly and a different topcover assembly while leaving said chassis substantially unaltered.

5. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 4, wherein said topcover assembly and said different topcover assembly further comprise detachable front bezel panels.

6. In a personal computer system including a main processor board intercommunicating with at least one modular, internal peripheral subassembly, a computer enclosure comprising:

a base assembly, further comprising;

a chassis having a floor and front, left, right, and rear sides, and having an interior region disposed therebetween, and

a subassembly tray mounted to said floor within said interior region, said subassembly tray comprising a plurality of bays, one of said bays removably receiving said modular, internal peripheral subassembly, said subassembly tray further comprising subassembly retaining means for securely retaining said subassemblies in each bay;

a rear panel assembly detachably mounted to said rear side, comprising;

a rear panel having a first arrangement of connector openings; and

a rear EMI shield mounted to said rear panel, said rear EMI shield having a second arrangement of connector openings substantially similar to said first arrangement of connector openings;

a topcover assembly detachably mounted to said base assembly, comprising;

a topcover comprising integral front, left, right and top panels, and

a top EMI shield interiorly mounted to said top panel; and

,

an electrically passive actuator member slideably coupled to said floor between an electrically passive button, disposed on said front panel of said topcover assembly, and an electrically active switch, disposed on one of said subassemblies;

said topcover assembly, when mounted to said base assembly substantially enclosing said front, left, right, and rear sides and said interior region of said chassis.

7. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 6, wherein said topcover assembly comprises a plurality of tab and snap members;

said tab members removably positioned within a corresponding plurality of tab receiving openings disposed in said front side of said chassis;

said snap members disposed on a rear portion of said top panel of said topcover and removably inserted into a corresponding plurality of snap receiving openings disposed in said rear panel assembly mounted to said base assembly.

8. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 6, wherein said chassis comprises an electrically conductive material and functions as a base EMI shield.

9. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 6, wherein said computer enclosure has associated with it a product design factor including product identity which is substantially alterable by interchanging only said rear panel and topcover assemblies with a different rear panel assembly and a different topcover assembly while leaving said chassis substantially unaltered.

10. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 9, wherein said topcover assembly further comprises detachable front bezels.

11. In a personal computer system including a main processor board intercommunicating with at least one modular, internal peripheral subassembly, a computer enclosure comprising:

a base assembly, further comprising;

a chassis having a floor and front, left, right, and rear sides, and having an interior region disposed therebetween, said floor having a first plurality of tab members disposed thereon, said left and right sides having a second plurality of tab members disposed thereon, said chassis comprising an electrically conductive material and functioning as a base EMI shield;

a first plurality of board guides disposed on said chassis to receive and locate a first edge of said main processor board;

a first plurality of panel hook openings disposed on said rear side,

a first plurality of panel snap openings disposed on said rear side,

a first plurality of tray snap openings disposed on said floor;

a first plurality of tray hook openings disposed on said floor; and

,

a first plurality of topcover tab receiving openings disposed on said front side;

a unitary, subassembly tray mounted to said base assembly, said subassembly tray further comprising;

a plurality of bays having subassembly retaining means for securely retaining said subassembly, said subassembly retaining means comprising at least one subassembly retaining snap having a latch head;

a first plurality of tray mounting snaps received into said first plurality of tray snap openings in said floor of said base assembly; and

,

a first plurality of tray mounting hooks received into said first plurality of tray hook openings in said floor of said base assembly;

a rear panel assembly detachably mounted to said rear side of said base assembly, said rear panel assembly further comprising;

a rear panel having a first arrangement of connector openings and a first interior surface having a first plurality of pin members disposed thereon; and

a rear EMI shield comprising a first plurality of shield mounting openings receiving and retaining said first plurality of pin members on said rear panel, said rear EMI shield further having a second arrangement of connector openings substantially similar to said first arrangement of connector openings on said rear panel;

a first plurality of panel mounting hooks removably received into said second plurality of hook receiving openings in said rear side of said chassis;

a first plurality of panel mounting snaps removably received into said second plurality of snap receiving openings in said rear side of said chassis; and

,

a second plurality of board guides to receive and locate a second edge of said main processor board; and

,

a topcover assembly detachably mounted to said base assembly and said rear panel assembly, said topcover assembly further comprising;

integral front, left, right and top panels, said top panel having a second interior surface having a second plurality of pin members disposed thereon;

a top EMI shield comprising a second plurality of shield mounting openings receiving and retaining said second plurality of pin members on said top panel;

a plurality of cover mounting tab members disposed on said front panel; and

,

a plurality of cover mounting snaps disposed on a rear portion of said top panel;

when said topcover assembly is mounted to said base assembly, said tab members are removably positioned within said tab receiving openings disposed in said front side of said chassis, said topcover mounting snaps are removably inserted into said snap receiving openings disposed in said rear panel assembly mounted to said base assembly, said topcover assembly thereby substantially enclosing said front, left, right, and rear sides and said interior region of said chassis.

12. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 11 further comprising an electrically passive actuator member slideably coupled to said floor between an electrically passive button, disposed on said front panel of said topcover assembly, and an electrically active switch, disposed on one of said subassemblies within said interior region.

13. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 11, wherein said computer enclosure has associated with it a product design factor including product identity which is substantially alterable by interchanging only said rear panel and topcover assemblies with a different rear panel assembly and a different topcover assembly while leaving said chassis substantially unaltered.

14. The computer enclosure as set forth in claim 13, wherein said topcover assembly further comprises detachable bezel panels.

15. In a personal computer system including a main processor board intercommunicating with at least one modular, internal peripheral subassembly, a method for assembling a computer enclosure comprising the steps of:

providing a base assembly by forming a chassis of an electrically conductive material and functioning as a base EMI shield, said chassis having a floor and first, second, third, and fourth sides and an interior region disposed therebetween, and thereafter mounting a subassembly tray comprising a plurality of bays to said chassis within said interior region, one of said bays removably receiving said modular, internal peripheral subassembly;

detachably mounting a rear panel assembly to said base assembly, said rear panel assembly comprising a rear panel having a first arrangement of connector openings, said rear panel assembly further comprising a rear EMI shield mounted to said rear panel and having a second arrangement of connector openings substantially similar to said first arrangement of connector openings; and

detachably mounting to said base assembly a topcover assembly comprising;

a topcover having an integral front panel, and

a top EMI shield mounted to said topcover.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising the step of slideably coupling an electrically passive actuator member to said floor between an electrically passive button, disposed on said front panel of said topcover assembly, and an electrically active switch, disposed on one of said subassemblies.

17. The method for assembling a computer enclosure as set forth in claim 15, further comprising the step of associating a product design factor with said computer enclosure, said product design factor including product identity which is substantially alterable by interchanging only said rear panel and topcover assemblies with a different rear panel assembly and a different topcover assembly while leaving said chassis substantially unaltered.

18. The method recited in claim 17 wherein the step of forming said topcover assembly further comprises the step of providing detachable bezel panels forming a portion of said integral front panel.