Sliding door assembly for a computer housing

• US 5,924,780 A
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkowitz, Gregor, Gatrall, Simon, Boyce, Brian, Melmon, Bradley, Ammon, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/940,273
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 312/306, 312/312, 312/319.1, 312/350, 312/223.2, 312/323, 312/322, 49/362, 49/418, 49/445, 361/727
• US Class Current: 312/223.2
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/254 Fluid or viscous friction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/266 rotary
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613

Abstract

A door assembly which includes a door that slides open and closed to alternatively expose and cover components of a computer system. The door assembly includes a rack and pinion system that prevents racking of the door. The non-racking feature allows for the door to be wider than prior art doors such that more components may be easily accessed by a computer user. The door assembly also includes a spring assembly for automatically closing the door, a dampener for moderating the movement of the door, and a latching mechanism that holds the door open. In one embodiment the latch mechanism is a push-push latch and the spring of the spring assembly is a constant force spring.

Claims

1. An enclosure for a computer comprising;

a computer housing having an opening formed therein;

a door coupled to said computer housing such that said door moves relative to said computer housing, said door including a first rack and a second rack;

a first pinion coupled to said computer housing and engaging said first rack;

a second pinion coupled to said first pinion such that said second pinion rotates with the rotation of said first pinion, said second pinion engaging said second rack; and

a spring assembly coupled to said computer housing and to said door for biasing said door to a closed position.

2. The enclosure for a computer of claim 1 further comprising a dampener, said dampener attached to said computer housing and including a pinion for engaging one of said first rack and said second rack, said dampener moderating the movement of said door.

3. The enclosure for a computer of claim 1 wherein said spring assembly further comprises a constant force spring.

4. The enclosure for a computer of claim 3 wherein said spring assembly further comprises a spool, said spool attached to said computer housing such that said spool may rotate, and said constant force spring wound around said spool such that said spool rotates so as to allow for the extension of said constant force spring.

5. The enclosure for a computer of claim 1 wherein said door is disposed within said computer housing such that said door opens by moving said door downward and said door closes automatically by moving upward into a closed position.

6. The enclosure for a computer of claim 5 further comprising a latching mechanism, said latching mechanism capable of being engaged so as to hold said door in an open position until such time that said latching mechanism is disengaged.

7. The enclosure for a computer of claim 6 wherein said door may be opened by pushing down on said door until said latching mechanism is engaged, said latching mechanism holding said door in the open position until such time that said latching mechanism is disengaged whereupon said latching mechanism releases said door.

8. The enclosure for a computer of claim 7 wherein said latching mechanism comprises a push-push mechanism.

9. The enclosure for a computer of claim 1 wherein said first pinion and said second pinion comprise plastic and wherein said first pinion is connected to said second pinion by a rod.

10. An enclosure for a computer comprising;

a computer housing having an opening formed therein;

a door coupled to said computer housing and adapted to move with respect to said computer housing;

a first rack disposed within said computer housing such that said first rack may move within a limited range;

a second rack disposed within said computer housing such that said second rack may move within a limited range;

a pinion disposed between said first rack and said second rack such that said pinion rotates with the movement of said first rack and said second rack;

a first metal strip for coupling said first rack to said door;

a second metal strip for coupling said second rack to said door; and

a spring assembly coupled to said computer housing and coupled to said first rack for biasing said door in a closed position.

11. The enclosure for a computer of claim 10 wherein said spring assembly includes an extension spring.