Cover plate positioning device for personal computer

• US 6,074,028 A
• Filed: 01/06/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hsin Chien Ho
• Original Assignee: Hsin Chien Ho
• Inventors: Ho, Hsin Chien
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US09/003,151
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/257.1, 312/265, 312/265.6, 361/683, 361/695, 361/724
• US Class Current: 312/223.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members

Abstract

A cover plate positioning device for personal computers including a metal housing and a plastic cover plate. The metal housing is provided with a retaining block at either side thereof. The cover plate has a front side and two side portions. Each side portion has a small window and a fastening plate secured to an inner side thereof. The fastening plate has a push block projecting from the window and a hook. When the cover plate is fitted over the housing, the hook of each fastening plate will engage the corresponding retaining block of the housing to quickly position the cover plate. The cover plate can be quickly disassembled from the housing by pushing the push block of each fastening plate. Use of screws is therefore eliminated.

Claims

1. A device for removably attaching a plastic cover plate to a computer housing frame, the housing frame having first and second spaced apart frame walls and a third frame wall connected to and extending between the first and second frame walls, the device comprising:

a) a plastic cover plate having spaced apart side portions extending substantially parallel to the first and second frame walls;

b) a window opening extending through each of the side portions of the plastic cover plate;

c) a retaining block extending from each of the first and second frame walls;

d) a resilient fastening plate secured to each of the side portions of the plastic cover plate, each of the resilient fastening plates including a securing portion secured to one of the side portions of the plastic cover plate, an urging portion having a hook extending in the direction of and being movable relative to the associated side portion of the plastic cover plate and a push block extending through the window opening in the associated side portion of the cover plate, and a neck portion connecting the securing portion and the urging portion whereby each of the hooks engages one of the retaining blocks to attach the plastic cover plate to the frame and whereby the urging portion is resiliently displaced in a disengagement direction by movement of the push block so as to disengage the hook from the associated retaining block to enable the plastic cover plate to be removed from the frame, the disengagement direction being along the associated side portion; and

,

e) at least one stop block on the plastic cover plate located so as to contact the third wall of the frame when the cover plate is attached to the frame to thereby prevent movement of the cover plate relative to the frame in the disengagement direction.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising two stop blocks on the plastic cover plate.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a) at least one post extending from each of the side portions of the plastic cover plate; and

,

b) at least one through hole in the securing position of the resilient fastening plate, the at least one post extending into the at least one through hole to secure the resilient fastening plate to the side portion of the plastic cover plate.

4. The device of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of posts and a plurality of through holes.