Side door for computer chassis

• US 6,109,710 A
• Filed: 02/26/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Thomas Gordon, Elsasser, Gary Phillip, Brunner, Robert Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/031,403
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.2, 312/223.1, 312/327, 312/328, 312/311, 312/310, 361/724, 361/725, 361/727
• US Class Current: 312/223.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613

Abstract

A chassis cover for a host unit of a computer system is disclosed. The chassis cover is preferably capable of covering a chassis which includes mountings for components which are movable in a direction. The chassis cover includes a first surface, and a movable side door having a closed position and an open position. The side door provides an opening in the chassis cover when in the open position to permit the mountings to be extended toward the opening when the side door is in the open position. By permitting the mountings to be extended toward an opening provided by the side door, the components within the host unit may be accessed and serviced without removing a heavy display monitor.

Claims

1. In a computer system including a display monitor and a host unit, the host unit including a chassis and a chassis cover, the host unit having a horizontal orientation with width, length and height dimensions, the width and length dimensions being at least twice the height dimension, the chassis including a base with mountings for a motherboard which are movable in a direction, the host unit including:

an exterior top surface; and

a movable side door having a closed position and an open position, the side door having a first edge common with the exterior top surface when the side door is in the closed position, the side door providing an opening in the host unit when in the open position,

wherein the mountings are extendable toward the opening when the side door is in the open position and

wherein the base includes a rear exterior surface and the side door includes a second edge and the chassis cover includes a front bezel, wherein the second edge is attached at a hinge and the first edge is attached to the exterior top surface when the side door is in the closed position, and wherein the unhinged first edge detaches when the side door is in the open position.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the side door is capable of opening to provide access to components mounted to the chassis while the display monitor rests on the exterior top surface.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the display monitor includes a cathode ray tube.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the chassis cover is formed in part from injection molded plastic such that the side door is formed separately from the exterior top surface.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the second edge couples to the base to form a hinge.

6. A host unit of a computer system including a chassis and a chassis cover, the chassis cover including:

an exterior top surface when the chassis cover is in a horizontal orientation; and

a movable side door having a closed position and an open position, the side door having a first edge common with the exterior top surface, the side door providing an opening in the cover when in the open position which permits access to an interior of the chassis cover when the side door is in the open position, wherein when the chassis cover is in the horizontal orientation the chassis cover has width, length and height dimensions, the width and length dimensions being at least twice the height dimension, wherein the side door further includes a second edge having a length and the chassis includes a base having a groove extending at least a portion of the length of the second edge, and wherein the second edge movably fits within the groove of the base to form a hinge allowing the side door to move between the open and closed positions.

7. The host unit of claim 6, wherein the first edge separates from the top surface when the side door is in the open position.

8. The host unit of claim 6, wherein the first edge attaches to the exterior top surface when the side door is in the closed position, and wherein the first edge separates from rear the exterior top surface when the side door is in the open position.

9. The host unit of claim 6, wherein the chassis cover is formed in part from injection molded plastic such that the side door is formed separately from the exterior top surface.

10. A method of accessing components in a computer system, the computer system including a host unit and a display monitor, the host unit including a chassis disposed within a chassis cover, the chassis including mountings for receiving a motherboard which are movable in a direction, the chassis cover having a horizontal orientation with width, length and height dimensions, the width and length dimensions being at least twice the height dimension, the method comprising:

opening a side door of the chassis cover to provide an opening, the side door having a closed position and an open position, the side door having a first edge common with an exterior top surface of the chassis cover when the side door is in the closed position and a second edge having a length, the chassis having a base with a groove extending at least a portion of the length of the second edge, the opening step including detaching the first edge from the exterior top surface and moving the detached side door to open the chassis cover while the second edge of the side door remains movably disposed within the groove of the base;

extending the mountings for receiving the motherboard toward the opening when the side door is in the open position to provide access to components mounted to the chassis,

wherein the opening and extending steps are capable of being performed while the display monitor rests on the exterior top surface of the chassis cover while in the horizontal orientation.

11. A method of manufacturing a computer host including a chassis cover to be fitted to a chassis in the computer host, the computer host having a horizontal orientation with width, length and height dimensions, the width and length dimensions being at least twice the height dimension, the chassis including a base with mountings for a motherboard which are movable in a direction, the method comprising:

forming a main piece having at least an exterior top surface;

forming a side door having a first edge fitted to couple to the exterior top surface; and

attaching the side door to the main piece by coupling the first edge to the exterior top surface and coupling a second edge of the side door to the chassis so that the side door is in a closed position while permitting the detachment of at least one of the first and second edges from the main piece to place the side door in an open position,

wherein the side door is capable of opening to allow access to an interior of the chassis cover when the side door is in the open position, and

wherein the chassis cover includes a front bezel and the second edge is attached at a hinge and wherein the first edge is attached to the exterior top surface when the side door is in the closed position and detached from the exterior top surface when the side door is in the open position.