Corner support members for housing system

• US 6,597,567 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Stone, Dennis, Duncan, Mathew, Laing, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US09/800,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/685-687, 361/724-727, 361/681, 165/104.33, 165/104.22, 312/253, 312/255, 312/223.2, 312/226.4, 248/188, 248/188.2, 248/188.5, 248/188.6, 248/151
• US Class Current: 361/679.59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613

Abstract

A housing system includes a rectangular chassis having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, and two outer side surfaces. Two front comer feet are adhered to front comers of the rectangular chassis. Two back comer feet are adhered to back corners the rectangular chassis.

Claims

1. A housing system, comprising:

a chassis having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, and two outer side surfaces;

two front corner feet adhered to front corners of the chassis; and

two back corner feet adhered to back corners of the chassis, wherein

each of the front corner feet extend beyond each of the top surface, the bottom surface, the front surface, and at least one of the two outer side surfaces, and between the top surface and the bottom surface, and

each of the back corner feet extend beyond the top surface, the bottom surface, the back surface, and at least one of the two outer side surfaces, and between the top surface and the bottom surface.

2. The housing system according to claim 1, wherein the two front corner feet are adhered to the chassis at the front surface and the bottom surface, and the two back corner feet are adhered to the chassis at the top surface and the two outer side surfaces.

3. The housing system according to claim 1, wherein the housing system encloses an electronic system.

4. The housing system according to claim 1, wherein the two front corner feet and the two back comer feet are weight-bearing members.

5. The housing system according to claim 3, wherein the electronic system is a computer system.

6. The housing system according to claim 5, wherein the computer system is a server.

7. A housing system, comprising:

a rectangular chassis having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, and two outer side surfaces;

two front corner feet adhered to front corners of the rectangular chassis; and

two back corner feet adhered to back corners the rectangular chassis, wherein

the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet each have a mating member on a top face of the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet, and a corresponding mating member on a bottom face of the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet.

8. The housing system according to claim 7, wherein the mating member is an indentation and the corresponding mating member is a projection.

9. A housing system, comprising:

a first half chassis having a front surface, a back surface, two inner side surfaces, and a bottom surface;

a second half chassis having a top surface and two outer side surfaces;

two front corner feet adhered to front corners of the first half chassis; and

two back corner feet adhered to back corners of the second half chassis, wherein the first half chassis and the second half chassis are engageable to form the housing system.

10. The housing system according to claim 9, wherein the two front corner feet are adhered to the first half chassis at the front surface and the bottom surface, and the two back corner feet are adhered to the second half chassis at the top surface and the two outer side surfaces.

11. The housing system according to claim 9, wherein the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet project beyond the top surface and the bottom surface of the housing system.

12. The housing system according to claim 9, wherein the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet act as guides to allow proper alignment for engagement of the first half chassis and the second half chassis to form the housing system.

13. The housing system according to claim 9, wherein the housing system encloses an electronic system.

14. The housing system according to claim 9, wherein the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet are weight-bearing members.

15. The housing system according to claim 13, wherein the electronic system is a computer system.

16. The housing system according to claim 15, wherein the computer system is a server.

17. A housing system, comprising:

a first half chassis having a front surface, a back surface, two inner side surfaces, and a bottom surface;

a second half chassis having a top surface and two outer side surfaces;

two front corner feet adhered to front corners of the first half chassis; and

two back corner feet adhered to back corners of the second half chassis, wherein the first half chassis and the second half chassis are engageable to form the housing system, wherein

the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet each have a mating member on a top face of the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet, and a corresponding mating member on a bottom face of the two front corner feet and the two back corner feet.

18. The housing system according to claim 17, wherein the mating member is an indentation and the corresponding mating member is a projection.

19. A stack of a plurality of housing systems, comprising:

a first housing system including,

a first rectangular chassis having a first front surface, a first back surface, a first top surface, a first bottom surface, and two first outer side surfaces,

two first front corner feet adhered to first front corners of the first rectangular chassis, and

two first back corner feet adhered to first back corners of the first rectangular chassis; and

a second housing system including,

a second rectangular chassis having a second front surface, a second back surface, a second top surface, a second bottom surface, and two second outer side surfaces,

two second front corner feet adhered to second front corners of the second rectangular chassis, and

two second back corner feet adhered to second back corners of the second rectangular chassis,

wherein the two first front corner feet, the two first back corner feet, the two second front corner feet, and the two second back corner feet each have a mating member on a top face of each corner feet and a corresponding mating member on a bottom face of each corner feet, the second housing system being stacked on top of the first housing system with the mating member of each of the two first front corner feet and the two first back corner feet being engaged with the corresponding mating member of each of the two second front corner feet and the two second back corner feet.

20. The stack of the plurality of housing systems according to claim 19, wherein the mating member is an indentation and the corresponding mating member is a projection.

21. The stack of the plurality of housing systems according to claim 19, wherein weight of the second housing system is borne by the two first front corner feet and the two first back corner feet of the first housing system.

22. The stack of the plurality of housing systems according to claim 19, wherein each of the housing systems enclose an electronic system.

23. The stack of the plurality of housing system according to claim 19, wherein the two first front corner feet and the two first back corner feet are weight-bearing members bearing weight of the second housing system.

24. The stack of the plurality of housing systems according to claim 22, wherein the electronic system is a computer system.

25. The stack of the plurality of housing systems according to claim 24, wherein the computer system is a server.

26. A housing system comprising:

a chassis having a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one lateral surface joined to at least one of said top surface and said bottom surface; and

a foot adhered to said at least one lateral surface and one of said top surface and said bottom surface, a portion of said foot extending beyond said top surface and said bottom surface.

27. The housing system according to claim 26, said at least one lateral surface including a front surface, a back surface, and at least one side surface, wherein three of said top surface, said bottom surface, said front surface, said back surface and said at least one side surface meet at a corner, and further wherein said foot is located proximate said corner.

28. The housing system according to claim 26, said foot having a top face with an indentation.

29. The housing system according to claim 28, said foot having a bottom face with a projection adapted to fit within said indentation.

30. A system of stacked electronic devices, said system comprising:

an upper electronic device having a first outer housing with a first top surface and a first bottom surface, and at least one first foot coupled to one of said first top surface and said first bottom surface, a portion said at least one first foot extending beyond said first bottom surface; and

a lower electronic device having a second outer housing with a second top surface and a second bottom surface, and at least one second foot coupled to one of said second top surface and said second bottom surface, said at least one second foot receiving said portion of said at least one first foot such that said first bottom surface is not in contact with said second top surface.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein a weight of said upper electronic device is supported by said at least one second foot.

32. The system according to claim 30, wherein said at least one first foot includes a projection and said at least one second foot includes an indentation.

33. The system according to claim 30, wherein said second top surface is made of a flexible material.

34. The system according to claim 30, wherein said at least one second foot extends beyond said second bottom surface such that said second bottom surface is raised above a supporting surface upon which the system of stacked electronic devices rests.

35. A method of stacking a plurality of devices, said method comprising:

placing a first device on a supporting surface, said first device having a first top surface, a first bottom surface and a plurality of first feet, such that said plurality of feet contact the supporting surface to raise said bottom surface;

placing a second device above said first device, said second device having a second bottom surface and a plurality of second feet, such that said second bottom surface is raised above said first top surface; and

mating a first member on at least one of said plurality of first feet with a second mating member on at least one of said plurality of second feet.

36. The method according to claim 35, further including, by said plurality of first feet, supporting substantially the entire weight of said first device.

37. The method according to claim 35, further including maintaining a pattern of air flow through said first device.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein said first member is an indentation and said second member is a projection.