Electronic cabinet panel with improved latching mechanism

• US 6,826,057 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Brigham, Joseph Louis Jr., King, Joseph P. Jr., Cunningham, W. Brian, Cote, Gerald J., Gundogan, C. Ilhan, Beinor, Albert F. Jr., DeYesso, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US10/253,255
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 361/724-727
• US Class Current: 361/726
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1425 of standardised dimensions, e.g. 19"-subrack

Abstract

An electronic cabinet having a set of vertically-oriented frame members, a set of fasteners attached to the set of vertically-oriented frame members, and a panel. The panel includes a cover, a set of latches coupled to the cover, and a set of buttons. When the set of latches engages the set of fasteners to secure the panel to the set of vertically-oriented frame members and when the set of buttons is depressed, the set of buttons disengages the set of latches from the set of fasteners to release the panel from the set of vertically-oriented frame members. Such a configuration enables a user to fully remove the panel from the cabinet without having to disconnect a hinge as for conventional hinged panels. Furthermore, such a configuration is well-suited for employing a locking mechanism that controls depression of the set of buttons to provide secure equipment access.

Claims

1. An electronic cabinet, comprising:

a set of vertically-oriented frame members;

a set of fasteners attached to the set of vertically-oriented frame members; and

a panel having (i) a cover, (ii) a set of latches coupled to the cover, and (iii) a set of buttons which, when the set of latches engages the set of fasteners to secure the panel to the set of vertically-oriented frame members and when the set of buttons is depressed, is configured to disengage the set of latches from the set of fasteners to release the panel from the set of vertically-oriented frame members, and a locking device coupled to the cover, the locking device being configured to selectively enable and disable movement of the set of buttons.

2. The electronic cabinet of claim 1 wherein each button of the panel is configured to move in a sliding manner relative to the cover of the panel.

3. The electronic cabinet of claim 2 wherein the cover of the panel is wider than a distance between the vertically-oriented frame members, and wherein each button is configured to depress in a direction away from an adjacent end of the cover.

4. The electronic cabinet of claim 1 wherein each button is configured to slide within a respective channel defined by the cover of the panel.

5. The electronic cabinet of claim 1 wherein the panel further includes:

an electromagnetic interference gasket coupled to the cover to provide a force on the panel in a direction away from the electronic cabinet frame when the panel is secured to the electronic cabinet frame.

6. A panel for an electronic cabinet frame, the electronic cabinet frame having (i) a set of vertically-oriented frame members and (ii) a set of fasteners attached to the set of vertically-oriented frame members, the panel comprising:

a cover;

a set of latches coupled to the cover,

a set of buttons which, when the set of latches engages the set of fasteners to secure the panel to the electronic cabinet frame and when the set of buttons is depressed, is configured to disengage the set of latches from the set of fasteners to release the panel from the electronic cabinet frame; and

a locking device coupled to the cover, the locking device being configured to selectively enable and disable movement of the set of buttons.

7. The panel of claim 6 wherein the set of buttons includes:

a first button; and

a second button; and

wherein the first and second buttons are configured to depress toward each other when disengaging the set of latches from the set of fasteners.

8. The panel of claim 7 wherein the first and second buttons are disposed along an axis that runs substantially perpendicular to the set of vertically-oriented frame members when the panel is secured to the electronic cabinet frame.

9. The panel of claim 6 wherein the cover includes:

a central portion;

a top portion;

a bottom portion;

a first side portion; and

a second side portion;

wherein the top portion, the bottom portion, the first side portion and the second side portion (i) are disposed around a periphery of the central portion and (ii) extend from the central portion in a substantially perpendicular manner; and

wherein the set of buttons are coupled to the central portion.

10. The panel of claim 9 wherein, when the panel is secured to the electronic cabinet frame, (i) each of the first and second side portions of the cover is adjacent to and substantially parallel to a respective one of the set of vertically-oriented frame members, and (ii) the top and bottom portions are substantially perpendicular to the set of vertically-oriented frame members.

11. The panel of claim 9 wherein the central portion of the cover defines, for each button of the set of buttons, an externally projecting rim that extends around at least part of that button.

12. The panel of claim 9 wherein the central portion of the cover defines, for each button of the set of buttons, a depression adjacent that button.

13. The panel of claim 6 wherein the set of buttons includes:

a first button; and

a second button;

wherein the first and second buttons are configured to depress (i) toward each other and (ii) toward the locking device when disengaging the set of latches from the set of fasteners; and

wherein the locking device is disposed between the first and second buttons.

14. The panel of claim 6 wherein each button of the set of buttons includes:

a face portion which is configured to contact a user'"'"'s finger; and

an elongated actuation portion having an end disposed adjacent to the locking device.

15. The panel of claim 14 wherein the elongate actuation portion of each button is configured to affix to a respective latch of the set of latches.

16. The panel of claim 6 further comprising:

a set of springs that biases the set of latches and the set of buttons toward a set of outer edges of the cover.

17. The panel of claim 6 wherein the cover defines a set of channels, a respective latch of the set of latches and a respective channel of the set of channels being configured to reside within each channel of the set of channels.

18. The panel of claim 6 wherein each button is configured to move in a sliding manner relative to the cover.

19. The panel of claim 18 wherein the cover is configured to be wider than a distance between the vertically-oriented frame members of the electronic cabinet frame, and wherein each button is configured to depress in a direction away from an adjacent end of the cover.

20. The panel of claim 6 wherein each button is configured to slide within a respective channel defined by the cover.

21. The panel of claim 6, further comprising:

an electromagnetic interference gasket coupled to the cover to provide a force on the panel in a direction away from the electronic cabinet frame when the panel is secured to the electronic cabinet frame.

22. A panel for an electronic cabinet frame, the electronic cabinet frame having (i) a set of vertically-oriented frame members and (ii) a set of fasteners attached to the set of vertically-oriented frame members, the panel comprising:

a cover;

a set of latches coupled to the cover;

a set of buttons which, when the set of latches engages the set of fasteners to secure the panel to the electronic cabinet frame and when the set of buttons is depressed, is configured to disengage the set of latches from the set of fasteners to release the panel from the electronic cabinet frame, wherein each button of the set of buttons includes;

an actuating portion in communication with a corresponding latch of the set of latches; and

a face portion that defines a set of friction bumps to contact a user'"'"'s finger.

23. A panel for an electronic cabinet frame, the electronic cabinet frame having (i) a set of vertically-oriented frame members and (ii) a set of fasteners attached to the set of vertically-oriented frame members, the panel comprising:

a cover;

a set of latches coupled to the cover;

a set of buttons which, when the set of latches engages the set of fasteners to secure the panel to the electronic cabinet frame and when the set of buttons is depressed, is configured to disengage the set of latches from the set of fasteners to release the panel from the electronic cabinet frame;

a set of springs that biases the set of latches and the set of buttons toward a set of outer edges of the cover; and

an electromagnetic interference gasket coupled to the cover to provide a force on the panel in a direction away from the electronic cabinet frame when the panel is secured to the electronic cabinet frame.

24. A method for operating a panel for an electronic cabinet frame, the electronic cabinet frame having (i) a set of vertically-oriented frame members and (ii) a set of fasteners attached to the set of vertically-oriented frame members, the method comprising the steps of:

engaging a set of latches of the panel to the set of fasteners of the electronic cabinet frame to secure the panel to the electronic cabinet frame;

actuating a locking device of the panel, the locking device being configured to selectively enable and disable movement of a set of buttons of the panel;

depressing the set of buttons of the panel to disengage the set of latches from the set of fasteners to release the panel from the electronic cabinet frame; and

after the step of depressing, moving the panel away from the electronic cabinet frame.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the set of buttons includes a first button and a second button, and wherein the step of depressing the set of buttons includes the step of:

pushing the first and second buttons toward each other.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of moving the panel away from the electronic cabinet frame includes the step of:

pulling and lifting the panel by grasping projecting rims that extend around parts of the first and second buttons while the first and second buttons remain pushed toward each other.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the panel further includes a locking device, and wherein the step of engaging the set of latches of the panel to the set of fasteners of the electronic cabinet frame includes the step of:

shifting the set of latches relative to the set of fasteners to secure the panel to the electronic cabinet frame while the locking device is in a locked state that prevents movement of the set of buttons.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of depressing the set of buttons includes the step of:

applying respective forces directly onto a surface of each button to move that button in a sliding manner relative to the cover.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the panel has a cover which is configured to be wider than a distance between the vertically-oriented frame members of the electronic cabinet frame, and wherein applying the respective forces includes the step of:

pushing each button in a direction away from an adjacent end of the cover.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein the panel has a cover, and wherein the step of depressing the set of buttons includes the step of:

sliding each button within a respective channel defined by the cover.