Screw less clip mounted computer drive

• US 6,885,550 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cargill Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Axxion Group Corporation (Loyalty Founder Enterprise Company Limited)
• Inventors: Williams, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Anthony Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/648,405
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 361/685, 361/684, 361/683, 361/686, 361724-728, 361/802, 361/801, 361/732, 361/740, 361/747, 361/756, 3122231-333, 364/708.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49876 by snap fit

Abstract

A computer drive securing system comprising a chassis for receiving and supporting a computer drive unit by one or more securing clips. The chassis includes one or more pinholes and one or more clip mounting features. The securing clip includes one or more securing pins and one or more flexible tabs for engaging the pinholes and clip mounting features of the chassis, respectively. The pins project into a screw hole or the like in the computer drive for releasably securing the computer drive to the chassis.

Claims

1. A computer drive securing system comprising:

a chassis, the chassis having at least one pinhole and at least one clip mounting feature projecting outwardly from the chassis; and

a securing clip having at least one securing pin and at least one flexible tab for engaging said pinhole and said clip mounting feature of the chassis, respectively, said securing pin projecting through said pinhole and engageable with a computer drive supported on said chassis for securing said computer drive to said chassis.

2. The computer drive securing system of claim 1 wherein the clip mounting features are formed as a part of the chassis.

3. The computer drive securing system of claim 1 wherein the securing pins are of sufficient size to be projected through the pinholes of the chassis and into at least one screw hole of the computer drive.

4. The computer drive securing system of claim 1 wherein the securing pins are formed integral with from the securing clip.

5. The computer drive securing system of claim 1 wherein the flexible tabs are formed integral with the securing clip.

6. The computer drive securing system of claim 1 wherein the flexible tabs are configured to be deflected by and engaged with the clip mounting features of the chassis.

7. A method of securing a computer drive to a chassis having at least one pinhole and at least one pin mounting clip feature projecting outwardly from the chassis comprising the steps of:

sliding the computer drive into the chassis such that rails formed in the chassis engage grooves formed in the computer drive, and such that at least one screw hole on the computer drive aligns with at least one pinhole on the chassis;

aligning a securing clip having at least one securing pin and at least one flexible tab with the pinholes of the chassis;

passing the securing pin through the pinholes of the chassis and the screw holes of the computer drive such that the securing pin simultaneously engages the chassis and the computer drive; and

engaging the flexible tabs to at least one clip mounting bracket formed as part of the chassis such that the securing clip is removably fastened to the chassis thereby securing the computer drive.

8. A computer drive securing system comprising:

a chassis, the chassis having at least one pinhole and at least one clip mounting feature, projecting outwardly from the chassis, formed as a part of the chassis; and

a securing clip having at least one securing pin and at least one flexible tab for engaging the pinhole and the clip mounting feature of the chassis, respectively, the securing pin projecting through the pinhole and engageable with a computer drive supported on the chassis for securing the computer drive to the chassis.

9. The computer drive securing system of claim 8 wherein at least one securing pin is of sufficient size to be projected through a pinhole of the chassis and into at least one screw hole of the computer drive.

10. The computer drive securing system of claim 8 wherein at least one securing pin is formed integral to the securing clip.

11. The computer drive securing system of claim 8 wherein at least one flexible tab is formed integral with the securing clip.

12. The computer drive securing system of claim 8 wherein at least one flexible tab is configured to be deflected by and engaged with at least one clip mounting feature of the chassis.

13. A computer drive securing system comprising:

a chassis, the chassis having at least one pinhole and at least one clip mounting feature projecting outwardly from the chassis; and

a securing clip having at least one securing pin formed integral to the securing clip and at least one flexible tab for engaging the pinhole and the clip mounting feature of the chassis, respectively, the securing pin projecting through the pinhole and engageable with a computer drive supported on the chassis for securing the computer drive to the chassis.

14. The computer drive securing system of claim 13 wherein at least one clip mounting feature is formed as a part of the chassis.

15. The computer drive securing system of claim 13 wherein at least one securing pin is of sufficient size to be projected through a pinhole of the chassis and into at least one screw hole of the computer drive.

16. The computer drive securing system of claim 13 wherein at least one flexible tab is formed integral with the securing clip.

17. The computer drive securing system of claim 13 wherein at least one flexible tab is configured to be deflected by and engaged with at least one clip mounting feature of the chassis.