Screwless clip mounted computer drive

• US 7,212,411 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Axxion Group Corporation (Loyalty Founder Enterprise Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Axxion Group Corporation (Loyalty Founder Enterprise Company Limited)
• Inventors: Williams, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Saether; Flemming
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson; Michael P.
• Application Number:
  US10/764,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20040221441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 174/52.1, 174/52.4, 174/50.5, 174/50.51, 174/50.54, 361/685, 361/686, 361/725, 361/726, 361/732, 403/326, 403/329
• US Class Current: 361/726
• 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 screwless clip mounted computer drive.

Claims

1. A screwless apparatus, comprising:

a mounting clip coupled to an outer surface of a computer chassis and having one or more flexible tabs projecting outwardly from the outer surface; and

a securing clip detachably coupled to the mounting clip, wherein the securing clip is configured for selective engagement with the mounting clip and a computer drive, the securing clip having;

a securing pin configured to protrude through the computer chassis and selectively engage a screw hole of the computer drive, when the computer drive is selectively attached to an interior portion of the computer chassis; and

one or more flexible tabs configured for selective engagement with the one or more flexible tabs of the mounting clip.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an attachment means for coupling the mounting clip to the computer chassis.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more flexible tabs of the mounting clip comprise a pair of parallel flexible arms movable relative to each other, the one or more flexible tabs of the securing clip comprise a pair of parallel flexible arms movable relative to each other, and the flexible arms of the mounting clip define an area to resiliently receive the flexible arms of the securing clip.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an attachment means interacting between the flexible tabs of the mounting clip and the flexible tabs of the securing clip for detachably coupling the securing clip to the computer drive.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the securing pin is formed from and extending as a portion of the securing clip.

6. A screwless apparatus, comprising:

a securing clip; and

a mounting clip coupled to an outer surface of a computer chassis, the securing clip detachably coupled to the mounting clip and having;

at least two securing pins configured to protrude through holes on the computer chassis and into standardized screw holes on a computer drive, when the computer drive is selectively attached to an interior portion of the computer chassis; and

a flexible tab configured for selective engagement with a corresponding flexible tab on the mounting clip of the computer chassis, the flexible tab on the mounting clip projecting outwardly from the outer surface.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, further comprising an attachment means for coupling the mounting clip to the computer chassis.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the mounting clip is formed from and as a portion of the computer chassis.

9. A method for selectively attaching a computer drive to an interior portion of a computer chassis, comprising:

positioning a securing clip, the securing clip having a securing pin and one or more flexible tabs, through a pin alignment hole on the computer chassis;

selectively engaging the securing pin in a screw hole of the computer drive, when the computer drive is selectively attached to the interior portion; and

selectively engaging the one or more flexible tabs with one or more flexible tabs on a mounting clip, wherein the mounting clip is affixed to an outer surface of the computer chassis, and the securing clip is detachably coupled to the mounting clip, the one or more flexible tabs on the mounting clip projecting outwardly from the outer surface.

10. A screwless apparatus, comprising:

a mounting portion on an outer surface of a computer chassis, wherein the mounting portion has one or more tabs projecting outwardly from the outer surface; and

a securing clip detachably coupled to the mounting portion, wherein the securing clip is configured for selective engagement with the mounting portion and a computer drive, the securing clip having;

a securing pin configured to protrude through the computer chassis and selectively engage a screw hole of the computer drive, when the computer drive is selectively attached to an interior portion of the computer chassis; and

one or more flexible tabs configured for selective engagement with the one or more tabs of the mounting portion.