Latch system and method for an information handling system

• US 7,478,889 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Marroquin, Marco A., Revell, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hansen; James O
• Application Number:
  US11/141,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20060268501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 312/323, 312/222, 312/302, 312/303, 312/322, 312/327, 312/328, 312/223.2, 312/257.1, 312/265.6, 312/223.1, 292/49, 292/194, 292/195, 292/215, 292/197, 292/210, 292/335, 292/DIG.37, 292/146, 292/DIG.38, 292/19, 292/80, 292/81, 292/83, 220/324, 220/315, 220/326, 220/811, 361/726, 361/747, 361/683, 224/926
• US Class Current: 312/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/694 Covers

Abstract

A rotating door panel is coupled to a chassis. A pair of arms extend from a base connected to the chassis. The arms are movable between a first configuration and a second configuration. A latch is connected to the chassis, and a stryker connected to the door panel is engageable with the arms. The stryker is operable to angularly approach the latch for engagement with the latch.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a chassis having a base;

a door panel movably coupled to the chassis;

a latch striker coupled to the door panel and having a striker face disposed at a non-orthogonal angle with the door panel and including a beveled end adjacent the striker face;

a latch, connected to the base and including a pair of flexible arms forming an opening having tapered latch faces, the opening being disposed at an angle with the base for matched engagement with the angle of the striker face, the flexible arms being operable to move apart from an at rest position in response to the tapered faces receiving the beveled end of the latch striker and subsequently return to the at rest position to retain the latch striker; and

an actuator mounted on the base adjacent the latch, the actuator being operable to flex the arms apart sufficient to release the retained latched striker.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the striker face angle is about a 45-degree angle.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the opening of the flexible arms is about a 45-degree angle.

4. An information handling system comprising:

a chassis;

a rotating and translating door panel coupled to the chassis;

a base connected to the chassis;

a latch striker coupled to the door panel and having a striker face disposed at a non-orthogonal angle with the door panel and including a beveled end adjacent the striker face;

a latch, connected to the base and including a pair of flexible arms forming an opening having tapered latch faces, the opening being disposed at an angle with the base for matched engagement with the angle of the striker face, the flexible arms being operable to move apart from an at rest position in response to the tapered faces receiving the beveled end of the latch striker and subsequently return to the at rest position to retain the latch striker; and

an actuator mounted on the base adjacent the latch, the actuator being operable to flex the arms apart sufficient to release the retained latched striker.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the striker face angle is about a 45-degree angle.

6. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the opening of the flexible arms is about a 45-degree angle.

7. A method comprising:

providing a chassis having a base;

coupling a movable door panel to the chassis;

coupling a latch striker to the door panel and having a striker face disposed at a non-orthogonal angle with the door panel and including a beveled end adjacent the striker face;

connecting a latch to the base and including a pair of flexible arms forming an opening having tapered latch faces, the opening being disposed at an angle with the base for matched engagement with the angle of the striker face, the flexible arms being operable to move apart from an at rest position in response to the tapered faces receiving the beveled end of the latch striker and subsequently return to the at rest position to retain the latch striker; and

mounting an actuator on the base adjacent the latch, the actuator being operable to flex the arms apart sufficient to release the retained latched striker.