Rail coupling handle, unit support mechanism and electronic device

• US 8,077,468 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Fujikawa, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/320,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20090141457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.36, 361/727
• US Class Current: 361/727
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/12 Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/123 Mounting arrangements of constructional parts onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/127 Mounting arrangements of constructional parts onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1418 Card guides, e.g. grooves H05K7/1425 takes precedence

Abstract

A disclosed rail coupling member couples a pair of rail members to be attached to lateral sides of a unit that is detachably supported in an electronic device. The rail coupling member is a flexible and discrete unit, and is not part of the rail members. The rail coupling member has end portions to which the rail members are to be joined, respectively, in a separable manner.

Claims

1. A rail coupling arrangement comprising:

a pair of rail members removably attached to a pair of lateral sides of a unit, the unit being detachably supported by a frame of an electronic device, and the pair of rail members facilitating removal of the unit from the frame; and

a flexible handle including end portions, the end portions detachably coupled to the pair of rail members,

wherein the rail members of the pair of rail members each includes a support portion having a projection which protrudes in a direction away from the pair of lateral sides of the unit when the pair of rail members coupled by the flexible handle is attached to the unit, the projection removably engaging a corresponding recession portion in the frame, and

wherein when the unit is being removed from the frame, a first force, applied to a substantially central portion of the flexible handle and in a first direction substantially parallel to the pair of rail members, causes

the flexible handle to deform such that at least some of the first force is manifested as a second force applied in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and

the second force being applied to at least one of the rail members that includes the projection, the second force causing the projection of the rail member to move in the second direction away from the corresponding recess portion in the frame so as to disengage the projection.

2. The rail coupling arrangement as claimed in claim 1, the flexible handle further comprising:

openings disposed in the vicinity of ends thereof,

wherein the support portions of the pair of rail members penetrate through the corresponding openings and the end portions are fixed to the rail members.

3. The rail coupling arrangement as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the flexible handle is a sheet member.

4. The rail coupling arrangement as claimed in claim 3,

wherein the flexible handle is made of a flexible plastic sheet and formed by punching.

5. A unit support system for supporting a unit in an electronic device, the unit support system comprising:

a pair of rail members removably attached to a pair of lateral sides of the unit, the unit being detachably supported in the electronic device, and the pair of rail members facilitating removal of the unit from the electronic device;

a flexible handle including end portions, the end portions detachably coupled to the pair of rail members; and

a frame for supporting, in the electronic device, the unit via the pair of rail members,

wherein the rail members of the pair of rail members each includes a support portion having a projection which protrudes in a direction away from the pair of lateral sides of the unit when the pair of rail members coupled by the flexible handle is attached to the unit, the projection removably engaging a corresponding recession portion in the frame, and

wherein when the unit is being removed from the frame, a first force, applied to a substantially central portion of the flexible handle and in a first direction substantially parallel to the pair of rail members, causes

the flexible handle to deform such that at least some of the first force is manifested as a second force applied in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and

the second force being applied to at least one of the rail members that includes the projection, the second force causing the projection of the rail member to move in the second direction away from the corresponding recess portion in the frame so as to disengage the projection.

6. The unit support system as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the frame includes rail channels into which the rail members are inserted to support the unit with the rail channel via the pair of rail members.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a unit support mechanism for supporting a unit to be attached to and detached from the electronic device,

wherein the unit support mechanism includes

a pair of rail members attached to a pair of lateral sides of the unit, the unit being detachably supported in the electronic device, and the pair of rail members facilitating removal of the unit from the electronic device;

a flexible handle including end portions, the end portions detachably coupled to the pair of rail members; and

a frame for supporting, in the electronic device, the unit via the pair of rail members,

wherein the rail members of the pair of rail members each includes a support portion having a projection which protrudes in a direction away from the pair of lateral sides of the unit when the pair of rail members coupled by the flexible handle is attached to the unit, the projection removably engaging a corresponding recession portion in the frame, and

wherein when the unit is being removed from the frame, a first force, applied to a substantially central portion of the flexible handle and in a first direction substantially parallel to the pair of rail members, causes

the flexible handle to deform such that at least some of the first force is manifested as a second force applied in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and

the second force being applied to at least one of the rail members that includes the projection, the second force causing the projection of the rail member to move in the second direction away from the corresponding recess portion in the frame so as to disengage the projection.