HANDLE LATCHING MECHANISM

• US 20120236494A1
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wallace, Brian William, Swansey, John David, Tennant, Robert Paul, Xia, Xiaosong
• Granted Patent: US 8,854,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1489 characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays H05K7/1491 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

An assembly can include a base with a front side, a back side, a hinge axis, a hinge end, an opposing end and a beveled surface disposed intermediate the hinge end and the opposing end where the beveled surface includes an opening; a handle, configured for rotation about the hinge axis, with a front side, a back side, a hinge end and a swing end where the swing end includes an angled frame that defines an opening for access to a surface; and a latch with a pivot axis, a spring, a prong biased by the spring about the pivot axis and an actuation surface where, for a latched orientation, the prong extends through the opening of the beveled surface and into the opening of the angled frame to access and contact the surface of the handle and to bias the swing end of the handle toward the base. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

a base that comprises a front side, a back side, a hinge axis, a hinge end, an opposing end and a beveled surface disposed intermediate the hinge end and the opposing end wherein the beveled surface comprises an opening;

a handle, configured for rotation about the hinge axis, that comprises a front side, a back side, a hinge end and a swing end wherein the swing end comprises an angled frame that defines an opening for access to a surface; and

a latch that comprises a pivot axis, a spring, a prong biased by the spring about the pivot axis and an actuation surface wherein, for a latched orientation, the prong extends through the opening of the beveled surface and into the opening of the angled frame to access and contact the surface and to bias the swing end of the handle toward the base.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the prong comprises a beveled surface configured to contact the angled frame of the handle and, upon application of force to the handle, to rotate the pivotal latch toward the opening of the beveled surface of the base.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein, about the pivot axis, the prong and the actuation surface define an acute angle.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the pivotal latch comprises a throw of approximately 10 degrees about the pivot axis.

5. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a button configured to contact the actuation surface of the pivotal latch and, upon application of force, to rotate the pivotal latch about the pivot axis.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the prong comprises a prong length, wherein the opening defined by the angled frame comprises an opening length and wherein the prong length exceeds approximately fifty percent of the opening length.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the angled frame of the handle comprises a column configured to contact the front side of the base.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the prong contacts a surface of the column and wherein the base contacts an opposing surface of the column.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the column comprises a triangular cross-section.

10. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the handle comprises a triangular grip formed in part by the column.

11. A method comprising:

providing a media drive assembly in a latched orientation wherein the assembly comprises a handle rotatable about a hinge axis of a base and wherein a prong of a pivotable latch biases a swing end of the handle toward a front side of the base; and

providing a button in a chamber of the base, the button aligned with a front side of the handle and configured to translate in the chamber to contact the pivotable latch for rotating the prong and unlatching the swing end of the handle.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the providing a button comprises providing the button with a beveled edge disposed at an angle complimentary to an angle of a frame of the swing end of the handle wherein, for the latched orientation, the prong of the pivotable latch is seated in an opening defined by the frame.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the providing the assembly comprises providing a light guide for transmitting a status signal to a face of the base.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising transmitting a status signal via the light guide wherein the status signal calls for replacing a media drive carried by the assembly, at least in part by translating the button to contact the pivotable latch for rotating the prong and unlatching the swing end of the handle.

15. An assembly comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored in memory;

memory configured to store processor-executable instructions;

a media drive configured to store information and to respond to instructions executed by at least one of the one or more processors;

a subassembly configured to carry the media drive wherein the assembly comprises

a handle, configured for rotation about a hinge axis, that comprises a front side, a back side, a hinge end and an opposing swing end wherein the swing end comprises an angled frame that defines an opening for access to a surface;

a latch that comprises a pivot axis, a spring, a prong biased by the spring about the pivot axis and an actuation surface wherein, for a latched orientation, the prong extends into the opening of the angled frame to secure the latch end of the handle; and

a handle release button configured to contact the actuation surface of the pivotal latch and to rotate the prong out of the opening of the angled frame to release the latch end of the handle.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the handle comprises a grip formed in part by the angled frame.

17. The assembly of claim 15 wherein, for the latched orientation, the front side of the handle aligns with a front side of the handle release button.

18. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the pivotal latch comprises a substantially V-shape defined by the prong, the actuation surface and the pivot axis.

19. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the angled frame comprises a column wherein the column comprises a triangular cross-section.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein, for the latched orientation, the prong seats against a leg of the triangular cross-section of the column.