GB2328529A

GB2328529A - Computer housing has sidewall apertured to admit power supply module

Info

Publication number: GB2328529A
Application number: GB9717799A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ping-Chun Chu
Original assignee: CHU PING CHUN
Current assignee: CHU PING CHUN
Priority date: 1997-08-21
Filing date: 1997-08-21
Publication date: 1999-02-24
Also published as: GB9717799D0; CN2355359Y

Abstract

A computer includes a computer housing 20 having a vertical side wall 21, on which a power supply 30 module is mounted, in an opening 22, by a plate 23 bolted both to the wall and to the power supply. The opening is of a size so as to permit the power supply to extend through it. When the plate has been unbolted from the wall, it and the power supply may be moved as an assembly, so that the power supply extends from the housing, through the opening. A flange (25, Figure 7) surrounding the opening, projects into the housing, and supports the power supply. Removal of the power supply, through the opening, allows access to the interior of the housing, to facilitate repair and maintenance of other computer parts in the housing.

Description

Title: COMPUTER HAVING A COMPUTER HOUSING WITH AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH A POWER SUPPLY CAN EXTEND This invention relates to a computer having a computer housing in which a power supply is mounted, more particularly to a computer which includes a computer housing that has an opening through which a power supply can extend for removal from the housing to facilitate repair and maintenance of other parts in the computer housing.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in a conventional computer housing 10, a power supply 11 is mounted removably on an inner surface of a vertical side wall 12, thereby making it more difficult to assemble the power supply 11 on the computer housing 10 and to repair and maintain other parts near the power supply 11, such as interface cards 13, a CD-ROM drive 14, a floppy disk drive 15 and a hard disk drive 16. As illustrated, the vertical side wall 12 has an opening 17 which is too small for passage of the power supply 11 therethrough. The power supply 11 can be connected to a power source (not shown) by means of an electrical cable (not shown).

The object of this invention is to provide a computer housing having a vertical wall formed with an opening through which a power supply can extend for removal from the housing to facilitate repair and maintenance of other parts in the computer housing.

According to this invention, a computer includes a computer housing having a vertical side wall, and a power supply mounted removably on the vertical side wall. The side wall has an opening in which the power supply is mounted removably. The opening is sized so as to permit extension of the power supply therethrough. The power supply can be removed from the computer housing via the opening to facilitate repair and maintenance of other parts in the computer housing.

Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a conventional computer which consists of a computer housing and a power supply disposed in the computer housing; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the conventional computer shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a vertical side wall formed with an opening through which a power supply in the computer housing can connect with a power source by means of an electrical cable; Fig. 3 shows a computer of a preferred embodiment of this invention, illustrating how a power supply is mounted in the computer housing; Fig. 4 illustrates how the power supply is extended partially from the computer housing of the computer of the preferred embodiment of this invention through an opening which is formed through a vertical side wall of the computer housing; Fig. 5 illustrates how the power supply is removed from the computer housing of the computer of the preferred embodiment of this invention via the opening in the vertical side wall of the computer housing; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a portion of the vertical side wall which has a flange; and Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating how the power supply is positioned within the opening of the vertical side wall of the computer housing in the computer of this invention.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the preferred embodiment of a computer of this invention is shown to include a computer housing 20 and a power supply 30 which has a rectangular cross-section. The computer housing 20 includes a vertical side wall 21 having a rectangular opening 22 which is formed therethrough, and a vertical, rectangular positioning plate 23. The plate 23 has a width and a length that are larger than those of the opening 22, and a plurality of holes 24 formed therethrough for bolting to the power supply 30 and the vertical side wall 21, thereby preventing untimely removal of the power supply 30 from the computer housing 20 through the opening 22.

As illustrated, the opening 22 is sized so as to receive the power supply 30 fittingly therein. The opening 22 is defined by a rectangular flange 25 (see Figs. 6 and 7) which projects inward from the side wall 21. Accordingly, after the positioning plate 23 is unbolted from the side wall 21, the assembly of the power supply 30 and the positioning plate 23 can be slid within the opening 22 and can be supported at the position shown in Fig. 5 in which a majority of the power supply 30 is extended from the computer housing 20 through the opening 22 while preventing the power supply 30 from falling out of the opening 22.

In assembly, the power supply 30 can be easily mounted into the computer housing 20 through the opening 22 after the other parts of the computer are installed in a known manner.

The power supply 30 can be extended partially from the opening 22 to the position shown in Fig. 5, or removed from the computer housing 20 via the opening 22 so that other parts in the computer housing 20 can be repaired and maintained conveniently.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A computer including a computer housing having a vertical side wall, and a power supply mounted removably on the vertical side wall, wherein the improvement comprises the side wall having an opening in which the power supply is mounted removably, said opening being sized so as to permit extension of the power supply therethrough, whereby, the power supply can be removed from the computer housing via said opening to facilitate repair and maintenance of other parts in the computer housing.

2. A computer as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the power supply has a rectangular cross-section, said opening being rectangular and being sized so as to receive the power supply fittingly therein, the computer housing further including a vertical, rectangular positioning plate which is bolted to the power supply and which has a width and a length that are larger than those of said opening, said plate being bolted to the side wall so as to prevent untimely removal of the power supply from said computer through said opening, whereby, when said plate is unbolted from the side wall, assembly of the power supply and said plate can be slid within said opening, thereby permitting partial extension of the assembly of the power supply and said plate from the computer housing through said opening in such a manner that the assembly of the power supply and said plate remains positioned within said opening.

3. A computer as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the vertical side wall has a rectangular flange which projects inward therefrom so as to support firmly the power supply within said opening.

4. A computer substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to Figures 3 through 7 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A computer substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying description.