公开(公告)号：US6362955B2

公开(公告)日：2002-03-26

申请号：US3864398

申请日：1998-03-11

Applicant: COMPAQ COMPUTER CORP

Inventor： FELCMAN FRANCIS A ,  HALL DONALD J

IPC: G06F1/16 ,  G06F1/18

CPC classification number: G06F1/16 ,  G06F1/181 ,  G06F2200/1638

Abstract: A computer may be easily user re-configured between desktop and tower housing orientations, with the computer's front side drive units being horizontally disposed in each orientation, using specially designed drive unit support and a reconfigurable front bezel. A square opening is formed in the front exterior wall of the housing, and the support apparatus includes spaced apart channel structures extending inwardly into the housing from the four sides of the wall opening, with opposing pairs of the channel structures being adapted to slidably receive corresponding projections on opposite side edge portions of the drive units. In this manner, each front side drive unit can be supported at the opening in a first orientation in which the drive unit will be horizontally oriented with the computer in a desktop orientation, or a second orientation in which the drive unit will be horizontally oriented with the computer in a tower orientation. When the bezel is secured to the outer side of the front housing wall an opening in the bezel body outwardly overlies the housing wall opening. A frame portion of the bezel is provided with a snap-in blank off plate to cover a portion of the housing wall opening unoccupied by drive units, and the frame portion may be removably installed on the bezel body in mutually perpendicular orientations to accommodate the selected desktop or tower configuration of the computer housing.

Abstract translation: 计算机可以在台式机和塔架外壳方向之间轻松地重新配置，计算机的前侧驱动单元使用专门设计的驱动单元支撑和可重新配置的前挡板将水平设置在每个方位。 方形开口形成在壳体的前外壁中，并且支撑装置包括从壁开口的四个侧向内延伸到壳体中的间隔开的通道结构，相对的通道结构对适于滑动地接收对应的 在驱动单元的相对侧边缘部分上的突起。 以这种方式，每个前侧驱动单元可以以第一方向被支撑在开口处，其中驱动单元将以计算机在桌面方向上水平定向，或者第二取向，其中驱动单元将以 电脑在塔的方向。 当挡板固定到前壳体壁的外侧时，挡板体中的开口向外覆盖在壳体壁开口上。 挡板的框架部分设置有卡扣式挡板，以覆盖未被驱动单元占据的壳体壁开口的一部分，并且框架部分可以以相互垂直的取向可拆卸地安装在挡板主体上，以适应所选择的 桌面或塔式配置的电脑外壳。