Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Donald J Hall

Jeffrey A Lambert

Francis A Felcman

Gregory C Franke

Juan M Perez

Arthur K Farnsworth

John E Calloway

Pete Austin

Jeff Lambert

A lock for a computer device comprises a lever operable to be positioned in a locked position and comprising at least one flange, a locking base slidably coupled to a device housing and attached to the lever, and a spring coupled to the locking base and to the device housing and operated upon by the lever, where in the locked position the at least one flange slides in a first corresponding at least one notch formed on the device housing, and where the locking base slides into a corresponding second notch formed on the device housing.

Method and apparatus for locking a computer device

Various embodiments of a media drive containment apparatus and methods are provided. In one representative embodiment a media drive containment apparatus includes a drivecage which supports at least one media drive. The drivecage is moveable along an axis from an operating position to a release position and the movement of the drivecage to the release position unlocks the media drive from the drivecage.

Media drive containment apparatus and method

A screwless technique for mounting a circuit board in a computer chassis is provided in which circular portions of keyhole-shaped mounting openings in the circuit board body are first moved downwardly over notched chassis mounting bosses. The circuit board is then forwardly moved transversely to the bosses to move opening edge portions of the circuit board body into the boss notches in a manner releasably preventing the circuit board from being lifted off the bosses. A retaining bracket is placed adjacent a body edge of the installed circuit board to block the board against rearward releasing movement relative to the chassis bosses.

Circuit board mounting methods

A clip is disclosed which is capable of applying significant retention force via a rotatable cam arm while being easily removable due to the cam arm and a separate removal arm. A method of using the clip is also disclosed which uses the advantages of the clip, particularly in the context of computer design and construction.

Easily removed heatsink clip

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.

Computer selectively configurable in both desktop and tower orientations

A technique is provided for the insertion and removal of a motherboard and a heatsink from a computer chassis without the use of tools or threaded fasteners. The technique allows the heatsink to be supported by the chassis and not the motherboard thereby preventing damage to the motherboard.

Screwless retention of heatsink load to chassis

Circuit board mounting apparatus and associated methods

In a computer processor module/heat sink assembly, a spring clip member is used to resiliently hold a heat-generating die portion of the processor against the heat sink. Spaced retaining pins are secured to the processor module and extend through holes in the heat sink, with outer end portions of the retaining pins being captively retained in slots in the spring clip member, and portions of the clip member adjacent the outer pin ends being resiliently deformed toward the outer side of the heat sink to thereby resiliently press the processor die portion against the underside of the heat sink. The clip member may be quickly installed on and removed from the outer pin ends without the use of tools of any sort. In an alternate embodiment of the processor module/heat sink assembly, the retaining pins are secured to the heat sink and extend through holes in the processor module, with outer ends of the pins being captively and removably secured to the spring clip which is positioned on the outer side of the processor module.

Resilient processor/heat sink retaining assembly

A computer may be easily user re-configured between desktop and tower housing orientations, with a group of the computer's front side drive units being horizontally disposed in each orientation, using a specially designed drive unit support and latch structures. 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 in the group thereof 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. As a particular drive unit is inserted in either orientation, a resilient latch structure is deflected by the drive unit and then releasably locks it into place. The latch structure is defined by two perpendicular, spring-loaded latch members which are cammingly interconnected in a manner such that a drive-releasing movement of one of the latch members simultaneously forces the other latch member through its drive-releasing movement.

Growing community of inventors

Magnolia, TX, United States of America

Donald J Hall