The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 24, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1999
Ralph W. Jensen, Austin, TX (US);
Richard S. Mills, Austin, TX (US);
Tracey Kannmacher, Lago Vista, TX (US);
Dell USA, L.P., Round Rock, TX (US);
Abstract
An apparatus includes a chassis having an access panel mounted on the chassis for being moved between an open position and a closed position. A plurality of mounting flanges extend from an interior surface of the access panel. An elongated latch has a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end of the latch are slidably mounted between the interior surface of the access panel and a corresponding one of the mounting flanges. The latch is movable between a latched position and an unlatched position with respect to a flange portion of the chassis in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the latch. A plurality of contoured resilient members are mounted between the latch and the access panel for biasing the latch to the latched position. A contoured portion of one of the resilient members is inverted from a contoured portion an adjacent one of the resilient members. The apparatus has a low profile with respect to system components mounted in the chassis and with respect to a rack that the chassis is mounted in. The configuration of the resilient members provides a center-balanced force with respect to a longitudinal axis of the latch, contributing to a smooth latch operation. Furthermore, the resilient members are capable of developing a relatively high force while occupying only a relatively small space.