US20070284977A1 - Computer casing having alignment line - Google Patents

Abstract

A computer casing for a computer includes a housing, and a side cover. The side cover has a plurality of locking hooks, at least one first straight side and at least one second straight side. The housing has at least one first side rail having a straight side and a plurality of locking slots and at least one second side rail having at least one alignment line. Thus, when the first straight side of the side cover aligns with the straight side of the first side rail of the housing and the second straight side of the side cover aligns with the alignment line of the second side rail of the housing, each of the locking hooks of the side cover is inserted into the respective locking slot of the first side rail.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to a casing, and more particularly to a casing for a computer.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• A conventional computer casing for a computer in accordance with the prior art is disclosed in the Taiwanese Patent Publication No. M287456 and comprises a housing, and a side cover mounted on the housing. The side cover has an inner face provided with a plurality of locking hooks. The housing has a face formed with a plurality of locking slots to lock the locking hooks of the side cover. However, when the side cover is attached to the housing, the user cannot see the inner face of the side cover, so that it is difficult to align each of the locking hooks of the side cover with the respective locking slot of the housing, thereby causing inconvenience to the user during assembly of the side cover. In addition, the locking hooks of the side cover are easily compressed and deformed due to misalignment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention is to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional computer casing.
• The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a computer casing having at least one alignment line.
• Another objective of the present invention is to provide a computer casing, wherein each of the locking hooks of the side cover is inserted into the respective locking slot of the first side rail by guidance of the alignment line, so that the side cover is mounted onto the housing easily and rapidly.
• A further objective of the present invention is to provide a computer casing, wherein each of the locking hooks of the side cover is exactly aligned with the respective locking slot of the first side rail by guidance of the alignment line, thereby preventing the locking hooks of the side cover from being compressed and deformed due to misalignment.
• A further objective of the present invention is to provide a computer casing, wherein the side cover is movable toward the outer side of the second side rail of the housing by guidance of the indicating mark, so that the side cover is mounted onto the housing easily and rapidly.
• Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a computer casing in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the computer casing as shown inFIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a schematic operational view of the computer casing as shown inFIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 is a locally enlarged view of the computer casing as shown inFIG. 3;
• FIG. 5 is a plan view of the computer casing as shown inFIG. 3; and
• FIG. 6 is a locally enlarged view of the computer casing as shown inFIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Referring to the drawings and initially toFIGS. 1-4, a casing for a computer in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises ahousing2, and aside cover1 mounted on thehousing2.
• Theside cover1 has aninner face10 and a plurality oflocking hooks14 mounted on theinner face10. Theinner face10 of theside cover1 has at least one firststraight side11 and at least one secondstraight side12 perpendicular to the firststraight side11.
• Thehousing2 has at least onefirst side rail21 facing the firststraight side11 of theside cover1 and at least onesecond side rail22 facing the secondstraight side12 of theside cover1 and perpendicular to thefirst side rail21. Thefirst side rail21 of thehousing2 has astraight side210 aligning with the firststraight side11 of theside cover1 and has a face formed with a plurality oflocking slots23 to lock thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1.
• Thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2 has at least onealignment line3. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2 has twoalignment lines3 in line with each other.
• In assembly, when the firststraight side11 of theside cover1 aligns with thestraight side210 of thefirst side rail21 of thehousing2 and the secondstraight side12 of theside cover1 aligns with thealignment line3 of thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2, each of thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 is inserted into therespective locking slot23 of thefirst side rail21 as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6. Thus, the user only needs to align the firststraight side11 of theside cover1 with thestraight side210 of thefirst side rail21 of thehousing2 and to align the secondstraight side12 of theside cover1 with thealignment line3 of thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2, so that each of thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 is inserted into therespective locking slot23 of thefirst side rail21 exactly and smoothly.
• Thus, each of thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 is inserted into therespective locking slot23 of thefirst side rail21 by guidance of thealignment line3, so that theside cover1 is mounted onto thehousing2 easily and rapidly. In addition, each of thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 is exactly aligned with therespective locking slot23 of thefirst side rail21 by guidance of thealignment line3, thereby preventing thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 from being compressed and deformed due to misalignment.
• Preferably, thealignment line3 is formed by punching, stamping, etching, printing, painting or bonding. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, thealignment line3 is formed by punching or stamping, so that thealignment line3 has a depth and has a wear-resistant feature.
• On the other hand, after each of thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 is inserted into therespective locking slot23 of thefirst side rail21, theside cover1 is moved toward anouter side220 of thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2, so that each of thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 is locked in therespective locking slot23 of thefirst side rail21 so as to attach theside cover1 to thehousing2.
• As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2 has at least one indicating mark4 directed toward theouter side220 of thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2, so that theside cover1 is movable toward theouter side220 of thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2 by guidance of the indicating mark4. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the indicating mark4 is located adjacent to thealignment line3.
• As shown inFIG. 2, theside cover1 is provided with aprotruding handle5 to facilitate a user assembling and disassembling theside cover1.
• Accordingly, each of thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 is inserted into therespective locking slot23 of thefirst side rail21 by guidance of thealignment line3, so that theside cover1 is mounted onto thehousing2 easily and rapidly. In addition, each of thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 is exactly aligned with therespective locking slot23 of thefirst side rail21 by guidance of thealignment line3, thereby preventing thelocking hooks14 of theside cover1 from being compressed and deformed due to misalignment. Further, theside cover1 is movable toward theouter side220 of thesecond side rail22 of thehousing2 by guidance of the indicating mark4, so that theside cover1 is mounted onto thehousing2 easily and rapidly.
• Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. A computer casing, comprising a housing, and a side cover mounted on the housing, wherein:

the side cover has an inner face and a plurality of locking hooks mounted on the inner face;

the inner face of the side cover has at least one first straight side and at least one second straight side perpendicular to the first straight side;

the housing has at least one first side rail facing the first straight side of the side cover and at least one second side rail facing the second straight side of the side cover and perpendicular to the first side rail;

the first side rail of the housing has a straight side aligning with the first straight side of the side cover and has a face formed with a plurality of locking slots to lock the locking hooks of the side cover;

the second side rail of the housing has at least one alignment line;

when the first straight side of the side cover aligns with the straight side of the first side rail of the housing and the second straight side of the side cover aligns with the alignment line of the second side rail of the housing, each of the locking hooks of the side cover is inserted into the respective locking slot of the first side rail.

2. The computer casing in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the alignment line has a depth.

3. The computer casing in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the second side rail of the housing has at least one indicating mark directed toward an outer side of the second side rail of the housing.

4. The computer casing in accordance withclaim 3, wherein the indicating mark is located adjacent to the alignment line.

5. The computer casing in accordance withclaim 3, wherein the side cover is movable toward the outer side of the second side rail of the housing by guidance of the indicating mark.

6. The computer casing in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the side cover is provided with a protruding handle to facilitate a user assembling and disassembling the side cover.

7. The computer casing in accordance withclaim 1, wherein each of the locking hooks of the side cover is inserted into the respective locking slot of the first side rail by guidance of the alignment line.

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