Computer enclosure incorporating hood fastener

Abstract

A computer enclosure includes a cage ( 10 ), a hood ( 20 ) and a fastener ( 30 ) securing the hood to the cage. The cage includes a rear wall ( 12 ) defining a breach ( 16 ) therein, and top and bottom walls ( 11, 15 ) each defining a number of splits ( 112 ). The hood includes a number of hooks ( 29 ) engaging with the splits, and defines an opening ( 22 ) to accommodating the fastener. The fastener includes an actuator ( 36 ) movably attached to the hood, a latch ( 34 ) connecting to the actuator and forming an extension portion ( 344 ) to engage with the rear wall. When the actuator is movably from a locked position to an unlocked position, the extension portion of the latch disengages from the rear wall and is moved away from the rear wall to cause the hood to be moved relative to the cage, thereby releasing the hooks from the splits.

1 . A computer enclosure comprising: 
 a cage comprising a rear wall defining a breach therein, a top and a bottom wall comprising a first engaging means;    a hood detachably secured on the cage, the hood comprising a mounting cavity, and a second engaging means engaging with the first engaging means; and    a fastener attached in the mounting cavity of the hood, the fastener comprising a movable actuator, and a latch forming a slanted extension portion;    wherein the actuator is movable between a first position in which the first engaging means engages with the second engaging means, and the extension portion of the latch abuts the rear panel, and a second position in which the actuator drives the extension portion to align with the breach of the rear panel, and the second engaging means is disengaged from the first engaging means.    
   
   
       2 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the first engaging means comprises a plurality of splits, and the second engaging means comprises a plurality of hooks.  
   
   
       3 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a brim is formed inwardly from one side of the rear wall.  
   
   
       4 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the breach is defined in the rear wall near the brim, with a bent sheet folded back from one edge of the breach, and a middle portion of the brim is stamped inwardly to form a limiting portion, corresponding to the breach.  
   
   
       5 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the mounting cavity comprises a pair of L-shaped first retaining portions at opposite sides thereof, and a second retaining portion at a front side thereof, therefore restricting the fastener therein.  
   
   
       6 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein a fixing holes is defined in each of the first retaining portions, and a pair of retaining ends is formed from rear ends of the first retaining portions.  
   
   
       7 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the latch comprises a fixing portion, the extension portion slantingly extends from one end of the fixing portion.  
   
   
       8 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein a curved finger-shaped elastic portion is formed at the other end of the fixing portion.  
   
   
       9 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein two posts extend from each of opposite sides of the fixing portion.  
   
   
       10 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein a protrusion protrudes from the extension portion near the fixing portion.  
   
   
       11 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fastener further comprises a first cover and a second cover to retain the actuator and the latch therebetween.  
   
   
       12 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein a retaining hole is defined in the first cover to receive an operation portion of the actuator, and three tabs are bent perpendicularly from three edges of the retaining hole, except a rear edge.  
   
   
       13 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the second cover defines two fixing apertures, corresponding to posts which depend from the latch.  
   
   
       14 . A computer enclosure comprising: 
 a cage comprising a rear wall defining a breach therein;    a hood slidingly mounted to the cage along a first direction perpendicular to the rear wall to be in a locked position and slidingly detachable from the cage along a second direction opposite to the first direction to be in an unlocked position; and    a fastener comprising an actuator movably attached to the hood, and a latch forming an extension portion;    wherein the latch is movable upon operation of the actuator between a holding position in which the extension portion engages with the rear wall of the cage and locks the hood in the locked position and a released position in which the extension portion is released from the rear wall to cause the hood to slide to the unlocked position.    
   
   
       15 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the extension portion of the latch forms a protrusion thereon.  
   
   
       16 . The computer enclosure in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the actuator comprises a base slidingly pressing the protrusion when the actuator is pressed from the locked position to the unlocked position.  
   
   
       17 . A computer enclosure comprising: 
 a cage defining two sides walls connected by a rear wall, the side walls defining at least one first engagement section and the rear wall defining a latching section;    a hood defining a first latching section corresponding to the first engagement section, and a second latching section corresponding to the second engagement section;    the second latching section including a resilient latch releasably engaged with second engagement section in back-and-forth directions under a condition that the first latching section is latched to the first engagement section in a vertical direction perpendicular to said back-and-forth directions, and a moveable actuator located around said resilient latch to disengage the latch from the second latching section so as to allow the hood to leave from the cage in the back-and-forth directions.    
   
   
       18 . The computer enclosure as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said actuator is moveable along the back-and-forth directions.  
   
   
       19 . The computer enclosure as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said first latching section is of an L-shaped configuration, and said hood is assembled to said cage with an L-shaped movement.