Organizer for cables and accessories in a computer and method

Abstract

There is disclosed an organizing apparatus, to flexibly relocate the computer port or socket to the front, such that connection of computer peripherals becomes simpler. There are also disclosed apparatus accessories to flexibly relocate the computer port or socket to the front. The apparatus and the accessories can also be used to flexibly hold and secure electrical devices and electrical components at the front of the computer system. The organizing apparatus can be incorporated into a computer or computer casing. The organizing apparatus may also be provided with cable organizing means, wherein access cables of the computer system can be organized and stored within its housing.

1 . A system comprising: 
 a computer casing having a front and a back and having a plurality of drive bays, at least one of the drive bays being capable of being accessed from the front of the casing;    a computer cable having first and second opposite ends, and computer connectors at each of the ends, the second end of the cable being routed interior of the computer casing; and    an organizing apparatus including a housing sized to be received in one of the drive bays, the housing of the organizing apparatus having a front side accessible from the front of the computer casing, when the housing of the organizing apparatus is received in the drive bay, the housing of the organizing apparatus being removably mountable in the one of the drive bays, the housing of the organizing apparatus further being configured to support the first end of the computer cable, wherein, after the organizing apparatus is received in the drive bay, the computer connector of the first end of the computer cable is accessible from the front of the computer housing.    
     
     
         2 . A system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the front side has a plurality of slots for respective, selective, removable sliding receipt of the first end of the computer cable and the first ends of additional computer cables, the first ends respectively being slidable into the slot in a direction parallel to a plane defined by the front of the housing.  
     
     
         3 . A system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the front side has a plurality of slots for respective, selective, removable sliding receipt of the first end of the computer cable and the first ends of additional computer cables, the first ends respectively being slidable into the slot in a direction parallel to a plane defined by the front of the housing, and further comprising a plurality of first ends of cables received in respective slots.  
     
     
         4 . A system in accordance with  claim 3  wherein at least two of the computer connectors are of different types.  
     
     
         5 . A system in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the computer connectors comprise a parallel connector.  
     
     
         6 . A system in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the computer connectors comprise an audio connector.  
     
     
         7 . A system in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the slot and the first end of a computer connector include tongues and grooves for sliding engagement into the slot.  
     
     
         8 . A system in accordance with  claim 3  including a plurality of cables respectively including different connector types, the first end of each connector including a frame having edges shaped to engage the slot in the organizing apparatus, by movement in a direction along a generally vertical plane, wherein a user can select which connectors are desired to be accessible from the front of the casing by sliding a frame of a selected one of the cables into the slot.  
     
     
         9 . A system in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the connectors on each end of one of the cables are of a same type.  
     
     
         10 . A computer comprising: 
 a computer casing having a front and a back;    a plurality of computer cables respectively having first and second opposite ends, and computer connectors at the first ends, the first end of each cable including opposite edges having respective tongues on either side of the connector at the first end, the tongues being shaped for sliding, mating engagement in corresponding opposed grooves; and    the front of the computer casing having a plurality of slots therein, each slot having opposed grooves for removable sliding receipt of the opposed tongues of one of the cables, wherein the first ends of the cables are received in respective slots, with the tongues received in the grooves.    
     
     
         11 . A computer in accordance with  claim 10  and further comprising a panel slidingly received in each slot which does not have a cable end received therein, to close the slot.  
     
     
         12 . A computer in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the first end of each cable includes a generally rectangular portion defining the opposite edges having tongues.  
     
     
         13 . A computer in accordance with  claim 10  wherein at least two of the computer connectors are of different types.  
     
     
         14 . A computer in accordance with  claim 10  wherein at least two of the computer connectors having ends received in the slots are of a same type.  
     
     
         15 . A computer in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the computer connectors having ends received in the slots comprise a parallel connector.  
     
     
         16 . A computer in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the computer connectors having ends received in the slots comprise an audio connector.  
     
     
         17 . A computer in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the connectors on either end of one of the cables are of a same type.  
     
     
         18 . A computer in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the first end of each cable is slidably removable from the organizing device by hand without need for any tool.  
     
     
         19 . A method of providing access to a plurality of user-selectable computer ports at the front of a computer, in a computer including a casing having a front, a back, an inside, an outside, and a plurality of computer ports, the method comprising: 
 opening the casing;    providing a plurality of computer cables respectively having first and second opposite ends, and having computer connectors at each of the ends;    routing the second end of each cable inside the computer casing;    providing a support for reconfigurably supporting the first ends of the plurality of cables, in different possible arrangements, without need for a tool, wherein the connector of the first ends are accessible from the front of the computer;    supporting the first end of each cable in the support such that the connector of the first end of each cable is accessible from the front of the housing; and    closing the casing.    
     
     
         20 . A computer comprising: 
 a computer casing;    a plurality of slots in the front of the casing, each slot having opposed grooves, wherein the first ends of the cables are received in respective slots, with. the tongues received in the grooves;    a plurality of cables having first and second ends, with a male connector of one type at one end and a female connector of a same type at the other end, the first end including a frame having first and second opposite edges, each edge having a tongue, the tongues being shaped for sliding receipt in the opposed grooves of any of the slots, by movement in a direction along a generally vertical plane, wherein a user can determine what connector type to place in a slot for access at the front side of the computer and can change connector types by changing cables.