Device mounting rail for mounting a device in a computer system

Abstract

A device mounting rail for use in mounting a peripheral device in a computer system comprises first and second elongated sides. The first elongated side engages the peripheral device when the device mounting rail is used to mount the peripheral device in the computer system. The second elongated side engages a retaining wall within the computer system when the device mounting rail is used to mount the peripheral device in the computer system. The second side is also compressible toward the first side to generate a spring force. When the device mounting rail is used to mount the peripheral device in the computer system, the spring force maintains the peripheral device in a substantially rigid relationship to the retaining wall of the computer system.

1 . A device mounting rail for use in mounting a peripheral device in a computer system comprising: 
 a first elongated side which engages the peripheral device when the device mounting rail is used to mount the peripheral device in the computer system; and    a second elongated side which engages a retaining wall within the computer system when the device mounting rail is used to mount the peripheral device in the computer system, the second elongated side being compressible toward the first elongated side to generate a spring force;    and wherein, when the device mounting rail is used to mount the peripheral device in the computer system, the spring force maintains the peripheral device in a substantially rigid relationship to the retaining wall of the computer system.    
   
   
       2 . A device mounting rail as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 the first and second elongated sides are joined together at distal endpoints thereof and at a middle point thereof; and    the second elongated side is curved away from the first elongated side between the middle point and the distal endpoints.    
   
   
       3 . A device mounting rail as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 the first and second elongated sides are joined together at distal endpoints thereof and at a plurality of middle points thereof; and    the second elongated side is curved away from the first elongated side between each point at which the first and second elongated sides are joined together.    
   
   
       4 . A device mounting rail for use in toolessly mounting a peripheral device in a computer system comprising: 
 an elongated body with a generally rectangular cross section generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis;    at least one elongated hole through the elongated body; and    first and second elongated side sections separated by the at least one elongated hole, at least one of the first and second elongated side sections having a convex curvature along the at least one elongated hole;    and wherein:    the convex curvature of at least one of the elongated side sections enables a compressive spring force to be generated when the device mounting rail is compressed between the first and second elongated side sections; and    upon attaching the device mounting rail to one of the peripheral device and retaining walls of the computer system, the peripheral device is slid between the retaining walls to a locked position, the peripheral device and the retaining walls compress the device mounting rail between the first and second elongated side sections, and the resulting compressive spring force in the device mounting rail maintains the peripheral device in a substantially rigid relationship with the retaining walls of the computer system.    
   
   
       5 . A device mounting rail as defined in  claim 4  further comprising: 
 at least one protrusion protruding from one of the elongated side sections with which to attach the device mounting rail to the peripheral device.    
   
   
       6 . A computer system comprising: 
 a housing;    a cage mounted within the housing;    a peripheral device toolessly mounted within the cage; and    a rail disposed between and engaging the peripheral device and the cage in a spring biased manner to apply a spring force between the peripheral device and the cage that maintains the peripheral device in a substantially rigid relationship to the cage.    
   
   
       7 . A computer system as defined in  claim 6  wherein: 
 the rail comprises a first longitudinal section engaging the peripheral device and a second longitudinal section engaging the cage and curved away from the first longitudinal section, the second longitudinal section being compressed towards the first longitudinal section when engaging the cage to generate the spring force between the peripheral device and the cage.    
   
   
       8 . A computer system as defined in  claim 7  wherein: 
 the first and second longitudinal sections of the rail are joined together at distal endpoints thereof and at a middle point thereof; and    the second longitudinal section is curved away from the first longitudinal section between the middle point and the distal endpoints.    
   
   
       9 . A computer system as defined in  claim 7  wherein: 
 the first and second longitudinal sections of the rail are joined together at distal endpoints thereof and at a plurality of middle points thereof; and    the second longitudinal section is curved away from the first longitudinal section between each point at which the first and second longitudinal sections are joined together.    
   
   
       10 . A device mounting assembly for use in a computer system comprising: 
 a device cage;    a peripheral device disposed within the device cage;    a rail disposed and compressed between the peripheral device and the cage to generate a spring force between the peripheral device and the cage that maintains the peripheral device in a substantially rigid relationship to the cage.    
   
   
       11 . A device mounting assembly as defined in  claim 10  wherein: 
 the rail comprises a first longitudinal section engaging the peripheral device and a second longitudinal section engaging the device cage and curved away from the first longitudinal section, the second longitudinal section being compressed towards the first longitudinal section when engaging the device cage to generate the spring force between the peripheral device and the device cage.    
   
   
       12 . A device mounting assembly as defined in  claim 11  wherein: 
 the first and second longitudinal sections of the rail are joined together at distal endpoints thereof and at a middle point thereof; and    the second longitudinal section is curved away from the first longitudinal section between the middle point and the distal endpoints.    
   
   
       13 . A device mounting assembly as defined in  claim 11  wherein: 
 the first and second longitudinal sections of the rail are joined together at distal endpoints thereof and at a plurality of middle points thereof; and    the second longitudinal section is curved away from the first longitudinal section between each point at which the first and second longitudinal sections are joined together.    
   
   
       14 . A device mounting assembly for use in mounting a peripheral device in a computer system comprising: 
 a means for retaining the peripheral device; and    a means disposed between the peripheral device and the retaining means and attachable to the peripheral device for generating a compressive spring force between the peripheral device and the retaining means and in a direction perpendicular to an elongated dimension of the compressive spring force generating means, the compressive spring force generating means also guiding the peripheral device into retention by the retaining means upon tooless insertion of the peripheral device into the retaining means.    
   
   
       15 . A method of toolessly assembling a portion of a computer system comprising: 
 attaching device mounting rails to a peripheral device, the device mounting rails being compressible in a direction perpendicular to an elongated dimension to generate a spring force; and    sliding the peripheral device with the device mounting rails between retaining walls of the computer system, the device mounting rails guiding the peripheral device between the retaining walls and being compressed between the retaining walls and the peripheral device to generate the spring force in the device mounting rails and to maintain the peripheral device in a substantially rigid relationship to the retaining walls.