Housing for electronic apparatus including multifunction handle mechanism

Claim 2

A housing for electronic apparatus enabling access to such apparatus and including a front housing member having a guide channel therein, a rear housing member and first and second side housing members connected together to form a cavity, open at the top and bottom, for mounting the electronic apparatus, the housing further including in combination: a top cover plate having wedge engaging means adjacent to the front edge thereof; a bottom cover plate having wedge engaging means adjacent the the front edge thereof; means for hingedly fastening the top and bottom plates to said rear housing member; handle means pivotally mounted at one end to said front housing member and pivotally movable between first and second positions; locking plate means carried in said guide channel in said front housing member and movable laterally between said first and second side members, the locking plate having upper and lower wedge members; and a locking plate actuating projection extending from the handle means at the pivoted end thereof engaging and moving the locking plate means between first and second positions in response to movement of the handle means between its first and second positions, respectively, the locking plate means in the first position enabling the upper and lower wedge members to engage the wedge engaging means of the top and bottom cover plates, respectively, to secure the cover plates to the front housing member.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the cover plates is formed in a bowed configuration to cause the front edge thereof to be biased away from the locking plate means in said perpendicular direction, said bowed cover plate operating as a spring so that the locking plate and the cover plates all are securely engaged with the locking plate in the first position and with the wedge members engaging the wedge engaging means.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said guide channel in the front housing member substantially restrains the locking plate means from movement in direction perpendicular to the direction of said lateral movement.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 1 further including means for securing the handle means in said first position and wherein the second position of the locking plate means disengages the upper and lower wedge members from the wedge engaging means of the top and bottom cover plates, thereby releasing the cover plates from the front housing member.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 4 further including camming means on the locking plate means, the camming means being spaced from the wedge members and operative with the locking plate means in its second position to force the wedge engageable means of at least one of the cover plates out of the plane occupied thereby when the wedge engageable means are engaged by the corresponding wedge members.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 1 wherein the locking plate means has an aperture formed therein, with the locking plate actuating projection of the handle means extending into the aperture for sliding the locking plate means in said guide channel in response to pivoting of the handle means between the first and second positions thereof.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 6 wherein the actuating projection extends at an angle from the pivoted end of the handle means toward the aperture in the locking plate means, with the pivotal mounting of the handle means being parallel to the plane of the locking plate means.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 1 wherein the wedge engageable means of one of the cover plates includes at least one mating hook means having a slot and extending from the forward edge of said cover plate at an angle of substantially 90* therefrom, wherein the corresponding wedge member on the locking plate is a tab extending from the locking plate at an angle of substantially 90* therefrom into a position such that movement of the locking plate from the second position to the first position moves the tab into engagement with the slot in the mating hook, wherein the wedge engageable means on the other of the cover plates is a mating loop extending from the forward edge of the cover plate, with the corresponding wedge means on the locking plate being a wedging hook for movement into the loop when the locking plate is moved from the second position to the first position, and wherein said guide channel in said front housing member substantially constrains the locking plate against movement in a direction perpendicular to the lateral movement of the locking plate in the same plane thereof.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 8 wherein two sets of mating hooks are provided for the top cover plate with corresponding tabs on the locking plate, and two sets of mating loops are provided on the bottom cover plate with corresponding wedging hooks on the locking plate and wherein the top cover plate is bowed to act as a spring means.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 1 wherein the first position of the handle means is substantially parallel to the lateral plane of movement of the locking plate means and further including latching means for securing the handle means in said first position, release of the latching means permitting pivotal movement of the free end of the handle means to a position at an acute angle to the lateral plane of movement of the locking plate means, causing the locking plate actuating projection extending from the handle means to move the locking plate means to the second position thereof, and means for preventing pivotal movement of the handle means past the second position thereof.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said front housing member has a recessed portion bridged by the handle means in the first position thereof and further having a terminal for attachment to electronic apparatus housed within the housing, said terminal being accessible through the recessed portion of the front housing member for engagement by a connector, the depth of the recessed portion being such that with the handle means in the first position, the handle means prevents removal of said connector.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 11 further including a resilient pressure pad mounted on the handle means for engagement with said connector to wedge said connector between the handle means and the terminal in the front housing member with the handle means in the first position.

Claim 14

A housing for electronic apparatus including in combination: a front housing member having a recessed portion of a predetermined depth between first and second end portions; handle means having a pressure member and pivotally mounted at one end to one of said end portions of the front housing member and pivotally moveable between first and second positions, the recessed portion of the front housing member being bridged by the handle means in the first position; a terminal for attachment to electronic apparatus housed within the housing, said terminal being attached To the front housing member and being accessible through the recessed portion thereof for engagement by a connector; and a removable connector located in the recessed portion of the front housing member and having a thickness relative to the depth of the recessed portion such that with the handle means in the first position the handle means extends over at least a part of said removable connector and the pressure member engages said connector, wedging said connector between said handle means and said terminal in the front housing member to prevent removal of said connector.

Claim 15

A housing for electronic apparatus including in combination: a front housing member having a recessed portion of a predetermined depth between first and second end portions; handle means having a pressure member and pivotally mounted at one end to one of said end portions of the front housing member and pivotally moveable between first and second positions, the recessed portion of the front housing member being bridged by the handle means in the first position; a terminal for attachment to electronic apparatus housed within the housing, said terminal being attached To the front housing member and being accessible through the recessed portion thereof for engagement by a connector; and a removable connector located in the recessed portion of the front housing member and having a thickness relative to the depth of the recessed portion such that with the handle means in the first position the handle means extends over at least a part of said removable connector and the pressure member engages said connector, wedging said connector between said handle means and said terminal in the front housing member to prevent removal of said connector.

Claim 16

A housing for electronic apparatus and having a front housing member with first and second end portions and having rear and side members including in combination: pivot means mounted in a first cavity in the first end portion of the front housing means; handle means pivotally mounted at one end in the first end portion of the front housing member to the pivot means, the handle means extending between said first and second end portions of the front housing member in first position; the free end of the handle means carrying a projection thereon for extension into a second cavity in the second end portion of the front housing means; latching means in said second end portion for engaging the projection with the handle means in said first position and securing the handle means in said first position; handle extension means carried by the handle means adjacent to the pivotally mounted end for movement within said first cavity of the front housing means for permitting movement of the handle means away from the front housing member to a second position determined by abutment of the handle extension means with an interior surface of the first cavity; at least one cover plate hinged with the rear member of the housing and covering and opening defined by the front, rear and side members, the cover plate having plate retaining means; and means moveable with the handle means for engaging the cover plate retaining means with the handle means in said first position and for releasing the same with the handle means in said second position.

Claim 17

A housing for electronic apparatus and having a front housing member with first and second end portions and having rear and side members including in combination: pivot means mounted in a first cavity in the first end portion of the front housing means; handle means pivotally mounted at one end in the first end portion of the front housing member to the pivot means, the handle means extending between said first and second end portions of the front housing member in first position; the free end of the handle means carrying a projection thereon for extension into a second cavity in the second end portion of the front housing means; latching means in said second end portion for engaging the projection with the handle means in said first position and securing the handle means in said first position; handle extension means carried by the handle means adjacent to the pivotally mounted end for movement within said first cavity of the front housing means for permitting movement of the handle means away from the front housing member to a second position determined by abutment of the handle extension means with an interior surface of the first cavity; at least one cover plate hinged with the rear member of the housing and covering and opening defined by the front, rear and side members, the cover plate having plate retaining means; and means moveable with the handle means for engaging the cover plate retaining means with the handle means in said first position and for releasing the same with the handle means in said second position.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 14 wherein the mounting for the pivot means is provided by first and second pivot retaining members located within the first cavity on opposite sides of the pivoted end of the handle means in the front housing member, the pivot means supported by the first and second pivot retaining members for permitting pivotal movement of the handle with respect to the pivot retaining members; and a tie plate extending across at least a portion of the pivot retaining members and secured to the front housing member to secure the pivot retaining members to the front housing member.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 15 wherein the pivot retaining members are flat plates and wherein the front housing member has a pair of parallel spaced-apart slots for receiving the pivot retaining plates, with the tie plate extending over the pivot retaining plates on the open side of the slots.

Claim 20

The combination according to claim 14 wherein the latching means includes a latch plate slidably mounted between a pair of latch plate locating surfaces in the second end portion of the front housing member, causing force applied to the latch plate in a direction perpendicular to its direction of sliding travel to be transmitted to said locating surfaces.

Claim 21

The combination according to claim 17 further including lock means for moving the latch plate between first and second positions, with the latch plate in the first position extending over the handle means projection with the handle means in its first position and being withdrawn from the path of the handle means projection with the latch plate in second position, the locating surfaces operating to prevent transmission of forces perpendicular to the direction of movement of the latch plate from being transmitted to the lock means.

Claim 22

The combination according tO claim 18 wherein the front housing member is a unitary casting and includes in said second end portion a channel slidably retaining the latch plate and providing force transmission location surfaces on one side of the latch plate; and a latch plate retaining bracket for enclosing the channel on the opposite side of the latch plate and secured to the front housing member casting to provide a force transmission location surface on the opposite side of the latch plate, the projection on the end of the handle means being narrower in width than the latch plate, and the latch plate retaining bracket having an opening for receiving the projection.