Chassis mounting bracket, computer chassis mounting system and method for mounting a computer chassis

Abstract

A chassis mounting bracket includes a bracket body having a front wall and a side wall. The side wall includes a chassis-contacting face. The chassis mounting bracket further includes an aperture in the front wall for receiving a mounting screw. The chassis mounting bracket further includes a plurality of studs extending from the chassis-contacting face in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the chassis-contacting face, each of the plurality of studs having a detent movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the detent being biased towards the extended position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a chassis mounting bracket, a computer chassis mounting system, and a method for mounting a computer chassis. Prior Technology

[0002] Mountable (e.g., rackmount) computer units are generally designed to be mounted on fixed mounting systems, often in the form of small frames at the front of the computer case. These small frames (usually welded or screwed onto the case) are used to secure the case in a mounting slot within a rack.

[0003] However, the fixed nature of these mounting components makes them vulnerable to damage during packaging and transportation. Furthermore, ensuring their preservation during transport requires more complex and costly packaging. Additionally, the fixed nature of these mounting components limits how the housing can be mounted on racks and which racks can be used. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The terms used, such as embodiments, configurations, features, examples, and options, are intended to broadly refer to all objects of this disclosure and the appended claims. Statements including these terms should be understood not to limit the object described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the appended claims. The embodiments of this disclosure as covered herein are defined by the appended claims, not by the content of this invention. This content is a high-level overview of the various features of this disclosure and introduces some concepts further described in the following embodiments section. This content is not intended to identify key or essential features of the object protected by the claims. Nor is this content intended to be used independently to determine the scope of the object protected by the claims. This object should be understood by referring to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this disclosure, any or all drawings, and each claim.

[0005] According to a specific embodiment of this disclosure, a housing mounting bracket includes a bracket body having a front wall and a side wall, the side wall including a housing contact surface. The housing mounting bracket further includes a hole located within the front wall for receiving mounting screws. The housing mounting bracket further includes a plurality of nails extending from the housing contact surface in a transverse direction perpendicular to the housing contact surface, each nail having a detent movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the detent being biased towards the extended position.

[0006] In some embodiments, the housing mounting bracket further includes a guide groove located within the sidewall for receiving a guide protrusion of the housing, wherein the guide groove is positioned relative to the nail such that when the guide groove is aligned to receive the guide protrusion of the housing, each of the nails is aligned to be received by a corresponding nail opening on the housing. In some embodiments, the nail includes a first nail extending from the upper half of the housing contact surface of the sidewall and a second nail extending from the upper half of the housing contact surface of the sidewall. In some embodiments, the nail includes a first nail extending from the front half of the housing contact surface of the sidewall and a second nail extending from the rear half of the housing contact surface of the sidewall. In some embodiments, each of the latches on the nail moves in a retracted position and an extended position along a retraction direction perpendicular to the lateral direction.

[0007] In some embodiments, at least one of the nails has a second stop that is movable between a second retracted position and a second extended position, the second stop being biased towards the second extended position. In some embodiments, the stop and the second stop are collinear. In some embodiments, the stop is a ball-type stop. In some embodiments, the stop is spring-loaded to the extended position. In some embodiments, the mounting screw is fitted into the hole. In some embodiments, the stop is shaped to move to the retracted position when contacting the edge of the nail opening in the housing and to the extended position when fully inserted into the nail opening.

[0008] According to a specific embodiment of this disclosure, a computer housing mounting system may include a computer housing having a first sidewall and a corresponding second sidewall. A first mounting point is located on the housing, having a first set of mounting holes on the first sidewall and a second set of mounting holes on the corresponding second sidewall. The computer housing mounting system may further include a pair of housing mounting brackets, each of the brackets being the aforementioned housing mounting bracket, wherein the first housing mounting bracket of the housing mounting bracket is coupled to the housing through the first set of mounting holes, and the second housing mounting bracket of the housing mounting bracket is coupled to the housing through the second set of mounting holes.

[0009] In some embodiments, the computer housing mounting system further includes a first mounting post and a second mounting post, each of the first mounting post and the second mounting post having a plurality of vertically spaced holes, wherein mounting screws of the first housing mounting bracket are coupled to the first holes in the holes of the first mounting post, and mounting screws of the second housing mounting bracket are coupled to the second holes in the holes of the second mounting post.

[0010] In some embodiments, the computer housing mounting system further includes a second mounting point located on the housing and separate from the first mounting point, the second mounting point having a third set of mounting holes located on a first sidewall and a fourth set of mounting holes located on a corresponding second sidewall. In some embodiments, the second mounting point is located between the front wall of the housing and the first mounting point.

[0011] According to a specific embodiment of this disclosure, a method for mounting a computer case is disclosed. The computer case has a left side wall, an opposite right side wall, and a first mounting point on the case. The first mounting point has a left mounting hole group on the left side wall and a right mounting hole group on the opposite and corresponding right side wall. The mounting method further includes providing a left case mounting bracket and a right case mounting bracket, each of the left case mounting bracket and the right case mounting bracket including (i) a bracket body having a front wall and a side wall, the side wall having a case contact surface; (ii) a hole located in the front wall for receiving mounting screws; and (iii) a plurality of nails extending from the case contact surface in a transverse direction perpendicular to the case contact surface, each nail having a lever movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the lever being biased towards the extended position. The method further includes mounting the left case mounting bracket to the left side wall of the case at the first mounting point by inserting the nails of the left case mounting bracket into the left mounting hole group. The method further includes installing the right-side housing mounting bracket to the right side wall of the housing at the first mounting point by inserting the nails of the right-side housing mounting bracket into the right-side mounting hole assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments, inserting the nails of the left housing mounting bracket into the left mounting hole group and inserting the nails of the right housing mounting bracket into the right mounting hole group includes retracting each latch of each nail to the retracted position when the corresponding nail is initially inserted into the corresponding mounting hole and the nail contacts the corresponding surrounding area of ​​the corresponding mounting hole, and returning the latch to the extended position after the corresponding nail is fully inserted into the corresponding mounting hole.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first mounting point further includes a left guide protrusion and a right guide protrusion. The left housing mounting bracket includes a left guide groove, and the right housing mounting bracket includes a right guide groove. Inserting a pin from the left housing mounting bracket into the left mounting hole assembly includes aligning the left guide protrusion with the left guide groove. Inserting a pin from the right housing mounting bracket into the right mounting hole assembly includes aligning the right guide protrusion with the right guide groove.

[0014] In some embodiments, the computer housing further includes a second mounting point having a second left-side mounting hole group located on the left side wall and a second right-side mounting hole group located on the opposite and corresponding right side wall. The method further includes removing the left-side housing mounting bracket from the left side wall of the computer housing and removing the right-side housing mounting bracket from the right side wall of the computer housing. The method further includes coupling the left-side housing mounting bracket to the left side wall of the computer housing at the second mounting point by coupling the left-side housing mounting bracket's pins to the second left-side mounting hole group; and coupling the right-side housing mounting bracket to the right side wall of the computer housing at the second mounting point by coupling the right-side housing mounting bracket's pins to the second right-side mounting hole group.

[0015] In some embodiments, the left housing mounting bracket includes a left floating screw, and the right housing mounting bracket includes a right floating screw. In some embodiments, the method further includes mounting the housing onto a structure that supports the left and right mounting posts. Mounting the housing onto the structure includes securing the left housing mounting bracket to the left mounting post using the left floating screw and securing the right housing mounting bracket to the right mounting post using the right floating screw.

[0016] The above description of the invention is not intended to represent every embodiment or feature of this disclosure. Rather, it merely provides examples of some novel features and characteristics set forth herein. The above-described features and advantages, as well as other features and advantages, of this disclosure will become apparent from the following implementation of representative embodiments and modes for carrying out this disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. Additional features of this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the various embodiments described herein, and a brief description of the drawings is provided below. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0017] The present disclosure, its advantages, and the accompanying drawings will be better understood from the following description of representative embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings depict only representative embodiments and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the various embodiments or the claims. Figure 1 shows an isometric projection of a housing having a quick-release mounting bracket at the front mounting point according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. Figure 2 shows a top view of a housing having a quick-release mounting bracket at the front mounting point according to a particular aspect of this disclosure. Figure 3 shows an isometric projection of a housing having a quick-release mounting bracket at a second mounting point according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. Figure 4 shows an isometric projection of a quick-release mounting bracket according to a particular aspect of this disclosure. Figure 5 shows a close-up view of the nails on the quick-release mounting bracket. Figure 6 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the nail in Figure 5 along line 6-6, according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. Figure 7 illustrates a partial isometric projection of the quick-release mounting bracket aligned for mounting on the housing, according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. Figure 8 illustrates an axial projection of the mounting bracket of Figure 7, with the nail initially inserted into the housing, according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. Figure 9 shows a top cross-sectional view of the nail in Figure 8 along line 9-9, according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. Figure 10 illustrates an axial projection of the mounting bracket of Figure 8, which is mostly inserted into the housing, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure. Figure 11 shows a top cross-sectional view of the nail in Figure 10 along line 11-11, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure. Figure 12 illustrates an axial projection of the mounting bracket of Figure 8 with the nail fully inserted into the housing, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure. Figure 13 shows a top cross-sectional view of the nail in Figure 12 along line 13-13, according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. Figure 14 illustrates a flowchart of a method for using a quick-release mounting bracket on a computer chassis according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. Implementation

[0018] Some embodiments disclosed herein include a computer case with removable, quick-release mounting brackets. These mounting brackets are attached to the computer case by inserting mounting bracket pins into corresponding pin openings on the case. A lever located at the distal end of the pin, extending outwards, can be retracted (e.g., by compression) when the pin is inserted into the pin opening, and then springs back outwards when the pin is fully inserted to hold the mounting bracket on the computer case. The mounting brackets can be easily removed or reinstalled without tools by pulling them out by hand towards a side wall perpendicular to the case. When the mounting brackets attached to the computer case are secured to a mounting post (e.g., a computer stand post), they cannot be moved in that vertical direction, thus securing the mounting brackets to the computer case at least until the mounting brackets are removed from the mounting post.

[0019] The use of these detachable mounting brackets allows computer cases to be packaged and shipped more efficiently, as there are no longer mounting brackets protruding from the sides of the case. Instead, the mounting brackets can be packaged and shipped in more convenient locations (such as inside the case) or in a more convenient manner (such as multiple boxes of mounting brackets being packaged and shipped simultaneously for use on any suitable case as needed).

[0020] Furthermore, the detachable nature of these mounting brackets allows them to be moved between different mounting points on the chassis. For example, a chassis may have a standard mounting point (e.g., at the front of the chassis) and multiple additional mounting points between the front and rear ends of the chassis. The positions of these mounting points can be determined based on any suitable parameters, such as the dimensions of the standard chassis (e.g., mounting points related to the standard depth between the mounting post and the rear wall of the chassis so that the chassis does not hit the rear wall during installation), the weight distribution within the chassis (e.g., mounting points very close to the center of gravity of the chassis), or other case-specific parameters (e.g., mounting points located near the rear of the chassis to allow reverse mounting or mounting on a mounting post very close to the rear wall). Users can easily and quickly customize their chassis mounting by inserting the chassis mounting brackets into the appropriate holes at the desired mounting points. Users can quickly and easily remove the chassis mounting brackets and move them to other locations without the need for tools.

[0021] These quick-disassembly, removable mounting brackets are particularly useful for cutting-edge computing environments, such as 5G advanced servers and devices. Due to their nature, advanced computing devices are often distributed across numerous locations. As a result, these devices are often housed in small units specifically designed for them and / or to accommodate existing space or other location needs. Therefore, installing advanced computing devices may require customized enclosures, modifications to existing spaces, or other complex or site-specific solutions. In contrast, quick-disassembly, removable mounting brackets allow users to quickly select the optimal mounting location for the enclosure and manually insert the brackets based on that location. For example, even in a small space where only a 14-inch gap exists between the mounting post and the back wall, a 20-inch enclosure can still be easily installed by securing the brackets at least 6 inches from the front of the enclosure. Furthermore, these quick-disassembly, removable mounting brackets allow users to instantly customize the enclosure's installation position without tools, providing flexibility for last-minute modifications or repositioning the device when different installation depths are required.

[0022] Although described here as a quick-release mounting bracket and depicted in a specific manner, other mounting devices can be used in similar ways in some instances. For example, a cable management tool can be detachably coupled to a computer case via compatible nails at previously unused mounting points. As another example, a quick-release mounting device can also have slides that can be coupled to the case at different depths, allowing the case to be pulled out or pushed in along the slides (e.g., like a drawer); other mounting devices can also be used.

[0023] Examples of quick-release mounting brackets are disclosed here for use with a single-unit (1U) chassis. In some examples, multi-unit chassis (e.g., 2U, 4U, etc.) can be mounted using multiple quick-release mounting brackets (e.g., two 1U brackets for each side of a 2U chassis), and larger quick-release mounting brackets can have any suitable number of pins. In some examples, a multi-unit quick-release mounting bracket is equivalent to multiple single-unit quick-release mounting brackets stacked on top of each other.

[0024] Various embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, wherein similar reference symbols are used throughout the drawings to denote similar or equivalent elements. Each reference symbol is identified by the first digit (for three-digit reference symbols) or the first two digits (for four-digit reference symbols) corresponding to the reference number, indicating the first appearance of that reference number. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and are provided only to illustrate the features and characteristics of this disclosure. Numerous specific details, relationships, and methods are set forth to provide a comprehensive understanding of certain features and characteristics of this disclosure, although those skilled in the art will recognize that these features and characteristics may be implemented in other relationships or in other ways without one or more specific details. In some cases, known structures or operations are not shown in detail for illustrative purposes. The various embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the order of the actions or events shown, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or simultaneously with other actions or events. Furthermore, not all actions or events shown are necessary to implement certain features and characteristics of this disclosure.

[0025] For the purposes of this embodiment, unless otherwise stated, and where appropriate, the singular includes the plural, and vice versa. The word “including” means “including but not limited to”. Furthermore, approximate terms such as “about,” “almost,” “substantially,” etc., may be used herein to mean “at,” “near,” “nearly at,” “within 3% to 5%,” “within acceptable manufacturing tolerances,” or any logical combination thereof. Similarly, the terms “vertical” or “horizontal” are intended to additionally include “within 3% to 5%” for vertical or horizontal orientations, respectively. Furthermore, directional terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “above,” and “below,” as understood from the context of the referenced object or element (e.g., from its usual location) or as described herein, are intended to relate to the equilateral directions depicted in the reference illustrations.

[0026] Figure 1 illustrates an isometric projection view of a housing 102 having quick-release mounting brackets 110, 111 at a front mounting point according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. The housing 102 can be any suitable housing for any computer equipment, such as a computer server housing, a hard drive server housing, a housing for external components, or other equipment such as a wiring panel or power supply, or other suitable housing.

[0027] The housing 102 can be located within a storage space 100 (partially shown) for storing the housing 102 and other related equipment. The storage space may include a rear wall 114, side walls (not shown), a floor (not shown), a ceiling (not shown), and a front wall (not shown); however, other types of storage spaces may also be used. The storage space 100 may include a left-side mounting post 112 and a right-side mounting post 113 that are stably fixed relative to each other, and the left-side mounting post 112 and right-side mounting post 113 are generally also stably fixed relative to the rear wall 114 of the storage space 100. The distance between the mounting posts 112, 113 (e.g., the front or rear edges of the mounting posts 112, 113) and the rear wall 114 may be referred to as the spacing distance 116. Generally, only housings with a depth equal to or less than the spacing distance 116 can be installed into the storage space in conventional housings.

[0028] Each mounting post 112, 113 may include a plurality of openings 115 for receiving screws, pins, or other means for securing bracketable devices to the mounting post 112, 113. The corresponding openings on the left mounting post 112 and the right mounting post 113 may define a "slot" or mounting point for mounting the housing. In other words, the housing 102 can be mounted at multiple locations above and below the left mounting post 112 and the right mounting post 113 using the corresponding openings 115 on the left mounting post 112 and the right mounting post 113 (e.g., openings at the same vertical height).

[0029] The terms "left" and "right" used in this document are intended to refer to the first side and the second side, and can be interchanged where appropriate. For example, although the left mounting post 112 and the right mounting post 113 are located on the left and right sides respectively in Figure 1, when viewed from the rear wall 114 towards the mounting posts 112 and 113, the left mounting post 112 and the right mounting post 113 will be located on the observer's right and left sides respectively. Such an observer can swap the descriptions of left and right to conform to the observer's reference coordinate system and modify all descriptions of left and right as needed.

[0030] The housing 102 may include a front wall 108, a left side wall 104, a right side wall 106, and a rear side wall (not shown). The right side wall 106 may include a plurality of mounting points, such as a first mounting point (obscured and not visible), a second mounting point 122, and a third mounting point 124 to which the right mounting bracket 111 is attached. As described herein, the right mounting bracket 111 can be simply removed from the first mounting point and remounted to the second mounting point 122 or the third mounting point 124. Similarly, the left side wall 104 also includes complementary mounting points to receive the left mounting bracket 110. Any number of mounting points may appear on the side walls, and they may be located at any depth along the side walls.

[0031] Although this document describes an embodiment of securing the housing to an accommodating space, this disclosure can also be applied to cases where the housing is secured to mounting posts 112, 113 that are not fully enclosed.

[0032] Figure 2 illustrates a top view of a housing 202 having quick-release mounting brackets 210, 211 at a front mounting point according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. The housing 202 may be the housing 102 of Figure 1, and the front mounting point may be the first mounting point of Figure 1. At the front mounting point, the left mounting bracket 210 and the right mounting bracket 211 are positioned close to the front of the housing 202. In some cases, the front of the mounting brackets 210, 211 is coplanar or approximately coplanar with the front face 208, although this is not strictly necessary. Generally, the mounting brackets 210, 211 installed at this front mounting point allow the housing 202 to be mounted as a conventional bracket-mounted housing (e.g., a housing with permanent mounting brackets).

[0033] Figure 3 illustrates an isometric projection view of a housing 302 having quick-release mounting brackets 310, 311 at a second mounting point 322 according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. The housing 302 may be the same as or similar to the housing 102 of Figure 1 in which the mounting brackets 310, 311 are moved to the second mounting point 322.

[0034] At the second mounting point 322, the left mounting bracket 310 and the right mounting bracket 311 are positioned further from the front wall 308 than they are positioned at the first mounting point 320. Therefore, although the housing 302 has a housing depth 352 greater than the spacing 316, the housing 302 can still be installed within the accommodating space 300. In some cases, the housing depth 352 can be defined as the distance between the front wall 308 and the rear wall of the housing 302. In some cases, the housing depth 352 can be considered as the distance between the front wall 308 of the housing 302 and the tail end of the connector or other features extending from the rear wall. In some cases, the housing depth 352 can be considered as the distance between the front wall 308 of the housing 302 and a point extending beyond the rear wall of the housing 302 (e.g., a true housing depth plus a necessary buffer distance behind the housing 302 for airflow, winding, and / or insertion).

[0035] Figure 4 illustrates an isometric projection of a quick-release mounting bracket 410 according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. The mounting bracket 410 may be the same as or similar to the right mounting bracket 111 in Figure 1.

[0036] Mounting bracket 410 may include a bracket body 426 that may be made of a thin piece of bent or folded metal, although this requirement does not limit this disclosure. The bracket body 426 includes a housing contact surface 432 that contacts the housing when mounting bracket 410 is mounted to the housing, and an outer surface 436 that typically faces outward (e.g., toward a rear sidewall away from the housing or away from the mounting post) when the housing is secured in the receiving space.

[0037] One or more nails 434 extend laterally 442 from the housing contact surface 432. Each nail 434 includes a deflector 444 that is biased (e.g., by a spring or other suitable mechanism) to an extended position, but the deflector 444 can also be pushed to a retracted position (e.g., at least partially retracted into the body of the nail 434) with sufficient force. The deflector 444 is generally oriented to extend and retract along a generally horizontal direction of retraction 446 parallel to the housing contact surface 432, although this is not necessary in all cases. The body of the nail 434 can be formed with or coupled to the support body 426 using any suitable technique, such as welding, riveting, or similar fastening, or similar techniques (e.g., deforming a component to ensure that the nail 434 does not detach from the support body 426). Although the nails 434 are described as each having a single deflector 444, in some cases, a nail 434 may have multiple deflectors. These levers can be arranged in any suitable manner, such as collinear, although this is not necessary in all cases. Lever 444 can be a spherical lever, although this is not necessary in all cases.

[0038] The position of the nail 434 on the housing contact surface 432 can be selected to provide strong support for the housing against vertical, horizontal, and rotational forces (e.g., rotational forces about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the housing contact surface 432). In the example illustrated in Figure 4, two nails 434 are used, including a first nail placed on the upper and rear half of the housing contact surface 432 (e.g., the nail 434 on the left in Figure 4) and a second nail placed on the lower and front half of the housing contact surface 432 (e.g., the nail 434 on the right in Figure 4). In other cases, multiple nails may be aligned vertically, horizontally, or otherwise. In some cases, the nails may be configured so that a mounting bracket 410 can be used on both sides of the housing with a single flip.

[0039] The guide groove 448 may be located within the housing contact surface 432. The guide groove 448 may be a full opening, as illustrated in Figure 4, or simply a deeper recess (e.g., not completely penetrating the bracket body 426). The guide groove 448 may receive a guide bump, thus aligning the mounting bracket 410, and more precisely, aligning the pins 434 to their mounting points. The guide groove 448 may be elongated such that the corresponding guide bump cannot enter the guide groove if the mounting bracket and housing are not aligned.

[0040] Mounting bracket 410 may include a hole 438 for receiving mounting screw 440. Mounting screw 440 secures the mounting bracket to a mounting post (e.g., a mounting post accommodating a space). In some cases, mounting screw 440 is fitted into the hole so that mounting screw 440 can rotate freely within the hole 438 without falling out of the hole 438.

[0041] In some cases, a mirror image of the mounting bracket 410 can be mounted on the other side of the housing (e.g., as the left mounting bracket 110 in Figure 1). In some cases, the nails 434 can be configured to allow the mounting bracket 410 to be used on both sides of the housing (e.g., the nails are positioned along the vertical centerline of the housing contact surface 432).

[0042] Figure 5 shows a partial enlarged view of nail 534 of the quick-release mounting bracket. Nail 534 may be the same as or similar to nail 434 in Figure 4.

[0043] The nail 534 includes a nail body 560 terminating at an end point 558. The end point 558 may be round or hemispherical in shape, although this is not always necessary. A stop 544 extends from the nail body 560 in a direction generally perpendicular to the nail, the direction of which may be defined by the central axis of the nail body 560.

[0044] The lever 544 may include a round (e.g., as illustrated in the figure), chamfered, or otherwise angled end positioned at the distal end of the straight lever body 562. The straight lever body may contact the side wall of the housing to hold the nail within the housing with little or no force (e.g., the force of holding the housing in general). The round (e.g., as illustrated in the figure), chamfered, or otherwise angled end of the lever 544 positioned at the distal end of the straight body may retract the lever 544 into the nail body 560 when more force is applied (e.g., the force of intentionally pulling the mounting bracket away from the housing).

[0045] Figure 6 illustrates a side sectional view of nail 534 along line 6-6 of Figure 5, according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 6, the stop 644 is depicted in the extended position and is pushed to this extended position by the spring 650. In some cases, other mechanisms that allow the stop 644 to retract while still being biased toward the extended position may also be used, such as non-coil springs (e.g., plane springs), magnetic repulsion, pneumatic compression, etc.

[0046] Figure 7 illustrates a partial isometric projection view of the quick-release mounting bracket 710 aligned for mounting on housing 702, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure. The mounting bracket 710 and housing 702 may be identical or similar to the mounting bracket 111 and housing 102 of Figure 1.

[0047] Mounting bracket 710 includes a nail 734 and a plurality of openings 754 on a side wall 730 of the housing 702, as well as a guide groove 748 for a guide protrusion 752. The openings 754 may also be referred to as nail openings. As mounting bracket 710 is moved closer to housing 702, the guide protrusion 752 enters the guide groove 748, thus keeping the mounting bracket aligned as it is subsequently moved closer to housing 702. Further approach to housing 702 causes the nail 734 of mounting bracket 710 to enter the openings 754 of housing 702, as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0048] Figure 8 illustrates an axonometric projection of the mounting bracket 710 of Figure 7, with the nail 734 initially inserted into the housing 702, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure.

[0049] Figure 9 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the nail 734 in Figure 8 along line 9-9, according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. When the nail 734 is initially inserted into the opening 754, the catch 944 contacts the sidewall 730. The opening 754 includes chamfered or other angular features that can interact with the catch 944 to compress the catch 944 into the body of the nail 734 as the nail 734 penetrates further into the opening 754, as illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. Similar chamfered or other angular features may also be located inside the opening 754 to press the catch into the body of the nail 734 when an already installed nail 734 is pulled out of the opening 754.

[0050] Figure 10 shows an axonometric projection of the mounting bracket 710 of Figure 8, which is mostly inserted into the housing 702, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure.

[0051] Figure 11 shows a top cross-sectional view of the nail 734 along line 11-11 of Figure 10, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure. With the mounting bracket 710 mostly inserted into the housing 702, the nail 734 has been inserted into the opening 754 deeply enough that the catch 944 has been compressed into the body of the nail 734, thus allowing the nail 734 to be inserted into the opening 754.

[0052] Figure 12 shows an axial projection of the mounting bracket 710 of Figure 8 with the nail 734 fully inserted into the housing 702, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure.

[0053] Figure 13 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the nail 734 in Figure 12 along line 13-13, according to a particular aspect of this disclosure. The nail 734 has been fully inserted into the opening 754, thus allowing the stop 944 to return to its original extended position by the force generated by the internal biasing device (e.g., spring 1350).

[0054] Figure 14 illustrates a flowchart of a method 1400 for using a quick-release mounting bracket on a computer case according to a specific aspect of this disclosure. In block 1402, a computer case is provided. The computer case can be any suitable computer case, such as computer case 102 in Figure 1.

[0055] In block 1404, a left mounting bracket and a right mounting bracket may be provided. The left mounting bracket and the right mounting bracket may be the same as or similar to the left mounting bracket 110 and the right mounting bracket 111 in Figure 1, respectively.

[0056] In block 1406, the left and right mounting brackets can be coupled to the left and right sides of the housing, respectively, at the first mounting point. Coupling a mounting bracket may involve aligning the mounting bracket's pin with the corresponding opening on the side wall, and then moving the mounting bracket toward the housing until the pin on the mounting bracket is fully inserted into the corresponding opening on the side wall. In this state, the mounting bracket is held on the housing by the latch on the pin moving to its extended position within the housing. The mounting bracket can be detached from the housing by pulling the mounting bracket away from the housing with sufficient force, causing the latch to move to its retracted position, thereby releasing the stud from the corresponding opening on the side wall.

[0057] In block 1408, the housing is mounted on a structure (e.g., within an accommodating space) by attaching left and right mounting brackets to left and right mounting posts, respectively. Mounting the brackets to the mounting posts involves tightening mounting screws or applying any suitable locking mechanism to secure the brackets to the posts. When the housing is mounted to the structure, the fact that the mounting posts are fixed relative to the other prevents the brackets from being pulled out of the housing.

[0058] In block 1410, the housing is structurally removed by detaching the left and right mounting brackets from the left and right mounting posts, respectively. Removing a mounting bracket from a mounting post involves loosening mounting screws or removing any suitable locking mechanism used to secure the bracket to the mounting post. Once the housing is removed from the structure, the mounting bracket can be freely pulled off and removed.

[0059] In block 1412, the left and right mounting brackets are removed from the housing by pulling the mounting brackets away from the housing. The mounting brackets are then coupled to a second mounting point. The second mounting point is either closer to or farther from the far end of the housing than the first mounting point.

[0060] In block 1414, the housing is mounted on a structure by attaching the left and right mounting brackets to the left and right mounting posts, respectively. Because the mounting brackets are in new positions, the housing has different depths in front of and behind the mounting posts.

[0061] Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to one or more embodiments, equivalents and modifications will arise upon reading and understanding this specification and the accompanying drawings by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, while specific features of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

[0062] While various embodiments of the invention have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not as limiting. Various changes may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the invention should not be limited by any of the above embodiments. Rather, the scope of the invention should be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

[0063] 100: Storage space 102: Chassis 104: Left side wall 106: Right side wall 108: Anterior wall 110, 111: Mounting brackets 112, 113: Installation columns 114: Posterior wall 115: Opening 116: Interval distance 122: Second installation point 124: Third installation point 202: Chassis 208: Front 210, 211: Mounting brackets 300: Storage space 302: Chassis 308: Anterior wall 310, 311: Mounting brackets 316: Spacing 320: First installation point 322: Second installation point 352: Case depth 410: Mounting bracket 426: Support body 432: Housing contact surface 434: Nail 436: Outer surface 438: Hole 440: Mounting screws 442: Horizontal direction 444:Latch 446: Contraction direction 448: Guide groove 534: Nail 544:Latch 558: Endpoint 560: The nail itself 562:Latch body 644:Latch 650: Spring 702: Chassis 710: Mounting bracket 730: Sidewall 734: Nail 748: Guide slot 752: Guide bump 754: Opening 944:Latch 1350: Spring 1400: Method 1402, 1404, 1406, 1408, 1410, 1412, 1414: Squares

[0064] Domestic storage information (please note in order of storage institution, date, and number) none Overseas storage information (please note in the order of storage country, institution, date, and number) none

Claims

1. A housing mounting bracket, comprising: a bracket body having a front wall and a side wall, the side wall having a housing contact surface; a hole located within the front wall for receiving a mounting screw; and a plurality of nails extending from the housing contact surface in a transverse direction perpendicular to the housing contact surface, each of the nails having a lever movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the levers being biased towards the extended position.

2. The housing mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1 further includes a guide groove located within the sidewall for receiving a guide protrusion of a housing, wherein the guide groove is configured relative to the nails such that when the guide groove is aligned to receive the guide protrusion of the housing, each of the nails is aligned to be received by a corresponding nail opening on the housing.

3. The housing mounting bracket as described in claim 1, wherein each of the nails moves between the retracted position and the extended position along a telescopic direction perpendicular to the lateral direction.

4. The housing mounting bracket as described in claim 1, wherein the levers are spherical levers.

5. The housing mounting bracket as described in claim 1, wherein the lever is spring-loaded to the extended position.

6. The housing mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latches are shaped to move to the retracted position when in contact with an edge of a nail opening in a housing and to the extended position when fully inserted into the nail opening.

7. A computer case mounting system comprising: a computer case having a first sidewall and an opposite second sidewall; a first mounting point located on the case having a first set of mounting holes on the first sidewall and a second set of mounting holes on the opposite and corresponding second sidewall; and a pair of case mounting brackets, each of which is the case mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein a first case mounting bracket of the pair of case mounting brackets is coupled to the case through the first set of mounting holes, and a second case mounting bracket of the pair of case mounting brackets is coupled to the case through the second set of mounting holes.

8. The computer case mounting system as claimed in claim 7 further includes a first mounting post and a second mounting post, each of the first mounting post and the second mounting post having a plurality of vertically spaced holes, wherein a mounting screw of the first case mounting bracket is coupled to a first hole of the first mounting post, and a mounting screw of the second case mounting bracket is coupled to a second hole of the second mounting post, the first hole and the second hole being at the same height.

9. The computer case mounting system as claimed in claim 7 further comprises: a second mounting point located on the case and separated from the first mounting point, the second mounting point having a third set of mounting holes located on the first sidewall and a fourth set of mounting holes located on the opposite and corresponding second sidewall.

10. A method of mounting a computer case, comprising: providing a computer case having: a left side wall and an opposite right side wall; and a first mounting point located on the computer case having a left mounting hole group located on the left side wall and a right mounting hole group located on the opposite and corresponding right side wall; providing a left case mounting bracket and a right case mounting bracket, each of the left case mounting bracket and the right case mounting bracket comprising: a bracket body having a front wall and a side wall having a case contact surface; a hole located in the front wall for receiving a mounting screw; and a plurality of nails extending from the case contact surface in a transverse direction perpendicular to the case contact surface, each of the nails having a lever movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the levers being biased to the extended position; The left-side housing mounting bracket is installed at the first mounting point to the left side wall of the computer housing by inserting the nails of the left-side mounting hole group; and the right-side housing mounting bracket is installed at the first mounting point to the right side wall of the computer housing by inserting the nails of the right-side mounting hole group.

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