U.S. patent application number 09/038643 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-03 for computer selectively configurable in both desktop and tower orientations.
Invention is credited to FELCMAN, FRANCIS A., HALL, DONALD J..
Application Number | 20020001174 09/038643 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21901084 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020001174 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FELCMAN, FRANCIS A. ; et
al. |
January 3, 2002 |
COMPUTER SELECTIVELY CONFIGURABLE IN BOTH DESKTOP AND TOWER
ORIENTATIONS
Abstract
A computer may be easily user re-configured between desktop and
tower housing orientations, with the computer's front side drive
units being horizontally disposed in each orientation, using
specially designed drive unit support and a reconfigurable front
bezel. A square opening is formed in the front exterior wall of the
housing, and the support apparatus includes spaced apart channel
structures extending inwardly into the housing from the four sides
of the wall opening, with opposing pairs of the channel structures
being adapted to slidably receive corresponding projections on
opposite side edge portions of the drive units. In this manner,
each front side drive unit can be supported at the opening in a
first orientation in which the drive unit will be horizontally
oriented with the computer in a desktop orientation, or a second
orientation in which the drive unit will be horizontally oriented
with the computer in a tower orientation. When the bezel is secured
to the outer side of the front housing wall an opening in the bezel
body outwardly overlies the housing wall opening. A frame portion
of the bezel is provided with a snap-in blank off plate to cover a
portion of the housing wall opening unoccupied by drive units, and
the frame portion may be removably installed on the bezel body in
mutually perpendicular orientations to accommodate the selected
desktop or tower configuration of the computer housing.
Inventors: |
FELCMAN, FRANCIS A.;
(ROSENBERG, TX) ; HALL, DONALD J.; (HOUSTON,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROBERT A. VAN SOMEREN
FLETCHER, YODER & VAN SOMEREN
P.O. BOX 692289
HOUSTON
TX
77269-2289
US
|
Family ID: |
21901084 |
Appl. No.: |
09/038643 |
Filed: |
March 11, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/679.32 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 2200/1638 20130101;
G06F 1/181 20130101; G06F 1/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/686 |
International
Class: |
G06F 001/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Electronic apparatus comprising: a housing having a first
exterior wall with an opening therein through which a modular
device having a side may be inwardly inserted, and a second
exterior wall transverse to said first exterior wall; and a support
structure operative to support the inserted modular device in a
selectively variable one of (1) a first orientation in which the
modular device side is parallel to said second exterior wall, and
(2) a second orientation in which the modular device side is
transverse to said second exterior wall.
2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said electronic
device is a computer, and said support structure is operative to
support in said first and second orientations a drive unit inserted
into said opening.
3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said opening has a
rectangular configuration with first and second pairs of opposing
sides, and said support structure includes a first portion
associated with said first pair of opposing sides and operative to
receive opposite side portions of a modular device inserted into
said opening, and a second portion associated with said second pair
of opposing sides and operative to receive opposite side edge
portions of a modular device inserted into said opening.
4. The electronic apparatus of claim 3 wherein said opening has a
square configuration.
5. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a bezel
structure including: a body portion having an opening therein, said
body portion being removably securable to the outer side of said
first exterior wall with said bezel body portion opening outwardly
overlying said first exterior housing wall opening, and a blank-off
structure removably securable to said body portion in mutually
perpendicular orientations and operative to blank off a selected
area of said first exterior housing wall opening unoccupied by a
modular device.
6. The electronic apparatus of claim 5 wherein said blank-off
structure includes: a blank-off member, and means for removably
securing said blank-off member to said body portion to extend
across a portion of said opening therein.
7. The electronic apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for
removably securing include: a frame member removably securable to
said body portion, in mutually perpendicular orientations relative
thereto, around said opening therein, and means for removably
securing said blank-off member to said frame member to extend
across and cover an interior portion thereof.
8. The electronic apparatus of claim 7 wherein said body portion of
said bezel structure is snap-fittable onto said first exterior wall
of said housing, said frame member is snap-fittable onto said body
portion of said bezel structure, and said blank-off member is
snap-fittable onto said frame member.
9. Electronic apparatus comprising: a housing having an exterior
wall with an opening therein, said opening having first and second
pairs of opposing sides; a first opposing pair of support
structures extending from said first pair of opposing sides into
the interior of said housing and being operative to slidably and
supportingly engage opposite portions of a modular device inserted
into said opening in a first orientation; and a second opposing
pair of support structures extending from said second pair of
opposing sides into the interior of said housing and being
operative to slidingly and supportingly engage opposite portions of
the modular device inserted into said opening in a second
orientation transverse to said first orientation.
10. The electronic apparatus of claim 9 wherein said housing is a
computer housing.
11. The electronic apparatus of claim 9 wherein said opening has a
square configuration.
12. The electronic apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of said
support structures defines a slot longitudinally extending from
said opening inwardly into the interior of said housing.
13. For use in conjunction with a computer housing having an
exterior wall with an opening therein, a bezel assembly comprising:
a bezel plate member having an opening therein, said bezel plate
member being removably securable to the outer side of said exterior
housing wall with said bezel plate member opening outwardly
overlying said exterior housing wall opening; a blank-off member
having an area less than that of said bezel plate member opening;
and means for removably securing said blank-off member to said
bezel plate member in a manner causing said blank-off member to
block selectively variable portions of said bezel plate member
opening.
14. The bezel assembly of claim 13 wherein: said bezel plate member
opening has a square configuration, and said blank-off member has a
generally plate-like elongated rectangular configuration.
15. The bezel assembly of claim 13 wherein: said means for
removably securing include a rectangular frame member removably
securable to a side of said bezel plate member in two mutually
perpendicular orientations thereon, and said blank-off member is
removably securable to said frame member to extend across and block
only a portion of its opening.
16. The bezel assembly of claim 15 wherein: said bezel plate member
opening has a square configuration, said bezel plate member has an
inner side in which a square recess area is formed and extends
around the periphery of said bezel plate member opening, and said
frame member has a square configuration and is removably and
complementarily receivable in said square recess area in said two
mutually perpendicular orientations.
17. Computer apparatus selectively configurable in both desktop and
tower orientations, comprising: a housing having a first exterior
wall with an opening therein, and a second exterior wall transverse
to said first exterior wall; a modular device having a side and
being insertable inwardly through said opening in a selectively
variable one of (1) a desktop orientation in which said modular
device side is parallel to said second exterior wall, and (2) a
tower orientation in which said modular device side is transverse
to said second exterior wall; and a support structure operative to
support the inserted modular device in either of the desktop and
tower orientations thereof.
18. The computer apparatus of claim 17 wherein said modular device
is a drive unit.
19. The computer apparatus of claim 17 wherein said opening has a
square configuration.
20. The computer apparatus of claim 19 wherein: said support
structure extends inwardly into said housing from spaced apart
peripheral portions of said opening.
21. The computer apparatus of claim 19 wherein: said modular device
has a pair of opposite side edge portions with spaced projections
thereon, said opening has a square configuration with first and
second opposing sides extending transverse to said second exterior
wall, and third and fourth opposing sides extending parallel to
said second exterior wall, and said support structure includes wall
means for defining (1) a first pair of opposing slots
longitudinally extending into the interior of said housing from
said first and second opposing sides of said opening and configured
to slidingly receive said projections when said modular device is
in said desktop orientation, and (2) a second pair of opposing
slots longitudinally extending into the interior of said housing
from said third and fourth opposing sides of said opening and
configured to slidingly receive said projections when said modular
device is in said tower orientation.
22. The computer apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a bezel
structure including: a body portion having an opening therein, said
body portion being removably securable to the outer side of said
first exterior wall with said bezel body portion opening outwardly
overlying said first exterior housing wall opening, and a blank-off
structure removably securable to said body portion in mutually
perpendicular orientations and operative to blank off a selected
area of said first exterior housing wall opening unoccupied by a
modular device.
23. The computer apparatus of claim 22 wherein said blank-off
structure includes: a blank-off member, and means for removably
securing said blank-off member to said body portion to extend
across a portion of said opening therein.
24. The computer apparatus of claim 23 wherein said means for
removably securing include: a frame member removably securable to
said body portion, in mutually perpendicular orientations relative
thereto, around said opening therein, and means for removably
securing said blank-off member to said frame member to extend
across and cover an interior portion thereof.
25. The computer apparatus of claim 24 wherein said body portion of
said bezel structure is snap-fittable onto said first exterior wall
of said housing, said frame member is snap-fittable onto said body
portion of said bezel structure, and said blank-off member is
snap-fittable onto said frame member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application discloses subject matter similar to a
portion of the subject matter illustrated in pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 08/681,060 filed on Jul. 22, 1996 and entitled
"MODULAR DESKTOP COMPUTER HAVING ENHANCED SERVICEABILITY".
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to computer
apparatus and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly
provides apparatus for supporting externally insertable drive units
in a computer in a manner permitting a user to selectively
configure his computer in either a desktop or tower
configuration.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] The operating components of a full size personal computer
(i.e., a nonportable computer) are typically disposed within an
elongated rectangular CPU housing, with the computer being sold to
the consumer in either a "desktop" configuration or a "tower
configuration". With the computer in its desktop configuration the
housing is horizontally rested on a work surface (such as a desktop
area) with the shortest side-to-side dimension of the rectangular
housing extending vertically, and the front side of the computer
housing facing the user. With the computer in its tower
configuration the housing is supported on one of its sides in a
vertical orientation on the work surface or on the floor, with the
shortest dimension of the rectangular housing extending
horizontally and the drive access at the top end of the
computer.
[0006] The front side of the housing typically has an opening
formed therein through which one or more drive units, such as a
hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive and a CD ROM drive may be
inserted. Each inserted drive unit is suitably supported within the
housing and has a front side that extends across the front side
housing opening to facilitate user access to the drive unit, and
the inserted drive units are electrically coupled to associated
circuitry within the housing in an appropriate manner.
[0007] For a variety of reasons it is desirable and conventional to
horizontally orient the drive units relative to the user such that
the rotational axes of the units are vertically oriented. In the
case of a CD ROM drive such orientation is desirable to present the
compact disc-supporting tray portion of the drive in a horizontal
orientation to underlie and hold the disc when the tray is moved
outwardly toward the user and then retracted into the CD ROM drive.
While externally insertable hard disk drives may be mounted either
horizontally or vertically, they are conventionally mounted
horizontally as are floppy disk drives which are generally
perceived to be easier to use in their conventional horizontal
orientations.
[0008] Some computer purchasers prefer their computer to be in a
horizontal desktop configuration, while other purchasers prefer the
vertical tower configuration for their computer. Moreover, it often
happens that due to subsequent changes in work space configuration
or other factors a user may wish to use his desktop computer in a
tower configuration or vice versa.
[0009] Heretofore, it was either difficult or simply not feasible
for a user to convert his or her computer from one of these
configurations to the other configuration in a manner keeping the
front side drive units in the desired horizontal orientations
thereof in both the desktop and tower positions of the CPU housing.
To do requires rotating the drive units ninety degrees relative to
the housing when the housing is switched from its horizontal
desktop position to its vertical tower position or vice versa.
[0010] In the past, computer manufacturers provided purchasers with
a choice between desktop and tower housing configurations--neither
of which could be modified by the user to change it to the other
configuration. Simply stated, if a purchaser, for example, bought a
desktop computer and later wanted a tower computer he or she had to
purchase a separate tower computer.
[0011] Later, some manufacturers began to use the same housing for
both desktop and tower computers. This was achieved by providing a
drive unit support structure that could be rotated ninety degrees
relative to the housing to horizontally orient the drive units
relative to the user regardless of whether the housing was to be
used in a desktop or tower orientation. While it was possible for a
user to convert the purchased computer from one of these
orientations to the other orientation, it was quite difficult and
involved purchasing a new front bezel and drive support parts for
the computer and then reorienting the drive support structure
within the housing and installing the new bezel in place of the
original one. As might be imagined, these difficulties discouraged
many computer owners from attempting to convert their computer from
a desktop configuration to a tower orientation or vice verse.
[0012] In view of the foregoing it can be readily seen that a need
exists for a computer which may be more easily converted by a user
from either a desktop or tower configuration to the other
configuration in a manner maintaining the front side drive units in
a horizontal orientation in each configuration. It is to this need
that the present invention is directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In carrying out principles of the present invention, in
accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, electronic
apparatus is provided which is representatively in the form of a
specially designed computer which may be reconfigured by it user
between horizontal desktop and vertical tower configurations.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment thereof, the computer includes a
housing having a first exterior wall with an opening therein, and a
second exterior wall transverse to the first exterior wall. A
modular device, representatively a drive unit, has a side and is
insertable inwardly through the housing wall opening in a
selectively variable one of (1) a desktop orientation in which the
modular device side is parallel to the second exterior wall of the
housing, and (2) a tower orientation in which the modular device
side is transverse to the second exterior wall.
[0015] The computer also includes a support structure operative to
support the inserted modular device in either of its desktop and
tower orientations, and a specially designed reconfigurable bezel
assembly which is removably securable to the outer side of the
first housing exterior wall and serves to block off an area of the
underlying housing opening unoccupied by an inserted modular
device.
[0016] The housing opening preferably has a square configuration,
and the support structure includes opposing pairs of slots
extending inwardly from opposing sides of the housing opening into
the interior or the housing and configured to slidably receive
mounting projections on opposite side edge portions of the inserted
modular device in both its desktop and tower orientations.
[0017] The bezel structure preferably includes a plate-shaped bezel
body having a square opening therein and being removably securable
to the outer side of the first exterior housing wall in a manner
such that the bezel body opening outwardly overlies the housing
opening. A square frame is removably snap-fittable into an inner
side recess formed in the bezel body and extending around its
opening, and an elongated rectangular plate is removably
snap-fittable onto the frame in two mutually perpendicular
orientations thereon.
[0018] To reconfigure the computer from, for example its desktop
orientation to its tower orientation, the bezel assembly is removed
from the outer side of the first exterior housing wall, and the
modular device (presently in its desktop orientation relative to
the computer housing) is electrically and mechanically uncoupled
from the housing and pulled outwardly through the housing opening.
The removed modular device is then positioned in its tower
orientation relative to the housing, inserted into the housing, and
then again appropriately coupled to the electrical circuitry within
the housing.
[0019] To accommodate the now reoriented modular device, the
removed bezel assembly is reconfigured by removing the frame from
the bezel body, rotating the removed frame ninety degrees relative
to the bezel body, and then snapping the reoriented frame back into
the body recess to correspondingly reposition the blank-off plate
relative to the bezel body so that when the bezel assembly is
replaced on the housing the blank-off plate will cover the now
repositioned portion of the housing wall opening unoccupied by the
reoriented modular device supported therein.
[0020] After the reconfigured bezel assembly is reinstalled on the
housing the housing may be rotated ninety degrees from its previous
horizontal desktop orientation and placed atop a support surface in
its new vertical tower orientation. The user of the computer may
simply repeat the simple reconfiguration process described above to
place the computer back in its previous desktop orientation.
[0021] This unique user reconfiguration of the computer selectively
between desktop and tower orientations thereof is conveniently
accomplished using the same computer housing, and does not require
any special tools or modification of the modular device support
structure within the housing. This reconfiguration method may be
used with one or more modular devices, such as floppy disk drives,
hard disk drives and CD ROM drives being operatively received and
supported within the housing opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIGS. 1A and 1B perspectively illustrate a specially
designed computer which may be easily converted by a user between a
horizontally orientable desktop configuration (FIG. 1A) and a
vertically orientable tower configuration (FIG. 1B);
[0023] FIGS. 2A and FIG. 2B are simplified perspective views of a
corner portion of the computer, with its front bezel assembly
removed, and respectively illustrate the installation therein of a
representative drive unit in mutually perpendicular desktop and
tower orientations;
[0024] FIGS. 3A and 3B are enlarged front side elevational views of
a front exterior side wall opening and associated drive support
structure in the computer and respectively illustrate, in phantom,
the desktop and tower mounting orientations of the installed drive
unit;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a front side perspective view of a specially
designed reconfigurable bezel structure removed from the front
exterior side wall of the computer housing, the bezel structure
being oriented in its desktop configuration; and
[0026] FIGS. 5A and 5B are simplified, partially exploded rear side
perspective views of an end portion of the bezel structure
respectively illustrating a removable frame and blank-off portion
of the bezel structure in their desktop and tower orientations
relative to the main body portion of the bezel structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Perspectively illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B is a personal
computer 10 embodying principles of the present invention.
According to a key aspect of the invention, the computer 10 has an
elongated rectangular housing 12 which may be easily converted by a
user of the computer between a horizontal desktop configuration as
shown in FIG. 1A, and a vertical tower configuration as shown in
FIG. 1B.
[0028] Referring first to FIG. 1A, the housing 12 in its horizontal
desktop configuration is shown placed atop a horizontal support
surface such as a desktop 14, and has a vertically extending outer
front side wall 16 covered by a subsequently described bezel
assembly 18 removably secured to its outer side; a vertically
extending outer rear side wall 20; opposite vertically extending
outer left and rear end walls 22 and 24; and horizontally extending
outer top and bottom side walls 26 and 28. As can be seen, with the
housing 10 in its horizontal desktop orientation, the vertical
height of the housing is less than its horizontal width and
depth.
[0029] The bezel assembly 18 includes a horizontally elongated
plastic base plate or body member 30 having, adjacent its right end
32, a square opening 34 (see also FIGS. 5A and 5B) having opposite
top and bottom sides 34a,34b and opposite left and right sides
34c,34d as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4. Bezel body member opening 34
outwardly overlies and is generally aligned with a square opening
36 (see FIGS. 2A and 3A) formed in the front housing wall 16 and
bounded by housing walls 24,26,28 and a vertical interior housing
wall 38 extending rearwardly from the opening 36 into the interior
of the housing 12.
[0030] With the computer housing 10 in its FIG. 1A horizontal
desktop configuration, modular devices, representatively a pair of
drive units 40 and 42, are horizontally oriented within the housing
opening 36, project into the interior of the housing 12, and are
visible and operable through the bezel body opening 34.
Illustratively, drive unit 40 is a floppy disk drive and extends
inwardly into the housing 12 through a top portion of the housing
opening 36, and the drive unit 42 is a CD ROM drive and extends
inwardly into the housing 12 through a vertically intermediate
portion of the housing opening 12. With both of the drive units
40,42 installed in the housing 12 a gap is left at the bottom side
of the housing 12 and is configured to accept another drive unit,
such as a hard disk drive to supplement at least one other hard
drive (not shown) operatively mounted within the interior of the
housing 12. This gap in the square housing opening 36 below the
installed CD ROM drive 42 is covered, as subsequently described
herein, by a horizontally elongated plastic blank-off plate portion
44 of the bezel assembly 18.
[0031] As noted above, with the computer housing 12 in its FIG. 1A
horizontal desktop orientation the installed drive units 40,42 are
horizontally disposed relative to the user of the computer--i.e.,
the top and bottom sides of the drive units 40,42 are parallel to
the horizontal top and bottom outer side walls 26,28 of the
computer housing 12. Using specially designed features of the
housing 12 and the bezel assembly 18, the present invention
uniquely permits a user of the computer 10 to readily reconfigure
the computer in a vertically oriented tower configuration, as shown
in FIG. 1B, in which the housing may be rested on its end wall 22
atop a horizontal support surface, such as a desktop 14 or floor 46
(as shown in FIG. 1B), with the drive units 40,42 in a horizontal
orientation such that the top and bottom sides of the drive units
40,42 are parallel to the now horizontal outer end walls 22,24 of
the housing 12.
[0032] Turning now to FIGS. 2A-3B, the floppy disk drive unit 40 is
of a generally rectangular configuration, having an elongated
rectangular bezel plate 48 on its front side, and a spaced pair of
outwardly projecting cylindrical mounting structures 50
(representatively the heads of a pair of mounting screws) on
opposite side edge portions thereof. The CD ROM drive 42 is
similarly configured and has a front side bezel plate 51 (see FIGS.
1A and 1B) and mounting screw heads (not shown) projecting
outwardly from opposite outer side edges thereof.
[0033] Formed on the inner side of each of the housing walls
24,26,28 and 38 are three sets of spaced apart opposing flanges 52
which form slots 54 extending rearwardly into the interior of the
housing 12 and are configured to slidingly receive the cylindrical
mounting screw heads 50 on the floppy disk drive 40 and the
similarly configured screw heads (not illustrated) on the CD ROM
drive 42. The slots 54a-54c on the top side of the housing opening
36 respectively oppose the slots 54d-54f on the bottom side of the
housing opening 36, while the slots 54g-54i on the left side of the
housing opening 36 respectively oppose the slots 54j-54l on the
right side of the housing opening 36.
[0034] With the bezel assembly 18 removed from the outer side of
the front housing side wall 16, to place the computer housing 12 in
its FIG. 1A horizontal desktop configuration the floppy disk drive
40 is rearwardly inserted into the housing opening 36, as indicated
by the arrow 56 in FIG. 2A in a manner causing the mounting screw
heads 50 on the opposite side edges of the floppy disk drive 40 to
enter the horizontally opposed flange slots 54g,54j as indicated in
FIG. 3A, and positioning elongated the floppy drive front side
bezel plate 48 to longitudinally extend horizontally along a top
side portion of the housing opening 36 as shown in phantom in FIG.
3A. The CD ROM drive unit 42 (not shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A) is then
rearwardly inserted into the housing opening in a similar manner,
below the floppy disk drive 40, to cause the mounting screw heads
on the CD ROM drive 42 to slidingly enter the horizontally opposed
slot pair 54h,54k. The inserted drive units 40,42 may then be
electrically coupled to the circuitry within the housing 12 using
suitable connector cables. Drive units 40,42 are retained within
the housing 12, with the drive unit front bezel plates 48,51
extending across an upper portion of the housing opening 12, by
additional mounting screws or suitable latch means disposed within
the housing and functioning to releasably release the inserted
drive units in place within the housing.
[0035] With the drive units 40,42 installed in this manner, a gap
is left in the housing opening 36 beneath the CD ROM drive unit 42
as previously mentioned, such gap being covered by the bezel
blank-off plate 44 as shown in FIG. 1A. Turning now to FIG. 5A, as
indicated by the arrow 58, the blank-off plate 44 is snap-fitted
forwardly into a bottom side portion of a square frame member 60
which is then snap-fitted into a square well area 62 formed in the
rear side 64 of the bezel body member 30 around its opening 34.
With the frame 60 received in the well area 62 the blank-off member
44 longitudinally extends along the opening 34 adjacent its bottom
side 34b. The bezel body 30 is then removably snap-fitted onto the
outer side of the front housing wall 16, using resilient tabs 64
formed on the back side of the bezel body 30 (see FIG. 4) and
snapped into corresponding slots (not shown) formed in the front
housing wall 16, to place the computer 10 in its FIG. 1A horizontal
desktop configuration.
[0036] When it is desired to convert the computer 10 to its FIG. 1B
vertical tower configuration, the bezel assembly 18 is removed from
the front housing side wall 16, and the inserted drive units 40,42
are mechanically and electrically uncoupled from the housing 12 and
pulled forwardly out of the housing opening 36. Drive unit 40 is
then rotated from its FIG. 2A horizontal orientation to its FIG. 2B
vertical orientation and reinserted into the housing opening 36, as
indicated by the arrow 66 in FIG. 2B, to cause the upper and lower
mounting screw heads 50 to be slidingly received in the opposing
top and bottom side slots 54a,54d as shown in FIG. 3B. A similar
rotation and reinsertion of the drive unit 42 is carried out in a
manner such that its mounting screw heads are received in the top
and bottom side slots 54b,54e. After such reinsertion of the
reoriented drive units 40,42 they are again cabled to the internal
circuitry within the housing 12.
[0037] Next, in the removed bezel assembly 18, the frame member 60
is removed from the bezel body well area 62 as shown in FIG. 5A,
rotated ninety degrees to its FIG. 5B orientation, and snapped back
into place within the well area 62 to position the now reoriented
blank-off plate 44 so that it is positioned adjacent the end 32 of
the bezel body member 30 and longitudinally extends between the
opposite sides of the bezel body member opening 30. The bezel
assembly 18 is then snapped back into place on the outer side of
the front housing wall 16, and the now reconfigured computer 10 is
tilted upwardly to its FIG. 1B tower configuration and the housing
end wall 22 is rested upon the support surface 46.
[0038] In this tower configuration of the computer 10, the drive
units 40,42 are horizontally positioned relative to the user of the
computer, and the blank-off plate 44 covers the area of the
underlying portion of the housing 36 which is unblocked by the
drive units 40,42. If it is later desired to convert the computer
back to its FIG. 1A desktop configuration the process is simply
repeated by (1) removing and reconfiguring the bezel assembly 18,
(2) removing, reorienting and reinstalling the drive units 40 and
42, and (3) replacing the reconfigured bezel assembly 18.
[0039] As can be readily seen from the foregoing, this
reconfiguration of the computer 10 between desktop and tower
orientations thereof may be easily and quickly carried out by the
user of the computer using the same housing and without the
necessity of using any special tools or reconfiguring the drive
support structure within the computer.
[0040] The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly
understood as being given by way of illustration and example only,
the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited solely
by the appended claims.
* * * * *