Disk drive unit tilt device

A tilt device for tilting a disk drive unit, the tilt device comprising:

• a chassis having pivot posts extending upwardly from an inner surface thereof;
• a rear cap for covering a rear portion of the chassis;
• a lid pivotably attached to the chassis by pivot pins which extend through mounting holes in the lid and which are secured to the pivot posts of the chassis by guide pin retainers and having the disk drive unit attached to an underside thereof, wherein
• the lid, the rear cap, and the chassis form a housing that contains the disk drive unit therein,
• the lid has a closed position in which the lid covers the front portion of the chassis to prevent access to the disk drive unit and to minimize dust and debris from entering and collecting on the disk drive unit, and
• the lid has an opened position in which the lid is tilted upwards and away from the chassis to expose a disk-receiving slot opening of the disk drive unit therebetween;
• a latch secured to the disk drive unit;
• a latch retainer movably connected to the chassis;
• a first set of spring catches attached to the latch retainer;
• a second set of spring catches attached to the inner surface of the chassis and corresponding to the first set of spring latches;
• a set of retaining springs for movably connecting the first set of spring catches on the latch retainer to the corresponding second set of spring catches on the chassis;
• a plurality of retainer,pegs disposed on the latch retainer,
• wherein the latch further contains respective peg-receiving slots for receiving the plurality of retainer pegs such that the retaining springs bias the spring catches against the latch to hold the plurality of retainer pegs within respective peg-receiving slots on the latch to maintain the lid in the closed position;
• a lid release slide button for opening the lid;
• spring guides and corresponding tilting springs for pushing the lid to the open position;
• a latch release lever movably attached to the chassis such that when the lid release slide button is manipulated to open the lid the latch release lever moves the latch retainer against a biasing force of the retaining springs, whereby the spring catches release the latch and the retainer pegs are displaced from within the peg-receiving slots to allow the spring guides and corresponding tilting springs to push the lid to the opened position;
• a rack gear extending downwardly from the underside surface of the lid;
• a damper gear extending from the inner surface of the chassis, the damper gear being engaged with the rack gear to control a speed at which the lid is pushed open;
• and
• limiting means for restricting the opened position of the lid to be approximately 5.degree. to 10.degree. from a horizontal plane.