Tower computer with low center of gravity

#The invention relates generally to computers and, more particularly, to a computer in a tower configuration.

#There has been a continuing trend since personal computers were introduced about twenty years ago to reduce the size of the computer housing or “box” that holds the basic computer components such as the motherboard, power supply and various drives. One of the reasons for this trend is that computer peripherals have become increasingly available and affordable and thus compete for desk top space with computers. For example it is not uncommon for a modern computer user to have a computer, mouse, keyboard, 21 inch monitor, personal printer and scanner on his/her desk top whereas twenty years ago a typical desk top would have had nothing on it other than a typewriter or calculator.

#One technique now widely employed by designers for reducing a computer's desk top “footprint” is use of a “tower” configuration. Whereas a standard computer housing has a relatively small height and relatively larger length and width dimensions, a tower computer has a relatively small width and relatively larger length and height dimensions.

#One illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the appended drawing of which:

#FIG. 1 is a top, front, left perspective view of a computer housing;

#FIG. 2 is a top, front perspective view of a computer housing;

#The drawing figures illustrate a personal 10 having a base face 282, a top face 280, a front face 274 a rear face 276 and first and second lateral side faces 278, 284. The first side face 278 has a surface area greater than said base face 282; a power supply assembly 510; a hard drive assembly 710; wherein the power supply assembly 510 and the hard drive assembly 710 are mounted in a bottom third of the computer 10.

#FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a tower computer 10 comprising a sheet metal housing 12 having an outside surface 14 and an inside surface 16. The housing has central and intersecting longitudinal, lateral, and vertical axes XX, YY, and ZZ respectively. (All reference to “horizontal” and “vertical” herein assume the normal operating position of the computer or the subject component unless otherwise noted.) The sheet metal may be steel and may have a wall thickness of, e.g. 0.6 mm to 0.8 mm. Those having skill in the art will understand that other wall thickness dimensions and other types of metal may also be used.

#The housing 12 comprises a vertically and laterally extending front wall 22; a vertically and laterally extending rear wall 24; a vertically and longitudinally extending left lateral side wall 26; a vertically and longitudinally extending right lateral side wall 28; a longitudinally and laterally extending top wall 32 and a laterally and longitudinally extending bottom wall 34. The front wall terminates at a front wall/left wall vertical edge 38 on one side and front wall/right wall vertical edge 40 on the other side. A vertically extending flange portion 41 from the right wall overlaps the front wall terminating at vertically extending flange edge 43. A first narrow, rectangular, vertically extending opening 42 is positioned in a right side portion of the front wall 22. The opening has a top edge 44 a bottom edge 46 and first and second vertical edges 48, 50. A front face portion 412 of an optical drive extends therethrough as described in further detail below. A second generally rectangular opening 52 having a top edge 54, a bottom edge 56, a first vertical edge 58, and a second vertical edge 60 is positioned in a lower left hand portion of the front wall 22. The front wall comprises a generally flat, vertically and laterally extending panel portion 70 having a lower edge 71 and a top edge 78. Panel portion 70 contains openings 42 and 52. The front wall 22 has a generally flat, bottom recessed portion 72 parallel to portions 70 which has a bottom edge 73 and a top edge 75. Edge 75 and edge 71 define a generally longitudinally and laterally extending step portion 77 as best seen in FIG. 4. The distance between 71 and 75 may be, e.g. 90 mm. The distance between 73 and 75 may be, e.g. 20 mm. As best seen in FIG. 1, a top wall/front wall beveled transition portion 74 extends upwardly and rearwardly from edge 78 to a top edge 76. The distance between edges 76 and 78 may be, e.g. 20 mm.