Electronic apparatus and associated disassembly release tool
AssigneeThomson Licensing
InventorsWilliam Phillip Dernier, Eddie Bryant, William Bose
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus comprises an enclosure having exterior walls defining an interior space; a top (10) having an interior surface (12) and a plurality of coupling clips (30) extending from the interior surface; and a base (5) having an inner surface (14). The base has a plurality of clip receiving members extending from the inner surface and reversibly engaging the coupling clips to secure the top to the base. The base further includes at least one aperture (7) adapted to permit a release fixture (50) having a plurality of decoupling members (40) extending from a plate (51) to simultaneously disengage the clip receiving members.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a first wall having a plurality of clips on an interior surface of the first wall;
- a second wall having a plurality of retaining members extending
- transversely from on an inner surface of the second wall, the inner surface of the second wall facing the interior surface of the first wall, the interior and inner surfaces defining an interior space;
- wherein protrusions extending transversely from the respective clips and retaining members are engaged, aligned and oriented relative to one another such that all of the respective clips and retaining members are substantially simultaneously disengaged by a plurality of decoupling members having an alignment and orientation corresponding to the respective clips and retaining members and adapted to be moved in unison in a direction parallel to the alignment and orientation of the respective clips and retaining members.
An apparatus comprising:
- an enclosure having exterior walls defining an interior space;
- a top having an interior surface and a plurality of coupling clips extending from the interior surface;
- and
- a base having an inner surface and a plurality of clip receiving members extending transversely from the inner surface, protrusions extending transversely from the clip receiving members reversibly engaging protrusions extending transversely from the coupling clips to secure the top to the base, the base further including at least one aperture adapted to permit a release fixture having a plurality of decoupling members extending from a plate to simultaneously disengage the clip receiving members when the decoupling members are inserted in a direction parallel to the alignment and orientation of the respective clips and clip receiving members.
A method comprising:
- pushing a base and top together by applying a vertical force;
- simultaneously contacting coupling clips of the top with clip receiving members of the base;
- laterally repositioning grasping portions of the coupling clips;
- and
- snapping the grasping portions into their initial lateral positions or some intermediate positions, such that there is a lateral and vertical overlap of portions of the coupling clips and part of the clip receiving members which causes the top and base to be reversibly assembled;
- aligning a release fixture to the base;
- applying a vertical linear force to the release fixture to cause a plurality of decoupling members extending from a plate of the release fixture to enter apertures of the base;
- simultaneously contacting the decoupling members to the grasping portions;
- laterally repositioning the grasping portions of the coupling clips to disengage the grasping portions;
- and
- lifting off the top.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.