Open the case -- English Version

[Salma Benamor]

Dear RevPi Community,

Original post was in German like here : viewtopic.php?f=4&t=232&p=853&hilit=deckel#p853
This post is a translator of the original one.

after Ingo complained in the blog that we advise against opening the case, I would like to start a topic here in the forum.
We have also made the experience internally among our developers that some find it very difficult to open the cases and others have the shells open in front of them in a few seconds. Unfortunately, the less dexterous hands can easily break off the sensitive "latching lugs" on the half-shells of the enclosures, which can then no longer be repaired. That's why we don't want to encourage everyone to open their case and break half of it.
But precisely because we assume that many of you will try it out one way or another, I think it is better if we at least give tips on how to avoid breakage.

First of all, there is no real trick to it. Even with the right tools, it simply takes a lot of feeling for the material. The enclosures are designed to be assembled as easily as possible without tools. Opening is not really intended by design. To ensure that the enclosure closes seamlessly without screws or tools, there are small spring-loaded catches around the edges. Their spring force is easy to overcome. But it is difficult to press them all back at the same time. And that's where the problem begins: only if you apply a little tension to both half-shells of the case (i.e. try to pull them apart) and at the same time carefully push the lugs in towards the centre of the case, will the lugs leave the latching positions and release the case shells for pulling apart. However, pushing the lugs in is a delicate matter: if you push them in too far, they will either be permanently bent and will later no longer close the case, or they will have broken off. The case shells will then no longer hold together without gaps.
Here is how I do it myself (if you are a RevPi case opener expert by now, please post your tried and tested method here in the forum!):
1- First all plugs must be removed
2- Then remove the orange front cover.
2.1- Using a small screwdriver (blade width should be about 2.5 mm!) carefully push inwards the light grey lugs in the hole of the orange cover directly above the power supply connector. While doing this, place the RevPi with the power supply plug facing upwards on the side with the PiBridge and place the right hand holding the screwdriver on the side of the RevPi. The left hand grips the lid with thumb and forefinger and pulls it away from the grey case (thus building up tension in this direction). The lugs disappear with a clicking sound and the lid moves away from the power supply connector on the upper side (approx. 5 mm).
2.2- Now turn the whole thing over and do the same on the opposite side (just above the black cover of the HDMI socket). The cover can now be removed completely from the case and hopefully all 4 lugs are still on...
3- Now place the case upright on the table with the front facing upwards and carefully move the screwdriver between the grey case and the sharp HDMI cover. The cover should go down very easily.
4- Set both top-hat rail springs (black sliders on the back of the enclosure) to half position (they will then stick out sideways about 5 mm).
5- Now it gets difficult. The half shells are held together by a total of 4 lugs on the back side, which all have to be brought out of the latching position at the same time. This is how I proceed:
5.1- I put the case with the PiBridge side on the table. You can now spread the half-shells apart at the front. However, you should not overdo this! But it is absolutely necessary to give enough traction to the latches. I can do this with my left hand, while I press the lugs in with the screwdriver on the right. But you might want to use a little tool to find the right amount of spread. I have found that the black cover of the HDMI socket is quite suitable for this (see photo).

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5.2- Then I turn the RevPi upside down (sockets are on the table) and carefully press the 4 lugs into the case at the top (i.e. on the side where the case is spread by the cover) one after the other with the screwdriver. The two lugs under the black sliders are very difficult to see. But the upper one (marked 1 in the photo), is pushed inwards to the left of the centre bar of the slider (the nose is arranged like no.2). Nose 2 must be pressed into the case on the left edge (maximum 1 mm deep!!!), nose 3 on the right edge. Nose 4 is arranged like nose 3 and can be pressed into the case directly to the right of the web of the lower slider.

20170524_131408.jpg (122.32 KiB) Viewed 9438 times

5.3- If the pull fits on the lugs then they snap out of their rest position and then remain outside the snap position. As a result, the casing can be pulled apart (see photo). The halves should not be tilted against each other.

20170524_131528.jpg (175.97 KiB) Viewed 9438 times

When assembling, proceed in reverse order. The halves are pushed into each other without any edges and as parallel as possible until the lugs snap into place. Then you first push the orange cover onto the case until it snaps into the place and finally you put the black cover of the HDMI socket back on.

A word of warning: Unfortunately, we have no way of supplying you with suitable replacements for destroyed enclosures, as the enclosures are all individually lasered with serial numbers and MAC addresses in accordance with the requirements of various standards. Neutral unlasered enclosures may therefore not be used for legal reasons and therefore we cannot provide them.