Abstract:
A disk drive adapter which includes an enclosure, a circuit board, and two mounting pieces extending forwards. A first connector provides connections which match the I/O connections of the disk drive, as the disk drive is securely latched and held between the mounting pieces.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an adapter for hard disk drives. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The storage space of an internal hard disk drive of a computer is limited, which sometimes cannot meet storage needs. Therefore, an external hard disk drive is often used to store information. When using the external hard drive, the external hard drive is first installed in an adapter, and the adapter is connected to an interface of the computer. However, in use, the adapter needs to be repeatedly disassembled and assembled to enclose or remove the hard disk drive, which is very inconvenient. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of an adapter, and a hard disk drive. 
         FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are exploded, isometric views of the adapter of  FIG. 1 , but viewed from different perspectives. 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the adaptor of  FIG. 1 , taken along the line of V-V. 
         FIG. 6  is an assembled, isometric view of adapter and the hard disk drive of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side plan view of adapter and the hard disk drive of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , and  5 , an exemplary embodiment of an adapter  1  is provided to connect a hard disk drive  200  to an electronic device (not shown). The adapter  1  includes a cover  10 , a circuit board  20 , a seat  30 , and a plurality of fasteners  40 . In this embodiment, each fastener  40  is a screw. 
     The cover  10  includes a top plate  12 , two end plates  14  substantially perpendicular extending from the two opposite ends of the top plate  12  and opposing each other, a rear plate  16  substantially perpendicular extending from the rear side of the top plate  12 , and a limiting plate  18  extending down from a front side of the top plate  12 . A receiving space  100  is bounded by the top plate  12 , the end plates  14 , the rear plate  16 , and the limiting plate  18 . Four mounting blocks  19  extend down from the top plate  12 , located in the four corners of the receiving space  100 . Each mounting block  19  defines a mounting hole  190 . In this embodiment, the mounting hole  190  is a threaded hole. Two mounting pieces  140  extend forward from the front ends of the end plates  14 . Two protrusions  142  extend toward each other from the mounting pieces  140 . A guiding piece  144  substantially perpendicular extends from the bottom of the inner side of each mounting piece  140 , toward the other mounting piece  140 . An operation portion  146  is formed on the extremity of each mounting piece  140 , opposite to the corresponding end plate  14 . The rear plate  16  defines a first through hole  160  and a second through hole  162 . The limiting plate  18  defines an opening  180 , opposite to the top plate  12 . Two tabs  182 , substantially parallel to the top plate  12 , extend forwards from the base of the limiting plate  18  on either at two opposite side of the opening  180 . 
     The circuit board  20  defines four though holes  220  in the four corners. A first connector  24  extends from a front side of the circuit board  20 . A second connector  26  and a third connector  28  extend from the rear of the circuit board  20 . In this embodiment, the first connector  24  is a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) connector. The second connector  26  is a universal serial bus (USB) connector of any standard size. The third connector  28  is a power connector. The first connector  24  includes a mounting portion  240  mounted on the bottom of the front side of the circuit board  20 , and an electrical connection portion  242  extending from the mounting portion  240  (see  FIG. 5 ). The connection portion  242  is slanted down from the circuit board  20 . 
     The seat  30  includes a substantially rectangular bottom plate  32 . A guiding block  34  extends from a front side of the bottom plate  32 . Four mounting posts  320  extend from the four corners of the bottom plate  32 . Each mounting post  320  axially defines a through hole  322 , extending through the bottom plate  32 . The guiding block  340  includes a guiding surface  340  at its top, slanted down from the horizontal to accommodate the connection portion  242 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in assembly, the circuit board  20  is received in the receiving space  100  and is in contact with the faces of the mounting blocks  19 , the through holes  220  aligning with the corresponding mounting holes  190 . The connection portion  242  of the first connector  24  extends through the opening  180  of the limiting plate  18 . The second connector  26  and the third connector  28  respectively align with the first through hole  160  and the second through hole  162 . The seat  30  is attached to the bottom of the cover  10 , with the mounting posts  320  of the seat  30  in contact with the circuit board  20 . The though holes  322  align with the corresponding through holes  220 . The end plates  14  and the rear plate  16  precisely locate the bottom plate  32 . At both ends of the guiding block  34 , the bottom plate  32  rests on the two tabs  182 . The fasteners  40  extend through the through holes  322  and  220  to engage in the mounting holes  190 , to hold the cover  10 , the circuit board  20 , and the seat  30  firmly in place. The connection portion  242  is parallel to and almost butting against the guiding surface  340 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , in use, the hard disk drive  200  is supported on the guiding pieces  144  to slide into the adapter  1 , which operation elastically spreads the mounting pieces  140 . An interface (not shown) of the hard disk drive  200  is plugged into the connection portion  242  for an electrically connection with the first connector  24 . As the protrusions  142  latch into the two mounting holes  202  at opposite sides of the hard disk drive  200 , the hard disk drive  200  is mounted to the adapter  1 . The second connector  26  can be electrically connected to an electronic device, such as a computer. The third connector  29  can be electrically connected to a power supply. 
     Because the connection portion  242  is angled relative to the circuit board  20 , only one end of the hard disk drive  200  is in contact with the user&#39;s work surface, facilitating the dissipation of heat from the hard disk drive  200 . 
     It is believed that the present embodiment and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the description or sacrificing all of their material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiments.