Abstract:
A mounting apparatus includes a mounting bracket fixed in a chassis, and a number of base members respectively attached to a number of fans of different sizes. The base members are mounted to the mounting bracket at selected positions of the mounting bracket. Each of the base members defines a number of groups of mounting holes, thereby allowing mounting of different sized fans.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to fan mounting technologies. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Electronic devices, such as servers, contain fans to dissipate heat produced by electronic components. The devices generally include a mounting apparatus for mounting the fans. However, the mounting apparatus can only mount fans of a particular size at pre-determined positions. Therefore, replace the fans with fans of a different size, or to relocate the fans, the mounting apparatus must be replaced, which is inconvenient and costly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawing. 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. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a mounting apparatus, a chassis, and a plurality of fans, the mounting apparatus including a mounting fame and a plurality of base members. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of circled portion II of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of one of the fans, and one of the base members of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of circled portion V of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but the fan having been replaced with another fan of a different size. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but one of the fans has been replaced with another fan of a different size. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a mounting apparatus is provided for mounting a plurality of fans  200  to a chassis  100 . Each of the fans  200  includes opposite rectangular end plates (not labeled). Each of the end plates defines four fixing holes (not labeled), respectively arranged at four corners of the end plate. The mounting apparatus includes a mounting frame  10  and a plurality of base members  30 . 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the mounting frame  10  includes a board  12  and two sidewalls  11  substantially perpendicularly extending from opposite ends of the board  12 . The board  12  lengthwise defines a plurality of openings  14  therein. A reinforcing bar  15  is formed between every two adjacent openings  14 . Two opposite attachment bars  13  are formed on the board  12 , at top and bottom sides of the openings  14 . Each of the attachment bars  13  defines a plurality of substantially semi-circular positioning holes  131 , arranged along a longwise direction of the attachment bar  13 . An arced top side and a straight bottom side bounds each of the positioning holes  131 . 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , each of the base members  30  includes a substantially rectangular base plate  32 , and four positioning posts  31  perpendicularly extending from four corners of a side of the base plate  32 . The base plate  32  defines a round through hole  33  in a center of the base plate  32 , and includes two engaging bars  34 , crossed with each other at a crossing point, and located in the through hole  33 , and connected to a side bounding the through hole  33 . A plurality of groups of mounting holes  341  is defined in the base plate  32 , and arranged at four directions along the two engaging bars  34 . Each group of mounting holes  341  includes four mounting holes  341 , respectively in the two engaging bars  34  in the four directions from the crossing point. Therefore, different groups of mounting holes  341  have difference distances from the center of the through hole  33  and enable the base member  30  to be connected to one of a plurality of fans of different sizes. Each of the positioning posts  31  defines a groove  311  in the bottom of the positioning post  31 , adjacent to the base plate  32 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the mounting frame  10  may be fixed in the chassis  100  by riveting or screwing. 
         [0017]    In assembly of one of the fans  200  and one of the base members  30 , one of the end plates of the fan  200  abuts against a side of the base plate  32  of the base member  30 , opposite to the engaging posts  31  of the base member  30 . The fixing holes of the fan  200  are correspondingly aligned with a corresponding group of mounting holes  341  of the base member  30 . Four fixing pins  400  extend through the group of mounting holes  341  of the base member  30  and are fixed in the corresponding fixing holes of the fan  200 , thereby fixing the base member  30  to the fan  200 . To mount the fan  200  to the mounting frame  10 , the positioning posts  31  of the base member  30  are extended into a corresponding four of the positioning holes  131 . Two of the four positioning holes  131  are located at one of the mounting bars  13 , the other two positioning holes  131  are located at the other mounting bar  13 . The fan  200  and the base member  30  are slid downwards to allow the bottom sides bounding the positioning holes  131  to engage in the grooves  311  of the corresponding positioning posts  31 . Therefore, the base member  30  and the fan  200  are secured to the mounting fame  10 , with the fan  200  aligned with a corresponding opening  14  through the through hole  33 . To relocate the fan  200 , the positioning poles  31  can be engaged in other positioning holes  131 . Other fans  200  are mounted to the mounting fame  10  the same way as described above. 
         [0018]    To detach one of the fans  200  from the mounting frame  10 , the fan  200  is slid upwards to disengage the engaging posts  31  from the bottom sides bounding the corresponding positioning holes  131 , then the fan  200  is moved away from the mounting frame  10 , with the engaging posts  31  moving out of the corresponding positioning holes  131 , thereby disengaging the fan  200  from the mounting frame  10 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , to replace one of the fans  200  with a fan  300  with a greater size than the fan  200 , the fixing pins  400  are removed from the fan  200  and the corresponding base member  30  to detach the fan  200  from the base member  30 . The fan  300  is mounted to the base member  20 , with the fixing pins  400  engaging in another group of mounting holes  341  corresponding to the size of the fan  300 . The fan  300  is then ready to be mounted to the mounting frame  10  by engaging the base member  30  to the mounting frame  10 . 
         [0020]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.