Mounting apparatus for hard disk drive

A mounting apparatus for mounting a hard disk drive (HDD) is provided. The HDD includes two opposite sidewalls each defining a positioning hole. The mounting apparatus includes a supporting plate and a fixing assembly. The fixing assembly includes a positioning member mounted on the supporting plate, a latching member fixed to the positioning member, and an operation member slidably sandwiched between the positioning member and the latching member. The latching member includes a resilient latching portion with a latching post. The operation member includes an abutting block slidably abutting against the latching portion, to bias the latching post to latch into or disengage from one of the positioning holes of the HDD.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to mounting apparatus, and particularly to a mounting apparatus for a hard disk drive.

2 . Description of Related Art

In an electronic device, hard disk drives are usually fixed in a chassis of the electronic device by a plurality of fasteners or screws. However, it is time-consuming and often difficult to assemble or disassemble the hard disk drives to or from the electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-4, show an exemplary embodiment of a mounting apparatus100provided for mounting a hard disk drive500. The hard disk drive500includes a first sidewall502, a second sidewall504and a third sidewall506offsettingly connected to each other and opposite to the first sidewall502, and an end wall507perpendicularly connecting the first sidewall502and the second sidewall504. The first sidewall502defines two positioning holes508, and the second sidewall504defines a positioning hole508. The mounting apparatus100includes a supporting plate20and a fixing assembly40.

The supporting plate20is substantially rectangular, two parallel first positioning pieces22extend up from a first end of the supporting plate20, a latching piece24protrudes up from the first end of the supporting plate20parallel to the first positioning pieces22, and a second positioning piece26extending up from a side of the first end of the supporting plate20perpendicular to the first positioning pieces22. A second end of the supporting plate20opposite to the first end defines two fixing holes28. A hook242protrudes from a distal end of the latching piece24toward the second end.

The fixing assembly40includes a positioning member420, a latching member440, and an operation member460.

The positioning member420includes a rectangular positioning plate422, and a flange424protruding out from two lateral sides and an end side of the positioning plate422leaving an opening at the other end side. The positioning plate422and the flange424cooperatively bound a receiving slot426. A middle of the positioning plate422defines a rectangular guide hole427along a lengthwise direction of the positioning plate422. Two opposite hooks428extend down from a bottom portion of the positioning plate422. An outer surface of the flange424defines a plurality of latching slots429.

The latching member440includes a rectangular connecting plate441, and a peripheral plate442extending out from two lateral sides and an end side of the connecting plate441leaving an opening at the other end side. The connecting plate441and the peripheral plate442cooperatively bound a slide slot443. Two opposite ends of the connecting plate441each define a through hole444. A cantilever-shaped latching portion445extends in from an end wall of each through hole444adjacent to the opening of the slide slot443. Each latching portion445includes a resilient extending piece445aobliquely extending from the connecting plate441into the corresponding slide slot443, a guiding piece445cobliquely extending from a lower portion of a distal end of the extending piece445ainto the slide slot443, and a latching post445bperpendicularly extending out from an upper portion of the distal end of the extending piece445aaway from the slide slot443. A plurality of hooks447extend out from the peripheral plate442. An inner surface of the peripheral plate442defines a first cutout449aand a second cutout449b, wherein the second cutout449bis nearer than the first cutout449ato the opening of the slide slot443.

The operation member460includes a rectangular slide plate462and an operation portion465protruding out from a middle of the slide plate462. Two opposite ends of the slide plate462each define a receiving hole467. A wedge-shaped abutting block468extends in from a bottom corner of each receiving hole467opposite to the corresponding latching portion445. A side surface of each abutting block468adjacent to the operation portion465defines a guiding surface468a. A semi-cylindrical protrusion469protrudes from a lateral sidewall of the slide plate462.

In assembling the fixing assembly40, the operation member460is sandwiched between the positioning member420and the latching member440. The operation portion465is slidably received in the guide hole427of the positioning member420. The flange424of the positioning member420and the peripheral plate442of the latching member440abut against each other, with the hooks447engaging into the corresponding latching slots429. The slide plate462is slidably received in the space defined by the receiving slot426of the positioning member420and the slide slot443of the latching member440. The distal end of each extending piece445aand the corresponding guiding piece445cextend through the corresponding receiving holes467. Each guiding piece445caligns with the corresponding guiding surface468a. The protrusion469is positioned in either the first cutout449aor the second cutout449b, to selectively keep the operation member460in a first position or a second position. In the first position, an end wall of each receiving hole467opposite to the corresponding abutting block468presses the corresponding latching portion445, to force the extending piece445ainto the corresponding through hole444, such that the latching posts445bextend beyond an outer surface of the connecting plate441. In the second position each guiding surface468apresses the distal end of the corresponding extending piece445a, to force the latching posts445bback in the slide slots443.

In assembling the fixing assembly40to the supporting plate20, the hooks428are inserted into the corresponding fixing holes28, with the connecting plate441facing the first positioning pieces22. The fixing assembly40, the first and second positioning pieces22and26, and the latching piece24cooperatively bound a receiving space29for receiving the hard disk drive500.

FIGS. 5-8, in assembling the hard disk drive500, the operation portion465is slid along the guide hole427, until the protrusion469is snappingly received into the second cutout449b. The guiding surface468aof each abutting block468presses the lower portion of the distal end of the corresponding extending piece445a, to draw the latching posts445bback in the slide slot443. The hard disk drive500is received in the receiving space29. The second sidewall504is engaged with the latching piece24and the hook242is inserted into the positioning hole508. The third sidewall506is engaged with the first positioning pieces22, the end wall507is engaged with the second sidewall26, and the first sidewall502is engaged with the connecting plate441. The latching posts445bare aligned with the corresponding positioning holes508of the first sidewall502. The operation portion465is slid along the guide hole427, such that the protrusion469is switched from the second cutout449bto the first cutout449a. The abutting blocks468release the latching portions445, and each extending piece445ais self-restored to bias a distal end of the latching post445binto the corresponding positioning hole508. The end wall of each receiving hole467further presses the corresponding extending piece445a, to retain the latching posts445bin the positioning holes508.

In disassembling the hard disk drive500, the operation portion465is slid along the guide hole427, to move the protrusion469from the first cutout449ato the second cutout449b. At this time, the end walls of the receiving holes467release the extending pieces445, such that each extending piece445ais self-restored. The abutting blocks468further press the corresponding extending pieces445a, to fully disengage the latching posts445bfrom the corresponding positioning holes508. Therefore, the hard disk drive500can be easily removed from the mounting apparatus100.

While the disclosure describes examples and embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. To the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.