Abstract:
A mounting apparatus for fixing a slide rail to either a first rack post or a second rack post with different sizes or shapes of locating holes, includes a mounting bracket secured to the slide rail, a latch member rotatably mounted to the mounting bracket, and a restoring member. The mounting bracket includes a locating pin having a first segment adapted to extending through the first rack post locating hole, and a second segment adapted to extending through the second rack post locating hole. The latch member includes an arm received in the locating pin, with first and second holding teeth. In the locking position, either the first or the second teeth extend out of the locating pin to clasp the first or the second rack post, the unlocking position is achieved against spring pressure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION 
     Relevant subject matter is disclosed in a pending U.S. patent application, titled “MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR SLIDE RAIL,” with the application Ser. No. 13/151,286 and filed on Jun. 2, 2011, which is assigned to the same assignee as this patent application. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses and, more particularly, to an apparatus for mounting a slide rail. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Traditionally, a slide rail provides movement between two objects such as a desk and a drawer, or a server and a rack. 
     Many slide rail assemblies, for instance, for a desk drawer, include an outer slide rail mounted to the desk, an inner slide rail mounted to the drawer, and an intermediate slide rail mounted between the outer and inner slide rails. The intermediate slide rail can move inside the outer slide rail, and also move along the inner slide rail, thus the drawer can be pulled out from the desk. Screws are used for mounting the outer slide rail to the desk, and the positioning and fixing of the outer slide rail is inconvenient and time-consuming. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are exploded, isometric views of an embodiment of a mounting apparatus and a slide rail, from different perspectives. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of the assembled device of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  show the slide rail of  FIG. 3  attached to a first rack post, and the latch member respectively in the locked and unlocked positions. 
         FIG. 6  shows the slide rail of  FIG. 3  attached to a second rack post. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , an embodiment of a mounting apparatus may be used for retaining a slide rail  70  to a first rack post  80  defining a plurality of round locating holes  82 , or to a second rack post  90  defining a plurality of square locating holes  92 . The diameter of each of the locating holes  82  is less than the length of a diagonal line across each of the locating holes  92 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the mounting apparatus includes a mounting bracket  10 , a latch member  30 , and a restoring member  50 . 
     The slide rail  70  includes a web  72  with two flanges  74  extending from the top and bottom of the web  72 . A plurality of bosses  742  protrudes from an outer surface of the web  72 . An opening  744  is defined in the web  72  between the topmost and bottommost of the bosses  742 . 
     The mounting bracket  10  includes two parallel supporting boards  11 , a base board  12  perpendicularly connected between the support boards  11 , and an end plate  13  perpendicularly extending outwards from the front end of the base board  12  and connecting the supporting boards  11 . Each of the supporting boards  11  defines a securing hole  112  adjacent to the end plate  13 . The base board  12  defines a plurality of fixing holes  123 , and a access hole  121  for fingertip access arranged among the fixing holes  123 . A limiting portion  125  protrudes from the outer side of the base board  12 , adjacent to the rear end of the base board  12 . Two locating pins  14  perpendicularly extend forwards from the end plate  13 . Each of the locating pins  14  includes a first segment  141 , and a second segment  142  arranged between a rear end of the first segment  141  and the end plate  13 . A shoulder is formed between the first and second segments  141  and  142  of each of the locating pins  14 . The first segment  141  is a cylindrical column fit with the locating holes  82 , for example, with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of each of the locating holes  82  of the first rack post  80 . The second segment  142  is a column with a square cross section, where the length of a diagonal line across the square is greater than the diameter of each of the locating holes  82  of the first rack post  80 , but fit with the locating holes  92 , for example, slightly smaller than the length of a diagonal line across each of the locating holes  92 . Therefore, the first segment  141  can extend through any of the locating holes  82  of the first rack post  80 . The second segment  142  can extend through any of the locating holes  92  of the second rack post  90 , but cannot extend into any of the locating holes  82  of the first rack post  80 . Each of the locating pins  14  is diametrically and symmetrically divided so as to define a receiving slot  145  which extends through the end plate  13 , the slots  145  being parallel to the supporting boards  11 . 
     The latch member  30  includes a middle portion  31 , two arms  32  respectively extending forwards from opposite ends of the middle portion  31 , and a manipulation portion  33  extending rearwards from the middle portion  31 . A first tooth  321  and a second tooth  323  extend from the same side of each of the arms  32 . The first tooth  321  is arranged in front of the second tooth  323 . Each of the first teeth  321  forms a guide slope  3211  facing forwards, and a stop side  3212  facing the middle portion  31 , and the shape of each of the second teeth  323  is substantially similar to that of the first teeth. Each of the arms  32  defines a pivot hole  326 , in close proximity to the middle portion  31 . 
     The restoring member  50  includes a resilient member  51 , and a pivot shaft  53 . The resilient member  51  includes a double-sided torque spring, with a flat connecting arm (first torque arm  511 ) in the middle, and two second torque arms  512  extending from the two outer ends of the two coils. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in assembly, the latch member  30  is received between the supporting boards  11  of the mounting bracket  10 . The arms  32  of the latch member  30  extend into the receiving slots  145  of the locating pins  14  with the teeth  321  and  323  pointing away from the base board  12 . The manipulation portion  33  of the latch member  30  is disposed between the limiting portion  125  and the base board  12  of the mounting bracket  10 , and is accessible to a human fingertip through the access hole  121  of the base  12  of the mounting bracket  10 . The pivot holes  326  of the arms  32  of the latch member  30  align with the securing holes  112  of the corresponding supporting boards  11  of the mounting bracket  10 . The resilient member  51  is inserted between the arms  32  of the latch member  30 , with the first torque arm  511  abutting the middle portion  31  of the latch member  30  in the manner of a saddle, and the second torque arms  512  resisting against the base board  12  of the mounting bracket  10 . The pivot shaft  53  extends axially through the resilient member  51  and the pivot holes  326  of the arms  32  of the latch member  30 . The ends of the pivot shaft  53  are fixed in the securing holes  112  of the supporting boards  11 , to rotatably mount the latch member  30  to the mounting bracket  10 . The resilient member  51  exerts a constant force on the latch member  30 , to make the first and second teeth  321  and  323  of the arms  32  extend outside the locating pins  14  through the receiving slots  145 . 
     The mounting apparatus is installed to the slide rail  70 , with the bosses  742  of the slide rail  70  meeting the corresponding fixing holes  123  of the mounting bracket  10 . The manipulation portion  33  of the latch member  30  is aligned with the opening  744  of the slide rail  70 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , to mount the slide rail  70  to the first rack post  80 , the first segments  141  of the locating pins  14  are pressed into two corresponding locating holes  82  of the first rack post  80 , from the rear side of the first rack post  80 . The guide slopes  3211  of the first teeth  321  of the latch member  30  enable the retraction against spring pressure of the first teeth  321  during entry into the locating holes  82 , to pivot the latch member  30 . When the first teeth  321  emerge through the front surface of the first rack post  80 , the resilient member  51  causes the latch member  30  to pivot to a locking position, where the first and second teeth  321  and  323  of the latch member  30  extend out of the receiving slots  145  of the corresponding locating pins  14  to sandwich the first rack post  80  between the stop sides  3212  of the first teeth  321  of the latch member  30  and the shoulders of the second segments  142  of the locating pins  14 . Therefore, the slide rail  70  is retained to the first rack post  80 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the detachment of the slide rail  70  from the first rack post  80  requires finger pressure on the manipulation portion  33  of the latch member  30 , to pivot the latch member  30  against spring pressure of the resilient member  51  to an unlocking position, where the first and second teeth  321  and  323  of the latch member  30  are retracted into the receiving slots  145  of the corresponding locating pins  14 . Therefore, the first teeth  321  of the latch member  30  disengage from the first rack post  80  to enable the locating pins  14  to be withdrawn from the corresponding locating holes  82  of the first rack post  80 , and the slide rail  70  can be detached from the first rack post  80 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , to mount the slide rail  70  to the second rack post  90 , the locating pins  14  are pressed into the locating holes  92  of the second rack post  90  from the rear side of the second rack post  90 , until the end plate  13  of the mounting bracket  10  abuts the second rack post  90 , following a procedure which is similar to that in mounting the slide rail  70  to the first rack post  80 . The second rack post  90  is sandwiched between the stop sides  3232  of the second teeth  323  of the latch member  30  and the end plate  13  of the mounting bracket  10 . Therefore, the slide rail  70  is retained to the second rack post  90 . 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiment(s) have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiment(s), the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and the 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.