Abstract:
A mounting apparatus includes a bracket, a cage and a cushion. The bracket includes a mounting plate and two limiting plates located on the mounting plate. The cage is secured to the mounting plate and surrounds the two limiting plates. The cage includes a restricting piece. The two limiting plates are adapted to receive a data storage device. A plurality of cushions are interposed between the two limiting plates and the data storage device, in such manner that the data storage device is held captive in the cage but is protected from external jolts or physical shocks.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses for data storage devices, and particularly to a mounting apparatus for a data storage device with a shock-proof assembly. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Data storage devices, such as hard disk drives and optical disk drives, are used in computers. The data storage devices may be fixedly attached within the computer or an electronic device. When the computer or the electronic device is dropped or jolted, an impact force may be directly transferred to the data storage device, thereby causing damage or a malfunction of the data storage device. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Many aspects of the 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 embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of one embodiment of a mounting apparatus and a data storage device. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a shock-absorbing member of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the mounting apparatus and the data storage device of  FIG. 1  partially assembled. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of the mounting apparatus and the data storage device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 4 , take along a line V-V. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but the data storage device is not shown. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of a circled portion VII of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. 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. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mounting apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment for securing a data storage device  100 , includes a bracket  10 , a cage  20  and a plurality of cushions  30 . 
         [0015]    Each of two opposite side surfaces of the data storage device  100  defines a plurality of securing holes  101 . Each of the plurality of securing holes  101  can receive a locking member  50 . In one embodiment, the locking member  50  is a cheese-headed or similar screw. 
         [0016]    The bracket  10  includes a mounting plate  11  and two limiting plates  13 . The two limiting plates  13  extend from the mounting plate  11 . In one embodiment, the two limiting plates  13  are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the mounting plate  11 . The two limiting plates  13  may be, for example, integrated with the mounting plate  11 . A limiting portion  15  protrudes from each end of each of the two limiting plates  13  towards each other. The limiting portion  15  includes two first limiting pieces  151  and a second limiting piece  153 . The second limiting piece  153  is located between, but lower than, the two first limiting pieces  151 . In one embodiment, the two first limiting pieces  151  are substantially parallel to each other and present a vertical aspect, and the second limiting piece  153  is substantially parallel to the mounting plate  11  and presents a horizontal aspect, being perpendicular to the two first limiting pieces  151 . Two positioning portions  16  are located on the mounting plate  11 . Each of the two positioning portions  16  is adjacent to an end of one of the two limiting plates  13 . An aperture  161  is defined between each of the two positioning portions  16  and the mounting plate  11 . 
         [0017]    The cage  20  includes a top wall  21 , two sidewalls  23 , and a rear wall (not shown). In one embodiment, the two sidewalls  23  are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicularly connected to two opposite side edges of the top wall  21 , and the rear wall is substantially perpendicular to the top wall  21  and the two sidewalls  23 . The top wall  21  defines a plurality of air vents  215 . Each of two opposite ends of the top wall  21  defines two cutouts  211 . Each of the two cutouts  211  extends to each of the two sidewalls  23 . A restricting piece  213  extends from an edge of each of the two cutouts  211  in the top wall  21 . In one embodiment, the restricting piece  213  is substantially perpendicular to the top wall  21 , each of the two cutouts  211  is substantially “L” shaped. A maintaining piece  231  extends outwards from a bottom edge of each of the two sidewalls  23 . Two positioning pieces  201  extend from a bottom edge of the rear wall. In one embodiment, the maintaining piece  231  is substantially perpendicular to the two sidewalls  23 , and the two positioning pieces  201  are substantially perpendicular to the rear wall. Each of the two positioning pieces  201  can be inserted into the aperture  161 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , each of the plurality of cushions  30  includes a body  31 , and a receiving portion  33  located on the body  31 . The receiving portion  33  defines a receiving slot  331 . The receiving slot  331  includes an inserting end  3311  and a latching end  3313 . A width of the inserting end  3311  is larger than that of the latching end  3313 . In one embodiment, the latching end  3313  is substantially “U” shaped. A plurality of protrusions  333  is located on an outer surface of the receiving portion  33 . The plurality of protrusions  333  are arrayed to follow the “U” shape and are located around the latching end  3313 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-7 , in assembly, the locking member  50  is locked into each of the plurality of securing holes  101 . Each of the plurality of cushions  30  is placed below each locking member  50 , and the plurality of protrusions  333  abut the data storage device  100 . Each of the plurality of cushions  30  is moved towards the locking member  50 , to align the locking member  50  with the receiving slot  331 , until the locking member  50  is inserted into the inserting end  3311  and abuts the latching end  3313 . Each of the plurality of cushions  30  is moved upwards, to elastically deform the latching end  3313 . The latching end  3313  exerts force to engage the locking member  50  with the latching end  3313 . Thus, each of the plurality of cushions  30  is secured to the data storage device  100 . 
         [0020]    The data storage device  100  with the plurality of cushions  30  are placed between the two limiting plates  13 , and each of the plurality of cushions  30  is aligned with the limiting portion  15 . The data storage device  100  is moved towards the mounting plate  11 . Each of the plurality of cushions  30  is moved between the two first limiting pieces  151  and is elastically deformed by the two first limiting pieces  151 , until each of the plurality of cushions  30  is blocked by the second limiting piece  153 . The two first limiting pieces  151  exert force to engage each of the plurality of cushions  30  therebetween. In this position, each of the plurality of cushions  30  is located between one of the two limiting plates  13  and the data storage device  100 , and the body  31  abuts against one of the two limiting plates  13 , and the plurality of protrusions  333  abut the side surface of the data storage device  100 . Each of the plurality of cushions  30  is located between the top wall  21  and the second limiting piece  153 . 
         [0021]    The cage  20  is moved towards the bracket  10  and covers the two limiting plates  13 . The cage  20  is slanted to insert each of the two positioning pieces  201  into the protrusion  16  through the aperture  161 . The cage  20  is lowered flat, until the maintaining piece  231  abuts the mounting plate  11 . In this position, the restricting piece  213  is inserted into the inserting end  3311  and abuts against the side surface of the data storage device  100 . The restricting piece  213  abuts the locking member  50  in the latching end  3313  along a direction substantially perpendicular to mounting plate  11 , to prevent the locking member  50  from lifting up from the receiving slot  331 . Thus, the cage  20  is secured to the bracket  10 , and the locking member  50  is engaged in the receiving slot  331 . 
         [0022]    In use, each of the plurality of cushions  30  is sandwiched between the data storage device  100  and one of the two limiting plates  13 , to prevent the data storage device  100  being jolted along a direction substantially parallel to the mounting plate  11 . The restricting piece  213  abuts the locking member  50  along the direction substantially perpendicular to mounting plate  11 , to prevent the data storage device  100  from rising up in a direction substantially perpendicular to mounting plate  11 . 
         [0023]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.