Abstract:
A fan mounting apparatus includes a chassis, a mounting enclosure, and a clipping device. A securing slot is defined in the chassis. The mounting enclosure includes a top cover. The clipping device includes a mounting member and an operating member. The mounting member is secured to the mounting enclosure. The operating member is moveably attached to the mounting member and exposed out of the mounting enclosure. The operating member includes a hook extending through the top cover and engaged in the securing slot. The operating member is moveable in a direction towards the mounting member, so that the hook is disengaged from the securing slot.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to fan mounting apparatuses, more particularly to a fan mounting apparatus for a computer system. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    In a working computer system, a large amount of heat may be generated from electrical elements of the computer system. A fan is often used as a conventional means to dissipate the heat out of the computer system. Typically, a bracket is provided for receiving a fan, and a plurality of screws may be used to install the fan to the bracket. However, in such a configuration, assembling and disassembling of the fan may be inconvenient. Therefore, there is room in the art for improvement. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references 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 a fan mounting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , and viewed from a different aspect. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a circled portion III of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a circled portion IV of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an assembled view of a clipping device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is an exploded, isometric view of the fan mounting apparatus and a chassis in accordance with an embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is an assembled view of the fan mounting apparatus and the chassis of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     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]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a mounting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment. The mounting apparatus comprises a mounting enclosure  1  and two clipping devices  500  secured to the mounting enclosure  1 .  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  show that the mounting apparatus is used to secure a fan module  300  to a chassis  600 . Four securing tabs  311  are located on the fan module  300 . The chassis  600  comprises a bottom plate  610  and two side plates  620  located on the bottom plate  610 . Two securing slots  621  are defined in each of the two side plates  620 . 
         [0015]    The mounting enclosure  1  comprises a top cover  100 , two clasping plates  200 , and a base  400 . The top cover  100  comprises a top panel  110  and two side panels  120  extending downwards from two opposite edges of the top panel  110 . Two pairs of first through holes  111 , each pair adjacent to each of the two side panels  120 , are defined in the top panel  110 . A second through hole  112  is defined in the top panel  110  adjacent a front edge of the top panel  110 . Two positioning holes  121  are defined in a bottom of each of the two side panels  120  at two opposite ends, and a receiving cutout  123  is defined in a front edge of each side panel  120 . 
         [0016]    Two protrusions  210  extend from each of the two clasping plates  200 . A securing hole  211 , corresponding to the first through hole  111 , is defined in each of the two protrusions  210 . Two mounting slots  220  are defined in each clasping plate  200 . 
         [0017]    The base  400  comprises a bottom panel  410 , a front panel  420  extending from a front edge of the bottom panel  410 , and two securing panels  430  extending from two opposite side edges of the bottom panel  410 . Two mounting holes  411  are defined in the bottom panel  410 . Two securing flanges  421  extend inward from two opposite sides of the front panel  420 . Two openings  422 , adjacent to each of the two securing flanges  421 , are defined in the front panel  420 . A plurality of ventilation holes  423  is defined in the front panel  420 . A fastening hole  424  and two fixing holes  425  are defined in a top end of the front panel  420 . The fastening hole  424  is located between the two fixing holes  425 . A hole  431  is defined in each securing panel  430 . 
         [0018]      FIGS. 3-4  show that each of the two clipping devices  500  comprises a mounting member  510  and an operating member  520 . The mounting member  510  comprises a receiving portion  511  and two mounting portions  512 , connected to the receiving portion  511 . The receiving portion  511  comprises two parallel receiving panels  5110 , a first connecting panel  5112 , and a second connecting panel  5113 . The two receiving panels  5110 , the first connecting panel  5112  and the second connecting panel  5113  cooperatively define a receiving space  513 . A cutout  5114  is defined in the first connecting panel  5112 . Two flanges  5111  extend from opposite edges of the second connecting panel  5113  and secured to the two receiving panels  5110 . A plurality of first air outlets  5115  is defined in the second connecting panel  5113 . In one embodiment, the first connecting panel  5112  is substantially perpendicular to the two receiving panels  5110  and the second connecting panel  5113 , and the second connecting panel  5113  is substantially perpendicular to the two receiving panels  5110 . Each of the two mounting portions  512  comprises a retaining portion  5121  and a connecting portion  5122  connected to the retaining portion  5121  and the receiving panel  5110 . In one embodiment, the connecting portion  5122  is substantially perpendicular to the retaining portion  5121  and the receiving panel  5110 . A first retaining hole  5124  is defined in the retaining portion  5121  of one of the two mounting portions  512 , and a second retaining hole  5125  is defined in the retaining portion  5121  of another mounting portion  512 . 
         [0019]    The operating member  520  comprises a concave portion  521 , a resisting portion  523  extending from the concave portion  521 , and two resilient arms  524 . A plurality of second air outlets  5231  is defined in the resisting portion  523 . Two hooks  522  are located on the operating member  520  and away from the concave portion  521 . In one embodiment, each of the two resilient arms  524  is arcuate. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 1-5  shows that in assembly, the operating member  520  is received in the receiving space  513 , and the resisting portion  523  is engaged in the cutout  5114 , and the two resilient arms  524  abut against the first connecting panel. Thus, the operating member  520  is secured to the mounting member  510 . The first retaining holes  5124  are aligned with the mounting holes  411 , and the second retaining holes  5125  are aligned with the fixing holes  425 . Four first fixing members  800  are engaged with the first retaining holes  5124  and the mounting holes  411  and engaged with the second retaining holes  5125  and the fixing holes  425 . Therefore, the two clipping devices  500  are secured to the base  400 , and the two concave portions  521  are engaged in the two openings  422 . 
         [0021]    The two clasping plates  200  abut the two opposite sides of the fan module  300 . The securing tabs  311  are engaged in the mounting slots  220 , and the two clasping plates  200  are mounted to the fan module  300 . The fan module  300  and the two clasping plates  200  are together placed in the base  400 . The top cover  100  is covered on the fan module  300  and the two clasping plates  200 , and the two securing flanges  421  are received in the receiving cutout  123 , and two gaps  10  (shown in  FIG. 6 ) are defined between the securing flange  421  and the side panel  120 . The hooks  522  extend outside of top cover  100  via the gaps  10 . The first through holes  111  are aligned with the securing holes  211 , the second through hole  112  is aligned with the fastening hole  424 , and the positioning holes  121  are aligned with the holes  431 . Four second fixing members  810  are engaged in the first through holes  111  and the securing holes  211 . Five third fixing members  820  are engaged in the second through hole  112  and the fastening hole  424  and engaged in the positioning hole  121  and the holes  431 . Therefore, the top cover  100  is secured to the base  400 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 6-7  shows that the mounting apparatus and the fan module  300  are located between the two side plates  620  and slid into the chassis  600 . The resilient arms  524  are resiliently deformed when the hooks  522  are pressed by the side plates  620 . When the hooks  522  are aligned with the securing slots  621 , the resilient arms  524  are released and rebound to engage the hooks  522  into the securing slots  621 . Thus, the mounting apparatus and the fan module  300  is secured to the chassis  600 . 
         [0023]    In disassembly, the concave portion  521  is operated to move towards the receiving space  513 , the resilient arms  524  is deformed by the first connecting panel  5112 . The resisting portion  523  is moved in the cutout  5114 , the hooks  522  are disengaged from the securing slots  621 , so that the base  400  with the fan module  300  is slid out of the chassis  600 . 
         [0024]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, 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.