Abstract:
A mounting apparatus for holding a storage device defining at least a mounting hole in a bottom thereof, the mounting apparatus comprises a bracket and a locking member. A support plate is arranged inward from a sidewall of the bracket. The storage device is disposed on the support plate. The locking member is movably connected to the bracket, and comprises at least one locking portion. The at least one locking portion is inserted in the at least one mounting hole to hold the storage device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to mounting apparatuses for data storage devices, and particularly to a mounting apparatus for readily attaching or detaching a data storage device to or from a bracket.  
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
       [0002]     Generally speaking, when a computer is assembled, a drive bracket is mounted in a computer enclosure, and then data storage devices are fixed to the drive bracket. The data storage devices comprise various combinations of hard disk drives (HDDs), floppy disk drives (FDDs), and compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) drives.  
         [0003]     Typically, data storage devices are attached to a bracket with bolts, and then the bracket is attached to a computer enclosure. However, fixing a data storage device with bolts is unduly laborious and time-consuming. The bolts after being unscrewed are very inconvenient to be stored, and are prone to be lost. Especially, because the interior space of the computer enclosure is very limited, some elements at two opposite sides of the data storage device must be detached in order to achieve operating space for carrying out the fixing operation.  
         [0004]     What is needed is a mounting apparatus for readily attaching or detaching a data storage device to or from a bracket.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     An exemplary mounting apparatus for holding a storage device defining at least a mounting hole in a bottom thereof, the mounting apparatus comprises a bracket and a locking member. A support plate is arranged inward from a sidewall of the bracket. The storage device is disposed on the support plate. The locking member is movably connected to the bracket, and comprises at least one locking portion. The at least one locking portion is inserted in the at least one mounting hole to hold the storage device.  
         [0006]     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a mounting apparatus in accordance with the present invention, with a data storage device;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an inverted view of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is an inverted view of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 , the mounting apparatus in a locked state; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 , the mounting apparatus in an unlocked state. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a mounting apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided to fasten a data storage device  10  therein. The data storage device  10  defines two mounting holes  12  in a bottom thereof. The mounting apparatus includes a bracket  20 , a locking member  30  pivotably mounted to the bracket  20 , and an operating member  40 .  
         [0014]     The bracket  20  is generally U-shaped, and includes a first sidewall  22 , a second sidewall  24 , and a top wall connecting the first and second sidewalls  22 ,  24 . A flange  23  is bent out from a lower edge of each of the first and second sidewalls  22 ,  24 , for being secured to a computer enclosure (not shown). A through aperture  222  is defined in a lower portion of a left side of the first sidewall  22 . Two positioning holes  224 ,  226  are defined in a right side of the first sidewall  22 , the positioning hole  224  is above the positioning hole  226 . A support plate  26  is stamped inward from the first sidewall  22 , and parallel with but offset from the flanges  23 . The support plate  26  defines two through holes  262  therein corresponding to the mounting holes  12  of the data storage device  10 . A first bent tab  264  and a second bent tab  266  are stamped down from the support plate  26 , and the first bent tab  264  is longer than the second bent tab  266 . Two support plates  28  are stamped inward from the second sidewall  24 .  
         [0015]     The locking member  30  is integrally formed in a generally J shape from a piece of metal sheet. One end portion of the locking member  30  is bent down to form a pivot portion  32 . A pivot hole  322  is defined in the pivot portion  32 . The locking member  30  forms a first locking portion  34 , and a second locking portion  35  corresponding to the mounting holes  12  of the data storage device  10 , respectively. The other end portion of the locking member  30  surrounds the right side of the first sidewall  22 . A distal end of the other end portion of the locking member  30  forms a U-shaped receiving slot  36 . Two opposite side plates of the locking slot  36  each define a receiving hole  362  therein. A reinforcing rolled rim is formed at an outer edge of the locking member  30 . Two positioning slots  38  are defined in the locking member  30  corresponding to the first and second bent tabs  264 ,  266  of the bracket  20 .  
         [0016]     The operating member  40  includes a U-shaped mounting portion  42  and a handle  46 . Two protrusions  422  extend out from two opposite side plates of the mounting portion  42 , respectively. A stepped block  44  extends from a middle of the operating member  40 .  
         [0017]     Referring also to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in assembling the mounting apparatus, the mounting portion  42  of the operating member  40  is inserted into the receiving slot  36  of the locking member  30 , with the protrusions  422  of the mounting portion  42  received in the receiving holes  362  of the receiving slot  36 . The locking member  30  is pivotably mounted to an inner side of the first sidewall  22  of the bracket  20  with a rivet  50  extending through the through aperture  222  of the bracket  20  and the pivot hole  322  of the locking member  30  in turn. The first and second bent tabs  264 ,  266  of the support plate  26  are received in the positioning slots  38  of the locking member  30 , respectively. Thus, the locking member  30  is mounted to the bracket  20  and the operating member  40  is in a first (unlocked) position with the block  44  in the positioning hole  226 .  
         [0018]     Referring also to  FIG. 5 , the data storage device  10  is pushed into the bracket  20  along the support plates  26  and  28 . The handle  46  (being formed of a flexible material) is grasped and pulled, thus flexing the operating member  40 , so that the block  44  retracts from the positioning hole  226 , and then the locking member  30  is pivoted around the rivet  50 , until the first and second locking portions  34 ,  35  extend through the through holes  262  of the bracket  20  and into the mounting holes  12  of the data storage device  10 . At this time, the block  44  of the operating member  40  engages in the positioning hole  224  in a second (locked) position of the bracket  20  thereby positioning the locking member  30 . Thus, the data storage device  1   0  is secured in the bracket  20 .  
         [0019]     Referring also to  FIG. 6 , in disassembly, the handle  46  of the operating member  40  is moved to withdraw the block  44  from the positioning hole  224 . The handle  46  is then moved down until the block  44  aligns with the positioning hole  226 . The block  44  is urged into the positioning hole  226  via a restoring force of the operating member  40 . During the course of moving down, the first and second locking portions  34 ,  35  successively withdraw from the corresponding mounting holes  12  of the data storage device  10 . The data storage device  10  can then be taken out from the bracket  20 .  
         [0020]     During the movement of the locking member  30 , the first bent tab  264  and the second bent tab  266  of the bracket  20  are always retained in the corresponding positioning slots  38  of the locking member  30  for guiding the locking member  30 .  
         [0021]     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiment described therein.