Abstract:
A mounting apparatus for mounting a drive bracket on which a protruding portion is provided, includes an enclosure, and a mounting member. The enclosure includes a base wall for supporting the drive bracket thereon, a side wall extending from one side of the base wall, and a holder extending from the side wall. The mounting member is movably attached to the holder. The mounting member includes a locking portion extending therefrom for engaging with the protruding portion of the drive bracket.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to mounting apparatuses, and more particularly to a mounting apparatus which readily allows securely installing or removing a drive bracket to or from an electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Generally, a computer enclosure includes a drive bracket for accommodating data storage devices such as hard disk drives, floppy disk drives, compact disc read-only memory drives, etc. The drive bracket is often secured to the computer enclosure with screws. However, this mounting means can be very inconvenient, laborious and time-consuming. 
         [0005]    Another kind of computer enclosure includes a frame body, a first drive bracket, a second drive bracket, a slide structure, and a retaining device. The first and second drive brackets are used to accommodate the data storage devices. The first drive bracket is fixedly locked in the frame body. The second drive bracket is pivotably joined on the frame body. Through sliding of the slide structure, the second drive bracket can be turned over to facilitate assembly or disassembly for a computer maintenance technician. Contrarily, the second drive bracket can reach a predetermined position to let the second drive bracket be hooked on the first drive bracket through retaining of the retaining device, thereby achieving the object of positioning. However, this mounting means for securing the second drive bracket to the first drive bracket is rather complicated. 
         [0006]    What is needed, therefore, is a mounting apparatus which conveniently and securely secures a drive bracket in a computer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one preferred embodiment, a mounting apparatus for mounting a drive bracket on which a protruding portion is provided, includes an enclosure, and a mounting member. The enclosure includes a base wall for supporting the drive bracket thereon, a side wall extending from one side of the base wall, and a holder extending from the side wall. The mounting member is movably attached to the holder. The mounting member includes a locking portion extending therefrom for engaging with the protruding portion of the drive bracket. 
         [0008]    Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a mounting apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, together with two drive brackets and two data storage devices; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an inverted and enlarged view of one drive bracket of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 , showing the mounting apparatus in a locked state; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing the mounting apparatus in an unlocked state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a mounting apparatus is provided for mounting two drive brackets  30  each configured for holding a data storage device  20 . The mounting apparatus includes an enclosure  10 , a mounting member  50 , an operating member  60 , and two screws  90 . 
         [0014]    The enclosure  10  includes a base wall  12 , an end wall  13  perpendicularly extending from one end of the base wall  12 , and a side wall  14  perpendicularly extending from a side of the base wall  12 . A first tab  122 , a second tab  123 , a third tab  124 , and a fourth tab  125  in parallel with one another extend out from the base wall  12 . Four bridge-shaped securing portions  126  protrude out from the base wall  12 . Two of the securing portions  126  are located between the first tab  122  and the second tab  123 , the other two of the securing portions  126  are located between the third tab  124  and the fourth tab  125 . A holder  16  extends from the side wall  14 , and is generally parallel with the base wall  12 . Three pairs of aligned L-shaped retaining portions  162  extend from the holder  16 . Two first cutouts  164  are defined in the holder  16  at one side opposite to the side wall  14 . A slot  166  is defined in a middle portion of the holder  16 . A slit  168  is defined in the holder  16  adjacent the end wall  13 . 
         [0015]    The mounting member  50  has a generally elongated body. Two pairs of second cutouts  52  are defined in the mounting member  50  at opposite ends respectively. Two posts protrude out from the mounting member  50 . A mounting hole  53  is defined in each post. Two locking portions  54  extend down from one side of the mounting member  50 . A locating hole  56  is defined in the mounting member  50  at a middle portion. A resilient tongue-shaped tab  58  slantingly extends down from the mounting member  50  at one end thereof. 
         [0016]    The operating member  60  includes a main portion  62 , two mounting portions  64  extending from opposite ends of the main portion  62  respectively, an inclined portion  65  slantingly extending down from a free end of one of the mounting portions  64 , and a U-shaped operating portion  66  extending from a free end of the inclined portion  65 . A through hole  642  is defined in each mounting portion  64 . A blocking portion  67  protrudes down from the operating portion  66  near the inclined portion  65 . A handle  68  extends up from a distal end of the operating portion  66 . 
         [0017]    Referring also to  FIG. 2 , each drive bracket  30  is generally box-shaped with two openings at opposite sides thereof. Each drive bracket  30  includes a first sidewall  31 , a second sidewall  32  connected to the first sidewall  31 , a third sidewall  33  connected to the second sidewall  32 , and a fourth sidewall  34  connected to the third sidewall  33  and the first sidewall  31 . The first sidewall  31  is parallel to the third sidewall  33 , and the second sidewall  32  is parallel to the fourth sidewall  34 . An L-shaped grip  35  extends from an end of the fourth sidewall  34 . A protruding portion  342  protrudes out from an opposite end of the fourth sidewall  34 . A first inserting tab  322  and a second inserting tab  324  extend from the second sidewall  32  at two opposite ends respectively. 
         [0018]    Referring also to  FIG. 3 , in assembly, the mounting member  50  is placed in the vicinity of the holder  16  of the enclosure  10 , with the two pairs of second cutouts  52  thereof aligning with the two corresponding pairs of retaining portions  162  of the holder  16 , respectively. The locking portions  54  are located in the corresponding first cutouts  164  respectively. The mounting member  50  is pressed firmly against the holder  16 , and then moved toward the end wall  13  to be slidably received in and retained by the retaining portions  162  of the holder  16 . During this time, the tongue-shaped tab  58  is first depressed then rebounds to engage in the slit  168  to prevent accidental withdrawal of the mounting member  50  when used. The operating member  60  is mounted to the mounting member  50  with the two screws  90  extending through the corresponding through holes  642  of the operating member  60  to engage in the corresponding screw holes  53  respectively. 
         [0019]    In mounting, one drive bracket  30  is placed between the first tab  122  and the second tab  123 , and the other drive bracket  30  is placed between the third tab  124  and the fourth tab  125 . Each drive bracket  30  is pushed toward the side wall  14  until the first and second inserting tabs  322 ,  324  of the drive bracket  30  are locked by the corresponding securing portion  126  respectively. The operating member  60  is operated to move the mounting member  50  toward the end wall  13  until a corresponding locking portion  54  of the mounting member  50  engages with the protruding portion  342  of the drive bracket  30 . Thus, the drive bracket  30  is mounted to the enclosure  10 . The blocking portion  67  of the operating member  60  extends through the locating hole  56  of the mounting member  50  and engages in the slot  166  of the holder  16  for locating the mounting member  50 . 
         [0020]    Referring also to  FIG. 4 , to detach each drive bracket  30  from the enclosure  10 , the handle  68  of the operating member  60  is operated to deform the operating portion  66 . The blocking portion  67  of the operating member  60  is disengaged from the slot  166  of the holder  16 . Then the operating member  60  is pushed to move the mounting member  50  away from the end wall  13  until the corresponding locking portion  54  disengages from the protruding portion  342  of the drive bracket  30 . Thus, the drive bracket  30  is readily removed by pulling the grip  35  of the drive bracket  30 . 
         [0021]    In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the protruding portion  342  may be a separate member mounted to the drive bracket  30 . 
         [0022]    It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments.