Abstract:
A mounting apparatus comprises two drive brackets ( 11 ) for receiving disk drives, a back panel ( 13 ), and a securing member ( 20 ). The back panel has a securing opening ( 134 ) defined therein. The securing member is pivotably mounted between the two brackets for rotating to engage with the securing opening of the back panel to secure the back panel on the drive brackets during the process that the back panel is mounted to the drive brackets.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to mounting apparatuses, and more particularly to a mounting apparatus for securing a back panel. 
     2. Description of related art 
     Generally, a plurality of large data storage devices is needed in a server system. It is well known that the server system isn&#39;t switched off when the data storage devices are serviced or replaced. The data storage devices are detached and installed from/to the server system while the server system remains online. A back panel is usually secured to a drive bracket that accommodates the data storage devices. The data storage devices can electrically connect with the back panel when installed in the drive bracket. 
     In a mounting apparatus for securing the back panel to the drive bracket, a locking plate is provided to hold the back panel. The drive bracket includes a pair of sidewalls and a bottom wall. A plurality of posts is respectively disposed on the sidewalls and the bottom wall. The locking plate has two bent clips formed on opposite edges, and a bottom clip formed on a bottom edge. Two guiding slots and a through hole are defined in each bent clip, and two through holes are defined in the bottom clip. In assembly, the back panel together with the locking plate is inserted in the drive bracket between the sidewalls. The posts of the sidewalls of the drive bracket are slid into the guiding slots of the bent clips of the locking plate, and the posts of the bottom wall are inserted into the through holes of the bottom clip. Numerous fasteners are respectively engaged with the posts of the bottom wall of the drive bracket, and engaged into the through holes of the bent clips, thereby fixing the back panel and the locking clip into the drive bracket. However, the mounting apparatus has a complicated structure, and the manufacturing cost is high. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a mounting apparatus for securing a back panel on a drive bracket with a simple structure. 
     SUMMARY 
     A mounting apparatus comprises two drive brackets for receiving disk drives, a back panel, and a securing member. The back panel has a securing opening defined therein. The securing member is pivotably mounted between the two brackets for rotating to engage with the securing opening of the back panel to secure the back panel on the drive brackets during the process that the back panel is mounted to the drive brackets. 
     Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with attached drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a mounting apparatus of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, together with a back panel, the mounting apparatus including a drive bracket assembly, and a securing member; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the securing member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled isometric view of the drive bracket assembly and the securing member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a pre-assembled side view of  FIG. 1 , showing the back panel in an unlocked position; 
         FIG. 5  is an assembled side view of  FIG. 1 , showing the back panel in a locked position; and 
         FIG. 6  is an assembled isometric view of  FIG. 1 , showing the back panel in a locked position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mounting apparatus for securing a component such as back panel  13  to another component such as a drive bracket, includes a drive bracket assembly  10  configured for accommodating devices like data storage devices, the back panel  13 , and a securing member  20 . The data storage devices can be hard disk drives of a computer system or a server system. 
     The drive bracket assembly  10  includes a top plate  12  and a pair of brackets  11 . Each bracket  11  includes a bottom plate  112  and two side plates  114 . The top plate  12  is parallel to the bottom plate  112 . The side plates  114  are perpendicular to both the top plate  12  and the bottom plate  112 , and parallel to each other. A securing portion  116  perpendicularly extends inwards from a top side of each side plate  114 . A plurality of protrusions  162  protrudes from each securing portion  116 . A plurality of generally L-shaped hooks  142  is respectively formed at a rear end edge of each side plate  114 , extending upward toward the top plate  12 . Each hook  1142  has a shank portion  1145  and a hook portion  1143 . The shank portion  1145  substantially horizontally extends from a rear edge of the corresponding side panel  114  for supporting the back panel  13 . The hook portion  1143  extends upward from a distal end of the shank portion  1145 . The hook portion  1143  has a slanted guiding edge  1146  facing the side panel  114 . Two adjacent side plates  114  of the two brackets  11  define a pivoting hole  1144  respectively. An extending portion  1122  extends from a rear end edge of the bottom plate  112  of each bracket  11 . A pair of positioning tabs  1124  is bent upwards at opposite ends of the extending portion  1122  respectively. Each pair of positioning tabs  1124  defines a positioning opening therebetween. The top plate  12  defines a plurality of through holes  122  for receiving the protrusions  1162  of the securing portions  116  of the side plates  114 . 
     The back panel  10  has a plurality of locking openings  132  for engaging with the hooks  1142  of the side plates  114 , and a securing opening  134 . Each locking opening  132  includes a wide portion and a narrow portion. Each wide portion has a greater width than that of each narrow portion. The width of each narrow portion is generally equal to the thickness of each hook  1142  of the side plates  114 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2 , The securing member  20  includes a pivoting portion  26 , a first arm  22  extending upwards at an angle from the pivoting portion  26 , and a second arm  24  extending downwards at an angle from the pivoting portion  26 . A pair of pivots  262  protrudes from both sides of the pivoting portion  26  respectively. A resisting portion  242  extends from a free end of the second arm  24 . An operating portion  224  extends from a free end of the second arm  22 . A securing portion  226  protrudes down from a bottom of the operating portion  224  for engaging with the securing opening  134  of the back panel  13 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 1 to 6 , in assembly, the pivots  262  of the securing member  20  are respectively inserted into the pivoting holes  1144  of the two adjacent side plates  114  of the brackets  11 . The protrusions  1162  of the securing portions  116  of the brackets  11  are engaged with the through holes  122  of the top plate  12 . The hook portions  1143  of the hooks  1142  of the drive bracket  20  are inserted into the locking openings  132  of the back panel  13  through the wide portions thereof. The back panel  13  is pushed towards the bottom plate  112  of the bracket  11  along the guiding edges  1146  of the hooks  1142  in a vertical direction parallel to the back panel  13 . An inner surface of the back panel  13  abuts on the resisting portion  242  of the second arm  24  of the securing member  20  to force the second arm  24  to move to the drive bracket assembly  10 , which enables the first arm  22  to rotate. The back panel  13  is pushed down continually, until the back panel  13  is inserted into the positioning openings and sandwiched between the positioning tabs  1124  of the extending portion  1122  of the bottom plate  112 . Then the shank portions  1145  of the hooks  1142  are slid into the narrow portions of the locking openings  132 , and the hook portions  1143  of the hooks  1142  clamp against an outer surface of the back panel  13 , thereby preventing the back panel  13  moving along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the back panel  13 . At the same time, the resisting portion  242  of the second arm  24  resists on the rear edges of the adjacent side plates  114 , and the securing portion  226  of the first arm  22  of the securing member  20  is secured in the securing opening  134  of the back panel  13 , thereby fixing the back panel  13  on the drive bracket assembly  10 , and preventing the back panel  13  moving along the vertical direction. The back panel  13  is thus secured to the drive bracket assembly  10 . When the data storage devices are installed into the drive bracket assembly  10 , the data storage devices are electrically connected with connectors on the back panel  13 . 
     In removal of the back panel  13 , the operating portion  224  of the first arm  22  of the securing member  20  is pressed towards the drive bracket assembly  10  to disengage the securing portion  226  of the first arm  22  from the securing opening  134  of the back panel  13 , thereby releasing the back panel  13 . The back panel  13  can be accordingly slid along the vertical direction until the hooks  1142  are positioned in the wide portions of the locking openings  132  of the back panel  13 . The back panel  13  is disengaged from between the tabs of the drive bracket assembly  10 , and can thus be removed from the drive bracket assembly  10 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of preferred embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the preferred 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 invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.