Abstract:
A mounting apparatus includes a storage bracket ( 30 ), an operating member ( 60 ), a locking member ( 50 ) and a pair of springs ( 70 ). The operating member has at least one slant portion ( 647 ). The locking member is restrained from moving along with the operating member. The locking member has at least one inserting pin ( 54 ) and at least one sliding tab ( 56 ). The springs press on the locking member to urge the inserting pin to extend into the storage bracket. The inserting pin of the locking member is lifted out of the storage bracket by the slant portion of the operating member edging the sliding tab of the locking member out, when the operating member is pushed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a mounting apparatus for storage device, and particularly to a mounting apparatus which facilitates installation and removal of data storage device. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A number of different methods and devices are used to mount data storage devices, such as disk drives or CD-ROMs, in a computer. One method that was widely used in the past was to simply screw the data storage device directly into a cage whereby the data storage device was secured in the computer. Changing the device was cumbersome because side or top panels, or other components close beside the cage had to be removed in order to remove the screws. New developments facilitate installation and removal of data storage devices. These include the use of guide rail type devices, such as those described below. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,923 and Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 78201813, 79209891 disclose devices employing guide rails for mounting data storage devices. However, the rails used in these devices are complicated and manufacturing the opposite side rails requires two sets of dies, which contributes significantly to the cost of these devices. Moreover, the side rails are attached to their data storage device by conventional screws. The problem of the time-consuming and cumbersome task of tightening or loosening screws is still not resolved. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,080 discloses a mounting device for a data storage device without screws. Its data storage device is secured by pushing pins integral with the rail into side holes in the data storage device. The pins are thin and flexible, and are rather easily bent during operations such as removing the data storage device from the computer. Once the pins become bent, subsequent alignment and reconnection of the data storage device to the cage can be quite difficult. 
   A data storage mounting device disclosed by Taiwan Patent Application No. 83202972 also has no screws. Its rail fastener is a spring metal thread whose two ends are bent for insertion through the rail and into the side holes of the data storage device. However, the spring metal thread is readily deformed, which may result in unreliable mounting. The second embodiment of Taiwan Patent Application No. 83202972 discloses an arrangement where the data storage device is directly attached to the cage of the computer by a spring metal thread. However, other devices or panels close to the cage create the problem of inconvenient access to the thread for installation or removal of the data storage device. 
   Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus for easily installing and removing data storage devices which overcomes the above-mentioned problems. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mounting apparatus for data storage device in a computer. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to enable easy and convenient installation and removal of computer data storage device. 
   To achieve the above-mentioned object, a mounting apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a storage bracket, an operating member, a locking member and resilient means. The operating member has at least one slant portion. The locking member is restrained from moving along with the operating member. The locking member has at least one inserting pin and at least one sliding tab. The resilient means urges the inserting pin of the locking member to extend into the storage bracket. The inserting pin of the locking member is lifted out of the storage bracket by the slant portion of the operating member edging the sliding tab of the locking member out, when the operating member is pushed. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a mounting apparatus in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, together with a data storage device; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of an encircled portion II of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged, isometric view of an assembly of the operating member and the locking member in  FIG. 1 , and viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic top section view of the combination of the operating member and the locking member; 
       FIG. 5  is an assembled view of FIG.  1 ;. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic top section view of the present invention, showing the data storage device being inserted into the drive bracket; 
       FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing the data storage device ready to be removed; and 
       FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing the data storage device ready to be removed. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mounting apparatus in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a storage bracket  30  and a securing means  40 . A storage device  10  is secured to the storage bracket  30  by the securing means  40 . The storage device  10  has two side walls  12  with two pairs of apertures  14  defined therein. 
   The storage bracket  30  has a bottom panel  32 , a first side wall  34  and a second side wall  36 . Several bays are vertically defined between the first and second side walls  34 ,  36  for receiving storage devices therein. Corresponding to each bay, a bend  362  and a pair of resilient tabs  364  extend inwardly from the second side wall  36 . Referring also to  FIG. 2 , corresponding to each bay, a boss  347  and a pair of limiting tabs  348  are punched outwardly from the first side wall  34  at two ends, for defining a range of the securing means  40 . Between the boss  347  and the limiting tabs  348 , two pairs of parallel guiding tabs  346  are vertically formed for guiding the securing means  40 . The guiding tab  346  is L-shaped. Two pairs of through holes  344  are defined on the first side wall  34  for the securing means  40  projecting therein. A pair of nuts  342  is horizontally defined between the two pairs of through holes  344 . 
   The securing means  40  includes a locking member  50 , an operating member  60 , a pair of springs  70  and a pair of screws  80 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the locking member  50  has an elongated body  51 . A pair of apertures  52  is defined thereon for the nuts  342  of the first side wall  34  inserting through. Two pairs of inserting pins  54  extend out at the four corners of the body  51 . The two pairs of inserting pins  54  are respectively corresponding to a through hole  344  on the first side wall  34 . A pair of flanges is folded up from the body  51  in a direction opposite to the inserting pins  54 . A pair of sliding tabs  56  is separately disposed at each flange. Each sliding tab  56  has a horizontal section and an inclined section for readily sliding. 
   The operating member  60  is a housing for receiving the locking member  50  therein. The housing of the operating member  60  is big enough for the locking member sliding therein (see  FIG. 3 ). Referring to  FIG. 2 , the operating member  60  has a base  62 , a pair of side walls  64  and a pair of end walls  66 . A pair of cuneal slots  644  is lengthways disposed on each side wall  64 . The hypotenuse of the slot  644  has a first horizontal portion  645 , a slant portion  647 , and a second horizontal portion  646  sequentially. A pair of rails  642  is disposed at the upper edge of each side wall  64  for sliding under the guiding tabs  346  on the storage bracket  30 . A resilient hook  648  is formed at the upper corner of each side wall  64  corresponding to the limiting tab  348  on the storage bracket  30 . A pair of openings  622  is lengthways defined on the base  62 . A ridge  624  is transversely formed between the openings  600  for facilitate performance. 
   In assembly, the locking member  50  is put into the housing of the operating member  60  with the sliding tab  56  inserting into the slot  644  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). The locking member  50  is combined to the operating member  60  thereby. Then, the operating member  60  abuts against the first side wall  34  of the storage bracket  30 , with the nuts  342  inserting into the apertures  52  of the locking member  50 . The rails  642  of the operating member  60  slide into the guiding tabs  346  of the first side wall  34 , and the hooks  648  slide past the limiting tabs  348  thereunder. During the operation, the locking member  50  is kept in place by the nuts  342 . The locking member  50  will not move along with the operating member  60 , since the sliding tabs  56  of the locking member  50  is movable within the slot  644  of the operating member  60 . Each nut  342  has a coil spring  70  fixed therearound extending through the opening  622  of the operating member  60 . A screw  80  is threaded into the nut  342  to compress the spring  70 . The locking member  50  is pressed against the first side wall  34  of the storage bracket  30  by the springs  70 . It is understood that an inner diameter of the coil spring  70  is greater than an outer diameter of the nut  342 , and less than a diameter of the head of the screw  80 . The securing means  40  is attached to the first side wall  34  of the storage bracket  30  thereby. 
   Before installation of a storage device, the operating member  62  is in a first position. The hooks  648  abut against the limiting tabs  348 . The sliding tabs  56  of the locking member  50  stay at the first horizontal portion  645  of the slot  644 . The body of the locking member  50  abuts against the first side wall  34  under the pressure of the spring  70 . The inserting pins  54  of the locking member  50  extend through the through holes  344  on the storage bracket  30  (referring to  FIG. 4 ). 
   When a storage device is installed, the operating member  60  is pushed rearward. The sliding tab  56  of the locking member  50  is edged out by the slant section  647 . The sliding tab  56  slides past the slant section  647  to the second horizontal section  646  of the slot  644 . The whole locking member  50  is lifted, and the extending pins  54  are withdrawn from the through holes  344  of the first side wall  34 . After the storage device is inserted therein, the operating member  60  is pushed forwardly. Referring to  FIG. 5 , the sliding tab  56  of the locking member  50  slides down the slant section  647  again to the first horizontal section  645  of the slot  644 . Also referring to  FIG. 6 , under the pressure of the spring  70 , the locking member  50  abuts against the first side wall  34 . The inserting pins  54  extend into the apertures  14  of the storage device  10  through the through holes  344  of the first side wall  34 . The storage device  12  is secured into the storage bracket  30  thereby. 
   When the storage device  10  is removed, the operating member  60  is pushed rearward again. The sliding tab  56  of the locking member  50  is edged out by the slant section  647 . The sliding tab  56  slides past the slant section  647  to the second horizontal section  646  of the slot  644 . The whole locking member  50  is lifted, and the extending pins  54  are withdrawn from the through holes  344  of the first side wall  34  (as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ). It is ready to draw the storage device  10  out of the storage bracket  30 . 
   In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a screw extends through the aperture  52  on the locking member  50 , and engages with the first side wall  34  directly, instead of the screw  80  engaging with the nut  342  in the preferred embodiment (referring to  FIG. 2 ). The screw also has a coil spring  70  fixed therearound. 
   It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present example and embodiment t is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.