Patent Publication Number: US-2011073731-A1

Title: Mounting apparatus for fan

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses for mounting a fan to an electronic device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Typically, electronic devices, such as server computers generate a great deal of heat. Fans are required to accelerate airflow for quickly cooling the electronic devices. A conventional method for securing the fans is by screws, which is very inconvenient. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled exploded, isometric view of mounting apparatuses and fans of an embodiment, and showing a second bracket and a fan away from a chassis. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of a second bracket and a fan of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled view of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is similar of  FIG. 1 , but showing the second bracket and the fan in an assembled position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     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. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mounting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment includes a chassis  10 , a first bracket  20 , and a second bracket  40 . In one embodiment, the chassis  10  may be a computer chassis. 
     The chassis  10  can have any geometric shape, configuration, or orientation suitable for housing an electronic device therein. For simplicity and as an aid to the description, the chassis  10  is depicted as a cuboid (i.e., a partially or completely enclosed rectangular box) will be described herein, although other equally effective geometric shapes and configurations may exist in other exemplary embodiments. The chassis  10  includes a base plate  11 . A plurality of base positioning members  112  is located on the base plate  11 . 
     The first bracket  20  includes a bottom wall  21  and a side wall  23  substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall  21 . Four bottom wall slots  211  are defined in the bottom wall  21 . Two supporting legs  213  (only one shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ) extend perpendicularly downwards from opposite edges of the bottom wall  21 . A flange plate  215  extends vertically outwards from the supporting legs  213 . The flange plate  215  is parallel to and abuts the bottom wall  21 . Securing holes  2151  are defined in the flange plate  215  for receiving the base positioning members  112 . Side wall ventilation holes  231  are defined in the side wall  23 , and configured for allowing airflow. Positioning posts  233  are located on the side wall  23  around each side wall ventilation hole  231  correspondingly. 
     The fan  30  includes a first sidewall  31  and a second sidewall  33  parallel to the first sidewall  31 . Four catch holes  311  are defined in the first sidewall  31 , for receiving the corresponding positioning posts  233 . Four positioning holes  331  are defined in the second sidewall  33  and correspond to the catch holes  311  of the first sidewall  31 . 
     The second bracket  40  includes a base board  41 . Some base board ventilation holes  411  are defined in the base board  41 . A resilient latching member  43  is located on a bottom edge of the base board  41  and is generally perpendicular to the base board  41 . A through hole  431  is defined in the latching member  43  to allow the latching member  43  to deform easily. Referring to  FIG. 3 , two clipping portions  433  are located on the latching member  43  for engaging in the bottom wall slot  211 . A resilient positioning member  45  is located at three corners of the base board  41 . The positioning member  45  is configured for engaging with the first sidewall  31  of the fan  30 . A positioning slot  453  is defined in the positioning member  45  for receiving an edge of the first sidewall  31  of the fan  30 . A protruding peg  47  is located in another corner of the base board  41 , for engaging in one of the catching holes  311  of the first sidewall  31  of the fan  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in assembly, the protruding peg  47  of the second bracket  40  is engaged in the corresponding catching hole  311  of the first sidewall  31  of the fan  30 , and the positioning members  45  are engaged with the first sidewall  31 . Edges of the first sidewall  31  are received in the positioning slots  453 . Therefore, the second bracket  40  is coupled to the fan  30 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 4 , the fan  30  together with the second bracket  40  is located on the first bracket  20 . The latching member  43  of the second bracket  40  is positioned outside of the first bracket  20 . The positioning posts  233  are aligned with the positioning holes  331  of the second sidewall  33  of the fan  30 . The second bracket  40  is sliding towards the side wall  23 . When the clipping portions  433  abuts the bottom wall  21 , the second bracket  40  further slide towards the side wall  23 , so as to elastically bend the latching member  43  away from the bottom wall  21 . When the side wall posts  233  engage in the corresponding positioning holes  331  and the clipping portions  433  slide into the bottom wall slot  211 , the latching member  43  returns to normal, the clipping portion  433  are securedly caught in the bottom wall slot  211  of the bottom wall  21 . Therefore, the second bracket  40  and the fan  30  are secured on the first bracket  20 . 
     In disassembly, the latching member  43  is resiliently bent away from the bottom wall  21  so to free the clipping portion  433  from the bottom wall slot  211  of the bottom wall  21 , as a result the second bracket  40  and the fan  30  can removed from the first bracket  20 . 
     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.