Patent Publication Number: US-2010108847-A1

Title: Mounting apparatus for fan

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present embodiment relates to mounting apparatus, particularly to a mounting apparatus for mounting multiple fans to an electronic device enclosure. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In a working computer system, a large amount of heat is generated from electric elements of the computer system. If the heat is not dissipated efficiently, the electric elements may be damaged. Therefore, heat-dissipating devices are desired. 
     A fan is often used as a conventional means to dissipate the heat from the computer system. In conventional means, a rack is provided for receiving a fan. A plurality of through holes is defined in the rack. In installing the fan to a plate of the computer system, the fan is received into the rack. The rack together with the fan is placed on the plate, which defines a plurality of screw holes therein. The through holes of the rack align with the screw holes of the plate. The fan is enclosed by the rack and the plate. A plurality of screws extends through the through holes and is screwed into the corresponding screw holes. The fan is thereby secured to the plate of the computer system. With this mounting means, it is well known that assembly and disassembly of the fans is very inconvenient. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a mounting apparatus and a fan, the mounting apparatus including a rack and a pair of linkage pieces; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled view of the fan and the pair of linkage pieces of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the mounting apparatus and fan of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a view of detaching the fan from the mounting apparatus of  FIG. 3   
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mounting apparatus for mounting multiple fans  50  in a computer enclosure  10 . The mounting apparatus includes a rack  20 , and a pair of linkage pieces  61  and  65  which are adapted to be mounted on a fan  50 . 
     The rack  20  includes a pair of parallel sidewalls  21  and  23 . A plurality of partitions  25  are secured between the sidewalls  21  and  23  to form a plurality of receiving rooms  27  between the sidewalls  21  and  23 . Each receiving room  27  is configured to receive a fan  50 . Each of the sidewalls  21  and  23  defines a plurality of vents  24  corresponding to each receiving room  27 . Each of the partitions  25  defines a notch  251  and a guiding slot  253  adjacent the notch  251 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the fan  50  includes a shell  51 , a group of blades  53  rotatably mounted in the shell  51 , and a power plug  56  for providing power to the fan  50 . Each corner of the shell  51  defines a pair of fan pivot holes  511 . 
     The pair of linkage pieces includes a resilient first linkage piece  65  and a resilient second linkage piece  61 . The first linkage piece  65  is a substantially vertical piece, and configured to be mounted on a vertical side of the fan  50 . A pivot shaft  651  is formed on a top end of the first linkage piece  65 . A pair of hooks  657  is formed on a bottom end of the first linkage piece  65 . A first side of the first linkage piece  65  facing the fan  50 , forms a pair of first linkage pivot pins  653  thereon. The pair of first linkage pivot pins  653  is adjacent with the bottom end of the first linkage piece  65 . A second side of the first linkage piece  65 , which faces away from the fan  50 , forms a sliding block  655  configured to slide in the guiding slot  253  of the partition  25 , and a tab  654  configured to be retained in the notch  251 . A plurality of resilient pieces  656  protrude from the second side of the first linkage piece  65 . 
     The second linkage piece  61  is configured to be mount on a horizontal side of the fan  50 . A pair of second linkage pivot pins  611  is formed on a bottom surface of the second linkage piece  61 , and adjacent one end of the second linkage piece  61 . A pair of extension pieces  613  are formed on the bottom surface of the second linkage piece  61 , and adjacent the opposite end of the second linkage piece  61 . Each extension piece  613  defines a second linkage pivot hole  615 . A pair of openings  616  is defined in the second linkage piece  61  capable of accepting at least an average sized adult finger. 
     The first linkage piece  65  and the second linkage piece  65  are firstly mounted on adjacent sides of the fan  50 . The second linkage pivot pins  611  of the second linkage piece  61  is rotatably inserted in a pair of fan pivot holes  511  correspondingly, which is defined in a top-left corner of the fan  50 . The first linkage pivot pin  653  of the first linkage piece  65  is rotatably inserted in another pair of fan pivot holes  511 , which is defined in a bottom-right corner of the fan  50 . Opposite ends of the pivot axis  651  of the first linkage piece  65  is rotatably inserted in the second linkage pivot holes  615  of the second linkage piece  61 . The power plug  56  of the fan  50  is retained by the pair of hooks  657 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the fan  50  is then put into a receiving room  27  of the rack  20 . The sliding block  655  of the first linkage piece  65  slides into the guiding slot  253  of the partition  25 . The tab  654  of the first linkage piece  65  resists a top end of the partition  25 . Then, the first linkage piece  65  is bent so that the tab  654  slides over the top end and then along the side of the partition  25 . The guiding block  655  slides downwardly in the guiding slot  253  until the tab  654  reaches the notch  251  of the partition  25 . Then, the first linkage piece  65  rebounds, thereby placing the tab  654  in the notch  251  of the partition  25 . Therefore, the fan  50  is secured in the receiving room  27 . Simultaneously, the resilient pieces  656  of the first linkage piece  65  are biased against the partition  25 , and bend elastically. 
     To detach the fan  50 , the second linkage piece  61  is pulled upwards through the opening  616 . The second linkage piece  61  rotates about the second linkage pivot pins  611  and becomes bent, thereby driving the first linkage piece  65  to rotate about the first linkage pivot pins  653 . The tab  654  slides out of the notch  251  of the sidewall  23  to detach the fan  50  from the sidewall  23 . Therefore, the fan  50  can be removed from the receiving room  27  of the rack  20 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function 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 present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.