Patent Publication Number: US-2013228669-A1

Title: Mounting apparatus for fan

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses, and particularly to a mounting apparatus for a fan. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In a computer system, fans are provided to dissipate heat from the computer system. The fans are often secured in the computer system by screws. However, the conventional securing method for the fans is inconvenient and time-consuming. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference 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 a mounting apparatus and a fan in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a securing member of the mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric, cutaway view of a chassis and an assembly of the securing member and a fan of the mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cutaway view of the assembly of the mounting apparatus and the fan of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional, cutaway view of the assembly of the mounting apparatus and the fan of  FIG. 4 , taken along a line V-V. 
     
    
    
     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. 
       FIGS. 1-5  illustrate a mounting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment for mounting a fan  10 . The fan  10  comprises a body  13 , a first sidewall  111 , a second sidewall  113 , and a connecting portion  11  connected to and located between the first sidewall  111  and the second sidewall  113 . The connecting portion  11  defines a receiving space  110 , which receives the fan body  13  of the fan  10 . 
     The mounting apparatus comprises a chassis  20  and a securing member  30 . The chassis  20  comprises a side plate  25 . A supporting flange  253  extends from the side plate  25 . A first mounting structure  211  is located on the side plate  25 . The securing member  30 , which is configured to secure the fan  10  to the side plate  25 , comprises a latch  33  and a second mounting structure  35 , which are resiliently deformable.  FIGS. 4-5  show that the fan  10  is secured to the side plate  25 , the latch  33  is engaged with the supporting flange  253 , and the second mounting structure  35  is engaged with the first mounting structure  211 . 
       FIG. 5  shows that a blocking portion  2531  is located on the supporting flange  253 , and the latch  33  abuts against the blocking portion  2531 , to prevent the latch  33  from being disengaged from the supporting flange  253 . In an embodiment, the blocking portion  2531  extends from the supporting flange  253 . 
       FIGS. 1 and 3  show that a locking flange  210  extends from the side plate  25 , and the first mounting structure  211  is located on the locking flange  210 . A gap  213  is defined between the side plate  25  and the first mounting structure  211 , and the second mounting structure  35  is engaged in the gap  213  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) when the fan  10  is secured to side plate  25 . In an embodiment, the supporting flange  253  and the locking flange  210  extend from opposite edges of the side plate  25 . 
       FIG. 2  shows that the securing member  30  further comprises a main body  31 , and the main body  31  defines a plurality of through openings  310 . The latch  33  and the second mounting structure  35  extend from the main body  31 . The latch  33  comprises a first extending piece  331 , a second extending piece  333 , a third extending piece  335 , and a fourth extending piece  337 . The first extending piece  331  extends from the main body  31 . The second extending piece  333  extends upwards from the first extending piece  331 . The third extending pieces  335  extends downwards from the second extending piece  333 . The fourth extending piece  337  extends upwards from the third extending piece  335 . When the securing member  30  is secured to the side plate  25 , the third extending piece  335  abuts the blocking portion  2531 . In an embodiment, the first extending piece  331  is substantially perpendicular to the main body  31 . A first acute angle is defined between the first extending piece  331  and the second extending piece  333 . A second acute angle is defined between the second extending piece  333  and the third extending piece  335 , and a third acute angle is defined between the third extending piece  335  and the fourth extending piece  337 . 
       FIG. 2  shows that the second mounting structure  35  comprises a first mounting piece  351 , extending from the main body  31 , and a second mounting piece  353 , extending from the first mounting piece  351 . The second mounting piece  353  is engaged in the gap  213 . In an embodiment, the first mounting piece  351  is substantially perpendicular to the second mounting piece  353 . 
     Referring to FIGS.  1  and  3 - 5 , the chassis  20  further comprises a bottom plate  21 . The side plate  25  is located on the bottom plate  21 . In an embodiment, the side plate  25  is substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate  21 , the main body  31  of the securing member  30  is substantially parallel to the side plate  25 , the first mounting piece  351  is substantially perpendicular to the side plate  25 , and the second mounting piece  353  is substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate  21 . 
       FIGS. 1-3  and  5  show that the securing member  30  further comprises a plurality of hooks  37  located on the main body  31 , and the plurality of hooks  37  are configured to engage with the first sidewall  111  of the fan  10 . The main body  31  of the securing member  30  defines a plurality of through holes  311 . The first sidewall  111  of the fan  10  defines a plurality of mounting holes  1111 . A plurality of fasteners  40 , such as screws, are fixed into the plurality of through holes  311  and the plurality of mounting holes  1111 , to secure the securing member  30  to the fan  10 . 
       FIGS. 3-5  shows that for example, after the fan  10  is assembled to the securing member  30  by the hooks  37  and the fasteners  40 , the assembly of the securing member  30  and the fan  10  is moved in the chassis  20 . The second mounting piece  353  of the second mounting structure  35  is inserted in the gap  213 , and then the assembly of the securing member  30  and the fan  10  is rotated to move the latch  33  towards the supporting flange  253  of the side plate  25 . When the blocking portion  2531  of the supporting flange  253  presses the second extending piece  333 , the latch  33  is resiliently deformed, until the second extending piece  333  passes across the blocking portion  2531 , and then the latch  33  rebounds back to engage with the supporting flange  253 . The third extending piece  335  abuts the blocking portion  2531  and the fan  10  is thus secured to the side plate  25 . When the fan  10  operates, airflow flows out of the chassis  20  via the plurality of through openings  310  and the plurality of ventilation holes  251 . 
     When the latch  33  of the securing member  30  is resiliently deformed to disengage third extending piece  335  from the blocking portion  2531  of the supporting flange  253 , the assembly of the securing member  30  and the fan  10  can be rotated away from the side plate  25 . The second mounting piece  353  of the second mounting structure  35  can be removed from the gap  213 . Therefore, the assembly of the securing member  30  and the fan  10  can be removed out of the chassis  20 . 
     In another embodiment, the first mounting structure  211  can be located on the bottom plate  21 , and the locking flange  210  extends from the bottom plate  21 . 
     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 the 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.