Patent Publication Number: US-2011051354-A1

Title: Disk drive mounting apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a disk drive mounting apparatus. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Typically, a disk drive bracket is mounted on a computer enclosure using many screws or rivets, which is a very inconvenient process. 
    
    
     
       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, cutaway view of an embodiment of a mounting apparatus and two disk drives. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but view from another aspect and showing an enclosure in part. 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric, cutaway view of the enclosure of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     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  FIGS. 1-3 , a mounting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment includes an enclosure  10  and a bracket  30 . 
     The enclosure  10  includes a bottom plate  11  for securing a motherboard, and a side plate  13  substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate  11 . Four hooking stubs  131  protrude from the side plate  13 . In one embodiment, the locking posts  131  are arranged in shape of a square. Each locking post  131  includes a head  1313  and a neck  1311  narrower than the head  1313 . A positioning post  133  is located on the side plate  13  between two locking posts  131 . A positioning hole  1331  (see  FIG. 3 ) is defined in the positioning post  133 . 
     The bracket  30  includes a main wall  31  and two parallel sidewalls  33  substantially perpendicular to the base wall  31 . Two parallel rails  313  are located on an outer surface of the base wall  31  and substantially parallel to the sidewalls  33 . In one embodiment, a distance between the base wall flanges  313  is shorter than a distance between the sidewalls  33 . Each base wall flange  313  defines two mounting holes  3131 . A protrusion  331  is located on an inner surface of each sidewall  33 . Each protrusion  331  defines three securing holes. Two sidewall flanges  35  are located on the sidewalls  33 , and substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls  33  and parallel to the base wall  31 . Each sidewall flange  35  defines two locking holes  351 . Each locking hole  351  includes a wider portion  3511  configured for receiving the head  1313  of the locking post  131 , and a narrower portion  3513  configured for receiving the neck  1311  of the locking post  131  and thus catching the head  1313 . A fastening hole  353  is defined in one of the sidewall flange  35  between the two locking holes  351 . 
     A first disk drive  20  is configured to be secured between the sidewalls  33  of the bracket  30 . Two longer sidewalls of the first disk drive  20  each defines three installation holes  21 . A second disk drive  40  is configured to be secured between the base wall flanges  313 . The second disk drive  40  defines two fixing holes  41  in each of two parallel sidewalls. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 4 , in assembly, the first disk drive  20  is positioned between the sidewalls  33  of the bracket  30 , with the first disk drive sidewalls abutting the protrusions  331 . The sidewalls  33  are substantially parallel to the side plate  13 . The securing holes  3311  are aligned with the installation holes  21 , and a plurality of fastening members  50  are fixed into the securing holes  3311  and the installation holes  21  so as to secure the first disk drive  20  between the sidewalls  33  of the bracket  30 . The second disk drive  40  is positioned between the base wall flanges  313 . The mounting holes  3131  are aligned with the fixing holes  41 , and a plurality of fastening members  60  are fixed into the mounting holes  3131  and the fixing holes  41  so as to secure the second disk drive  40  between the base wall flanges  313 . 
     The bracket  30  holding with the first and second disk drives  20 ,  40  is coupled in the enclosure  10 . The bracket  30  is moved to have the heads  1313  of the locking posts  131  inserted through the corresponding wide portions  3511  of the locking holes  351 . The bracket  30  is then slid along a direction parallel to the bottom plate  11 , so as to slide the necks  1311  into the narrow portions  3513  and align the fastening hole  353  with the positioning hole  1331  of the positioning post  133 . A fastening member  70  is secured in the fastening hole  353  and the positioning hole  1331  so as to prevent the bracket  30  from sliding in a reverse direction to disengage the neck  1311  from the narrow portion  3513 . Therefore, the bracket  30  together with the first and second disk drives  20 ,  40  are secured in the enclosure  10 . 
     In one embodiment, the fixing members  50 , the mounting members  60 , and the fastening members  70  may be screws. 
     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.