Patent Publication Number: US-2011075348-A1

Title: Mounting apparatus for disk drive

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a mounting apparatus for securing a disk drive. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A disk drive is often secured to a chassis of a computer. The chassis includes a bracket defining through holes. The disk drive defines a plurality of screw holes corresponding to the through holes of the bracket. A plurality of screws is screwed into the through holes and the screw holes to fix the disk drive to the bracket. This conventional means for securing the disk drive by screws is very inconvenient. 
    
    
     
       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, partial view of a mounting apparatus and a disk drive in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from a different aspect. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled view of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     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. 1-2 , a mounting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment is capable of securing a plurality of disk drives  50  (only one disk drive shown in  FIG. 1 ). Each disk drive  50  includes two parallel disk drive sidewalls  51 , and two positioning posts  511  are located on each disk drive sidewall  51 . The mounting apparatus includes a bracket  10  and a locking component  30  configured to be secured to the bracket  10 . 
     The bracket  10  includes a bottom wall  15 , a first sidewall  11 , and a second sidewall  13 , and a top wall  17  substantially parallel to the bottom wall  15 . The bottom wall  15 , the first sidewall  11 , the second sidewall  13  and the top wall  17  together define a holding space configured to receive the disk drives  50 . The first sidewall  11  is substantially parallel to the first sidewall  11  and perpendicular to the bottom wall  15 . A plurality of guiding slots  116  is defined in the first sidewall  11 , and extends in a first direction substantially parallel to the bottom wall  15 . A plurality of locking gaps  112  is defined in the first sidewall  11 , and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the bottom wall  15 . Each guiding slot  116  is located between each two locking gaps  112 . Each locking gap  112  includes a big portion  1121  and a small portion  1123 . The small portion  1123  is located at a front edge of the big portion  1121  and in communication with the big portion  1121 . A resiliently deformable positioning piece  114  is bent outward from a rear edge of the big portion  1121  to define a distance between the positioning piece  114  and the first sidewall  11 . The second sidewall  13  defines a plurality of guiding slots  133 , and each guiding slot  133  has a structure substantially the same as each guiding slot  116  of the first sidewall  11 . The guiding slots  116  of the first sidewall  11  and the guiding slots  133  of the second sidewall  13  are together used to receive the positioning posts  511  of the disk drives  50 . 
     The locking component  30  includes a main body  31  and a plurality of locking pieces  35 . A plurality of locking tabs  311  is located on the main body  31  and arranged in a vertical direction. Each locking tab  311  is configured to engage in the small portion  1123  of the lock gap  112  of the first sidewall  11  of the bracket  10 . A plurality of convex structures  313  is bent outward from the locking component  30 , corresponding to the guiding slots  116  of the first sidewall  11  of the bracket  10 . Each convex structure  313  is located between two adjacent locking tabs  311 , and includes a first portion  3131 , a second portion  3133 , and a third portion  3135 . The second portion  3133  is substantially parallel to the main body  31 , and connected between the first portion  3131  and the third portion  3135 . The first portion  3131  and the third portions  3135  are respectively connected between the main body  31  and the second portion  3133 . A through opening  315  is defined in each convex structure  313 . Each locking piece  35  extends from a rear edge of each second portion  3133 , and includes: a first segment  351  extending diagonally inwards from the second portion  3133 , a second segment  353  extending from a rear edge of the first segment  351 , and a third segment  355  extending diagonally outward from a rear edge of the second segment  353 . The second segment  353  is substantially parallel to the main body  31 . A locking protrusion  3531  is located on the second segment  353  of each locking piece  35 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 3-4 , in assembling the locking component  30  to the bracket  10 , the locking component  30  is placed on an outer surface of the first sidewall  11 . The main body  31  is inserted in the distance between the positioning piece  114  and the first sidewall  11 . The locking component  30  is slid towards a rear edge of the first sidewall  11 , until the locking tabs  311  are engaged in the small portions  1123  of the locking gaps  112 . Therefore, the locking component  30  is secured to the first sidewall  11 . The second portion  3133  is substantially parallel to the first sidewall  11 , and a distance is defined between the second portion  3133  of each convex structure  313  and the first sidewall  11 . Each locking piece  35  of the locking component  30  is located at one side of the guiding slot  116 . The locking piece  35  has an un-actuated original position, where the locking protrusion  3531  is substantially adjacent to the guiding slot  116  of the first sidewall  11 . 
     In assembly of the disk drive  50 , the positioning posts  511  of the disk drive  50  are inserted in the guiding slot  116  of the first sidewall  11  and the guiding slot  133  of the second sidewall  13 . The disk drive  50  is slid in the bracket  10  from front to rear. When one positioning post  511  of the disk drive  50  abuts against the locking protrusion  3531  of the locking piece  35 , the disk drive  50  is further pushed in the bracket  10 , to urge the one positioning post  511  to press the locking protrusion  3531 . The locking piece  35  is therefore resiliently deformed away from the first sidewall  11 . After the one positioning post  511  of the disk drive  50  passes across the locking protrusion  3531  and abuts against the rear end of the guiding slot  116 , the locking piece  35  resiliently rebounds to the original position. The one positioning post  511  is blocked between the rear end of the guiding slot  116  and the locking protrusion  3531 . The disk drive  50  is secured in the bracket  10 . 
     In disassembly of the disk drive  50 , the third segment  355  of the locking piece  35  is operated to resiliently deform the locking piece  35  away from the original position, until the positioning posts  511  of the disk drive  50  can be slid across the locking protrusion  3531 . Thus, the disk drive  50  can be taken away from the bracket  10 . 
     In one embodiment, the locking component  30  may be, for example, made of a thin metal piece. 
     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.