Abstract:
A drive bracket ( 8 ) for a data storage device includes a body ( 10 ) and a lever ( 50 ). The body includes a bottom panel ( 12 ) and two side walls ( 14, 16 ) extending from opposite side edges of the bottom panel. The body has a pair of sliding slots ( 18 ) for receiving bolts ( 70 ) attached to a data storage device. The lever has a base ( 51 ) and two side plates ( 53 ) extending from opposite ends of the base. The two side plates are pivotally attached to the side walls of the body for being movable toward a closed position where the side plates engage the bolts and thus retain the data storage device in the body.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a drive bracket for a data storage device, and particularly to a readily assembled, modularized drive bracket which is attached within a computer enclosure. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Generally, when a computer is assembled, a drive bracket is mounted in a computer enclosure, and then data storage devices, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive (FDD) and a compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) drive are fixed to the drive bracket. This requires a long assembly line, which lowers assembly efficiency. Furthermore, an unworkable work site will lead to paralysis of the whole assembly line. 
     A conventional data storage device is generally attached to a drive bracket by bolts or rails. Fixing a data storage device to a drive bracket with bolts is complicated and time-consuming. Furthermore, the computer enclosure needs extra operating space for assembling the data storage device to the drive bracket using bolts. Fixing a data storage device in a drive bracket using rails is more convenient, but bolts are still needed to fix the rails to the drive bracket. Moreover, mounting systems using rails require a clearance between the data storage device and the drive bracket, which may cause electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems and may lead to accumulation of static charges on the computer enclosure. Additionally, the rails are generally made of plastic, which results in a grounding connection problem between the data storage device and the drive bracket, and which requires extra maintenance to replace the plastic rails since they are easily worn out. 
     Examples of the conventional devices are disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 78201813, 79209891, 80212301, 83208448, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,955. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a drive bracket which is modularized with a data storage device to be readily attached to a computer enclosure. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a drive bracket which facilitates assembly and disassembly with a data storage device. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a drive bracket which provides effective grounding to inserted data storage devices for reducing EMI. 
     To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a drive bracket in accordance with the present invention comprises a body and a lever. The body comprises a bottom panel and two side walls extending from opposite side edges of the bottom panel for receiving a data storage device therein. The body has a pair of sliding slots for receiving a pair of bolts attached to the data storage device. The lever comprises a base and two side plates extending from opposite ends of the base. The two side plates are pivotally attached to the side walls of the body for being movable toward a closed position to engage with the bolts of the data storage device thereby retaining the data storage device in the body. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed embodiments of the present invention with attached drawings, in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a drive bracket of the present invention with an HDD and an FDD attached thereto; 
     FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an unassembled view of a computer enclosure and a drive bracket in accordance with the present invention, with disk drives fixed therein; 
     FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 3, with two CD-ROM drives attached thereto; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a drive bracket in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention together with an HDD and an FDD for attachment thereto; 
     FIG. 6 is an assembled view of FIG. 5; and 
     FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing the drive bracket of the second embodiment of the present invention attached to a computer enclosure. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a drive bracket  8  of the present invention secures a floppy disk drive (FDD)  80  and a hard disk drive (HDD)  85  in a computer enclosure  90 . The drive bracket  8  comprises a body  10  and a lever  50  pivotally attached to the body  10 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the body  10  includes a bottom panel  12  and first and second side walls  14 ,  16  extending from opposite edges of the bottom panel  12 , forming a U-shaped configuration. The HDD  85  is supported on the bottom panel  12  while the FDD  80  is supported above the HDD  85  by aligned support tabs  41  formed on the side walls  14 ,  16 . Sliding slots  18  are defined in the side walls  14 ,  16  for receiving bolts  70  attached to opposite sides of the FDD  80 . Preferably, the bolts  70  comprise a head  72  from which a post  74  extends. An expanded portion  76  is formed on the post  74  adjacent the head  72 . The post  74  has a threaded section (not labeled) engaging with an inner-threaded hole (not labeled) defined in a corresponding side face of the FDD  80  with the head  72  spaced from the FDD  80  by the expanded portion  76 . The FDD  80  is received in the drive bracket  8  by being supported on the support tabs  41  with the expanded portions  76  of the bolts  70  guidingly received in the sliding slots  18 . Preferably, the sliding slots  18  form wide openings  21  for facilitating insertion of the bolts  70  into the sliding slots  18 . 
     The bottom panel  12  forms two pairs of slots  43  in front and rear sides thereof. Two bolts  70  are attached to a bottom face of the HDD  85  by threadingly engaging inner-threaded holes (not shown) defined in the HDD  85 . The bolts  70  are selectively received in the front side slots  43  or the rear side slots  43  of the bottom panel  12  for retaining the HDD  85  in the body  10 . Preferably, each slot  43  has a wide opening  45  for facilitating receiving the bolt  70  in the slot  43 . Through holes  46  are defined in side walls  14 ,  16  for selectively receiving bolts (not shown) to secure the HDD  85  in the body  10 . 
     The lever  50  comprises a base  51  and a pair of side plates  53  extending from opposite ends of the base  51 . The side plates  53  define pivot holes  57  for rotatably receiving pivoting portions  23  formed on the side walls  14 ,  16  of the body  10  thereby pivotally attaching the lever  50  to the body  10 . The lever  50  is thus allowed to rotate between an open position (FIG. 2) and a closed position (FIG.  3 ). A positioning tab  59  which is stamped on each side plates  53  for being deflectable with respect thereto has a protruding boss  61  for being releasably and snugly received in a positioning hole  25  defined in the corresponding side wall  14 ,  16  of the body  10  to retain the lever  50  at the closed position. Each side plate  53  defines an arcuate cutout  63  corresponding to the sliding slot  18  for engaging with the bolt  70  of the FDD  80  received in the sliding slot  18  thereby effectively retaining the FDD  80  in the body  10 . An actuating portion  65  is formed on the base  51  for actuating the lever  50  to pivot between the open position and the closed position. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the computer enclosure  90  includes a cage  91  and a bridge  93  fixed in the cage  91 . Two L-shaped fixing tabs  97  (only one tab being visible) extend from a bottom panel  95  of the bridge  93  facing each other. Perpendicular flanges  27 ,  29  extend from top edges of the side walls  14 ,  16  of the body  10  each forming an offset tab  31  for being slidably engaged with the L-shaped fixing tabs  97  thereby attaching the drive bracket  8  to the bridge  93 . At least one side wall  99  of the bridge  93  has a fixing tab  103  partially overlapping a fixing tab  33  formed on the side wall  14  of the body  10 . A hole  104  is defined in the fixing tab  103  corresponding to an inner-threaded hole  34  defined in the fixing tab  33  of the body  10  for receiving a bolt (not labeled) securing the drive bracket  8  to the bridge  93 . The front panel  105  of the cage  91  defines a pair of apertures  107  corresponding to inner-threaded holes  37  defined in front flanges  35  of the body  10  for securing the drive bracket  8  to the cage  91 . A lip  47  is formed on the front side of the bottom panel  12  for contacting the front panel  105  of the cage  91  and thus forming a grounding path therebetween. 
     Preferably, resilient fingers  39  are formed on the flanges  27 ,  29  for contacting and thus helping retain the FDD  80  in position. 
     Also referring to, FIG. 4, the bridge  93  is attached to the cage  91  with two compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM) drives  108  received therein. The drive bracket  8 , modularized with the FDD  80  and the HDD  85 , is attached under the bridge  93  with the offset tabs  31  of the body  10  engaging with the fixing tabs  97  of the bridge  93  and the fixing tab  33  of the body  10  being fixed to the fixing tab  103  of the bridge  93  by bolts (not labeled). The CD-ROM drives  108  are located above and close to the base  51  of the lever  50  whereby only a very limited rotation of the lever  50  is allowed after the drive bracket  8  is mounted in the computer enclosure  90 , thus effectively preventing the lever  50  from being accidentally moved to the open position. Preferably, the actuating portion  65  is configured in an L-shape so that a physical contact may occur between the CD-ROM drive  108  and the actuating portion  65  for securely retaining the FDD  80  in the bracket  8 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a drive bracket  8 ′ in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is shown, comprising a body  10 ′ and a lever  50 ′ pivotally attached to the body  10 ′. First and second side walls  14 ′,  16 ′ of the body  10 ′ each form two pairs of sliding slots  18 ′ having wide openings  21 ′ for receiving bolts  70  fixed to opposite side walls of the FDD  80  or HDD  85 . Each side plate  53 ′ of the lever  50 ′ forms a pair of arcuate cutouts  63 ′ corresponding to the sliding slots  18 ′ of the body  10 ′ for engaging with the bolts  70  thereby retaining the FDD  80  and the HDD  85  in the bracket  8 ′. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, the drive bracket  8 ′, modularized with the FDD  80  and the HDD  85 , is fixed to the computer enclosure  90  by being attached under the bridge  93  and fixed to the front panel  105  as described previously with reference to FIG.  4 . 
     It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.