Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to device housings such as electronic device housings, and more particularly, to a housing for receiving a hard disk drive. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Typical computers have hard disk drives for storing data. For some kinds of computers such as servers or workstations, a large amount of data is required to be stored. Thus, such kinds of computers may incorporate a multiplicity of hard disk drives therein. Generally, each hard disk drive is received in a housing for protection. In order to access any one of the hard disk drives, the corresponding housing generally includes an access panel. When any one of the hard disk drives is required to be maintained, repaired or replaced, by loosening screws threadedly engaged in the panel, the panel can be detached from the housing to expose the hard disk drive inside the housing. However, the detachment of the panel from the housing is inconvenient and time-consuming. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a housing for a hard disk drive which can overcome the limitations described above. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present disclosure 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 present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric, assembled view of a housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing a panel and a rotation arm of the housing opened. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view showing the panel of  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing a hard disk drive partially received in the housing. 
         FIG. 6  shows the housing of  FIG. 2  inverted, together with a shock absorption box in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, and also showing a smaller hard disk drive. 
         FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6 , but showing the shock absorption box and the smaller hard disk drive assembled in the housing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2  and  5 , a housing  100  for a hard disk drive  40  in accordance with one embodiment is shown. The housing  100  includes an enclosure  10 , a rotation arm  20  rotatably mounted to the enclosure  10 , and a panel  30  rotatably mounted to the rotation arm  20 . The rotation arm  20  covers a left side of the enclosure  10 , and the panel  30  covers a front side of the enclosure  10 . In one example, the hard disk drive  40  can be a “large sized” hard drive such as 3.5 inch hard drive. In the following description, unless the context indicates otherwise, all references to “left” and “right” are made according to how the housing  100  is viewed in  FIG. 1 . 
     The enclosure  10  includes a first side plate  13  at a right side thereof, two second side plates  14  at the left side thereof, a top plate  11  connected to tops of the first side plate  13  and the two second side plates  14 , and a bottom plate  12  connected to bottoms of the first side plate  13  and the two second side plates  14 . The top plate  11  is parallel to the bottom plate  12 , and perpendicular to the first side plate  13  and the second side plates  14 . The two second side plates  14  are coplanar, and are parallel to the first side plate  13 . One of the two second side plates  14  is located adjacent to the front side of the enclosure  10 , and the other one of the two second side plates  14  is located adjacent to a rear side of the enclosure  10 . The two second side plates  14  are spaced from each other and cooperatively form an opening  140  therebetween on the left side of the enclosure  10 . The top plate  11  defines a large window in a middle thereof, and the bottom plate  12  defines a small window in a middle thereof. The bottom plate  12  defines four screw holes  120  therein. Two of the screw holes  120  are located in front of one long side of the smaller window, and the other two screw holes  120  are located rearward of an opposite long side of the smaller window. 
     The top plate  11 , the bottom plate  12 , the first side plate  13  and the frontward one of the second side plates  14  cooperatively define a window  16  therebetween in the front side of the enclosure  10 . The top plate  11  and the bottom plate  12  each have a first fastener  110  near the window  16 . In this embodiment, the first fastener  110  of the top plate  11  comprises a shallow groove defined downwardly from a top surface of the top plate  11 , and the first fastener  110  of the bottom plate  12  comprises a shallow groove defined upwardly from a bottom surface of the bottom plate  12  (see  FIG. 6 ). Each of the first fasteners  110  also comprises a protrusion  111  in a middle of the groove thereof. Two notches  112  are defined in front edges of the top plate  11  and the bottom plate  12 , respectively, rightward of the two first fasteners  110 , respectively. Two pivot posts  113  are respectively formed on the top plate  11  and the bottom plate  12  near the rearward one of the second side plates  14  and adjacent to the rear side of the enclosure  10 . Two baffle plates  15  are formed on rear ends of the first side plate  13  and the rearward second side plate  14 , respectively. Each baffle plate  15  is triangular, and interconnects the top plate  11  and the corresponding side plate  13  or  14 . The two baffle plates  15  prevent the hard disk drive  40  from moving out of the enclosure  10  through the rear side of the enclosure  10 . 
     The rotation arm  20  includes a main portion  21  covering the opening  140  of the enclosure  10 , a cover plate  24  extending from a front end of the main portion  21 , two first connecting plates  22  respectively extending from a top side and a bottom side of a front end of the main plate  21 , and two second connecting plates  23  respectively extending from a top side and a bottom side of a rear end of the main plate  21 . The two first connecting plates  22  and the two second connecting plates  23  are perpendicular to the main plate  21 . Two through holes  230  are respectively defined in rear ends of the two second connecting plates  23 , corresponding to the two pivot posts  113  of the enclosure  10 . Detailedly, the pivot posts  113  of the top plate  11  and the bottom plate  12  respectively extend through the holes  230  of the second connecting plates  23 , whereby a rear end of the rotation arm  20  is pivotally connected to the enclosure  10 . Two through holes  220  are respectively defined in front ends of the two first connecting plates  22 . The main plate  21  has two fixing pins  210  protruding inwardly to fix one lateral side of the hard disk drive  40 . Typically, the hard disk drive  40  defines two holes  41  in each of two opposite lateral sides thereof (see  FIG. 5 ). In the present embodiment, the two holes  41  in a right lateral side of the hard disk drive  40  are not utilized, and only the two holes  41  in a left lateral side of the hard disk drive  40  are utilized. The fixing pins  210  can be engaged in the holes  41  of the left lateral side of the hard disk drive  40  to facilitate securely holding the hard disk drive  40  in the enclosure  10 . 
     Also referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the panel  30  includes a cover  31 , a lock slider  32  attached to the cover  31 , and a spring  33  connecting the cover  31  with the lock slider  32 . The cover  31  includes a main portion  310 , a bent portion  314  extending from a left end of the main portion  310 , and two flanges  315  extend rearward from a top end and a bottom end of the main portion  310 , respectively. The bent portion  314  extends from the main portion  310  firstly slantwise and frontward, and then leftward. One of the two flanges  315  extends rearward from the top end of the main portion  310  and the bent portion  314 , and the other one of the two flanges  315  extends rearward from the bottom end of the main portion  310  and the bent portion  314 . The two flanges  315  are parallel to each other, and are perpendicular to the main portion  310  and the bent portion  314 . Each of the flanges  315  has a pivot post  316  extending perpendicularly outwardly, the two pivot posts  316  corresponding to the two holes  220  of the first connecting plates  22 . The pivot posts  316  of the flanges  315  respectively extend through the holes  220  of the first connecting plates  22 , whereby the panel  30  is pivotally connected to a front end of the rotation arm  20 . The flanges  315  form two catches  317  extending rearward from right ends thereof, respectively. The two catches  317  correspond to the two notches  112  of the enclosure  10 , and in the present embodiment are in the form of short protrusions. The main portion  310  defines a horizontally-oriented rectangular hole  311  in a middle thereof, and a horizontal slot  312  under the rectangular hole  311 . A hook  313  extends rearward from the main portion  310  adjacent to a left side of the rectangular hole  311 , and then perpendicularly away from a left side of the rectangular hole  311 . 
     The lock slider  32  includes a main portion  320 , and two second fasteners  324  extending rearward from a top side and a bottom side of the main portion  320 , respectively. The main portion  320  has a height greater than that of the main portion  310  of the cover  31 , so that the two second fasteners  324  can cover and extend beyond the two flanges  315  when the lock slider  32  is attached to the cover  31 . Each second fastener  324  has a length less than that of each of the first fasteners  110  of the enclosure  10 , so that the lock slider  32  is slidable along the first fasteners  110 . Thereby, the lock slider  32  can change the state of the housing  10  between an unlocked state and a locked state. A spring groove  321  is defined in a rear face of the main portion  320 , and extends along a lengthwise direction of the main portion  320 . A hook  323  extends from the rear face of the main portion  320 . The hook  323  is located adjacent to a right end of the spring groove  321 . The hook  323  extends firstly rearward and then perpendicularly right. The spring groove  321  has a size smaller than that of the rectangular hole  311 . 
     When the lock slider  32  is attached to the cover  31 , the hook  323  can extend through the rectangular hole  311 , and the spring groove  321  is located outside of the rectangular hole  311 . Two hooks  322  extend from the rear face of the main portion  320  near a bottom of the main portion  320 , and correspond to the slot  312  of the cover  31 . The two hooks  323  extend firstly rearward and then upwardly. The two hooks  322  slidably engage in the slot  312  of the cover  31 , to movably mount the lock slider  32  to the cover  31 . The lock slider  32  is thus slidable along a lengthwise direction of the cover  31  by guidance of the hooks  322  running along the slot  312 . Each of the second fasteners  324  has a transverse width greater than a transverse width of a corresponding portion of each of the flanges  315 , and less than a transverse width of each of the first fasteners  110 . Each second fastener  324  defines a lock groove  325  extending forward from a middle portion of a rear edge thereof. Each second fastener  324  forms a clasp  326  extending from a right side of the lock groove  325  towards a left side of the lock groove  325 . Each clasp  326  is able to buckle a corresponding protrusion  111  of the enclosure  10  to fix the housing  100  in the locked state. 
     The spring  33  has a first loop  331  at its right end and a second loop  332  at its left end. When the lock slider  32  is attached to the cover  31 , the first loop  331  is engaged with the hook  323  of the lock slider  32  in order to fix the right end of the spring  33  to the lock slider  32 , and the second loop  332  of the spring  33  is engaged with the hook  313  of the cover  31  in order to fix the left end of the spring  33  to the cover  31 . The spring  33  is substantially received in the rectangular hole  311  of the cover  31 , and a front lengthwise part of the spring  33  is received in the spring groove  321  of the lock slider  32 . 
     Also referring to  FIG. 5 , when the hard disk drive  40  is fully installed in the housing  100  and needs to be removed from the housing  10 , the following procedure is carried out. The lock slider  32  of the panel  30  is pressed rightward by a user to release the clasps  326  from the protrusions  111 , so that the panel  30  is unlocked from the enclosure  10 . Then the panel  30  is pulled away from the front side of the enclosure  10  by rotating the panel  30  about the two pivot posts  316  of the cover  31 . Simultaneously, the pulling of the panel  30  tends to drive the rotation arm  20  to be pulled away from the left side of the enclosure  10 , with the rotation arm  20  rotating about the two pivot posts  113  of the enclosure  10 . Thus, the housing  100  is in an open state, and the hard disk drive  40  can be freely taken out from the enclosure  10 . 
     When the hard disk drive  40  is required to be assembled in the housing  100 , the hard disk drive  40  is firstly slid into the enclosure  10  by a user. The panel  30  is moved towards the front side of the enclosure  10 . Simultaneously, the pulling of the panel  30  tends to drive the rotation arm  20  to rotate and cover the left side of the enclosure  10  until the fixing pins  210  are engaged in the corresponding holes  41  of the hard disk drive  40 . Thus, the hard disk drive  40  is fastened by the fixing pins  210 . 
     Then the panel  30  is rotated towards the front side of the enclosure  10  until the catches  317  oppose the notches  112 . The user applies force to move the lock slider  32  rightward so that the clasps  326  can clear the protrusions  111 . By such movement, the spring  33  is stretched (elastically deformed) to accumulate elastic potential energy, which energy can produce a restoring force to pull the lock slider  32  back leftward later on. The panel  30  is then pushed to completely cover the front side of the enclosure  10 . The catches  317  are engaged in the notches  112 , and the protrusions  111  are received in the lock grooves  325 . The user then releases the force applied on the lock slider  32 , so that the spring  33  applies the restoring force and pulls the lock slider  32  to automatically move back leftward. Thus, the clasps  326  are locked with the protrusions  111 , the panel  30  encloses the hard disk drive  40  in the enclosure  10 , and the housing  100  in the locked state. In the locked state, the spring  33  is still elastically stretched to a certain extent, and applies force tending to pull the lock slider  32  leftward. Thereby, the spring  33  resiliently holds the clasps  326  in position firmly locked with the protrusions  111 . Thus, replacement, repair and maintenance of the hard disk drive  40  are convenient and labor-saving. 
     Also referring to  FIGS. 6-7 , a user may require that a smaller hard disk drive  50  be received in the housing  100 . In such case, a shock absorption box  60  is provided to support the hard disk drive  50 , and the housing  100  is inverted (compared to the above-described embodiment) and accommodates both the shock absorption box  60  and the hard disk drive  50 . In one example, the hard disk drive  50  can be a 2.5 inch hard drive. 
     The volume of the shock absorption box  60  is similar to that of the above-described hard disk drive  40 . The shock absorption box  60  defines two holes  61  in a lateral side thereof, so that the fixing pins  210  of the enclosure  10  engage in the holes  61  and thereby position the shock absorption box  60  in the enclosure  10 . The shock absorption box  60  includes a carrying portion  62  with a size slightly larger than that of the hard disk drive  50 . The shock absorption box  60  also forms two fixing pins (not visible) in the carrying portion  62 , the fixing pins being similar to the fixing pins  210  of the rotation arm  20 . Correspondingly, the hard disk drive  50  defines two holes  51  in a lateral side thereof. The fixing pins are engaged in the holes  51 , so that the hard disk drive  50  is held inside the carrying portion  62 . Furthermore, the hard disk drive  50  defines four screw holes  52  corresponding to the four screw holes  120  of the bottom plate  12 . Four screws (not shown) can be extended through the screw holes  120  and engaged in the screw holes  52 , so that the hard disk drive  50  is further fastened in position in the enclosure  10 . 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments.

Technology Category: 3