Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to hardware mounting and, specifically, to a mounting apparatus readily allowing secure installation or removal of a data storage device to or from a permanent structure. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   As computers have proliferated and improved, more and more disk drives are needed. Various devices have been developed to facilitate installation and removal of disk drives. One such device includes a bracket defining two rails on opposite sides, and two side pieces attached to opposite sides, of the disk drive. The disk drive is received in the bracket, with the side pieces being received in the corresponding rails. At least one screw is applied to each side of the bracket and the corresponding side piece when installing the data storage device. However, attachment by screws is complicated and time-consuming. Furthermore, attachment by such means requires extra work space be made available inside the computer enclosure. This requirement compromises current industry trends toward smaller and lighter device profiles. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a mounting apparatus applied on a data storage device, the mounting apparatus including a bezel, a locking member, and an operating assembly. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged, isometric view of the data storage device of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of the bezel, the locking member, and the operating assembly of  FIG. 1 , viewed from another perspective. 
       FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of the bezel, the locking member, and the operating assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 3 , showing the locking member in a closed position. 
       FIG. 6  is an assembled, isometric view similar to  FIG. 5 , but with the locking member in an open position. 
       FIG. 7  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of the circled portion VIII of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is an assembled, isometric view similar to  FIG. 7 , but with the data storage device unlocked. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In  FIG. 1 , a mounting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment seats a data storage device  100 . The mounting apparatus includes a bracket  200 , a locking member  40  mounted on the bracket  200 , and an operating assembly  300 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the data storage device  100  includes two tabs  120  extending from a side of a front portion of the data storage device  100 . 
   The bracket  200  includes two parallel side plates  20  and a bezel  30 . 
   Two rows of support pieces  22  perpendicularly extend inwardly from the side plates  20 , supporting opposite sides of the data storage device  100 . Two flanges  24  extend perpendicularly in opposite directions from front ends of the side plates  20 . The flanges  24  define a plurality of mounting holes. One of the flanges  24  defines two cutouts  243  corresponding to the tabs  120  of the data storage device  100 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the bezel  30  defines an opening  32 , through which the data storage device  100  passes. A plurality of through holes corresponding to the mounting holes of the flanges  24  of the side plates  20  are defined in the bezel  30  around the opening  32 . The bezel  30  defines two cutouts  34  on a side of and communicating with the opening  32 , corresponding to the cutouts  243  of the side plate  20 . The bezel  30  defines a through hole  36  below a side of the opening  32 . The through hole  36  includes a round part  362  and a square part  364  communicating with the round part  362 . The bezel  30  defines two slots  37  on one side adjacent to the through hole  36 , and a mounting hole  38  at the opposite side. 
   The locking member  40  is longitudinal and defines a plurality of oval apertures  42  along its axis. Two flanges  43  extend perpendicularly from opposite sides of the locking member  40 . Two cutouts  44  are defined in one of the flanges  43 . A sliding portion  46  extends from a lower portion of the flange  43  defining the cutouts  44 . A fin  462  extends perpendicularly from a bottom of the sliding portion  46 . 
   The operating assembly  300  includes a lock  50 , a cover  60 , a tab washer  70 , an n-shaped fragment  82 , a washer  84 , and a nut  86 . 
   The lock  50  includes a screw  52  and a hexagon-shaped nut  54 . The screw  52  includes a head and a shaft extending from the head. The nut  54  is firmly fitted about the shaft. A keyhole  522  is defined in the head of the screw  52 , and a crisscross-shaped projection  524  protrudes from the shaft, opposite to the head. 
   The cover  60  includes a body  61 , and three sidewalls  63  extending from two opposite lateral sides and a bottom side of the body  61 . A through hole  62  is defined in the body  61 . Two parallel flanges  622  extend from the body  61  at a top side and a bottom side of the through hole  62 . Two hooks  64  extend from one of the sidewalls  63  extending from a corresponding lateral side of the body  61 , and a tab  66  perpendicularly extends from another sidewall  63  extending from the opposite lateral side of the body  61 , opposite to the hooks  64 . The tab  66  defines a mounting hole. A bent plate  68  perpendicularly extends down from the sidewall  63  extending from the bottom side of the body  61  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). 
   Tab washer  70  defines a cross-shaped through hole  72  corresponding to the projection  524  of the screw  52  of the lock  50 . Two projections  74  protrude from a circumference of the tab washer  70 , perpendicular to each other. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 through 6 , in assembly, the locking member  40  is attached to the bezel  30 , opposite to the side plates  20 . The sliding portion  46  is received in the square part  364  of the through hole  36  of the bezel  30 . The fin  462  extends to a rear side of the bezel  30  through the round part  362 . The cover  60  is attached to the bezel  30  and the locking member  40 . The hooks  64  engage the slots  37  of the bezel  30 , and the tab  66  is fixed to the bezel  30  via a screw through the mounting hole of the cover  60  to be engaged in the mounting hole  38  of the bezel  30 . The bent plate  68  of the cover  60  resists the bezel  30 . The shaft of the screw  52  of the lock  50  passes through the through hole  62  of the cover  60 , with the nut  54  engaging the flanges  622  of the cover  60 . The fragment  82  fits about the nut  54  of the lock  50 , attached between the bezel  30  and the cover  60 . The shaft of the screw  52  of the lock  50  further passes through the round part  362  of the through hole  36  of the bezel  30 . The tab washer  70  fits about the projection  524  of the screw  52  of the lock  50 . The fin  462  of the locking member  40  is located between the projections  74  of the tab washer  70 . The washer  84  fits about the shaft of the screw  52  and abuts the tab washer  70 , opposite to the bezel  30 . The nut  86  engages a distal end of the shaft of the screw  52 . The bezel  30  is fixed to the flanges  24  of the side plates  20  via screws pass through the apertures  42  of the locking member  40 , the mounting holes of the bezel  30  and the mounting holes of the flange  24 . The locking member  40  can move relative to the bezel  30 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 6 through 8 , for installation, a key inserted into the keyhole  522  of the lock  50  of the operating assembly  300  rotates the shaft of the screw  52 . One of the projections  74  of the tab washer  70  moves the fin  462  of the locking member  40  upward, driving the locking member  40  up the bezel  30 , until the cutouts  44  of the locking member  40  misalign with the cutouts  243  of side plates  20 , the cutouts  34  of the bezel  30 , and the tabs  120  of the data storage device  100 . Thus, the data storage device  100  is fixed in the mounting bracket. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  9 , for removal, the key inserted into the keyhole  522  of the lock  50  of the operating assembly  300  rotates the shaft of the screw  52 , with the other projection  74  of the tab washer  70  pushing the fin  462  of the locking member  40  downward. The locking member  40  is moved down on the bezel  30 . When the cutouts  44  of the locking member  40  align with the cutouts  243  of side plates  20 , the cutouts  34  of the bezel  30 , and the tabs  120  of the data storage device  100 , the data storage device  100  can move out of the bracket  200  through the opening  32 . 
   It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present example and embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.

Technology Category: g