Mounting apparatus for data storage device

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to a mounting apparatus for data storage devices.

2. Description of Related Art

A bracket is often mounted in a computer enclosure, on which a storage device can be accommodated. However, if a data storage device is used outside the computer enclosure, another bracket outside the enclosure is needed, which can be inconvenient and costly.

Many aspects of the present embodiments 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 embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a mounting apparatus for a data storage device.

FIG. 2 is an assembled, isometric view of FIG. 1 .

FIGS. 3 to 8 show different operating states of the mounting apparatus for a data storage device.

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. 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 and 2 , a mounting apparatus is provided to accommodate a data storage device 10 (shown in FIG. 7 ). The mounting apparatus includes a bracket 20 , a positioning member 30 slidably mounted to the bracket 20 , a support member 40 pivotably mounted to the positioning member 30 , two clamping members 50 mounted to the support member 40 , two support boards 60 pivotably mounted to the support member 40 , two first locking members 70 , two second locking members 80 , and a plurality of pins 90 .

The bracket 20 includes a main body 22 and a cover 24 mounted to the main body 22 . The main body 22 includes a receiving case 23 and a resisting board 25 . The receiving case 23 includes a bottom plate 231 and two side plates 232 extending from opposite sides of the bottom plate 231 . The bottom plate 231 defines a plurality of positioning holes 233 . The front end of each side plate 232 defines a locking slot 234 . The resisting board 25 is located at the front end of the main body 22 , and is connected between tops of the side plates 232 .

A plurality of elastic tabs 31 extends down from the positioning member 30 , and a protrusion 312 protrudes down from a distal end of each elastic tab 31 . Two connecting portions 32 extend from opposite ends of a front side of the positioning member 30 . Each connecting portion 32 axially defines a pivot hole 320 . Two rims 33 extend up from opposite ends of the positioning member 30 , and a guiding protrusion 332 protrudes from each rim 33 toward the other rim 33 . Two resisting tabs 34 extend from the positioning member 30 , at opposite ends of the connecting portions 32 .

An operation portion 41 protrudes from a front end of the support member 40 , and two elastic hooks 412 extend from opposite ends of the operation portion 41 . A pivoting portion 42 protrudes out from a rear end of the support member 40 , and the pivoting portion 42 axially defines a pivot hole 420 . Two L-shaped elastic tabs 444 extend from the rear end of the support member 40 , at opposite ends of the pivoting portion 42 . Two L-shaped support tabs 43 extend from front and rear ends of each side of the support member 40 . Two cylinder shaped pivoting portions 44 extend from each side of the support member 40 , locating between the support tabs 43 . Each pivoting portion 44 axially defines a pivot hole 442 . An L-shape first hook 45 , a V-shaped second hook 46 , and a fixing tab 47 extend from each of the front and rear ends of the support member 40 . Each first hook 45 defines a slot 452 . The second hook 46 is between the first hook 45 and the fixing tab 47 . Opposite ends of the second hook 46 are connected to the support member 40 . Two resisting tabs 48 extend from the support member 40 , between the second hooks 46 at the front and rear ends of the support member 40 .

Each clamping member 50 includes a U-shaped receiving portion 52 and a locking portion 54 received in the receiving portion 52 . The receiving portion 52 defines two pairs of cutouts 522 , and two pairs of through holes 524 through opposite sidewalls. The locking portion 54 defines two slots 542 transversely through the locking portion 54 . Two pairs of protrusions 544 protrude out from opposite walls of the locking portion 54 . The protrusions 544 are engaged in the cutouts 522 of the receiving portion 52 , and each slot 542 is aligned with a corresponding pair of the through holes 524 .

Two connecting portions 62 extend from opposite ends of one side of each support board 60 , and each connecting portion 62 defines a pivot hole 620 . A slanting board 61 extends from the side of the support board 60 , between the connecting portions 62 . Two flanges 63 extend from opposite ends of each support board 60 , perpendicular to the side of the support board 60 .

Each first locking member 70 includes a curled pivoting portion 72 , an operation pole 74 , and a fixing pole 76 . The operating pole 74 perpendicularly extends from a first end of the pivoting portion 72 , and a hook 742 is formed at a distal end of the operation pole 74 . The fixing pole 76 is substantially L-shaped, and perpendicularly extends from a second end of the pivoting portion 72 , opposite to the first end. A resisting hook 762 extends from a distal end of the fixing pole 76 .

Each second locking member 80 includes a pole portion 82 , a hook 84 extending from a first end of the pole portion 82 , and a fixing portion 86 extending from a second end of the pole portion 82 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , in assembly, a first pin 90 is extended through the pivot hole 320 of one of the connecting portions 32 of the positioning member 30 , the pivot hole 420 of the support member 40 , and the pivot hole 320 of the other connecting portion 32 of the positioning member 30 . Therefore, the support member 40 is pivotably mounted to the positioning member 30 . The elastic tabs 444 of the support member 40 resist against the resisting tabs 34 of the positioning member 30 , correspondingly. A second pin 90 is extended through the pivot hole 620 of one of the connecting portions 62 of each support board 60 , the pivot holes 442 are on a corresponding side of the support member 40 , and the pivot hole 620 of the other connecting portion 62 of the support board 60 . Therefore, the support boards 60 are pivotably mounted to the opposite sides of the support member 40 . The flanges 63 of the support boards 60 detachably abut against the resisting tabs 48 of support member 40 . The fixing pole 76 of each first locking member 70 extends through one pair of the through holes 524 of the corresponding clamping member 50 , to be received in the corresponding slot 542 of the locking portion 54 . The fixing portion 86 of each second locking member 80 extends through the other pair of the through holes 524 of the corresponding clamping member 50 , to be received in the corresponding slot 542 of the locking portion 54 . The protrusions 544 of the locking portion 54 are engaged in the cutouts 522 of the receiving portion 52 , to mount the locking portion 54 and the receiving portion 52 together. Thereby, the first and second locking members 70 and 80 are mounted to the corresponding clamping members 50 . The pivoting portion 72 of each first locking member 70 is latched in the slot 452 of the corresponding first hook 45 , the hook 84 of each second locking member 80 is latched to the corresponding second hook 46 .

The operation pole 74 of each first locking member 70 is operated to latch the hook 742 of the first locking member 70 to the corresponding fixing tab 47 , to oppose each clamping member 50 to resist against the support member 40 . The support member 40 is inserted into the receiving case 23 of the bracket 20 . The guiding protrusions 332 of the positioning member 30 slidably resist against the side plates 232 of the receiving case 23 . The protrusions 312 of the positioning member 30 are latched in the positioning holes 233 of the receiving case 23 . The elastic hooks 412 of the supporting member 40 are latched in the locking slots 234 of the bracket 20 .

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6 , in use, the elastic hooks 412 are deformed to be separated from the locking slots 234 . The elastic tabs 31 are deformed to separate the protrusions 312 from the positioning holes 233 . The operation portion 41 of the support member 40 is operated out to move support member 40 and the positioning member 30 out. The guiding protrusions 332 are slid along the side plates 232 of the receiving case 23 . When the guiding protrusions 332 resist against the resisting board 25 of the bracket 20 , the positioning member 30 cannot move further. The support member 40 is operated to rotate about the first pin 90 to be perpendicular to the bracket 20 . The hooks 742 of the first locking members 70 are separated from the fixing tabs 47 of the support member 40 . The operation poles 74 of the first locking members 70 are rotated to be perpendicular to the support member 40 about the pivoting portions 72 , so the clamping members 50 are driven to move away from the support member 40 , and the second locking members 80 are deformed. (see FIG. 6 ) The support boards 60 are rotated about the second pins 90 to be open, until coplanar with the support member 40 .

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 , the data storage device 10 is received between the support member 40 and the clamping members 50 . The operation poles 74 of the first locking members 70 are rotated about the pivoting portions 72 toward the support member 40 , until the hooks 742 are latched to the fixing tabs 47 , to drive the clamping members 50 to resist against the data storage device 10 . Thus, the data storage device 10 is tightly sandwiched between the support member 40 and the clamping members 50 .

In other embodiments, obviously, when the width of the data storage device 10 is equal to the width of the support member 40 , the support boards 60 do not need to be opened, or the support boards 60 can be omitted.

In other embodiments, after the data storage device 10 is mounted to the support member 40 , the support member 40 together with the data storage device 10 can be pushed in the bracket 20 . The cover 24 is then mounted to the main body 22 .

It is believed that the present embodiment and its 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 description or sacrificing all of their material advantages, the example hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiment.