Computer enclosure incorporating drive bracket

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a computer enclosure, and particularly to a computer enclosure incorporating a drive bracket.

2. The Related Art

The trend toward miniaturization in the computer industry requires fully exploiting the internal space of a computer. Components in the computer are compactly arranged in a limited space inside the computer enclosure. Computer enclosures are also required to be designed for readily receiving electronic components therein. Typically, a hard disk drive is first fixed to a drive bracket via screws, and then the drive bracket with the hard disk drive therein is attached to the computer enclosure via screws.

However, when the drive bracket with the hard disk drive therein is attached to the computer enclosure via screws, the hard disk drive must firstbe held in the correct position by hand. This is unduly inconvenient. Furthermore, using screws to fix the hard disk drive to the drive bracket andto attach the drive bracket to a computer enclosure is unduly complicated and time-consuming.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure incorporating a drive bracket for readily attaching a hard disk drive to the computer enclosure.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, a drive bracket in accordance with the present invention includes a support base, a side plate extending perpendicularly from one side edge of the support base, and a retaining plate extending from an upper edge of the side plate and arranged to be opposite the support base. The support base has a guiding flange extendingfrom another side edge thereof adjacent the side edge attached to the side plate, recesses each defining an opening, a pair of spring tabs, and a pair of through holes opposite to the spring tabs. The side plate has a pair of posts formed inwardly at opposite ends thereof. The retaining plate has four spring fingers stamped inwardly.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed embodiment of the pesent invention with attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drive bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a hard disk drive to be attached to the drive bracket of FIG. 1 to form a drive bracket assembly;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the complete drive bracket assembly of FIG. 2 to be received in a computer enclosure;

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 3, with a portion of the drivebracket assembly cut away; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the encircled portion V of FIG. 4 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a drive bracket 10 of the present invention for accommodating and supporting a hard disk drive 50 has a support base 20 , a side plate 30 and a retaining plate 40 together defining a space (not labeled) for receiving the hard disk drive 50 . The side plate 30 extends perpendicularly from one side edge of the support base 20 . The retaining plate 40 extends perpendicularly from an upper edge of the side plate 30 , and is arranged to be opposite the support base 20 .

The hard disk drive 50 comprises a first side wall 52 , a second side wall 53 and a bottom wall 54 . The first side wall 52 defines a pair of locking holes (not shown). The bottom wall 54 defines a pair of fixing holes 58 near the first side wall 52 , and a pair of screw holes 56 near the second side wall 53 .

The support base 20 defines a pair of through holes 28 near the edge opposite the side edge from which the side plate 30 extends, for extension of bolts 59 therethrough. The bolts 59 threadedly engage with the screw holes 56 of the hard disk drive 50 . A pair of spring tabs 24 is formed in the support base 20 opposite to the through holes 28 . Each spring tab 24 forms a protrusion 25 at a free end thereof, for engaging with the hard disk drive 50 . Four recesses 22 with openings 23 for engaging with a computer enclosure 60 as will be described later, are formed in the support base 20 . A guiding flange 27 is formed from an edge of the support base 20 perpendicular to the side edge from which the side plate 30 extends, for engaging with the computer enclosure. A slot 26 is defined in the support base 20 parallel to and near the guiding flange 27 .

A pair of posts 32 is inwardly formed near opposite ends of the side plate 30 , for engagement with the locking holes (not shown) of the hard disk drive 50 . The retaining plate 40 has four spring fingers 42 stamped inwardly, for resiliently engaging the hard disk drive 50 .

In mounting the hard disk drive 50 to the drive bracket 10 , the posts 32 of the drive bracket 10 are engaged with the locking holes(not shown) in the first side wall 52 of the hard disk drive 50 . The protrusions 25 of the support base 20 engage with the fixing holes 58 in the bottom wall 54 of thehard disk drive 50 . The bolts 59 extend through the through holes 28 of the support base 20 and engage with the screw holes 56 of the hard disk drive 50 . The spring fingers 42 of the retaining plate 40 resiliently engage the hard disk drive 50 . Thus, the hard disk drive 50 is firmly engaged with the drive bracket 10 to form a drive bracket assembly (not labelled).

Referring to FIG. 3, a housing 60 of a computer enclosure to which the drive bracket 10 is to be mounted has a base panel 70 , a front panel 80 and a rear panel 90 . The base panel 70 of the housing 60 has four retaining hooks 62 for engagement with the openings 23 of the drive bracket 10 , and also has an elastically deformable latch 64 with a claw 66 for engagement with the slot 26 of the drive bracket 10 . A pair of extrusions 68 is formed inwardly from the base panel 70 , aligned parallel to the front panel 80 . The extrusions 68 together with the front panel 80 define a passageway (not labeled) for guiding the drive bracket 10 into the housing 60 in assembly.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, to assemble the drive bracket 10 with thehard disk drive 50 mounted thereon to the housing 60 , the drive bracket 10 is guided into the housing 60 by the extrusions 68 and the front panel 80 of the housing 60 . In the assembled position, the extrusions 68 abut against the side plate 30 of the drive bracket 10 , thereby preventing the drive bracket 10 from moving in a first direction perpendicular to the front panel 80 . The retaining hooks 62 extend through the openings 23 and engage with the recesses 22 . The flange 27 snaps over the latch 64 and the claw 66 of the latch 64 snaps into the slot 26 of the drive bracket 10 . The retaining hooks 62 in engagement with the recesses 22 and the claw 66 in engagement with the slot 26 (as shown in FIG. 5) all cooperate to prevent the drive bracket 10 from moving in a second direction parallel to the base panel 70 and perpendicular to the first direction. The retaining hooks 62 prevent the drive bracket 10 from moving in a direction normal to the base panel 70 . Thus, the drive bracket 10 is firmly secured to the housing 60 .

It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present example and embodiment 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.