Foldable fixing apparatus for hard disk drive

• US 8,611,081 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sun, Zheng-Heng
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tan
• Application Number:
  US13/198,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20120267500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 248/309.1, 248/27.1, 248/271, 248/316.5, 248/222.11, 248/918, 361/724, 361/748, 361/756, 361/759, 361/679.01, 361/679.33, 361/679.37, 361/679, 361/685, 361/679.59, 361/679.58, 361/797, 361/801, 439/64, 439/377, 312/332.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis

Abstract

A foldable fixing apparatus for fixing a hard disk drive includes a handle and two collapsible arms. The handle includes a sidewall. Each collapsible arm includes a fixing arm and a pivot arm. First ends of the fixing arms are rotatably connected to opposite ends of the sidewall. The pivot arms are rotatably connected to second ends of the fixing arms opposite to the first ends. When the pivot arms are pivoted to fold to the corresponding fixing arms, the collapsible arms are capable of being folded to the handle. When the fixing arms are rotated to be perpendicular to the sidewall of the handle, and the pivot arms are unfolded from, and aligned with, the corresponding fixing arms, the hard disk drive is capable of being mounted between the collapsible arms.

Claims

1. A foldable fixing apparatus for fixing a hard disk drive, the fixing apparatus comprising:

a handle comprising a sidewall;

two collapsible arms each comprising a fixing arm and a pivot arm, wherein first ends of the fixing arms are respectively and rotatably connected to opposite ends of the sidewall, and the pivot arms are respectively and rotatably connected to second ends of the fixing arms opposite to the first ends; and

a latch;

wherein when the pivot arms are pivoted to fold to the corresponding fixing arms, the collapsible arms are capable of being folded to the handle;

when the fixing arms are rotated to be perpendicular to the sidewall of the handle, and the pivot arms are rotated away from the handle to be unfolded from, and aligned with, the corresponding fixing arms, the hard disk drive is capable of being mounted between the collapsible arms;

wherein the handle further comprises an end wall perpendicular to the sidewall, the latch is pivotably connected to the end wall and adjacent to one of the collapsible arm, when the collapsible arms are folded to the handle, the latch is capable of being rotated to lock the other collapsible arm; and

wherein a recess is defined in the end wall, the latch is received in the recess and pivotably connected to an end of the recess adjacent to the sidewall.

2. The foldable fixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the fixing arms is substantially L-shaped, and comprises a main body rotatably connected to the handle, and an extension arm extending from an end of the main body away from the handle, a receiving space is bound by the main body and the extension arm, a distal end of the extension arm away from the handle is the second end of the fixing arm;

and first ends of the pivot arms are received in the corresponding receiving spaces and rotatably connected to the distal ends of the corresponding extension arms, and when the pivot arms are rotated to be folded to the corresponding fixing arms, the pivot arms are respectively received in the receiving spaces.

3. The foldable fixing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the distal end of each extension arm forms a tab extending towards the corresponding receiving space, for engaging with the corresponding pivot arm when the pivot arm is unfolded to the corresponding fixing arm.

4. The foldable fixing apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the collapsible arms are folded to the handle, the collapsible arm adjacent to the latch is sandwiched between the handle and the other collapsible arm.

5. The foldable fixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a latching slot is defined in the second end of the fixing arm of said other collapsible arm, and a latching portion protrudes from a distal end of the latch, for engage with the latching slot of said other collapsible arm.

6. The foldable fixing apparatus of claim 2, wherein an outer side of the extension arm of said other collapsible arm forms a tab adjacent to the corresponding main body and extending towards the corresponding receiving space, for engaging with the corresponding pivot arm when the pivot arm is folded to the fixing arm of said collapsible arm.

7. The foldable fixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein two fixing members are respectively fixed to the opposite ends of the sidewall of the handle, each of the fixing members comprises a fixing portion perpendicular to the sidewall, and a pivot portion protruding from an end of the fixing portion away from the handle, the first ends of the fixing arms are rotatably connected to the pivot portions.

8. The foldable fixing apparatus of claim 7, wherein a through hole is defined in each pivot portion, two spaced protrusions each defining a first pivot hole extend from the first end of each fixing arm, the pivot portions are respectively received between the protrusions of the corresponding fixing arms, two pins are respectively extended through the first pivot holes of the fixing arms and the through holes of the pivot portions, to rotatably connect the fixing arms to the corresponding pivot portions.

9. The foldable fixing apparatus of claim 7, wherein two stop plates respectively extend from top and bottom sides of each pivot portion, for engaging with an outer side of the corresponding fixing arm connected to the pivot portion.

10. A foldable fixing apparatus for fixing a hard disk drive, the fixing apparatus comprising:

a handle comprising a sidewall; and

two collapsible arms each comprising a fixing arm and a pivot arm, wherein first ends of the fixing arms are respectively and rotatably connected to opposite ends of the sidewall, and the pivot arms are respectively and rotatably connected to second ends of the fixing arms opposite to the first ends;

wherein when the pivot arms are pivoted to fold to the corresponding fixing arms, the collapsible arms are capable of being folded to the handle;

when the fixing arms are rotated to be perpendicular to the sidewall of the handle, and the pivot arms are rotated away from the handle to be unfolded from, and aligned with, the corresponding fixing arms, the hard disk drive is capable of being mounted between the collapsible arms;

wherein two fixing members are respectively fixed to the opposite ends of the sidewall of the handle, each of the fixing members comprises a fixing portion perpendicular to the sidewall, and a pivot portion protruding from an end of the fixing portion away from the handle, the first ends of the fixing arms are rotatably connected to the pivot portions; and

wherein a through hole is defined in each pivot portion, two spaced protrusions each defining a first pivot hole extend from the first end of each fixing arm, the pivot portions are respectively received between the protrusions of the corresponding fixing arms, two pins are respectively extended through the first pivot holes of the fixing arms and the through holes of the pivot portions, to rotatably connect the fixing arms to the corresponding pivot portions.

11. A foldable fixing apparatus for fixing a hard disk drive, the fixing apparatus comprising:

a handle comprising a sidewall; and

two collapsible arms each comprising a fixing arm and a pivot arm, wherein first ends of the fixing arms are respectively and rotatably connected to opposite ends of the sidewall, and the pivot arms are respectively and rotatably connected to second ends of the fixing arms opposite to the first ends;

wherein when the pivot arms are pivoted to fold to the corresponding fixing arms, the collapsible arms are capable of being folded to the handle;

when the fixing arms are rotated to be perpendicular to the sidewall of the handle, and the pivot arms are rotated away from the handle to be unfolded from, and aligned with, the corresponding fixing arms, the hard disk drive is capable of being mounted between the collapsible arms;

wherein two fixing members are respectively fixed to the opposite ends of the sidewall of the handle, each of the fixing members comprises a fixing portion perpendicular to the sidewall, and a pivot portion protruding from an end of the fixing portion away from the handle, the first ends of the fixing arms are rotatably connected to the pivot portions; and

wherein two stop plates respectively extend from top and bottom sides of each pivot portion, for engaging with an outer side of the corresponding fixing arm connected to the pivot portion.