U.S. patent number RE41,514 [Application Number 11/134,473] was granted by the patent office on 2010-08-17 for rack for memory storage devices.
Invention is credited to Sunny Behl, Chris Erwin.
United States Patent |
RE41,514 |
Behl , et al. |
August 17, 2010 |
Rack for memory storage devices
Abstract
A docking adapter for reliably inserting and removing a memory
storage device from a memory storage device bay includes a rack and
a removable carrier. The rack has a pair of lateral rails for
holding the carrier. The carrier slidably engages the rails to
enable the carrier to slide into the rack. The carrier is adapted
for holding a hard disk drive. The carrier has a face with cooling
fans, a cantilever mounted on the face for engaging the rack and a
cover with a cam. The cover is hinged to the face. The cover
rotates from a closed position where the cover parallels the face
to an open position where the cover opens, pressing the cam against
the cantilever against the rack to smoothly extract the carrier
from the rack.
Inventors: |
Behl; Sunny (Campbell, CA),
Erwin; Chris (Fremont, CA) |
Family
ID: |
23114579 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/134,473 |
Filed: |
May 20, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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09290113 |
Apr 12, 1999 |
6193339 |
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Reissue of: |
09751122 |
Dec 27, 2000 |
06565163 |
May 20, 2003 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 14, 1999 [TW] |
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88105921 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
312/223.1;
454/184 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B
33/124 (20130101); G11B 33/142 (20130101); H05K
7/20181 (20130101); H05K 7/20581 (20130101); G11B
33/02 (20130101); H05K 7/20718 (20130101); G11B
33/148 (20130101); G11B 33/128 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
41/06 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;312/332.1,223.2,330.1,333,223.1 ;361/724-727 ;454/184
;439/299,300,483,911 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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29621713 |
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Apr 1997 |
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DE |
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19701548 |
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Aug 1997 |
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DE |
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Primary Examiner: Wilkens; Janet M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Perkins Coie LLP
Parent Case Text
This application is a .Iadd.reissue application of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/751,122, filed on Dec. 27, 2000, now U.S.
Pat. No. 6,565,163, which is a .Iaddend.divisional of application
Ser. No. 09/290,113, filed Apr. 12, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No.
6,193,339.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A memory storage device docking adapter, comprising: a carrier
for holding a hard disk drive, the carrier has a face; a rack
having two lateral rails, the carrier slidably engages the rails to
enable the carrier to slide into the rack; a cantilever mounted on
the face for engaging the rack; a cover with a cam, the cover is
hinged to the face, the cover rotates from a closed position where
the cover parallels the face to an open position where the cam
presses the cantilever against the rack; the face includes at least
one fan to blow air through the docking adapter; and wherein the
cantilever is bifurcated having two legs, the cantilever defines an
opening between the legs to facilitate airflow through the fan.
2. A memory storage device docking adapter, comprising: a carrier
for holding a hard disk drive, the carrier has a face; a rack
having two lateral rails, the carrier slidably engages the rails to
enable the carrier to slide into the rack; a cantilever mounted on
the face for engaging the rack; a cover with a cam, the cover is
hinged to the face, the cover rotates from a closed position where
the cover parallels the face to an open position where the cam
presses the cantilever against the rack; and wherein the cantilever
is resilient and bends in response to the cam to dampen shock
associated with insertion and removal of the carrier .[.form.].
.Iadd.from .Iaddend.the rack.
3. The docking adapter .[.as set forth in.]. .Iadd.of
.Iaddend.claim 2, wherein the rack includes a lock with a rotating
cylinder and a locking arm attached to one lateral rail, the
cylinder rotates the locking arm into contact with the cover to
lock the cover in the closed position, and the locking arm contacts
the face of the carrier thereby holding the carrier in the rack by
contacting both the face of the carrier and the cover.
.Iadd.4. A data handling device, comprising: a carrier configured
to hold a memory storage device; a rack having at least two lateral
rails, wherein the carrier engages the at least two lateral rails;
a cantilever coupled to the carrier, wherein the cantilever
comprises two legs, and wherein the cantilever defines an opening
between the legs to facilitate airflow out of the carrier and
through a fan carried by a face of the carrier; and a cover having
a cam, wherein the cantilever is disposed between the cover and the
carrier..Iaddend.
.Iadd.5. The memory storage device apparatus of claim 4 wherein the
memory storage device comprises a hard disk drive..Iaddend.
.Iadd.6. A data handling device, comprising: a carrier configured
to hold a memory storage device; a rack having at least two lateral
rails, wherein the carrier engages the at least two lateral rails;
a cover; and a shock absorbing element between the carrier and the
cover, wherein the shock absorbing element comprises a cantilever
structure having two legs, and wherein the cantilever defines an
opening between the legs to facilitate airflow out of the carrier
and through a fan carried by a face of the carrier..Iaddend.
.Iadd.7. A method, comprising: obtaining a carrier configured to
hold a memory storage device, a cover, and a shock absorbing
element between the cover and the carrier, wherein the shock
absorbing element comprises a cantilever having two legs and an
opening between the two legs to facilitate airflow out of the
carrier and through a fan mounted to a face of the carrier; and
inserting the carrier into a rack having at least two lateral
rails..Iaddend.
.Iadd.8. The method of claim 7 wherein the memory storage device is
a hard disk drive..Iaddend.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a docking adapter for memory
storage devices and, more particularly mobile carrier and rack
assemblies for hard disk drives and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Docking adapters removeably interconnect memory storage devices to
computer systems and memory storage device systems, for example.
Docking adapters can provide many advantages over fixed hardware
including improved data security, optimization of data backup
procedures and sharing of vast amounts of data between
non-integrated networks and systems. Docking adapters can also
enable multiple users, each with his or her own hard drive, to use
a single a machine without interfering with operating settings and
data of another.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,369 to Darden et al., the disclosure of which
is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a docking adapter
for a hard disk drive. The docking adapter includes a carrier for
holding a hard drive and a rack that mounts in a computer housing.
A connector is included on both the carrier and the rack. The
carrier slides into the rack to couple the connectors. A key and
lock are provided with the rack to lock and unlock the carrier in
the rack. The carrier has a fixed handle to enable removal of the
hard disk drive from the rack when the carrier is unlocked.
One drawback to the fixed handle design is that an operator may
misalign the carrier with respect to the rack during insertion and
removal of the carrier. Should the operate wiggle the carrier with
the fixed handle, the connector that couples the carrier with the
rack may be damaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,767 to Chen, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference, discloses a docking adapter
having a carrier and a rack. The carrier has a rotatable handle.
The handle includes a disengagement mechanism (221) that cams
directly against the rack to urge the carrier from the rack when
the handle lifts.
One drawback to the device disclosed by Chen is that the handle
lifts. As the handle lifts, the disengagement mechanism rotates
against the rack and adds to this lifting force. As a result, the
frontal portion of the carrier experiences a lifting force that may
misalign the carrier with respect to the rack, damaging the
connectors that couple the carrier to the rack.
Both the Darden et al. device and the Chen device have a lock that
operates independently of the handle. When an over zealous operator
pulls on the handle when the carrier is locked, the docking adapter
may break. What is desired is a way of preventing the carrier and
rack from being damaged during use.
Hard disk drives generate heat. Chen provides for vents to
convectively cool any enclosed hard disk drive. The Chen device has
vents and appears to be fabricated from injection molded plastic,
which is typically a poor heat conductor. While the vents enable
convective cooling under certain conditions, convective cooling may
fail in systems that lack enough space for sufficient air flow.
What is desired is a way of better cooling a hard disk drive in a
mobile carrier and rack assembly.
Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08,926,874, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference introduces
the concept providing a hard drive with a heat sink. Heat sinks
vastly improve conductive cooling of hard drives over the
capabilities of a plastic carrier, for example.
Docking adapters have connectors for coupling carriers with the
rack. It has been found that durability of the connectors may be
compromised due to excessive handling and repetitive insertion and
removal of the carrier from the rack. It is possible that that
friction between a plastic carrier and plastic rack can cause the
carrier to resist movement in the rack. To overcome static
friction, an operator must force the carrier to move with respect
to the rack. Forcing the carrier may misalign the carrier and the
rack and can ultimately cause failure of the data connector that
couples the hard drive carrier with the rack. What is desired is a
way of minimizing any force required to dock and undock a carrier
and rack. What is also desired is a way to improve docking adapter
reliability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a memory storage device carrier and
rack. The carrier holds a memory storage device such as a hard disk
drive. The carrier smoothly inserts and removes the hard disk drive
into and out of a fixed rack. The rack may be fixed in a computer
housing, or a memory storage device housing for example. The
carrier of the present invention can carry hard disk drives,
optical drives, floppy drives and other memory storage media.
The carrier is portable for moving a hard drive from one machine to
another. Carriers may be adapted to enable alternate memory storage
devices, i.e. optical drives, PCMCIA drives, flash memory cards and
hard disk drives to be interchanged in a single rack.
The rack is typically fixed in a hosing such as a computer housing
or a RAID tower, and the like. The rack has two lateral rails. Each
rail includes a slide bearing for sliding the carrier into and out
from the racks. While rails are disclosed for holding the slide
bearings, it can be appreciated that the rack may be fully enclosed
for holding the slide bearings, or the slide bearings may be
integrated into a computer housing, for example. Further, the rack
rails may be integrated into an external-type hard drive rack.
A cantilever mounts on the face for engaging the rack. A cover
rotatably attaches to the carrier. The cover has an end that forms
a cam. The cover rotates from a closed position where the cover
parallels the face to an open position. The cam presses the
cantilever against the rack as the cover opens.
The cantilever has a contoured end, a fulcrum region, and a fixed
end. The fixed end is fixed to the face. The fulcrum region
contacts the cam when the cover angles with respect to the face of
the carrier. The contoured end of the cantilever engages one rail
of the rack to undock the carrier from the rack.
The cantilever is resilient and bends in response to rotation of
the cam to dampen shock associated with insertion and removal of
the carrier from the rack. The fixed end of the cantilever attaches
to the center of the face of the carrier to optimize alignment of
the carrier when the carrier slides into the rack. The contoured
end absorbs shock such as when the carrier is shoved into the rack.
Bending of the cantilever further buffers the insertion of the
carrier into the rack. The cantilever, however, is relaxed when the
carrier inserts into the rack and the cover is closed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a docking adapter in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the docking adapter of FIG. 1
with the carrier sliding out from the rack.
FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the carrier cover.
FIG. 4 shows a top view of the present invention with the cover
closed.
FIG. 5 shows a top view of the present invention with the cover
opening.
FIG. 6 shows a top view of the present invention with the cover
opened.
FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the rack of FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 shows an exploded perspective view of the rack of FIG.
7.
FIG. 9 shows a rack integrated into a personal computer.
FIG. 10 shows the rack integrated into a memory storage device
tower.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows a memory storage device docking adapter generally
designated with the reference numeral 10. The docking adapter 10
includes a carrier 12 and a rack 14. The carrier 12 has a cover 16
that opens and closes to remove the carrier 12 from the rack 14.
The carrier 12 is particularly suited for housing a hard disk
drive, or other memory storage device. The carrier 12 is fabricated
from sheet metal to conduct heat from the carrier and to shield
electro-magnetic interference between electronics housed by the
carrier 12.
FIG. 2 shows the cover 16 opening and the carrier 12 sliding out
from the rack 14 in the direction of the arrow 18. The carrier 12
has a face 20 and fans 22 mounted to the face 20 for blowing air
through the carrier 12 to convectively dissipate heat. The cover 16
is vented to facilitate air flow though the carrier 12.
The cover 16 rotates from a closed position as shown in FIG. 1
where the cover 16 lies parallel to the face 20 to an open position
where the cover 16 angles with respect to the face 20. The cover 16
includes a hinged end 24 with a cam. When the cover 16 opens, the
hinged end 24 rotates, causing the carrier 12 to slide out from the
rack 14.
The rack has a backplane 26 and two lateral rails 32 and 33
extending from the backplane for holding the carrier 12 in
alignment with the rack 14. The carrier 12 slidably engages the
rails 32 and 33 to enable the carrier 12 to slide out from and into
the rack 14.
The rack 14 is fabricated from sheet metal for several reasons.
Sheet metal e.g. steel is durable, conducts heat well and shields
electromagnetic interference. The rails 32 and 33 are each
fabricated from a single piece of metal for ease of manufacture.
Each rail 32 and 33 includes integrated tabs 30 that attach to the
rails 32 and 33 of the backplane 26.
FIG. 3 shows the carrier 12 having the fans 22, the cover 16, a
cantilever 34 and a hinge pin 36. The carrier 12 face 20 has a
center. The cantilever 34 attaches to the center of the face 20 so
that force applied by the cantilever 34 to the face 20 will not
significantly misalign the carrier 12 with respect to the rack 14.
The hinged end 24 of the cover includes the cam 42.
The cantilever 34 has a fixed end 38 that mounts to the face 20 of
the carrier 12. The cantilever 34 includes a fulcrum region 40 that
aligns with and contacts the cam 42 of the cover 16. The cantilever
34 also includes a contoured end 44 that engages the rail 32 of the
rack 14.
When the cover 16 rotates from the closed position (FIG. 1) where
the cover 16 parallels the face 20 to an open position (FIG. 2),
the cam 42 contacts the fulcrum region 40, pressing the contoured
end 44 of the cantilever 34 against the rack 14.
The cantilever 34 is bifurcated having two legs 46. Each leg 46
independently attaches to the center of the face 20. The bifurcated
cantilever 34 defines an opening 48 between the legs 46. The
opening 48 enables air to flow out of the carrier 12 through the
fans 22 and the cantilever 34. It can be appreciated that the legs
46 can assume any of a variety of configurations that allow air to
pass through the cantilever. For example the legs may define a
frame, grate, screen or other mechanism for enabling air to pass
through the cantilever.
The cantilever 34 is resilient and bends. The cantilever 34 is
formed with angled portions 50 that function as a leaf spring. The
angled portions 50 also distance portions of the cantilever 34 from
the face 20 of the carrier 12. The angled portions 50 prevent the
face 20 from interfering with flexion of the cantilever 34 when the
cantilever 34 bends. Typically the cam 42 flexes and bends the
cantilever 34 when the cam 42 rotates. The cantilever 34 flexes to
dampen shock associated with removal of the carrier 12 from the
rack 14.
The cantilever 34 also flexes during insertion of the carrier 12
into the rack 14. When the contoured end 44 of the cantilever 34
contacts the rail 32 of the rack 14, and the carrier 12 further
inserts into the rack 14, the cantilever 34 flexes to absorb shock.
Such flexion presses the fulcrum region 40 into the cam 42 to
rotate the cam 42 and automatically close the cover 16 when the
cover 16 is open during insertion of the carrier into the rack. It
can be appreciated, however, that it is preferred to closed the
cover prior to inserting the carrier 12 into the rack 14.
The contoured end 44 of the cantilever 34 has a lateral face 52 and
a posterior face 54. The lateral face 52 presses against one rail
32 to laterally align the carrier 12 with respect to the lateral
rail 32 of the rack 14. The rail 32 has an axis. The posterior face
54 opposes the face 20 of the carrier 12. The posterior face 54
presses against the rail 32 when the cover 16 opens.
The rack 14 includes a lock 51 with a rotating cylinder 54 and a
locking arm 56 attached to the lateral rail 33. The cylinder 54
rotates the locking arm 56 into contact with the cover 16 to lock
the cover 16 in the closed position. The locking arm 56 contacts
the face 20 of the carrier 12. The locking arm 56 thereby holds the
carrier 12 in the rack 14 by contacting both the face 22 of the
carrier 12 and the cover 16.
FIG. 4 shows the lock 51 with the locking arm 56 extending through
an opening 58 in the cover 16. The locking arm 56 holds the cover
16 in the closed position and holds the carrier 12 in the rack
14.
FIG. 5 shows the cover 16 opening. The cam 42 presses against the
lever 34, causing the contoured end 44 of the lever 34 to press
against the lateral rail 32 of the rack 14. The lateral face 52 of
the contoured end 44 presses laterally against the lateral rail 32
of the rack 14 to align the carrier 12 in the rack 14. The
posterior face 54 of the contoured end 44 presses against the
lateral rail 32 in the direction of the arrow 60.
The fixed end 38 of the cantilever 34 against the center of the
face 20 prevents the cantilever 34 from disturbing the alignment
between the carrier 12 and the rack 14. The operation of the cover
16, the cam 42 and the lever cause sufficient force in the
direction of the arrow 60 to decouple the carrier 12 from the rack
14 while maintaining alignment between the carrier 12 and the rack
14. Maintaining alignment is important to protect connectors that
electronically couple the carrier 12 with the rack 14.
FIG. 6 shows the carrier 12 sliding out from the rack 14. The
action of the cam 42 and cantilever 34 against the rack 14
de-couples the carrier 12 from the rack 14.
FIG. 7 shows the carrier 12 in alignment with the rack 14. The rack
14 includes the back plane 26 having a connector 62 for coupling
the rack 14 with the carrier 12. The carrier has a connector 63
that couples with the connector 62.
The lateral rails 32 and 33 extend from the backplane 26 to align
the carrier 12 with the connector 62. The lateral rails 32 and 33
have a inner sides 64 and a slide bearing 66 fixed to each inner
side 64. The slide bearing 66 has a smooth bearing surface 68 for
sliding the carrier along the rails 32 and 33.
According to one aspect of the invention, the lateral rails 32 and
33 are fabricated from sheet metal and the slide bearings 66 are
fabricated from nylon. According to an alternate aspect of the
invention, the lateral rails 32 and 33 are fabricated from sheet
metal and the slide bearings 66 are fabricated from a lubricous
polymer. It can be appreciated that the bearing surface 68 conforms
to whatever shape the carrier has so the bearing surface 68 may be
planar, contoured, or may have various angles.
FIG. 8 shows each lateral rail 32 and 33 having an end cap 70 to
maintain the shape of each lateral rail 32 and 33 respectively. The
lock 52 mounts on one end cap 70.
The lateral rails 32 and 33 each include a groove 72 formed on the
inner sides 64 for receiving the slide bearing 66. The slide
bearing 66 has "T" shaped extension 74 that inserts into the groove
72 to hold the slide bearing 66 with respect to the lateral rails
32 and 33, respectively.
The backplane 26 includes a vented section of sheet metal with a
connector opening, an adapter board 78, a frame 80 and connectors
82 and 84. The connector 82 couples with the carrier 12 (FIG. 1),
the other connector 84 couples with a hard drive controller, for
example.
FIG. 9 shows a personal computer 90. The rack 14 is integrated into
a memory storage device bay of the personal computer 90. FIG. 10
shows a memory storage device tower 100. Multiple racks 14 are
integrated into the memory storage device tower 100.
The present invention may be modified in any of a variety of ways
without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For
example, the slide bearings may include roller bearings and
multiple rails that slide with respect to each other such as
commonly seen in desk, or file cabinet drawers. Accordingly, the
scope of this invention is to be limited only by the claims
below.
* * * * *