Memory drive adapters and retainers

• US 10,133,319 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehlen, Jon Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US15/154,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20170329373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 36167933-67939, 361724-727, 36167931-67939
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis

Abstract

Technology is provided for a pivoting memory drive adapter. The memory drive adapter is used for adapting memory drives for insertion into a drive bay that is larger than the memory drives. The memory drive adapter includes an adapter frame and a memory carrier. The adapter frame has an envelope compatible with a hard disc drive (HDD) drive bay, for example, and includes a pair of spaced apart sidewalls each including a slot. The memory carrier includes a pair of pins extending from opposite sides of the memory carrier engaging a corresponding one of the pair of slots. Thus, the memory carrier can pivot with respect to the adapter frame. A pair of spaced apart ledges divides the memory carrier into two memory drive locations, each sized to receive a memory drive, such as a solid state drive (SSD).

Claims

1. A memory drive adapter usable with memory drives for insertion into a drive bay that is larger than the memory drives, the memory drive adapter comprising:

an adapter frame having an envelope compatible with the drive bay and a pair of spaced apart ledges dividing the frame into two memory drive locations, each sized to receive a memory drive;

a pair of memory drive connectors, each positioned adjacent a corresponding memory drive location;

an adapter connector electrically coupled to the pair of memory drive connectors and positioned on the adapter frame for connection with an associated drive bay connector of the drive bay; and

one or more biasing members extending from the adapter frame and operative to maintain a force against the adapter frame such that the one or more biasing members urges the adapter frame toward the drive bay connector, wherein;

the one or more biasing members comprises a deflectable spring arm.

2. The memory drive adapter of claim 1, further comprising at least one tab disposed on the one or more biasing members for engaging a sidewall of the drive bay opposite the drive bay connector.

3. The memory drive adapter of claim 1, further comprising one or more latch arms extending from the adapter frame and operative to maintain a force against one or more memory drives positioned in a respective one of the two memory drive locations, thereby urging the one or more memory drives toward a respective one of the pair of memory drive connectors.

4. The memory drive adapter of claim 1, wherein the envelope is sized to be compatible with a 3.5 inch hard disc drive (HDD) drive bay.

5. The memory drive adapter of claim 1, wherein the memory drive locations are sized to receive 2.5 inch solid state drives (SSD).

6. The memory drive adapter of claim 1, further comprising one or more cables extending between the adapter connector and the pair of memory drive connectors.

7. A memory drive adapter usable with memory drives for insertion into a drive bay that is larger than the memory drives, the memory drive adapter comprising:

an adapter frame having an envelope compatible with the drive bay, and the adapter frame having a pair of spaced apart sidewalls each including a pivot portion;

a memory carrier sized and configured to fit in the adapter frame, including;

pins extending from opposite sides of the memory carrier, each pin configured to engage a corresponding one of the pivot portions, such that the memory carrier pivots with respect to the adapter frame;

a pair of spaced apart ledges coupled to the sidewalls and defining at least one memory drive location sized to receive a memory drive;

at least one memory drive connector, positioned adjacent the at least one memory drive location; and

an adapter connector electrically coupled to the at least one memory drive connector and positioned on the adapter frame for connection with an associated drive bay connector of the drive bay; and

one or more biasing members extending from the adapter frame and operative to maintain a force against the adapter frame such that the one or more biasing members urges the adapter frame toward the drive bay connector, wherein;

the one or more biasing members comprises a deflectable spring arm.

8. The memory drive adapter of claim 7, wherein the envelope is sized to be compatible with a 3.5 inch hard disc drive (HDD) drive bay.

9. The memory drive adapter of claim 7, wherein the at least one memory drive location is sized to receive 2.5 inch solid state drives (SSD).

10. The memory drive adapter of claim 7, further comprising at least one tab disposed on the one or more biasing members for engaging a slot in the drive bay.

11. The memory drive adapter of claim 7, further comprising one or more latch arms extending from the adapter frame and operative to maintain a force against one or more memory drives positioned in the at least one memory drive location, thereby urging the one or more memory drives toward the at least one memory drive connector.

12. The memory drive adapter of claim 7, further comprising a cable extending between the adapter connector and the at least one memory drive connector.

13. The memory drive adapter of claim 7, wherein each pivot portion comprises a slot.

14. A hard disc drive (HDD) retainer for retaining a HDD in a drive bay, the HDD retainer comprising:

a spacer body configured to confront an end of a HDD;

one or more biasing members extending from the spacer body and operative to maintain a force against the HDD such that the one or more biasing members urges the HDD toward a drive bay connector associated with the drive bay; and

at least one tab disposed on the one or more biasing members for engaging a sidewall of the drive bay opposite the drive bay connector, wherein;

the one or more biasing members comprises a deflectable spring arm.

15. The HDD retainer of claim 14, wherein the at least one tab is configured to engage a notch formed in the sidewall of the drive bay.

16. The HDD retainer of claim 14, wherein the spacer body and the one or more biasing members comprise molded plastic.

17. The HDD retainer of claim 14, further comprising an adhesive strip positioned on the spacer body for attachment to the HDD.