Disk Drive Testing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A disk drive testing system comprising:
- at least one robotic arm defining a first axis substantially normal to a floor surface, the robotic arm operable to rotate through a predetermined arc about, and extend radially from, the first axis;
multiple racks arranged around the robotic arm for servicing by the robotic arm;
multiple test slots housed by each rack, each test slot being configured to receive a disk drive transporter configured to carry a disk drive for testing; and
a transfer station arranged for servicing by the robotic arm, the transfer station comprising multiple tote receptacles that are each configured to receive a disk drive tote.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disk drive testing system includes at least one robotic arm defining a first axis substantially normal to a floor surface. The robotic arm is operable to rotate through a predetermined arc about and extend radially from the first axis. Multiple racks are arranged around the robotic arm for servicing by the robotic arm. Each rack houses multiple test slots that are each configured to receive a disk drive transporter configured to carry a disk drive for testing. A transfer station is arranged for servicing by the robotic arm. The transfer station includes multiple tote receptacles that are each configured to receive a disk drive tote.
-
Citations
46 Claims
-
1. A disk drive testing system comprising:
-
at least one robotic arm defining a first axis substantially normal to a floor surface, the robotic arm operable to rotate through a predetermined arc about, and extend radially from, the first axis; multiple racks arranged around the robotic arm for servicing by the robotic arm; multiple test slots housed by each rack, each test slot being configured to receive a disk drive transporter configured to carry a disk drive for testing; and a transfer station arranged for servicing by the robotic arm, the transfer station comprising multiple tote receptacles that are each configured to receive a disk drive tote. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A disk drive tote comprising a tote body defining multiple disk drive receptacles configured to each house a disk drive, each disk drive receptacle defines a disk drive support configured to support a central portion of a received disk drive to allow manipulation of the disk drive along non-central portions.
-
23. A disk drive tote comprising:
-
a tote body defining multiple column cavities; and multiple cantilevered disk drive supports disposed in each column cavity, dividing the column cavity into multiple disk drive receptacles that are each configured to receive a disk drive; wherein each disk drive support is configured to support a central portion of the received disk drive to allow manipulation of the disk drive along non-central portions.
-
-
24. A method of performing disk drive testing comprising:
-
loading multiple disk drives into disk drive receptacles defined by a disk drive tote; loading the disk drive tote into a tote receptacle defined by a transfer station; actuating a robotic arm to retrieve a disk drive transporter from a test slot housed in a rack; actuating the robotic arm to retrieve one of the disk drives from the transfer station and carry the disk drive in the disk drive transporter, the robotic arm operable to rotate through a predetermined arc about and to extend radially from a first axis defined by the robotic arm substantially normal to a floor surface; actuating the robotic arm to deliver the disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive to the test slot; performing a functionality test on the disk drive housed by the received disk drive transporter and the test slot; and actuating the robotic arm to retrieve the disk drive transporter carrying the tested disk drive from the test slot and deliver the tested disk drive back to the transfer station. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
Specification