Vibration Isolation Within Disk Drive Testing Systems

• US 20090261229A1
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradyne Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teradyne Incorporated
• Inventors: Merrow, Brian S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,305,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/560
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/042 due to external shock or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/048 Testing of disk drives, e.g. to detect defects or prevent sudden failure
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis

Abstract

A disk drive test slot includes a housing that defines a test compartment for receiving and supporting a disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing. The housing also defines an open end that provides access to the test compartment for insertion and removal of disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing. The disk drive test slot also includes a mounting plate connected to the housing. One or more isolators are disposed between the housing and the mounting plate. The one or more isolators are operable to inhibit transmission of vibrational energy between the housing and the mounting plate.

Claims

1. A disk drive test slot comprising:

a housing defining;

a test compartment for receiving and supporting a disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing, and

an open end providing access to the test compartment for insertion and removal of disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing;

a mounting plate connected to the housing; and

one or more isolators disposed between the housing and the mounting plate, said one or more isolators being operable to inhibit transmission of vibrational energy between the housing and the mounting plate.

2. The disk drive test slot of claim 1, wherein the main body member comprises one or more self-clinching studs connecting the main body member to at least one of the one or more isolators.

3. The disk drive test slot of claim 1, wherein the one or more isolators comprise a male-female isolator.

4. The disk drive test slot of claim 3, wherein the male-female isolator comprises a body formed of urethane elastomer.

5. The disk drive test slot of claim 1, wherein the one or more isolators comprise one or more grommets, and wherein the one or more grommets are displaceable relative to the mounting plate.

6. The disk drive test slot of claim 5, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of contact pins each of which engage a corresponding one of the grommets.

7. The disk drive test slot of claim 6, wherein the contact pins are disposed at a first end of the housing opposite the open end.

8. The disk drive test slot of claim 5, wherein the mounting plate comprises:

a main body member; and

a flange member connected to main body member and configured to receive and support the grommets.

9. The disk drive test slot of claim 8, wherein the flange member is configured to support the grommets in a position spaced apart from the main body member.

10. The disk drive test slot of claim 8, wherein the flange member comprises a plurality of forked openings each configured to receive and support one of the grommets.

11. The disk drive test slot of claim 5, wherein the housing is connected to the grommets in such a manner as to preload the grommets.

12. The disk drive test slot of claim 5, wherein the grommets are formed of thermoplastic vinyl.

13. The disk drive test slot of claim 5, wherein the one or more isolators further comprise one or more male-female isolators disposed between the housing and the mounting plate.

14. The disk drive test slot of claim 1, wherein the one or more isolators comprise a plurality of said isolators each disposed between the housing and the mounting plate, wherein the plurality of isolators are each operable to inhibit transmission of vibrational energy between the housing and the mounting plate.

15. The disk drive test slot of claim 1, wherein, in the absence of a disk drive and a disk drive transporter, the test slot housing carries substantially no moving parts.

16. A disk drive testing system comprising:

a plurality of test slots, each test slot comprising;

a housing defining;

a test compartment for receiving and supporting a disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing,

an open end providing access to the test compartment for insertion and removal of disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing; and

a mounting plate assembly connected to the housing; and

a chassis defining a plurality of test slot receptacles each configured to receive and support one of the test slots, wherein each of the test slot receptacles comprises a corresponding card guide assembly configured to releasably engage one of the mounting plate assemblies.

17. The disk drive testing system of claim 16, wherein the test slots are each independently removable from the chassis.

18. The disk drive testing system of claim 16, wherein the mounting plate assemblies are operable to inhibit transmission of vibrational energy between the test slot housings and the chassis.

19. The disk drive testing system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the mounting plate assemblies comprises:

a mounting plate; and

one or more isolators disposed between the mounting plate and an associated one of the test slot housings, said one or more isolators being operable to inhibit transmission of vibrational energy between the associated one of the housings and the mounting plate.

20. The disk drive testing system of claim 19, wherein the mounting plate comprises a mounting flange sized to fit within one of the card guide assemblies thereby providing a mechanical connection between the associated test slot and the chassis.

21. The disk drive testing system of claim 19, wherein the one or more isolators comprise one or more grommets, and wherein the grommets are displaceable relative to the mounting plate.

22. The disk drive testing system of claim 21, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of contact pins each of which engages a corresponding one of the grommets.

23. The disk drive testing system of claim 19, wherein the one or more isolators comprise one or a male-female isolators.

24. The disk drive testing system of claim 16, wherein the test slots are interchangeable with each other within the test slot receptacles.

25. A disk drive testing system comprising:

a plurality of test slots, each test slot comprising

a housing defining;

a test compartment for receiving and supporting a disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing, and

an open end providing access to the test compartment for insertion and removal of disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing,

a mounting plate, and

one or more isolators disposed between the housing and the mounting plate, said one or more isolators being operable to inhibit transmission of vibrational energy between the housing and the mounting plate; and

a chassis defining a plurality of test slot receptacles each configured to receive and support one of the test slots, wherein the test slots are each independently removable from the chassis.

26. The disk drive testing system of claim 25, wherein the test slot receptacles are each configured to releasably enagage one of the test slot mounting plates thereby mechanically connecting the associated test slot to the chassis.

27. The disk drive testing system of claim 25, wherein the isolators are operable to inhibit transmission of vibrational energy between the test slot housings and the chassis.

28. The disk drive testing system of claim 25, wherein the isolators comprise grommets.

29. The disk drive testing system of claim 25, wherein the isolators comprise male-female isolators

30. The disk drive testing system of claim 25, wherein, in the absence of a disk drive and a disk drive transporter, the test slot housings carry substantially no moving parts.

31. The disk drive testing system of claim 25, wherein the test slots are interchangeable with each other within the test slot receptacles.

32. A disk drive test slot comprising:

a housing defining;

a test compartment for receiving and supporting a disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing, and

an open end providing access to the test compartment for insertion and removal of disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing;

a mounting plate connected to the housing; and

a plurality of floating contacts disposed between the housing and the mounting plate and operable to inhibit transmission of vibrational energy between the housing and the mounting plate, wherein the floating contacts are displaceable relative to the mounting plate.