SCREW, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME AND RELATED STORAGE DEVICES

• US 20190331157A1
• Filed: 03/25/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhai, Haifang, Dong, David, Liu, Ricky
• Granted Patent: US 10,746,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 23/00 Specially shaped nuts or heads of bolts or screws for rotations by a tool detachable ornamental heads for screws A47G3/00; screwdrivers, wrenches B25B
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 35/06 Specially-shaped heads special shape in order to rotate the bolt F16B23/00 ; separate hook adaptors for bolts F16B43/025
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1417 having securing means for mounting boards, plates or wiring boards H05K7/1461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1427 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1489 characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays H05K7/1491 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a screw, a manufacturing method thereof and an associated storage device. The screw includes a screw stem at least partly provided with threads; and a head comprising a rolling element, the rolling element protruding out of a surface of the head and adapted to form rolling contact with an object abutting against the head. By the screw according to embodiments of the present disclosure, an effective support can be provided to the storage device, without interfering with the plug operation of the storage device.

Claims

1. A screw, comprising:

a screw stem at least partly provided with threads; and

a head comprising a rolling element, the rolling element protruding out of a surface of the head and adapted to form rolling contact with an object abutting against the head.

2. The screw of claim 1, wherein the head is provided with a receiving cavity for receiving the rolling element.

3. The screw of claim 2, wherein the head comprises a plurality of lobes arranged around the receiving cavity and tool grooves arranged between the plurality of lobes for screwing the screw.

4. The screw of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of lobes comprises a jaw protruding towards the receiving cavity and adapted to hold the rolling element in the receiving cavity when the rolling element is received in the receiving cavity.

5. The screw of claim 4, wherein the jaw is at least partly made of an elastic material such that the jaw is deformable during mounting of the rolling element to allow the rolling element to be placed into the receiving cavity.

6. The screw of claim 1, wherein the rolling element is spherical.

7. The screw of claim 1, wherein the rolling element is cylindrical.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a first storage node comprising at least one circuit board and a housing for receiving the circuit board;

the circuit board being fixed to the housing via at least one screw, the screw comprising;

a screw stem at least partly provided with threads; and

a head comprising a rolling element, the rolling element protruding out of a surface of the head and adapted to form rolling contact with an object abutting against the head.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least a part of the head of the screw protrudes out of a surface of the housing, such that the housing forms rolling contact with an object contacting the housing via the head.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one screw is located at or near a center of the housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a storage server comprising a chassis, the first storage node, and at least one additional storage node, the first and additional storage nodes being received pluggably within the chassis in a stacked manner.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the head of the screw of the first storage node protrudes out of the surface of the housing of the first storage node so as to form rolling contact with a surface of a housing of an adjacent storage node.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least two storage nodes are stacked in a vertical direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein two adjacent storage nodes of the at least two storage nodes are stacked in an upside-down manner relative to each other.

15. A method of manufacturing a screw, comprising:

providing a screw stem at least partly provided with threads; and

providing a head comprising a rolling element, the rolling element protruding out of a surface of the head and adapted to form rolling contact with an object abutting against the head.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the head is provided with a receiving cavity for receiving the rolling element.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the head comprises a plurality of lobes arranged around the receiving cavity and tool grooves arranged between the plurality of lobes for screwing the screw.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of lobes comprises a jaw protruding towards the receiving cavity and adapted to hold the rolling element in the receiving cavity when the rolling element is received in the receiving cavity.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the jaw is at least partly made of an elastic material such that the jaw is deformable during mounting of the rolling element to allow the rolling element to be placed into the receiving cavity.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the rolling element is one of spherical and cylindrical.