Data storage mounting assembly
First Claim
1. A data storage assembly comprising:
- a base;
a receptacle having side walls integral with the base and projecting from the base, the receptacle being configured to fit around a portion of a fan housing so the fan housing is releasably contained on the base by surrounding walls of the receptacle;
a frame carried on the base and having a flange for extending over the fan housing; and
shock and vibration isolation means between the flange and the fan housing for dampening shock and fan vibrations when the fan contained in the fan housing is operated under conditions sufficient to cool electrical power consuming components carried on the base without significant vibrational energy being transmitted from the fan housing to the frame under normal operation of a data storage device mounted to the frame.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An external disk drive assembly includes a molded plastic base; a sheet metal frame latched to the base; a power supply housing, a disk drive housing, and a disk drive controller card affixed to the frame; a forced air cooling fan mounted in a molded receptacle on the base; a cover removably secured to the base; and thin sheet metal plates inside the cover and base to provide electrical grounding and EMI and RFI shielding. The receptacle has oppositely-facing U-shaped walls matching the outer configuration of the fan housing. The sheet metal base has a retaining flange for extending over the fan housing. During assembly, the fan housing is simply dropped into the receptacle so the outer walls of the receptacle locate the fan housing relative to the base and frame. The frame is then latched to the base which locates the retaining flange over the top of the fan housing. The flange can carry a resiliently compressible shock and vibration isolator for contacting the fan housing to keep the housing in place and to prevent fan vibrations from being induced from the rotating fan blades into the frame. The fan housing is assembled in its operative shock and vibration-isolating position without external tools or fasteners. The invention provides advantages of reducing assembly time and labor costs and improving assembly reliability.
112 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A data storage assembly comprising:
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a base; a receptacle having side walls integral with the base and projecting from the base, the receptacle being configured to fit around a portion of a fan housing so the fan housing is releasably contained on the base by surrounding walls of the receptacle; a frame carried on the base and having a flange for extending over the fan housing; and shock and vibration isolation means between the flange and the fan housing for dampening shock and fan vibrations when the fan contained in the fan housing is operated under conditions sufficient to cool electrical power consuming components carried on the base without significant vibrational energy being transmitted from the fan housing to the frame under normal operation of a data storage device mounted to the frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A data storage enclosure comprising:
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a base; a receptacle having side walls integral with the base and projecting from the base, the receptacle being configured to fit around a portion of a fan housing so the fan housing is contained on the base by the surrounding walls of the receptacle; and a frame carried on the base and having means for mounting a data storage device internally in the enclosure and a retaining arm for extending over and into contact with the fan housing for containing the fan housing within the receptacle, in which the fan housing is disposed in the receptacle without a rigid means of attachment of the fan housing to the base, frame or the retaining arm. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A data storage enclosure comprising:
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a base; a forced-air fan contained in a fan housing; a receptacle having side walls integral with the base and projecting from the base, the receptacle being configured to fit around a portion of the fan housing so the fan housing is contained on the base by the surrounding walls of the receptacle; and a mounting frame carried on the base to mount a data storage device internally within the enclosure and provide an electrical ground connection and a level of EMI and RFI shielding for the data storage device, the frame further including a retaining means spaced above the base and extending adjacent the fan housing positioned in the receptacle, to provide a means for retaining the fan housing in the receptacle; the fan housing being disposed in the receptacle without a rigid means of attachment of the fan housing to the base, frame or retaining means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification