Removable and transportable hard disk subsystem

• US 5,253,129 A
• Filed: 11/12/1991
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxtor Corporation (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jeppson, David B., Florea, Rodica, Botto, Eric J., Camp, Claude E., Hahn, Peter S., Blackborow, Richard J., Richmond, Scott E., Westwood, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US07/791,792
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 360/69, 360/75, 360/77.02-77.11, 360/78.04-78.14, 360/97.01, 360/97.03, 360/98.01-98.06, 360/99.06, 360/99.07, 360/133, 360/137, 364/708
• US Class Current: 360/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/043 using rotating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/121 the apparatus comprising a single recording/reproducing device
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/14 Reducing influence of physical parameters, e.g. temperature change, moisture, dust

Abstract

A removable and transportable hard disk subsystem is provided for use with at least one computer and includes at least one hard disk module. The module contains a shock mounted, thin and compact micro-Winchester head and disk assembly which plugs into a base housing which is installable entirely within a well of the computer nominally allotted to receive a 51/4 inch half height disk drive. The base housing includes a head positioning and data module loading/unloading portion of the subsystem control electronics and an electromechanical mechanism for automatically loading and unloading the hard disk module. The base housing provides electrical connections for operating the head and disk assembly when loaded therein. The subsystem further includes an adapter board having a host interface portion of the subsystem control electronics and connected by a cable with the control electronics portion of the base housing, the adapter board for connecting the subsystem directly to address, data and control buses of said computer to enable storage and retrieval in the loaded module of host computer data blocks.

Claims

1. A removable and transportable hard disk subsystem for use with at least one host computer means and comprising subsystem electronics for controlling operation of the subsystem in response to control signals received from the host computer means and status signals received from a removable and transportable fixed disk module and a base housing of the subsystem, the subsystem also comprising an interconnection means for interconnecting the subsystem electronics with digital control and data buses of the host computer means,

the removable and transportable fixed disk module for housing a shock mounted hard disk drive mechanism and including:

a generally flat and elongated rectangular box-shaped housing having a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension, wherein the height dimension is much smaller than the width dimension, and having top and bottom walls generally defined by the length and width dimensions, opposite end walls generally defined by the width and height dimensions, and opposite sidewalls generally defined by the length and height dimensions, and wherein a predetermined one of the sidewalls defines a load latch recess means, and

module connection means formed at a rear one of the end walls of the module for electrically connecting the module to base housing connection means of the base housing;

the base housing sized to be received within a height-compressed disk drive bay of the computing system and including;

frame means for defining an interior space for receiving the fixed disk module and having a front opening,

module engagement and moving means formed substantially entirely in a sidewall of the base housing means for engaging the load latch recess means and moving the fixed disk module further into the interior space, the module engagement and moving means including an elongated electric motor means having a worm gear in a driving relationship with spur gear means, and wherein the spur gear means drives a moveable rack means,

said base housing connection means secured to a rear inside wall of the frame means and facing the front opening for connecting with the module connection means as the module engagement and moving means moves the fixed disk module further into the interior space,

the interconnection means being connected to the base housing and the module connection means for connecting drive electronics and the module means to the host computer means.

2. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 1 wherein the hard disk drive mechanism within the housing of the disk module has an overall height dimension not substantially greater than approximately one inch.

3. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 1 wherein the module connection means comprises registrable connection means, and wherein the base housing connection means includes registration means for registering the registrable connection means into alignment with the base housing connection means are the module engagement and moving means moves the module fully into the base housing.

4. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 1 wherein the base housing further comprises module sense means for automatically sensing manual insertion of a said fixed disk module into the interior space via the front opening and for thereupon causing via the subsystem electronics the module engagement and moving means to move the fixed disk module further into the interior space.

5. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 1 wherein the interconnection means comprises a host adaptor printed circuit board means including an edge connector for connecting with the host computer means.

6. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 1 wherein said subsystem electronics are distributed among said interconnection means, said base housing, and said fixed disk module.

7. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 6 wherein the interconnection means includes master digital controller means, and wherein the base housing includes slave digital controller means, and further comprising a dedicated communications path between the master digital controller means and the slave digital controller means.

8. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing of said fixed disk module includes a recessed edge portion extending from the rear end thereof for a predetermined distance toward a front end thereof, and wherein the elongated electric motor means in the sidewall of the base housing occupies space defined by said recessed edge portion, thereby providing an orientation key between said module and said base housing.

9. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 1 wherein said base housing includes hinged door means for closing said front opening when said module means is withdrawn completely from the base housing.

10. The removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 1 wherein the moveable rack means includes a latch mechanism which engages the load latch recess means of the module.

11. A removable and transportable hard disk module for use within a removable module subsystem attached to at least one host computer means and comprising subsystem electronics for controlling operation of the subsystem in response to control signals received from the host computer means and status signals received from the removable and transportable fixed disk module and from a base housing of the subsystem for automatically receiving, loading, and connecting the module, and for automatically disconnecting, unloading and discharging the module, in response to commands received from the host computer means, the subsystem also comprising an interconnection means for interconnecting the subsystem electronics with digital control and data buses of the host computer means, the removable and transportable fixed disk module including:

a generally flat and elongated rectangular box-shaped housing means for shock mounting a hard disk drive mechanism and having a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension, wherein the height dimension is much smaller than the width dimension, and having top and bottom walls generally defined by the length and width dimensions, opposite end walls generally defined by the width and height dimensions, and opposite sidewalls generally defined by the length and height dimensions, and wherein a predetermined one of the sidewalls defines a load latch recess means for engagement by an automatic loading and unloading mechanism of the base housing, and wherein the predetermined one of the sidewalls includes a recessed edge portion extending from the rear end thereof for a predetermined distance toward a front end thereof in order to provide space occupied by an elongated electric motor means of the automatic loading and unloading mechanism formed in an adjacent sidewall of the base housing; and

,

module connection means formed at a rear end of the housing means for electrically connecting the module to base housing connection means of the base housing when the module is fully loaded into the base housing.

12. A method for controlling a removable and transportable hard disk subsystem including a hard disk module and a base housing for receiving and connecting the module to a computing system, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of the hard disk module in the base housing,

applying loading direction power to a directional motor means for moving the module into the base housing,

monitoring a first predetermined period of time that loading direction power is applied to the directional motor means,

after the first predetermined period of time has elapsed applying reverse, unloading direction power to the directional motor to cause it to move the module in a direction out of the base housing in order to relieve overloading stress,

monitoring a second predetermined period of time that said reverse, unloading direction power is applied, and

ceasing the application of said reverse, unloading direction power after the second predetermined period of time has elapsed.

13. The method for controlling the removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 12 wherein the second predetermined period of time is approximately 20 milliseconds.

14. The method for controlling the removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 12 wherein after the first predetermined period applying loading direction power to the directional motor means for loading the module in short pulse intervals for a third predetermined period of time.

15. The method for controlling the removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 14 wherein the third predetermined period of time is approximately 300 milliseconds.

16. The method for controlling the removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 12 including the further steps of:

detecting a module unload command,

applying reverse, unloading power to the directional motor means,

monitoring the line that power is applied to the directional motor means,

after a fourth predetermined period of time has elapsed applying loading direction power to the directional motor means to cause it to move in the loading direction to relieve unloading stress,

monitoring the time that the loading direction power is applied, and

ceasing the application of loading direction power after a fifth predetermined period of time has elapsed.

17. The method for controlling the removable and transportable hard disk subsystem set forth in claim 16 wherein the fifth predetermined period of time in approximately 10 milliseconds.

18. A base unit for use within a removable and transportable hard disk system including a removable and transportable fixed disk drive module and interconnection means for interconnecting the base unit and the module with a host computer system, the base unit sized to be received within a height-compressed disk drive bay of the computing system and including:

frame means for defining an interior space for receiving the fixed disk module and having a front opening,

module engagement and moving means formed substantially entirely in a sidewall of the base housing means for engaging a load latch recess means as the fixed disk module and moving the fixed disk module further into the interior space, the module engagement and moving means including an elongated electric motor means having a worm gear in a driving relationship with spur gear means, wherein the spur gear means drives a moveable rack means, and module latch means mounted to and moved by the moveable rack means, the module latch means for engaging and moving the fixed disk module within the interior space.