Disk drive system with transportable carrier and mounting assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A removable data storage system comprising:
- a complete hard disk drive unit havingrotary disk information storage media for storing information,a disk rotary drive mechanism for effecting disk rotation, andinformation transducer members for effecting disk scanning of information stored on said rotary disk information storage media,said complete hard disk drive unit having connector means in fixed engagement therewith for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for complete operation of said complete hard disk drive unit;
a carrier in which said complete hard disk drive unit is secured to form a self-contained portable disk drive module, said carrier comprisinga bottom plate,a pair of sidewalls extending from said bottom plate, said sidewalls being spaced apart a width sufficient to accept said complete hard disk drive unit therebetween,a rear wall extending from said bottom plate and between said pair of spaced apart sidewalls, a carrier connector in fixed alignment with and extending outwardly from said rear wall of said carrier, said carrier connector having a plurality of contacts numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit, ribbon cable conductors extending from said connector means of said complete hard disk drive unit to said carrier connector for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit, anddetachable connector means disposed at one end of said ribbon cable conductors to allow non-destructive electrical attachment and detachment of said complete hard disk drive unit from said carrier connector;
a computer system having a housing, said housing having an opening of sufficient size to allow insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module;
a receiving unit disposed in said housing adjacent said opening, said receiving unit havinga bottom plate,first and second upstanding members extending from said bottom plate, said first and second upstanding members being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of said carrier thereby to limit the range of lateral motion of said self-contained portable disk drive module as said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit through said opening of said housing, anda receiving unit connector disposed in a fixed position corresponding to the position of said carrier connector on said carrier when said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said receiving unit connector having a plurality of conductors numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit;
said carrier connector and said receiving unit connector having corresponding guide members to facilitate alignment of the conductors of said carrier connector and receiving unit connector as said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said guide members being of sufficient length so that interengagement of said guide members occurs prior to engagement of said conductors of said receiving unit connector and said carrier connector during insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive unit into said receiving unit;
a plurality of conductors carrying all of the power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit from said computer system to said receiving unit connector;
whereby all power, data and control signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit are established through insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module through said opening of said housing into engagement with said receiving unit and into a position in which said carrier connector mates with said receiving unit connector, said self-contained portable disk drive module being easily inserted and extracted from connection with said computer system without the need for manual manipulation of any connecting cables.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system providing for quick removal and quick and simple installation of a disk drive unit into the system. A latching and positioning arrangement provides releasable support for the disk drive unit and achieves automatic electric connections with the installation of the disk drive unit in the computer system.
38 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. A removable data storage system comprising:
-
a complete hard disk drive unit having rotary disk information storage media for storing information, a disk rotary drive mechanism for effecting disk rotation, and information transducer members for effecting disk scanning of information stored on said rotary disk information storage media, said complete hard disk drive unit having connector means in fixed engagement therewith for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for complete operation of said complete hard disk drive unit;
a carrier in which said complete hard disk drive unit is secured to form a self-contained portable disk drive module, said carrier comprisinga bottom plate, a pair of sidewalls extending from said bottom plate, said sidewalls being spaced apart a width sufficient to accept said complete hard disk drive unit therebetween, a rear wall extending from said bottom plate and between said pair of spaced apart sidewalls, a carrier connector in fixed alignment with and extending outwardly from said rear wall of said carrier, said carrier connector having a plurality of contacts numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit, ribbon cable conductors extending from said connector means of said complete hard disk drive unit to said carrier connector for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit, and detachable connector means disposed at one end of said ribbon cable conductors to allow non-destructive electrical attachment and detachment of said complete hard disk drive unit from said carrier connector; a computer system having a housing, said housing having an opening of sufficient size to allow insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module;
a receiving unit disposed in said housing adjacent said opening, said receiving unit havinga bottom plate, first and second upstanding members extending from said bottom plate, said first and second upstanding members being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of said carrier thereby to limit the range of lateral motion of said self-contained portable disk drive module as said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit through said opening of said housing, and a receiving unit connector disposed in a fixed position corresponding to the position of said carrier connector on said carrier when said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said receiving unit connector having a plurality of conductors numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit; said carrier connector and said receiving unit connector having corresponding guide members to facilitate alignment of the conductors of said carrier connector and receiving unit connector as said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said guide members being of sufficient length so that interengagement of said guide members occurs prior to engagement of said conductors of said receiving unit connector and said carrier connector during insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive unit into said receiving unit; a plurality of conductors carrying all of the power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit from said computer system to said receiving unit connector;
whereby all power, data and control signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit are established through insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module through said opening of said housing into engagement with said receiving unit and into a position in which said carrier connector mates with said receiving unit connector, said self-contained portable disk drive module being easily inserted and extracted from connection with said computer system without the need for manual manipulation of any connecting cables. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A removable data storage system comprising:
-
a complete hard disk drive unit having rotary disk information storage media for storing information, said rotary disk information storage media being 51/4" or less in size; disk rotary drive mechanism for effecting disk rotation, and information transducer members for effecting disk scanning of information stored on said rotary disk information storage media, said complete hard disk drive unit having connector means in fixed engagement therewith for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for complete operation of said complete hard disk drive; a carrier in which said complete disk drive unit is secured to form a self-contained portable disk drive module, said carrier having a bottom plate, a pair of sidewalls extending from said bottom plate, said sidewalls being spaced apart a width sufficient to accept said complete hard disk drive unit therebetween, a rear wall extending from said bottom plate and between said pair of spaced apart sidewalls, a carrier connector in fixed alignment with said extending outwardly from said rear wall of said carrier, said carrier connector having a plurality of contacts numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; ribbon cable conductors extending from said connector means of said complete hard disk drive unit to said carrier connector for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; detachable connector means disposed at the end of said ribbon cable conductors adjacent said connector means of said complete hard disk drive unit to allow non-destructive electrical attachment and detachment of said complete hard disk drive unit from said carrier connector; a computer system having a housing, said housing having an opening of sufficient size to allow insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module therethrough; a receiving unit disposed in said housing adjacent said opening, said receiving unit having a bottom plate, first and second upstanding members extending from said bottom plate, said first and second upstanding members being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of said carrier thereby to limit the range of lateral motion of said self-contained portable disk drive module when said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit through said opening of said housing; a receiving unit connector disposed in a fixed position corresponding to the position of said carrier connector on said carrier as said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said receiving unit connector having a plurality of conductors numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit; said carrier connector and said receiving unit connector having corresponding guide surfaces to facilitate alignment of the conductors of said carrier connector and receiving unit connector as said self-contained portable disk drive unit is inserted into said receiving unit; a plurality of conductors carrying all of the power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive from said computer system to said receiving unit connector; a latch member in fixed alignment with said receiving unit, said latch member having a nose portion;
said self-contained portable disk drive module having a notch cooperating with said nose portion of said latch member to secure said self-contained portable disk drive module with said receiving unit when said self-contained portable disk drive unit is fully inserted within said receiving unit, said latch member being spring biased to urge said nose of said latch member in a direction in which it is to engage said notch, said latch member and said self-contained portable disk drive module member having cooperating camming surfaces which urge said latch member against said spring bias during insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive unit until said self-contained portable disk drive is substantially fully inserted into said receiving unit at which time said spring bias urges said nose into said notch to secure said self-contained portable disk drive module with said receiving unit;whereby all power, data and control signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit are established through insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module through said opening of said housing into engagement with said receiving unit and into a position in which said carrier connector mates with said receiving unit connector, said self-contained portable disk drive module being easily inserted and extracted from connection with said computer system without the need for manual manipulation of any connecting cables. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of making a transportable hard disk drive assembly comprising the steps of:
-
providing a complete hard disk drive unit having rotary disk information storage media for storing information, said rotary disk information storage media being 51/4" or less in size; disk rotary drive mechanism for effecting disk rotation, and information transducer members for effecting disk scanning of information stored on said rotary disk information storage media, providing said complete hard disk drive unit with at least one connector in fixed engagement therewith for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for complete operation of said complete hard disk drive; providing a carrier having a bottom plate, a pair of sidewalls extending from said bottom plate, said sidewalls being spaced apart a width sufficient to accept said complete hard disk drive unit therebetween, a rear wall extending from said bottom plate and between said pair of spaced apart sidewalls; attaching a carrier connector in fixed alignment with and extending outwardly from said rear wall of said carrier, said carrier connector having a plurality of contacts numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; attaching ribbon cable conductors between said at least one connector on said complete hard disk drive unit and said carrier connector for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; connecting at least one detachable connector at one end of said ribbon cable conductors to allow non-destructive electrical attachment and detachment of said complete hard disk drive unit from said carrier connector; mounting said complete disk drive unit within said carrier to form a self-contained portable disk drive module; providing a computer system having a housing;
providing an opening in said housing of sufficient size to allow insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module;providing a receiving unit within said housing adjacent said opening, said receiving unit being provided with a bottom plate, and first and second upstanding members extending from said bottom plate, said first and second upstanding members being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of said carrier; locating a receiving unit connector in a fixed position corresponding to the position of said carrier connector on said carrier when said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said receiving unit connector having a plurality of conductors numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; providing said carrier connector and said receiving unit connector with corresponding guide surfaces to facilitate alignment of the conductors of said carrier connector and receiving unit connector as said self-contained portable disk drive unit is inserted into said receiving unit; connecting a plurality of conductors between said computer system and said receiving unit connector for carrying all of the power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive from said computer system to said receiving unit connector; inserting said self-contained portable disk drive module through said opening of said housing to engage said receiving unit connector; urging said self-contained portable disk drive module toward a final position within said receiving unit in which said carrier connector and said receiving unit connector mate to establish all power, data and control signal connections necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit without manual manipulation of said ribbon cable connectors or said conductors between said computer system and said receiving unit connector. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method of transporting digital data between first and second computers comprising the steps of:
-
providing a complete hard disk drive unit having rotary disk information storage media for storing information, said rotary disk information storage media being 51/4" or less in size; disk rotary drive mechanism for effecting disk rotation, and information transducer members for effecting disk scanning of information stored on said rotary disk information storage media, providing said complete hard disk drive unit with at least one connector in fixed engagement therewith for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for complete operation of said complete hard disk drive; providing a carrier having a bottom plate, a pair of sidewalls extending from said bottom plate, said sidewalls being spaced apart a width sufficient to accept said complete hard disk drive unit therebetween, a rear wall extending from said bottom plate and between said pair of spaced apart sidewalls; attaching a carrier connector in fixed alignment with and extending outwardly from said rear wall of said carrier, said carrier connector having a plurality of contacts numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; attaching ribbon cable conductors between said at least one connector on said complete hard disk drive unit and said carrier connector for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; connecting at least one detachable connector at one end of said ribbon cable conductors to allow non-destructive electrical attachment and detachment of said complete hard disk drive unit from said carrier connector; mounting said complete disk drive unit within said carrier to form a self-contained portable disk drive assembly; providing first and second computer systems, each having a housing; providing an opening in the housing of each of said first and second computer systems, the openings being of sufficient size to allow insertion of said carrier;
providing a receiving unit within each of said housings adjacent said openings, said receiving units each havinga bottom plate, and first and second upstanding members extending from said bottom plate, said first and second upstanding members being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of said carrier thereby to limit the range of lateral motion of said carrier when said self contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit through said aperture of said housing attaching a receiving unit connector in each of said first and second computer systems in a fixed position corresponding to the position of said carrier connector on said carrier when said self contained portable disk drive module is inserted into the respective receiving unit, said receiving unit connectors each having a plurality of conductors numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; providing said carrier connector and said receiving unit connectors with corresponding guide surfaces to facilitate alignment of the conductors of said carrier connector and receiving unit connectors when said self-contained portable disk drive unit is inserted into each of said receiving units; connecting a plurality of conductors between each of said first and second computer systems and the respective receiving unit connector for carrying all of the power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive; connecting said self-contained portable disk drive module with one of said at least two computer systems by inserting said self-contained portable disk drive module through the opening of the respective housing and into the respective receiving unit to thereby have the carrier connector engage the receiving unit connector, without manual manipulation of the respective ribbon cable conductors or conductors between said first computer system and the respective receiving unit connector to establish all power, data and control signal connections necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit; operating said first computer system to transfer data to said self-contained portable disk drive module;
removing said self-contained portable disk drive module from said first computer system by extracting said self-contained portable disk drive module through the opening of the respective housing from the respective receiving unit without manual manipulation of the respective ribbon cable conductors or conductors between said first computer system and the respective receiving unit connector to disconnect all power, data and control signal connections necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit;connecting said self-contained portable disk drive module with said second computer system by inserting said self-contained portable disk drive module through the respective opening of the respective housing and into the respective receiving unit to thereby have the carrier connector engage the receiving unit connector, without manual manipulation of the respective ribbon cable conductors or conductors between said second computer system and the respective receiving unit connector to establish all power, data and control signal connections necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit; operating said second computer system to transfer data from said self-contained portable disk drive module to said second computer system.
-
-
27. A self-contained portable disk drive module for insertion into a receiving unit, said receiving unit having a receiving unit connector in fixed engagement therewith, said receiving unit connector having at least one guide member and a plurality of conductors, said self-contained portable disk drive module comprising:
-
a complete hard disk drive unit having rotary disk information storage media for storing information, a disk rotary drive mechanism for effecting disk rotation, and information transducer members for effecting disk scanning of information stored on said rotary disk information storage media, said complete hard disk drive unit having connector means in fixed engagement therewith for carrying all power, control, and data signal necessary for complete operation of said complete hard disk drive unit;
a carrier in which said complete hard disk drive unit is secured to form a self-contained portable disk drive module, said carrier comprisinga bottom plate, a pair of sidwalls extending from said bottom plate, said sidewalls being spaced apart a width sufficient to accept said complete hard disk drive unit therebetween, a rear wall extending from said bottom plate and between said pair of spaced apart sidewalls, a carrier connector in fixed alignment with said extending outwardly from said rear wall of said carrier, said carrier connector having a plurality of contacts numbering at last equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit, said carrier connector disposed in a fixed position corresponding to the position of said receiving unit connector of said receiving unit when said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said carrier connector having at least one guide member for cooperation with said at least one guide member of said receiving unit connector to facilitate alignment of the conductors of said carrier connector and receiving unit connector as said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into engagement with said receiving unit, said guide members being of sufficient length so that interengagement of said guide members occurs prior to engagement of said conductors of said receiving unit connector and said carrier connector during insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive unit into said receiving unit; ribbon cable conductors extending from said connector means of said complete hard disk drive unit to said carrier connector for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit; and detachable connector means disposed at one end of said ribbon cable conductors to allow non-destructive electrical attachment and detachment of said complete hard disk drive unit from said carrier connector. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A removable data storage system comprising:
-
a complete hard disk drive unit having rotary disk information storage media for storing information, a disk rotary drive mechanism for effecting disk rotation, and information transducer members for effecting disk scanning of information stored on said rotary disk information storage media, said complete hard disk drive unit having connector means in fixed engagement therewith for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for complete operation of said complete hard disk drive unit;
a carrier in which said complete hard disk drive unit is secured to form a self-contained portable disk drive module, said carrier comprisinga front wall, a rear wall, a pair of opposed sidewalls extending between said front wall and said rear wall, said sidewalls being spaced apart a width sufficient to accept said complete hard disk drive unit therebetween, a carrier connector adapted for mounting to and extending outwardly from said rear wall of said carrier, said carrier connector having a plurality of contacts numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit, means for detachable interconnecting said connector means of said complete hard disk drive unit to said carrier connector for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit, and a computer system having a housing, said housing having an opening of sufficient size to allow insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module;
a receiving unit disposed in said housing adjacent said opening, said receiving unit havinga bottom plate first and second upstanding members extending from said bottom plate, said first and second upstanding members being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of said carrier thereby to limit the range of lateral motion of said self-contained portable disk drive module as said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit through said opening of said housing, and a receiving unit connector disposed in a fixed position corresponding to the position of said carrier connector on said carrier when said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said receiving unit connector having a plurality of conductors numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit; said carrier connector and said receiving unit connector having corresponding guide members to facilitate alignment of the conductors of said carrier connector and receiving unit connector as said self-contained portable disk drive module is inserted into said receiving unit, said guide members being of sufficient length so that interengagement of said guide members occurs prior to engagement of said conductors of said receiving unit connector and said carrier connector during insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive unit into said receiving unit; a plurality of conductors carrying all of the power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit from said computer system to said receiving unit connector;
whereby all power, data and control signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit are established through insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module through said opening of said housing into engagement with said receiving unit and into a position in which said carrier connector mates with said receiving unit connector, said self-contained portable disk drive module being easily inserted and extracted from connection with said computer system without the need for manual manipulation of any connecting cables. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. In combination with a computer housing, said computer housing having a port for receiving a disk drive apparatus, said disk drive apparatus comprising:
-
a support assembly mounted within said port and electrically connected to said computer housing, said support assembly defining a pair of spaced apart sides, said support assembly including a first electrical connector mounted in fixed alignment with respect to said pair of spaced apart sides; a carrier, said carrier defining a frame enclosing an open space, a second electrical connector mounted to said frame, said carrier having sidewalls that are spaced apart so that said carrier can be located between said sides of said support assembly in a closely conforming manner, said carrier being readily removable and separable from said support assembly, a disk drive mounted to said carrier, said disk drive being contained within said open space of said carrier; and a plurality of conductors forming an electrical connection between said disk drive and said second electrical connector, said carrier being fully insertable in position between said sides of said support assembly so that said first and second connectors electrically engage one another without direct manipulation of said first or second connectors, engagement of said first and second electrical connectors establishing electrical connection between said disk drive and said computer housing to carry all of the data, control, and power signals necessary for operation of said disk drive. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A removable data storage system comprising:
-
a complete hard disk drive unit having rotary disk information storage media for storing information, a disk rotary drive mechanism for effecting disk rotation, and information transducer members for effecting disk scanning of information stored on said rotary disk information storage media; a carrier in which said complete hard disk drive unit is secured to form a self-contained portable disk drive module, said carrier having a pair of sidewalls spaced apart a width sufficient to accept said complete hard disk drive unit therebetween, and a rear wall extending between said pair of spaced apart sidewalls; a carrier connector in fixed alignment with and extending outwardly from said rear wall of said carrier, said carrier connector having a plurality of contacts numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit, a plurality of conductors extending from said complete hard disk drive unit to said carrier connector for carrying all power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit; a computer system having a housing, said housing having an opening of sufficient size to allow insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module; a receiving unit disposed in said housing adjacent said opening, said receiving unit having first and second upstanding members, said first and second upstanding members being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of said carrier thereby to limit the range of lateral motion of said self-contained portable disk drive module when said self-contained portable disk drive module is fully inserted into said receiving unit; a receiving unit connector disposed in a fixed position corresponding to the position of said carrier connector on said carrier when said self-contained portable disk drive module is fully inserted into said receiving unit, said receiving unit connector having a plurality of conductors numbering at least equal to the number of power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit; a plurality of conductors carrying all of the power, control, and data signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit from said computer system to said receiving unit connector; whereby all power, data and control signals necessary for operation of said complete hard disk drive unit are established through insertion of said self-contained portable disk drive module through said opening of said housing into engagement with said receiving unit and into a position in which said carrier connector mates with said receiving unit connector, said self-contained portable disk drive module being easily inserted and extracted from connection with said computer system without the need for manual manipulation of any connecting cables. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
Specification