×

Removable hard disk drive system with circuit for hot insertion and removal responsive to contacts of zero-insertion-force connector on the lateral side of the drive

  • US 5,454,080 A
  • Filed: 02/10/1992
  • Issued: 09/26/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A removable hard disk drive system comprising:

  • a docking bay which fits within a disk drive bay of a computer, said disk drive bay accommodating a drive, said docking bay having an opening therein with a height, width and depth dimension, said opening in the docking bay having an open end and a closed end, said closed end including a spring plate, a first portion of an electrical connector is positioned along the depth dimension of said opening;

    a cartridge which fits within the opening of the docking bay which includes a hard disk drive and a second portion of the electrical connector positioned along a depth dimension of the hard disk drive corresponding to the first portion of the electrical connector, the hard disk drive having dimensions which are less in height, width, and depth dimensions than the corresponding dimensions the disk drive bay, said spring plate contacting said cartridge and urging said cartridge toward said open end of said docking bay; and

    hot plugging means for allowing the removal of a first cartridge and the insertion of a second cartridge while power is maintained to the computer system, said hot plugging means operating over a time span between when a first contact is broken and the last contact is broken on the electrical connector as a coupling system is moved between a first position and a second position to break electrical contact and said hot plugging means operating over a time between when a first contact is made and the last contact is made on the electrical connector as the coupling system is moved between a second position and a first position to make electrical contact.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×