High performance mass storage subsystem

• US 5,737,189 A
• Filed: 12/05/1996
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dot Hill Systems Corporation (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Artecon Co.
• Inventors: Colson, Angus R. Jr., Cook, Steven B., Kammersgard, Dana W.
• Primary Examiner(s): FEILD, LYNN DIANA
• Application Number:
  US08/760,726
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/680, 361/681, 361/682, 361/687, 361/695, 361/724-727, 361/800, 361/816, 361/818, 312/107, 312/107.5, 312/111, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 174/68.1, 174/72 A, 174/683, 364/708.1
• US Class Current: 361/726
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4095 in incremental bus architectures, e.g. bus stacks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis

Abstract

A computer subsystem including stackable, interlocking, modular peripheral containment enclosures, each the enclosure including broad top and bottom walls held in spaced-apart arrangement by opposed shorter side walls and a rear wall, the walls joined along their respective marginal edges to form an enclosure cavity accessible through the front opening formed thereby, a device extending rearward from the front opening interior the cavity for receiving therealong an enclosed sled containing a computer peripheral, in controlled alignment, the sled including a front face that aligns flush against the front enclosure opening when the sled is fully seated in the cavity, a device for electrically interconnecting the peripheral to a connectable connector in the enclosure, a device for providing an air cooling throughout the cavity including an aperture formed in at least one the side wall for passage of air therethrough, and a device for interconnecting a plurality of the enclosures in horizontal or vertical arrangement external the enclosure walls for positioning on a flat surface including device for maintaining a space between the flat surface and the enclosure wall nearest the surface.

Claims

1. A computer subsystem comprising at least two individual modular peripheral containment enclosures for stacking in horizontal or vertical alignment, each enclosure comprising:

a) broad top and bottom walls held in spaced-apart arrangement by opposed shorter side walls and a rear wall, said walls joined along their respective marginal edges to form a front opening and a cavity in said enclosure accessible through said front opening;

b) a sled for receipt therein of a computer peripheral, said sled receivable in said cavity through said front opening in said enclosure;

c) means extending rearward from said front enclosure opening interior said cavity for receiving therealong said sled in controlled alignment, said sled including a front face that aligns flush against said enclosure front opening when said sled is fully seated in said cavity;

d) means for electrically interconnecting the peripheral in said enclosure to the rest of the computer subsystem including a connector interior said cavity mateable with the peripheral in said sled and with the computer subsystem exterior said sled;

e) means for providing air cooling throughout said cavity, unimpeded by the stacking arrangement of said enclosures, including an aperture formed in at least one of said walls of each said enclosure for passage of air therethrough; and

,

f) means for interconnecting multiples of said enclosures in fixed horizontal or vertical, self-supporting arrangement for positioning on a surface, that does not adversely affect the cooling throughout said cavity by said cooling means, including means for maintaining a space between said surface and said enclosure wall nearest said surface wherein said means for interconnecting multiples of said enclosures includes;

i) first and second bars in spaced-apart engagement attached along the outside of said first enclosure side walls and extending from said bottom wall to said top wall;

ii) a flange extending from said first bar inward, along said bottom wall;

iii) said first bar and said flange including exterior surfaces, at least a portion of which are spaced from said first enclosure wall;

iv) an elongated latch and a channel formed in said first and second bars for receipt therein of said elongated latch in slidable engagement therewith; and

,

v) a hook formed in the upper end of said elongated latch extending above said first enclosure top wall and a notch formed in the lower portion of the first bar of a second enclosure stacked atop said first enclosure so that said elongated latch may be moved upward to engage said notch in said first bar for interconnecting said first and second said enclosures.

2. The subsystem of claim 1 further including a depression formed in said top wall adjacent each said bar and further including soft pads having a thickness greater than the depths of said depressions and of a size to fit in said depressions for insertion therein to provide vibration isolation to said enclosures and to space said enclosures apart from each other when arranged in stacked, interlocked attachment therebetween.