Disk drive jacket

• US 6,094,342 A
• Filed: 11/03/1997
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology plc (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Speckmann, Steven Rey, Dague, Wallis A., Stefansky, Frederick Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US08/962,755
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 361/685, 361/683, 361/724-727, 312/332.1, 312/333, 439/928.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• 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: G11B 33/1493 Electro-Magnetic Interference [EMI] or Radio Frequency Interference [RFI] shielding; grounding of static charges

Abstract

A jacket for holding and retaining a disk drive unit in a computer device bay. The jacket protects the disk drive unit from damage during handling, use and storage. The configuration of the jacket permits electrical and electrical ground coupling of the disk drive unit to a computer device bay. The configuration of the jacket also permits engagement with a retaining mechanism in the computer device bay, and permits ejection from the computer device bay without imparting an excessive shock load to the disk drive unit.

Claims

1. A jacket for holding and retaining a computer peripheral device in a computer device bay, the computer device bay having an electrical connector, an electrical grounding surface and a retaining mechanism, the jacket comprising:

a unitary, single-piece frame having at least first and second opposing sides and a front, the first and second opposing sides having ends defining frame corners, the first and second opposing sides and the front defining a frame interior for receiving the computer peripheral device and further defining a frame exterior configured to be received within the computer device bay adjacent to the computer device bay electrical connector, the frame having a through hole to receive a fastener coupling the frame to the computer peripheral device upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame interior, the frame also having shock absorbing mechanisms insulating the computer peripheral device from shock loads upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame interior, the shock absorbing mechanisms formed integrally with the unitary, single-piece frame; and

an engagement mechanism associated with the frame, the engagement mechanism engaging the retaining mechanism and retaining the frame in the computer device bay upon receipt of the frame in the computer device bay.

2. A jacket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computer device bay further has an ejection mechanism, the jacket further comprising a frame rear, the frame rear being joined to the first and second opposing sides, the frame rear forming a surface adjacent to the computer device bay ejection mechanism against which the computer device bay ejection mechanism may press upon receipt of the frame in the computer device bay.

3. A jacket as claimed in claim 2, wherein the frame rear includes a cut-out opening to the frame interior, the cut-out permitting electrical coupling of the computer peripheral device to the computer device bay electrical connector upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame and upon receipt of the frame in the computer device bay.

4. A jacket as claimed in claim 1, the jacket further comprising a support member disposed in the frame interior to support the computer peripheral device upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame interior.

5. A jacket as claimed in claim 4, wherein a top wall extends between the first and second opposing sides and the front, the top wall defining an opening for receiving the computer peripheral device within the frame interior, and wherein:

the support member comprises a pair of brackets extending downward from the top wall into the frame interior, the pair of brackets defining a pair of support ledges for contacting the computer peripheral device.

6. A jacket as claimed in claim 4, wherein the support member comprises a ledge protruding into the frame interior from the first and second opposing sides.

7. A jacket as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support member substantially bridges the frame interior, and wherein the support member is reticulated.

8. A jacket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing mechanisms comprise hollowed sections formed in the frame corners.

9. A jacket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame exterior includes protruding nubs to space the frame exterior from the computer device bay, the protruding nubs permitting air cooling of the computer peripheral device upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame interior and upon receipt of the frame in the computer device bay.

10. A jacket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engagement mechanism comprises at least one notch provided in the frame.

11. A jacket as claimed in claim 1, wherein a top wall extends between the first and second opposing sides and the front, the top wall defining an opening for receiving the computer peripheral device within the frame interior, and wherein the shock absorbing mechanisms comprise a pair of brackets extending downward from the top wall into the frame interior, the pair of brackets secured to the computer peripheral device by fasteners to suspend the computer peripheral within the frame interior.

12. A jacket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame is composed of elastomeric material.

13. A jacket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame comprises an injection molded, substantially rigid plastic foam structure.

14. A jacket as claimed in claim 1, the jacket further comprising a grounding member for electrically grounding the computer peripheral device to the computer device bay electrical grounding surface upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame and upon receipt of the frame in the computer device bay.

15. A jacket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computer peripheral device fastener is electrically conductive and at least partially resides on the frame exterior, the jacket further comprising a grounding spring positioned along the frame exterior, the grounding spring being located proximate to the frame through hole, the grounding spring having an eyelet for receiving the electrically conductive fastener, the electrically conductive fastener providing an electrical ground circuit from the grounding spring to the computer peripheral device upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame interior.

16. A jacket as claimed in claim 15, wherein the grounding spring protrudes relative to the frame exterior to contact and electrically couple the grounding spring with the computer device bay electrical grounding surface upon receipt of the frame in the computer device bay.

17. A jacket as claimed in claim 16, wherein the frame engagement mechanism, when engaged with the computer device bay retaining mechanism, and the grounding spring, when engaged with the computer device bay electrical grounding surface, substantially rigidly retains the frame in the computer device bay free of threaded fasteners.

18. A jacket for holding and retaining a computer peripheral device in a computer device bay, the computer device bay having an electrical connector, an electrical grounding surface and a retaining mechanism, the jacket made according to a process comprising:

(a) molding a unitary, single-piece frame having at least first and second opposing sides and a front, the first and second opposing sides and the front defining a frame interior and a frame exterior, the first and second opposing sides having ends defining frame corners, the frame having an opening to permit electrical coupling of the computer peripheral device to the computer device bay electrical connector, and the frame including shock absorbing mechanisms formed integrally with the unitary, single-piece frame to insulate the computer peripheral device from shock loads upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame interior;

(b) providing a through hole in the frame to receive a fastener coupling the frame to the computer peripheral device upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the frame interior; and

(c) attaching an electrical grounding member to the frame to permit electrical ground coupling from the frame interior to the computer device bay electrical grounding surface.

19. A process for using a jacket for holding and retaining a computer peripheral device in a computer device bay, the computer device bay having an electrical connector, an electrical grounding surface and a retaining mechanism, the jacket defining an exterior configured to be received within the computer device bay adjacent to the electrical connector and further defining an interior for receiving the computer peripheral device, and the jacket further defining an engagement mechanism for engaging the retaining mechanism in the computer device bay, the process comprising:

(a) forming the jacket from a single-piece, unitary frame having at least first and second opposing sides and a front, the first and second opposing sides having ends defining frame corners, the frame having shock absorbing mechanisms formed integrally with the single-piece, unitary frame to insulate the computer peripheral device from shock loads upon receipt of the computer peripheral device in the jacket interior;

(b) attaching a grounding member on the jacket exterior;

(c) positioning the computer peripheral device in the jacket interior;

(d) inserting a fastener through a hole defined in the frame;

(e) coupling the computer peripheral device to the frame and to the grounding member with the fastener;

(f) inserting the frame into the computer device bay;

(g) electrically coupling the grounding member with the computer device bay electrical grounding surface;

(h) coupling the computer peripheral device with the computer device bay electrical connector; and

(i) engaging the engagement mechanism with the computer device bay retaining mechanism to retain the frame in the computer device bay.