Disk drive enclosure optimized for mixed slim and half high drive size

• US 6,201,692 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gundlach, John Geoffrey, Gamble, Eric Thomas, Trumbo, Brian Alan, Wormsbecher, Paul Andrew, McNulty, Edward John
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US09/282,116
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683-5, 361/724, 361/735, 361/728-733, 361/725-727, 361/747, 360/97.01, 360/98.01, 360/137, 360/137.D, 312/332.1, 312/333, 312/223.2, 369/75-- 8, 439/152-160, 439/928, 439/928.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.31
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/126 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis

Abstract

A disk drive enclosure houses a mix of “slim” and “half high” disk drive sizes in almost any order. The preferred enclosure includes at least thirteen equi-spaced pairs of guide rails, wherein each pair of rails includes one rail on one side panel of the enclosure, and the other rail of the other side panel of the enclosure. Each pair of guide rails defines a boundary of a “slot”, such that twelve slots are defined between thirteen pairs of guide rails. Groups of slots are defined, wherein each group includes six contiguous slots. For each group of six slots, four connectors are included on a back panel of the enclosure. Within each group of six slots, the four connectors are positioned within the first, third, fourth and fifth slots, and no connectors are positioned in the second and sixth slots. A “no go” tab is also placed, adjacent the leading edge of one of the side panels of the enclosure, in the second and sixth slots to prevent the insertion of the rails of a disk drive in these slots. A removable back panel “shuttle” is included, which can be replaced with a different shuttle to easily and inexpensively convert the enclosure to receive a different type of disk drive.

Claims

1. A disk drive enclosure for receiving a mix of two disk drive carrier sizes, including a first disk drive carrier size having a first height, and a second disk drive carrier size having a second height, the second height being substantially one and a half times the first height, said enclosure comprising:

a chassis having first and second side panels, each of said side panels including a front edge and a rear edge, said first side panel being substantially parallel to and opposing said second side panel;

a back panel connected to said rear edges of said first and second side panels;

twelve equi-spaced pairs of first and second chassis rails, the first rail of each of said pairs of chassis rails being connected to said first side panel, and the second rail of each of said pairs of chassis rails being connected to said second side panel;

first and second groups of six consecutive slots, wherein each slot is bounded on one side by a first plane passing through a first pair of chassis rails, and on the other side by a second plane passing through a second pair of chassis rails adjacent to the first pair of chassis rails;

first and second groups of first, second, third and fourth connectors, said first group of connectors being attached to said back panel and positioned within said first group of slots, said second group of connectors being attached to said back panel and positioned within said second group of slots, wherein the first, second, third and fourth connectors of said first and second groups of connectors are positioned, respectively, in the first, third, fourth and fifth consecutively numbered slots of said first and second groups of slots, such that no connectors are positioned in the second and sixth slots of each of said first and second groups of slots;

whereby the connector pattern within the first group of slots is repeated within the second group of slots.

2. The disk drive enclosure of claim 1, further comprising:

two groups of first and second stop tabs connected to said chassis adjacent the front edge of said first side panel, wherein the first and second stop tabs of said first and second groups of stop tabs are positioned, respectively, within the second and sixth slots of said first and second groups of slots.

3. The disk drive enclosure of claim 1, wherein said back panel is removable, such that said back panel can be replaced with a different back panel to adapt said enclosure to receive a different type of disk drive.

4. The disk drive enclosure of claim 1, wherein said back panel includes a substrate attached to the rear side of said back panel.

5. A disk drive enclosure for receiving a mix of two disk drive carrier sizes, including a first disk drive carrier size having a first height, and a second disk drive carrier size having a second height, the second height being substantially one and a half times the first height, said enclosure comprising:

a chassis having first and second side panels, each of said side panels including a front edge and a rear edge, said first side panel being substantially parallel to and opposing said second side panel;

six equi-spaced pairs of first and second chassis rails, the first rail of each of said pairs of chassis rails being connected to said first side panel, and the second rail of each of said pairs of chassis rails being connected to said second side panel;

six slots, wherein each slot is bounded on one side by a first plane passing through a first pair of chassis rails, and on the other side by a second plane passing through a second pair of chassis rails adjacent to the first pair of chassis rails; and

a back panel connected to said rear edges of said first and second side panels, said back panel including four drive connectors positioned in the first, third, fourth and fifth consecutively numbered slots, such that no connector is positioned in the second and sixth slots.

6. The disk drive enclosure of claim 5, further comprising:

two stop tabs connected to said chassis adjacent the front edge of said first side panel, a first one of said stop tabs being positioned in the second slot and a second one of said stop tabs being positioned in the sixth slot.

7. The disk drive enclosure of claim 5, wherein said back panel is removable, such that said back panel can be replaced with a different back panel to adapt said enclosure to receive a different type of disk drive.

8. The disk drive enclosure of claim 5, wherein said back panel includes a substrate attached to the rear side of said back panel.

9. A disk drive enclosure for receiving a mix of two disk drive carrier sizes, including a first disk drive carrier size having a first height, and a second disk drive carrier size having a second height, the second height being substantially one and a half times the first height, said enclosure comprising:

a chassis having first and second side panels, each of said side panels including a front edge and a rear edge, said first side panel being substantially parallel to and opposing said second side panel;

twelve equi-spaced pairs of first and second chassis rails, the first rail of each of said pairs of chassis rails being connected to said first side panel, and the second rail of each of said pairs of chassis rails being connected to said second side panel;

first and second groups of six consecutive slots, wherein each slot is bounded on one side by a first plane passing through a first pair of chassis rails, and on the other side by a second plane passing through a second pair of chassis rails adjacent to the first pair of chassis rails; and

first and second groups of first and second stop tabs, said first group of stop tabs being attached to said first side panel and positioned within said first group of slots, said second group of stop tabs being attached to said first side panel and positioned within said second group of slots, wherein the first and second stop tabs of said first and second groups of stop tabs are positioned, respectively, in the second and sixth consecutively numbered slots of said first and second groups of slots, such that no stop tabs are positioned in the first, third, fourth and fifth slots of each of said first and second groups of slots.