Vibration dampening system for removable hard disk drive carriers

• US 6,249,432 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2000
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pacheco, Joaquin F., Drake, James R., Gamble, Eric T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US09/662,252
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679-686, 369/76, 369/77.1, 369/78, 369/75.1, 369/77.2, 369/79, 369/80, 369/81, 369/82, 248/635, 248/634, 248/636, 248/638, 248/618, 360/137, 360/137.D
• US Class Current: 361/679.35
• 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 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis

Abstract

A “hot-pluggable” hard disk drive is mounted in a removable hard disk drive tray. The hard disk drive tray has a vibration dampening system for reducing vibration between the hard disk drive, the hard disk drive tray, and a hard disk drive docking bay located within a computer system. The vibration dampening system has three primary components. The first component is a strip of polymeric material located between an end of the hard disk drive tray and the docking bay. The second component of the vibration dampening system is a set of polymeric strips located between an inner surface of the tray and the hard disk drive. The third component of the vibration dampening system is a set of spring assemblies. Each spring assembly is located between the sides of the tray and the docking bay.

Claims

1. A support apparatus for supporting a storage drive in an enclosure having a docking bay for receiving the support apparatus, the support apparatus comprising:

a frame-like, structural carrier having a base and a pair of side walls extending therefrom, wherein the carrier is adapted to be rigidly mounted to the storage drive;

at least two spring clips, each associated with one of the side walls of the carrier, wherein the spring clips are adapted to be mounted between the docking bay and the side walls for absorbing vibration therebetween; and

at least two dampening elements, each associated with one of the spring clips, wherein each of the dampening elements is located between at least a portion of one of the spring clips and a respective one of the side walls of the carrier for absorbing vibration therebetween.

2. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the spring clips has an absorption portion that captures one of the dampening elements against one of the side walls.

3. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the spring clips has a second portion that is spaced apart from a respective one of the dampening elements.

4. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spring clips are fastenerless.

5. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dampening elements are formed from a polymeric material having vibration and shock absorption properties.

6. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spring clip is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of metallic materials and conductive polymer materials.

7. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the spring clips has a dimple that is adapted to contact the docking bay.

8. The support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spring clips provide an electrostatic and electromagnetic ground interface between the storage drive, the carrier, and the docking bay of the enclosure.

9. A support apparatus for supporting a storage drive in an enclosure having a docking bay for receiving the support apparatus, the support apparatus comprising:

a carrier having a base and a pair of side walls extending therefrom for supporting the storage drive therebetween;

at least two spring clips, each associated with one of the side walls of the carrier, wherein the spring clips are adapted to be mounted between the docking bay and the side walls for absorbing vibration therebetween;

at least two dampening elements, each associated with one of the spring clips, wherein each of the dampening elements is located between at least a portion of one of the spring clips and a respective one of the side walls of the carrier for absorbing vibration therebetween; and

wherein

each of the spring clips has a pair of tabs that extend into and engage a respective one of the side walls to retain the spring clips and dampening elements.

10. A support apparatus for supporting a storage drive in an enclosure having a docking bay for receiving the support apparatus, the support apparatus comprising:

a carrier having a base and a pair of side walls extending therefrom for supporting the storage drive therebetween;

at least two spring clips, each associated with one of the side walls of the carrier, wherein the spring clips are adapted to be mounted between the docking bay and the side walls for absorbing vibration therebetween;

at least two dampening elements, each associated with one of the spring clips, wherein each of the dampening elements is located between at least a portion of one of the spring clips and a respective one of the side walls of the carrier for absorbing vibration therebetween; and

wherein

each of the side walls has an exterior with a recess therein and the spring clips are mounted in the recesses.

11. A storage drive carrier for supporting a storage drive in an enclosure having a docking bay for receiving the storage drive carrier, the storage drive carrier comprising:

a tray having a base and a pair of side walls extending therefrom for supporting the storage drive therebetween, wherein each of the side walls has an exterior with a recess therein;

a fastenerless spring clip located in each of the recesses of the side walls, wherein the spring clips are adapted to be mounted between the docking bay and the side walls for absorbing vibration therebetween; and

a dampening element located adjacent to each of the spring clips, each of the dampening elements being captured between an absorption portion of one of the spring clips and a respective one of the side walls of the tray for absorbing vibration therebetween.

12. The storage drive carrier of claim 11 wherein each of the spring clips has a pair of tabs that extend into and engage a respective one of the side walls to retain the spring clips and the dampening elements in the recesses, and wherein the spring clips only make contact with the sides walls via the tabs.

13. The storage drive carrier of claim 11 wherein each of the spring clips has a central portion that is spaced apart from a respective one of the dampening elements.

14. The storage drive carrier of claim 11 wherein the dampening element is formed from a polymeric material having vibration and shock absorption properties.

15. The storage drive carrier of claim 11 wherein the spring clip is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of metallic materials and conductive polymer materials.

16. The storage drive carrier of claim 11 wherein each of the spring clips has a dimple that is adapted to contact the docking bay.

17. The storage drive carrier of claim 11 wherein the spring clips provide an electromagnetic and electrostatic ground interface between the storage drive, the tray, and the docking bay of the enclosure.

18. A storage drive carrier for supporting a storage drive in an enclosure having a docking bay for receiving the storage drive carrier, the storage drive carrier comprising:

a tray having a base and a pair of side walls extending therefrom for supporting the storage drive therebetween, wherein each of the side walls has an exterior with a recess therein;

a fastenerless spring clip located in each of the recesses of the side walls and adapted to be mounted between the docking bay and the side walls for absorbing vibration therebetween, each of the spring clips having a central portion, an absorption portion located on each side of the central portion, and a tab extending from each absorption portion, wherein the tabs extend into and engage a respective one of the side walls to retain the spring clips in the recesses, and wherein the spring clips only make contact with the side walls via the tabs; and

a dampening element located adjacent to each of the spring clips, each of the dampening elements being captured between the absorption portion of one of the spring clips and a respective one of the side walls of the tray for absorbing vibration therebetween, wherein the central portions of the spring clips are spaced apart from a respective one of the dampening elements to define a gap therebetween.

19. The storage drive carrier of claim 18 wherein the dampening element is formed from a polymeric material having vibration and shock absorption properties.

20. The storage drive carrier of claim 18 wherein the spring clip is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of metallic and conductive polymer materials.

21. The storage drive carrier of claim 18 wherein each of the spring clips has a dimple that is adapted to contact the docking bay.

22. The storage drive carrier of claim 18 wherein the spring clips provide an electrostatic and electromagnetic ground interface between the storage drive, the carrier, and the docking bay of the enclosure.