Disk drive having a connection-blocking device for use with a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) power receptacle

• US 6,791,779 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Singh, Dalwinder, Goldstone, Marc B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEGRON, DANIELL L
• Application Number:
  US10/261,437
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 360/55, 360/69, 710/8, 361/685, 361/785, 361/786, 361/787, 361/788, 361/789, 439/135
• US Class Current: 360/55
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/122 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/09 Digital recording

Abstract

A disk drive having a connection-blocking device for use with a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) power receptacle. The disk drive has a moveable head for writing and reading to and from a disk, a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) for controlling operations in the disk drive, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) section attached to the PCBA having a SATA power receptacle and a SATA data receptacle, a legacy Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) power receptacle attached to the PCBA, and a connection-blocking device. The legacy IDE power receptacle is electrically common with the SATA power receptacle. The connection-blocking device is attachable to either one of the SATA power receptacle or the legacy IDE power receptacle, respectively, to prevent redundant power connections within the disk drive.

Claims

1. A disk drive having redundant power connections, the disk drive comprising:

a disk for rotation within the disk drive;

a moveable head for writing and reading data to and from the disk;

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) for controlling operations in the disk drive;

a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) section attached to the PCBA having a SATA power receptacle and a SATA data receptacle;

a legacy Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) power receptacle attached to the PCBA, the legacy IDE power receptacle being electrically common with the SATA power receptacle; and

a connection-blocking device attachable to one of the SATA power receptacle or the legacy IDE power receptacle.

2. The disk drive of claim 1, wherein the connection-blocking device is formed out of an insulative material.

3. The disk drive of claim 2, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device is sized to fit within one of a standards defined form factor for the legacy IDE power receptacle or a standards defined form factor for the SATA power receptacle, respectively.

4. The disk drive of claim 3, wherein the standards defined form factor for the legacy IDE power receptacle is defined in accordance with Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for Form Factor of 3.5″

disk drives.

5. The disk drive of claim 3, wherein the standards defined form factor for the SATA power receptacle is defined in accordance with Serial ATA:

High Speed Serialized AT Attachment specification.

6. The disk drive of claim 2, further comprising a user section receptacle, wherein a second insulative connection-blocking device is also attachable to the user section receptacle.

7. The disk drive of claim 2, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device is removable after it is attached.

8. The disk drive of claim 2, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device is not removable after it is has been attached.

9. The disk drive of claim 2, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device is insert fitted into one of the legacy IDE power receptacle or the SATA power receptacle.

10. The disk drive of claim 9, further comprising a user section receptacle, wherein a second insulative connection-blocking device is insert fitted into the user section receptacle.

11. The disk drive of claim 10, wherein the second insulative connection-blocking device is shaped to have the same approximate shape as the user section receptacle, and when insert fitted therein is compression fitted and securely fixed therein.

12. The disk drive of claim 11, wherein the second insulative connection-blocking device is a plastic plug.

13. The disk drive of claim 9, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device that is insert fitted into the legacy IDE power receptacle is shaped to have the same approximate shape as the corresponding legacy IDE power receptacle, and when insert fitted therein makes a compression fit and is securely fixed therein.

14. The disk drive of claim 13, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device that is insert fitted into the legacy IDE power receptacle is a plastic plug.

15. The disk drive of claim 14, wherein the plastic plug that is insert fitted into the legacy IDE power receptacle has retention features that mate with complementary retention features of the legacy IDE power section receptacle.

16. The disk drive of claim 9, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device that is insert fitted into the SATA power receptacle is shaped to have the same approximate shape as the corresponding SATA power receptacle, and when insert fitted therein makes a compression fit and is securely fixed therein.

17. The disk drive of claim 16, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device that is insert fitted into the SATA power receptacle is a plastic plug.

18. The disk drive of claim 2, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device comprises a label.

19. The disk drive of claim 2, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device comprises an adhesive.

20. The disk drive of claim 2, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device comprises cardboard.

21. A disk drive having redundant data path connections, the disk drive comprising:

a disk for rotation within the disk drive;

a moveable head for writing and reading data to and from the disk;

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) for controlling operations in the disk drive;

a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) section attached to the PCBA having a SATA power receptacle, a primary data SATA receptacle, and a secondary data SATA receptacle; and

a connection-blocking device attachable to the secondary data SATA receptacle.

22. The disk drive of claim 21, wherein the connection-blocking device is attachable to one of the secondary data SATA receptacle or the secondary data SATA receptacle and the SATA power receptacle.

23. The disk drive of claim 22, wherein the connection-blocking device is formed out of an insulative material.

24. The disk drive of claim 23, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device is insert fitted into one of the secondary data SATA receptacle or the secondary data SATA receptacle and the SATA power receptacle.

25. The disk drive of claim 24, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device that is insert fitted into the secondary data SATA receptacle is shaped to have the same approximate shape as the corresponding secondary data SATA receptacle, and when insert fitted therein makes a compression fit and is securely fixed therein.

26. The disk drive of claim 25, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device that is insert fitted into secondary data SATA receptacle is a plastic plug.

27. The disk drive of claim 24, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device that is insert fitted into the secondary data SATA receptacle and the SATA power receptacle is shaped to have the same approximate shape as the corresponding secondary data SATA receptacle and the SATA power receptacle, and when insert fitted therein makes a compression fit and is securely fixed therein.

28. The disk drive of claim 27, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device that is insert fitted into the secondary data SATA receptacle and the SATA power receptacle is a plastic plug.

29. The disk drive of claim 23, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device comprises a label.

30. The disk drive of claim 23, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device comprises an adhesive.

31. The disk drive of claim 23, wherein the insulative connection-blocking device comprises cardboard.