Disk array device

• US 6,950,304 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nagaiwa, Yoshinori, Muraoka, Kenji, Sato, Masahiko, Ishikawa, Takamasa, Yokoyama, Nobuhiro, Kimura, Koichi, Suzuki, Katsuyoshi, Iwasaki, Hidehiko, Tateyama, Kenichi, Takamoto, Kenichi, Takahashi, Kiyotaka, Matsunami, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US10/461,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361683-687, 361/695
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/125 the apparatus comprising a plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. modular arrangements, arrays of disc drives
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/142 by air cooling

Abstract

A disk array device comprises: a hard disk drive module including a disk for recording information thereon and having one side that has a length substantially equal to the diameter of the disk; a battery module; an operation module; a fan module having at least one cooling fan; a controller module having a controller; a power supply module provided for supplying power to the modules; a circuit board to which the above-mentioned modules are connected via electrical connectors; and a substantially box-shaped chassis in which the modules and the circuit board are housed. A front surface and a rear surface of the chassis are opened in a rectangular shape. A length of one side of the opened front surface of the chassis is substantially the same length as the one side of the hard disk drive module.

Claims

1. A disk array device comprising:

a circuit board having electrical connectors;

a hard disk drive module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors, including a disk for recording information thereon, and having one side that has a length substantially equal to a diameter of said disk;

a battery module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors;

an operation module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors;

a fan module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors and having at least one cooling fan;

a controller module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors and having a controller;

a power supply module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors and provided for supplying power to said modules; and

a substantially box-shaped chassis in which said modules and said circuit board are housed, a front surface and a rear surface of which being opened in a rectangular shape;

wherein a length of one side of said opened front surface of said chassis is substantially the same length as said one side of said hard disk drive module;

wherein said fan module is arranged near at least one side surface of said chassis;

wherein a partitioning plate is provided substantially in the middle of both side surfaces of said chassis;

wherein a set of power supply modules is provided, and at least one of said power supply modules is arranged on each side of said partitioning plate;

wherein said controller module is arranged across said partitioning plate; and

wherein said partitioning plate is provided with a vent hole.

2. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein:

said circuit board is capable of being attached in said chassis parallel to said opened front surface;

said hard disk drive module is connected to a front side of said circuit board from said opened front surface of said chassis, said one side of said hard disk drive module being aligned with said one side of said opened front surface of said chassis;

said battery module is connected to the front side of said circuit board from said opened front surface of said chassis in a position adjacent said hard disk drive module; and

said controller module, said power supply module, and said fan module are connected to a rear side of said circuit board from said opened rear surface of said chassis.

3. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein:

said circuit board has

a front circuit board to which at least said hard disk drive module and said battery module are connected to the front side thereof, and to which said power supply module and said fan module are connected to the rear side thereof, and

a rear circuit board to which said controller module is connected; and

said front circuit board and said rear circuit board are positioned adjacent and parallel to each other and connected together with an electrical connector.

4. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein said controller module has a management portion for managing additional installation of a disk array device.

5. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein:

said controller module is substantially flat;

said chassis is capable of housing a plurality of said controller modules arranged adjacent to each other in a direction of the height of said chassis so as to maximize an overlapping area defined by surface of said controller modules opposing each other; and

the connectors to be connected from a plurality of said controller modules are arranged on said circuit board in the direction of the height of said chassis.

6. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein:

said chassis has at least one hole and/or at least one protrusion; and

said circuit board has at least one protrusion that fits into said hole of said chassis and/or at least one hole into which said protrusion of said chassis fits.

7. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein:

at least two of said fan modules are provided; and

at least one of said fan modules is arranged near each side surface of said chassis.

8. A disk array device according to claim 7, wherein:

cooling air flow provided by said fan modules

is introduced from the front of said chassis to cool at least said hard disk drive module and said battery module,

cools, in the rear of said circuit board, said power supply module and said controller module,

is taken in by said fan modules provided near both of the side surfaces of said chassis, and

is discharged out of the rear of said chassis.

9. A disk array device according to claim 7, wherein:

each of said fan modules has a plurality of cooling fans; and

air outlets of each of said cooling fans are oriented in directions different from each other to avoid interference between cooling air flow.

10. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein:

said controller module is substantially flat; and

said circuit board has a plurality of holes extending in a direction parallel to said controller module.

11. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein the length of said one side of said opened front surface of said chassis is between 128 mm and 129 mm when the diameter of said disk is 3.5 inches.

12. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein:

said operation module includes

an alarm buzzer stop switch, and

a power switch for the disk array device, said power switch having an ON-side for turning the disk array device ON and an OFF-side for turning the disk array device OFF; and

said alarm buzzer stop switch is arranged on the side of the ON-side of said power switch.

13. A disk array device according to claim 12, wherein:

a setting switch is provided inside said operation module; and

said setting switch is capable of being manipulated for setup from a space in front of a hard disk drive module adjacent said operation module.

14. A disk array device comprising:

a circuit board having electrical connectors;

a hard disk drive module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors, including a disk for recording information thereon, and having one side that has a length substantially equal to a diameter of said disk;

a battery module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors;

an operation module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors;

a fan module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors and having at least one cooling fan;

a controller module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors and having a controller;

a power supply module connected to said circuit board via at least one of said electrical connectors and provided for supplying power to said modules; and

a substantially box-shaped chassis in which said modules and said circuit board are housed, a front surface and a rear surface of which being opened in a rectangular shape;

wherein the length of one side of said opened front surface of said chassis is substantially the same length as said one side of said hard disk drive module;

wherein said operation module includes

an alarm buzzer stop switch, and

a power switch for the disk array device, said power switch having an ON-side for turning the disk array device ON and an OFF-side for turning the disk array device OFF; and

wherein said alarm buzzer stop switch is arranged on the side of the ON-side of said power switch.

15. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein:

said circuit board is capable of being attached in said chassis parallel to said opened front surface;

said hard disk drive module is connected to a front side of said circuit board from said opened front surface of said chassis, said one side of said hard disk drive module being aligned with said one side of said opened front surface of said chassis;

said battery module is connected to the front side of said circuit board from said opened front surface of said chassis in a position adjacent said hard disk drive module; and

said controller module, said power supply module, and said fan module are connected to a rear side of said circuit board from said opened rear surface of said chassis.

16. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein:

said circuit board has

a front circuit board to which at least said hard disk drive module and said battery module are connected to the front side thereof, and to which said power supply module and said fan module are connected to the rear side thereof, and

a rear circuit board to which said controller module is connected; and

said front circuit board and said rear circuit board are positioned adjacent and parallel to each other and connected together with an electrical connector.

17. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein said controller module has a management portion for managing additional installation of a disk array device.

18. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein:

said controller module is substantially flat;

said chassis is capable of housing a plurality of said controller modules arranged adjacent to each other in a direction of the height of said chassis so as to maximize an overlapping area defined by surface of said controller modules opposing each other; and

the connectors to be connected from a plurality of said controller modules are arranged on said circuit board in the direction of the height of said chassis.

19. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein:

said chassis has at least one hole and/or at least one protrusion; and

said circuit board has at least one protrusion that fits into said hole of said chassis and/or at least one hole into which said protrusion of said chassis fits.

20. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein:

at least two of said fan modules are provided; and

at least one of said fan modules is arranged near each side surface of said chassis.

21. A disk array device according to claim 20, wherein:

cooling air flow provided by fan modules

is introduced from the front of said chassis to cool at least said hard disk drive module and said battery module,

cools, in the rear of said circuit board, said power supply module and said controller module,

is taken in by said fan modules provided near both of the side surfaces of said chassis, and

is discharged out of the rear of said chassis.

22. A disk array device according to claim 20, wherein:

each of said fan modules has a plurality of cooling fans; and

air outlets of each of said cooling fans are oriented in directions different from each other to avoid interference between cooling air flow.

23. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein:

said controller module is substantially flat; and

said circuit board has a plurality of holes extending in a direction parallel to said controller module.

24. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein the length of said one side of said opened front surface of said chassis is between 128 mm and 129 mm when the diameter of said disk is 3.5 inches.

25. A disk array device according to claim 14, wherein:

a setting switch is provided inside said operation module; and

said setting switch is capable of being manipulated for setup from a space in front of a hard disk drive module adjacent said operation module.