Small form factor disk drive carrier
First Claim
1. A combination of a multiple disk drive storage apparatus and a plurality of removable disk drive modules, the disk drive storage apparatus includes a housing having an opening in a front side that is further divided into a plurality of slots and a motherboard disposed within the housing, each of the disk drive modules is received in one of the slots of the housing, wherein each of the disk drive modules comprises:
- a disk drive having a first connector that is received by a second connector of the motherboard when the disk drive module is placed in the slot;
a carrier body with a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion being disposed in the opening in the front side of the housing and the rear portion being disposed within the housing when the disk drive module is placed in one of the slots, a latch integrally formed on the carrier body that engages the housing and is accessible from the front side of the housing, the carrier body having an integrally formed ejection spring that engages a member disposed within the housing; and
wherein the disk drive module may be removed by disengaging the latch from the housing, the ejection spring exerting a biasing force on the member disconnecting the first connector from the second connector and urging the disk drive module out of the housing through the opening in the front side of the housing.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple disk drive storage apparatus that receives a plurality of removable disk drive modules. The removable disk drive modules comprise a disk drive and a carrier body. The carrier body is molded in one piece and may have a latch, an ejection spring, a light pipe, and a cavity for receiving the disk drive. The disk drive is retained in the cavity with a snap-fit connection.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A combination of a multiple disk drive storage apparatus and a plurality of removable disk drive modules, the disk drive storage apparatus includes a housing having an opening in a front side that is further divided into a plurality of slots and a motherboard disposed within the housing, each of the disk drive modules is received in one of the slots of the housing, wherein each of the disk drive modules comprises:
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a disk drive having a first connector that is received by a second connector of the motherboard when the disk drive module is placed in the slot; a carrier body with a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion being disposed in the opening in the front side of the housing and the rear portion being disposed within the housing when the disk drive module is placed in one of the slots, a latch integrally formed on the carrier body that engages the housing and is accessible from the front side of the housing, the carrier body having an integrally formed ejection spring that engages a member disposed within the housing; and wherein the disk drive module may be removed by disengaging the latch from the housing, the ejection spring exerting a biasing force on the member disconnecting the first connector from the second connector and urging the disk drive module out of the housing through the opening in the front side of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A disk drive module that is received in a multiple disk drive storage apparatus, the disk drive module comprising:
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a disk drive; a carrier body having an open sided cavity defined by the carrier body, the disk drive being secured within the cavity, the carrier body having an integrally formed ejection spring that exerts a biasing force relative to the multiple disk drive storage apparatus for disconnecting the disk drive from the multiple disk drive storage apparatus; and wherein the carrier and the disk drive have first and second cooperating surface features that create a snap-fit to retain the disk drive in the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification