Hard drive carrier

• US 7,139,166 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: McAlister, Robert R., Marcade, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Hung Van
• Application Number:
  US10/940,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 361679-687, 361724-727, 361/688, 361/816, 361/818, 439/638, 360/92, 3122231-2233, 248/682, 248/694
• US Class Current: 361/679.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/12 Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules

Abstract

a hard drive carrier is disclosed that includes a detachable tab on the top wall of the frame of the carrier. When the tab is detached a hard drive can be placed in the hard drive carrier in a forward position. When the tab is in place, the hard drive can be retained in the frame of the hard drive carrier in a rear position. The top wall of the frame and the top guide rail include a set of alignment holes to accommodate the positioning of the hard drive in a forward position or a rear position.

Claims

1. A hard drive carrier, comprising:

a bezel;

a frame proximate the bezel, wherein the frame comprises,

a side wall;

a bottom wall; and

a top wall, wherein the top wall includes a detachable tab;

wherein a hard drive may be positioned in the frame in a rear position relative to the bezel when the detachable tab is in place, and a hard drive may be positioned in the frame in a forward position relative to the bezel when the detachable tab is detached from the top wall of the frame.

2. The hard drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the detachable tab is coupled to the top wall of the frame according to an attachment geometry, wherein the attachment geometry comprises:

at least one valley portion between at least two protruding portions;

wherein the detachable tab is attached to the top wall at the valley portion and not at the protruding portions such that, when the detachable tab is detached from the top wall, access to the valley portion is made more difficult by the presence of the protruding portions.

3. The hard drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the top and bottom walls of the frame include a first set of alignment holes for coupling the hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in the forward position and a second set of alignment holes for coupling the hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in the rear position.

4. The hard drive carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one hook formed in the top and bottom walls of the frame; and

a guide rails that includes a retention hole in alignment with the hooks of the top and bottom walls;

wherein the guide rails are coupled to the top and bottom walls of the frame by passing at least a portion of the retention hook through the retention hole of the guide rails and sliding the retention hook relative to the top and bottom guide walls to attach the guide rails to the top and bottom walls of the frame.

5. The hard drive carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

a lower guide rail coupled to the lower wall of the frame;

wherein the lower guide rail includes a number of keying holes for the insertion of keying pins therein such that the keying pins prevent the lower guide rail from being slid into certain slots in a chassis.

6. The hard drive carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

a converter card, wherein the converter card is operable to be coupled to the connector of a hard drive that is inserted in the frame of the hard drive carrier;

wherein the converter card includes a top spring and a bottom spring for coupling the converter card within the frame of the hard drive carrier.

7. The hard drive carrier of claim 4, wherein the top and bottom guide rails include a first set of alignment holes for coupling the hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in the forward position and a second set of alignment holes for coupling the hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in the rear position.

8. A hard drive carrier, comprising:

a bezel;

a frame proximate the bezel, wherein the frame comprises,

a side wall;

a bottom wall; and

a top wall, wherein the top and bottom walls of the frame include a first set of alignment holes for coupling a hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in a forward position relative to the bezel and a second set of alignment holes for coupling the hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in a rear position relative to the position of the bezel.

9. The hard drive carrier of claim 8, further comprising a top and bottom guide rail coupled to the top and bottom walls of the frame, wherein the top and bottom guide rails include a first set of alignment holes for coupling a hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in the forward position and a second set of alignment holes for coupling the hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in the rear position.

10. The hard drive carrier of claim 8,

wherein the top wall of the frame includes a detachable tab at the end of the top wall proximate the bezel;

wherein the detachable tab is detached from the top wall when the hard drive is in the forward position; and

wherein the detachable tab remains in place when the hard drive is in a rear position.

11. The hard drive carrier of claim 8, further comprising:

a lower guide rail coupled to the lower wall of the frame;

wherein the lower guide rail includes a number of keying holes for the insertion of keying pins therein such that the keying pins prevent the lower guide rail from being slid into certain slots in a chassis.

12. The hard drive carrier of claim 8, further comprising:

a converter card, wherein the converter card is operable to be coupled to the connector of a hard drive that is inserted in the frame of the hard drive carrier;

wherein the converter card includes a top spring and a bottom spring for coupling the converter card within the frame of the hard drive carrier.

13. The hard drive carrier of claim 9,

wherein the top and bottom walls include a retention hook;

wherein the top and bottom guide rails include a retention hole;

wherein the top and bottom walls can be coupled to the top and bottom guide rails by, placing at least a portion the retention hook of the top and bottom wall through the retention hole of the top and bottom guide rails and sliding the top and bottom guide rails relative to the top and bottom walls to cause the retention hook to engage the retention hole.

14. The hard drive carrier of claim 10, wherein the detachable tab is coupled to the top wall of the frame according to an attachment geometry, wherein the attachment geometry comprises:

at least one valley portion between at least two protruding portions;

wherein the tab is attached to the top wall at the valley portion and not at the protruding portions such that, when the tab is detached from the top wall, access to the valley portion is made more difficult by the presence of the protruding portions.

15. A hard drive carrier, comprising:

a frame, comprising,

a side wall;

a bottom wall; and

a top wall, wherein the top and bottom walls includes a retention hook;

a top and bottom guide rail that includes a retention hole in alignment with the retention hook of the top and bottom wall;

wherein the top and bottom guide rails are coupled to the top and bottom walls of the frame by passing at least a portion of the retention hook though the retention hole of the top and bottom guide rails and sliding the retention hook relative to the top and bottom guide walls to attach the top and bottom guide rails to the top and bottom walls of the frame.

16. The hard drive carrier of claim 15, wherein the top and bottom walls of the frame further comprises a first set of alignment holes for coupling a hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in a forward position and a second set of alignment holes for coupling the hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in a rear position.

17. There hard drive carrier of claim 16, wherein the top and bottom guide rails further comprises,

a first set of alignment holes for coupling a hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in the forward position and a second set of alignment holes for coupling the hard drive to the hard drive carrier when the hard drive is in the rear position;

wherein the first set of alignment holes of the top and bottom guide rails are aligned with the first set of alignment holes of the top and bottom walls and wherein the second set of alignment holes of the top and bottom guide rails are aligned with the second set of alignment holes of the top wall.

18. The hard drive carrier of claim 17,

wherein the top wall of the frame includes a detachable tab at one end of the top wall;

wherein the detachable tab is detached from the top wall when the hard drive is in the forward position; and

wherein the detachable tab remains in place when the hard drive is in a rear position.

19. The hard drive carrier of claim 18, wherein the detachable tab is coupled to the top wall of the frame according to an attachment geometry, wherein the attachment geometry comprises:

at least one valley portion between at least two protruding portions;

wherein the detachable tab is attached to the top wall at the valley portion and not at the protruding portions such that, when the detachable tab is detached from the top wall, access to the valley portion is made more difficult by the presence of the protruding portions.

20. The hard drive carrier of claim 19, further comprising:

a lower guide rail coupled to the lower wall of the frame;

wherein the lower guide rail includes a number of keying holes for the insertion of keying pins therein such that the keying pins prevent the lower guide rail from being slid into certain slots in a chassis.