Disk drive carrier

• US 7,483,268 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: King, Joseph P. Jr., Cunningham, W. Brian, Cote, Gerald J., Gundogan, C. Ilhan, Feroli, Lawrence J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US11/536,033
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 361/685, 312/223.1, 312/331, 248/683
• US Class Current: 361/679.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives

Abstract

Described is a disk drive assembly and method for constructing same. The disk drive assembly includes a carrier-less disk drive having opposite sides, each with at least one hole. A carrier holds the disk drive. The carrier includes a frame around three sides of the disk drive. The frame has a base and opposing sidewalls. Each sidewall has an integrally formed pin that enters a corresponding hole in a side of the disk drive to position the disk drive within the frame. Coupled to the frame where each sidewall terminates is a clip. The clip provides a fourth side to the frame opposite the base and causes the sidewalls to hold the disk drive tightly therebetween. An injector-ejector mechanism can be rotatably coupled to the clip for pivotal movement between open and closed positions. Such movement urges the disk drive assembly out of and into a chassis bay.

Claims

1. A disk drive assembly comprising:

a carrier-less disk drive having opposite sides, each side having at least one hole formed therein; and

a disk drive carrier holding the disk drive, the disk drive carrier including;

a frame around three sides of the disk drive, the frame having a base and opposing sidewalls spatially separated by the base, each sidewall having an integrally formed pin that enters a corresponding hole in one of the opposite sides of the disk drive to position the disk drive within the frame; and

a clip coupled to the frame where each sidewall terminates, the clip providing a fourth side to the frame opposite the base and causing the sidewalls of the frame to hold the disk drive tightly therebetween.

2. The disk drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a post extending approximately orthogonally from an end of each sidewall, and the clip has a clip body with a pair of bent arms projecting from one side of the clip body, the clip coupling to the frame by wedging one of the posts of the frame between each arm and the clip body.

3. The disk drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the disk drive carrier further comprises an injector-ejector rotatably coupled to one end of the clip for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, one end of the injector-ejector having a projecting latch mechanism with a catch that extends from a surface thereof, and wherein the clip has an opening formed therein and a hook post projecting from one side of the clip near the opening, the latch mechanism entering the opening in the clip when the injector-ejector pivots to the closed position causing the catch to latch on to the hook post of the clip, thereby securing the injector-ejector in the closed position.

4. The disk drive assembly of claim 3, wherein the injector-ejector includes a pair of legs and a crossbeam extending between the legs, and the clip has a slot into which the crossbeam enters lengthwise to couple the injector-ejector to the clip without using a hardware fastener.

5. The disk drive assembly of claim 1, further comprising an adapter board abutting the base between the sidewalls of the frame and electrically connected to the disk drive.

6. The disk drive assembly of claim 5, wherein each sidewall of the frame has a flexible snap, the base of the frame has a pin projecting from an interior surface thereof, the adapter board has at least one opening to receive the pin, and the pin holds the adapter board in place when placed in the opening while the snaps of the sidewalls urge the adapter board against the base of the frame.

7. The disk drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the carrier-less disk drive is a 2.5″

disk drive.

8. The disk drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame has a width that is approximately equal to the thickness of the disk drive.

9. The disk drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame is integrally constructed.

10. The disk drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame and clip cooperate to hold the disk drive without using a hardware fastener.

11. A data storage apparatus comprising:

a chassis having a plurality of bays; and

a disk drive assembly installed in one of the bays, the disk drive assembly comprising;

a carrier-less disk drive having opposite sides, each side having at least one hole formed therein;

a disk drive carrier holding the disk drive, the disk drive carrier including;

a frame around three sides of the disk drive, the frame having a base and opposing sidewalls spatially separated by the base, each sidewall having an integrally formed pin that enters a corresponding hole in one of the opposite sides of the disk drive to position the disk drive within the frame; and

a clip coupled to the frame where each sidewall terminates, the clip providing a fourth side to the frame opposite the base and causing the sidewalls of the frame to hold the disk drive tightly therebetween.

12. The data storage apparatus of claim 11, wherein the frame includes a post extending approximately orthogonally from an end of each sidewall, and the clip has a clip body with a pair of bent arms projecting from one side of the clip body, the clip coupling to the frame by wedging one of the posts of the frame between each arm and the clip body.

13. The data storage apparatus of claim 11, wherein the disk drive carrier further comprises an injector-ejector rotatably coupled to one end of the clip for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, one end of the injector-ejector having a projecting latch mechanism with a catch that extends from a surface thereof, and wherein the clip has an opening formed therein and a hook post projecting from one side of the clip near the opening, the latch mechanism entering the opening in the clip when the injector-ejector pivots to the closed position causing the catch to latch on to the hook post of the clip, thereby securing the injector-ejector in the closed position.

14. The data storage apparatus of claim 13, wherein each bay of the chassis has an upper track and a corresponding lower track, the chassis has a raised lip at a front end of each lower track, and each lower track has a slot adjacent the raised lip, and wherein one end of the injector-ejector has a leg adjacent a cutout region that straddles the lip when the injector-ejector is rotated into the closed position, the leg entering the slot and urging the disk drive assembly into the bay.

15. The data storage apparatus of claim 13, wherein the injector-ejector includes a pair of legs and a crossbeam extending between the legs, and the clip has a slot into which the crossbeam enters lengthwise to couple the injector-ejector to the clip without using a hardware fastener.

16. The data storage apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an adapter board abutting the base between the sidewalls of the frame and electrically connected to the disk drive.

17. The data storage apparatus of claim 16, wherein each sidewall of the frame has a flexible snap, the base of the frame has a pin projecting from an interior surface thereof, the adapter board has at least one opening to receive the pin, and the pin holds the adapter board in place when placed in the opening while the snaps of the sidewalls urge the adapter board against the base of the frame.

18. The data storage apparatus of claim 11, wherein the carrier-less disk drive is a 2.5″

disk drive.

19. The data storage apparatus of claim 11, wherein the frame has a width that is approximately equal to the thickness of the disk drive.

20. The data storage apparatus of claim 11, wherein the frame is integrally constructed.

21. The data storage apparatus of claim 11, wherein the frame and clip cooperate to hold the disk drive without using a hardware fastener.

22. A method for assembling a disk drive assembly, the method comprising:

rotatably coupling an injector-ejector to one end of a clip;

coupling one end of the clip to one of two opposing sidewalls of a three-sided carrier frame;

positioning a disk drive between the opposing sidewalls of the carrier frame so that integrally formed pins extending from interior surfaces of the opposing sidewalls can enter holes in opposite sides of the disk drive; and

coupling an opposite end of the clip to the other of the opposing sidewalls of the carrier frame, with the pins of the sidewalls entering the holes in the opposite sides of the disk drive, to cause the sidewalls to hold the disk drive tightly in position therebetween.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of attaching an adapter board between the opposing sidewalls of the carrier frame.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of electrically connecting the disk drive to the adapter board.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of electrically connecting a midplane connector to the adapter board.