Hard disk drive carrier latch apparatus

• US 7,782,606 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Crippen, Martin Joseph, Trumbo, Brian Alan, Kerrigan, Brian Michael, Baker, Bruce Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desai; Nidhi
• Application Number:
  US12/119,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20090279248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 36167901-67945, 361724-727, 36167955-67959, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 360/97.01, 360/98.01
• US Class Current: 361/679.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A hard disk drive carrier having a latch apparatus to facilitate leveraged insertion of a hard disk drive into a receiving drive bay to an interfaced position, securing of the hard disk drive carrier in the drive bay when the hard disk drive secured to the carrier interfaces with a host computer, leveraged dislodgement of the hard disk drive from its interfaced position for removal of the hard disk drive from the drive bay, and proper positioning of the latch apparatus upon insertion of the hard disk drive carrier to ensure proper engagement of the latch apparatus with the drive bay for leveraged insertion and removal.

Claims

1. A hard disk drive carrier, comprising:

a case adapted to be secured to a proximal end of a hard disk drive housing;

a handle pivotally secured to the case intermediate a first end and a second end;

a lateral follower pivotally secured to the case by a pin and slot coupling and operatively coupled to the handle by a pin and slot coupling, wherein each pin and slot coupling includes a slot slidably receiving a pin; and

a spring laterally biasing a latch key on the follower towards a slot of a hard disk drive bay;

wherein pivotal movement of the handle from an open position to a closed position deploys the latch key on the follower beyond a lateral edge of the case and into the slot of the hard disk drive bay and then draws the latch key in a proximal direction, and wherein pivotal movement of the handle from a closed position to an open position moves the latch key in a distal direction and then retracts the latch key from the slot of the hard disk drive housing and within a lateral edge of the case.

2. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the follower is pivotally secured to the case by a pin extending from the case being received within a guide slot formed in the follower.

3. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 2, wherein the guide slot formed in the follower is positioned adjacent an opposite end of the follower from the key.

4. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the follower is operatively coupled to the handle by a pin extending from the handle being received within an actuation slot formed in the follower.

5. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 4, wherein the pin extending from the handle is positioned at a distal end of the handle.

6. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 4, wherein the actuation slot has an axis that is substantially parallel to the lateral follower.

7. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 4, wherein the actuation slot formed in the follower is positioned adjacent the key.

8. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 7, wherein the handle pin is allowed to slide within actuation slot so that the handle may be closed without forcing further lateral displacement of the follower beyond a deployed position.

9. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 4, wherein the spring has a first end coupled to the follower and a second end coupled to the handle pin.

10. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the spring has a first end coupled to the follower and a second end coupled to the case.

11. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the spring has a first end coupled to the follower and a second end coupled to the handle.

12. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the follower includes a stop key at the opposite end of the follower from the latch key.

13. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 12, wherein the deployed position of the stop key corresponds to a retracted position of the latch key, and wherein the retracted position of the stop key corresponds to the deployed position of the latch key.

14. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 1, further comprising a spring-biased locking pawl for securing the handle in the closed position.

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

a pair of rails secured to the case, wherein the pair of rails adapt the case to be secured to the proximal end of the hard disk drive housing.

16. The hard disk drive carrier of claim 15, wherein each rail is securely positionable within a channel of the hard disk drive bay.