Shape memory alloy locking mechanism

• US 8,827,331 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Corcoran, Philip M., Eckberg, Eric A., Rico, Joseph D., Seminaro, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Lee D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoon, Seahee
• Application Number:
  US13/154,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20120308294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 269/131, 269/903, 269/43, 269/24, 269/27, 269/228, 269/71, 292/811, 292/61, 292/71, 403/33
• US Class Current: 292/336.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2015/0468 made of one piece with a lock part
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2015/0493 Overcenter springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0009 with thermo-electric actuators, e.g. heated bimetals
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/104 actuated in response to heat, e.g. with fusible element, bimetal, memory shape or swelling material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• 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 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0004 Devices wherein the heating current flows through the material to be heated Circuit arrangements for heating by passing the current directly across the material to be heated H05B3/0023; granular, powdered or fluid material H05B3/60
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 269/903 Work holder for electrical circuit assemblages or wiring systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/38 Plastic latch parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

A hardware retention mechanism comprising a frame including a first guide shoulder and a pivot point; an actuator arm including a first guide post; and a first shape memory alloy wire strung between the first guide shoulder and the first guide post that rotates the actuator arm between a locked position and an unlocked position. The actuator arm is rotatable around the pivot point between a locked position and an unlocked position. In some embodiments, the frame may further comprise a second guide shoulder, the actuator arm may further comprise a second guide post, and a second shape memory alloy wire may be strung between the second guide shoulder and the second guide post that rotates the actuator arm between an unlocked position and a locked position.

Claims

1. A hardware retention mechanism, comprising:

a frame comprising a first guide shoulder, a second guide shoulder, and a pivot point;

an actuator arm comprising a first guide post and a second guide post, the actuator arm rotatable around the pivot point between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a first shape memory alloy wire strung between the first guide shoulder and the first guide post that rotates the actuator arm between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a second shape memory alloy wire strung between the second guide shoulder and the second guide post that rotates the actuator arm between an unlocked position and a locked position; and

an over-center feature that biases the actuator arm into one of the unlocked position or the unlocked position, wherein the over-center feature comprises;

a detent attached to the frame; and

a curved spring member integrated into the actuator arm that biases against the detent, whereby the actuator arm rotates away from a neutral position.

2. The hardware retention mechanism of claim 1, wherein the over-center feature biases a locking pin into one of the locked position or the unlocked position without external power.

3. A hardware retention mechanism, comprising:

a frame comprising a first guide shoulder, a second guide shoulder, and a pivot point;

an actuator arm comprising a first guide post, a second guide post and a locking pin, the actuator arm rotatable around the pivot point between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a first shape memory alloy wire strung between the first guide shoulder and the first guide post that rotates the actuator arm between a locked position and an unlocked position; and

a second shape memory alloy wire strung between the second guide shoulder and the second guide post that rotates the actuator arm between an unlocked position and a locked position.

4. The hardware retention mechanism of claim 3, further comprising:

a carrier adapted to receive the frame, the carrier comprising a carrier locking slot;

a release tab coupled to the carrier, the release tab comprising a tab locking slot;

wherein the locking pin engages both the carrier locking slot and the tab locking slot when the actuator arm is in the locked position.

5. The hardware retention mechanism of claim 4, wherein the locking pin and the carrier cooperate to physically prevent the carrier from being removed from a device rack when the locking pin is in the locked position.

6. The hardware retention mechanism of claim 3:

wherein the locking pin is integrated into a first end of the actuator arm;

wherein an over-center mechanism integrated into an opposite end of the actuator arm; and

wherein the actuator arm further comprises an integrated pivot pin between the locking pin and an over-center mechanism.

7. The hardware retention mechanism of claim 3, wherein the first and second shape memory alloy wires comprise redundant actuator structures, whereby no single failure may cause disablement of locking pin bias control.

8. The hardware retention mechanism of claim 3, further comprising two wire connectors removeably coupled to the frame adjacent to the first and second guide shoulders.

9. A disk drive frame locking mechanism, comprising:

a frame comprising a plurality of guide shoulders and a pivot point;

a carrier adapted to receive the frame, the carrier including a main latch adapted for selectable engagement with a receiver;

an actuator arm comprising a plurality of integrated wire guide posts located between an integrated locking pin and an integrated over-center mechanism;

a first set of redundant shape memory alloy wires, each strung between one of the plurality of guide shoulders and one of the plurality of integrated guide posts, that rotate the actuator arm around the pivot point when electrically heated such that the locking pin engages with the main latch, thereby preventing the main latch from being disengaged from the receiver; and

a second set of redundant shape memory alloy wires, each strung between one of the plurality of guide shoulders and one of the plurality of integrated guide posts, that rotate the locking pin around the pivot point when electrically heated such that the locking pin disengages from the main latch, thereby allowing the main latch to be disengaged from the receiver;

wherein the over-center mechanism maintains a position of the actuator arm without external power.