Disk drive unit

• US 6,826,046 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Saville, William A., Muncaster, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US10/148,331
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 361/685, 361/687, 361/695, 361/697, 474/57, 474/184, 324/73.1, 324/158.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/142 by air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/144 by detection, control, regulation of the temperature

Abstract

A disk drive unit carrier (1) is adapted to carry a single disk drive unit (2). The carrier (1) includes a temperature control device (4) for controlling the temperature of the disk drive unit (2). The temperature control device (4) is preferably in the form of an air flow control device (5,6) for controlling the flow of air across the disk drive unit (2) appropriately according to the required temperature for the disk drive unit (2).

Claims

1. A disk drive unit carrier for receiving a disk drive unit, the carrier being adapted to carry one and only one disk drive unit and comprising a temperature control device for controlling the temperature of a disk drive unit received in the carrier to be at a predetermined temperature, the disk drive unit carrier being arranged to be releasably mountable in an apparatus that can receive a plurality of such disk drive unit carriers whilst enabling independent temperature control of the disk drive unit received in the carrier relative to other disk drive units received in other carriers mounted in the apparatus.

2. A carrier according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control device comprises an air flow control device for causing air to flow across a disk drive unit received in the carrier.

3. A carrier according to claim 2, and comprising a heat exchanger for selectively receiving and cooling at least a portion of the air that has passed over a disk drive unit received in the carrier thereby to provide chilled air, wherein the air flow control device is selectively operable to cause air to recirculate directly across a disk drive unit received in the carrier, or to cause at least a portion of the air that has passed over a disk drive unit received in the carrier to pass through the heat exchanger to provide chilled air and to cause said chilled air to flow across a disk drive unit received in the carrier, or to cause a mixture of directly recirculated air and chilled air to flow across a disk drive unit received in the carrier.

4. A carrier according to claim 3, wherein the air flow control device comprises a baffle which is selectively movable.

5. A carrier according to claim 4, comprising a servo control for controlling movement of the baffle.

6. A carrier according to claim 2, wherein the air flow control device is selectively operable to cause air to recirculate across a disk drive unit received in the carrier, or to cause fresh air from outside the carrier to flow across a disk drive unit received in the carrier, or to cause a mixture of recirculated air and fresh air from outside the carrier to flow across a disk drive unit received in the carrier.

7. A carrier according to claim 6, wherein the air flow control device comprises a baffle which is selectively movable.

8. A carrier according to claim 7, comprising a servo control for controlling movement of the baffle.

9. A carrier according to claim 6, comprising a selectively operable heater in the air flow path to a disk drive unit received in the carrier for selectively heating air prior to said air flowing across a disk drive unit received in the carrier.

10. A carrier according to claim 2, comprising a selectively operable heater in the air flow path to a disk drive unit received in the carrier for selectively heating air prior to said air flowing across a disk drive unit received in the carrier.

11. A carrier according to claim 3, comprising a selectively operable heater in the air flow path to a disk drive unit received in the carrier for selectively heating air prior to said air flowing across a disk drive unit received in the carrier.

12. A carrier according to claim 1, wherein the disk drive unit carrier is a disk drive unit test carrier for receiving a disk drive unit during testing of the disk drive unit.

13. Data storage apparatus, the apparatus comprising a plurality of carriers according to claim 1 each for receiving a respective disk drive unit to allow the temperature of the respective disk drive units to be independently controlled during operation of the disk drive units.

14. Disk drive unit test apparatus for receiving a plurality of disk drive units, the test apparatus comprising a plurality of carriers according to claim 1 each for receiving a respective disk drive unit to allow the temperature of the respective disk drive units to be independently controlled during testing of the disk drive units.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a controller for independent control of the temperature control devices of the disk drive unit carriers.

16. A method of testing a plurality of disk drive units, wherein the plurality of disk drive units are positioned within a single disk drive test apparatus, and the temperature of each of the disk drive units is independently controlled during testing of the disk drive units.

17. A method according to claim 16, comprising the step of controlling a flow of air across each of the disk drive units independently thereby to independently control the temperature of each of the disk drive units.

18. A method according to claim 17, comprising the step of, independently for each disk drive unit, controlling the flow of air across the disk drive unit to cause air to recirculate directly across the disk drive unit, or to cause chilled air obtained by passing at least a portion of the air that has passed over the disk drive unit through a heat exchanger to flow across the disk drive unit, or to cause a mixture of directly recirculating air and chilled air to flow across the disk drive unit.

19. A method according to claim 17, comprising the step of, independently for each disk drive unit, controlling the flow of air across the disk drive unit to cause air to recirculate across the disk drive unit, or to cause fresh air to flow across the disk drive unit, or to cause a mixture of recirculated air and fresh air to flow across the disk drive unit.

20. A method of operating a plurality of disk drive units, wherein each of the disk drive units is received in a disk drive unit carrier, the disk drive unit carriers are releasably mounted in a single data storage apparatus that can receive a plurality of such disk drive unit carriers, and the temperature of each of the disk drive units is independently controlled during operation of the disk drive units.

21. A method according to claim 20, comprising the step of controlling a flow of air across each of the disk drive units independently thereby to independently control the temperature of each of the disk drive units.

22. A method according to claim 21, comprising the step of, independently for each disk drive unit, controlling the flow of air across the disk drive unit to cause air to recirculate directly across the disk drive unit, or to cause chilled air obtained by passing at least a portion of the air that has passed over the disk drive unit through a heat exchanger to flow across the disk drive unit, or to cause a mixture of directly recirculating air and chilled air to flow across the disk drive unit.

23. A method according to claim 21, comprising the step of, independently for each disk drive unit, controlling the flow of air across the disk drive unit to cause air to recirculate across the disk drive unit, or to cause fresh air to flow across the disk drive unit, or to cause a mixture of recirculated air and fresh air to flow across the disk drive unit.

24. An apparatus that can receive a plurality of releasably mountable disk drive unit carriers, at least one of said disk drive unit carriers being adapted to carry only one disk drive unit and comprising a temperature control device for enabling independent temperature control of the disk drive unit received therein relative to other disk drive units received in other carriers mounted in the apparatus.