Storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10969836-B2
Application number	US-201816171977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2018
Priority date	Oct 27, 2017
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a storage system. The storage system comprises: at least one storage device array enclosure, each of the storage device array enclosure accommodating storage devices, which are arranged in columns and have gaps existing between adjacent storage devices; each storage device array enclosure includes a cap for covering accommodated storage devices; the cap includes vents and windshield bars, such that when the cap is in a closed state, the vents abut against an upper surface of the corresponding storage devices and the windshield bars cover the gaps between adjacent storage devices. The design of the cap in the storage system of the present disclosure can ensure that during the maintenance of the storage devices in the storage device array enclosure, the cooling airflow is capable of passing through the vents of the opened cap and then entering inside of another storage device array enclosure above the maintained storage device array enclosure, so as to effectively improve thermal performance inside the storage device array enclosure.

First claim

We claim:

1. A storage system, comprising:
at least one storage device array enclosure, the at least one storage device array enclosure including:
a casing;
a plurality of storage devices at least partially disposed within the casing, the storage devices arranged in columns and defining gaps between adjacent storage devices, the storage devices configured for storing data;
a cap mountable relative to the casing and movable between an open state to permit access to the storage devices and a closed state to cover the storage devices, the cap including vents and bars between adjacent vents, such that when the cap is in the closed state, the vents abut against upper surfaces of respective storage devices and the bars cover respective gaps between adjacent storage devices to prevent release of air from the gaps.

2. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the bars and the vents are arranged in parallel relation with each other.

3. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the bars and the vents are staggered, thereby forming a grid structure.

4. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein a width of a single bar is greater than a width of a single gap between adjacent storage devices, such that the single bar is in contacting relation with upper surfaces of adjacent storage devices when in the closed state of the cap to close a respective gap defined between adjacent storage devices.

5. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein an open area of a single vent is smaller than an area of the upper surface of a single storage device.

6. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein a number of the vents in the cap is equal to a number of storage devices in each column of the storage devices.

7. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one storage device array enclosure includes an outer member, the casing being disposed within the outer member and being movable with respect to the outer member to expose the cap and permit movement of the cap from the closed state to the open state.

8. The storage system of claim 7 , wherein the cap is rotatably mounted to the casing.

9. The storage system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one storage device array enclosure at least includes a first storage device array enclosure and a second storage device array enclosure disposed on top of the first storage device array enclosure in superposed relation, wherein, when the cap of the first storage device array enclosure is in the open state, air is capable of passing through the vents of the cap of the first storage device array enclosure and enter the second storage device array enclosure.

10. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the storage devices comprise disk devices.

11. A storage system, comprising:
a first storage device array enclosure, including:
a casing;
a plurality of storage devices at least partially disposed within the casing and arranged in side by side relation, adjacent storage devices defining a gap therebetween, the storage devices configured for storing data; and
a cap mounted to the casing and movable between an open state to permit access to the storage devices and a closed state to cover the storage devices, the cap defining an alternating series of bars and vents;

wherein when in the closed state of the cap, the bars span respective gaps defined between adjacent storage devices to close the gaps.

12. The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the cap is rotatably mounted to the casing and rotates between the open state and the closed state.

13. The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the bars are each configured to contact respective adjacent storage devices to close respective gaps when in the closed state of the cap.

14. The storage system of claim 13 , wherein the vents of the cap are aligned with respective storage devices when the cap is in the closed state.

15. The storage system of claim 11 , including first and second rows of the storage devices, each of the first and second rows having the storage devices arranged in side by side relation.

16. The storage system of claim 15 , including a first cap mounted to the casing and associated with the first row of the storage devices and a second cap mounted to the casing and associated with the second row of the storage devices, wherein the first and second caps are each respectively movable between the open and closed states relative to the first and second rows of the storage devices.

17. The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the first storage device array enclosure includes an outer member, the casing being disposed within the outer member and being movable with respect to the outer member to expose the cap and permit movement of the cap from the closed state to the open state.

18. The storage system of claim 17 , including a second storage device array enclosure disposed in superposed relation with respect to the first storage device array enclosure, wherein, when the cap of the first storage device array enclosure is in the open state, air is capable of passing through the vents of the cap and enter gaps defined between adjacent storage devices of the second storage device array enclosure.

19. A storage system, comprising:
a first storage device array enclosure, including:
a casing;
a plurality of storage devices at least partially disposed within the casing and arranged in side by side relation, adjacent storage devices defining a gap therebetween, the storage devices configured for storing data;
a cap mounted to the casing and movable between an open state to permit access to the storage devices and a closed state to cover the storage devices, the cap defining an alternating series of bars and vents, wherein when in the closed state of the cap, the bars are aligned with respective gaps defined between adjacent storage devices to cover the gaps; and

a second storage device array enclosure disposed in superposed relation relative to the first storage device array enclosure;
wherein the casing of the first storage device array enclosure is movable relative to the second storage device array enclosure to at least partially expose the plurality of storage devices and the cap, and permit the cap to move from the closed state to the open state; and
wherein, when in the open state of the cap, air is capable of passing through the vents of the cap and enter the second storage device array enclosure.

20. The storage system of claim 19 , wherein the storage devices comprise disk devices.

Assignees

• Emc Ip Holding Co Llc

Inventors

• Zhai Haifang
• Dong David
• Wu Hendry
• Zhou Yujie

Classifications

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title

• G06F1/182

  with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI] · CPC title

• G06F1/187 Primary

  Mounting of fixed or removable disk drives · CPC title