Top accessible disk drive carrier for horizontally mounted hard drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9426920-B2
Application number	US-201314107846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2013
Priority date	Oct 25, 2011
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

A disk drive carrier includes a frame and a shuttle. The frame includes supports configured to be in physical communication with a disk drive, a first index tab to align the disk drive with a connector on a backplane of a server tray, and an arm configured to engage the disk drive with the connector in a horizontal orientation. The shuttle includes a base including a channel, edges extending from the base and forming an enclosure to receive the frame and the disk drive in a vertical orientation, a fastener connected to the server tray through the channel, and an alignment key configured to slide along the first index tab and to align the disk drive with the connector. The disk drive shuttle is configured to horizontally move along the server tray and to enable the disk drive to connect with the connector in the horizontal orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A disk drive frame comprising: a plurality of supports configured to be in physical communication with a disk drive; a first index tab connected to the supports, the first index tab configured to align the disk drive with a connector on a backplane of a server tray; and an arm connected to the supports, the arm configured to engage the disk drive with the connector in a horizontal orientation; and an enclosure of a shuttle, wherein the disk drive and disk drive frame are inserted into the enclosure in a vertical direction from the top of the disk drive frame prior to the disk drive being engaged with the connector on the backplane; and a lock of the shuttle, wherein the lock is configured to hold the shuttle in a first position to enable the disk drive to connect with the backplane.

2. The disk drive frame of claim 1 further comprising:
a spring connected to the arm, the spring configured to basis the arm up from the supports.

3. The disk drive frame of claim 1 further comprising:
a head connected to the arm, the head configured to push the disk drive frame toward the backplane when the head engages the server tray.

4. The disk drive frame of claim 1 further comprising:
a knob on the head, the knob configured to snap fit within a recess of the server tray and to lock the disk drive engaged with the connector.

5. The disk drive frame of claim 1 further comprising:
a second index tab connected to the supports, the second index tab configured to hold the disk drive in a proper alignment with the connector.

6. A disk drive carrier comprising: a frame including: a plurality of supports configured to be in physical communication with a disk drive; a first index tab connected to the supports, the first index tab configured to align the disk drive with a connector on a backplane of a server tray; and an arm connected to the supports, the arm configured to engage the disk drive with the connector in a horizontal orientation; and a shuttle including: an enclosure to receive the frame and the disk drive in a vertical orientation, wherein the shuttle is configured to horizontally move along the server tray and to enable the disk drive to connect with the connector in the horizontal orientation; and an alignment key connected to the enclosure, the alignment key configured to slide along the first index tab and to align the disk drive with the connector; and a lock of the shuttle, wherein the lock is configured to hold the shuttle in a first position to enable the disk drive to connect with the backplane.

7. The disk drive carrier of claim 6 , wherein the lock is a push/push trigger lock.

8. The disk drive carrier of claim 6 further comprising:
a spring connected to the enclosure, the spring configured to basis the shuttle in a second position away from the backplane.

9. The disk drive carrier of claim 6 further comprising:
a spring connected to the arm, the spring configured to basis the arm up from the supports.

10. The disk drive carrier of claim 6 further comprising:
a head connected to the arm, the head configured to push the frame, the disk drive, and the shuttle toward the backplane in the horizontal orientation when the head engages the server tray.

11. The disk drive carrier of claim 10 further comprising:
a knob on the head, the knob configured to snap fit within a recess of the server tray and to lock the disk drive engaged with the connector.

12. The disk drive carrier of claim 6 wherein the disk drive is a horizontally mountable disk drive.

13. The disk drive carrier of claim 6 further comprising:
a second index tab connected to the supports, the second index tab configured to hold the alignment key in between the first index tab and the second index tab and to hold the disk drive in a proper alignment with the connector.

14. A disk drive frame comprising: a plurality of supports configured to be in physical communication with a disk drive; and an arm connected to the supports, the arm configured to engage the disk drive with a connector on a backplane of a server tray in a horizontal orientation; an enclosure of a shuttle, wherein the disk drive and disk drive frame are inserted into the enclosure in a vertical direction from the top of the disk drive frame prior to the disk drive being engaged with the connector on the backplane; and a lock of the shuttle, wherein the lock is configured to hold the shuttle in a first position to enable the disk drive to connect with the backplane.

15. The disk drive frame of claim 14 further comprising:
a spring connected to the arm, the spring configured to basis the arm up from the supports.

16. The disk drive frame of claim 14 further comprising:
a head connected to the arm, the head configured to push the disk drive frame toward the backplane when the head engages the server tray.

17. The disk drive frame of claim 14 further comprising:
a knob on the head, the knob configured to snap fit within a recess of the server tray and to lock the disk drive engaged with the connector.

18. The disk drive frame of claim 14 further comprising:
an index tab connected to the supports, the index tab configured to hold the disk drive in a proper alignment with the connector.

19. The disk drive frame of claim 14 wherein the disk drive is a horizontally mountable disk drive.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Terwilliger Kevin
• Crisp Richard A
• Orand Austin J
• Lewis Garrett R
• Kramer Paul

Classifications

• G11B33/12 Primary

  Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules · CPC title

• G11B33/128

  of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis · CPC title

• H05K7/1401 Primary

  comprising clamping or extracting means (H05K7/10 takes precedence) · CPC title