Convertible hard drive tray

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9625960-B1
Application number	US-201615086285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

One embodiment provides an apparatus, including: a processor; a hard drive operatively coupled to the processor; and a tray that houses the hard drive; said tray comprising a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a pivotable planar element; wherein the pivotable planar element rotates relative to the bottom to relocate from the bottom of the tray to a side of the tray. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising: a processor; a hard drive operatively coupled to the processor; and a tray that houses said hard drive; said tray comprising a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a pivotable planar element; wherein said pivotable planar element rotates relative to said bottom to relocate from the bottom of the tray to a side of the tray; wherein, in a side position, said pivotable planer element forms a resized tray opening that houses a different hard drive; and wherein, in a bottom position, said pivotable planar element lies flat on the bottom of the tray to form a first tray opening that accommodates the hard drive.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pivotable planar element extends from the bottom.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said different hard drive is about 2.5 inches along one dimension.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said hard drive is about 3.5 inches along one dimension.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said pivotable planar element comprises two or more planar elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said two or more planar elements are attached to one another.

7. A hard drive tray, comprising: a tray; said tray comprising a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a pivotable planar element; wherein said pivotable planar element rotates relative to said bottom to relocate from the bottom of the tray to a side of the tray; wherein, in a side position, said pivotable planar element forms a resized tray opening that houses a different hard drive size; and wherein, in a bottom position, said pivotable planar element lies flat on the bottom of the tray to form a first tray opening that accommodates a first hard drive.

8. The hard drive tray of claim 7 , wherein the pivotable planar element extends from the bottom.

9. The hard drive tray of claim 7 , wherein said different hard drive is about 2.5 inches along one dimension.

10. The hard drive tray of claim 7 , wherein said pivotable planar element comprises two or more planar elements.

11. The hard drive tray of claim 10 , wherein said two or more planar elements are attached to one another.

12. A kit, comprising:
a hard drive tray, comprising:
a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a planar element attached to a hinge;

wherein, in a bottom position, said planar element lies flat on the bottom of the tray to form a first tray opening that accommodates a first hard drive size;
wherein said planar element rotates about said hinge to relocate from a bottom of the tray to a side of the tray; and
wherein, in said side position, said planar element forms a resized tray opening that houses a different hard drive size;
said kit comprising a hard drive of a size selected from the group consisting of the first hard drive size and the different hard drive size.

13. The kit of claim 12 , wherein said different hard drive is smaller than said first hard drive.

14. The kit of claim 13 , wherein said different hard drive is about 2.5 inches along one dimension, and further wherein said hard drive is about 3.5 inches along one dimension.

15. The kit of claim 12 , wherein:
said planar element comprises two or more planar elements;
said two or more planar elements are attached to one another by a hinge; and
wherein said two or more planar elements articulate about one anther to form a box arrangement defining said resized tray opening that houses the different hard drive.

16. The kit of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the two or more planar elements includes an aperture for attaching a pin via the aperture.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Ent Ali Kathryn
• Samper Rodrigo
• Li Shuang
• Jianyang Chen

Classifications

• G06F1/187 Primary

  Mounting of fixed or removable disk drives · CPC title

• G11B33/124 Primary

  of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis · CPC title

• H05K5/0226

  Hinges · CPC title