Modular data storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851764-B2
Application number	US-201514832676-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2015
Priority date	Aug 21, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A modular data storage system can consist of at least first and second enclosures spanning a single pair of rails. The first and second enclosures may each have keyed couplers that mate to align the first and second enclosures along a common plane while being suspended between the single pair of rails.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising first and second enclosures suspended by a single pair of rails in a rack, the first and second enclosures each having keyed couplers that mate to align the first and second enclosures along a common plane between the single pair of rails, each keyed coupler having a frame cantilevered from the respective enclosures, each frame comprising a notch separated from a protrusion by a service aperture, a first notch of a first keyed coupler of the first enclosure sized to secure a first protrusion of a second keyed coupler of the second enclosure to allow movement of the first and second enclosures in a first direction opposite and parallel to gravity and prevent movement of the first and second enclosures in a second direction corresponding to gravity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which each enclosure houses at least one data storage device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which each keyed coupler is a unidirectional hinge rotating about a common axis extending through the service apertures of each keyed coupler in response to force applied in the first direction and preventing rotation about the common axis in response to force applied in the second direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which each enclosure is disposed between a rail protrusion and the keyed coupler along the common plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , in which the rail protrusion slidingly contacts a first rail of the single pair of rails and is maintained in contact with the first rail by gravity.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the keyed couplers of the first and second enclosures have mirrored orientations.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the frame of the first keyed coupler is oriented opposite the frame of the second keyed coupler.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the first protrusion is secured in the first notch concurrently while a second protrusion of the second keyed coupler is secured by a second notch of the second keyed coupler to retain the first and second enclosures along the common plane.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the keyed couplers are rotated about a common axis to engage the first notch with the first protrusion, the common axis oriented parallel to the common plane.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which a weight of each enclosure forces the first protrusion into the first notch.

11. A system comprising first and second enclosures in different layers attached to and suspended by a single support rail in a rack, first and second keyed couplers attached to the respective first and second enclosures, the keyed couplers configured to mate and align the first and second enclosures to the single support rail, each keyed coupler having a frame cantilevered from the respective enclosures, each frame comprising a notch separated from a protrusion by a service aperture, a first notch of a first keyed coupler of the first enclosure sized to secure a first protrusion of a second keyed coupler of the second enclosure to allow movement of the first and second enclosures in a first direction and prevent movement of the first and second enclosures in a second direction.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein each keyed coupler is attached via a fastener.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein third and fourth keyed couplers physically connect the respective first enclosure to a third enclosure and the second enclosure to a fourth enclosure.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second keyed couplers continuously extend along a majority of a length of the first and second enclosures.

15. The system of claim 11 , further comprising individual midplanes that attach to the first and second enclosures to permit servicing flexibility.

16. A method comprising:
attaching a first keyed coupler to a first enclosure, the first keyed coupler comprising a first frame cantilevered from the first enclosure, the first frame having a first notch separated from a first protrusion by a first service aperture;
attaching a second keyed coupler to a second enclosure, the second keyed coupler comprising a second frame cantilevered from the second enclosure, the second frame having a second notch separated from a second protrusion by a second service aperture;
mating the first protrusion and the second notch to secure the keyed couplers together and to align the first and second enclosures along a common plane and allow movement of the first and second enclosures in a first direction opposite and parallel to gravity while preventing movement of the first and second enclosures in a second direction corresponding to gravity; and
suspending the first and second enclosures between a single pair of rails.

17. The method of claim 16 , in which the keyed couplers maintain alignment of the first and second enclosures by gravity forcing the second protrusion in the first notch.

18. The method of claim 16 , in which the keyed couplers are disengaged by applying force in the first direction.

19. The method of claim 16 , in which the keyed couplers are mated by rotating the first enclosure relative to the second enclosure.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second enclosures form a tray and multiple trays are concurrently positioned in a rack with each tray being suspended between a single pair of rails and separated from other trays.

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• Harvilchuck Laurence A
• Worrall Alexander C

Classifications

• H05K5/0021

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H05K7/1405

  by clips or resilient members, e.g. hooks · CPC title

• G06F1/185

  Mounting of expansion boards · CPC title

• G06F1/187 Primary

  Mounting of fixed or removable disk drives · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title