1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer server and more particularly, to such a computer server, which provides a plurality of drive bays for selectively receive a hard disk drive and a combo device.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer servers are widely used in enterprises and organizations for the advantages of high data storage capacity and system stability. A computer server has multiple hard disk drives connected in series. Regular computer servers are standardized in size for the convenience of maintenance and management. In order to enhance market competitiveness, the limited internal space of a standard-sized computer server must be fully utilized to provide more data storage capacity.
However, similar to a regular personal computer, a computer server needs to use a DVD-ROM or floppy disk drive for certain works such as software installation, new edition update. However, these works are not frequently required. It is not economic to spare a drive bay in a computer server for a DVD-ROM/floppy disk drive.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a computer server, which fully utilizes the limited bay space such that the user can selectively insert a hard disk drive or a combo device into one drive bay.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the computer server comprises a plurality of drive bays, and at least one combo device. The drive bays each comprises two opposite sidewalls, a back wall, two sliding grooves respectively mounted on the two sidewalls, and a first female connector provided at the back wall, wherein at least one of the plurality of drive bays comprises a second female connector. The at least one combo device capable of correspondingly to insert into the at least one of the drive bays which has the second female connector, the at least one combo device comprises an optical disk drive, a floppy disk drive, and a rack. The optical disk drive has an optical disk drive male connector. The floppy disk drive has a floppy disk drive male connector. The rack for stacking up the optical disk drive and the floppy disk drive, the rack comprises a base frame, two side bars fixedly provided at two opposite lateral sides of the base frame, two sliding rails respectively provided at the two side bars for coupling to the two sliding grooves of the at least one of the drive bays which has the second female connector, and a combo device male connector integrated with the optical disk drive male connector and the floppy disk drive male connector and electrically connectable to the second female connector of the at least one of the drive bays.
Therefore, the invention has an optical disk drive and a floppy disk drive joined together to form a combo device corresponding to insert into the drive bay. In addition, the user can insert the combo device into the drive bay for data update. After data update, the user can remove the combo device from the drive bay, and then insert a hard disk drive into the drive bay under a hot plug environment. This design fully utilizes the limited internal space of the computer server. Because the combo device is a mobile design, it can be selectively installed in one of a number computer server, the design of the present invention saves much hardware installation cost.
The optical disk drive can be a thin type CD-ROM drive. Each the drive bays can be having a recess in a front wall thereof for receiving the optical disk drive of the combo device, and a spring-supported stop plate pivoted to the front wall adjacent to the recess for keeping the opening from sight after removal of the combo device from the respective drive bay. The computer server can further comprise a plurality of detachable hard disk drives each comprises a first male connector for electrically connecting to the first female connector of each of the drive bays correspondingly.
a is a schematic front view of a computer server constructed according to the present invention.
b is a perspective view of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the dual-purpose bay in the computer server.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
A thin type CD-ROM drive 3 and a floppy disk drive 4 have a respective male connector for connecting to a respective female connector in a computer or computer server. In case a bay is designed in a computer or computer server for thin type CD-ROM, floppy disk drive, or hard disk drive, it must be equipped with a CD-ROM female connector, a floppy disk drive female connector and a hard disk drive female connector so that a thin type CD-ROM drive, Floppy disk drive, a floppy disk drive and a hard disk drive can be alternatively installed in the bay. According to conventional designs, the position of the hard disk drive female connector is in conflict with the position of the floppy disk drive female connector. In order to eliminate this problem, the present invention has a CD-ROM female connector and a floppy disk drive female connector be integrated into a combo device female connector 31 and installed in the rack 2 (see
Referring to
In general, the invention has a CD-ROM drive and a floppy disk drive joined together to form a combo device corresponding to insert into the drive bay. This design fully utilizes the limited internal space of the computer server. Because the combo device is a mobile design, it can be selectively installed in one of a number computer server, the design of the present invention saves much hardware installation cost.
Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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93214389 U | Sep 2004 | TW | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20060050487 A1 | Mar 2006 | US |