Patent Application
20070187288
This invention generally relates to a disk holding device. More particularly, this invention relates to a locking mechanism for a disk holding device.
Hard drive disks and semi-conductor wafers typically are manufactured in one location and packaged in disk holding devices, which are subsequently placed in a container for shipment to another location. The disk holding devices eventually are removed from the containers and used to store the hard drive disks during distribution in a production process. The hard drive disks must be protected during all phases of a normal production cycle.
A variety of disk holding devices have been developed for packaging, shipping and distributing disks. Typical disk holding devices include a cassette portion, a cover, a base portion and a latch to lock the device closed. As is known, hard drive disks are received within a plurality of slots within the cassette portion interior. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,059. Other disk holding devices are also known.
During the production process, it is often necessary for the cover to be removed from the cassette portion of the disk holding device to access the hard drive disks stored within. Automated machinery is often utilized to unlock and remove the cover of the disk holding device. To achieve this result, and because of the locking design of the latch arm of known disk holding devices, the automated machinery must manipulate the latch arm by applying an outward pulling force on the latch arm in a direction away from the interior of the disk holding device to unlock and remove the cover. The manipulation applied by the automated machinery may fail to unlock the latch arm in a relatively large number of instances. Disadvantageously, this may result in decreased production efficiency and increased manufacturing complaints concerning the disk holding devices.
As such, there is a need for an improved arrangement for locking a disk holding device that achieves improved interaction with automated machinery used in the distribution process. This invention provides an improved latch arm that satisfies that need.
An exemplary disclosed disk holding device includes a latch arm for locking the disk holding device. The latch arm has a locking tab near an end of the latch arm that extends in a direction facing away from an interior of the disk holding device. This orientation of the locking tab is the opposite of what has been the standard approach.
One example disk holding device comprises a cassette portion having side walls and includes a base portion on one side of the cassette portion and a cover on the opposite side of the cassette portion.
In one example, the latch arm extends from the cover toward the base portion and selectively engages at least one locking surface on the base portion. In one example, a locking tab of the latch arm selectively engages the locking surface on the base portion. With such an arrangement a force toward the interior of the cassette applied to the latch arm enables unlocking the disk holding device.
One example latch arm includes a lifting ledge that extends from the latch arm in substantially the same direction as the locking tab.
One disclosed example includes a disk holding device having a cover including a latch arm near one end of the cover. The latch arm of this example includes a first surface that faces generally toward an opposite end of the cover and a second surface that faces opposite of the first surface. A locking tab protrudes from the second surface in a direction away from the cover.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can briefly be described as follows.
At least one of the opposing end walls 24, 26 includes a channel 34. In one example, both end walls 24 and 26 include a channel 34. In the illustrated example, the channel 34 is generally U-shaped. The channel 34 is provided on at least one end wall 24, 26 for access to the hard drive disks 12 when packaged in the cassette portion 14.
In the illustrated example, the base portion 16 is secured on one side of the cassette portion 14 using an interference fit, for example. In another example, the base portion 16 is formed as a single piece, integral with the cassette portion 14. The cover 18 is received against an opposite side of the cassette portion 14 from the base portion 16. The cover 18 includes a latch arm 32 for locking the disk holding device 10 that extends toward the base portion 16 and is selectively secured to a locking surface 36 of the base portion 16. In one example, the cover 18 includes two latch arms 32, with one latch arm 32 positioned at each end of the cover 18.
3. In one disclosed example, Referring to
The example latch arm 32 includes a locking tab 46 that protrudes from the second surface 44 away from the cover 18. In one example, the locking tab 46 is positioned at a distal end of the latch arm 32. The latch arm also includes a lifting ledge 48 and at least one finger grip 50. The lifting ledge 48 may assist automated removal of the cover 18 as described below. In the disclosed example, two finger grips 50 are included on the latch arm 32. The finger grips 50 may assist a user in manually manipulating the cover 18 relative to the disk holding device 10.
In one example, the lifting ledge 48 and at least one finger grip 50 extend in substantially the same direction as the locking tab 46. The example lifting ledge 48 is positioned on the second surface 44 of the latch arm 32 between the finger grip 50 and the locking tab 46. Each of the locking tab 46, the lifting ledge 48 and the finger grip 50 protrude in a transverse direction away from the second surface 44 of the latch arm 32. The transverse direction faces away from the interior 28 of the disk holding device 10, for example. Having a latch arm 32 with features such as the locking tab 46 that face away from the interior 28 of the disk holding device 10 is the opposite of previous designs. The example embodiment facilitates improves interaction between the disk holding device 10 and automated machinery used to manipulate the latch arm 32 during a production process.
An exemplary base portion 16 includes a locking surface 36 near one end wall 53. In one example, the end wall 53 includes arm portions 58 adjacent the locking surface 36 to provide support and rigidity. The locking surface 36 extends between the two arm portions 58. A groove 60 exists between the end wall 53 and the locking surface 36. At least a portion of the latch arm 32 is received through the groove 60 when the cover 18, the cassette portion 14 and the base 16 are assembled as shown in
A groove 52 is formed on the latch arm 32 between the two finger grips 50. The groove 52 on the surface 44 exists, in part, to establish a boss 54 that extends from the first surface 40 of the latch arm toward the interior of the device 10. The boss 54 selectively engages the channel 34 of an end wall 24, 26 to seal the disk holding device 10 when the cover 18 is received and locked on the cassette portion 14 (see
An assembled disk holding device 10 is illustrated in
While maintaining the force F on the latch arm 32, the arm 72 moves in an opening direction D2 to remove the cover 18 from the disk holding device 10, as is illustrated in
In another example, the latch arm 32 and the cover 18 are manually manipulated to remove the cover 18. For example, an individual may press against the surface 44 and use the finger grips 50 to manipulate the cover as desired.
The illustrated example includes various features that provide improved interaction between production machinery and a disk holding device to achieve a more simple method of unlocking a latch arm, for example. The illustrated example includes a combination of improved latch arm and base portion features. For example, the position of the latch arm 32 within the groove 60 provides more security compared to previous arrangements where a latch arm engaged a base from the outside edge of the base. Those skilled in the art that have the benefit of this description will be able to utilize a latch arm having a locking tab, a base portion with a locking surface, a lifting ledge or finger grips or any combination of these features to meet the needs of their particular situation.
The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this invention. The scope of legal protection given to this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.
