Patent Application
20120134092
This disclosure generally relates to information handling systems, and more particularly relates to a front removable cold swap hard disk drive carrier with internal release.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements can vary between different applications, information handling systems can also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information can be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems can include a variety of hardware and software components that can be configured to process, store, and communicate information and can include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
An information handling system such as a server can contain a number of hard disk drives. The hard disk drives may be either hot swap or cold swap hard disk drives that can be installed in the server via a hard disk driver carrier. The hot swap hard disk drives may be removed while power is provided to the server without experiencing data loss in the hot swap hard disk drives. However, cold swap hard disk drives preferably need the server to be powered down before they are removed to prevent data loss.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the Figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to other elements. Embodiments incorporating teachings of the present disclosure are shown and described with respect to the drawings presented herein, in which:
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.
The following description in combination with the Figures is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein. The following discussion will focus on specific implementations and embodiments of the teachings. This focus is provided to assist in describing the teachings and should not be interpreted as a limitation on the scope or applicability of the teachings. However, other teachings can certainly be utilized in this application.
The server 100 includes a number of disk drive units 102 connected to a static wall 104 of the server via connectors 106. The disk drive unit 102 includes the connector 106 and a hard disk drive 108. The static wall 104 includes a number of retention openings 110 that the connectors 106 can be inserted into to connect the disk drive unit 102 to the static wall. The static wall 104 is located within the server 100, such that a user preferably powers down the server, and takes off a lid of the server before releasing the connector 106 from the retention opening 110. The disk drive unit 102 is preferably any cold swap disk drive that should be connected to or removed from the server 100 only when the server is powered down in order to avoid data loss. Thus, connection of the connector 106 to the static wall 104 inside the server 100 can prevent data loss in the hard disk drive 108 based on the server 100 and the hard disk drive being powered down before the disk drive unit 102 is removed from the server.
The support 206 can extend in a substantially horizontal direction from an end of the curve portion 204 opposite the top portion 222, such that the support is substantially parallel with the top portion. The hook 208 is connected between the tab 110 and a distal end of the support 206 opposite the curve portion 204. The spring arm 212 extends toward the center and slightly in front of the base 202 from the inside of the left portion 218 of the base. The spring arm 214 extends toward the center and slightly in front of the base 202 from the inside of the right portion 220 of the base.
The disk drive unit 102 includes a tray 302, a hard disk drive 108, and the connector 106. The tray 302 includes a left side 304, a right side 306, and a bottom 308. The hard disk drive 108 is in physical communication with the left side 304, with the right side 306, and with the bottom 308 of the tray 302. The connector 106 preferably extends up from the bottom 308 of the tray 302, and is preferably located behind the hard disk drive 108 such that the support 206 and the tab 210 extend away from the hard disk drive.
As the disk drive unit 102 slides further into the bay of the server 100, the angled portion of the hook 208 provides a force on the support 206 to cause the support to flex away from the static wall 104 as shown in
To release the connector 106 from the retention opening 110 of the static wall 104, a downward force can be applied to the tab 210, such that the support 206 flexes away from the top of the retention opening. When the support 206 has flexed enough that the hook 208 is below the top of the retention opening 110, the spring arms 212 and 214 can exert a force against the static wall 104 to cause the disk drive unit 102 to slide away from the static wall. The force of the spring arms 212 and 214 can be such that when the hook 208 is removed from within the retention opening 110, the disk drive unit 102 returns to the position as shown in
At block 812, the disk drive unit is secured within the bay of the server in response to a force exerted against the static wall by a spring arm of the connector. A tab of the connector is pressed down to remove the hook from around the top of the retention opening at block 814. At block 816, a force is applied from the spring arm of the connector to the static wall. The disk drive unit is removed from the bay of the server at block 818.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.
