The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system storage devices, and more particularly to an information handling system rotating storage drive bay latch.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may 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 may 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 may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems include specialized storage servers that include a large number of storage devices in a shared housing, such as hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD) that are held in storage bays. A typical storage server or storage array will interface the storage devices with a network interface that is accessible to an enterprise or through the Internet. Centralized storage that is accessible through a network provides a convenient solution for enterprises to store and manage large amounts of data that can accumulate related to enterprise activities. Deploying storage devices to storage bays provides a scalable and maintainable storage system. For example, as storage needs increase or decrease, the available storage is readily adjusted by adding or removing storage devices of different sizes at the storage bays. In the event of a storage device failure, the failed device is simply removed and replaced with a new storage device. As an example, one commercially available storage server supports two banks of twelve HDDs in two rows of four storage bays that each accept three HDDs. A front bank is readily accessible at a front of the server and a rear bank behind the front bank is accessible by rotating the storage bays up and out of the server housing. Generally, the storage devices insert into one of the bays to couple with a connector that interfaces the storage device with a backplane and network. After the storage drive is replaced, the bay is closed and the server interacts with the storage device.
One difficulty with arranging storage devices in a storage server is ensuring adequate cooling airflow to maintain the storage devices within operating constraints. To encourage adequate airflow and also mitigate cooling fan induced HDD read/write errors associated with acoustic dynamics, a dedicated air channel is typically provided, such as with a space between the banks of storage devices. This reserved space tends to restrict end user access to the rear bay and limits insertion or inclusion of tools to aid access to the rear bay. Another difficulty is that storage devices tend to have a relatively large weight that makes a structure for raising and lowering the rear bank of storage devices difficult. Typically, the rear bay hinge includes torque elements and an ergonomic spring to hold the rear bay in a raised position while storage devices are replaced. The relatively heavy weight of the storage devices and the forces associated with torque and spring devices can result in excessive closing and opening forces when end users attempt to access the rear bank of storage devices by grabbing onto surface edges of the rear bay.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a system and method which provides a rotating storage drive bay latch.
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are provided which substantially reduce the disadvantages and problems associated with previous methods and systems that manage access to storage devices disposed in storage bays. A latch rotationally couples to a storage drive bay between a stored position and a raised position accessible to an end user grasp. At the raised position, a lifting force applied to the latch translates to rotate the storage bay drive upwards and out of an information handling system housing.
More specifically, an information handling system processes information with a processor and memory disposed in a housing having a first storage drive bay exposed at one end and a second storage drive bay coupled in a middle position proximate to a rear side of the first storage drive bay with a gap between the front of the second storage drive bay and the rear of the first storage drive bay. The second storage drive bay rotationally couples to the housing with a hinge coupled to the rear of the second storage drive bay to rotate between a planar stored position and a raised position that exposes storage devices disposed in the second storage drive bay, such as hard disk drives. A latch rotationally couples on each opposing side of the second storage drive bay to assist in raising the second storage drive bay to the raised position for access to the storage devices. The latch has a stored position within the gap and held in place by a cover coupled to the housing over the gap. The latch rotates relative to the second storage drive bay to a predetermined raised position and then translates lifting force applied at the latch to rotate and raise the second storage drive bay to a raised position over the housing. As an example, the latch includes a guide that engages a pin extending from the second storage drive bay into a guide formed in the latch that defines rotation of the latch relative to the second storage drive bay and translation of force applied to the latch to rotate the storage drive bay.
The present invention provides a number of important technical advantages. One example of an important technical advantage is that a storage drive bay coupled in a middle position of a housing has a lifting force applied to transition to a raised position without end user direct engagement with storage drive bay so that risk of damage to the storage drive bay and storage devices is reduced. The latch stores in a gap under a cover out of view and extends to a raised position with minimal force. In the raised position, the latch offers an exposed grasp for an end user and provides a greater rotational moment for generating rotational force to raise the storage bay drive. The end user is offered a comfortable touchpoint that can be further eased with an elastomer or plastic overmold and that avoids introductions of sweat or grease related to human touch to the storage drive bay itself. The relatively small size of the latch does not interfere with cooling airflow or consume footprint in a gap at the front of the storage drive bay. Further, the latch offers a controlled closing and securing of the storage drive bay after maintenance, prevent storage drive damage that can occur when the storage drive bay is slammed closed. Reliable latching of the storage drive bay helps to manage shock and vibration translation to the storage devices.
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
An information handling system server with end-to-end placed storage drive bays raises a middle-placed storage drive bay with a latch that extends into a gap past the front of the storage drive bay in stored position and rotates up to a raised position at which the latch translates upward force into rotation of the storage drive bay. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
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To support network storage, housing 12 has first and second longitudinally placed storage drive bays 22 that each accept plural storage devices 24, such as hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD). The front place storage drive bay 22 has a fixed orientation in housing 12 that exposes storage devices 24 at the front of the information handling system when installed in a server rack. The front position of the storage drive bay 22 allows an end user to access storage devices 24, such as for replacement or maintenance. The middle-placed storage drive bay 22 has a front face at a rear side of the front placed storage drive bay 22 with a gap defined between the two storage drive bays to provide for cooling airflow through housing 12. A cover 26 is coupled to housing 12 over the gap between storage drive bays 22. In order to minimize the longitudinal length of the storage drive bays 22 in housing 12, the gap under cover 26 is minimized to that needed for airflow and the middle-positioned storage drive bay 22 is built to selectively expose the storage devices 24 in the middle-placed storage drive bay 22 by raising the front face of the middle-placed storage drive bay. In the example embodiment described in greater depth below, the middle-positioned storage bay drive 22 rotates about an axis at a rear upper side to expose storage devices 24 at a front face.
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Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.