# US 12,016,167 B2 · Tear-drop shaped HDD carrier EMI finger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,016,167 B2 - Document ID: US12016167B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/717,355 - Filed: 2022-04-11 - Published: 2023-10-12 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2022-04-11 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: Yu-Lin Chen; Yueh-Chun Tsai; Chun-Cheng Lin; Chi-Feng Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12016167B2 ## CPC - H05K 9/002: {with localised screening} - H05K 9/0062: {Structures of standardised dimensions, e.g. 19" rack, chassis for servers or telecommunications} - H05K 9/0007: {Casings (standardised racks H05K9/0062)} - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A carrier assembly for mounting equipment into a carrier slot includes an electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shield and an EMI finger. The EMI shield protects the mounted equipment from EMI. The EMI shield is formed in a first plane of the carrier assembly. The EMI finger protrudes from the EMI shield and is coupled to the EMI shield. The EMI finger is formed in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane. The EMI finger operates, when the carrier assembly is installed into the carrier slot, to couple the EMI shield to the carrier slot. The EMI finger, when viewed from a first direction that is perpendicular to both the first plane and the second plane, is formed in a tear-drop shape. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A carrier assembly for mounting equipment into a carrier slot, the carrier assembly comprising: an electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shield configured to protect the mounted equipment from EMI, the EMI shield being formed in a first plane of the carrier assembly; and an EMI finger protruding from the EMI shield and coupled to the EMI shield, the EMI finger being formed in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, wherein the EMI finger operates, when the carrier assembly is installed into the carrier slot, to couple the EMI shield to the carrier slot, and wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a first direction that is perpendicular to a largest face of the equipment configured to be mounted in the carrier assembly, is formed in a tear-drop shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The carrier assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a structural member attached to the EMI shield, the structural member configured to provide a hard stop that limits a movement of the EMI finger in a second direction perpendicular to the second plane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The carrier assembly of claim 2, wherein the hard stop is affixed to the EMI finger to further limit the movement of the EMI finger in a third direction opposite to the second direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The carrier assembly of claim 2, wherein the EMI finger protrudes through a cut-out in the structural member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a second direction associated with an insertion of the carrier assembly into the carrier slot, has a hemispherical profile. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a second direction associated with an insertion of the carrier assembly into the carrier slot, has a circular arc shape that is less than a hemispherical profile. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a second direction associated with an insertion of the carrier assembly into the carrier slot, has a dome-shaped profile. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the carrier assembly is a hard-disk drive (HDD) carrier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the carrier assembly is an Enterprise and Datacenter SSD Form Factor (EDSFF) carrier. ### Claim 10 A method for mounting equipment installed into a carrier assembly into a carrier slot, the method comprising: forming, on the carrier assembly, an electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shield configured to protect the mounted equipment from EMI, the EMI shield being formed in a first plane of the carrier assembly; extending, from the EMI shield, an EMI finger, the EMI finger being formed in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, and wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a first direction that is perpendicular to a largest face of the equipment configured to be mounted in the carrier assembly, is formed in a tear-drop shape; and coupling the EMI finger to the EMI shield, wherein the EMI finger operates, when the carrier assembly is installed into the carrier slot, to couple the EMI shield to the carrier slot. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: attaching a structural member to the EMI shield, the structural member configured to provide a hard stop that limits a movement of the EMI finger in a second direction perpendicular to the second plane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the hard stop is affixed to the EMI finger to further limit the movement of the EMI finger in a third direction opposite to the second direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the EMI finger protrudes through a cut-out in the structural member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a second direction associated with an insertion of the carrier assembly into the carrier slot, has a hemispherical profile. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a second direction associated with an insertion of the carrier assembly into the carrier slot, has a circular arc shape that is less than a hemispherical profile. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a second direction associated with an insertion of the carrier assembly into the carrier slot, has a dome-shaped profile. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the carrier assembly is a hard-disk drive (HDD) carrier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the carrier assembly is an Enterprise and Datacenter SSD Form Factor (EDSFF) carrier. ### Claim 19 A hard disk drive (HDD) carrier assembly for mounting a HDD into a HDD slot, the carrier assembly comprising: an electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shield configured to protect the HDD from EMI, the EMI shield being formed in a first plane of the HDD carrier assembly; and an EMI finger protruding from the EMI shield and coupled to the EMI shield, the EMI finger being formed in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, wherein the EMI finger operates, when the carrier assembly is installed into the HDD slot, to couple the EMI shield to the HDD slot, wherein the EMI finger, when viewed from a first direction that is perpendicular to a largest face of the HDD configured to be mounted in the carrier assembly, is formed in a tear-drop shape. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The HDD carrier assembly of claim 19, further comprising: a structural member attached to the EMI shield, the structural member configured to provide a hard stop that limits a movement of the EMI finger in a second direction perpendicular to the second plane.