Disk drive unit

A disk drive unit, comprising:

• a disk drive housing;
• a circuit board carrying drive electronics;
• a relatively rigid chassis for supporting said disk drive housing and said circuit board, said chassis having front and rear ends;
• an interface connector mounted generally at said rear end of said chassis;
• a power connector plug;
• means for securely mounting said power connector plug onto said chassis generally at said chassis rear end, said interface connector and said power plug being oriented on said chassis so that the disk drive unit can be slidably displaced in a rearward direction for slide fit coupling of said interface connector and said power connector plug with mating fittings of a computer system;
• and
• further including means for mounting said circuit board to said disk drive housing, said circuit board mounting means including a plurality of mounting screws passed through ports formed in said circuit board and fastened into bosses on said disk drive housing, at least some of said circuit board ports being oversized to permit at least some freedom of movement permitting the circuit board to float in its own plane relative to said housing to accommodate thermal size shift during normal disk drive unit operation.

A disk drive unit in combination with a computer system cabinet having a forwardly open slot therein for slide-in reception of the disk drive unit, and a power fitting and an interface fitting securely mounted generally at the rear of said cabinet slot in forward facing orientations, said disk drive unit comprising:

• a relatively rigid chassis having front and rear ends;
• a disk drive housing;
• a circuit board having drive electronics thereon;
• means for supporting said disk drive housing and said circuit board from said chassis to define a generally compact package having an overall size and shape for sliding fit into said cabinet slot;
• an interface connector secured generally at a rear margin of said package in a position for mating coupling with said interface fitting when said package is slidably inserted into said cabinet slot;
• a power connector plug;
• and
• a mounting bracket secured onto said chassis and including means for mounting said power connector plug generally at a rear margin of said package in a position for mating coupling with said power fitting when said package is slidably inserted into said cabinet slot;
• said power connector plug including at least one outwardly projecting tab, and wherein said mounting bracket is shaped for seated reception of said power connector plug and has a slot formed therein for receiving said tab when said plug is seated within said mounting bracket.