US 5,333,097 A · Disk drive holder and interconnection system

Abstract

A disk drive holder and interconnection system comprises a case, a drive frame, a release mechanism and electrical coupling device. The case holds a plurality of disk drives. Each disk drive is mounted in the case with a drive frame that has a flush release mechanism and a retaining mechanism. The drive frame has guides that are received by slots on the case as the disk drive and frame slide in and out of the case. The release mechanism is used to force the frame away from the case for removal. The system also includes a plurality of electrical connectors and a bus. A first connector provides external access to the bus. The remaining connectors are mounted to a backplane for mating with connectors on the drive frames, thereby coupling the connectors to disk drives automatically as the drive frame slides into the case. The holder also includes an air filter, a fan, a power supply and a distribution system mounted inside the case.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A system for storing and interconnecting a plurality of disk drives, said system comprising:

a case defining a first cavity with first and second interior walls;
a frame having sides, said sides having means for guiding said frame into said case;
a release mechanism mounted on the frame, said release mechanism movable between a first position where a first and a second edge of said release mechanism are substantially flush with a first and second side of the frame respectively and a second position where said second edge of the release mechanism extends outward beyond said second side of the frame to force the frame away from the case;
mounting means on the first and second interior walls of the case, said mounting means adapted to receive the means for guiding the frame into and out of the case;
and
retaining means, coupled to the frame, for retaining the frame mounted inside the case, said retaining means including an aperture in the first interior wall and a protrusion on the release mechanism which extends beyond the sides of the frame into the aperture when the frame is positioned inside the case.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Disk drive holder and interconnection system

Life of this patent

Disk drive holder and interconnection system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18