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US 5,963,422 AGranted
Systems and methods for releaseably securing an article within a computer system
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorsGary L. Golobay, Robert T. Harvey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides exemplary systems and methods for releasably securing a data storage device within a data storage system. In one exemplary embodiment, the invention comprises a cabinet which defines an enclosure. The data storage device is removably held within the enclosure. A cover is further provided which comprises a pivot end and a latch end. The pivot end is pivotally attached to the data storage device so that pivoting of the cover will release the data storage device at least partially from the enclosure. A cover latch is operably attached to the latch end, with the cover latch engaging the data storage device to prevent pivoting of the cover when the cover is closed.
Claims36
A locking system for releaseably securing a data storage device within a computer system, the locking system comprising:
- a cover adapted to be pivotally attached to a data storage device at a first axis;
- a latching mechanism pivotally attached to the cover at a second axis, the latching mechanism selectively preventing pivoting of the cover about the first axis when latched;
- and
- a stop to selectively prevent unlatching of the latching mechanism, wherein the stop selectively prevents pivoting of the latching mechanism about the second axis to prevent the cover from pivoting about the first axis;
- a catch for releasably receiving the latching mechanism;
- wherein the locking mechanism comprises a cover latch on the cover which is adapted to engage the catch and a locking cam to release the latch;
- and
- wherein the stop comprises a locking bar having at least one slot therein, wherein the cover latch further comprises a latch surface and a locking projection, wherein pivoting of the cover latch about the second axis causes the locking projection to move within the slot when the slot is aligned with the locking projection and causes the latch surface to move out of engagement with the catch to allow the cover to be pivoted about the first axis, and wherein the locking bar prevents pivoting of the cover latch about the second axis when the slot is out of alignment with the locking projection.
5 more elements
A locking system for releaseably securing an article within a computer system, the locking system comprising:
- a cover adapted to be pivotally attached to an article at a first axis;
- a latching mechanism pivotally attached to the cover at a second axis, the latching mechanism selectively preventing pivoting of the cover about the first axis when latched;
- and
- a stop to selectively prevent unlatching of the latching mechanism, wherein the stop is movable relative to the latching mechanism to selectively prevent pivoting of the latching mechanism about the second axis to prevent the cover from pivoting about the first axis.
1 more element
A data storage system comprising:
- a cabinet defining an enclosure;
- a plurality of data storage devices removably held within the enclosure;
- a cover associated with each data storage device, wherein each cover comprises a pivot end and a latch end, wherein the pivot end of each cover is pivotally attached to the associated data storage device, and wherein pivoting of the cover releases the data storage device at least partially from the enclosure;
- a cover latch operably attached to each latch end, wherein each cover latch engages a catch to prevent pivoting of the cover when the cover is closed;
- and
- a locking bar having a plurality of slots, wherein each cover latch comprises a latch surface which engages the data storage device and a locking projection, wherein the locking bar is movable to move the slots into alignment with the locking projections to allow the locking projections to move within the slots and to allow the latch surfaces to disengage the data storage devices.
3 more elements
A data storage system, comprising:
- a cabinet defining an enclosure;
- a plurality of data storage devices removably held within the enclosure;
- a cover associated with each data storage device, wherein each cover comprises a pivot end and a latch end, wherein the pivot end of each cover is pivotally attached to the associated data storage device, and wherein pivoting of the cover releases the data storage device at least partially from the enclosure;
- a cover latch pivotally attached to each latch end such that the cover latch is pivotable relative to the cover, wherein each cover latch engages a catch to prevent pivoting of the cover when the cover is closed;
- and
- a locking mechanism which prevents substantial pivoting of the cover latch relative to the cover until the locking mechanism is operated to allow the cover latch to pivot and to disengage the catch.
3 more elements
A data storage device which is adapted to be removably held within a data storage system, the device comprising:
- a canister housing a disk drive;
- a cover pivotally mounted to the canister, the cover being adapted to release the canister from the data storage system when pivoted;
- and
- a latching mechanism releaseably securing the cover to the canister to prevent release of the canister from the data storage system;
- wherein the latching mechanism comprises a movable locking bar having at least one slot and a locking projection operably attached to the cover, wherein the locking projection is movable within the slot to release the cover when the slot is aligned with the locking projection.
2 more elements
A locking system for releaseably securing a data storage device within a computer system, the locking system comprising:
- a cover adapted to be pivotally attached to the article, the cover including a cover cam to unseat the article from the computer system upon pivoting of the cover;
- and
- a locking mechanism to selectively prevent the cover from pivoting, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a cover latch on the cover which is adapted to engage a catch and a locking cam to release the latch;
- and
- a locking bar having at least one slot therein, wherein the cover latch further comprises a latch surface and a locking projection, wherein pivoting of the cover latch causes the locking projection to move within the slot when the slot is aligned with the locking projection and causes the latch surface to move out of engagement with the catch on the data storage device to allow the cover to be pivoted, and wherein the locking bar prevents pivoting of the cover latch when the slot is out of alignment with the locking projection.
2 more elements
A locking system for releaseably securing an article within a computer system, the locking system comprising:
- a cover adapted to be pivotally attached to the article, the cover including a cover cam to unseat the article from the computer system upon pivoting of the cover;
- and
- a locking mechanism preventing the cover from pivoting until the locking mechanism is operated to release the cover, said losing mechanism comprising a cover latch pivotally attached to the cover which is adapted to engage a catch.
A method for releasably housing an article within a housing, the method comprising:
- inserting the article into the housing;
- pivoting a cover on the article about a first axis to operably connect the article to the housing and to engage a cover latch on the cover with a catch to prevent opening of the cover, wherein the cover latch is pivotally attached to the cover at a second axis;
- and
- preventing pivoting of the cover latch about the second axis with a stop that is movable relative to the cover latch to prevent disengagement of the cover latch from the catch.
1 more element
A method for releasably housing an article within a housing, the method comprising:
- inserting the article into the housing;
- pivoting a cover on the article about a first axis to operably connect the article to the housing and to engage a cover latch on the cover with a catch to prevent opening of the cover, wherein the cover latch is pivotally attached to the cover at a second axis;
- preventing pivoting of the cover latch about the second axis to prevent disengagement of the cover latch from the catch;
- allowing the cover latch to pivot about the second axis to release the cover latch from the catch and pivoting the cover about the first axis to disconnect the article from the housing;
- and
- wherein the cover latch comprises a latch surface and a locking projection, and further comprising moving a locking bar to move a slot on the locking bar into alignment with the locking projection to allow the locking projection to be moved into the slot and to allow the latch surface to move out of engagement with the catch.
3 more elements
A method for introducing a data storage device into a data storage system, the method comprising:
- inserting the data storage device into the data storage system;
- closing a cover on the data storage device to connect the data storage device to the data storage system and to engage a cover latch on the cover with a catch to prevent opening of the cover;
- and
- preventing substantially all movement of the cover latch relative to the catch to prevent disengagement of the cover latch from the catch when the cover is pulled in a direction away from the data storage device.
1 more element
A method for introducing a data storage device into a data storage system, the method comprising:
- inserting the data storage device into the data storage system;
- closing a cover on the data storage device to connect the data storage device to the data storage system and to engage a cover latch on the cover with a catch to prevent opening of the cover;
- and
- preventing substantially all movement of the cover latch relative to the catch to prevent disengagement of the cover latch from the catch;
- pivoting the cover latch to move the cover latch out of engagement with the catch, wherein the cover latch comprises a latch surface and a locking projection, and further comprising moving a locking bar to move a slot on the locking bar into alignment with the locking projection to allow the locking projection to be moved into the slot and to allow the latch surface to move out of engagement with the catch;
- and
- opening the cover to disconnect the data storage device from the data storage system.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.