Vibration dampening mechanism

Abstract

A vibration dampening mechanism which considerably reduces the probability of disk drive failure and ensures vibration damped engagement between a drive carrier and a rack structure. The vibration dampening mechanism includes a torsion spring connected to two movable ramps located on either side of the carrier. The dampener is designed so that the ramps are moved along the sides of the drive carrier as a function of the tolerance between the drive carrier and the rack structure. If the tolerance between the drive carrier and the rack is slight (i.e., the carrier fits tightly in the rack), the ramp is actuated in a first direction to a great extent as it is displaced by the rack's structure. On the other hand, if the tolerance between the drive carrier and the rack is higher (i.e., the carrier fits loosely in the rack), the ramp is actuated in the first direction to a lesser extent so that the ramp effectively decreases the tolerance between the carrier and the rack. This mechanism allows the carriers in the rack to fit along side each other with minimal vibration as the tolerance between carriers and the rack is taken up by the ramps of respective vibration dampening mechanisms.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.