Methods and apparatus for cooling a disk drive

A storage system, comprising:

• a cabinet assembly;
• a fan assembly that provides an air stream through the cabinet assembly;
• and
• a disk drive assembly that fastens to the cabinet assembly, the disk drive assembly including (i) a disk drive that stores and retrieves computerized data, and (ii) a support member that supports the disk drive, the support member defining:
• an input louver that redirects air from the air stream toward the disk drive of the disk drive assembly, and
• a housing member which is configured to couple to the input louver, wherein the input louver includes a redirection member which is configured to deflect air from the air stream through a hole defined by the housing member toward the disk drive.

A method for cooling a disk drive, comprising the steps of:

• providing an air stream within a cabinet assembly;
• positioning a disk drive assembly within the cabinet assembly such that an input louver defined by a support member of the disk drive assembly redirects air from the air stream toward a disk drive of the disk drive assembly, a redirection member of the input louver deflecting air from the air stream through a hole defined by a housing member defined by the support member toward the disk drive, the input louver being coupled to the housing member;
• and
• operating the disk drive within the cabinet assembly to store and retrieve computerized data, the air redirected from the air stream toward the disk drive cooling the disk drive.

A disk drive assembly, comprising:

• a disk drive that stores and retrieves computerized data;
• a connector, coupled to the disk drive, that connects the disk drive to a computerized interface;
• and
• a support member that supports the disk drive;
• the support member including:
• a housing member coupled to the disk drive, and
• means for simultaneously stiffening the housing member and redirecting a portion of air from an air stream toward the disk drive wherein the means for simultaneously stiffening the housing member and redirecting the portion of air includes a redirection member which is configured to deflect air from the air stream through a hole defined by the housing member toward the disk drive.

A disk drive assembly, comprising:

• a disk drive that stores and retrieves computerized data;
• a connector, coupled to the disk drive, that connects the disk drive to a computerized interface;
• and
• a support member that supports the disk drive, the support member including (i) an input louver member that redirects air from an air stream toward the disk drive, (ii) a housing member which is configured to couple to the input louver and to the disk drive, wherein the input louver includes:
• a redirection member which is configured to deflect air from the air stream through a hole defined by the housing member toward the disk drive.

A storage system, comprising:

• a cabinet assembly;
• a fan assembly that provides an air stream through the cabinet assembly;
• and
• a disk drive assembly that fastens to the cabinet assembly, the disk drive assembly including (i) a disk drive that stores and retrieves computerized data, and (ii) a support member that supports the disk drive, the support member including:
• an input louver member that redirects air from the air stream toward the disk drive of the disk drive assembly, and
• a housing member which is configured to couple to the input louver member, wherein the input louver member includes a redirection member which is configured to deflect air from the air stream through a hole defined by the housing member toward the disk drive.