Cooling of hard disk drives with separate mechanical module and drive control module
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJames Christopher Sorenson, III, Colin L. Lazier, Kestutis Patiejunas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A data storage system includes one or more hard disk drive systems and an air moving device. The hard disk drive systems may include one or more drive mechanical modules that store data and a drive control module electrically coupled to the drive mechanical modules. The drive control modules may control mechanical operations in the drive mechanical modules. The drive control module includes a circuit board assembly and heat producing components coupled to the circuit board assembly. Air passages on each side of the printed circuit board assembly allow a stream of air to flow across heat producing components on at least one side of the printed circuit board assembly.
Claims23
A data storage system, comprising:
- one or more hard disk drive systems, at least one of the one or more hard disk drive systems comprises:
- one or more drive mechanical modules configured to store data;
- and
- a drive control module electrically coupled to the one or more drive mechanical modules and configured to control at least one mechanical operation in the one or more drive mechanical modules, wherein the drive control module comprises:
- a circuit board assembly comprising a pair of opposing sides;
- and
- one or more heat producing components coupled to the circuit board assembly;
- one or more air passages on each of the sides of the printed circuit board assembly of the drive control module, wherein at least one of the one or more air passages on each side of the printed circuit board assembly is configured to allow a stream of air to flow across at least one of the one or more heat producing components on the printed circuit board assembly;
- and
- one or more air moving devices configured to move air through the one or more air passages on the at least one side of the printed circuit board assembly.
A hard disk drive assembly, comprising:
- a drive mechanical module configured to store data;
- and
- a drive control module coupled to the drive mechanical module, wherein the drive control module comprises a circuit board assembly and one or more heat producing components coupled to the circuit board assembly, wherein the drive control modules is configured to control at least one mechanical operation in the drive mechanical module;
- and
- one or more air passages between the drive mechanical module and the drive control module, wherein at least one of the one or more air passages is configured to allow a stream of air to flow between the mechanical module and the drive control module.
A method of cooling a data storage system, comprising:
- coupling one or more mechanical modules of a hard disk drive with a drive control circuit board configured to control at least one mechanical operation of the hard disk drive;
- providing one or more air passages on a side of the drive control circuit board facing at least one of the one or more mechanical components;
- and
- moving air through at least one of the one or more air passages to remove heat from at least one heat producing component on the drive control circuit board or the one or more mechanical modules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.