CN214795793U - Driver bearing device and system formed by same - Google Patents

Abstract

The drive carrier may have a frame with a door that can be opened to allow installation of the drive and quickly closed to secure the drive within the drive carrier. The drive carrier may comprise a connector lock which may take the form of a pair of pins extending from the frame and which are capable of engaging corresponding retaining holes of the wire's connector. The connector lock may assist in aligning the connector of the wire with the connector of the driver, and releasably lock the connector of the wire in place when the connector of the wire is operatively connected to the driver. The damping coupler can couple the carrier frame to the computer case. The damping coupling and the flexibility of the wire isolate the drive from vibrations from the chassis, while the connector lock ensures that the wire connector does not inadvertently disconnect from the drive.

Description

Driver bearing device and system formed by same

[ technical field ] A method for producing a semiconductor device

The present invention relates generally to computing systems, and more particularly to a carrier for hard disks and other drives and systems constructed therewith.

[ background of the invention ]

Drive carriers are used to provide a consistent method of installing drives to a computer system (e.g., a computer server) and removing drives from a computer system. In some cases, the drive carrier may be installed in the computer system via a damping mechanism to provide some degree of vibration isolation. For example, the source of the vibration (e.g., a fan) can cause performance and reliability problems for certain drives, such as Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), as the vibration is conducted to the drive. Current damping mechanisms, while providing some degree of vibration isolation, do not adequately isolate the driver from vibration, thereby allowing vibration to be conducted through the components of the driver, such as the electrical connectors of the driver.

Some drive carriers rely on direct connection of the electrical connector of the drive to a connector of a board, such as a motherboard or an intermediate board (e.g., a storage board), so that the direct connection can still allow propagation of vibrations between the drive carrier and other components of the computer system via the direct connection. Drive carriers attempt to circumvent such direct connections, often relying on complex mechanisms and wires, and risking inadvertent disconnection at inopportune times, resulting in significant down time and requiring significant maintenance. There is therefore a need for an easy to use drive carrier that can allow for quick connection and disconnection of the drive.

[ Utility model ] content

The terms embodiment and similar terms are intended to broadly refer to all subject matter of the invention and claims that follow. Several statements herein reciting these terms are to be understood as not limiting the meaning or scope of the subject matter described herein or the claims which follow. Embodiments of the invention covered herein are defined by the claims, rather than the teachings of the invention. This summary is a high-level overview of various features of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are more fully described in the detailed description section below. This novel disclosure is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. This object is to be understood by reference to the entire specification of the invention, including all drawings and each claim appropriately scaled.

Embodiments of the present invention include a drive carrier that includes a carrier frame for holding a drive. The carrier frame includes a connector opening positioned to allow the connector of the wire to establish a connection with the connector of the drive when the drive is received by the carrier frame. The drive carrier also includes a carrier door coupled to the carrier frame and movable between an open position and a closed position. The carrier door allows the drive to be inserted into or removed from the carrier frame when the carrier door is in the open position. The carrier door retains the drive within the carrier frame when the carrier door is in the closed position. The drive carrier also includes a connector lock coupled to the carrier frame, the connector lock configured to prevent the connector of the wire from being disconnected when the connector lock is engaged with the connector of the wire.

In some cases, the drive carrier also includes a damping coupler coupled to the carrier frame. The damping coupler is operable to couple the carrier frame to the article and isolate the carrier frame from vibrations from the object. In some cases, the connector lock includes a retention pin to engage a retention hole of the connector of the wire. In some cases, the connector lock includes an additional retention pin, wherein the retention pin and the additional retention pin are located on opposite ends of the connector opening. In some cases, the connector lock includes a pair of retaining pins positioned on opposite ends of the connector opening. Each of the pair of retaining pins is resiliently bendable toward the other from the rest position to the disengagement position. The connector lock allows the connector of the wire to be disconnected when each of the holding pins is at its respective disengagement position. In some cases, the carrier door is configured to facilitate insertion or removal of the drive from the carrier without the use of tools.

Embodiments of the present invention include a system comprising a chassis, a motherboard coupled to the chassis, and a drive carrier coupled to the chassis. The drive carrier receives a drive having a drive connector. The drive carrier also isolates the drive from vibrations from the chassis. The drive carrier includes a connector lock. The system also includes a data line operable to couple the driver to the motherboard. The data line has a wire connector operatively coupled to the driver connector. A connector lock of the drive carrier releasably engages the wire connector to prevent decoupling of the wire connector and the drive connector.

In some cases, the drive carrier is coupled to the chassis by a damping coupling. In some cases, the connector lock includes a retaining pin extending from a frame of the drive carrier. In some cases, the connector lock includes an additional retaining pin extending from the frame of the drive carrier. The retention pin and the additional retention pin are positioned on opposite ends of the connector opening. The connector opening is positioned to allow the wire connector to establish a connection with the driver connector. In some cases, the connector lock includes a pair of retaining pins positioned on opposite ends of the connector opening. The connector opening is positioned to allow the wire connector to establish a connection with the driver connector. Each of the pair of retaining pins is resiliently bendable toward the other from the rest position to the disengagement position. The connector lock allows the wire connector to be disconnected from the driver connector when each of the retaining pins is in its respective disengagement position. In some cases, the drive carrier includes a carrier door coupled to the carrier frame. The carrier door is movable between an open position and a closed position. The carrier door allows the drive to be inserted into or removed from the carrier frame when the carrier door is in the open position. The carrier door retains the drive within the carrier frame when the carrier door is in the closed position. In some cases, the carrier door is configured to facilitate insertion or removal of the drive from the carrier without the use of tools.

Embodiments of the present invention include a method comprising providing a drive carrier having a carrier frame, a carrier door, and a connector lock. The method further includes mounting a driver in the driver carrier, the driver having a driver connector. Installing the drive includes opening the carrier door, inserting the drive and closing the carrier door, opening the carrier door to allow insertion of the drive, and closing the carrier door to retain the drive in the drive carrier. The method further includes securing the driver carrier to a chassis that houses the motherboard and operably coupling the driver to the motherboard using a wire having a wire connector. Operably coupling the driver to the motherboard includes operably coupling the wire connector and the driver connector. The method further includes engaging the connector lock to prevent the wire connector from being disconnected from the driver connector.

In some cases, securing the drive carrier includes coupling the drive carrier to the chassis using a damped coupling. In some cases, the snap connector lock occurs automatically in response to the wire connector being coupled with the driver connector. In some cases, snapping the connector lock includes passing a retaining pin of the connector lock through an aperture of the wire connector. In some cases, the connector lock includes a pair of retaining pins positioned on opposite ends of the connector opening. The connector opening is positioned to allow the wire connector to couple with the driver connector. The method further includes unlocking the snap connector lock and removing the wire connector. The disengaging the connector lock includes moving each of the pair of retaining pins to a disengaging position by applying pressure to the respective retaining pin to bend the respective retaining pin toward the other retaining pin. The connector lock allows the wire connector to be disconnected from the driver connector when each of the retaining pins is in its respective disengagement position. In some cases, the installation of the drive into the drive carrier is performed without the use of tools. In some cases, the snap connector lock includes corresponding apertures that snap the retention pins of the connector lock into the wire connector in a snap-fit arrangement.

[ description of the drawings ]

The specification refers to the following drawings, in which like reference numerals in different drawings are intended to indicate the same or similar components.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting a computer system having a drive carrier in accordance with certain features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional top view of a drive carrier decoupled from a wire connector according to certain features of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional top view of a drive carrier coupled with a wire connector, in accordance with certain features of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a drive carrier coupled to a wire connector, according to certain features of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged isometric view depicting a wire connector aligned for coupling with a drive carrier in accordance with certain features of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of a wire connector coupled to a drive carrier in accordance with certain features of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged isometric view of the wire connector prior to removal from the drive carrier in accordance with certain features of the invention

Fig. 8 is an enlarged isometric view of the wire connector after decoupling from the drive carrier in accordance with certain features of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a flow chart depicting a process for using a drive carrier in accordance with certain features of the present invention.

[ notation ] to show

100: computer system

102: main machine board

104,204,304,404,504,604,704,804: driver

106,206,306,406,506,606,706,806: driver bearing device

108: damping coupling

110: vibration source

112,212,312: wire rod

114: near-end wire connector

116: remote wire connector

118,218,318,418,518,618,718,818: connector lock

120: case body

216,316,416,516,616,716,816: wire connector

222: alignment post

224,424: carrying device frame

226,426: door of bearing device

228: hinge assembly

230,330,430,530,630: pores of

232,332,532: driver connector

236: inclined surface

238,338: convex part

240: rod

250: fastening piece

252,352,452,552,652,752: pin

324: chassis frame

342: surface of

434: mounting element

544,748,846: direction of rotation

900: process for producing a metal oxide

902,904,906,908,910,912: square block

914,916: sub-process

[ detailed description ] embodiments

Certain features and characteristics of the present invention relate to a drive (e.g., hard disk) carrier that allows for replacement of the drive without the use of tools and has a connector lock for a wire connector that facilitates improved isolation of the drive from vibration. The drive carrier may have a frame with a door that can be opened to allow installation of the drive and quickly closed (snap shut) to secure the drive within the drive carrier. The drive carrier may include a connector lock, which may take the form of a pair of pins extending from the frame and capable of engaging the retaining holes of the wire's connector. The connector lock may assist in aligning the connector of the wire with the connector of the driver and releasably lock the connector of the wire in place for operable connection to the driver. The carrier frame may include a damping coupler coupling the frame to the computer case. When installed, the damping coupling and the flexibility of the wire isolate the driver from vibration from the chassis and any vibration sources associated with the chassis, while the connector lock ensures that the wire's connector is not inadvertently disconnected from the driver.

Some features of the disclosed drive carrier include a frame having a door. When open, the door allows the drive to be inserted into the carrier frame. The driver may selectively engage a component of the frame (e.g., an alignment post) to properly position the driver within the carrier frame. The door can be closed to secure the drive within the carrier frame. The door may include alignment posts or other features that may engage the drive when the door is closed to facilitate proper positioning of the drive within the carrier frame. The door may be hinged (hinged) to the carrier frame, for example at a corner of the drive carrier. The door is removably coupled to the carrier frame (e.g., relative to the hinge) to removably secure (fix) the door in place relative to the carrier frame. The door may be removably coupled to the carrier frame by means of a tool-less, releasable fitting, such as snap (e.g., cantilever snap) fasteners. Thus, the drive carrier facilitates easy installation, removal and replacement of the drive by hand without the need for tools.

The drive carrier may include an opening in the carrier frame that exposes a drive connector (e.g., an electrical connector of a drive) for connection, for example, to a wire connector (e.g., a connector of a wire). The carrier frame may include a connector lock configured to removably couple the wire connector to the drive carrier. The connector lock may take the form of one or a pair of retaining pins that extend from the carrier frame and engage respective apertures (e.g., retaining holes) in the wire connector to secure the wire connector to the drive carrier. Each retaining pin removably couples the drive carrier to the wire connector, such as by toolless, releasable mating, such as a snap (e.g., cantilever snap or ring snap). Thus, the wire connector can be unlocked and removed by hand from the drive carrier without the need for tools.

When the wire is connected to the drive (e.g., the wire connector is operatively coupled to the drive connector), the wire is removably secured to the drive carrier via the connector lock. The wire may have sufficient flexibility and length to provide damping of vibrations. Thus, by mounting the drive carrier into the chassis via a damping coupling (e.g., a rubber grommet or other damping member), the drive is maintained isolated from vibrations from the chassis, as the flexible wires can isolate the drive connector from vibrations from the chassis. The ability of the wire connector to be easily secured to (or isolate from) the drive chassis ensures that the wire connector is not inadvertently disconnected and does not inadvertently contact other vibration conducting parts of the chassis. The ability of the wire connector to be easily removed by hand without the need for tools allows a drive with improved vibration isolation in such a drive carrier to be quickly and easily installed, removed or replaced.

The illustrative examples are given to introduce the reader to the general subject matter discussed herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosed concepts. The following paragraphs describe various additional components and examples in conjunction with the referenced drawings, where like numerals represent like elements. The directional descriptions are used to describe the exemplary embodiments, but are similar to the exemplary embodiments and should not be used to limit the present invention. The elements included in this drawing may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a computer system 100 having a drive carrier 106 according to certain features of the present invention. The computer system 100 may include a chassis body 120, a motherboard 102, a vibration source 110, and a driver carrying device 106. The drive carrier 106 may include a drive 104, such as a hard disk, secured therein. Although motherboard 102 is depicted in fig. 1, any suitable board other than motherboard 102 may be substituted for motherboard 102, such as an intermediate board (inter board) like a storage board (storage board).

The vibration source 110 may be any source of vibration, such as a fan, another hard disk, an optical media drive, a tape drive, or other device (e.g., an electrically powered device). As depicted by the thick black lines, the vibration source 110 may be mechanically coupled to the chassis body 120 and/or the motherboard 102. Motherboard 102 may be mechanically coupled to chassis body 120. Thus, vibrations from vibration source 110 may be conducted to motherboard 102 (and thus to chassis body 120), to chassis body 120 (and thus to motherboard 102), or to both motherboard 102 and chassis body 120. In some computer systems 100, the vibration source 110 may be another driver that may substantially isolate vibrations from the chassis body 120, but may still transmit some amount of vibrations to the chassis body 120.

The drive carrier 106 may be mounted (e.g., physically coupled) to the chassis body 120 via the damping coupling 108. The damping coupling 108 may absorb some, most, or all of the vibrations conducted to the damping coupling 108. Any suitable damping coupling 108 may be used, such as a vibration absorbing rubber washer or other vibration absorbing coupling. Accordingly, the damping couplings 108 may help the drive carrier 106 isolate vibrations from the chassis body 120, thus isolating the drive 104 from vibrations from the vibration source 110.

The drive 104 within the drive carrier 106 may include a drive connector, which may take the form of an edge connector (e.g., a gold finger connector) or other connector. The driver connector may thus be an exposed portion of a printed circuit board that incorporates the driver and is used to control the driver, or may be a connector that is soldered to the printed circuit board. In some cases, the drive connector may be a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) connector, a Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) connector, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) connector, or other connector. In some cases, the drive connector may be a plug-type (e.g., male-type) connector designed to fit within a socket-type (e.g., female-type) connector.

The driver may be operatively coupled to the motherboard 102 via a wire 112. The wire 112 may have a proximal wire connector 114 and a distal wire connector 116. The proximal wire connector 114 may be coupled to the motherboard 102, while the distal wire connector 116 is coupled to the driver 104 (e.g., to an edge connector). Although one wire 112 and a pair of connectors (e.g., wire connectors 114 and 116) are depicted, any number of wires and wire connectors may be used (e.g., one set for data and one set for power). For example, in some cases, wires 112 may include a single distal connector (e.g., distal connector 116), but may be split to have a data portion and a power portion, each with a separate proximal connector separately coupled to motherboard 102 or other component.

When installed, the distal wire connector 116 may be secured to the drive carrier 106 via a connector lock 118. Because proximal wire connector 114 is coupled to motherboard 102, vibrations from vibration source 110 will be transmitted to proximal wire connector 114. However, because of the flexibility of the wire 112, the wire 112 itself will absorb some, most, or all of the vibrations caused at the proximal wire receptacle 114, thus isolating the distal wire connector 116 from vibrations from the proximal wire connector 114, and thus from the vibration source 110.

Thus, the driver carrier 106, the driver 104, and the distal wire connector 116 are all mechanically coupled together, but collectively isolate vibrations from the chassis body 120, the motherboard 102, and the vibration source 110.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional top view of the drive carrier 206 decoupled from the wire connector 216 in accordance with certain features of the present invention. The drive carrier 206, wire connector 216, and connector lock 218 may be the drive carrier 106, distal wire connector 116, and connector lock 118, respectively, of fig. 1.

The drive carrier 206 can include a carrier frame 224 and a carrier door 226 coupled to the carrier frame 224 via a hinge 228. The carrier frame 224 and carrier door 226 may include four alignment posts 222 that snap into corresponding apertures (e.g., screw holes) in the driver 204 to help secure the driver 204 in place and properly position the driver 204 with respect to the carrier frame 226. Other numbers of alignment posts 222 may be used. The carrier door 226 can rotate about the hinge 228 to an open position, allowing the drive 204 to be installed to the drive carrier 206 or removed from the drive carrier 206. The carrier door 226 can be moved to a closed position to secure the actuator 204 in place. The carrier door 226 may be maintained in the closed position by fasteners 250 to secure the actuator 204 in the carrier frame 224. The fastener 250 may include a portion of the carrier door 226 that snaps past (snap over) a portion of the carrier frame 224. Fasteners 250 may include openings, recesses, or other features to facilitate release of fasteners 250 by hand without the use of tools to allow movement of carrier door 226 to the open position.

The carrier frame 224 may include an opening to expose a drive connector 232 of the drive 204, the drive connector 232 being connected by the wire connector 216 of the wire 212. A connector lock 218 may be located at or adjacent to this opening to secure the wire connector 216 in place when the connector lock 218 is coupled with the driver connector 232. The connector lock 218 may include one or more pins 252 or protrusions extending from the carrier frame 224 and engaging corresponding apertures 230 in the wire connector 216.

The pin or protrusion of the connector lock 218 may include a rod 240, a boss 238, and a ramped surface 236 to facilitate insertion into the corresponding aperture 230 of the wire connector 216 and to retain the wire connector 216 against the carrier frame 224. The connector lock 218 may be coupled to the wire connector 216 via a snap-fit connection, such as a cantilevered snap (e.g., depicted in fig. 2) or a ring snap.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional top view of a drive carrier 306 coupled with a wire connector 316 in accordance with certain features of the present invention. The drive carrier 306, wire connector 316, and connector lock 318 may be the drive carrier 106, distal wire connector 116, and connector lock 118, respectively, of fig. 1.

When installed, the wire connector 316 may engage the driver connector 332 of the driver 304 and operably couple the driver connector 332 of the driver 304. When installed, the wire connector 316 may be maintained in position by the connector lock 318. As depicted, connector lock 318 takes the form of a pair of pins 352, the pair of pins 352 being on opposite sides of an opening in chassis frame 324 through which wire connector 316 is inserted. The pins 352 of the connector lock 318 pass through the corresponding apertures 330 of the wire connector 316 of the wire 312.

When the pins 352 of the connector lock 318 pass through the corresponding apertures 330 of the wire connector 316, the pins 352 removably lock the wire connector 316 in the locked configuration. In this configuration, the wire connector 316 cannot be removed from the drive carrier 306 without manipulation of the connector lock 318. In this configuration, the wire connector 316 is operably coupled to the driver connector 332, and thus may suitably provide data and/or power to the driver 304. In the locked configuration, the protrusion 338 of the pin 352 engages the surface 342 of the wire connector 316 to retain the wire connector 316 in the locked configuration. The application of pressure to the pin 352 may move the protrusion 338 sufficiently to allow the protrusion 338 to fit within the aperture 330 of the wire connector 316, thus allowing the wire connector 316 to be removed from the drive carrier 306.

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a drive carrier 406 coupled to a wire connector 416, in accordance with certain features of the present invention. The drive carrier 406, wire connector 416, and connector lock 418 may be the drive carrier 106, distal wire connector 116, and connector lock 118, respectively, of fig. 1.

As depicted in fig. 4, the drive carrier 406 includes a mounting element 434 (e.g., coupled to the carrier frame 424) and a carrier door 426. The mounting elements 434 may couple the drive carrier 406 to the chassis body. In some cases, the mounting element 434 can be a vibration-absorptive element (e.g., made of a vibration-absorptive material, such as rubber). In some cases, the mounting element 434 may be used with additional vibration-absorptive elements (e.g., fastened hardware made of a material that absorbs vibrations, such as rubber or foam) to isolate the drive carrier 406 from vibrations from the chassis body.

The wire connector 416 is depicted in a locked configuration, the wire connector 416 is operably coupled to the drive 404 within the drive carrier 406 and locked in place by the connector lock 418. The pins 452 of the connector lock 418 may extend through the corresponding apertures 430 of the wire connector 416, thus locking the wire connector in place.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged isometric view of a wire connector 516 aligned for coupling to a drive carrier 506 in accordance with certain features of the present invention. The drive carrier 506, the drive 504, the wire connector 516, and the connector lock 518 may be the drive carrier 106, the drive 104, the distal wire connector 116, and the connector lock 118, respectively, of fig. 1.

To move the wire connector 516 from the disconnected configuration (as shown) to the locked configuration (e.g., as depicted in fig. 6), the wire connector 516 may be inserted in a direction 544 towards the driver connector 532. When moved in the direction 544, the aperture 530 of the wire connector 516 may fit around the pin 552 of the connector lock 518. Thus, the connector lock 518 may facilitate alignment of the wire connector 516 with respect to the drive carrier 506.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of a wire connector 616 coupled to a drive carrier 606 in accordance with certain features of the present invention. The drive carrier 606, wire connector 616, and connector lock 618 may be the drive carrier 506, wire connector 516, and connector lock 518, respectively, of fig. 5 in a locked configuration.

In the locked configuration, the wire connector 616 is maintained in position relative to the drive carrier 606, and the wire connector 616 is engaged with the drive connector of the drive 604. The wire connector 616 is maintained in position by the pins 652 of the connector lock 618 engaging with the corresponding apertures 630 of the wire connector 616.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged isometric view of the wire connector 716 prior to removal from the drive carrier 706 in accordance with certain features of the present invention. The drive carrier 706, wire connector 716, and connector lock 718 may be the drive carrier 606, wire connector 616, and connector lock 618, respectively, of fig. 6. To separate the wire connector 716 from the drive carrier 706 (and thus the wire connector 716 from the drive connector of the drive 704), the connector lock 718 is manipulated.

As depicted in fig. 7, manipulation of the connector lock 718 includes applying a force in a direction 748. Direction 748 is a direction from the exterior of pin 752 toward wire connector 716 or from the exterior of pin 752 toward an opening in driver carrier 706 that exposes a driver connector of driver 706. For the two pins 752 of fig. 7, the direction 748 is opposite for each pin because the direction from outside the pin 752 to the wire connector 716 or to the opening in the drive carrier 706 is opposite. The direction 748 depicted in fig. 7 is based on the shape of the pin 752, as having a cantilevered type snap configuration, with a protrusion extending away from the center of the wire connector 716. However, in some cases, the connector lock 718 may take a different shape or style, in which case forces in different directions may be applied to manipulate the connector lock 718 to allow removal of the wire connector 716.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged isometric view of the wire connector 816 after decoupling from the drive carrier 806 in accordance with certain features of the present invention. The drive carrier 806, wire connector 816, and connector lock 818 may be the drive carrier 706, wire connector 716, and connector lock 718 of fig. 7, respectively, following application of a force in a direction 748, and removal of the wire connector 716.

The wire connector 816 is shown removed from the drive carrier 806 and thus disconnected from the drive connector of the drive 804. Removal of the wire connector 816 in direction 846 is only allowed after manipulation of the connector lock 818 (as depicted in fig. 7).

Fig. 9 is a flow chart depicting a process 900 for using a drive carrier in accordance with certain features of the present invention. The process 900 may be used with any suitable drive carrier, such as the drive carrier 106 of FIG. 1.

At block 902, a drive may be mounted in a drive carrier. Installing the actuator into the actuator carrier can include applying a force to a snap of the actuator carrier to open the carrier door (e.g., by separating a portion of the carrier door from the carrier frame and rotating the carrier door about a hinge that couples the carrier door to the carrier frame), insert the actuator into the carrier frame, and then close the carrier door. In some cases, installing the driver in the driver carrier at block 902 may include fitting the driver over a set of alignment posts of the carrier frame (e.g., fitting alignment holes or screw holes of the driver to the alignment posts), and then closing the carrier door so that the set of alignment posts of the carrier door fit corresponding apertures of the driver. This alignment ensures that the driver connectors of the driver are properly aligned with respect to the carrier frame, and with respect to the connector locks of the carrier frame.

At block 904, an aperture in a wire connector (e.g., a distal wire connector of a wire) may be aligned with a connector lock of a drive carrier. In some cases, the aperture in the wire connector may be a retaining hole, aligned with a retaining pin of the connector lock. At block 906, a mounting force is applied to the wire connector to snap the wire connector to the driver connector. This mounting force moves the wire connector to the locked configuration and connects the wire connector to the driver connector of the driver. At block 908, the connector lock of the drive carrier is automatically engaged.

Because the connector lock may take the form of a retaining pin, for example, having a snap-fit arrangement, application of the installation force at block 906 may result in automatic snapping of the wire connector of the connector lock at block 908. In an example, under the application of the mounting force of block 906, the retention pins of the connector lock may flex, allowing the respective tabs of the retention pins to pass through the corresponding apertures (e.g., retention holes) of the wire connector. Once the protrusion exceeds the aperture, the retaining pin can return from bending, whereupon the connector lock automatically snaps and locks the wire connector in place with respect to the drive carrier.

Blocks 902,904,906, and 908 constitute a sub-process 914 to install drivers and connect wire connectors. In some cases, process 900 optionally includes a sub-process 916 to remove the wire connector, sub-process 916 including blocks 910, 912.

At block 910, a force may be applied to manipulate the connector lock of the drive carrier. Manipulating the connector lock may include squeezing a pair of retaining pins together or applying a force to deflect, bend or bend the retaining pins appropriately so that the retaining pins may fit through corresponding apertures of the wire connector. Although a force is applied to manipulate the connector lock at block 910, a pulling force may be applied to remove the wire connector from the drive carrier at block 912. Removal of the wire connector may include decoupling the wire connector from the driver connector and withdrawing the wire connector from the connector lock.

The foregoing description of embodiments includes illustrated embodiments, presented for the purposes of illustration and description only, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications, variations and uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Many modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments in light of the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described embodiments.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalents and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification and the annexed drawings. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the terms "including," "having," "with," or variations thereof, are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising" as used in the embodiments and/or claims.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Furthermore, terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Claims (10)

1. A drive carrier, comprising:

a carrier frame for receiving a driver, the carrier frame including a connector opening positioned to allow a connector of a wire to establish a connection with a connector of the driver when the driver is received by the carrier frame;

a carrier door coupled to the carrier frame and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the carrier door allows the drive to be inserted into or removed from the carrier frame when the carrier door is in the open position, and wherein the carrier door retains the drive within the carrier frame when the carrier door is in the closed position; and

a connector lock coupled to the carrier frame, the connector lock configured to prevent the connector of the wire from being disconnected when the connector lock is engaged with the connector of the wire.

2. The drive carrier of claim 1, further comprising a damping coupler coupled to the carrier frame, the damping coupler operable to couple the carrier frame to an object and isolate the carrier frame from vibrations from the object.

3. The drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the connector lock includes a retaining pin to engage a retaining hole of the connector of the wire.

4. The drive carrier of claim 3, wherein the connector lock comprises an additional retaining pin, wherein the retaining pin and the additional retaining pin are located on opposite ends of the connector opening.

5. The drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the connector lock includes a pair of retaining pins positioned on opposite ends of the connector opening, wherein each of the pair of retaining pins is resiliently flexible toward the other from a rest position to a disengaged position, and wherein the connector lock allows the connector of the wire to be disengaged when each of the plurality of retaining pins is in its respective disengaged position.

6. The drive carrier of claim 1, wherein the carrier door is configured to facilitate insertion or removal of the drive into or from the carrier without the use of tools.

7. A system having a drive carrier, comprising:

a chassis;

a main board coupled to the case;

a drive carrier coupled to the chassis, the drive carrier housing a drive having a drive connector, the drive carrier isolating the drive from vibration from the chassis, the drive carrier having a connector lock; and

a data line operably coupling the driver to the motherboard, the data line having a wire connector operably coupled to the driver connector, wherein the connector lock of the driver carrier releasably engages the wire connector to prevent decoupling of the wire connector and the driver connector.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the drive carrier is coupled to the chassis by a damping coupling.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the connector lock includes a retaining pin extending from a frame of the drive carrier.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the connector lock includes a pair of retaining pins positioned on opposite ends of a connector opening, wherein the connector opening is positioned to allow the wire connector to establish connection with the driver connector, and wherein each of the pair of retaining pins is resiliently flexible toward the other from a rest position to a disengaged position, wherein the connector lock allows the wire connector to be disengaged from the driver connector when each of the plurality of retaining pins is in its respective disengaged position.

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